The Science of Discworld
The Science of Discworld is a 1999 collaboration by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, and Jack Cohen. It mixes a Discworld tale with straightforward science essays, then continues with three sequels by the same authors. The book’s cover is a playful nod to a famous 18th‑century science painting.
In the story part, a new power source for Unseen University in the squash court goes disastrously right, unleashing vast magical energy. The thinking engine Hex tries to divert the magic into a space containing nothing—no matter, no energy, no reality, and no magic. Out of this “nothing” emerges the universe, which the wizards call Roundworld: Earth. They recruit Rincewind, the reluctant wizard, to explore this strange world. The wizards create spheres of matter in space and even accidentally give one of them a Moon. Over thousands of years, life begins and evolves, and the book leaps through early ecosystems, including a crab civilization and the dinosaurs, who are wiped out by meteor impacts. Later, a more advanced human-like civilization evacuates Earth because of an impending disaster. The story blends a whimsical creation myth with a science-minded look at how our world began and grew.
The even-numbered chapters switch to science essays. They cover topics like the origins of the universe, Earth, and life, and explain why scientific explanations can be more complex than they seem. A playful idea called narrativium—the fictional force behind storytelling—appears as a running joke about how narratives shape both literature and science. The essays also touch on Lies-To-Children and Lies-To-Wizards, a nod to how teachers and researchers sometimes simplify ideas for learners.
Reception highlighted the book’s humor and accessibility. Publishers Weekly called it unique and entertaining, while other critics praised it as a fun, engaging popular science work, though some noted its odd mix of fiction and science. The book spawned three sequels—The Science of Discworld II: The Globe, The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch, and The Science of Discworld IV: Judgement Day—that continue the blend of Discworld adventures and curious science. The project also helped raise Pratchett’s profile in science circles and sparked discussions about how storytelling intersects with scientific ideas.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:42 (CET).