In Search of Now by Jo Marchant

‘A superb, illuminating book that will change the way you think about the present moment’ – CLAUDIA HAMMOND

We all feel we live in the present moment, but what does ‘now’ really mean?

According to Einstein’s theory of relativity there is no meaningful difference between past and future; no moment of happening out in the universe. But then what becomes of free will? Is choice an illusion? Or has physics left something essential out of the equation?

Combining the latest research from neuroscience, psychology and physics, In Search of Now bridges mind and matter to rescue ‘now’ as the fundamental ingredient of existence, revealing how, moment by moment, we each carve out our lived experience – sensations and emotions, actions and decisions – through our interactions with the world.

Join Jo Marchant as she tackles questions of time, self, consciousness and reality – exploring the secrets of how our lives really unfold.

‘Original, gripping and perspective-smashing. Jo Marchant is up there with our greatest science writers’ – WILL STORR

Award-winning journalist and international bestselling author Jo Marchant returns with a mind-bending exploration of the shifting science behind how we understand time.

About the Author: Dr Jo Marchant is an award-winning science journalist whose writing explores our place in the universe, from the mind-body connection to the inspirational power of the night sky. Her other books include Decoding the Heavens, The Human Cosmos, and the New York Times bestseller Cure: A journey into the science of mind over body, which was shortlisted for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books and longlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. She presented the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series More Wow, investigating the life-changing emotion of awe. She has worked as a senior editor at New Scientist and Nature, and her articles have appeared in publications including Smithsonian, the Guardian, Economist and New York Times. She has a PhD in genetics.

@JoMarchant | jomarchant.com

12 Feb 2026
 

In Search of Now: The Science and Mystery of the Present Moment by Jo Marchant ISBN 9781838858742