The Shortest History of Reality by Geraint F. Lewis

From ancient myths and quantum physics to cosmology and dark matter

In The Shortest History of Reality, the idea of ‘what’s real’ is traced from its everyday, common-sense beginnings to the mind-bending discoveries of modern physics. Along the way, we encounter the great shifts in thought that reshaped our view of existence – from ancient philosophy to the rise of science, from Newton’s universe to the strange probabilities of the quantum world and beyond.

Blending science, history and philosophy, this is a brisk and lucid tour through humanity’s changing grasp of reality. With clarity and wit, it introduces key thinkers and turning points, revealing how each era has deepened – and complicated – our understanding of what’s really out there.

Rather than an encyclopaedia of everything that exists, this book is the compelling story of how we’ve tried to make sense of it all.

With a foreword by Derek Muller (Veritasium)

‘This book takes you from the tiniest quantum quirks to the grand sweep of the cosmos, all in one exhilarating ride.’ -Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

‘The Shortest History of Reality is more than history or science – it is a journey of humanity’s attempts to answer one simple question- Is this real?’ -Brad Tucker, astrophysicist, Australian National University

About the Author: Geraint F. Lewis is a professor of astrophysics at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy, part of the University of Sydney’s School of Physics. He has published more than 500 papers across cosmology, galactic archaeology, gravitational lensing and the fundamental nature of the universe, and four books of popular science, including The Cosmic Revolutionary’s Handbook and Where Did the Universe Come From?

30 Jun 2026
 

The Shortest History of Reality by Geraint F. Lewis ISBN 9781760645656