This book presupposes some scientific background. If you want to feel comfortable with every chapter you read, you need to have broad (but not deep) understanding of the sciences. I am a social scientist, but found almost all of this book highly readable. Maddox, who was knighted for his contribution to science, presents the known mysteries that are yet to be solved. Among these are the workings of the brain, the exact origin of the universe and its exact nature (e.g. what is dark matter and where is it?), and the origin of life. These are important questions to which we do not have (completely) satisfactory answers. This goes against the "end of science" thesis postulated a few years before by John Horgan and others. Of course, Maddox can only deal at length with those things which we know are unanwwered, but these mysteries may not be the only ones there are. Perhaps new deep mysteries will arise, and perhaps some are so deep that even the relevant questions that have to be asked about them are forever beyond merely human intelligence. Maddox gives a vast overview, and it makes you awestruck at the sight of this grand world and the sheer power of science and technology that continue to probe ever deeper into its mysteries.

In this extraordinary book the reader is lead to the brink of human scientific knowledge and allowed to peer over the edge. While some understanding of basic science is requisite, this book gives clear explanations of many of the most basic concepts of 20th century science. The evolution of life as read in the genetic code, or the mapping of the universe are events we can expect to unfold as the next century passes. In all John Maddox paints a convincing picture of a century to come where scientific advances will once again surpass all that have come before, even the amazing discoveries made in the remarkable century just ending.

You really have to read What Remains to be Discovered by John Maddox to believe that one man could know so much about so many things. That Maddox is Editor Emeritus of Nature and was knighted for his service to science helps bridge that credibility gap....but this man is extraordinary. Although his book covers some of the most complex scientific issues of today, Maddox is able to distill the essentials and present them in a way that just about anybody can understand. Maddox introduces us to his world of quarks, strings, introns, and thinking machines with no incomprehensible formulas, absolutely no technical arrogance, and just enough jargon so you feel like you have a "conversational" understanding of the field. I think that if you want to better understand the issues and opportunities in some of the major fields of science then the easiest way is to read Maddox's book, put it down for a few months then read it again. Try it, you'll enjoy it both times.