Books in the Hot Science series

The first title in Icon's new Hot Science series, exploring the cutting edge of modern science.

The mysterious phenomena that could unlock the secrets of the universe.

In 2003, Russian physicists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov found a way to produce graphene - the thinnest substance in the world - by using sticky tape to separate an atom-thick layer from a block of graphite. Their efforts would win the 2010 Nobel Prize for Physics, and now the applications of graphene and other 'two-dimensional' substances form a worldwide industry. Graphene is far stronger than steel, a far better conductor than any metal, and able to act as a molecular sieve to purify water. Electronic components made from graphene are a fraction of the size of silicon microchips and can be both flexible and transparent, making it possible to build electronics into clothing, produce solar cells to fit any surface, or even create invisible temporary tattoos that monitor your health. Ultra-thin materials give us the next big step forward since the transistor revolutionised electronics. Get ready for the graphene revolution.

Is Earth reallydoomed to be destroyed by a cosmic catastrophe?

The cutting-edge science that will revolutionise the way we prevent disease

New for Icon's Hot Science series - a startling insight into the data that runs our lives.

CERN and the Higgs boson hit the headlines and made particle physics exciting for non-scientists - here's the inside story

On 14 September 2015, after 50 years of searching,gravitational waves were detected for the first time and astronomy changed forever.

The ground-breaking science behind ambitious new schemes for restoring lost natural systems

Dreams, schemes and opportunity as space opens for tourism and commerce.

The quest to find a theory of quantum gravity that could potentially explain everything.

The ultimate non-technical guide to the fast-developing world of quantum computing Computer technology has improved exponentially over the last 50 years. But the headroom for bigger and better electronic solutions is running out. Our best hope is to engage the power of quantum physics. 'Quantum algorithms' had already been written long before hardware was built. These would enable, for example, a quantum computer to exponentially speed up an information search, or to crack the mathematical trick behind internet security. However, making a quantum computer is incredibly difficult. Despite hundreds of laboratories around the world working on them, we are only just seeing them come close to 'supremacy' where they can outperform a traditional computer. In this approachable introduction, Brian Clegg explains algorithms and their quantum counterparts, explores the physical building blocks and quantum weirdness necessary to make a quantum computer, and uncovers the capabilities of the current generation of machines.