LEWIS DARTNELL is a UK Space Agency research fellow at the University of Leicester, in the field of astrobiology and the search for signs of life on Mars. He has won several awards for his science writing, and contributes to the Guardian, The Times and New Scientist. He has also written for television and appeared on BBC Horizon, Sky News, Wonders of the Universe, Stargazing Live, and The Sky at Night. A tireless populariser of science, his theory on how the heisters could have saved the gold bullion in the cliff-hanging ending of The Italian Job was mocked on Have I Got News For You. His two previous books are Life in the Universe: a Beginner’s Guide and the illustrated children’s book My Tourist’s Guide to the Solar System and Beyond. When the world ends, he will be ready to start again.

"As the scouts say - be prepared! Say your prayers that you never need this book" -- Bear Grylls "A glorious compendium of the knowledge we have lost in the living... This is the most inspiring book I've read in a long time" -- Peter Forbes Independent "An extraordinary achievement... It is a great read even if civilisation does not collapse. If it does, it will be the sacred text of the new world - Dartnell that world's first great prophet" The Times "The ultimate do-it-yourself guide to 'rebooting' human civilization" Nature "A terrifically engrossing history of science and technology" -- Steven Poole Guardian

LEWIS DARTNELL is a UK Space Agency research fellow at the University of Leicester, in the field of astrobiology and the search for signs of life on Mars. He has won several awards for his science writing, and contributes to the Guardian, The Times and New Scientist. He has also written for television and appeared on BBC Horizon, Sky News, Wonders of the Universe, Stargazing Live, and The Sky at Night. A tireless populariser of science, his theory on how the heisters could have saved the gold bullion in the cliff-hanging ending of The Italian Job was mocked on Have I Got News For You. His two previous books are Life in the Universe: a Beginner’s Guide and the illustrated children’s book My Tourist’s Guide to the Solar System and Beyond. When the world ends, he will be ready to start again.

"As the scouts say - be prepared! Say your prayers that you never need this book" -- Bear Grylls "A glorious compendium of the knowledge we have lost in the living... This is the most inspiring book I've read in a long time" -- Peter Forbes Independent "An extraordinary achievement... It is a great read even if civilisation does not collapse. If it does, it will be the sacred text of the new world - Dartnell that world's first great prophet" The Times "The ultimate do-it-yourself guide to 'rebooting' human civilization" Nature "A terrifically engrossing history of science and technology" -- Steven Poole Guardian