Book excerpt: Unsure about the big scientific ideas of today? This book is full of cutting-edge concepts about space and our Universe made simple. The media reports on the latest scientific discoveries and breakthroughs can seem like an alien language, from black holes to dark matter and exoplanets to leap seconds. Finally, get to grips with these difficult concepts by reading Ben Gilliland's unique take on them. Rocket Science for the Rest of Us takes complex scientific ideas and breaks them down for the non-scientist, from explaining the size of the Universe to how black holes work, Schroedinger's cat, and the Higgs boson. Difficult ideas and theories are compared to everyday things we are familiar with - forces become armies and electrons have personalities. This book will have you saying "I get it now!" over and over again. You no longer have to be a rocket scientist to understand rocket science. Reviews: "Detailed diagrams are one of the book's strongest points, as they provide the clearest explanations of difficult physics concepts." - Booklist