From the Ancient Greeks, who first suggested that matter might be made of indivisible atoms, through the great explorations of Arab, the Renaissance and then Enlightenment scientists, the story of physics has been written through trial and error, sheer persistence, and intermittent flashes of pure genius, despite many periods of persecution, hardship, and danger. Author Anne Rooney follows its narrative from the earliest societies to the current day, discovering the entrancing appeal of the secrets that rule the universe. On the way from prehistory to the twenty-first century, we encounter Newton poking a needle into his own eye, Einstein paving the way for nuclear weapons, and the ultimate puzzle of dark matter. The book is beautifully illustrated throughout in full color.