★From the preface by Giorgio Parisi, Nobel prize for physics in 2021.
★“All too often, even the pioneers of fascinating scientific discoveries turn out to be boring. Communicating is an art – it can be learned but it takes dedication. And, as in all the arts, creativity and imagination are key. From this perspective especially, this book is a very successful experiment.”

What do the most innovative scientists in history have in common with the modern-day world? A lot. Beginning with the fact that, each in their own way, they were all actual influencers. They impacted the way of thinking of their time (just think of Leonardo da Vinci), they had followers (Stephen Hawking most of all) and haters (Marie Curie would have quite a bit to say on the subject). And, just like modern-day science authors, they tried to explain how and why physics is the basis of life.

It was thinking of them that, after the huge success of La fisica che ci piace [The physics we like] Vincenzo Schettini, the most famous schoolteacher on the Web, decided to recount the history of modern physics through the life stories of its founders.

This book will take you on an amazing journey through space and time, to the discovery of the most awesome physicists of all times. You will fly with Leonardo da Vinci, ride lightning bolts with Nikola Tesla, find yourself gravitating towards Isaac Newton and amid radiations with Marie Curie. You will build nuclear bombs with Enrico Fermi, discover the laws of the universe with Albert Einstein and appear in The Big Bang Theory alongside Stephen Hawking… all of it leading to a stunning final surprise. A blast from the past to uncover incredible oddities, breakthrough predictions, unexpected discoveries, secrets, the pop and modern sides in the lives of a band of true geniuses.

For each of them Vincenzo will explore the «physics they like», reveal the laws deduced from their discoveries as well as the theories that made them famous and are still hugely relevant in the lives of
us all. But most of all he will reveal the humanity, the weaknesses and fragilities they had the courage to show to the world.

Vincenzo Schettini is a physicist, musician, an influential teacher-on-Web, and a bestselling author. In the early 2000s he earned a diploma in violin and music teaching, and then a university degree in physics. In nurturing his two souls – the artistic and the scientific soul – he came up with the idea of turning physics from abstract knowledge to pure fun and entertainment, channeling the same energy of a music concert. For years he has been the conductor of an established gospel group called Wanted Chorus as well as a physics teacher in secondary school. Through the Fisica che ci piace channels on social media, now boasting millions of followers, Vincenzo makes physics accessible and engaging with his unique captivating style. He collaborates with the Italian Teacher Program at CERN. His first book, the 2022 best seller La fisica che ci piace, made the publishing world stand to attention, and was the recipient of the literary award Elsa Morante Ragazzi Esperienza for 2023.