A Journey into Time in Powers of Ten: the story

The book was inspired by the famous Eames video in the 1970’s and a subsequent book from Philip and Phyllis Morrison’s based on the Powers of Ten. One of our MUST professors, Jürg Osterwalder, University of Zürich, suggested that we connect the idea of using timescales in a book to demonstrate relevant processes occurring in time.

It takes you on a journey through time from the central page, one second, the blink of an eye, through a series of stories about some of the shortest processes in time - how water molecules works, what happens in the eye, how atoms and electron behave - to the longest processes such as the evolution of humans and the formation of planets. Each page is a story visually told using ten images and short easily readable text. Each page sets you on a journey, where you can find out more through the key words.




© Nadia Sigrist

The reader moves through time, with lots of stories at each step of the timescales. It shows us how at ever moment we are on this journey as human beings – around us molecules and atoms move, nerves fire within our body, we experience the seasons, and we are part of the long journey in time where continents shift and planets are born. We are all travellers in time.
 

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Many thanks to: Prof. Jürg Osterwalder and Prof. Peter Hamm, University of Zürich for their important contributions; and to the 54 contributors (undergraduates, PhDs, Postdocs, Senior Scientists, Professors and contributors from industry) for the commitment to deliver such high quality material.

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