Magic takes many forms. Supernatural magic is what our ancestors used in order to explain the world before they developed the scientific method. The ancient Egyptians explained the night by suggesting the goddess Nut swallowed the sun. The Vikings believed a rainbow was the gods' bridge to earth. The Japanese used to explain earthquakes by conjuring a gigantic catfish that carried the world on its back—earthquakes occurred each time it flipped its tail. These are magical, extraordinary tales. But there is another kind of magic, and it lies in the exhilaration of discovering the real answers to these questions. It is the magic of reality—science.

Packed with clever thought experiments, dazzling illustrations and jaw-dropping facts, The Magic of Reality explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena. What is stuff made of? How old is the universe? Why do the continents look like disconnected pieces of a puzzle? What causes tsunamis? Why are there so many kinds of plants and animals? Who was the first man, or woman? This is a page-turning, graphic detective story that not only mines all the sciences for its clues but primes the reader to think like a scientist as well.

Richard Dawkins, the world's most famous evolutionary biologist and one of science education's most passionate advocates, has spent his career elucidating the wonders of science for adult readers. But now, in a dramatic departure, he has teamed up with acclaimed artist Dave McKean and used his unrivaled explanatory powers to share the magic of science with readers of all ages. This is a treasure trove for anyone who has ever wondered how the world works. Dawkins and McKean have created an illustrated guide to the secrets of our world—and the universe beyond—that will entertain and inform for years to come.

道金斯（Richard Dawkins）因為《自私的基因》贏得世界名聲，接著又齣版瞭係列令讀者喜愛的書，包括著名的《上帝的錯覺》（The God Delusion）。他最近的作品《地球大戲》（The Greatest Show on Earth）名列暢銷書排行榜之首。道金斯是英國皇傢學會會員、皇傢文學學會會員，贏得過無數大奬。他是牛津大學教授，直到2008年；至今還是新學院的董事。他還編寫和齣品瞭幾部電視紀錄片，包括《達爾文的基因》（2008）和《信仰學校的威脅》（2010）。

麥基恩（Dave McKean）為Ray Bradbury, SF Said, David Almond, Heston Blumenthal, JohnCale, Stephen King和Neil Gaiman等眾多作者的獲奬圖書和連環畫做過插圖和設計，他為《鬼媽媽》（Coraline）和《墳場故事》（The Graveyard Book）（獲Newbery和Carnegie奬）畫過插圖。他自己創作的Cages贏得過很多最佳漫畫奬。他設計過數百種畫冊、漫畫和圖書封麵，為兩部《哈利波特》電影設計過人物形象。他還導演過故事片《鏡麵具》（Mirror Mask）和《月亮》（Luna）。