How to ... use science

Physics has all sorts of really helpful laws. It will tell you why a body will continue to move in a straight line without stopping unless that body is commuting in a train. It will also describe the fact that for every force, there is an equal and opposite force, and why this means a married man can't read the newspaper in peace. Many of the laws come in the form of neat equations such as e=mc², named after a famous drug-taking DJ.

Thermodynamics is an especially interesting branch of physics because it will explain why a watched kettle never boils if you haven't plugged it in. It also helps you understand how ice turns to water when you accidentally turn the freezer off when you go on holiday. Some things are still puzzling thermodynamicists, such as why it is impossible to get ice without lemon.

Astronomy helps you remember planets with names other than Uranus and to know the difference between A-list and B-list stars. You can undertake practical astronomical experiments at home, such as proving the earth spins using only a dull evening in and a bottle of sweet sherry. Astronomy will also help you untangle Big Bang and Bad Bling, and suggest which one was more likely to have created the known universe.

Chemistry gives you an ability to list the constituent parts of Atomic Kitten and to explain the chemical difference between self-raising flour and Viagra. It'll also develop your awareness of why you instantly like some people and dislike others, and how underarm deodorant can change your personal chemistry. Chemistry also provides clues as to why you can drive with unleaded petrol but you can't write with an unleaded pencil.

Optics is a fascinating branch of science that can shed light on all sorts of things. It will help you with the problem of why the paint you buy in the shop is a different colour when it goes on your wall; it will give you a knowledge of the speeds of sound and light, and why this doesn't mean you can see people on TV before you hear them; you may also begin to gain an understanding of why lights go off in rooms in which you are reading the newspaper quietly when there are jobs to be done in the house.