Shermer got the idea to write about science for the general public after reading the articles of evolutionary biologist and paleontologist Stephen Gould, who believed that “the fascinating reality of nature should not be excluded from the sphere of literary endeavor.” The book contains 75 fascinating and witty articles, of which the reader will learn about Darwin’s insight, about how bare facts differ from scientific ones, about why the Americans landed on the moon after all, why smart people believe in stupid things and even education doesn’t save them, and why tap water doesn’t help no worse than the one in bottles. Science, skepticism, aliens and UFOs, alternative medicine, human nature and evolution - this is not the entire list of topics that the main American skeptic wrote about. Michael Shermer encourages the reader to maintain a rational view of the world, teaches him to analyze facts and be skeptical of everything that seems obvious.