From Quantum Physics To Time Travel, The Science Writer Shares Insights On Creativity, Storytelling, And The Future Of Discovery
Brian Clegg discusses his journey from business creativity to popular science writing, the challenges of explaining complex topics, and his thoughts on dark matter, time travel, and the power of narrative.
Brian Clegg’s journey from the corridors of British Airways to the pages of bestselling popular science books is a testament to the power of curiosity and reinvention. With a background in natural sciences and operational research, Clegg initially carved out a career in business creativity, working with giants like the BBC and Sony. Yet, it was a serendipitous email mix-up that steered him towards his true calling: making the wonders of science accessible to all. Today, with over 50 titles to his name, including A Brief History of Infinity and Cracking Quantum Physics, Clegg has become a master at distilling complex concepts into engaging narratives that captivate both the curious layperson and the seasoned science enthusiast.
In this exclusive interview for Reader’s House Magazine, Clegg reflects on his transition from business consultancy to science writing, the challenges of explaining quantum entanglement, and the enduring mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. He also delves into the tantalising possibilities of time travel, the interplay between fiction and non-fiction, and the creative techniques that fuel his prolific output. For aspiring science writers, Clegg offers invaluable advice: start with a story. After all, as he demonstrates time and again, science is not just about facts—it’s about the people, the history, and the wonder that make those facts come alive.
What inspired you to transition from a career in operational research and business creativity to writing popular science books?
I had already written for magazines and authored several business books – at the same time, I was an enthusiastic reader of popular science. When writing a new title on using the internet for business, I wanted to contact the then-leading search engine company, Alta Vista. My email went astray. The address altavista.co.uk was owned by a literary agent, who pointed out that with my science background and writing experience I could do well in popular science. He took me on, and I haven’t looked back.
Among all the scientific topics you’ve covered, which has been the most challenging to explain in an accessible way, and why?
Probably quantum entanglement, in The God Effect. Quantum physics has a reputation for being obscure. Famously, physicist Richard Feynman said ‘The theory of quantum electrodynamics describes Nature as absurd from the point of view of common sense. And it agrees fully with experiment. So I hope you can accept Nature as she is – absurd.’ Entanglement provides a way to link quantum particles where a change in one is reflected instantly in the other, however distant. Sadly, this doesn’t make it possible to send instantaneous messages, but does enable unbreakable encryption and quantum teleportation. Like much modern physics, the difficulty in making it accessible is that it is based on heavy-duty mathematics. The trick is to give enough understanding that the reader can follow it without diving into mathematical monstrosities.
Your book Dark Matter and Dark Energy deals with some of the biggest mysteries in the universe. Do you think we are close to solving them, or will they remain speculative for the foreseeable future?
There is increasing evidence casting doubt on the widely held particle theory of dark matter. Dark matter explains the way that large bodies such as galaxies act as if they have far more mass than they should have. The particle theory imagines an invisible, undetected type of matter that still has mass. However, all attempts to find such matter particles have failed. And the latest observation of galaxies in the early universe seems incompatible with the predictions of such theories. It is starting to seem more likely that gravity acts differently on the scale of galaxies. We are still far from being sure, but a new approach is on the horizon.
Dark energy, by contrast, is the mysterious driver behind the acceleration of expansion of the universe. We have plenty of theories, but very little evidence to move away from speculation.
In How to Build a Time Machine, you explore the concept of time travel. Based on current physics, do you believe time travel could ever be possible?
It’s entirely possible – but very different from fiction. Travel into the future is easy. The special theory of relativity makes it clear that moving quickly makes time pass more slowly for the traveller than on the Earth. As yet, we can’t fly fast enough to have a significant impact, but our best time machines, the Voyager probes, have moved around 1.1 seconds into the future. With travel at a reasonable fraction of light speed we could shift years.
Travel into the past is vastly more challenging. Although theoretical means exist, they require engineering far beyond our capabilities – for example, constructing a rotating cylinder from neutron stars. This isn’t going to happen. Arguably it’s just as well, as horrendous paradoxes arise. For example, if I got a copy of this interview after it was published, sent it back to myself in the past and submitted it, who wrote it?
You’ve written both fiction and non-fiction—how does your approach differ when crafting a detective story versus a science book?
Not as much as you might think: narrative is just as important in non-fiction as in fiction. Either way, I’m looking for ways to get readers involved. My most recent book, Brainjacking, looks at how we use the power of story to inform, influence and manipulate, which applies equally to fiction and non-fiction. The main difference is that a fiction writer has greater control. When writing science books, I’m restricted by scientific theory and history. When writing a mystery novel, I can play around with reality. But both require a careful assessment of structure and how the reader is to be led through the book.
Given your background in creativity consultancy, do you have any techniques or habits that help you generate new ideas for books?
Creativity techniques are about giving you a different viewpoint, or starting position, to engage your natural creativity. At one time I used such techniques to develop ideas, but the more you use them, the less you need them. Once you’ve become used to breaking down the barriers to creativity it’s usually possible without a technique.
What advice would you give to aspiring science writers who want to make complex topics engaging and accessible to a general audience?
Start with narrative. You aren’t just putting facts across, you are telling a story. This means that context is as important as content. This usually requires a mix of the personal and the historical. How were the ideas developed? Who was involved and how did their experiences impact their work? This is particularly difficult in some modern projects with hundreds of scientists involved. Yet it’s still possible to highlight the experiences of individuals. I often see academics who try to write about science mentioning every individual involved. Unfortunately, that makes it impossible to become immersed in the narrative. A reader needs to relate to the author as narrator, or to the scientists mentioned – or both.
