] A book by travel writer Bill Bryson, which explains the
] origins of everything scooped the Aventis Science Book
] Prize on Monday night. A Short History of Nearly
] Everything, was awarded the prize by Lord Robert May,
] President of the Royal Society and Dirk Oldenburg, chair
] of the Aventis Foundation, at London's Royal Society.

[ I haven't had the chance to read this yet, but I know Ryan really liked it... i may well pick it up one of these days. It's quite something by all accounts... -k]

A Short History of Nearly Everything wins Aventis Prize