Bill Bryson: 'Science is fundamentally amazing' – video

With the Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2013 open for entries, acclaimed author Bill Bryson explains why he wrote A Short History of Nearly Everything. 'It's an instinct to share amazing information,' he says. 'Science is fundamentally amazing. There just isn't a fact that isn't remarkable. What drew me to write about science is that, although I had been a terrible student of science at school, I was certain that there must be some level at which even I could engage with science. That was the idea behind my book: I'm going to see what I can find out about science that appeals to me – that is relevant to me.' But, he adds, you have to liven it up. 'Just because something is important, doesn't mean that people will read it. You have to be interesting ... You have an obligation to entertain as well as instruct.'