In 1974, Gribbin, along with
Stephen Plagemann, published a book titled The Jupiter Effect, which predicted that the alignment of the planets in a quadrant on one side of the Sun on 10 March 1982 would cause gravitational effects that would trigger earthquakes in the
San Andreas Fault, possibly wiping out Los Angeles and its suburbs.[6]
Gribbin distanced himself from The Jupiter Effect in the 17 July 1980, issue of New Scientist magazine, stating that he had been "too clever by half".[7]
In February 1982, he and Plagemann published The Jupiter Effect Reconsidered, claiming that the 1980
Mount St. Helenseruption proved their theory true despite a lack of planetary alignment. In 1999, Gribbin repudiated it, saying "I don't like it, and I'm sorry I ever had anything to do with it."[8]
The conservative political magazine The Spectator described Gribbin as "one of the finest and most prolific writers of popular science around" in a review of Science: A History, which it praises as "the product of immense learning, and a lifetime spent working out how to write in a vivacious way about science and scientists".[10]
Henry Gee, a senior editor at Nature, described Gribbin as "one of the best science writers around".[citation needed]
A review of The Universe: A Biography in the journal Physics World praised his skill in explaining difficult ideas.[14]
A Wall Street Journal review of Flower Hunters (co-authored with Mary Gribbin) described the writing as "pedestrian", with plenty of domestic detail but a failure to convey a larger cultural context. It stated that the book's chapter-length biographical sketches are too often superficial, and criticised the book for glaring omissions of prominent plant collectors.[15]
In a review of The Reason Why, the Times Higher Education states that Gribbin writes on speculative matters and presents some of his theories without supporting evidence, but noted his comprehensive research and lyrical writing.[16]
(2006) History of Western Science, 1543-2001,
Folio Society, London [2nd edition of Science: A History, 1543-2001, with minor amendments and a new preface by the author].
(2010) In Search of the
Multiverse: Parallel Worlds, Hidden Dimensions, and the Ultimate Quest for the Frontiers of Reality,
Wiley,
ISBN0-4706-1352-1
(2017) Out of the shadow of a giant: Hooke, Halley and the birth of British science. London: William Collins. 2017.
ISBN978-0-00-822059-4.
OCLC966239842. (with Mary Gribbin)
(2003) Big Numbers: A Mind Expanding Trip to Infinity and Back (co-author Mary Gribbin), Wizard Books (children's imprint of Icon Books) 2005 edition
ISBN1-84046-661-8
(2003) How far is up? : Measuring the Size of the Universe (co-author Mary Gribbin), Icon Books, 2005 edition
ISBN1-84046-439-9
(2008) Time Travel for Beginners (co-author Mary Gribbin), Hodder Children's,
ISBN978-0-340-95702-8
(1980) The Death of the Sun, Dell Publishing
ISBN978-0-440-51854-9 (also as The Strangest Star: The Scientific Account of the Life and Death of the Sun, 1980, Athlone Press,
ISBN978-0-485-11207-8)
(1991) Blinded by the Light: The Secret Life of the Sun, Bantam,
ISBN978-0-593-02064-7
(1992) In Search of the Edge of Time: Black Holes, White Holes, Worm Holes, Bantam Books,
ISBN978-0-593-02409-6 (US title Unveiling the Edge of Time, Three Rivers Press. 1994 reprint:
ISBN0-517-88170-5)
(1994) Time and Space, as Eyewitness: Time and Space (2000), DK Children,
ISBN978-0-7894-5578-9
(1996) Companion to the Cosmos, John and Mary Gribbin, Little:
ISBN0-316-32835-9
(1997) Time and the Universe (Whats the Big Idea) (children's), Hodder & Stoughton,
ISBN978-0-340-65590-0
^Parris, Matthew (26 December 2006).
"Albert Einstein". Great Lives. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2011. In the BBC radio 4 broadcast, Parris refers to Gribbin as their "expert witness". This is not to downplay the impressive credentials mentioned for Kathy Sykes.
In 1974, Gribbin, along with
Stephen Plagemann, published a book titled The Jupiter Effect, which predicted that the alignment of the planets in a quadrant on one side of the Sun on 10 March 1982 would cause gravitational effects that would trigger earthquakes in the
San Andreas Fault, possibly wiping out Los Angeles and its suburbs.[6]
Gribbin distanced himself from The Jupiter Effect in the 17 July 1980, issue of New Scientist magazine, stating that he had been "too clever by half".[7]
In February 1982, he and Plagemann published The Jupiter Effect Reconsidered, claiming that the 1980
Mount St. Helenseruption proved their theory true despite a lack of planetary alignment. In 1999, Gribbin repudiated it, saying "I don't like it, and I'm sorry I ever had anything to do with it."[8]
The conservative political magazine The Spectator described Gribbin as "one of the finest and most prolific writers of popular science around" in a review of Science: A History, which it praises as "the product of immense learning, and a lifetime spent working out how to write in a vivacious way about science and scientists".[10]
Henry Gee, a senior editor at Nature, described Gribbin as "one of the best science writers around".[citation needed]
A review of The Universe: A Biography in the journal Physics World praised his skill in explaining difficult ideas.[14]
A Wall Street Journal review of Flower Hunters (co-authored with Mary Gribbin) described the writing as "pedestrian", with plenty of domestic detail but a failure to convey a larger cultural context. It stated that the book's chapter-length biographical sketches are too often superficial, and criticised the book for glaring omissions of prominent plant collectors.[15]
In a review of The Reason Why, the Times Higher Education states that Gribbin writes on speculative matters and presents some of his theories without supporting evidence, but noted his comprehensive research and lyrical writing.[16]
(2006) History of Western Science, 1543-2001,
Folio Society, London [2nd edition of Science: A History, 1543-2001, with minor amendments and a new preface by the author].
(2010) In Search of the
Multiverse: Parallel Worlds, Hidden Dimensions, and the Ultimate Quest for the Frontiers of Reality,
Wiley,
ISBN0-4706-1352-1
(2017) Out of the shadow of a giant: Hooke, Halley and the birth of British science. London: William Collins. 2017.
ISBN978-0-00-822059-4.
OCLC966239842. (with Mary Gribbin)
(2003) Big Numbers: A Mind Expanding Trip to Infinity and Back (co-author Mary Gribbin), Wizard Books (children's imprint of Icon Books) 2005 edition
ISBN1-84046-661-8
(2003) How far is up? : Measuring the Size of the Universe (co-author Mary Gribbin), Icon Books, 2005 edition
ISBN1-84046-439-9
(2008) Time Travel for Beginners (co-author Mary Gribbin), Hodder Children's,
ISBN978-0-340-95702-8
(1980) The Death of the Sun, Dell Publishing
ISBN978-0-440-51854-9 (also as The Strangest Star: The Scientific Account of the Life and Death of the Sun, 1980, Athlone Press,
ISBN978-0-485-11207-8)
(1991) Blinded by the Light: The Secret Life of the Sun, Bantam,
ISBN978-0-593-02064-7
(1992) In Search of the Edge of Time: Black Holes, White Holes, Worm Holes, Bantam Books,
ISBN978-0-593-02409-6 (US title Unveiling the Edge of Time, Three Rivers Press. 1994 reprint:
ISBN0-517-88170-5)
(1994) Time and Space, as Eyewitness: Time and Space (2000), DK Children,
ISBN978-0-7894-5578-9
(1996) Companion to the Cosmos, John and Mary Gribbin, Little:
ISBN0-316-32835-9
(1997) Time and the Universe (Whats the Big Idea) (children's), Hodder & Stoughton,
ISBN978-0-340-65590-0
^Parris, Matthew (26 December 2006).
"Albert Einstein". Great Lives. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 26 December 2011. In the BBC radio 4 broadcast, Parris refers to Gribbin as their "expert witness". This is not to downplay the impressive credentials mentioned for Kathy Sykes.