Read Science of Discworld III for Free Online

not become as big, and the other developments were all rather muted. The great wave of discovery flattened out. The world settled down to a period of stability and peace.’
    ‘Sounds good to me,’ said Ridcully, and got a chorus of ‘hear, hears’ from the other wizards.
    ‘Yes, Archchancellor,’ said Ponder. ‘And, then again, no . Getting off the planet, remember? The big freeze in five hundred years’ time? No land life form surviving that was bigger than a cockroach?’
    ‘No one bothered about that?’ said Ridcully.
    ‘Not until it was too late, sir. In that world as we left it, the first humans walked on the Moon less than seventy years after they flew at all.’
    Ponder looked at their blank faces.
    ‘Which was quite an achievement,’ he said.
    ‘Why? We’ve done that ,’ said the Dean.
    Ponder sighed. ‘Things are different on a globe, sir. There are no broomsticks, no magic carpets, and going to the Moon is not just a case of pushing off over the edge and trying to avoid the Turtle on the way down.’
    ‘How did they do it, then?’ said the Dean.
    ‘Using rockets, sir.’
    ‘The things that go up and explode with lots of coloured lights?’
    ‘Initially, sir, but fortunately they found out how to stop them doing that. Next slide, please …’ A picture that might have been a pair of old-fashioned pantaloons appeared on the screen. ‘Ah, this is our old friend, the Trousers of Time. We all know this. It’s what you get when history goes two ways. What we have to do now is find out why they split. That means I shall have to—’
    ‘Are we near the point where you mention quantum?’ said Ridcully, quickly.
    ‘I’m afraid it is looming, sir, yes.’
    Ridcully stood up, gathering his robes about him. ‘Ah. I think I heard the gong for dinner, gentlemen. Just as well, really.’
    The moon rose. At midnight, Ponder Stibbons read what Hex had written, wandered across the dewy lawn to the Library, woke the Librarian, and asked for a copy of a book called The Origin of Species .
    Two hours later he went back, woke the Librarian again, and asked for Theology of Species . As he left with it, he heard the door being locked behind him.
    Later still, he fell asleep with his face in a cold pizza and both books open on his desk, dripping with bookmarks and stray pieces of anchovy.
    Beside him, Hex’s writing table whirred. Twenty quill pens flashedback and forth and gyrated on spring-loaded arms, making the table look like several giant spiders on their backs. And, every minute, a page dropped onto the pile that was forming on the floor …
    Ponder dreamed fitfully of dinosaurs trying to fly. They always splashed when they reached the bottom of the cliff.
    He woke up at half past eight, read the accumulated papers, and voided a small scream.
    All right, all right, he thought. There is no actual hurry , as such. We can change it back any time we like. That’s what time travel means .
    But although the brain can think that, the panic gland never believes it. He snatched up the books and as many notes as he could carry and hurried out.
    We have heard the chimes of midnight, the saying goes. The wizards had not only heard them but also the ones at one, two and three a.m. They certainly weren’t interested in hearing anything at half past eight, however. The only occupant of the tables in the Great Hall was Archchancellor Ridcully, who liked an unhealthy breakfast after his early morning run. He was alone at the trestle tables in the big hall.
    ‘I’ve found it!’ Ponder announced, with a certain nervous triumph, and dropped the two books in front of the astonished wizard.
    ‘Found what?’ said Ridcully. ‘And mind where you’re putting stuff, man! You nearly had the bacon dish over!’
    ‘I have put my finger,’ Ponder declared, ‘on the precise split in the Trousers of Time!’
    ‘Good man!’ said Ridcully, reaching for the flagon of brown sauce. ‘Tell me about it after breakfast, will