There isn't really any particular aspect of natural occurances or applications that I'm interested in - in fact, I liked that, from what you said, the book sounded like it touched on all kinds of things. That generality would be good. But it could certainly be more specific as long as the topic was interesting enough to hold my attention.

I think the best way I could express what I would need from this hypothetical book I'm looking for would be a series like NOVA, only in book form. I need it to be palatable to me and not lose me in the dry math and science department. I need it to only explain as much of the actual technical math and science as I would need to understand the concepts being talked about. Does that make more sense? I wish I could be more specific, but I think the NOVA thing is the most on-target way I have of describing it. I need the book to know that its audience (at least its audience in me) is fairly laymen and it needs to be a little "hey, look how fun and surprising math/science is! isn't that neat?!" without insulting my intelligence or coming off like a lame high school biology book.