History Literature / TheScienceOfDiscworld

* {{Retcon}}: The first book uses 'splitting the thaum' as a magical equivalent of 'splitting the atom'. In previous books, thaums were just an arbitrary measurement of magic (and with the competing Prime system) rather than the smallest possible unit of magic.

* GiverOfLameNames: The elves are pretty impressed by Shakespeare's writing (though they're not sure about the "girdle around the earth in three minutes" thing), but one of them - an impossibly old one who's seen and done a lot - thinks maybe after hearing the name "Peaceblossom" that humans maybe aren't worth bothering with.

** When discussing the works of Preserved J. Nightingale, who writes not-quite-there versions of Shakespeare's plays, Hex says he is considered the best artist of the time. But objectively speaking, he's utter crap.

** Hex also mentions how, in 1734, a German shoemaker named Joshua Goddelson left his house by the back door, setting in motion a chain of events that (somehow) leads to commercial fusion power in 2017.
** In the universe where Preserved J. Nightingale wrote ''Macbeth'', it's A: A comedy, and B: ''Much'' shorter, since Macbeth decides not to listen to the witches at all.

* The Dean's proposed mile-high limpet, as the only life form on Earth to get anything like immortality, is identical to Leviathan - the oldest living creature on Earth in the ''Literature/Illuminatus'' trilogy, with a point-for-point correspondence in the description.

* ThisIsReality: The Fairy Queen's gloat to the Wizard in book 2, basically. On Roundworld, a king's third son is just a lazy prince, and an old woman isn't a witch, just an inexpensive means of keeping the fire going a little longer. It's ''their'' world, not the Wizards'.

* {{Foil}}: Rincewind and Ponder are foils to each other in the scenes they share together. Both are rational men, but in different ways. Ponder is a realist who relies on facts, while Rincewind is more intuitive and cynical.

* MageInManhattan

* NoMoreForMe: When Rincewind trudges up out of the primordial ocean onto the primordial beach, the narration notes that many religions have been inspired by the image of a person emerging from the sea, but this particular vision would be unlikely to inspire anything except a desire to avoid strong drink in future.

** During ''Discworld/ReaperMan'', a footnote on the High Energy Building noted that one day the older wizards were going to be very nervous when they learned just what it was the students were wanting to build on the squash court. Sure enough, the story begins with the students having finally built a Thing on the squash court, and the older wizards ''are'' nervous.
** Remember Death's speech in ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'' about how humans need fantasy to be humans? That idea plays a large part in the second book.

* ChekhovsSkill: The Luggage's ability to travel between worlds in pursuit of its master debuted in ''Discworld/TheColourOfMagic'' and was expanded upon in ''Discworld/{{Eric}}''. This ability is finally put to practical use in book II.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Roundworld itself, as Rincewind and Twoflower briefly travel there in ''Discworld/TheColourOfMagic''. The Librarian briefly encounters Darwin in the first book.

* {{Magitek}}: Hex of course, and the Thaumic Engine is the magical equivalent of a nuclear reactor (going back to Pratchett's roots, as he made many similar comparisons in ''Discworld/TheColourOfMagic'').

* MythologyGag: Among the quotations at the beginning of the third book is Preserved J. Nightingale's version of Paley's "watch" quote, supposedly [[DifferentWorldDifferentMovies from a text]] called ''[[Discworld/WitchesAbroad Watches Abroad]]''.

* GivingUpOnLogic: At first, the Wizards try to build a world using Discworld-logic, but after numerous failures,eventually Ponder Stibbons has a moment of BreakTheScientist and determines that the only way to get anything done is to understand what rules Roundworld runs on.

* PaperThinDisguise: The Librarian is able to disguise himself as a Spaniard via a large dress. Since the wizards are in Elizabethan London, it's enough.

* AgonyOfDaFeet: Trying to prevent the murder of Darwin, Rincewind winds up getting a cannonball dropped on his foot.

* ScienceMarchesOn: Chapter 10 of Book Four illustrates the nature of science by devoting some space to the theories the first book favoured about the formation of the moon and the origins of life, and explaining why they're probably wrong after all. [[invoked]]
* SeriousBusiness: On the Disc, the origins of the warning label "may contain nuts" came about because the Patrician takes food hygiene warning very seriously, and asked the wizards to help determine whether or not packing would contain nuts. He wasn't entirely satisfied with their answer that they couldn't conclusively prove that it did or did not.

* CallBack: Remember Death's speech in ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'' about how humans need fantasy to be humans? That idea plays a large part in the second book.

* ForWantOfANail: The numerous events that prevent Shakespeare or Darwin from producing their works in alternate Roundworld timelines.

* InDefenseOfStoryTelling: The whole of book 2. Humans need stories to be ''human''.

* JerkassHasAPoint: In the one of the science chapters in the first book, the narration notes that Rincewind's speech on how meaningless it is to build a life on Roundworld is with its tendency to destroy any civilization with giant snowballs and other disasters, while we might find it harsh, makes sense. Rincewind has seen the Roundworld on a far grander scale than any native has, so while we might enjoy living on it ''at the moment'', the same could be said about the dinosaurs. Just ask them; ''You can't, can you. That's the point.''

** An emaciated ragged man with a straggly-ill-kept beard and a haunted expression staggering out of the sea fixated on completing a mission. [[Series/MontyPython It]]'s possibly a ShoutOut? Or a {{Homage}}?

* ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud: In ''Darwin's Watch'', Hex makes several dramatic announcements to the wizards, and says the words "pause for dramatic effect" before saying the last word. Ponder eventually tells him that he doesn't need to to that.

* ContinuityNod: The first book once again brings up the wizard fondness for SchmuckBait, this time via the metaphor of guillotines. Put a sign up near one saying not to put your head in one, and wizards would never need to buy a hat again.

* ExactWords: What are the chances of Ponder's thaum-splitting magical reactor "just blowin' up and destroyin' the entire university?" None at all. If it goes up, it won't just blow up the university - it'll destroy the entire city, or even the Discworld.

* WhatDidIDoLastNight: Rincewind experiences this in ''The Science of Discworld II'' after the wizards spend the night drinking with Creator/WilliamShakespeare.

* CapitolLettersAreMagic: Early in Book 1, there's a bit on Very Big Things, an important part of any university faculty (if only because they keep students out of mischief).