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Fallout Wiki

The Big Book of Science is a collection of writings on general science, written before the Great War.

Characteristics[]

Reading this book permanently improves the player's Science skill by 1 (by 2 with the Comprehension perk).

Locations[]

Collected? Closest map marker Image Location description

Arlington Cemetery North
FO3 BBOS Arlington House
In Arlington House, on the kitchen table.

Arlington Library
Big Book of Science Arlington Library
Inside, upstairs from the lobby to the right, on a desk in an office with two sofas.

Bethesda ruins
Bethesda ruins West office turret control and Big Book of Science
In Bethesda offices west, on the main desk on the ground floor, right next to the terminal. Be careful, there's a turret in there.

Broadcast tower KB5 Scientist highway bridge On the highway bridge between broadcast tower KB5 and SatCom Array NW-07c, as you approach from the east, the corpse of a scientist will be blown out of the back of a truck. The book will be on the body of the scientist, and is much more easily looted from any body parts that remain on the bridge, rather than what has fallen into the river below the bridge.

Broadcast tower LP8
Signal Echo Foxtrot Big Book of Science
In the Signal Echo Foxtrot sealed cistern

Chryslus Building
Chryslus Building Big Book of Science
On a shelf in the northwestern-most room of the basement

Outside Corvega factory
Corvega factory CarBin
In a waste container to the south. You will need to jump in from the cliff above

Corvega factory
Corvega factory Office Big book of science
At the entrance, up the stairs and to your left. It's sitting on a desk

Fort Bannister
Ft Bannister Main's most notable loot
In an average locked room at the bottom of concrete stairs in Fort Bannister Main, you reach by going up the stairs from the southernmost entrance, with a Fat Man and a mini nuke

Fort Constantine bunker
Launch Control bunker Big Book of Science
Launch Control bunker from the CO quarters of Fort Constantine, on a desk in the northeast corner

GNR building plaza
BB of Science GNR building plaza
Rec room with Three Dog, on the desk next to the radio with other goodies; must be stolen.

Greener Pastures disposal site
Greener Pastures Disposal site Big Book of Science
In the back end of a truck in the southwest near a dead scientist

Hallowed Moors Cemetery
Hallowed Moors Cemetery Day
In the lectern

Jury Street Metro station
BB of Science drainage chamber SOT
On a desk in the drainage chamber accessed through a manhole north of where you get the Radio Signal Oscar Tango, which is directly south of Jury Street Metro station

L'Enfant Plaza
Big Book of Science LEnfant
South of the L'Enfant Plaza map marker and metro, and then a little to the east in a Pulowski Preservation shelter

Marigold station
Fire Ant booty
In Queen ant's hatchery, in the lair of the Marigold ant queen on a desk next to a terminal; may have been knocked on the ground next to the desk; check around there if it isn't on the desk.

Megaton Moira Brown After completing the RobCo Production Facility Mainframe portion of Chapter 3 of the Wasteland Survival Guide and its optional objective, Moira will give you a copy.

Nuka-Cola plant
BB of Science Nuka-Cola plant
On the second floor in the office area

Rivet City
DE and BB of Science Rivet City bow
In Rivet City bow, in Pinkerton's lab on the lower-level desk; must be stolen.

RobCo facility
BB of Science RobCo facility
Factory floor, by the Protectron pod area to northeast, on the console

Sewer waystation
County sewer mainline Big Book of Science & Pre-War books
In the county sewer mainline, in a big three-floored room next to a computer terminal, behind a locked gate

Shalebridge On a dead ant researcher in the egg room. The researcher respawns every 73 hours.

Tenpenny Tower In your suite in Tenpenny Tower, once you purchase the Science theme

Vault-Tec headquarters
BB of Science Vault-Tec HQ
Corporate offices: it's sitting on a wall shelf hanging over open air on the second floor. It is possible to jump and attempt to grab it, but it is much easier to shoot it off with a pistol from the left side of the hole.

Warrington station
Warrington Station Big Book of Science
On a desk in the room with the door to the Metro Access & Generator

Notes[]

  • In Mr. Brotch's classroom in Vault 101, an assignment has been given to the students in which they must read p. 927 of the book, which covers "combating airborne bacteria" and is due the following week.[1]
  • A special version of this book specific to the Wasteland Survival Guide quest exists in the game's code, but is unused. It is identical to the standard Big Book of Science and grants the same bonus when used. It is unclear why this specific version was created.
  • It is possible to obtain infinite copies of the book because the ant researcher in Shalebridge tunnels respawns every 73 hours. This resets his inventory and the book can be taken from him multiple times. It may be difficult to find him at times. The ant researcher is hostile to both the Lone Wanderer and the "friendly" ants, but usually will not fight, choosing instead to flee, sometimes glitching into areas of the cave where they cannot be pursued.[verified]
  • If the player intends to pick up all 25 skill books (and not use the above bug), they'll have to buy the Science theme for the Tenpenny Tower suite. Only 24 books are available if the theme is not chosen or if one gets the Megaton house.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Chalkboard in Mr. Brotch's classroom in Vault 101