Synopses & Reviews
We live in a truly golden age of astronomy and space exploration that may allow us to unravel some of the biggest mysteries of all:
How did the Universe begin? Are there other Earth-like planets out there? Are we alone? The Space Book is a gateway into these kinds of questionsand#8212;and moreand#8212;for anyone interested in the worlds beyond our planet.
Expanding the series that began with the highly successful volumes The Science Book and The Math Book, astronomer and planetary scientist Jim Bell presents 250 of the most groundbreaking astronomical events, from the formation of galaxies to the recent discovery of water ice on Mars. Beautiful photographs or illustrations accompany each entry. Open the book to any page to discover some new wonder or mystery about the Universe around us.and#160;
Review
"The writing is lively and the topics are variedand#160; . . .and#160; [Pickover]and#160;achieves his goals, and his brevity and breezy style should appeal to readers used to accessing information quickly on the Internet but who are still interested in picking up a book.and#8221; --Library Journal
Review
". . . the format is eye-catching and the text easy to read, with a single page of explanatory text opposite a colorful image for each item. References to other pages are noted in boldface type, and specified in a 'See Also' list at the bottom of the entry . . .and#160;the result is accessible to a general audience. VERDICT This is a fine coffee-table book, suitable for either deep study or a few moments' perusal. Recommended for readers with a casual interest in the history of astronomy and the universe, or for sparking such an interest in others.and#8221; and#8212;Library Journaland#160;and#8220;Dr. Bell's The Space Book chronicles what our species does best. Follow the discoveries through the millennia, and even those to be made billions of years hence. If this doesn't humble you, fill you with awe, and get you excited about discoveries yet to come, pick it up and read through it again!and#8221;and#8212;Bill Nye, the Science Guyand#174; and CEO of The Planetary Societyand#160;and#8220;An extraordinary compilation of all that matters, ever mattered, or ever will matter in the universe. While it's a stunning source of information, Jim Bell's The Space Book is nonetheless a delight to browse and even more fun to read.and#8221;and#8212;Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist and Author of Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontierand#160;and#160;
Review
andldquo;This beautifully illustrated book covers four billion years of biology history, from the origins of life to the discovery of Denisovan DNA and is arranged chronologically in 250 chapters. For each entry, Gerald (pharmacy, Univ. of Connecticut; The Drug Book) has written several paragraphs describing the historical event, discovery, or individual, including a brief discussion of how the past relates to our current world. Topics represent the entire range of biological knowledge, from genetics to brain science to mummification. Chapters are cross-referenced to related chapters and each is accompanied by a full-page illustration. . . . The concise summaries, written for the layperson, make this work appealing for readers with little to no background in science. VERDICT Well suited to reference collections in secondary schools; also an optimal pick for general readers with an interest in biology or the history of science.andrdquo; andmdash;Library Journal
Synopsis
From the emergence of life, to Leewenhoek's microscopic world, to GMO crops, The Biology Book presents 250 landmarks in the most widely studied scientific field. Brief, engaging, and colorfully illustrated synopses introduce readers to every major subdiscipline, including cell theory, genetics, evolution, physiology, thermodynamics, molecular biology, and ecology. With information on such varied topics as paleontology, pheromones, nature vs. nurture, DNA fingerprinting, bioenergetics, and so much more, this lively collection will engage everyone who studies and appreciates the life sciences.
Synopsis
Following his hugely successful The Math Book and The Physics Book, Clifford Pickover now chronicles the advancement of medicine in 250 entertaining, illustrated landmark events. Touching on such diverse subspecialties as genetics, pharmacology, neurology, sexology, and immunology, Pickover intersperses and#8220;obviousand#8221; historical milestones--the Hippocratic Oath, general anesthesia, the Human Genome Project--with unexpected and intriguing topics like and#8220;truth serum,and#8221; the use of cocaine in eye surgery, and face transplants.
Synopsis
Following the hugely successful
The Science Book and
The Math Book comes a richly illustrated chronology of physics, containing 250 short, entertaining, and thought-provoking entries.and#160;In addition to exploring such engaging topics as dark energy, parallel universes, the Doppler effect, the God particle, and Maxwell's demon, the book's timeline extends back billions of years to the hypothetical Big Bang and forward trillions of years to a time of and#8220;quantum resurrection.and#8221; Like the previous titles in this series,
The Physics Book helps readers gain an understanding of major concepts without getting bogged down in complex details.
and#160;
Synopsis
We live in a golden age of astronomy and space exploration that may allow us to unravel the biggest mysteries of the cosmos. The Space Book is a gateway into worlds beyond our planet. Astronomer and planetary scientist Jim Bell presents 250 groundbreaking astronomical events, from the formation of galaxies to the discovery of water ice on Mars. Beautiful images accompany each entry, and every page reveals a new wonder of the Universe.
Synopsis
From atoms and fluorescent pigments to sulfa drug synthesis and buckyballs, this lush and authoritative chronology presents 250 milestones in the world of chemistry. As the andquot;central scienceandquot; that bridges biology and physics, chemistry plays an important role in countless medical and technological advances. Covering entertaining stories and unexpected applications, chemist and journalist Derek B. Lowe traces the most importantandmdash;and surprisingandmdash;chemical discoveries.
About the Author
Dr. Jim Bell is professor at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration in Tempe, AZ, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Astronomy at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. As president of The Planetary Society, which includes such well-known figures as Buzz Aldrin, Bill Nye, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and Steven Spielberg, Jim is an active and prolific public commentator on science and space exploration, earning the 2011 Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society. In addition to being a frequent contributor to such magazines as
Sky and Telescope and
Scientific American, he has appeared on radio, Internet blogs, television shows including the
TODAY show,
This American Morning, and the PBS
Newshour, as well as programs on the Discovery, National Geographic, and History cable channels. Author of
Postcards from Marsand#160;(Plume),
Mars 3-Dand#160;(Sterling) and
Moon 3-Dand#160;(Sterling). Jim is an active planetary scientist who has been involved in such NASA robotic exploration missions as Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR), Mars Pathfinder, Mars Exploration Rover, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, to name a few. The 8146 Jimbell main-belt asteroid is named in his honor.