News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Just a few of the shiny new items that have graced my desk this month.

Hubble’s universe : greatest discoveries and latest images / Terence Dickinson.
“The Hubble Space Telescope, which prolific astronomy writer Dickinson calls a remarkable discovery machine, has been orbiting the earth since 1990, inspiring many a book showcasing its astrophotography. What makes this superbly well-produced volume unique is its presentation of 300 images that have never been made public before. Dickinson’s expert and enthusiastic commentary also makes the Hubble wondrous all over again. He explains the 2009 reboot and how astronomers use a process called drizzling to create Hubble’s astonishingly sharp images, such as a staggering two-page look at a small segment of the night sky the size of a period in this book held at arm’s length, filled with thousands of galaxies, each containing billions of stars. Dickinson elucidates Hubble’s top discoveries, from proof that supermassive black holes are common in galaxies to success in measuring the universe’s expansion rate. With images of the birth and death of stars and the marvelous shapes nebulae take, reflected in such names as Helix, Jewel Box, Loch Ness, and Cat’s Eye, any engagement with this cosmic portfolio, from picture gazing to deep reading, is grandly rewarded.–Seaman, Donna Copyright 2010 BooklistFrom Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.” (Booklist) (Syndetics)

This explains everything : deep, beautiful, and elegant theories of how the world works / edited by John Brockman.
“In this latest volume of erudition from Edge.com founder John Brockman (This Will Make You Smarter), the question “What is your favorite deep, elegant, or beautiful explanation?” serves as the prompt for over a hundred concise essays. The topics cover the gamut of the sciences while also including answers from other realms including economics and the arts. Darwin and Einstein, while not the precise subject of many answers, feature prominently as do ideas of human consciousness and cognition. As with other collections of this ilk, the essays widely vary in ease of comprehension and level of profundity. While there is no structure beyond the individual essays, occasionally a few essays in close proximity will touch on similar matters, as when Nicholas Christakis’s essay on why the sky is blue is followed by Philip Campbell’s on “The Beauty in a Sunrise”, each referencing the work of Lord Rayleigh on the scattering of light. … this collection will satisfy anyone who is looking to stretch his thinking. (adapted from the Syndetics review)

How to build a habitable planet : the story of Earth from the big bang to humankind.
“Geochemist Langmuir (Harvard) and earth scientist Broecker (Columbia) attempt to squeeze all of natural history between two covers in this enlarged new edition (1st ed., 1985). They strike a nice balance with roughly an equal number of chapters devoted to life, earth, and extraterrestrial processes. After outlining their systems approach, they move rapidly from the formation of matter and galaxies through the formation of rocky planets like Earth and the appearance of human-like life. Chapter topics include the internal differentiation of the Earth, human resource exploitation, and detecting exoplanets with atmospheres like ours. What makes it work is the authors’ admirable job of focusing tightly on how the many processes they outline feed into life’s makeup or systems needed to support it. This necessitates summaries of subjects ranging from nuclear physics and organic chemistry to asteroid impacts. They turn many pieces of conventional wisdom on their heads along the way, e.g., arguing entropy helps explain the appearance of life rather than making it improbable. Their explanations are elegant but very terse, so readers not already well read in these fields may be challenged. The book includes several general readings after each chapter and a glossary but no detailed bibliography for further investigation. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. B. M. Simonson Oberlin CollegeCopyright American Library Association, used with permission.” (CHOICE) (Syndetics)

Heart of darkness : unraveling the mysteries of the invisible universe / Jeremiah P. Ostriker and Simon Mitton.
“For Conrad, it was the Congo; for Ostriker (Formation of Structure in the Universe) and Mitton (The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy), it’s deep space, dark matter, and dark energy. In this stimulating study, the Princeton astrophysics professor and University of Cambridge scholar offer a compelling insider’s take on how astronomers have worked to reveal the mystery that is our universe. After a quick review of the long history of astronomy, the duo dive headlong into the 20th century and Einstein’s paradigm-crushing work on relativity, gravity, and time, which-coupled with technological improvements-laid the foundations for a modern cosmology based on “expansion-of vision, mind-set, and of the physical universe itself.” Indeed, the Big Bang sent galaxies racing outward, and the resulting universe is a “quantum soup” riddled with ” ‘holes,’ ‘filaments,’ and ‘walls.’ “… Ostriker and Mitton’s knowledge is vast, and while they acknowledge that our understanding of the universe is far from complete, this thought-provoking presentation is as accessible as it is exciting. (adapted from the Syndetics review)

The where, the why, and the how : 75 artists illustrate wondrous mysteries of science / by Jenny Volvovski, Julia Rothman, and Matt Lamothe ; foreword by David Macaulay.
“Scientists and artists take on, answer, and illustrate some of the most intriguing and baffling questions in the sciences, a majority of which likely do not ever occur to most people, such as “What triggers reversals of earth’s polarity?” Readers may need a refresher on basic high school biology or chemistry, but that’s a good thing and, really, a minor distraction from what this book actually is: a work of art. The 75 illustrations that accompany each question are rich and stylistically diverse enough that the book can be read either as a well-written mini-textbook or a coffee table-worthy compendium. The authors set out to challenge our overly Wikipedi-ized minds less by explaining answers as by opening them to theorizing and wondering; it’s clear that the point is to pique curiosity and delight with beautiful visuals. Pop-science buffs will find the subject matter intriguing, and those who admire graphic novels or comic art will find a plethora of eye candy. To the book’s further credit, each artist’s website is listed opposite his or her artwork, allowing for further engagement each one’s work. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.” (Publisher Weekly) (Syndetics)

Into great silence : a memoir of discovery and loss among vanishing orcas / Eva Saulitis.
“This sensitively written memoir chronicles the 25 years poet and scientist Saulitis (Leaving Resurrection) spent as a field biologist in Prince William Sound, AK. She observed a specific group of transient orcas, also known as killer whales, as they traveled through the area, photographing them, observing and recording their behavior, and listening to their vocalizations. The meticulous, detailed, even tedious nature of such work is apparent, yet Saulitis conveys her deep appreciation for the whales and their surroundings. Unfortunately, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill fouled this environment and contributed to the premature deaths of several of the orcas. A list of books about the spill, a map, a family tree of the whale population under study, and several photographs are included.” (adapted from the Syndetics review)

Wonders of life / Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen.
“This is the story of the amazing diversity and adaptability of life told through the fundamental laws that govern it. Through his voyage of discovery, Brian will explain how the astonishing inventiveness of nature came about and uncover the milestones in the epic journey from the origin of life to our own lives.”–publisher website. (Syndetics)

RHS Latin for gardeners : over 3000 plant names explained and explored / Lorraine Harrison.
“This illustrated guide unlocks the mysteries of botanical Latin, explaining what plant names mean and the descriptive clues they conceal.” (Syndetics)

The year without summer : 1816 and the volcano that darkened the world and changed history / William K. Klingaman and Nicholas P. Klingaman.
“The violent eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, almost unnoticed by the Western world when it happened, had an enormous global impact. As much as a hundred cubic kilometers of material was ejected, creating a world-girdling cloud that reflected sunlight and changed weather everywhere. Famines and food riots spread across North America and Europe. Thousands of New England farmers, ruined by snow in June, migrated west. Irish peasants starved. The end of the world was repeatedly prophesied; religious revivals multiplied; governments tottered. Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein during a rainy, cold July at a Swiss resort. J.M.W. Turner painted the spectacular sunsets created by stratospheric dust. In a world unfamiliar with climate change, where news traveled at the pace of a sailing ship, the phenomena were mysterious, seemingly God-driven, portentous, and terrifying. Popular historian William K. Klingaman and meteorologist Nicholas P. Klingaman have combined scientific and social narratives to good effect.”  (adapted from the Syndetics review)

These are just a few of the lovely new items that have come across my desk in the last month.

The pocket book of weather : entertaining and remarkable facts about our weather / Michael Bright.
“A concise but comprehensive guide to the world’s weather featuring 3,000 remarkable facts and figures that show how the weather shapes the planet and affects all of our lives. Featuring 3,000 essential facts and figures, this entertaining and informative guide to the world’s weather explains how the weather shapes our planet and affects all our lives. From sandstorms to monsoons, avalanches to solar storms, rainbows to tornadoes, this concise but comprehensive book explores the whats, whys, wheres, hows and whens.- How do clouds form?- What makes the wind blow?- Why are no two snowflakes the same?- What causes tornadoes?- Why are deserts so dry and rainforests so wet?- What is the El Nino effect? After marvelling at lightning, understanding thunder and finding there is no end of the rainbow, Mike Flynn investigates how weather will become even more important in the future, both as a result of climate change, and because of new ways of harnessing the awesome power of nature to generate energy. Uncovering the amazing truth behind our weather and exploring the intriguing mysteries of weather phenomena, The Pocket Book of Weather is a fascinating compendium of useful and entertaining information.” (Catalogue description)

Birds of New Zealand, Hawaii, Central and West Pacific : text and illustrations by Ber van Perlo / by Ber van Perlo.
“Featuring over 1,500 species, Birds of New Zealand, Hawaii, Central and West Pacific is the only field guide to illustrate and describe every species of bird you may see in the area, from Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea to Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. • Text gives information on key identification features, habitat, and songs and calls • All plumages for each species are illustrated, including those of males, females and juveniles The stunning 95 colour plates appear opposite their relevant text for quick and easy reference. Distribution maps are included, showing where each species can be found and how common it is, to further aid identification. This comprehensive and highly portable guide is a must for all birdwatchers visiting the region.” (Publisher Description)

Coastal fishes of New Zealand / Malcolm Francis.
“Coastal Fishes of New Zealand provides a comprehensive, informative and up-to-date identification guide to the fishes likely to be encountered by New Zealand divers and fishers. Illustrated with over 275 superb colour photographs of live fish in their natural habitats, this book includes all of New Zealand’s common reef fishes, and also many of those that live in other habitats. Using the latest research, marine scientist Malcolm Francis also provides a wealth of other information about identifying features, geographical distribution, habitat and size for 221 species of fish. Other interesting biological features, such as feeding, growth, spawning and behaviour are also discussed. If you were to have one book on the abundant fish life found around our coasts, this is the one to own.” (Catalogue description)

Saltpeter : the mother of gunpowder / David Cressy.
“The story of the science, the technology, the politics and the military applications of saltpeter, the vital but mysterious substance that governments from the Tudors to the Victorians regarded as an ‘inestimable treasure.’ Derived from soil enriched with dung and urine, saltpeter provided the heart or ‘mother’ of gunpowder, without which no musket or cannon could be fired. National security depended on control of this organic material that had both mystical andmineral properties. The quest for it caused widespread ‘vexation’ in Tudor and Stuart England, as crown agents dug in homes and barns and even churches. Huge imports of saltpeter from India relieved this social pressure, and by the eighteenth century positioned Britain as a global imperial power. Only with the development of chemical explosives in the late Victorian period did dependency on this much treasured substance decline. Previously untold, the story of saltpeter is not only lively andentertaining in its own rightSaltpeter, the Mother of Gunpowder tells this previously untold story, one which is not only lively and entertaining in its own right, but which also has far wider implications, helping to explain the connections between the military, scientific, and political ‘revolutions’ of the seventeenth century, as well the formation of the centralized British state and its eventual dominance of the waves in the eighteenth and nineteenthcenturies.” (Catalogue description)

The visioneers : how a group of elite scientists pursued space colonies, nanotechnologies, and a limitless future / W. Patrick McCray.
“In his fascinating new book (after 2008’s Keep Watching the Skies!), McCray profiles the larger-than-life characters and ideas that changed science and technology in the second half of the 20th century and beyond. The author describes the titular visioneers as “hybrids”-creative combinations of futurist, scientist, and charismatic promoter. At the center of this story are physicist Gerard O’Neill and biotech pioneer K. Eric Drexler. The former’s rigorously realistic designs for space habitats, along with his optimistic dream of regular humans living and working in space, were a vivid antidote to the “widespread pessimism” surrounding the end of the Vietnam War, growing stockpiles of nuclear weapons, and environmental concerns. McCray, a professor of history at UC Santa Barbara, discusses how O’Neill’s vision of space as a tabula rasa for the human race spurred the formation of grassroots groups like the L5 Society and captured the imaginations of many young scientists and engineers like Drexler, as well as influential figures like Stewart Brand and Timothy Leary. Considered together, they “took speculative ideas out of the hands of sci-fi writers” and had an enormous impact on generations of people, science, and political policy. Photos, illus. (Jan. 13) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly, courtesy of syndetics)

This year is the 40th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo missions to the Moon. Apollo 17 was the sixth and final moon landing by the United States and launched from the Kennedy Space Centre December 7 1972. Apollo 17 had the first scientist/astronaut to land on the moon – Harrison Schmitt.

Apollo : the epic journey to the moon / by David West Reynolds.
“Space expert Reynolds reconstructs all the key events and personalities connected to the Apollo space missions, from the experiences of the astronauts to the scientists and mission control operators who helped convert this extraordinary dream into reality. His text is accompanied by 400-plus color photographs, artwork showing the lunar explorations, and cutaway illustrations.” (Syndetics summary)

The last man on the moon : astronaut Eugene Cernan and America’s race in space / Eugene Cernan and Don Davis.
“Eugene Cernan is a unique American who came of age as an astronaut during the most exciting and dangerous decade of spaceflight. His career spanned the entire Gemini and Apollo programs, from being the first person to spacewalk all the way around our world to the moment when he left man’s last footprint on the Moon as commander of Apollo 17. Between those two historic events lay more adventures than an ordinary person could imagine as Cernan repeatedly put his life, his family and everything he held dear on the altar of an obsessive desire. Written with New York Times bestselling author Don Davis, this is the astronaut story never before told – about the fear, love and sacrifice demanded of the few men who dared to reach beyond the heavens for the biggest prize of all – the Moon.” (Syndetics summary)

Spacesuit : fashioning Apollo / Nicholas de Monchaux.
“When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in July of 1969, they wore spacesuits made by Playtex: twenty-one layers of fabric, each with a distinct yet interrelated function, custom-sewn for them by seamstresses whose usual work was fashioning bras and girdles. This book is the story of those spacesuits. It is a story of the Playtex Corporation’s triumph over the military-industrial complex—a victory of elegant softness over engineered hardness, of adaptation over cybernetics. Playtex’s spacesuit went up against hard armor-like spacesuits designed by military contractors and favored by NASA’s engineers. It was only when those suits failed—when traditional engineering firms could not integrate the body into mission requirements—that Playtex, with its intimate expertise, got the job.” (Global Books in Print)

DVDs:
James May on the moon [videorecording].
“In this BBC documentary, James May commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings. He meets three of the men who walked on the moon, before experiencing the thrill of weightlessness, and the bone-crushing G forces of a Saturn V rocket launch. Finally, he puts on a space suit and flies to the edge of space in a U2 spy plane, where he looks down at the curvature of the earth and upwards into the black infinity of space.” (Syndetics summary)

From the Earth to the Moon [videorecording] / HBO presents a Clavius Base/Imagine Entertainment production.
“Through dramatization, this series relates the story of the conquest of the moon by the Americans, from the Mercury and Gemini projects to the legendary Apollo missions.” (Syndetics summary)

Websites:
NASA – Apollo 17
Project Apollo drawings and technical diagrams

A few of the new items that have come across my desk over the last month.

The science magpie : a hoard of fascinating facts, stories, poems, diagrams and jokes, plucked from science and its history / Simon Flynn.
“Science, humankind’s greatest intellectual achievement, is capable equally of delight and amusement as much as learning and the advancement of knowledge. ‘The Science Magpie’ brings together a hugely diverse collection of classic, common and unusual titbits from across science and its history”. (Syndetics summary)

The secret lives of numbers : the curious truth behind everyday digits / Michael Millar ; illustrated by Louise Morgan.
“This is a book for the observant and the curious. A book for people who take in their surroundings and wonder at the smallest detail: why? Above all, it’s a book about numbers – those that surround us every day, and the intriguing stories behind them. From the 7-day week to 24-carat gold, Chanel No. 5 to five-star luxury, The Secret Lives of Numbers figures out the mysterious background to the numbers we encounter on a daily basis. Revealing the facts behind those figures, author Michael Millar outlines where to spot each digit, what it means and how it came to be in meticulously researched and entertaining entries, creating an absorbing and intelligent book that’s perfect for any numbers fan. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…” (Amazon.co.uk)

Collins field guide to New Zealand wildlife / Terence Lindsey and Rod Morris.
“First published in 2000, the Collins Field Guide to New Zealand Wildflife quickly became a classic of its kind. Familiar to both national and international travellers keen to identify the birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, freshwater fish and invertebrates commonly encountered in this country, its combination of authoritative yet clear and precise textual descriptions and stunning photographs proved an instant winner. Now, more than 10 years on, this classic field guide has been updated and extended to make it even more useful to travellers with an interest in natural history and ecology. Retaining its useful glovebox-friendly format, the significantly expanded text will also include the latest research findings and changes in classification and nomenclature that have occurred in the past 10 years, along with new photographs where appropriate. Including both native and introduced species, each entry succinctly describes both habits and habitats, distribution, classification, breeding patterns, food and recognition tips to assist amateur identification. A wonderful addition to any natural history collection”. (Amazon.co.uk)

The joy of X : a guided tour of math, from one to infinity / Steven Strogatz.
“In 2010, award-winning professor Steven wrote a series for the New York Times online called “The Elements of Math.” It was hugely popular: Each piece climbed the most emailed list and elicited hundreds of comments. Readers begged for more, and has now delivered. In this fun, fast-paced book, he offers us all a second chance at math. Each short chapter of The Joy of X provides an “Aha!” moment, starting with why numbers are helpful, and moving on to such topics as shapes, calculus, fat tails, and infinity. explains the ideas of math gently and clearly, with wit, insight, and brilliant illustrations. Assuming no knowledge, only curiosity, he shows how math connects to literature, philosophy, law, medicine, art, business, even pop culture and current events. For example, did O.J. do it? How should you flip your mattress to get the maximum wear out of it? How does Google search the Internet? How many people should you date before settling down? is the math teacher you wish you’d had, and The Joy of X is the book you’ll want to give to all your smart and curious friends. “– Provided by publisher.

Evolving : the human effect and why it matters / Daniel J. Fairbanks.
“This is a compelling exploration of how our understanding of evolution is key to the future of our planet. When Charles Darwin started writing his work On “Origin of Species”, he could hardly have envisioned how much we would discover about the origin of life over the next 150 years. Today’s evidence points to an inescapable and simple conclusion – we evolved and we are still evolving. This persuasive and elegant book, argues that understanding evolution has never mattered more in human history. It explains in detail how health, food production, and human impact on the environment are dependent on our knowledge of evolution.” (Amazon.co.uk)

The stardust revolution : the new story of our origin in the stars / Jacob Berkowitz.
“Three great scientific revolutions have shaped our understanding of the cosmos and our relationship to it. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed the Copernican Revolution, which bodychecked the Earth as the pivot point of creation and joined us with the rest of the cosmos as one planet among many orbiting the Sun. Three centuries later came the second great scientific revolution: the Darwinian Revolution. It removed us from a distinct, divine biological status to place us wholly in the ebb and flow of all terrestrial life. Now, science author Jacob Berkowitz describes how we’re in the midst of a third great scientific revolution, five centuries in the making: the Stardust Revolution. It is the merging of the once-disparate realms of astronomy and evolutionary biology, and of the Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions, placing life in a cosmic context. The Stardust Revolution takes readers on a grand journey that begins on the summit of California’s Mount Wilson, where astronomers first realized that the universe is both expanding and evolving, to a radio telescope used to identify how organic molecules{u2014}the building blocks of life{u2014}are made by stars. It’s an epic story told through a scientific cast that includes some of the twentieth century’s greatest minds{u2014}including Nobel laureate Charles Townes, who discovered cosmic water{u2014}as well as the most ambitious scientific explorers of the twenty-first century, those racing to find another living planet. Today, an entirely new breed of scientists{u2014}astrobiologists and astrochemists{u2014}are taking the study of life into the space age. Astrobiologists study the origins, evolution, and distribution of life, not just on Earth, but in the universe. Stardust science is filling in the missing links in our evolutionary story, ones that extend our family tree back to the stars.” (Syndetics summary)

The whispering land / Gerald Durrell ; with illustrations by Ralph Thompson.
“Gerald Durrell and his wife are the proud owners of a small zoo on the island of Jersey. But there’s one thing that’s better than a small zoo – a bigger one! So Durrell heads off to South America to collect more animals. Along windswept Patagonian shores and in Argentine tropical forests, he encounters a range of animals from penguins to elephant seals. But as always, he is drawn to those rare and interesting creatures which he hopes will thrive and breed in captivity . . .
Told with enthusiasm and without sentimentality, Gerald Durrell’s The Whispering Land is an often hilarious but always inspiring foray into the South American wilds”. (Amazon.co.uk)

With Mt Tongariro bursting into life, and Mt Ruapehu possibly about to erupt, it is probably a good idea for us to acquaint ourselves with their past.

Mount Ruapehu: Probably the most well known of all of New Zealand’s volcanoes. A major eruption occurs at this mountain every 50 years or so, the last of which being the 1995-96 eruption series, with smaller single eruptions in-between.

Ruapehu erupts / Karen Williams.
In September 1995 Ruapehu burst into life after a period of restlessness. The raw power of the ensuing eruptions captured worldwide attention as towering columns of roiling ash and steam, torrential mud-flows and incandescent lava bombs presented an ongoing spectacle. Now including coverage of the plans painstakingly put in place to avoid another Tangiwai disaster when the crater lake burst, and the sudden eruption in September 2007 which nearly killed climber William Pike. “Ruapehu Erupts”  celebrates the drama and magic of these eruptions and lahars and provides a stunning record of the latest chapter in the continuing story of this unpredictable volcano. (Amazon.co.uk)

Eruption! : Mount Ruapehu awakes / Bruce Houghton, Vince Neall and David Johnston.
“Events during the eruptions of Mt Ruapehu in 1995-96 are presented in text and colour photographs. Two of the authors are members of the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences team which monitors the volcano; Vince Neall leads a team from Massey University studying lahars and the effects of ash fall.” (Syndetics summary)

For more information on Mount Ruapehu visit:

• GNS Science – Mount Ruapehu
• Wikipedia – Mount Ruapehu
• Te Ara – Mount Ruapehu

Mount Tongariro: Last active in the 1800’s, Tongariro has burst into life again, closing parts of the world famous crossing. Tongariro consists of 12 cones and craters including Mount Ngauruhoe, which was previously active in the mid 70’s.

Tongariro : a volcanic environment / Lois Anderson.
The main focus is on the volcanic landscapes and the interacting natural process that created, located and shaped them in the Tongariro volcanic environment. Resource written for Level 3 (Year 13) Geography students studying the Natural processes topics, assessed by Achievement Standard 3.1.

For more information on Mount Tongariro visit:

• GNS Science – Mount Tongariro
• Wikipedia – Mount Tongariro
• Te Ara – Mount Tongariro

More books on New Zealand Volcanism:

Awesome forces : the natural hazards that threaten New Zealand / edited by Geoff Hicks and Hamish Campbell.
Storms, landslides, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami – all New Zealanders will encounter at least one of these hazards in their lives.  Informative, generously illustrated, and written by some of New Zealand’s leading scientists, this massively revised and updated edition of Te Papa Press’ bestselling title is now more relevant than ever.
With all-new information on climate change and the social and emotional impact of disasters, this book is a fascinating and essential resource.
Produced in association with EQC and GNS Science. (Te Papa Press)

A few more books that have sidled their way across my desk.

The ultimate book of Saturday science : the very best backyard science experiments you can do yourself / Neil A. Downie.
“The Ultimate Book of Saturday Science is Neil Downie’s biggest and most astounding compendium yet of science experiments you can do in your own kitchen or backyard using common household items. It may be the only book that encourages hands-on science learning through the use of high-velocity, air-driven carrots.Downie, the undisputed maestro of Saturday science, here reveals important principles in physics, engineering, and chemistry through such marvels as the Helevator–a contraption that’s half helicopter, half elevator–and the Rocket Railroad, which pumps propellant up from its own track. The Riddle of the Sands demonstrates why some granular materials form steep cones when poured while others collapse in an avalanche. The Sunbeam Exploder creates a combustible delivery system out of sunlight, while the Red Hot Memory experiment shows you how to store data as heat. Want to learn to tell time using a knife and some butter? There’s a whole section devoted to exotic clocks and oscillators that teaches you how.The Ultimate Book of Saturday Science features more than seventy fun and astonishing experiments that range in difficulty from simple to more challenging. All of them are original, and all are guaranteed to work. Downie provides instructions for each one and explains the underlying science, and also presents experimental variations that readers will want to try”–Provided by publisher.

The day the world discovered the sun : an extraordinary story of scientific adventure and the race to track the transit of Venus / Mark Anderson.
“In 1769, in one of the earliest examples of “team science,” expeditions were organized to collect observational data of the transit of Venus-which occurs when the planet’s orbit crosses between the Sun and Earth-from several points on the globe. Spurred by the data from Venus’s 1761 transit, the natural philosophers of the day knew that the 1769 transit measurements were key to calculating with greater accuracy the distance between Earth and the Sun as well as to better determining longitude for ship navigation. Anderson (”Shakespeare” by Another Name) tells the stories of three research voyages: James Cook’s to Tahiti on the British Endeavour, French astronomer Jean-Baptiste Chappe d’Auteroche’s on La Concepcion to the Gulf of California, and the Hungarian Jesuit scientist Maximilian Hell’s to the Arctic Circle on the Urania. Their experiences are woven into an adventure tale informed by diary entries of the time. Astronomers today are preparing for a June 6, 2012, transit, which like the 18th-century transit is the second within a decade; the last was in 2004 and the next will be in 2117. VERDICT Recommended for casual students of history and astronomy.-Sara Rutter, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.” (Library Journal)

Gravity’s engines : how bubble-blowing black holes rule galaxies, stars, and life in the cosmos / Caleb Scharf.
“We’ve long understood black holes to be the points at which the universe as we know it comes to an end. Often billions of times more massive than the Sun, they lurk in the inner sanctum of almost every galaxy of stars in the universe. They’re mysterious chasms so destructive and unforgiving that not even light can escape their deadly wrath. Recent research, however, has led to a cascade of new discoveries that have revealed an entirely different side to black holes. As the astrophysicist Caleb Scharf reveals in Gravity’s Engines, these chasms in space-time don’t just vacuum up everything that comes near them; they also spit out huge beams and clouds of matter. Black holes blow bubbles. With clarity and keen intellect, Scharf masterfully explains how these bubbles profoundly rearrange the cosmos around them. Engaging with our deepest questions about the universe, he takes us on an intimate journey through the endlessly colorful place we call our galaxy and reminds us that the Milky Way sits in a special place in the cosmic zoo–a “sweet spot” of properties. Is it coincidental that we find ourselves here at this place and time? Could there be a deeper connection between the nature of black holes and their role in the universe and the phenomenon of life? We are, after all, made of the stuff of stars”–Provided by publisher.

For the love of physics : from the end of the rainbow to the edge of time– a journey through the wonders of physics / Walter Lewin with Warren Goldstein.
“This largely autobiographical account reveals the author to be one who fell in love first with physics and then with teaching physics to students.” (Syndetics summary)

It’s not rocket science / Ben Miller.
Black holes. Global warming. The Hadron Collider. Ever had that sinking feeling that you really should know about these things, but somehow never quite grasped them? Don’t worry – you’re not alone. Before Ben Miller was a comedian, he used to be a physicist, working towards a PhD in Novel Quantum Effects in Quasi-Zero-Dimensional Electron Systems. But then he woke up twenty years later and realised he didn’t know any of this stuff either. And so he set out on a mission. He worked out the ten most vital things in science – the things you really need to know. He talked to experts, he visited research labs, he went to see the Hadron Collider in action… And then he wrote this book.

The complete world of human evolution / Chris Stringer, Peter Andrews.
“Although the title of this book suggests that it is about human evolution, it is really a bit of a misnomer. In fact, Stringer and Andrews (both, Natural History Museum, London, UK) present a nice introductory discussion that encompasses the much broader picture of primate evolution in general–surveying some 30 million years of primate evolution and 5 million years of human evolution in the process. In this regard, the authors emphasize the progressive changes that have occurred in the anatomical, behavioral, and cultural development of modern humans, as well as in the evolutionary relatedness of humans and our nearest living relatives, the great apes. This new edition (1st ed., CH, Sep’05, 43-0409) presents the most up-to-date views on humanity’s ancestral lineage. In addition, the book briefly considers the many long-standing controversies that remain sources of contentious debate among today’s paleoanthropologists. The well-written book is largely accessible to general interest readers. The authors discuss select topics in short, two-to-four-page chapters; hence, only the most basic information is provided. The volume is nicely illustrated with a good selection of black-and-white and full-color photographs and drawings. Overall, a useful supplementary resource for undergraduate students taking introductory courses in anthropology and/or evolution. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers. D. A. Brass independent scholarCopyright American Library Association, used with permission.” (CHOICE)

This is just a small selection of some of the new science material that has crossed my desk recently. Enjoy!!

Science set free : 10 paths to new discovery / Rupert Sheldrake.
“In Science Set Free, Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, one of the world’s most innovative scientists, shows the ways in which science is being constricted by assumptions that have hardened into dogmas that are not only limiting, but also dangerous for the future of humanity” — Front jacket flap.

About time : from sun dials to quantum clocks, how the cosmos shapes our lives, and we shape the cosmos / Adam Frank.
From a Palaeolithic farmer living by the sun and stone plinths to the factory worker logging into an industrial punch clock to the modern manager enslaved to Outlook’s 15-minute increments, our relationship with time has constantly evolved alongside our scientific understanding of the universe. And the latest advances in physics string-theory branes, multiverses, “clockless” physics are positioned to completely rewrite time in the coming years. Weaving cosmology with day-to-day chronicles and a lively wit, astrophysicist Adam Frank tells the dazzling story of humanity’s invention of time and how we will experience it in the future.
(Amazon.co.uk)

How to live forever : and 34 other really interesting uses of science / by Alok Jha.
How to Live Forever is the essential survival guide for anyone who has ever been baffled by science. In a series of intriguing, entertaining and often extraordinary scenarios Alok Jha brings to life 35 key science ideas in a way that anyone can understand. From the microscopic to the cosmic, this book takes you on a glorious tour of the known universe and beyond, taking in cloned sheep, alien worlds, bizarre life forms, quantum weirdness, parallel dimensions and dissected brains along the way. You’ll discover how to travel through time, how to start (and cure) a plague, how the mind works, how to turn sunbeams into oak trees, how to boil a planet, how to turn invisible and much, much more. Both informative and enjoyable, this is a rip-roaring introduction to the wonders of modern science. (Amazon.co.uk)

The rocks don’t lie : a geologist investigates Noah’s flood / David R. Montgomery.
“Many theologians and scientists within the Christian tradition have long interpreted the biblical story of Noah’s flood as a worldwide event and a foundation for determining the geological age of the earth. In this rich, animated narrative, geologist Montgomery points out that theologians have often bent an amazing array of geological evidence to support a literal interpretation of Noah’s flood. But what does the Earth itself tell us? Using the evidence he finds in the various strata of rocks in a roadbed in Kentucky, Montgomery contends that the “440 million-year-old, trilobite-bearing limestone” is clearly not a chaotic, mixed-up product of an earth-churning flood. The rocks formed when an ancient “proto-Atlantic Ocean” led to the formation of a thick pile of sediment that gradually accumulated layer by later-stretching from Newfoundland to Alabama. Moreover, plate tectonics shatters the myth of a global flood by explaining the sequences, ages, and assemblages of rocks we find throughout the world, as well as the global distribution of topography. Brilliant and provocative, Montgomery’s exploration of scientific and theological understandings of Noah’s flood vibrantly opens our eyes to the marvels of ancient rocks that are far grander than ourselves. 20 illus., maps. Agent: Elizabeth Wales, Wales Literary Agency. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)

Rocks and minerals / Ronald Louis Bonewitz.
The new DK Nature Guides form a comprehensive, accessible, and informative series of illustrated reference books that tackle key natural history subjects in DK’s uniquely visual style. Produced in collaboration with expert consultants at the Smithsonian Institution, each guide is expertly written and will give you knowledge of the natural world at your fingertips. (Amazon.com)

Global weirdness : severe storms, deadly heat waves, relentless drought, rising seas, and the weather of the future / [produced by] Climate Central.“We hear so much about climate change, but do we really know all the facts? Climate Central, Inc., a nonprofit, nonpartisan science and journalism organization founded in 2008, is here to help. Instead of long, discursive explanations, the book offers 50 entries that aim to be accessible. Is climate ever normal? What has caused climate change in the past? Find out here; looks to be a great resource for high school papers, too. In clear, accessible prose, a fascinating new book that explains climate change–its implications for the future and what we can and cannot do to avoid further change–to the layperson produced by a highly regarded independent, non-profit journalism and research organization.” (Library catalogue)

The God problem : how a godless cosmos creates / Howard Bloom.
“How does the cosmos do something it has long been thought that only gods could achieve? How does an inanimate universe generate stunning new forms and unbelievable new powers without a Creator? How does the cosmos create?” (Annotation, Library Catalogue)

Ada Lovelace Day (October 16th this year) is a day to celebrate the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths. From the Finding Ada website:

Ada Lovelace Day is about sharing stories of women — whether engineers, scientists, technologists or mathematicians

We thought we’d compile a booklist to celebrate — have a read! (And if you have titles you think should be included, let us know!)

Ada, the enchantress of numbers : a selection from the letters of Lord Byron’s daughter and her description of the first computer / narrated and edited by Betty A. Toole.
“Toole’s book is an excellent introduction to the life and work of the mathematical visionary, Ada Byron King. Toole’s treatment allows the reader access to King’s luminous mind–no small achievement.” (Amazon.co.uk reviewer)

Jane Goodall : the woman who redefined man / Dale Peterson.
“Jane Goodall’s discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees in the wild use crude tools meant that ability could no longer be considered a unique and defining characteristic of human beings. Today, as a writer and speaker, she is something akin to a cult icon. As her colleague and former collaborator (Visions of Caliban: On Chimpanzees and People), Peterson had access to a body of personal letters, conversations, and first-person accounts that enabled him to develop an empathy for his subject uncommon in scientific biographies. The picture of Goodall that emerges depicts her complexities she was a coquettish debutante who became a dedicated ethologist comfortable with living in the wilds; an intuitive and self-educated researcher who later matured into a major scientist and world authority on conservation.” (Library Journal)

Radioactive : Marie and Pierre Curie : a tale of love and fallout / Lauren Redniss.
(Very neat graphic novel!)
“Presents the professional and private lives of Marie and Pierre Curie, examining their personal struggles, the advancements they made in the world of science, and the issue of radiation in the modern world.” (Syndetics summary)

Gorillas in the mist / Dian Fossey
“For thirteen years Dian Fossey lived and worked with Uncle Bert, Flossie, Beethoven, Pantsy and Digit in the remote rain forests of the volcanic Virunga Mountains in Africa, establishing an unprecedented relationship with these shy and affectionate beasts. In her base camp, 10,000 feet above sea-level, she struggled daily with rain, loneliness and the ever-constant threat of poachers who slaughtered her beloved gorillas with horrifying ferocity. African adventure, personal quest and scientific study, Gorillas in the Mist is a unique and intimate glimpse into a vanishing world and a vanishing species.” (Amazon.co.uk summary)

Rosalind Franklin : the dark lady of DNA / Brenda Maddox
“In March 1953 Maurice Wilkins of King’s College London announced the departure of his obstructive colleague, Rosalind Franklin to rival Cavendish Laboratory scientist, Francis Crick. But it was too late. Franklin’s unpublished data and crucial photograph of DNA had already been seen by her competitors at the Cambridge University lab. With the aid of these, plus their own knowledge, Watson and Crick discovered the structure of the molecule that genes are composed of – DNA, the secret of life. Five years later, after more brilliant research under Bernal at Birkbeck College, at the age of thirty-seven, Rosalind died of ovarian cancer. In 1962 Wilkins, Crick and Watson were awarded the Nobel prize for their elucidation of DNA’s structure. Franklin’s part was forgotten until she was caricatured in Watson’s book The Double Helix. In this biography Brenda Maddox has been given unique access to Rosalind’s personal correspondence and has interviewed all the principal scientists involved, including Crick, Watson and Wilkins.” (Book Jacket)

Ancestral passions : the Leakey family and the quest for humankind’s beginnings / Virginia Morell.
(From Wikipedia: Mary Leakey – 1913-1996 – was a British archaeologist and anthropologist, who discovered the first fossilized Proconsul skull, an extinct ape now believed to be ancestral to humans, and also discovered the robust Zinjanthropus skull at Olduvai Gorge. For much of her career, she worked with her husband, Louis Leakey.)
“This is a biography of the first family of anthropology – Louis, Mary and Richard Leakey, whose discoveries have laid the foundations for much of our knowledge about the origins of man. The Leakeys have dominated their science. Not only did each of them make key fossil discoveries, but Louis (who argued that man did not originate on the Eurasian continent tens of thousands of years ago, but was more likely to have evolved in Africa millions of years ago) helped to establish the theoretical groundwork for the science of paleonanthropology. The biography explores the Leakeys many significant finds, as they exposed our ancestry and articulated our relationship to the other primates, especially the early hominids. It also exposes the rivals and jealousies within the family and in relation to other scientists.” (Amazon.co.uk)

Scientists anonymous : great stories of women in science / Patricia Fara.
“Why, when girls outstrip boys in exams, are there still so few women in the top levels of science? Why have women been excluded and is there still discrimination? Acclaimed science writer and children’s author Patricia Fara investigates science past and present to find the answers. She examines women scientists’ struggle against unequal opportunities, and shows how they have succeeded despite the obstacles stacked against them. The renowned names are here ? Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, Rosalind Franklin ? but Scientists Anonymous also reveals the forgotten contributions of many other dedicated and brilliant women. Combining history, science and biography, Fara presents the stories of female explorers, mathematicians, astronomers and chemists from all over the world.” (Amazon.co.uk)

Bright star : Beatrice Hill Tinsley, astronomer / Christine Cole Catley.
“Beatrice Hill Tinsley is a famous New Zealander we don’t yet know about. She is honoured in the United States and United Kingdom for her pioneering work in the origins of galaxies, the origins of the universe. She built on the work of Einstein and was chosen by Fred Hoyle to keynote the celebrations of his life. She showed astronomers new ways of looking, and taught teachers new ways of teaching. Her life and loves are captured in this first biography, a roller-coaster story of triumph over frustration, and an enduring legacy. Beatrice Hill Tinsley was a professor of astronomy at Yale University and only 40 when she died of cancer in 1981. A lover of nature and a conservationist, she idealised New Zealand. She was also a musician, a feminist, a battler for zero population growth and a champion of the oppressed. As this fully researched biography shows, her life is a fascinating study in the interaction of nature and nurture, genetics and environment. It is also an inspiring and unforgattable picture of a girl determined to be a scientist who grows up in provincial New Zealand and wins through to world renown.” (Fishpond summary)

Valley of the dragons : the story of New Zealand’s dinosaur woman / Joan Wiffen.

And some web links:

• Rear Admiral Grace Hopper (1906-1992), American computer scientist and naval officer. Read about Grace Hopper on  Biography Resource Center & Wikipedia — we like the picture on the Wikipedia article best! Known as the “Grand Old Lady of Software”, she developed the first compiler for a programming language, contributed to the development of the COBOL programming language, and is credited with coining the term ‘debugging’ for computer glitches – the story involves a moth! Have a read.
• Limor Fried, MIT engineer and founder of Adafruit Industries. Read this
  Interview in April 2011’s Wired magazine

Sunday 14 October was the 65th anniversary of the first manned supersonic flight by Charles “Chuck” Yeager in the experimental Bell X-1 research rocket plane.  In celebration of this feat here are some of our books on supersonic flight.

Faster than sound : the story of supersonic flight / Bill Gunston.
“This is the fully revised and updated story of how British and American test pilots pierced the sound barrier in the late 1940s, support with many new photographs. Since then much has happened in the advancement of supersonic flight. As recently as 2003, tens of thousands of fare-paying passengers were routinely enjoying transatlantic intercontinental air travel at speeds of up to Mach 2 on Concorde. Internationally acclaimed best-selling aviation author Bill Gunston OBE describes in accessible style the rules and technologies of supersonic flight, developments in engine and airframe technology, the age of supersonic passenger transports, and advances in supersonic fighter and bomber design.” (Syndetics summary)

Into the unknown : the X-1 story / Louis Rotundo.
“Until Ezra Kotcher of Wright Field and John Stack of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) provided the leadership to convince officials to build a high-speed plane, public opinion was fraught with popular stories of a sonic “wall,” better known as the sound barrier. Now hanging in the Smithsonian, the X-1 was developed to conduct comprehensive flight tests and to acquire data in a scientific manner to demystify supersonic flight. The contributions of many people involved in the project are recounted, including Lawrence Bell, president of the contractor Bell Aircraft; Alvin “Tex” Johnson, Bell test pilot; and Chuck Yeager. Numerous first person interviews and exhaustive research into previously secret files relates the intrigue that surrounded the Mach 1 tests. Technical discussions of the aircraft design, power plant, and airframe are excellent, as are all the descriptions of the test flights, from the first to Chuck Yeager’s historic supersonic flight in 1947. The data gathered during this process helped set the stage for the X-15 and, later, for the space program. A significant contribution to aviation history.” (Drawn from Choice, courtesy of Syndetics)

The X-planes : X-1 to X-45 / Jay Miller.
“This new and revised version of The X-Planes contains a detailed and authoritative account of each U.S. X-designated aircraft. Each aircraft is fully described, and coverage of history, specifications, propulsion systems, and disposition are included in a logical, readable format. Complementing the text are more than 900 photographs, many of which have never-before been published. Each X-Plane is also illustrated by an accurate and detailed multi-view drawing, which also provides color scheme information and scale data. Also included are appendices, an index, and miscellaneous tables. For aviation enthusiasts.” (Syndetics summary)

This month we have a smorgasbord of Biology, Geology and Physics books on offer. Everything from Spider silk to Elephants!!

The elegant universe : superstrings, hidden dimensions, and the quest for the ultimate theory / Brian Greene.
“Greene, one of the world’s leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery to reveal a universe of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, in this “New York Times” bestseller that features a new Preface and Epilogue.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Spider silk : evolution and 400 million years of spinning, waiting, snagging, and mating / Leslie Brunetta, Catherine L. Craig.
“This well-received book is the wonderfully entertaining product of a collaboration between Brunetta, a freelance journalist and former Fulbright scholar, and Craig, a respected evolutionary biologist and author of Spiderwebs and Silk (2003). As the book delves into the evolution, properties, and multiple uses of spider silk, it takes the reader on brief forays into Greek mythology, paleontology, the foundations of Darwinian theory, Mendelian genetics, the Watson-Crick model of DNA structure, and protein chemistry. Modern spiders produce six or more different silks, and the changes in the structure of these fibrous proteins allow them to function as glues, water-repellent packaging, rappelling ropes, snares, and trip lines. The scattering of light by protein droplets in the silk even helps to obscure spider webs from flying insects, thus aiding their capture. The authors offer a fascinating look into how modifications of the strength, stickiness, and appearance of the silk used to make trip lines or webs allow spiders to extend their senses and physical reach. Silken webs can provide a spider with a home, a fortress, and a snare, whereas lines allow it to balloon on air currents for hundreds of kilometers.” – (adapted from CHOICE summary)

The elephant’s secret sense : the hidden life of the wild herds of Africa / Caitlin O’Connell.The Elephant’s Secret Sense: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa
“While observing a family of elephants in the wild, Caitlin O’Connell noticed a peculiar listening behavior in which the matriarch lifted her foot and scanned the horizon, causing the other elephants to follow suit, as if they could “hear” the ground. The Elephant’s Secret Sense is O’Connell’s account of her pathbreaking research into seismic listening and communication, chronicling the extraordinary social lives of elephants over the course of fourteen years in the Namibian wilderness.This odyssey of scientific discovery is also a frank account of fieldwork in a poverty-stricken, war-ravaged country. In her attempts to study an elephant community, O’Connell encounters corrupt bureaucrats, deadly lions, poachers, farmers fighting for arable land, and profoundly ineffective approaches to wildlife conservation. The Elephant’s Secret Sense is ultimately a story of intellectual courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Keeper of the nuclear conscience : the life and work of Joseph Rotblat / Andrew Brown.
“Physicist Joseph Rotblat was a Polish Jew who emigrated to England in early 1939 to work in Chadwick’s cyclotron laboratory. He left behind his family and wife with the intention of returning at the conclusion of his internship. Weeks prior to his departure, Curie reported her discovery of nuclear fission and, just after he left, the Nazis invaded Poland. While in Liverpool, Rotblat recognized the military implications of nuclear fission. He was one of the first people to do so and began quietly but reluctantly informing certain people of this realization. Subsequently he worked on the Manhattan Project, where he contributed to the development of nuclear data that were key to designing an atomic bomb. Rotblat’s moral concerns about nuclear weapons caused him to leave Los Alamos before the first nuclear test and return to England, where he began a lifelong effort to control the spread of nuclear weapons. He was an organizer of the Pugwash conferences and an activist for nuclear disarmament. In this well-written biography, Brown (Harvard; The Neutron and the Bomb, CH, Apr’98, 35-4552) does justice to the legacy of Rotblat, whose concern about the implications of a world full of nuclear-armed countries evolved into a personal crusade.” – (adapted from CHOICE summary)

Why geology matters : decoding the past, anticipating the future / Doug Macdougall.
“Writing for the popular reader, Macdougall (emeritus, earth sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, U. of California, San Diego) offers a clear description of geology and its study. The volume is filled with fascinating accounts of early scientists and their discoveries, described in connection with specific cases and questions of interest to us all, including what happens when an asteroid hits the Earth, how the geologist Brian Atwater recognized the history of massive earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, what we know about ice ages, and what brought on the catastrophic warming of the Paleocene. Filled with recent examples of geologic events, and written in an accessible personal style, the book provides an excellent overview of one of the most relevant of all the sciences.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Gravity : how the weakest force in the universe shaped our lives / Brian Clegg.Gravity: How the Weakest Force in the Universe Shaped Our Lives
“Clegg (How To Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel) acquaints readers with a very familiar force in their lives: gravity. To most people, gravity seems awfully powerful since it keeps them (and everything else) attached to Earth. As Clegg explains, however, gravity is, in fact, one of the weakest forces of nature, as he indicates in his subtitle. He takes readers on a delightful conversational tour of how gravity works and how humanity came to understand it. He brings to life household names like Newton and Einstein and the scientific circles in which they worked and lived. Explanations of giant stars and atomic nuclei demonstrate aspects of gravity most people don’t think about, which makes this book all the more fascinating. VERDICT Lovers of science who are not well versed in its mechanics will find this book absorbing.” – (adapted from Library Journal summary)

Planet dinosaur : the next generation of giant killers / Cavan Scott ; palaeontology specialist Darren Naish.
“The companion book to the upcoming Discovery Channel television series, Planet Dinosaur is an introduction to the latest and most exciting dinosaur discoveries. The last decade has been particularly fruitful in the study of dinosaurs, with more new species found than were discovered in the preceding 200 years. Many of these discoveries easily eclipse previously known species and are rewriting what we know about dinosaurs. Planet Dinosaur is a global survey of the 30 most thrilling dinosaur species found in recent years. It provides a new global perspective on dinosaurs, revealing which species lived at the same time on different continents and how the Earth looked in each time period. Specimens in China, the Sahara, the Arctic, Antarctica and North America are especially exciting. The deadly predator, Giganotosaurus, outsized T-Rex. Dracorex hogwartsia lived in North America 70 million years ago and resembled a real-life dragon.” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

The last lost world : ice ages, human origins, and the invention of the Pleistocene / Lydia V. Pyne and Stephen J. Pyne.
“Daughter-and-father historians of science pretty fully justify their profession in this brilliant explanation of the most recent geological epoch, which, depending on how current debate within the paleontological community over such things as whether the Pleistocene-defining cycle of ice formation and melting is really over, and whether H. sapiens continues to evolve naturally is resolved, may or may not have concluded with the rise of civilization and the proposed Holocene epoch. Their exposition is highly dialectical, for while the Pleistocene is a scientific concept collocating hard facts and materialist theories, it is fundamentally a cultural creation, a thing of the mind shaped by scientifically untestable assumptions about the importance of humanity in the story of Earth’s development. Indeed, the Pynes point out, discussion of and contention over the Pleistocene seem to swirl around whether it is presented as a chronicle a record of things or as a narrative of related and directional events. So-called hard science, rejecting mind, rather favors the chronicle; history, embracing mind, the narrative. For science mavens of a philosophical bent, this may be the book of the year, a font of knowledge and, what’s more and better, intellectual exercise.” – (adapted from Booklist summary)