News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

In this month’s picks of the new science books you’ll find Peter Atkins’ latest popular science title about the private life of atoms, as well as a title that will help you digest Einstein’s theories in 3 minutes (!). Also included this month: the $10 billion hunt to discover the Higgs boson particle, climate change, and how fossils have helped to tell the story of the Earth. Enjoy!

Reactions : the private life of atoms / by Peter Atkins.
“Who but popular-science master Atkins could write an imaginative tale driven not by human passions but, rather, by chemical dynamics? To be sure, everything Atkins writes is rooted in solid scientific fact. But the narrative he constructs from these facts flashes with the sparks of an exciting human drama. Even in the first section, developing the basic conceptual tools needed to unfold more complicated matters in the second and third sections, Atkins draws readers into a chemical world taut with emotional tension. Water molecules act like fifth-column infiltrators. Oxygen molecules behave like ravenous sharks. An engaging animism persists in the second section (organic chemistry) and third (photochemistry). [...] Atkins supplies a running commentary of Pedant’s Points for readers not fully satisfied with simplifying analogies. [...] The perfect antidote to science phobia.” (Booklist)

The infinity puzzle : quantum field theory and the hunt for an orderly universe / Frank Close.
“Close (“The Cosmic Onion) explains the science behind the $10 billion international effort to discover the Higgs boson: a fundamental subatomic particle that scientists believe could account for the origins of our universe. Under the auspices of CERN in Switzerland, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was constructed to accelerate particles near to the speed of light. By creating miniature matter/anti-matter collisions in “a small region of space, [scientists hope to replicate] what the universe as a whole was like in the first moments after the Big Bang.” Close voyages through the major scientific discoveries in high energy physics that began in 1928, when Paul Dirac married quantum mechanics with Special Relativity, laying the basis for the major technical advances from which we benefit in today’s digital world. Along the way we meet some major figures in the field whose breakthroughs have illuminated the deepest mysteries of physics and cosmology, resulting in an engrossing history that’s also accessible for a general audience.” (Publisher Weekly)

20 amazing plants and their practical uses / Rachel Corby.
“Let this book take you on a journey with plants, beyond just the aesthetic and edible pleasures they provide, to an in depth understanding and usable knowledge of how, with just a handful of versatile plants, you can transform your outside space into a diverse and resilient living store of building materials, fuel wood, medicines and raw materials for creating furniture, fabric and household utensils. Allow yourself to be inspired, to experiment in growing and creating some of the home comforts you are more used to purchasing. Choose the right plants for you and watch them grow, nurturing them to the point of harvest, then fashioning the finished product with your own skill and handiwork. This is an essential book for anyone interested in how we will continue when fuel has peaked.” (Syndetics summary)

Written in stone : the hidden secrets of fossils and the story of life on Earth / Brian Switek.
“Proposes that the strides made in paleontology have helped with understanding evolution, and discusses how fossils, prominent scientists, technology, and other factors have each influenced the theory’s development. This book is about the epic quest for missing links and other myths about evolution.” (Library Catalogue)

3-minute Einstein : digesting his life, theories and influence in 3-minute morsels / Paul Parsons ; foreword by John Gribbin.
“Everyone has heard of Albert Einstein, but few people have a clear idea of what his theories are all about. Paul Parsons is one of the people who does understand Einstein’s theories, and in this ingenious book he has found a way to make them accessible even to people who struggled at mathematics at school. 3-Minute Einstein is the instant introduction to this great genius of time and of our times. Instead of forcing the reader to plow through pages of text to get to the nuggets of truth, this bite-size biography divides Einstein’s life into 3-minute morsels – each presented as an easily digestible visual snack while still taking care not to distort the science. You can read it at the speed of light.” (Amazon.co.uk)

The atlas of climate change : mapping the world’s greatest challenge / Kirstin Dow and Thomas E. Downing.
“Climatic data analysis points to the Earth rapidly becoming warmer. Experts agree that human intervention in the Earth’s ecosystems is the primary culprit for ongoing climate shifts. Dow (Univ. of South Carolina) and Downing (Stockholm Environment Institute) analyze these trends from a geographic perspective. The atlas maps the signs of change and categorizes several alarming climate scenarios. This resource further details the expected consequences of global climate shift, including disrupted biological ecosystems, endangered water supplies, threats to food sources, and vulnerable coastal cities. The authors also profile how governments have responded to such threats on a local, national, and international level.” (CHOICE)

Survivors : the animals and plants that time has left behind / Richard Fortey.
“Following in Fortey’s questing footsteps, Survivors takes us on fascinating journey to these ancient worlds. On a moonlit beach in Delaware where the horseshoe crab shuffles its way through a violent romance, we catch a glimpse of life 450 million years ago, shortly after it diversified on the ocean floor. Along a stretch of Australian coastline, we bear witness to the sights and sounds that would have greeted a Precambrian dawn. Finally, in the dense rainforests of New Zealand where the secretive velvet worm burrows into the rotting timber of the jungle floor, we marvel at a living fossil which has survived unchanged since before the dissolution of the Gondwana supercontinent.” (Amazon.co.uk)

Rocks & fossils / Arthur B. Busbey … [et al.] ; consultant editors: David Roots and Paul Willis.
“Illustrated guide to the world of geology and paleontology, looking at how the study of rocks and minerals reveals information about the Earth’s history, touring some of the world’s most notable sites, and offering details on various specimens and collecting.” (Global Books)

Have you ever wondered what a bumfit was? Or why orangutans are orange? Or about the science of a wet towel? Or how to act around native birds? Then do we have a blog post for you – filled with our picks of the latest science books! And, yes, wet towels and the science of everyday things. And yes, we really did have to include the title ‘Here’s looking at Euclid’ – such a glorious title!

Birds of New Zealand / Julian Fitter, Don Merton ; foreword by Helen Clark.
“This beautiful photographic guide is the ideal companion for travelling birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike. Featuring over 300 species of bird most likely to be encountered on a trip to New Zealand, it is the only guide that anyone travelling to this fascinating region of the world will need. Each bird is illustrated with a full-colour photograph along with a full species description, and key information on national parks helps readers to find the best spots to discover each bird. The book not only helps travellers to identify birds, it also highlights the importance of conservation efforts and offers guidelines on sensible behaviour whilst travelling through the area and encountering nature at its very best.” (Amazon.co.uk)

The art of science : a natural history of ideas / Richard Hamblyn.
“Hamblyn’s is by far the most relaxed, sunny and domesticated of these books. In an afterword, he writes that he had been surprised to discover how much attention he had paid to “the science of everyday life, from wet towels to coffee stains, via rusty nails housework, boredom, and the barcode on the back of this book”. In this way, the science emerges naturally, and reflectively from our familiar world. The prevailing mood of The Art of Science is that which Italo Calvino divined in Lucretius: a lightness of touch . . . Hamblyn teaches creative writing at Birkbeck, and the literary angle adds a great deal: from passages in novels to tips on how to write popular science. Even anti-science gets a look in, at its most extreme in DH Lawrence’s notorious rant: “The Universe is dead for us … knowledge has killed the sun …” On the last page, Hamblyn quotes Richard Feynman’s riposte to this all-too-prevalent attitude: science “only adds. I don’t see how it subtracts”. And Hamblyn’s book adds enormously to the pleasure that there is in science.” (Amazon.co.uk).

Seabird genius : the story of L.E. Richdale, the royal albatross, and the yellow-eyed penguin / Neville Peat ; foreword by C.J.R. Robertson.
“The first biography of Lance Richdale, who achieved international fame as the father of Otago’s albatross colony from 1936 and for his research on the behaviour of the Yellow-eyed Penguin – Time magazine dubbed him ‘The Dr Kinsey of the penguin world’ – and the sooty shearwater, or muttonbird. Neville Peat’s biography searches the traces left by this shy and obsessed man for some answers to two questions: why? and what drove him? Richdale’s legacy is a nature tourism industry in Dunedin worth $100 million a year, and the longest running seabird population study in the world.” (Syndetics)

About time : cosmology and culture at the twilight of the big bang / Adam Frank.
“Time is such an integral part of our lives that we never think about what it means or how we started counting it – but for University of Rochester astrophysicist and NPR blogger Frank, the provocative story of time is two tightly interwoven stories, one cosmic and one human-scale. From the moment an unknown shaman created the first deliberate record of the moon’s phases 25,000 years ago in the Dordogne in France, humans have measured time. Solstice-marking megaliths and earthworks like Stonehenge and Ireland’s Newgrange have given way to finer methods of counting. Frank illustrates the fascinating progression of “time consciousness” through calendars, clocks, and the metaphorical idea of a clockwork universe.” (Publisher Weekly)

Here’s looking at Euclid : from counting ants to games of chance, an awe-inspiring journey through the world of numbers / Alex Bellos.
“Did you know ants (at least some ants) can count the number of steps they’ve taken from their anthill?In medieval England, a pimp plus a dik got you a bumfit? (translation: five plus ten equals fifteen) In India there is no word for ‘million’ and Slumdog Millionaire was titled Slumdog Crorepati? The Golden Ratio is the secret to a perfect smile? In Here’s Looking at Euclid, intrepid traveler and masterful storyteller Alex Bellos takes readers all over the globe, and from ancient times up to the cutting edge of today, to introduce a host of fascinating mathematical discoveries and the intriguing people who have made them. From the wilds of the Amazon and a tribe that counts only up to five, to the Bay of Bengal, where he learns about the brilliant mathematical insights of the Buddha, and from the astonishing breakthroughs of Euclid, the greatest mathematician of all time, to the creations of the Zen master of origami, Bellos artfully brings the special joy of the world of numbers to life.” (Syndetics summary)

The exultant ark : a pictorial tour of animal pleasure / Jonathan Balcombe.
“In more than 100 striking images, “The Exultant Ark” celebrates the full range of animal experience with dramatic portraits of animal pleasure ranging from the charismatic and familiar to the obscure and bizarre. Biologist Jonathan Balcombe interprets them within the scientific context of what is known about animal behavior.” (Syndetics summary)

Knocking on heaven’s door : how physics and scientific thinking illuminate the universe and the modern world / Lisa Randall.
“The latest developments in physics have the potential to radically revise our understanding of the universe: its make-up, its evolution and the fundamental forces that determine its operation. Knocking on Heaven’s Door is an exhilarating and accessible overview of these developments and a rousing defence of the role of science in our lives. There could be no better guide than Lisa Randall: the bestselling author of Warped Passages is an expert on both particle physics (the study of the smallest objects we know of) and cosmology (the study of the largest) and is one of the most highly regarded theoretical physicists in the world. In Knocking on Heaven’s Door she recounts the thrilling progress in our understanding of the universe from Galileo and Newton to Einstein and Feynman; she explores how we decide which scientific questions to study and how we go about answering them; and she examines the role of risk, creativity, uncertainty, beauty and truth in scientific thinking.” (Library Catalogue)

Why are orangutans orange? : science questions in pictures – with fascinating answers : more questions and answers from the popular ‘Last word’ column / edited by Mick O’Hare.
“Illustrated for the first time, with eighty full-colour photographs showing the beauty, complexity and mystery of the world around us, here is the next eagerly awaited volume of science questions and answers from New Scientist magazine. From ripples in glass to ‘holograms’ in ice, the natural world’s wonders are unravelled by the magazine’s knowledgeable readers. Six years on from Does Anything Eat Wasps? (2005), the New Scientist series still rides high in the bestseller lists, with well over two million copies sold. Popular science has never been more absorbing or more enjoyable. Like Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze? (2006), Do Polar Bears Get Lonely? (2008) and Why Can’t Elephants Jump? (2010), this latest collection of resourceful, wry and well-informed answers to a remarkable range of baffling science questions is guaranteed to impress and delight.” (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.” (Amazon.co.uk)

December the 10th marked the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie’s winning of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, for her discovery of both polonium and radium, and the research she subsequently did on radioactivity and the associated compounds of radium. She had previously won a joint Nobel Prize, with her husband Pierre Curie, for their research into radioactivity. This made her the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize, the first person to be awarded two Nobel prizes, and she is still one of only two people to be awarded two Nobel Prizes for different fields. She is still to date, the only woman to win in two fields.

Here is a link to the transcript of the speech made by the President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at the award ceremony, that thrust Marie Curie well and truly into the history books.

Our latest science featured topic, is Near Earth Objects. Have a browse!

The Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy (log in online with your library card details) defines a Near Earth object (NEO) as “An asteroid whose orbit brings it close to Earth’s orbit. Such Asteroids have a perihelion of less than 1.3 AU (1 AU = 149,597,870 km)”.

Earth often has close encounters with these NEO’s: there have been five in the last 10 years – such as the November 8, 2011 encounter with asteroid 2005 YU55, which came within 324,600 km of Earth. The last time a NEO of this size got this close was in 1989. As of April 2011, 7,954 NEO’s have been discovered (this includes asteroids and comets). Of the 7,954, 1,047 have been listed as hazardous – but there is no need to worry!

Approximately 1 NEO per year measuring 5-10m across strikes the Earth, and in the last 100 years, only four NEO’s have struck Earth with any considerable force (although these only affected the immediate area of the fall). Of those under watch at the moment, the one with the highest chance of striking Earth has a probability of 1 in 300, and won’t be near us till the year 2880.

Books:

Wonders of the solar system / Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen.
“Employing his trademark clear, authoritative, yet down-to-earth approach, Brian will explore how these previously unseen phenomena have dramatically expanded our horizons with new discoveries about the planets, their moons and how they came to be the way they are.” (Amazon.co.uk)

See also the DVD version.

Asteroid rendezvous : NEAR Shoemaker’s adventures at Eros / edited by Jim Bell and Jacqueline Mitton.
“An account of NASA’s dramatic NEAR mission to the asteroid Eros by scientists involved.” (Syndetics summary)

For more books try this search for ‘Asteroids’.

From our databases:

(You’ll need to log in with your library card details to view.)

• Gale Search on – Near Earth Objects.
• Proquest Search on – Asteroids.
• Encylopaedia Britannica Search on – Near Earth Objects.

For more articles please use our Science databases located here.

From the web

• Wikipedia – Near Earth Objects
• NASA – Jet prepulsion lab and Asteroid watch
• European Space Agency – Introduction to NEO’s
• Stuff.co.nz – Huge asteroid hurtles past Earth

Previous Science features

Please click here for previous Science features

Our picks of this month’s recent science books include titles on the demise of Pluto as a planet, why we should care about the oceans and their inhabitants, algebra, Auckland’s volcanoes, the periodic table, and… um… Farmer Buckley’s exploding trousers. Judge for yourself – have a browse!

The magic of reality : how we know what’s really true / Richard Dawkins ; illustrated by Dave McKean.
“Dawkins’s (evolutionary biology, emeritus, Oxford Univ.; The God Delusion) new, heavily illustrated (almost graphic novel-like) book addresses the most basic topics in science, the kind that children most often ask questions about. Each chapter focuses on one of these primary questions, with Dawkins exploring first the myths that once provided an answer, falsely but beautifully, and then using science to answer the same question, now truthfully and with equal (if not greater) beauty. Several full-color pictures and many black-and-white illustrations appear extensively throughout the book. Among the subjects covered: What is an earthquake? What is a miracle? What is the sun? What is a rainbow? Are we alone? When and how did everything begin? Verdict This is a book designed to appeal to young adults, younger children, and parents who want to instill an interest in science in their children. An intriguing introduction to science that will attract a wide audience.-Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll.-Penn Valley Lib., Kansas City, MO (c) Copyright 2011. 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)

Sex, drugs, and sea slime : the oceans’ oddest creatures and why they matter / Ellen Prager.
“Prager (Chasing Science at Sea), a marine scientist formerly at the University of Miami and the Aquarius Reef Base, an underwater lab in the Florida Keys, has written another approachable book. The catchy title here is accurate. She discusses reproduction underwater for tiny phytoplankton, sex-changing fish, and more; drugs developed from many organisms, such as anticancer drugs from sponges; and the advantages of slime for hiding, protecting, or attacking. About a third of each chapter covers why we should care about the ocean and its inhabitants, which echoes Prager’s message in The Oceans (written with Sylvia A. Earle). The overriding theme is that we should learn about the ocean and take care of it. She has humor and surprises to make it interesting, but readers will want some background in terminology or a dictionary.-Jean E. Crampon, Univ. of Southern California Science & Engineering Lib., Los Angeles (c) Copyright 2011. 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)

Evolution : the human story / [foreword by Alice Roberts].
“Come face to face with our ancestors Travel back 8 million years with Evolution The Human Story and go on a fascinating journey to discover how our species has developed from tree-dwelling primates to modern humans.” (Library Catalogue)

Periodic tales : a cultural history of the elements, from arsenic to zinc / Hugh Aldersey-Williams.
“Although the periodic table is a tried-and-true concept, retelling its backstories produces results as malleable as the elements themselves. Sam Kean’s The Disappearing Spoon (2010) shaped those tales into biographies of elemental discoverers. For Aldersey-Williams, the Curies and Lavoisiers are departure points for excursions into cultural histories of the elements as they’ve been used as artistic media, referred to in literature, and manufactured into consumer products. Culture’s remorseless revamping of value and taste propels Aldersey-Williams’ explorations through five headings under which he groups the elements. Power connects gold, iron, and plutonium as atoms important to rulers and states. Beauty admires the chromatic hues of heavy metals, pretty in pigments but deadly in the environment. Craft molds stories about everyday elements like tin. Fire kindles tales about sodium and other light emitters, and in Earth, Aldersey-Williams travels to the cradle of rare earth elements, Sweden. With his topical range delivering novelties on page after page, Aldersey-Williams subtly connects the dots and writes in an attractively understated style, two prose qualities appealing to nonscientists looking for entertaining science reading.–Taylor, Gilbert Copyright 2010 BooklistFrom Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.” (Booklist)

Rising force : the magic of magnetic levitation / James D. Livingston.
“Rising Force is an excellent introduction to the science of magnetic levitation. Physicist Livingston (Driving Force, CH, Nov’96, 34-1609) starts off by giving a brief history of how levitation has been used in literature and on stage. This is followed by a very good description of the forces in the universe and how magnetic forces fit into this scheme. The author then defines what he means by magnetic levitation (maglev) as a balance of forces. He clearly explains what stability is, how important it is to maglev, and how the six degrees of freedom (three linear and three rotational) must be controlled to achieve successful magnetic levitation. The rest of the book explores the various implementations of maglev; for example, in toys, which have piqued the interest of scientists, as well as in frogs (”flying frogs”) and sumo wrestlers, both of which have led to a better understanding of some fundamental science and material properties. The book includes a significant amount of discussion on maglev transportation and current development activities. D. B. Mason Albright CollegeCopyright American Library Association, used with permission.” (CHOICE)

Painless algebra / Lynette Long ; illustrated by Hank Morehouse.
Titles in Barron’s extensive Painless Series cover a wide range of subjects as they are taught on middle school and high school levels. These books are written for students who find the subjects unusually difficult and confusing or in many cases, just plain boring. Barron’s Painless Series authors main goal is to clear up students confusion and perk up their interest by emphasizing the intriguing and often exciting ways that they can put each subject to practical use. Most of these books take a light-hearted approach to their subjects, often employing humor, and always presenting fun-learning exercises that include puzzles, games, and challenging Brain Tickler problems to solve. (Amazon.co.uk)

Volcanoes of Auckland : the essential guide / Bruce W. Hayward, Graeme Murdoch and Gordon Maitland ; aerial photography by Alastair Jamieson.
From Rangitoto to One Tree Hill, Mt. Victoria to Mangere Lagoon, the city of Auckland, New Zealand, is defined by the volcanoes it is built upon. For tens of thousands of years, they have profoundly shaped the area’s geology and geography, playing a crucial part in the lives of the Maori and, later, the European settlers. As it covers all aspects of how scoria cones, craters, and lava are formed, this record demonstrates how volcanoes can act as sites for fortified villages, sweet potato gardens, 20th-century military fortifications, as well as sources of stone and water. This fully illustrated account is an essential guide for locals and tourists alike as they climb Mt. Eden or North Head and try to understand these extraordinary natural phenomena. (Amazon.com)

How I killed Pluto and why it had it coming / Mike Brown.
“In 2005, astronomer Brown made the discovery of a lifetime: a 10th planet, Eris, slightly bigger than Pluto. But instead of its resulting in one more planet being added to our solar system, Brown’s find ignited a firestorm of controversy that riled the usually sedate world of astronomy and launched him into the public eye.” (Syndetics summary)

Farmer Buckley’s exploding trousers : and other odd events on the way to scientific discovery / edited by Stephanie Pain.
In August 1931, New Zealand farmer Richard Buckley hit the local headlines – or rather his trousers did. One minute they were drying in front of the fire; the next there was a huge blast and a ball of flames. Farmer Buckley’s trousers had exploded.

Here are some of the latest science books to arrive on our shelves – have a browse!

The water book : a user’s guide to understanding, protecting, and preserving Earth’s most precious resource.
“Inspiring, engaging and hopeful, The Water Book is a fresh perspective and inspirational approach to motivating readers into saving water without guilt or scare tactics, whilst encouraging the development of a personal philosophy of sustainability. Complex issues are presented in a relatable and straightforward manner and simple, concrete examples providing effective ways to help save water supplies are easily made part of the reader’s daily routine, so that practicing sustainability becomes an attainable goal.” ( Amazon.co.uk)

Eruptions that shook the world / Clive Oppenheimer.
“”Shaking the world” doesn’t refer to the earthquakes that accompany volcanic eruptions but to the watershed moments in human history that massive volcanic eruptions have caused. Volcanoes can affect humans in many ways, triggering tsunamis, ash fallout, and sulfur dioxide gas emissions-one of the causes of global cooling. Using current research, Oppenheimer (volcanology, Univ. of Cambridge) pieces together our volcanic past by connecting major historic and prehistoric eruptions to the course of human civilization.” (Library Journal)

Future science : essays from the cutting edge / edited and with a preface by Max Brockman.
“Editor Max Brockman introduces the work of some of today’s brightest and most innovative young scientists in this fascinating and exciting collection of writings that describe the very boundaries of our knowledge. “Future Science” features nineteen young scientists, most of whom are presenting their innovative work and ideas to a general audience for the first time. Featured in this collection are William McEwan, a virologist, discussing his research into the biology of antiviral immunity; Naomi Eisenberger, a neuroscientist, wondering how social rejection affects us physically; Jon Kleinberg, a computer scientist, showing what massive datasets can teach us about society and ourselves; and Anthony Aguirre, a physicist, who gives readers a tantalizing glimpse of infinity.” (Syndetics summary)

From the early years of Darwin’s scientific career, to rainforests, tropical plants, and what makes New Zealand tick (geologically speaking!). Have a browse of some of our picks of the new science books this month:

Charles Darwin, geologist / Sandra Herbert.
“Most people associate Charles Darwin solely with evolution. Yet Darwin worked in a variety of other scientific areas and considered himself first and foremost a geologist. In 1859, in fact, the Geological Society of London awarded him its highest honor, the Wollaston Medal, for his contributions to the field; eight months later, The Origin of Species was published, and Darwin’s work in geology was relegated to the background. Herbert (history, Univ. of Maryland Baltimore Cty.; ed., The Red Notebook of Charles Darwin) documents Darwin’s interest in geology from age nine or ten, when he first began collecting stones. With the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, Britain sealed its claim as the most powerful nation, particularly on the sea. This newfound stature, along with his family’s wealth, enabled Darwin to pursue a life of scientific inquiry and embark on expeditions that provided him with the ingredients necessary to formulate his theories.” (Library Journal)

Among giants : a life with whales / Charles “Flip” Nicklin with K.M. Kostyal ; foreword by James Darling.
“Flip Nicklin is National Geographic’s whale guy. Any time the magazine runs a story on whales, Nicklin is the photographer sent to illustrate the story. It all began in 1963, when the author’s father was running a dive ship in San Diego. When the father and a couple of buddies discovered a Bryde’s whale tangled in a gill net, they photographed the whale and then freed it. Inspired by both photography and diving, Nicklin bummed around until he got a chance to work as an assistant with humpback whale research in Maui. There he got an iconic photograph of a male whale head down in the water, singing, and he was on his way. Nicklin has created an exciting tale combining the adventure (and drudgery) of field research and the discovery of what whales do and why. Humpbacks in Hawaii, narwhals and belugas in the Arctic, killer whales in Canada, sperm whales in Sri Lanka, and dolphins in Galveston Bay all tell their stories in Nicklin’s marvelous images.–Bent, Nanc. Copyright 2010 BooklistFrom Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.” (Booklist)

Engineering animals : how life works / Mark Denny, Alan McFadzean.
“Incorporating their knowledge of systems engineering into the study of how animals navigate their environment, authors Denny, a retired aerospace engineer who specialized in radar and sonar system, and McFadzean, an oil and gas consultant, have written a fascinating study sure to delight naturalists, hunters, and communications specialists. The two apply their technical expertise to a range of problems taken from the animal kingdom: how animals target their prey, the population dynamics underlying predator-prey relationships, how bird migratory patterns depend upon sense perception, global solar energy flows, and more. Hunters, science buffs, and techies alike will especially be fascinated by discussions of target acquisition and tracking. The authors provide a wide overview combined with convincing details, while emphasizing the wide gap between our ability to model the behavior of living beings and create robotic devices and the power and precision of nature. After reading this book a walk through the woods will never be the same. 100 line illustrations, 18 halftones. (May) Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.” (Publisher Weekly)

Rainforest safari / James Parry.
“Rainforests are special places. Strung around the globe across five continents, they are natural cathedrals on the grandest scale, their lush, humid precincts not only places of great beauty but also home to more than fifty per cent of the world’s known wildlife species. This is biodiversity at its most dramatic: a bewildering variety of plants, birds, mammals and invertebrates depend on the rainforest environment, with the total number of species continuing to grow almost daily as scientists make constant new discoveries. Yet, while we still have so much more to learn about rainforests, they are disappearing – cleared and burned, thanks to human greed for land and demand for timber and other forest resources.In “Rainforest Safari”, James Parry explores these extraordinary landscapes with reference to 25 sites, and reveals the fascinating range of wildlife they support. The book looks at the various types of rainforest, at their different ecosystems and at the diverse features that make them such exciting places to visit.” (Amazon.co.uk)

Science and the akashic field : an integral theory of everything / Ervin Laszlo.
“Mystics and sages have long maintained that there exists an interconnecting cosmic field at the roots of reality that conserves and conveys information, a field known as the Akashic record. Recent discoveries in vacuum physics show that this Akashic Field is real and has its equivalent in science’s zero-point field that underlies space itself. This field consists of a subtle sea of fluctuating energies from which all things arise: atoms and galaxies, stars and planets, living beings, and even consciousness. This zero-point Akashic Field is the constant and enduring memory of the universe. It holds the record of all that has happened on Earth and in the cosmos and relates it to all that is yet to happen.” (Amazon.co.uk)

Encyclopedia of tropical plants : identification and cultivation of over 3000 tropical plants / Ahmed Fayaz.
“Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants brings together over 3,000 species of tropical plants selected to reflect the major plant groups in the tropics all over the world. It uses the most up-to-date nomenclature and systematics and arranges the species in family order, rather than by the usual alphabetical genus name, which makes identification and comparison of similar plants easier. Species descriptions include the plant’s leaves, flowers, stems and fruit, as well as its native habitat, distribution, blooming season and zone. Full-color photographs illustrate the major features of the plants described.”
(Amazon.com)

A continent on the move : New Zealand geoscience into the 21st century / chief editor, Ian J. Graham.
“Adrift in the South Pacific Ocean, separated from the rest of the world by vast distances and blessed with some of the most varied and spectacular natural landscapes on Earth, New Zealand is rather special. Generations of geoscientists have developed an increasing understanding of what makes New Zealand geologically unique and why. Highlights of this research, including many discoveries of global significance, are presented in this book. A Continent on the Move explains what makes New Zealand tick geologically, and illustrates the ways that geoscience research can make this country a better place in which to live.”
(Amazon.co.uk)

Biological diversity : exploiters and exploited / Paul Hatcher and Nick Battey.
“Biological Diversity takes a fresh, innovative approach to the teaching of biodiversity. Rather than detailing and cataloguing the major taxa and their evolutionary relationships, the authors have selected 18 groups of organisms and used these as a framework in which to discuss the species and their interactions with man and each other.”

These are just a few of the new science books that have wandered they’re way over my desk in the past month.

Alex’s adventures in numberland / Alex Bellos ; illustrations by Andy Riley.
“In a charming, conversational prose style, and with diagrams to ease brain stress, he draws us into a forbidding world, often going into the history of famous bits of maths, including the origins of Tetris and Rubik’s Cube. The most immediately fascinating chapter is on the application of probability theory to gambling, with insights into slot machines, insurance, lotteries and a neat explanation of Pascal’s wager on the existence of God. –Metro” (Amazon.co.uk)

Hot X : algebra exposed / Danica McKellar.
“”New York Times-” bestselling author McKellar tackles the toughest math class yet: algebra. She shows teenage girls–and anyone taking algebra–how to feel confident, get in the driver’s seat, and master topics like square roots, polynomials, quadratic equations, word problems, and more.” (Syndetics summary)

The theory that would not die : how Bayes’ rule cracked the enigma code, hunted down Russian submarines, & emerged triumphant from two centuries of controversy / Sharon Bertsch McGrayne.
“Bayes’ rule appears to be a straightforward, one-line theorem: by updating our initial beliefs with objective new information, we get a new and improved belief. To its adherents, it is an elegant statement about learning from experience. To its opponents, it is subjectivity run amok. In the first-ever account of Bayes’ rule for general readers, Sharon Bertsch McGrayne explores this controversial theorem and the human obsessions surrounding it. She traces its discovery by an amateur mathematician in the 1740s through its development into roughly its modern form by French scientist Pierre Simon Laplace.”– Provided by publisher.

Second nature : the inner lives of animals / Jonathan Balcombe ; foreword by J.M. Coetzee.
“With vivid stories and entertaining anecdotes, Balcombe gives the human pedestal a strong shake while opening the door into the inner lives of the animals themselves.” (Syndetics summary)

Epigenetics : the ultimate mystery of inheritance / Richard C. Francis.
“Time to worry again–our lifestyle choices do impact our genetic code and that of our children (and even grandchildren!).” (Syndetics summary)

Edible and poisonous mushrooms of the world / Ian R. Hall … [et al.].
“This book begins with a warning, which is certainly justified when dealing with edible macroscopic fungi. The introduction includes charts of worldwide mushroom production, and even wholesale prices. A 60-plus-page chapter, unnumbered, follows with outstanding tips on how to cultivate the top eight species grown and eaten worldwide; this chapter alone is worth the price of the book. The following chapters outline how to collect fungi and offer invaluable information on the various families of toxins found in fungi, with outlines of the symptoms associated with the ingestion of each family of toxins.” (CHOICE)

Quantum man : Richard Feynman’s life in science / Lawrence M. Krauss.
“A gripping new scientific biography of the revered Nobel Prize-winning physicist (and curious character) Richard Feynman.” (Syndetics summary)

Check out some of the more bizarre books about science found at the library. In amongst the time spent by scientists trying to find the cure for cancer, the common cold and global warming, they manage to get up to some pretty crazy things!

Elephants on acid : and other bizarre experiments / Alex Boese.
A fascinating account of some of the stranger experiments from history that were done in the name of science. In the ‘a tad creepy’ basket we have zombie kittens and the 1970s Stanford Prison experiment.  In the ’scratch your head and ask why’ basket we have the difference between Coke and Pepsi (you may think you can taste it, but you can’t actually) and whether your dog is likely to go get help if you are in distress (unlikely). (Staff member)

Why don’t penguins’ feet freeze? and 114 other questions : more questions and answers from the popular “last word’ column / edited by Mick O’Hare.
In this book of questions from New Scientist’s popular Last Word column, all sorts of odd questions are posed (and answered). If you want to know why supermarket bags are so noisy, why milk will run down the bottle if you pour it too slowly or why planes can fly upside down, just grab this book to find out! (Staff member)

Ig Nobel prizes : the annals of improbable research / Marc Abrahams.
In 2010 the Ig Nobel Physics prize was won by three ladies from the University of Otago for demonstrating that, on icy footpaths in winter, people slip and fall less often if they wear socks on the outside of their shoes. A trick I learnt growing up in Dunedin is that old wooly rugby socks are the best sort for wearing over your shoes. (Staff member)

The hungry scientist handbook : electric birthday cakes, edible origami, and other DIY projects for techies, tinkerers, and foodies / Patrick Buckley and Lily Binns.
Did you know that cooking is actually chemistry? Delicious, tasty chemistry? Have you ever fancied making icecream with liquid nitrogen, or making edible origami? These and many more ideas bring science into the kitchen and onto the plate. (Staff member)

How many licks? : or, how to estimate damn near anything / Aaron Santos.
Have you ever wondered how many grams of tea it would take to make the Boston harbour palatable? Or how long it would take to eat the Stay Puft Man from Ghostbusters? If you have, this book will show you how to go about estimating the answers to all sorts of wacky questions. (Staff member)

Many listeners are tuning into “The stars are comforting” which is currently being played on Concert FM each Sunday at 2PM. This programme follows the life of the internationally-renowned New Zealand astronomer Beatrice Hill Tinsley through her many letters to her family and the music she played or which she heard at concerts. Astronomy and music were her two great interests in life. A brilliant scientist who began her work in the America of the 1960s, Beatrice struggled to reconcile her life as a woman with her passion for astronomy so that her story is very much tied up with feminist cause. She died at the tragically early age of 37. Those who have enjoyed the radio programmme may like to read this comprehensive biography.

Bright star : Beatrice Hill Tinsley, astronomer / Christine Cole Catley.
“A New Zealand hero brought out of obscurity in this fascinating 445 page biography by author Christine Cole Catley. Beatrice Hill Tinsley showed astronomers new ways of thinking and taught teachers new ways of teaching. A lover of nature and a conservationist who idealised New Zealand, she was also a musician, a feminist, a battler for zero population growth and a champion of the oppressed. Her life is a classic study in the interaction of nature and nurture, genetics and environment. It is also an inspiring and unforgettable picture of a girl determined to be a scientist who grows up in provincial New Zealand and wins through to world renown.”(Summary from www. globalbooksinprint.com)

Rosalind Franklin’s life is one which is sometimes compared with that of Beatrice Hill Tinsley, although she lived a generation before her (she was born in 1920) – and on the other side of the world (she grew up and worked in London). Rosalind Franklin faced different problems from those faced by Beatrice – she never married and did not have children – but she suffered from male jealousy and hostility.There is a strong suggestion that her pioneering work on DNA was poached and that she was denied a share in the the Nobel prize. She also died tragically young – at the age of 38.

Rosalind Franklin : the dark lady of DNA / Brenda Maddox.
“Her photographs of DNA were called “among the most beautiful X-ray photographs of any substance ever taken,” but physical chemist Rosalind Franklin never received due credit for the crucial role these played in the discovery of DNA’s structure. In this sympathetic biography, Maddox argues that sexism, egotism and anti-Semitism conspired to marginalize a brilliant and uncompromising young scientist who, though disliked by some colleagues, was a warm and admired friend to many. Franklin was born into a well-to-do Anglo-Jewish family and was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge. After beginning her research career in postwar Paris she moved to Kings College, London, where her famous photographs of DNA were made. These were shown without her knowledge to James Watson, who recognized that they indicated the shape of a double helix and rushed to publish the discovery; with colleagues Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, he won the Nobel Prize in 1962. Deeply unhappy at Kings, Rosalind left in 1953 for another lab, where she did important research on viruses, including polio. Her career was cut short when she died of ovarian cancer at age 37. Maddox sees her subject as a wronged woman, but this view seems rather extreme.”(Oct. 2) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)

Marie Curie preceded both these women scientists – she was born in 1867 – but she lived to a comparitively ripe age. Her work on radiation with her husband Pierre has made her a household name throughout the world and won the Nobel prize for physics for both in 1903. She herself won the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1911, becoming the only woman to win two Nobel prizes and to win them in two fields. Her full and interesting life was beset with difficulties – among them the struggle to become a scientist, despite an impoverished background, and to honour her intense patriotism to her native Poland while living as a loyal French citizen. She received full recognition only after her husband’s death.

The Curies : a biography of the most controversial family in science / Denis Brian.
“Brian notes that in a recent French poll on the greatest Frenchmen (sic) of all time, Marie Curie (1867-1934) was voted number four. The author of Einstein: A Life examines the personal and professional lives and legacy of a family that won a total of six Nobel Prizes. The controversies he treats include Madame Curie’s battles with the chauvinistic French science community and affair with a married scientist after Pierre’s death. The biography includes photos. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)” (Syndetics summary)

The three women scientists featured here are found in this book too, but it also highlights the work of many others whose names have been forgotten or obliterated. It raises interesting and timely questions about the paucity of top women scientists in the modern world, despite the fact that girls excel in examinations and repeatedly outstrip boys in the discipline.

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.”(Book summary Amazon.co.uk)