Chew on this: everything you don't want to know about fast food by Eric Schlosser(2006)A behind-the-scenes look at the fast food industry.
Crime scene: the ultimate guide to forensic science by Richard Platt(2003)Television writer and consultant Platt writes for the lay reader, explaining the scientific methods and procedures involved in investigating crimes. He describes such techniques as psychological profiling, DNA analysis, fingerprinting, and the review of autopsy reports. Difficult concepts are clarified with examples drawn from newsworthy cases, as well as plenty of color photographs and diagrams. The science is rather thin, but many of the illustrations are excellent. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Death stars, weird galaxies, and a quasar-spangled universe : the discoveries of the Very Large Array telescope by Karen Taschek(2006)In 1931, Karl Jansky was hired by AT&T to search for sources of static that might interfere with radio waves for transatlantic communications. Jansky identified static from thunderstorms and random radio noise from devices on Earth, but he also found a radio hiss from the Milky Way galaxy.
After World War II, astronomers constructed more radio telescopes with greater sensitivity to faint radio signals from space. In the 1970s, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory built the Very.Large Array (VLA) radio telescope, on the plains of San Agustin, New Mexico. The VLA is well equipped to hunt for strange objects and solve astronomical mysteries. The VLA receives radio signals from outer space. Most are so faint, a blastingly strong signal would be a cell phone ringing on the moon, 238,855 miles away from Earth. The VLA has shown ice on the burning-hot planet of Mercury, has discovered a burst of brand-new star formation, and has probed dying and exploding stars.
Karen Taschek introduces young readers to the wonders revealed by the VLA. She begins with basic information on our solar system and our own Milky Way galaxy and then extends the discussion to galaxies billions of light-years from Earth. Book jacket.
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A field guide to household technology by Edwin J.C. Sobey(2007)Illustrating how a fire alarm detects smoke and what the "plasma" is in a plasma screen television, this fascinating handbook explains how everyday household devices function and operate. More than 180 different household technologies are covered, including gadgets unique to apartment buildings and houseboats. Devices are grouped according to their "habitats"--the living room, family room, den, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and basement--and feature a detailed description of what the device does and how it works, as well as a photograph for easy identification. With helpful sidebars describing related technical issues, such as why a cheap dimmer switch can interfere with radio reception, this handbook for curious readers provides carefully detailed descriptions and the history behind many of the older household technologies like toasters and faucets to newer technologies like motion detectors, TiVo, and satellite radio.
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The physics of superheroes by James Kakalios(2005)What did the Flash know about the Special Theory of Relativity that you do not? Why did Ant-Man have so much difficulty with a half- filled bathtub? Kakalios (physics and astronomy, U. of Minnesota) combines his love for comic books and the startling accurate ways they present physics with his love of explaining physics to undergraduates and those of us destined to never get beyond the comic book stage. While filling us in on why spending your allowance on x- ray glasses is a poor investment, Kakalios covers mechanics (including Newton's Law of Gravity, the properties of matter and the cube-square law) energy (including conservation and Ampere's Law), and modern physics (including quantum mechanics, solid-state physics and tunneling phenomena). In a final section, Kakalios also contemplates a series of superhero bloopers, proving that sometimes having mutant powers and three bucks is only good for a small cappuccino. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)Syndetics
Return of gonzo gizmos : more projects & devices to channel your inner geek by Simon Field(2006)This fresh collection of more than 20 science projects--from hydrogen fuel cells to computer-controlled radio transmitters--is perfect for the tireless tinkerer. Innovative activities include taking detailed plant cell photographs through a microscope using a disposable camera; building a rocket engine out of aluminum foil, paper clips, and kitchen matches; and constructing a geodesic dome out of gumdrops and barbecue skewers. Organized by scientific topic, each chapter includes explanations of the physics, chemistry, biology, or mathematics behind the projects. Most of the devices can be built using common household products or components available at hardware or electronic stores, and each experiment contains illustrated step-by-step instructions with photographs and diagrams that make construction easy. No workbench warrior, science teacher, or grown-up geek should be without this idea-filled resource.
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The science of Sherlock Holmes : from Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the real forensics behind the great detective's greatest cases by E.J. Wagner(2006)"The Science of Sherlock Holmes is a wild ride in a hansom cab along the road paved by Sherlock Holmes - a ride that leads us through medicine, law, pathology, toxicology, anatomy, blood chemistry, and the emergence of real-life forensic science during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries."--BOOK JACKET.
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The velocity of honey and more science of everyday life by Jay Ingram(2005)What's the science behind the theory of "six degrees of separation"? How do stones "skip"? When visiting a new place, why does getting there always seem to take so much longer than returning home? In The Velocity of Honey, the host of the Discovery Channel Canada's Daily Planet and best-selling author Jay Ingram muses upon these and many more mysteries that puzzle and perplex. With his trademark wit and wonderment, Ingram makes the science of our lives accessible and fascinating. From mosquitoes to the Marvel Universe, baseball to baby-holding, Ingram's topics are diverse. In some pieces, he explores the science behind many of our proverbial expressions, common sayings such as "Time flies when you're having fun" and "It's a small world after all." In others, he highlights intriguing links between the world of art and the world of science. Delightful and surprising, Jay Ingram's essays not only help to humanize and promote our understanding of science, they also remind us of the mystery that is the essence of all scientific pursuit.
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Why does a ball bounce? : 101 questions you never thought of asking by Adam Hart-Davis(2005)Thoughtfully chosen, answered, and illustrated, questions of everyday scientific interest are arranged in sections on air, earth, water, fire, light, ice and rain, math, technology, plants, animals, and health. Each question is answered in a page of clear, zesty text facing a full-page color photo by Hart-Davis, who is a passionate photographer as well as a science and technology writer (he appears on radio and television programs in Britain). An example: the first question is "How does a balloon burst?" The photo that accompanies the explanatory text is an intriquing stop-action shot of a dart going into the balloon, which causes one to wonder "how did he get that photo?" Hart-Davis graciously explains his photo techniques at the end of the book. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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