Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/09/2010
ISBN-13: 9780307272850
ISBN-10: 0307272850

To explain the workings of the universe, theoretical physics relies on two mathematical models: quantum mechanics (which describes matter in the universe) and general relativity (which deals with larger concepts such as space-time and gravity). However, reconciling these into a unified theory poses a challenge. Physicist Martin Bojowald proposes an alternative to the more popular string theory called "loop quantum gravity," which attempts to explain what happened before the Big Bang--if it was, in fact a Big Bang and not (as Bojowald proposes) a "Big Bounce"--in this "complex but comprehensible" book (Booklist).

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Publisher: William Morrow
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/02/2010
ISBN-13: 9780061999765
ISBN-10: 0061999768

Why do the seasons change? What is air? What happens if one transfuses sheep's blood into a human? These are just a few of the questions that the founders of the Royal Society of London hoped to answer when they came together in 1660 to share and debate ideas. Since then, the Society and its illustrious members, past and present, have revolutionized science. This book, edited by Bill Bryson and published in honor of the Society's 350th anniversary, collects 21 essays by well-known fiction authors, historians, and scientists--including Margaret Atwood, James Gleick, and Richard Dawkins--that shine a light on the legacy of a landmark institution.

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Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 01/19/2011
ISBN-13: 9780618826124
ISBN-10: 0618826122

Although journalist Mark Hertsgaard has spent decades reporting on climate change, the birth of his daughter prompted him to examine the issue from a more personal perspective: what would the world be like when she reached adulthood? While Hertsgaard states that we're past the point of mitigating the impact of global warming and must instead focus our efforts on adapting to irreversible changes, he also sees reason to be hopeful. He cites examples ranging from the Netherlands, which has allocated funding for the next 200 years to address flooding resulting from rising sea levels, to Africa's Sahel region, whose inhabitants have worked to reverse the trend of deforestation while improving their quality of life.

Publisher: W.W. Norton
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 01/17/2011
ISBN-13: 9780393077827
ISBN-10: 0393077829

Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran, author of Phantoms in the Brain and A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness, explores the mysteries of the human brain in this "exhilarating" book (Kirkus Reviews). From mirror neurons, which respond both to action and the perception of action, to Cotard syndrome (aka "walking corpse syndrome"), a rare condition whose sufferers believe they are dead, Ramachandran begins by examining specific neurological anomalies and expands them into thought-provoking discussions of the nature of language, memory, identity, consciousness, and more. If you enjoy the neurological case studies of Oliver Sacks, such as those in An Anthropologist on Mars, you'll want to read this book.

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/02/2010
ISBN-13: 9780307269935
ISBN-10: 0307269930

If the recent FCC approval of the Comcast-NBC merger has you worried about the future of the open Internet, then read this book! According to author Tim Wu, the communications policy expert who popularized the concept of "net neutrality," each new technology enjoys a brief golden age of freedom and creativity before corporations step in to consolidate their holdings, creating monopolies that ultimately stifle innovation by restricting access and limiting competition. Whether discussing AT&T's domination of the telephone industry or modern-day behemoths such as Google or Apple, The Master Switch is an eye-opening look at the media landscape, both past and present.

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Publisher: Basic Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/25/2007
ISBN-13: 9780465014033
ISBN-10: 0465014038

In this "clear and enthusiastic introduction to our cosmic neighborhood" (Booklist), Richard Corfield conducts a guided tour of our solar system starting with the Sun and stopping at each of the planets in turn before venturing out to trans-Neptunian bodies such as Pluto and Eris. While introducing influential astronomers such as Copernicus and Kepler, he also reconstructs the 4.6 billion year history of the planets themselves and discusses how the unmanned spacecraft of the past 30 years--including the Pioneer, Voyager, and Galileo probes--have dramatically transformed our understanding of space.

Publisher: Hyperion
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 08/03/2005
ISBN-13: 9781401301491
ISBN-10: 1401301495

How do you get to the Red Planet? Geologist Steven Squyres can tell you, since he's the person who guided NASA's Mars Exploration Rover mission through its ten-year gestation from conception to triumphant landing on the Martian surface in 2004, where twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity uncovered evidence for the existence of water. In addition to documenting the arduous process of designing a NASA payload and recounting the many obstacles to securing funding and approval, he also describes the toll the mission took on the team. Thanks to the nearly 40-minute discrepancy between Earth days and Martian sols, scientists had to adjust their biological clocks to operate on Martian time. Now that's dedication!

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Publisher: W.W. Norton
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 01/26/2009
ISBN-13: 9780393065206
ISBN-10: 0393065200

In 2006, when the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto to dwarf planet, there was a huge public outcry. As it turns out, Pluto's status was always a matter of considerable debate, even before its official discovery in 1930. Its existence predicted by astronomers long before anyone had actually spotted it, the former "Planet X" became a favorite, even as scientists were inclined to downgrade it on account of its icy composition, backwards rotation, and unusual orbit. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium, recounts the history of this beloved would-be planet. Plutophiles might also enjoy Mike Brown's How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming.

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Publisher: Princeton University Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/21/2008
ISBN-13: 9780691132976
ISBN-10: 0691132976

While the idea of launching a telescope into space has been around since the 1920s (long before anyone had managed to send anything beyond Earth's atmosphere), the Hubble Space Telescope is the brainchild of physicist-astronomer Lyman Spitzer, who outlined his plans for a space-based observatory in 1946. A decades-long struggle to fund and build the telescope almost ended in failure after Hubble's launch in 1990 revealed a fatal flaw that rendered its mirror useless. Astronauts were sent into space to repair it--and Hubble immediately began sending back extraordinary images. Space historian Robert Zimmerman's thoroughly researched account draws on interviews with many of the individuals involved in the design, launch, and repair of the machine that opened a window into the universe.

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