Customer Reviews

Discover (1-year)

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

As a scientist/educator, I enjoy reading about current science being done in all fields, whether neuroscience or astronomy. We get so specialized in our fields sometimes, we forget about the other sciences which we are not personally involved in. This is one of the better science journals for laypeople who have limited background in most sciences. It's great for me, and I have a large background in most sciences. But so much happens in all areas of scientific endeavor that it is impossible to keep up with. So a magazine like Discover helps to close the gap on my personal ignorance in other areas of science besides neuroscience.

Discover is by the same people running Discovery Channel. Their information is good, they do the research, and they often broach difficult and contrary science concepts which may not be mainstream yet. Their writers and editors do an excellent job. My own personal favorite article each month is Vital Signs, from doctors about medical cases that may be strange or that need to be brought to the attention of the public. I always read that first.

This is a good magazine for high school students to have access to in addition to the regular science textbooks. The type of information given often makes science more accessible for high school students. They can see why someone would choose to go into particular fields of science, and why research is needed.

I do not always agree with the information given. Too many times, it seems that Discover and its editors promote ideas or new medical concepts/technology which has not been proven. As always, lay readers should be sure to get a variety of inputs and information, as well as second opinions before accepting what is said by Discover or any other source. An example of this is the retinal implant spoken about in 2001. Readers should not go asking their physicians about such technology for themselves, but should do as much research as possible prior to making a decision on experimental procedures.
Karen SAdler,
Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh

Yes, the strongest appeal that this magazine has is its readability. The articles, however diverse they are, are not that hard to understand at all. I believe that even younger readers could read them without feeling offended and snobbed by the writing style. This is because Discover is intended for the general public. People who like a beefier telling of scientific issues should read Scientific American instead. But please note: I am not saying that Discover is kid-stuff. It is not.

Points of interest:
1.) In every issue, there is this Neuroquest, a very interesting one page "exploration of the inner workings of the human brain."
2.) The mag also offers Bogglers, a set of brain-teasers/puzzles to give those gray cells something to work on.
3.) And, Science Surfing, do I have to tell you what this is??

So far, all the Discover issues that I have have 92 pages, of which 17-18 pages were devoted to ads.

Edit:
I encourage people to give this magazine a second chance, four years later. I haven't checked up on it in that time, but some indicate that the quality has gone up significantly since Discover embarked on its new look. -- 06/28/10

Discover is a fun magazine, and a much easier read than Scientific American. Mind you, it does not have the density of it's fellow publication, but I seem to pick Discover up more often lying around the house.

A nice broad range of categories are covered by Discover, with an eye for "topical science." The editors are good at identifying scientific trends (like cloning), and are quick to get articles out. This is a great benefit for those who want to stay knowledgeable about science, but do not have the time to invest in deep research.

As with any science magazine, fantastic pictures fill the pages. Charts and images are well-used to illustrate and clarify unfamiliar topics. A well put-together magazine.

For years Discover was the best magazine for the lay person or even scientists who wanted to keep track of the trends in other fields of science. Now with a new publisher it has become almost worthless. Very superficial articles are mixed with over blown headlines and poor science. After buying Discover since it's very inception I find it sad what has happened to this magazine. Check the dates and notice the glowing reviews for the old magazine but pay attention to the negative ones from the last 6 months.

The present issue was better than it has been for a while. Marion Long's interview with Steven Pinker shed some light on the workings of our brains, & Jeanne Lenzer's article on "Citizen Heal Thyself," was also somewhat instructive. The latter verified what many lay folks & scientists have been saying & believing for some time. That STRESS is the great killer. It keeps our healthy cells from combating a wide variety of illnesses. A persons attitudes also, appear to be self fulfilling as well.

Discover is not as good a magazine as it was say, ten years ago, But, it is trying to reach a far wider & less scientifically knowledgable audience than Scientific American. Therefore, comparisons are a bit unfair. The sections of the magazine like Neuroquest where the inner workings of the brain are explored are good. The brain teasers can also keep one alert & entertained. However, the magazine could certainly improve on the 95 pages having about 15-20 devoted to advertising. On the whole, still a worthy read.

I love reading this magazine because it highlights a lot of the science we all can enjoy. I'm no blockhead, but I'm no Ivy League professor either, so I want to read about things that I can (a) understand, and (b) appreciate. Discover is able to accomplish both.

The front-of-book section is excellent for getting a "Reader's Digest"-type version of research people are doing, or nifty gadgets people are building. In that way, I think it can be better than "Scientific American" or other counterparts because it has a broader appeal. Features are often on things I want to know more about -- electricity, weather, DNA research, outer space, robots, etc. Yes, it's a good dose of "pop science" as another reviewer put it, but that's exactly what a lot of people like, and if that description fits you, you're in for some good reading.

It's better than watching most tv programs, any way, and a lot cheaper as well.

Discover is my favorite traveling magazine. The articles are at a level where they are engaging without requiring too much attention or time - perfect for killing time in coach on a trans-Pacfic flight.

The articles are consistently well written and almost invariably cover topics of general interest. I am an educated non-scientist who is interested in science. I can imagine that real scientists consider Discover scientific fluff, and thats fine. For a liberal-arts major/drop-out its right about my speed.

One final note - I love the "Vital Signs" feature where every month a doctor writes about a different patient with some mysterious malady and how it was investigated, identified and cured (or not).

Once upon a time, Discover magazine was like Readers Digest for science topics right down to its miniature format. Discover today is little more than a Scientific American wanna be. They cover a broader range of topics and I love their coverage of science trends/possibilities that SA (to which I also subscribe) seems to think is beneath them. A couple years ago they tried a format change that turned Discover into a pop science rag (right after I mailed in my 5 year renewal, doh!). Now they're back but they've lost something I liked: The number of small articles covering a broad range of topics (R&D section) has decreased significantly. This was a format responsible for their early success. I still subscribe to the magazine but as far as I'm concerned Scientific American is clearly the better choice at this point.

I like Discover because the percent of articles I care to read tends to be a little higher than Scientific American, which is one of other favorite magazines. Discover at times can be a little too pop culture for me, but there always seems to be some interesting little nugget of knowledge in each issue that keeps me coming back. This magazine helps to fill the void between popular weekly magazines (e.g. Newsweek, Time) and technical journals that require a Ph.D. to understand. In this great era of science and technology, our democracy requires that we remain informed of important developments across the many fields in science. This magazine helps us to do that, so it serves an important role.