Scientific American's Ask the Experts: Answers to The Most Puzzling and Mind-Blowing Science Questions [Paperback]

Editors of Scientific American (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2003

Why is the night sky dark? How do dolphins sleep without drowning? Why do hangovers occur? Will time travel ever be a reality? What makes a knuckleball appear to flutter? Why are craters always round?

There's only one source to turn to for the answers to the most puzzling and thought-provoking questions about the world of science: Scientific American. Writing in a fun and accessible style, an esteemed team of scientists and educators will lead you on a wild ride from the far reaches of the universe to the natural world right in your own backyard. Along the way, you'll discover solutions to some of life's quirkiest conundrums, such as why cats purr, how frogs survive winter without freezing, why snowflakes are symmetrical, and much more. Even if you haven't picked up a science book since your school days, these tantalizing Q & A's will shed new light on the world around you, inside you, below you, above you, and beyond!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Here is a trove of easily digested nuggets of the most up-to-date scientific information, from physics to biology to human behavior, all provided by scientists well-versed in their fields. Ever wonder what a planet is and why Pluto might not actually be one? Daniel Green of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics offers the surprising theory that Pluto "may in fact be a giant comet," and that comets are "small, icy planets." On a more down-to-earth level, if you want to know why your stomach growls when you're hungry, Mark A.W. Andrews, a physiologist at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine explains the working of peristalsis, the muscle activity of the digestive system, whose sounds are muffled when food is present in the stomach and intestines. How long can one survive without water? What is the effect of volcanoes on climate? With these and scores of other questions and answers, this is an engaging and readable repository of information.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Here, for fans of popular-science writing, is a book that answers questions big, little, and in between. How long do stars live? (It depends on how fast they use up their fuel.) Why do dogs' eyes show up blue, not red, in photographs? (There's a special reflective layer at the back of their eyes, but some dogs do exhibit "red eye.") Why don't hurricanes ever hit the West Coast? (Weather patterns and differences in water temperature.) The book uses the familiar question-and-answer format, with a table of contents allowing the reader to flip to a specific question. The questions are answered by a variety of experts: noted paleontologist Jack Horner fields a question about cloning dinosaurs (ain't gonna happen anytime soon); a professor of physics explains how the weight of a planet can be measured; a Nobel Prize-winning chemist describes how heaver-than-air chlorofluorocarbons get to the ozone layer. This is one of those books you put on your reference shelf, and pull out whenever the subject turns to matters of scientific interest. Great for trivia buffs, too. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 1 edition (October 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060523360
• ISBN-13: 978-0060523367
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars some interesting stuff, but overall dull, April 12, 2004

By 

Chris Frost (Ingalls, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scientific American's Ask the Experts: Answers to The Most Puzzling and Mind-Blowing Science Questions (Paperback)

I usually like books like this, with questions that many people ask themselves and simple, to-the-point answers. Unfortunately, this book isn't all that great. First of all, many of the people who supply answers tend to present theories as facts. Secondly, the answers aren't always quite as concise and to-the-point as one would like. For example, should it really take two pages to say that we just don't know if dinosaurs were warm-blooded or cold-blooded? Questions for which we have no answer probably would have been better off edited out of this book. Then there are the occasional answers that wander around all over the place without really answering the question. Overall, a pretty disappointing reading experience.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant reading and friendly, but...., July 24, 2007

By 

Jason C. Scribner (Iraq) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scientific American's Ask the Experts: Answers to The Most Puzzling and Mind-Blowing Science Questions (Paperback)

...It lacks good interpretation. Don't get me wrong, they did great coming out with this book. Nice quesions that even myself had a thought about here and there. Even old wives tales are explained in this book. But, Some questions can confuse the average person, especially if his career doesn't involve any science backround. But from the little hard-to-understand statements in some questions/answers, it's a great book to have for those questions you never thought about.

5.0 out of 5 stars It's "Scientific American" folks., September 4, 2009

By 

L. Tholl (MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Scientific American's Ask the Experts (Kindle Edition)

It you are not interested in science and only looking for brain candy then do not bother. This is a fine introduction to some of the important subjects in the wild world of science.