Reviews
- Science & Society
‘Enlightening Symbols’ shows how math’s language arose
From numerals to infinity, symbols have advanced mathematical thinking.
- Health & Medicine
‘NOVA’ takes science’s side in vaccine debate
A TV documentary dissects concerns about vaccinations and spells out the science supporting their use.
- Cosmology
Cosmologist’s ‘Cosmic Cocktail’ is a refreshing read
Katherine Freese shares her insights as a scientist studying dark matter and other mysterious components of the universe.
- Neuroscience
Music soothes the aging brain in film ‘Alive Inside’
A social worker highlighted in a new documentary goes on a quest to bring tunes to nursing homes.
- Animals
Here’s your chance to see the last passenger pigeon
On display for the 100th anniversary of her species’ extinction, the final passenger pigeon specimen looks pretty good.
- Science & Society
Book delves into Scientific Revolution way beyond Galileo
‘Voyaging in Strange Seas’ shows that modern science was built not just by giants but by hundreds who explored all realms of science.
- Materials Science
‘Stuff Matters’ explores the science behind everyday objects
Author Mark Miodownik explores why everyday materials look and behave the way they do.
- Science & Society
An app to track firefly flashings
This summer, you can contribute to citizen science by tracking lightning bugs in your backyard.
- Earth
‘Tambora’ links volcano to the ‘year without a summer’
Author Gillen D’arcy Wood links the volcano to historical changes in art, opium, cholera and more.
- Anthropology
‘Kidding Ourselves’ shows the rational side of self-deception
Author Joseph T. Hallinan explains why people believe the darnedest things.
- Life
Microscapes take off at D.C’s Dulles airport
“Life: Magnified,” a display of microscope images depicting cells, microbes and details of life invisible to the naked eye runs from June to November.
- Physics
‘Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field’ is a biography of brilliance
Authors Nancy Forbes and Basil Mahon show how two men’s work came together to change physics.
