Reviews
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Powering the Future: How We Will (Eventually) Solve the Energy Crisis and Fuel the Civilization of Tomorrow by Robert B. Laughlin
A Nobel laureate in physics breaks down alternatives for the world’s energy supply. Basic Books, 2011, 224 p., $24.99
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How We See the Sky: A Naked-Eye Tour of Day and Night by Thomas Hockey
Learn to see more when you look up with this naked-eye guide to the day and night skies. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2011, 239 p., $20
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Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
A psychologist argues that separate mental systems organize decision making and inspire a litany of thinking errors. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011, 352 p., $27
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What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite by David DiSalvo
By weaving together the latest studies, a science writer examines why people’s desires often thwart their goals. Prometheus Books, 2011, 288 p., $19
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Controversial Bodies: Thoughts on the Public Display of Plastinated Corpses, John D. Lantos, ed.
A dozen authors discuss issues surrounding the display of human bodies whose flesh has been preserved by plastic. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2011, 145 p., $35
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Caterpillars by Marilyn Singer
A colorful look at caterpillars — sometimes woolly, sometimes spotted, occasionally sporting fake faces — shows how they transform into delicate, winged insects. EarlyLight Books, 2011, 40 p., $14.95, ages 4–7
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Catch the Wind, Harness the Sun: 22 Super-Charged Projects for Kids by Michael J. Caduto
Do try these at home: Writing with the sun, powering a battery with a bicycle and creating mini-windmills are projects that help kids learn about renewable energy. Storey Publishing, 2011, 223 p., $16.95, ages 8–13
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What’s So Hot About Volcanoes (What’s So Cool About Geology) by Wendell A. Duffield
A volcanologist transports readers to Hawaii, Chile and Japan to show how volcanoes form, why they erupt and how scientists are trying to predict eruptions. Mountain Press, 2011, 89 p., $16, young adult
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You Just Can’t Help It!: Your Guide to the Wild and Wacky World of Human Behavior by Jeff Szpirglas
A teacher gives insight into human behavior by explaining the science behind involuntary reactions such as wrinkling the nose at a disgusting smell or laughing. Maple Tree, 2011, 64 p., $10.95, ages 9–12
