Reviews
-
A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer
The engaging essays in this slim volume are chock-full of information about viruses, from the common cold to smallpox. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2011, 109 p., $20.
-
Inside Jokes by Matthew M. Hurley, Daniel C. Dennett, Reginald B. Adams Jr.
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Jokes-Using-Humor-Reverse-Engineer/dp/026201582X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307032679&sr=1-1 Humor isn’t just fun, these authors argue; it’s evolution’s mechanism for building a brain that handles open-ended thinking. MIT Press, 2011, 359 p., $29.95.
-
Fizzics by F. Ronald Young
A friendly foray into the humble bubble, from honeycombs and soaps to sunset flashes, written by a physicist in the field. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2011, 114 p., $25.
-
Earth: The Operator’s Manual by Richard B. Alley
A climate scientist uses real-world stories to survey climate problems and solutions. A companion PBS documentary is available online. W.W. Norton & Co., 2011, 479 p., $27.95.
-
Plastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel
A well-researched history shows how plastics became a staple and examines current health and environmental concerns. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011, 324 p., $27.
- Science & Society
Blood Work
A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution by Holly Tucker.
-
-
Dream Life: An Experimental Memoir by J. Allan Hobson
A candid memoir of the author’s career studying the neurobiology of sleep and dreams. MIT Press, 2011, 296 p., $29.95.
-
The Theory That Would Not Die: How Bayes’ Rule Cracked the Enigma Code, Hunted Down Russian Submarines, and Emerged Triumphant from Two Centuries of Controversy by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne
The history of Bayes’ theorem and its controversial role in science’s use of statistics. Yale Univ. Press, 2011, 336 p., $27.50.
-
The Darwin Archipelago: The Naturalist’s Career Beyond Origin of Species by Steve Jones
A surprising look at Darwin’s lesser-known works uncovers the foundations of entire fields of biology, from soil science to early inklings of hormones. Yale Univ. Press, 2011, 248 p., $27.50.
-
Lab Coats in Hollywood: Science, Scientists, and Cinema by David A. Kirby
A behind-the-scenes peek at how science consultants have helped movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Beautiful Mind try to present science realistically. MIT Press, 2011, 265 p., $27.95.
-
Atlas of Oceans: An Ecological Survey of Underwater Life by John Farndon
This richly illustrated survey of marine life introduces basic principles of oceanography and highlights the hazards of environmental degradation. Yale Univ. Press, 2011, 256 p., $50.
