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List Price: £9.99
Our Price: £3.99
Author:
Frank Close
By OUP Oxford
 Reading about Nothing is actually really interesting, 2007-11-26
Professor Frank Close has managed to engage the non-physicist reader in a topic normally reserved for the intellectual elite. He offers a detailed yet broad analysis of The Void, of nothingness, a topic you would be forgiven for thinking is 'a done deal'.
But far from it, vacuums and the concept of nothingness have been on the minds of many great thinkers throughout time, from the early Greeks to the modern-day super brains at international research centres such as CERN in Switzerland. In a bid to understand our own existence, we may contemplate our opposite: non-existence. The book is not ignorant of the large philosophical questions either.
As the concept of vacuums evolved throughout history Close is there explaining in a real, down-to-earth voice what exactly is going on. The book is illustrated with diagrams throughout, and if like me, you have trouble visualising some of the more difficult concepts, these come in very handy. Having said that, I imagine even an A-Star physics student stands to benefit from this book.
The book is split into nine chapters, with each chapter being further divided logically according to topic. The book enters into the science of atoms, light, the quantum, waves and particles amidst other areas to explain the nature of a vacuum. The Big Bang, Aether, higher dimensions and time are also discussed. Warning: there are very large and small numbers featured in this book, and some concepts will challenge your understanding of your three-dimensional reality.
If you have ever wondered about what is left when you take all the stars, planets and us out of the universe, or that split second after the big bang, then this book hits the money. I recommend this book on the grounds that it covers an interesting topic, whilst introducing other facets of physics, is readable even to the untrained brain and makes you think twice and go 'aha'.
In short: there's Nothing I don't like about it.
List Price: £6.99
Our Price: £2.49
Author:
Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, Jack S. Cohen
By Ebury Press
Terry Pratchett needs no introduction. Ian Stewart has written fine nonfiction books on mathematics, and he and Jack Cohen collaborated on the quirkily inventive pop-science titles The Collapse of Chaos and Figments of Reality. What on earth, or on Discworld, are they all doing in the same book? Pratchett provides a very funny 30,000-word novella about Discworld science, beginning in the High Energy Magic faculty of Unseen University and leading his eccentric wizards to investigate an alien cosmos where there's no magic to keep things going. This is the Roundworld universe--ours. The key point: much that's true only on Discworld (eg: that suns orbit planets and not vice-versa) was once believed on Earth and the wizards' comic misunderstandings echo the history of real science ... Unusually, Pratchett's story is split into chapters and in between his chapters Stewart and Cohen wittily discuss the concepts underlying the fiction, from the Big Bang through stellar formation to life and evolution. Much of the science we know, they cheerfully insist, is "lies-to-children": good stories that are mostly untrue, like thinking of atoms as tiny solar systems. Discworld...
Yet another excelent book!, 2008-02-13
Although a slight detour from the norml type of Discworld book, I found the combination of the story (which was great) and the explanations of the real science behind the story to be absolutely fascinating and I learned stuff I never knew before while still being entertained in the good old Pratchett style!
I have now brought all three of these Science of the Discworld series and have already read them several times over as they were so enjoyable.
List Price: £17.95
Our Price: £10.28
Author:
Herve This
By Columbia University Press
Fascinating and inspiring, 2008-03-12
This is very interesting book covering a wide range of topics on the subject of flavour, taste and smell perception as well as the application of basic science to food and drink technology. I was particularly interested in the recent research into the physiology of taste perception, which until recently was the poor cousin of that of the sense of smell. There is a fair bit of chemistry, biochemistry and physics to take in to get full value from the book so I think this book would appeal most to those not only interested in food and cooking but also with some scientific knowledge. The last section of the book focuses on how the physico-chemical properties of ingredients like eggs or fats can be manipulated into creating novel recipes for foods. One can see where the likes of the innovative chef Heston Blumenthal got his inspiration.
List Price: £27.00
Our Price: £18.81
Author:
Dennis Milner
By Authors Online Ltd
Astonishing and ground-breaking; scientific evidence for the meaning of life., 2008-03-09
In quieter moments, I do wonder why we are here; whether we really are spiritual, or just purely material. I'm a fan of popular science books such as "The First Three Minutes" and "The Secret Life of Plants" that tell more about our world, how it came about and the mysterious things that go on in it. This book packs a big punch here and actually delivers an answer. An answer smack in-between Intelligent Design and Evolution. The simple explanation is that creation is brought about by a positive evolutionary "pressure" driving everyone and everything to fulfil their potential.
The book starts the story before the "big bang" and traces development of the material and spiritual universe through to life on earth and development of humans. Scientific, cosmological and historical evidence given is extensive, ranging across the creation of matter, the structure of the universe and atoms, the biology of evolution, the arising of consciousness and the development of civilisations.
There is an interesting body of experimental evidence demonstrating the fundamental forces which create shapes we see in nature. These same forms are shown to arise in simple processes of capillary dynamolysis, crystal growth and liquid flows. These fundamental forces are also revealed by electrical discharge photography. There is some tantalising evidence of effects of homeopathic remedies on crystal growth. Full details are given on how to repeat these experiments.
This weighty book is the culmination of decades of research by Dennis Milner and his team at Birmingham University, and contains a very useful reference guide to further reading. The scope is vast with sections also touching on healing, expanded consciousness, and psychic phenomena. Nevertheless, easy to read and well illustrated. I think the conclusion is well summarised by the quotation in the foreword:
God sleeps in the mineral,
Dreams in the vegetable,
Stirs in the animal,
Awakens in Man
Truly an astonishing and ground-breaking book; but one you will have to put down several times before finishing in order to digest what has been said.
List Price: £4.99
Our Price: £1.30
Author:
Miranda Lundy
By Wooden Books
Geometry for the Spacially Challenged, 2006-11-30
My brain doesn't do 3D too well so this gentle introduction served me well. There are many more challenging and deeper tomes on this subject but this is approachable and understandable, and it's so nicely presented!
List Price: £20.00
Our Price: £10.63
Author:
W. David Woods
By Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
From pre-launch to splashdown, 2008-05-27
I have just finished reading this excellent book and I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in the Apollo project, or space flight in general.
Without getting bogged down in equations, this book explains how the space craft of the Apollo era worked and where flown. Following the journey from the launch pad to splash down, every stage of this grand adventure are explained in detail. Each section contains examples from the real missions to show how a staggering series of procedures allowed the first humans to walk on the Moon.
Well worth reading!
List Price: £6.99
Our Price: £2.35
Author:
Peter Coles
By Oxford Paperbacks
An excellent introduction to cosmology, 2005-08-07
Laymen's guides to physics usually resort to metaphors that are seriously misleading. The alternative is a highly mathematical approach that is inaccessible to most readers. Coles manages to simplify without misleading. Actually, some basic knowledge of physics is assumed, at least if you want a full understanding of what is being said, but it is never beyond high school level and most of the book does not require even that.Covering relativity, quantum theory, particle physics and much else, this is a perfect introduction to a vast and profound topic. My only complaint: cosmology is a fast-changing subject. A new edition is needed very soon.
List Price: £12.99
Our Price: £6.68
Author:
Andrew Chaikin
By Penguin Books Ltd
Brilliant. Could not put it down., 2008-09-01
I was 20 years old when Neil Armstrong stepped on to the Lunar susface.
I have been interested in NASA and the space program ever since.
I always wanted a single book or film that would cover the whole Apollo program from 1 to 17.This is it.You dont have to be technically minded to be captivated by this book, it is very easily readable, I was unable to put it down and I will surely read it again in the future it is that type of book.
I can not recommend it highly enough for anybody even remotely interested in the space program.
10 out of 10 Super
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