365 Surprising Scientific Facts, Breakthroughs, and Discoveries

by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne

Book Overview

What is the world's largest single-celled organism? What type of grass can support more weight per square inch thanconcrete? What male mammal makes breast milk? Why are dancing cockroaches so... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 047157712X
• ISBN13: 9780471577126
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

FUN FACTS

Science buffs, trivia enthusiasts and plain ordinary curious people will enjoy this book. Contained in this wonderful volume are amusing curiosities about science. And guess what? You don't need a Phd in the field to enjoy this great guide. It brings out facts that will surprise the uninitiated and will broaden your knowledge of science in its varied fields. Yes, there are 365 facts given in a question and answer format. These questions cover topics of medicine, engineering, mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, physics and other scientific disciplines. You will enjoy this book which makes science accessible and fun without being bogged down in dense theories. The author doesn't compromise on the principles of scientific discoveries nor does she "dummy" down some of the more complex areas of scientific breakthroughs. She is clear, to the point and covers the essentials in the book's question and answer format. You will be pleased. The only "negative" about the book is that its black and white illustrations doesn't do it justice in the plant science section. Another quirk is that scientific facts are in continuous change. Thus the knowledge presented in the book may be dated given the vast amount of information that we receive over the years. In any case this book gives you a great appreciation for the world of science and will stimulate you to explore it even further.

Brain Teasers with Good Answers in modern science & tech

This book is one of the best "trivia" books around because (1) it asks important or clever, but not trivial, questions about modern science and engineering discoveries and (2) the book explains the answers very thoroughly. After reading a question and answer, I am left with a satisfied feeling of understanding an intriguing phenomenon or curious fact. Furthermore, after reading for only a few minutes, I can easily learn something enjoyable or thought-provoking, making this book a perfect "kitchen counter" or party book.