The canon : a whirligig tour of the beautiful basics of science

Natalie Angier talks about the world in which we live with a science perspective. I was attracted by the little gems in the book. As a child, I used to collect the newspapers to cut out "Walt Disney's True Life adventures" which were descriptions of biological nature. Some examples used by Natalie reminded me delightfully of that. Natalie has taken the most complicated theories in science and explained them simply so that it is understandable. I thoroughly enjoyed her discussion on evolution. She has an excellent discussion on probabilities. The discussions range from molecular biology to Astronomy. I believe that anyone who reads this book will have an enhanced enjoyment of life. Cover......Page 1 Copyright page......Page 8 Contents......Page 11 Introduction: Sisyphus Sings with a Ying......Page 15 1 Thinking Scientifically: An Out-of-Body Experience......Page 32 2 Probabilities: For Whom the Bell Curves......Page 61 3 Calibration: Playing with Scales......Page 85 4 Physics: And Nothing's Plenty for Me......Page 101 5 Chemistry: Fire, Ice, Spies, and Life......Page 135 6 Evolutionary Biology: The Theory of Every Body......Page 161 7 Molecular Biology: Cells and Whistles......Page 197 8 Geology: Imagining World Pieces......Page 226 9 Astronomy: Heavenly Creatures......Page 249 1 Thinking Scientifically: An Out-of-Body Experience......Page 281 3 Calibration: Playing with Scales......Page 282 4 Physics: And Nothing's Plenty for Me......Page 283 5 Chemistry: Fire, Ice, Spies, and Life......Page 284 6 Evolutionary Biology: The Theory of Every Body......Page 285 7 Molecular Biology: Cells and Whistles......Page 287 8 Geology: Imagining World Pieces......Page 288 9 Astronomy: Heavenly Creatures......Page 290 Acknowledgments......Page 294 B......Page 296 C......Page 297 E......Page 298 G......Page 299 I......Page 300 M......Page 301 N......Page 302 P......Page 303 S......Page 304 W......Page 306 Z......Page 307 Award-winning science journalist Angier takes us on a "guided twirligig through the scientific canon." She draws on conversations with hundreds of the world's top scientists, and her own work as a reporter for the New York Times, to create an entertaining guide to scientific literacy--a joyride through the major scientific disciplines: physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and astronomy. It's for anyone who wants to understand the great issues of our time--from stem cells and bird flu to evolution and global warming. It's also one of those rare books that reignites our childhood delight in figuring out how things work: we learn what's actually happening when our ice cream melts or our coffee gets cold, what our liver cells do when we eat a caramel, how the horse shows evolution at work, and that we really are all made of stardust.--From publisher description.Draws on interviews with the world's top scientists to offer a guide to scientific literacy, exploring the fundamental principles of the major scientific disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and astronomy. The Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist and author of Woman draws on interviews with hundreds of the world's top scientists to offer an entertaining guide to scientific literacy, exploring the fundamental principles of the major scientific disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and astronomy and their link to the world around us. 75,000 first printing.