Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: How to Live in Space
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://colinstuart.net/
CITY: London
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | n 2001057714 |
|---|---|
| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/n2001057714 |
| HEADING: | Stuart, Colin |
| 000 | 00331nz a2200121n 450 |
| 001 | 5512724 |
| 005 | 20011113142122.0 |
| 008 | 011113n| acannaabn |n aaa |
| 010 | __ |a n 2001057714 |
| 040 | __ |a DLC |b eng |c DLC |
| 100 | 1_ |a Stuart, Colin |
| 670 | __ |a 73164308: Wembley, 50 glorious years in pictures, 1971: |b t.p. (Colin Stuart) |
| 953 | __ |a yz00 |
PERSONAL
Male.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and speaker. Royal Observatory, London, England, former science communicator. Has appeared on television and radio programs; has spoken to businesses and at conferences and other events.
MEMBER:Royal Astronomical Society (fellow).
WRITINGS
Contributor to books, including The Planets, Dorling Kindersley (New York, NY), 2014. Contributor of articles to publications, including the New Scientist, London Guardian, BBC Focus, and to the European Space Agency.
SIDELIGHTS
Colin Stuart is a British science writer and speaker. He is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and has worked as a science communicator at the Royal Observatory, in England. Stuart has also appeared as a commentator on television and radio programs. He has written articles that have appeared in publications, including the New Scientist, London Guardian, and BBC Focus. In an interview with a contributor to the Speaking of Science website, Stuart discussed his career and its focus on astronomy. He stated: “Astronomy has always been my passion and passion can be infectious. I wanted to share my love of the universe with others and get across that sense of awe and insignificance that astronomy is so good at delivering.”
The Big Questions in Science
Stuart collaborated with Hayley Birch and Mun Keat Looi on the 2013 book, The Big Questions in Science: The Quest to Solve the Great Unknowns. In the same interview with the contributor to the Speaking of Science website, Stuart explained: “It tackles twenty of the biggest unanswered questions in science today detailing the efforts of extravagant millionaires, biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, philosophers, explorers and engineers to push the boundaries of our knowledge. My chapters tackle concepts like dark matter, dark energy, exoplanets, antimatter, parallel universes, time travel, alien life, black holes, wormholes and quantum physics and so it was really fun to write.” Other topics in the book include the universe’s origins, gravity, the DNA of living things, human development, consciousness and the functions of the brain, carbon, global warming, and the sun.
Suzi Gage, reviewer on the London Guardian Online, noted that The Big Questions in Science offered “compelling reading.” Gage continued: “Obviously it can’t delve deeply in to each topic, but it’s a great starter to whet your appetite and introduce the subjects.”
Why Space Matters to Me
In Why Space Matters to Me, Stuart discusses the importance of learning about the universe. He draws connections between space and the Earth, noting that what happens in space often effects our planet. Stuart explains that the behavior of the Moon can determine the weather on Earth. The Moon and the Sun work together to influence the way the tides move on Earth and how water is released, used, evaporated, and released again. Stuart also highlights a physical connection between humans and space, noting that the same particles found in stardust can also be found in our bodies. His book includes informational back matter, as well as a quiz for readers.
A writer on the Kids Reads website offered a favorable assessment of Why Space Matters to Me. The writer described the volume as a “brilliantly simple book” that would be “great for science lovers.”
Physics in 100 Numbers and Math in 100 Numbers
Physics in 100 Numbers: A Numerical Guide to Facts, Formulas, and Theories features short descriptions of numbers that are significant to the scientific discipline of physics. Among the numbers Stuart discusses in the book is 1543, the year Copernicus released his influential volume, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. Another is 1×10500, which represents the amount of solutions that are in the realm of possibility in string theory. 1.26×10-6 measures free space’s permeability, while 5.94 x 10-44 refers to Planck time. A critic on the Pop Science Book website discussed the proliferation of books using lists to organize their content. The critic remarked: “Some of these books feel no more than an easily sellable packaged concept with little imagination behind it. I’m pleased to say that Colin Stewart’s Physics in 100 Numbers is not one of these—it has plenty of genuine moments of interest.”
Math in 100 Numbers: A Numerical Guide to Facts, Formulas, and Theories is formatted in a way that is similar to the aforementioned volume. It includes numbers from zero to a googol and also features comments on the concept of infinity.
Astonishing Atoms and Matter Mayhem and Fabulous Figures and Cool Calculations
Astonishing Atoms and Matter Mayhem is a book by Stuart, which is geared towards young readers. The volume includes activities for kids to perform, which are meant to illustrate concepts in math, engineering, technology, and science (also known as STEM). The book offers instructions for kids on how to use marshmallows to create a model of an atom. They can also learn how to build a volcano.
Like Astonishing Atoms and Matter Mayhem, Fabulous Figures and Cool Calculations finds Stuart explaining STEM concepts to a young audience. Among the topics in this volume are ratios, tessellation, and secret codes.
How to Live in Space
In 2018, Stuart released How to Live in Space: Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant Future. The volume begins with Stuart discussing the latest developments in space travel. He highlights Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic launches. Stuart predicts that space tourism will soon be possible. Though it is currently only accessible to the very wealthy, over time the cost will drop, allowing regular people to go to space, Stuart suggests. He discusses the challenges that space travel can involve, including physical ailments connected to the different atmospheric pressures experienced in space. Other topics range from Mars exploration to instructions on using a toilet in space.
Carl Hays, reviewer in Booklist, described How to Live in Space as “exhilirating.” Hays added: “With lots of exciting visuals and fascinating facts, this energetic volume is perfect for teen space lovers.” “Suitable for space-happy tweens as well as nonscientist adults, Stuart’s captivating handbook has something to … entertain every reader,” asserted a Publishers Weekly critic. Dave Trumbore, contributor to the Collider website, remarked: “How to Live in Space is a wealth of otherworldly information.” Trumbore concluded: “How to Live in Space is the perfect book for anyone and everyone who’s even remotely interested in how life will persist beyond our home planet. It’s an easy-to-read treasure trove of trivia and a gorgeous visual guide that makes you want to linger on each page a bit before consuming the next perfectly packaged bite of space survival tips. In short, it’s out of this world.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, August 1, 2018, Carl Hays, review of How to Live in Space: Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant Future, p. 12.
Publishers Weekly, May 21, 2018, review of How to Live in Space, p. 60.
ONLINE
Colin Stuart website, http://www.colinstuart.net/ (October 12, 2018).
Collider, http://collider.com/ (September 25, 2018), Dave Trumbore, review of How to Live in Space.
Kids Reads, https://www.kidsreads.com/ (April 14, 2015), review of Why Space Matters to Me.
London Guardian Online, https://www.theguardian.com/ (November 27, 2013), Suzi Gage, review of The Big Questions in Science: The Quest to Solve the Great Unknowns.
National Public Radio Online, https://www.npr.org/ (September 11, 2013), Marcelo Gleiser, synopsis of The Big Questions in Science.
Pop Science Book, http://popsciencebooks.blogspot.com/ (July 4, 2015), review of Physics in 100 Numbers: A Numerical Guide to Facts, Formulas, and Theories.
Speaking of Science, http://speakingofscience.juliegould.net/ (August 1, 2013), author interview.
I’m an astronomy speaker and author who has talked to over a third of a million people about the universe, ranging from schools and the public to conferences and businesses.
My nine books have sold more than 150,000 copies worldwide and been translated into 17 languages. I've written over 150 popular science articles for publications including The Guardian, New Scientist, BBC Focus and the European Space Agency.
In recognition of my efforts to popularise astronomy, the asteroid (15347) Colinstuart is named after me.
In 2014 I was awarded runner-up in the European Astronomy Journalism Prize and I am also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. I’ve talked about the wonders of the universe on Sky News, BBC News and Radio 5Live and been quoted in national newspapers including The Daily Telegraph and The Observer.
My other adventures have seen me climb the biggest radio telescope in the UK, stargaze from the Sahara desert and abseil my old school’s science block for charity.
One of my key messages when I speak to businesses and conferences is that interdisciplinary collaboration is the key to innovation
Highlights of my latest work
Arrow
Arrow
Speaking at Winchester Science Festival [Paul Jenkins]
ArrowArrow
I created a video with TED-Ed about the scientific possibilities of time travel (2.5 million+ views)
QUOTED: "Astronomy has always been my passion and passion can be infectious. I wanted to share my love of the universe with others and get across that sense of awe and insignificance that astronomy is so good at delivering."
"It tackles twenty of the biggest unanswered questions in science today detailing the efforts of extravagant millionaires, biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, philosophers, explorers and engineers to push the boundaries of our knowledge. My chapters tackle concepts like dark matter, dark energy, exoplanets, antimatter, parallel universes, time travel, alien life, black holes, wormholes and quantum physics and so it was really fun to write."
Speaking to… Colin Stuart
1 August, 2013Science Communication, Speaking to...blogging, books, journalism, live, presenting, Science communication, writing
“network your backside off, particularly if you’re just starting out. The amount of opportunities that have come my way because of a Twitter conversation or a chance meeting in the pub etc is pretty high”
Colin-Stuart-science-communication
Colin Stuart
This is part of a series of interviews with science communicators about science communication. Today we are Speaking to… Colin Stuart
Name?
Colin Stuart
Where are you based?
London
Who do you work for?
and myself
What type of science communication do you do?
A mixture really. I am part presenter, part writer. At the Observatory it is face-to-face communication – presenting planetarium shows, showing people the stars and planets through telescopes, running interactive school workshops and teaching adult evening courses about the latest developments in astronomy. On the freelance writing side it ranges from “typical” science journalism, through to writing educational resources for charities and then onto books.
Who is your main audience?
I wouldn’t say I have one. Over the course of a week I could be singing nursery rhymes about the planets to five-year-olds in the planetarium or speaking to the retirees who often come along to the adult evening courses. I could be writing an article for a specialist science website, but equally I could be writing a feature for The Guardian or New Scientist aimed at the general public.
How did you get into it?
I did a degree in astrophysics and I got to that point in my studies that I think a lot of people get to in the middle of their second year: what am I going to do next? I’d always loved astronomy since I was a kid but by that point I’d realised I no longer wanted to be a researcher. I thought about other ways that astronomy could feature in my career without having to be a research scientist and I’d always been quite good at public speaking and writing so I thought maybe I could do that. I honestly had never heard of the term “science communication” before. But when I thought about what that sort of stuff might be called I googled those words and a whole host of information poured out. I found the Science Communication MSc at Imperial very quickly and within a few days set about getting the sort of experience that would make sure my application was successful. Part of that was volunteering at the Observatory and that has led on to a part time job there.
Why do you do it?
For the love of it (most of the time!). Astronomy has always been my passion and passion can be infectious. I wanted to share my love of the universe with others and get across that sense of awe and insignificance that astronomy is so good at delivering. At the same time it keeps me honest. My job forces me to keep up-to-date with the latest research and I get to talk to some of the scientists doing some really cool research. Basically I get to geek-out on a daily basis and get paid for the privilege.
Why do you think science communication is important?
Well first there are the clichés. That science is funded by taxpayers and so taxpayers need to be engaged in science. That our world is becoming increasing scientific and so people need to be more engaged with science and perhaps we can inspire the next generation of scientists by grabbing their attention early. Those things are all true in varying degrees. But the more I do science communication the more I think that the answer is because it is real. Particularly for my line of work in astronomy, we’re finding out the ways in which our universe really works and often that is so far removed from our everyday experience of the daily grind. Science communication, done well, can offer the same escapism as novels or movies with the added bonus of being real. If that doesn’t sound too pretentious! That’s certainly what got me hooked as a kid. I could read story books, but I could also read equally exciting books about the planets and their moons but the latter stories weren’t make-believe.
What do you love about science communication?
The fact that I get to immerse myself in science every single day. And the fact that you can often see the effects of a job well done. If a kid gasps during a planetarium show because you’ve shown them something that’s blown their mind or when an adult laughs at one of your jokes – I’ve been doing it five years but that still gives me a buzz. I also love the fact that I am always learning, about astronomy but also about ways to communicate. I am a much better presenter and writer than I was five years ago, but I know I’ll go on improving because there is always something to learn or another way to look at things. I also still love getting my head around a new concept, just as I did at uni.
What has been your favourite project?
That’s a tough one. What I do can be so varied that it is hard to compare projects, but I think it was writing my first book. As as writer I have always dreamed of having a book out there on the shelves and that’s nearly a reality as The Big Questions in Science is published soon. It is co-written with two good friends – Hayley Birch and Mun-Keat Looi – and it tackles twenty of the biggest unanswered questions in science today detailing the efforts of extravagant millionaires, biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, philosophers, explorers and engineers to push the boundaries of our knowledge. My chapters tackle concepts like dark matter, dark energy, exoplanets, antimatter, parallel universes, time travel, alien life, black holes, wormholes and quantum physics and so it was really fun to write.
Do you have any new science communication projects coming up?
I am currently trying to get a kids book on astronomy off the ground, so watch this space!
Any tips for those wanting to get into science communication?
Work hard, the competition is becoming increasingly fierce. Love what you do, you’re going to be spending a lot of time doing it so you better enjoy it. Practice, a lot. You might think you are good, and you might be, but you can always be better. Lastly, network your backside off, particularly if you’re just starting out. The amount of opportunities that have come my way because of a Twitter conversation or a chance meeting in the pub etc is pretty high. There are plenty of opportunities out there if you do enough digging.
You can follow Colin on Twitter at @skyponderer or find out what he’s up to on his website.
QUOTED: "exhilirating."
"With lots of exciting visuals and fascinating facts, this energetic volume is perfect for teen space lovers."
How to Live in Space: Everything
You Need to Know for the Not-So-
Distant Future
Carl Hays
Booklist.
114.22 (Aug. 1, 2018): p12. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
How to Live in Space: Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant Future. By Colin Stuart.
Sept. 2018. 192p. illus. Smithsonian, paper, S 17.95 (9781588346384). 629.45.
With the February 2018 launch of his SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, featuring a helmeted "Starman" perched in a Mars-bound sports car, Tesla inventor Elon Musk signaled the beginning of a new era in space travel. Rivaling billionaire Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic company, Musk envisions a thriving space-tourism industry, untethered from NASA's purse strings, sending thrill-seekers into Earth orbit and beyond. Targeting audiences already queuing up to buy tickets for these off-world adventures, journalist and Royal Astronomical Society fellow Stuart offers an engaging and colorfully illustrated guide to prepping for life in space. In three information-packed sections, Stuart covers the basic training needed to survive a rocket- propelled launch, the nuances of gravity-free living, and a preview of humankind's future on the Moon and Mars. Along the way, he takes readers on a trip aboard the "vomit comet," a plane designed to acclimate prospective astronauts to weightlessness; deconstructs lunar toilets; and extols the benefits of asteroid mining, among other fascinating tidbits. An exhilarating virtual ride for space buffs everywhere.--Carl Hays
YA: With lots of exciting visuals and fascinating facts, this energetic volume is perfect for teen space lovers. CH.
1 of 3 10/1/18, 12:09 AM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hays, Carl. "How to Live in Space: Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant
Future." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2018, p. 12. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com /apps/doc/A550613047/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=5ba679e5. Accessed 1 Oct. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A550613047
QUOTED: "Suitable for space-happy tweens as well as nonscientist adults, Stuart's captivating handbook has something to ... entertain every reader."
2 of 3 10/1/18, 12:09 AM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
How to Live in Space: Everything
You Need to Know for the Not-So-
Distant Future
Publishers Weekly.
265.21 (May 21, 2018): p60. From Business Collection. COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
How to Live in Space: Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant Future Colin Stuart. Smithsonian, $17.95 trade paper (192p) ISBN 978-1-58834-638-4
The successful February 6 launch of SpaceX's mighty Falcon Heavy rocket heralds an exciting future for humans living and working in space, writes astronomer Stuart, and his lively and colorfully illustrated guidebook anticipates that future with a wealth of fascinating details. With private aerospace industries like Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic competing, Stuart foresees a time when ordinary people, as well as billionaires, enjoy easy access to space travel. The author traverses an impressively varied range of topics, including the history of rocketry, the problem of space sickness (as seen on NASA's notorious "Vomit Comet" training craft), the prospects for space tourism, and the practical considerations of landing on Mars. Each chapter (e.g., "Eating and Drinking in Space," "Space Sickness," etc.) is matter-of-fact and accessible, as well as vivid with the wonder and curiosity of a writer who's as fascinated as his readers. For every expected topic--such as how to use a microgravity toilet--Stuart offers another that's less predictable, like space law. Suitable for space-happy tweens as well as nonscientist adults, Stuart's captivating handbook has something to amaze and entertain every reader. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"How to Live in Space: Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant Future."
Publishers Weekly, 21 May 2018, p. 60. Business Collection, http://link.galegroup.com /apps/doc/A541012640/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=897baff1. Accessed 1 Oct. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A541012640
3 of 3 10/1/18, 12:09 AM
QUOTED: "brilliantly simple book" "great for science lovers."
About the Book
Why Space Matters to Me
by Colin Stuart
In this brilliantly simple book, a noted science writer shows the interconnectedness of life on Earth to space--and thus, why space matters to all of us.
Covering topics like stardust, animal navigation, weather, seasons, tides, and more, Colin Stuart shows the interconnectedness of life on Earth and space. The Sun and Moon play an integral role in the water cycle and the tides, and the Moon dictates whether we have chilly winters or sultry summers.
Contains a quiz, further reading, glossary, and index
Filled with surprising facts--such as the fact that humans are made of stardust!--this book presents information in an engaging, personable way. It's great for science lovers and will make science lovers out of all who read it.
Perfect for Common Core classroom connections!
Why Space Matters to Me
by Colin Stuart
Publication Date: March 24, 2015
Genres: Picture
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA
ISBN-10: 1606845896
QUOTED: "How to Live in Space” is a wealth of otherworldly information."
"How to Live in Space is the perfect book for anyone and everyone who’s even remotely interested in how life will persist beyond our home planet. It’s an easy-to-read treasure trove of trivia and a gorgeous visual guide that makes you want to linger on each page a bit before consuming the next perfectly packaged bite of space survival tips. In short, it’s out of this world."
Colin Stuart’s ‘How to Live in Space’ Is an Out-of-This-World Survival Guide
by Dave Trumbore September 25, 2018
how-to-live-in-space-book-reviewA few minutes into reading Colin Stuart‘s Smithsonian Books title “How to Live in Space”, I realized that I didn’t have the right stuff to be an astronaut. First of all, I’m probably a skosh too tall; secondly, I like to think I could pass the swimming requirement but I probably couldn’t; and finally, the mere thought of being trapped in an enclosed space without any means of easy escape already has me feeling claustrophobic. (I guess I”m the “put me into hypersleep and wake me when we get there” kind of space traveler.) But just because I, and the many hopefuls who apply for astronaut training but are ultimately rejected, may never be a space-faring pioneer, it’s thanks to those brave men and women that space tourism is becoming a viable business and means of entertainment. And it’s thanks to Stuart’s book that anyone can learn “Everything You Need to Know for the Not-So-Distant Future.”
“How to Live in Space”, available now through Smithsonian Books or your favorite retailer, can be yours at a steal of a deal, especially since the knowledge contained within the tome’s nearly 200 pages of trivia, history, survival tips, and technical factoids, along with gorgeous archival images and easy-to-understand illustrations might just save your life in space. If you’ve already done a few spacewalks–or extravehicular activities (EVA) as they’re officially known–whether tethered or untethered, you probably know everything there is to know in this book. For the other 99.99% of us, “How to Live in Space” is a wealth of otherworldly information.
smithsonian-how-to-live-in-space-book-review
Image via Smithsonian Books
Stuart, a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a presenter at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, has a very approachable writing style that’s both informative and entertaining, humorous enough to talk frankly about space toilets but serious enough to discuss the inherent dangers of space travel. In other words, don’t expect this to read like an instruction manual or encyclopedia entry; “How to Live in Space” feels like a living document, a book that’s destined to be but the first installment of more to come as we continue to push the boundaries of space exploration and reach out to new worlds. It might just be the closest most of us get to space travel, and it will either ignite your curiosity and imagination, or make you thankful that we live a relatively protected life here under Earth’s atmosphere.
The book is split up into easy-to-binge-read sections: a brief introduction, followed by Training, Living in Space, and The Future, with that latter section being the biggest chunk by just a few pages. The introductory section lays down some basic facts about space and the metrics we use to define it, as well as a brief history of space exploration itself. This book is absolutely packed with more facts that even the most dedicated space aficionado will find astounding. The Training section walks readers through the process to become an astronaut, including requirements from NASA, the Russian system, and the European Space Agency. As is the case in the rest of the book, fantastic images are used throughout this section to drive the descriptions home.
Once you’re trained up, you’re ready to live in space … until you get an idea of just what that means. The modern International Space Station looks like the Ritz compared to previous space capsules and modules, but this section covers every aspect of day-to-day life in the decades spanning manned spaceflight. So if you want to know what sunrise and sunset look like from orbit, what kind of food you can expect to eat, and how to exercise, sleep, and use the toilet, this nuts-and-bolts section is your bread and space-butter. But if you’re less of a contemporary practical space-traveler and more of a future-oriented astronaut, the final section is for you, dreamer!
smithsonian-how-to-live-in-space-book-review
Image via Smithsonian Books
From space elevators and hotels (governed by space law, of course), to lunar and Martian bases, this section is the most futuristic and the most “sci-fi”, for now. Give it a few decades and this part of the how-to guide could become science-fact. But there are more far-out ideas explored here, still: Generation Ships, interstellar travel, and wormhole time-traveling are covered, as are the maybe not-so-far-fetched aspects of asteroid mining. This is the section that will inspire the bright minds of the future who are currently dreaming up possibilities and will one day put them into action far above the surface of our known world.
“How to Live in Space” is the perfect book for anyone and everyone who’s even remotely interested in how life will persist beyond our home planet. It’s an easy-to-read treasure trove of trivia and a gorgeous visual guide that makes you want to linger on each page a bit before consuming the next perfectly packaged bite of space survival tips. In short, it’s out of this world.
how-to-live-in-space-smithsonian
Image via Smithsonian Books
QUOTED: "Some of these books feel no more than an easily sellable packaged concept with little imagination behind it. I'm pleased to say that Colin Stewart's Physics in 100 Numbers is not one of these—it has plenty of genuine moments of interest."
Physics in 100 Numbers - Colin Stuart ***
July 04, 2015
I'm not generally a big fan of the popular science equivalent of those filler TV shows like 'The 50 best comedy moments' or 'The 100 TV scenes you least want to see again' or whatever. Some of these books feel no more than an easily sellable packaged concept with little imagination behind it. I'm pleased to say that Colin Stewart's Physics in 100 Numbers is not one of these - it has plenty of genuine moments of interest.
What we have here is a collection of single page items and double page spreads in slightly wider than usual hardback (though not big enough to class as a coffee table book) format in numerical order from 5.49x10-44 (Planck time) to 1x10500 (number of possible string theory 'solutions'). Occasionally the format is a little squeezed - so 1543, for instance, is not really a number, but the year that the groundbreaking book by Copernicus was published - but mostly Stuart sticks to the straight and narrow.
What the author tries to do, and at which he often succeeds, is to turn each little essay into an enjoyable expansion of the basic facts to include enough context to make it worth reading. So, for instance, for the permeability of free space (1.26x10-6, but you knew that) we don't just discover what the scientific term means, but who came up with the word 'permeability' (Oliver Heaviside, who in his photo looks scarily like an Edwardian version of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine), why permeability and its counterpart permittivity were important in Maxwell's work on electromagnetism, and how it made the prediction that light was an electromagnetic wave possible.
The reason I really can't give a title like this the four stars that some of its content deserves is that I am never really sure what such a book is for. Unless readers have trainspotting inclinations, I can't see them sitting down and reading the book end to end. I certainly found that quite difficult to do (and I was a trainspotter in my teens). But on the other hand, physics isn't necessarily the ideal topic for a dip in, dip out loo book. Perhaps the best application here is as a gift for difficult-to-buy for people.
So if you enjoy these kind of highly segmented 'n things' type books, and a lot of people must because they sell pretty well, this is without doubt one of the best of the breed. (Incidentally, it's a format that should work well on Kindle - a shame not to see it as an ebook.)
The 10 Most Important Questions In Science*
Email
September 11, 20131:54 PM ET
MARCELO GLEISER
A bunch of question marks on a chalk board.
iStockphoto.com
I noticed in The Guardian that there's a book coming out this week listing the 20 biggest challenges for modern science. I'd like to go over 10 of them today, perhaps coming back to the other 10 next week.
*Every list of "most important questions" comes freighted with a certain amount of arbitrariness and The Big Questions in Science: The Quest to Solve the Great Unknowns by Mun Keat Looi, Hayley Birch and Colin Stuart is no different. However, I have to admit that this list encompasses some of the most difficult and intriguing open scientific questions, including some that go to the heart of the current debate on scientism. (Our very own Adam Frank visited that theme recently.) So, without further preface, here are the 10 big questions for this week:
What is the universe made of? We know only 5 percent of the composition of the universe. This 5 percent is made of the familiar atoms of the periodic table, their molecular aggregates or of the components of atoms, protons, electrons and neutrons. There are also neutrinos, the elusive particles that can traverse matter as if nothing were there, including the whole of Earth. The mystery is the other 95 percent, composed of dark matter (roughly at 25 percent) and dark energy (roughly at 70 percent). Dark matter doesn't shine and is found around galaxies and clusters of galaxies, like an invisible cloak. We know it's there because it has mass and hence gravity: It pulls on the familiar 5 percent and we can measure this effect. Dark energy is much more mysterious, a kind of ether-like medium filling up space with the bizarre property of pushing it apart, making galaxies accelerate from one another. We don't know what either dark matter or dark energy are, and there are hypothetical explanations that try to modify Einstein's theory of gravity to accommodate the observations and do away with the darkness.
How did life come about? Life appeared on Earth some 3.5 billion years ago, perhaps earlier. The mystery here is how aggregates of nonliving atoms gathered into progressively more complex molecules that eventually became the first living entity, a chemical machine capable of metabolism and reproduction.
Are we alone in the universe? This question is really two questions: Does life exist out there and, if so, what fraction of this alien life is complex and intelligent? If intelligent life is not so rare, why haven't we heard from "them" yet? I recommend the book by Lee Billings, Five Billion Years of Solitude, for an up-to-date synopsis of the search for life elsewhere and the key people behind it.
What makes us human? We have three times more neurons than a gorilla, but our DNAs are almost identical. Many animals have a rudimentary language, can use tools and recognize themselves in mirrors. So, what is it that differentiates us from them? The thicker frontal cortex? The opposing thumb? The discovery of fire and the ability to cook? Our culture? When did language and toolmaking appear? (Barbara King recently offered her take on this topic.)
What is consciousness? We've been there before in these pages, wondering about the nature of consciousness. How is it that the brain generates the self of self, the unique experience that we have of being ... unique? Can the brain be reversed-engineered to be modeled by machines? Or is this a losing proposition? And why is there a consciousness at all? What is its evolutionary purpose, if any?
Why do we dream? Even though we spend about a third of our lives sleeping, we still don't know why we dream. Do dreams have an essential function, physiological and or psychological? Or are they simply random images of a brain in partial rest? Was Freud right about his theory that dreams are some sort of expression of repressed desires? Or is that all bogus?
Why does matter exist? According to the laws of physics, matter shouldn't exist on its own; each particle of matter, each electron, proton, neutron, should have a companion of antimatter, like twins. So, there should be positrons, antiprotons and antineutrons in abundance. But there aren't. The problem is that when matter and antimatter meet, they disintegrate in a puff of high-energy radiation. If you shook hands with your antimatter other, a good chunk of the United States would blow up in smoke. So, the mystery is what happened to this antimatter. Clearly, if the universe had equal amounts of both earlier on, something happened to favor matter over antimatter. What? Was the universe "born" this way, with a huge asymmetry between matter and antimatter? Maybe some primordial asymmetry evolved to do the job, selecting matter? If so, when did it act in the cosmic history? And what would this asymmetry be?
Are there other universes? Or is our universe the only one? Believe it or not, modern theories of cosmology and particle physics predict the existence of other universes, potentially with different properties to our own. Are they there? How would we know, if we could? If we can't confirm this hypothesis, is it still part of science?
Where will we put all the carbon? With the global ramping up of industrialization, we are putting more and more carbon up in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming. What can be done to change our impact on the environment? And what happens if we don't? Models of global warming have a range of predictions, from somewhat mild to dire. Should we bet on the low odds that doing nothing will be OK? Or is it time to really take this seriously at a global scale, for the benefit of the next generation?
How can we get more energy from the sun? We have based our explosive growth mainly on fossil fuels. Nevertheless, we have a remarkable source of energy up in the sky, waiting to be exploited more efficiently. Also, can we reproduce the solar engine here on Earth, fusing hydrogen into helium in a controllable and viable source of energy, solving our energy problem for the foreseeable future?
Article continues after sponsorship
Those are, indeed, some of The Big Questions in Science. They run from the abstract to the applied and should speak to most of us in one way or another.
QUOTED: "compelling reading."
"Obviously it can’t delve deeply in to each topic, but it’s a great starter to whet your appetite and introduce the subjects."
Suzi Gage
The Big Questions in Science – Hayley Birch, Mun Keat Looi, Colin Stuart
Writing a book about the things that puzzle us about our world, and ourselves, is a tough thing to do. As this book points out in its introduction, there are people all over the world researching these questions. Of course: when we are fascinated by something, it is human nature to try and understand it. This may mean that advances in various fields will render the book out-of-date at any time. But I don’t think that will make the book any less appealing, as each question (20 in total) really eloquently sets the scene and the history of research in to the issue. It’s compelling reading. I had what was meant to be a quick flip through the book when it first arrived, and found myself drawn in to reading chapters fully (which made me very late for work!)
Tackling questions from ‘why do we dream?’, to ‘how do we solve the population problem?’, via issues of climate change, consciousness, our position in the Universe and the origin of life itself, the book is true to its title; these are big questions. Obviously it can’t delve deeply in to each topic, but it’s a great starter to whet your appetite and introduce the subjects. Also, it features a number of interviews with active researchers in the various fields, who can be a good starting point for those motivated to find out more.