Download or read book So You Want to be a Scientist written by Philip A. Schwartzkroin and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-27 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "So You Want To Be a Scientist? offers the reader a glimpse into the job of being a research scientist."--Page 4 of cover.

Download or read book Letters to a Young Scientist written by Edward O. Wilson and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2013-04-15 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pulitzer Prize–winning biologist Edward O. Wilson imparts the wisdom of his storied career to the next generation. Edward O. Wilson has distilled sixty years of teaching into a book for students, young and old. Reflecting on his coming-of-age in the South as a Boy Scout and a lover of ants and butterflies, Wilson threads these twenty-one letters, each richly illustrated, with autobiographical anecdotes that illuminate his career—both his successes and his failures—and his motivations for becoming a biologist. At a time in human history when our survival is more than ever linked to our understanding of science, Wilson insists that success in the sciences does not depend on mathematical skill, but rather a passion for finding a problem and solving it. From the collapse of stars to the exploration of rain forests and the oceans’ depths, Wilson instills a love of the innate creativity of science and a respect for the human being’s modest place in the planet’s ecosystem in his readers.

Download or read book The Scientist as Rebel written by Freeman Dyson and published by New York Review of Books. This book was released on 2014-08-26 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 33 essays on the fads and fantasies of science and scientists—including climate prediction, genetic engineering, space colonization, and paranormal phenomena—by “the iconoclastic physicist who has become one of science’s most eloquent interpreters” (New York Times) “Provocative, touching, and always surprising.” —Wired Magazine From Galileo to today’s amateur astronomers, scientists have been rebels, writes Freeman Dyson. Like artists and poets, they are free spirits who resist the restrictions their cultures impose on them. In their pursuit of nature’s truths, they are guided as much by imagination as by reason, and their greatest theories have the uniqueness and beauty of great works of art. Dyson argues that the best way to understand science is by understanding those who practice it. He tells stories of scientists at work, ranging from Isaac Newton’s absorption in physics, alchemy, theology, and politics, to Ernest Rutherford’s discovery of the structure of the atom, to Albert Einstein’s stubborn hostility to the idea of black holes. His descriptions of brilliant physicists like Edward Teller and Richard Feynman are enlivened by his own reminiscences of them. He looks with a skeptical eye at fashionable scientific fads and fantasies, and speculates on the future of climate prediction, genetic engineering, the colonization of space, and the possibility that paranormal phenomena may exist yet not be scientifically verifiable. Dyson also looks beyond particular scientific questions to reflect on broader philosophical issues, such as the limits of reductionism, the morality of strategic bombing and nuclear weapons, the preservation of the environment, and the relationship between science and religion. These essays, by a distinguished physicist who is also a prolific writer, offer informed insights into the history of science and fresh perspectives on contentious current debates about science, ethics, and faith.

Download or read book Escape from the Ivory Tower written by Nancy Baron and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2010-08-13 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most scientists and researchers aren’t prepared to talk to the press or to policymakers—or to deal with backlash. Many researchers have the horror stories to prove it. What’s clear, according to Nancy Baron, is that scientists, journalists and public policymakers come from different cultures. They follow different sets of rules, pursue different goals, and speak their own language. To effectively reach journalists and public officials, scientists need to learn new skills and rules of engagement. No matter what your specialty, the keys to success are clear thinking, knowing what you want to say, understanding your audience, and using everyday language to get your main points across. In this practical and entertaining guide to communicating science, Baron explains how to engage your audience and explain why a particular finding matters. She explores how to ace your interview, promote a paper, enter the political fray, and use new media to connect with your audience. The book includes advice from journalists, decision makers, new media experts, bloggers and some of the thousands of scientists who have participated in her communication workshops. Many of the researchers she has worked with have gone on to become well-known spokespeople for science-related issues. Baron and her protégées describe the risks and rewards of “speaking up,” how to deal with criticism, and the link between communications and leadership. The final chapter, ‘Leading the Way’ offers guidance to scientists who want to become agents of change and make your science matter. Whether you are an absolute beginner or a seasoned veteran looking to hone your skills, Escape From the Ivory Tower can help make your science understood, appreciated and perhaps acted upon.

Download or read book Houston We Have a Narrative written by Randy Olson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2015-09-15 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Communicate more effectively about science—by taking a page from Hollywood and improving your storytelling skills. Ask a scientist about Hollywood, and you’ll probably get eye rolls. But ask someone in Hollywood about science, and they’ll see dollar signs: Moviemakers know that science can be the source of great stories, with all the drama and action that blockbusters require. That’s a huge mistake, says Randy Olson: Hollywood has a lot to teach scientists about how to tell a story—and, ultimately, how to do science better. With Houston, We Have a Narrative, he lays out a stunningly simple method for turning the dull into the dramatic. Drawing on his unique background, which saw him leave his job as a working scientist to launch a career as a filmmaker, Olson first diagnoses the problem: When scientists tell us about their work, they pile one moment and one detail atop another moment and another detail—a stultifying procession of “and, and, and.” What we need instead is an understanding of the basic elements of story, the narrative structures that our brains are all but hardwired to look for—which Olson boils down, brilliantly, to “And, But, Therefore,” or ABT. At a stroke, the ABT approach introduces momentum (“And”), conflict (“But”), and resolution (“Therefore”)—the fundamental building blocks of story. As Olson has shown by leading countless workshops worldwide, when scientists’ eyes are opened to ABT, the effect is staggering: suddenly, they’re not just talking about their work—they’re telling stories about it. And audiences are captivated. Written with an uncommon verve and enthusiasm, and built on principles that are applicable to fields far beyond science, Houston, We Have a Narrative has the power to transform the way science is understood and appreciated, and ultimately how it’s done.

Download or read book Am I Making Myself Clear written by Cornelia Dean and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-10-30 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What we don’t know can hurt us—and does so every day. Climate change, health care policy, weapons of mass destruction, an aging infrastructure, stem cell research, endangered species, space exploration—all affect our lives as citizens and human beings in practical and profound ways. But unless we understand the science behind these issues, we cannot make reasonable decisions—and worse, we are susceptible to propaganda cloaked in scientific rhetoric. To convey the facts, this book suggests, scientists must take a more active role in making their work accessible to the media, and thus to the public. In Am I Making Myself Clear? Cornelia Dean, a distinguished science editor and reporter, urges scientists to overcome their institutional reticence and let their voices be heard beyond the forum of scholarly publication. By offering useful hints for improving their interactions with policymakers, the public, and her fellow journalists, Dean aims to change the attitude of scientists who scorn the mass media as an arena where important work is too often misrepresented or hyped. Even more important, she seeks to convince them of the value and urgency of communicating to the public. Am I Making Myself Clear? shows scientists how to speak to the public, handle the media, and describe their work to a lay audience on paper, online, and over the airwaves. It is a book that will improve the tone and content of debate over critical issues and will serve the interests of science and society.

Download or read book The Varieties of Scientific Experience written by Carl Sagan and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2006-11-02 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Ann Druyan has unearthed a treasure. It is a treasure of reason, compassion, and scientific awe. It should be the next book you read.” —Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith “A stunningly valuable legacy left to all of us by a great human being. I miss him so.” —Kurt Vonnegut Carl Sagan's prophetic vision of the tragic resurgence of fundamentalism and the hope-filled potential of the next great development in human spirituality The late great astronomer and astrophysicist describes his personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, Sagan presents his views on a wide range of topics, including the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets, creationism and so-called intelligent design, and a new concept of science as "informed worship." Originally presented at the centennial celebration of the famous Gifford Lectures in Scotland in 1985 but never published, this book offers a unique encounter with one of the most remarkable minds of the twentieth century.

Download or read book Ada Twist Scientist written by Andrea Beaty and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2016-09-06 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inspired by mathematician Ada Lovelace and physicist Marie Curie, this #1 bestseller from author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts champions STEM, girl power, and women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power of perseverance, and the importance of asking “Why?” Now a Netflix series! #1 New York Times Bestseller A Wall Street Journal Bestseller A USA Today Bestseller Ada Twist’s head is full of questions. Like her classmates Iggy and Rosie (stars of their own New York Times bestselling picture books Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer), Ada has always been endlessly curious. Even when her fact-finding missions and elaborate scientific experiments don’t go as planned, Ada learns the value of thinking through problems and continuing to stay curious. Ada is an inquisitive second grader who was born to be a scientist. She possesses an unusual desire to question everything she encounters: a tick-tocking clock, a pointy-stemmed rose, the hairs in her dad’s nose, and so much more. Ada’s parents and her teacher, Miss Greer, have their hands full as the Ada’s science experiments wreak day-to-day havoc. On the first day of spring, Ada notices an unpleasant odor. She sets out to discover what might have caused it. Ada uses the scientific method in developing hypotheses in her smelly pursuit. The little girl demonstrates trial and error, while appreciating her family’s full support. In one experiment, she douses fragrances on her cat and attempts to place the frightened feline in the washing machine. For any parent who wants STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) to be fun, this book is a source of inspiration that will get children excited about science, school, learning, and the value of asking “Why?” Check out all the books in the Questioneers Series: The Questioneers Picture Book Series: Iggy Peck, Architect | Rosie Revere, Engineer | Ada Twist, Scientist | Sofia Valdez, Future Prez | Aaron Slater, Illustrator | Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year The Questioneers Chapter Book Series: Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters | Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants | Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion | Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote | Ada Twist and the Disappearing Dogs | Aaron Slater and the Sneaky Snake Questioneers: The Why Files Series: Exploring Flight! | All About Plants! | The Science of Baking | Bug Bonanza! | Rockin’ Robots! Questioneers: Ada Twist, Scientist Series: Ghost Busted | Show Me the Bunny | Ada Twist, Scientist: Brainstorm Book | 5-Minute Ada Twist, Scientist Stories The Questioneers Big Project Book Series: Iggy Peck’s Big Project Book for Amazing Architects | Rosie Revere’s Big Project Book for Bold Engineers | Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists | Sofia Valdez’s Big Project Book for Awesome Activists | Aaron Slater’s Big Project Book for Astonishing Artists

Download or read book Great Minds Don t Think Alike written by Marcelo Gleiser and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2022-02-08 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does technology change who we are, and if so, in what ways? Can humanity transcend physical bodies and spaces? Will AI and genetic engineering help us reach new heights or will they unleash dystopias? How do we face mortality, our own and that of our warming planet? Questions like these—which are only growing more urgent—can be answered only by drawing on different kinds of knowledge and ways of knowing. They challenge us to bridge the divide between the sciences and the humanities and bring together perspectives that are too often kept apart. Great Minds Don’t Think Alike presents conversations among leading scientists, philosophers, historians, and public intellectuals that exemplify openness to diverse viewpoints and the productive exchange of ideas. Pulitzer and Templeton Prize winners, MacArthur “genius” grant awardees, and other acclaimed writers and thinkers debate the big questions: who we are, the nature of reality, science and religion, consciousness and materialism, and the mysteries of time. In so doing, they also inquire into how uniting experts from different areas of study to consider these topics might help us address the existential risks we face today. Convened and moderated by the physicist and author Marcelo Gleiser, these public dialogues model constructive engagement between the sciences and the humanities—and show why intellectual cooperation is necessary to shape our collective future. Contributors include David Chalmers and Antonio Damasio; Sean Carroll and B. Alan Wallace; Patricia Churchland and Jill Tarter; Rebecca Goldstein and Alan Lightman; Jimena Canales and Paul Davies; Ed Boyden and Mark O’Connell; Elizabeth Kolbert and Siddhartha Mukherjee; Jeremy DeSilva, David Grinspoon, and Tasneem Zehra Husain.

Download or read book This Book Could Save Your Life written by Graham Lawton and published by Nicholas Brealey. This book was released on 2020-05-12 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You are what you eat. Food and diet have an enormous influence on your health and well-being, but eating the right amount of the right things - and not too much of the wrong things - isn't easy. But, as in most walks of life, knowledge is power. This book will empower you to eat healthily, lose weight, and sort the fads from the science facts. This is the New Scientist take on a "New Year, New You" book: an eye-opening and myth-busting guide to everything from sugar to superfoods, from fasting to eating like a caveman and from veganism to your gut microbiome. Forget faddy diet books or gimmicky exercise programs, this is what is scientifically proven to make you live longer and to be healthier and happier.

Download or read book Why Fish Don t Exist written by Lulu Miller and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Best Book of 2020: The Washington Post * NPR * Chicago Tribune * Smithsonian A “remarkable” (Los Angeles Times), “seductive” (The Wall Street Journal) debut from the new cohost of Radiolab, Why Fish Don’t Exist is a dark and astonishing tale of love, chaos, scientific obsession, and—possibly—even murder.​ “At one point, Miller dives into the ocean into a school of fish…comes up for air, and realizes she’s in love. That’s how I felt: Her book took me to strange depths I never imagined, and I was smitten.” —The New York Times Book Review David Starr Jordan was a taxonomist, a man possessed with bringing order to the natural world. In time, he would be credited with discovering nearly a fifth of the fish known to humans in his day. But the more of the hidden blueprint of life he uncovered, the harder the universe seemed to try to thwart him. His specimen collections were demolished by lightning, by fire, and eventually by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake—which sent more than a thousand discoveries, housed in fragile glass jars, plummeting to the floor. In an instant, his life’s work was shattered. Many might have given up, given in to despair. But Jordan? He surveyed the wreckage at his feet, found the first fish that he recognized, and confidently began to rebuild his collection. And this time, he introduced one clever innovation that he believed would at last protect his work against the chaos of the world. When NPR reporter Lulu Miller first heard this anecdote in passing, she took Jordan for a fool—a cautionary tale in hubris, or denial. But as her own life slowly unraveled, she began to wonder about him. Perhaps instead he was a model for how to go on when all seemed lost. What she would unearth about his life would transform her understanding of history, morality, and the world beneath her feet. Part biography, part memoir, part scientific adventure, Why Fish Don’t Exist is a wondrous fable about how to persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail.

Download or read book Unsettled Updated and Expanded Edition written by Steven E. Koonin and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2024-06-11 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this updated and expanded edition of climate scientist Steven Koonin’s groundbreaking book, go behind the headlines to discover the latest eye-opening data about climate change—with unbiased facts and realistic steps for the future. "Greenland’s ice loss is accelerating." "Extreme temperatures are causing more fatalities." "Rapid 'climate action' is essential to avoid a future climate disaster." You've heard all this presented as fact. But according to science, all of these statements are profoundly misleading. With the new edition of Unsettled, Steven Koonin draws on decades of experience—including as a top science advisor to the Obama administration—to clear away the fog and explain what science really says (and doesn't say). With a new introduction, this edition now features reflections on an additional three years of eye-opening data, alternatives to unrealistic “net zero” solutions, global energy inequalities, and the energy crisis arising from the war in Ukraine. When it comes to climate change, the media, politicians, and other prominent voices have declared that “the science is settled.” In reality, the climate is changing, but the why and how aren’t as clear as you’ve probably been led to believe. Koonin takes readers behind the headlines, dispels popular myths, and unveils little-known truths: Despite rising greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures decreased from 1940 to 1970 Models currently used to predict the future do not accurately describe the climate of the past, and modelers themselves strongly doubt their regional predictions There is no compelling evidence that hurricanes are becoming more frequent—or that predictions of rapid sea level rise have any validity Unsettled is a reality check buoyed by hope, offering the truth about climate science—what we know, what we don’t, and what it all means for our future.

Download or read book Citizen Scientist written by Mary Ellen Hannibal and published by The Experiment. This book was released on 2017-08-22 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2016: “Intelligent and impassioned, Citizen Scientist is essential reading for anyone interested in the natural world.” Award-winning writer Mary Ellen Hannibal has long reported on scientists’ efforts to protect vanishing species, but it was only through citizen science that she found she could take action herself. As she wades into tide pools, spots hawks, and scours mountains, she discovers the power of the heroic volunteers who are helping scientists measure—and even slow—today’s unprecedented mass extinction. Citizen science may be the future of large-scale field research—and our planet’s last, best hope.

Download or read book Not a Scientist How Politicians Mistake Misrepresent and Utterly Mangle Science written by Dave Levitan and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2017-01-17 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An eye-opening tour of the political tricks that subvert scientific progress. The Butter-Up and Undercut. The Certain Uncertainty. The Straight-Up Fabrication. Dave Levitan dismantles all of these deceptive arguments, and many more, in this probing and hilarious examination of the ways our elected officials attack scientific findings that conflict with their political agendas. The next time you hear a politician say, "Well, I’m not a scientist, but…," you’ll be ready.

Download or read book Ask A Scientist New Edition written by Robert Winston and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2023-04-11 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this unique science book, Professor Robert Winston answers more than 100 real-life questions from children all around the world. Questions cover all the popular science topics, including the biology: "Why do freckles come in dots on your face?"; physics: "Could you jump off the world?"; Earth: "Why is the sky blue?"; chemistry: "Why are there bubbles in boiling water?"; natural science: "Do dogs cry?", and space: "Why will the Sun explode and make us extinct?". This new edition includes eight pages of additional questions relating to the recent hot topics in science, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Robert Winston was inspired to write this book by the many questions posed by his grandchildren and by children from the schools he has visited over the years. The book includes some of these questions, plus many more gathered from countries all over the world - including the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe, Canada, the USA, India, China, and Japan. The questions cover the main science topics: chemistry, physics, biology, Earth, space, and natural science. Packed with weird and wacky questions and clear and lively answers - Ask a Scientist puts the fun back into science. And who could be a better scientist to ask questions to than Professor Robert Winston?

Download or read book How to Be a Scientist written by Steve Mould and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017-05-09 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to think like a scientist, look at the world in a brand-new way and have tons of fun with science comedian Steve Mould's bold and playful kids science book. Supporting STEM and STEAM education initiatives, How to be a Scientist will inspire kids to ask questions, do activities, think creatively, and discover amazing fun facts! A firm favorite in classrooms and homes alike, this science book for kids has earned itself a permanent spot on many family bookshelves. With more than 40 fun questions, experiments, games, and real-life scenarios that make scientific concepts fun and relevant, it's not hard to see why! Simple activities with undetermined answers encourage curious young readers to find new ways to test ideas. The stories of the great scientists and their discoveries (and failures) are told in an entertaining way to provide even further inspiration for budding young scientists. This educational book has the amazing ability to cover a wide range of ages, so if your children have an age gap this is a fantastic way to get them to engage with each other in a fun and educational way. It is informative, colorful, well written and draws you into its pages with an insatiable appetite for the simpler facts of science. Most of the home science experiments for kids are easy to do with items most people already have around the house, making it super easy to go from idea to execution. Explore, Investigate And Test Your Ideas! Discover the skills it takes to become a scientist. Being a scientist isn't just about wearing a white coat and doing experiments in a lab. It's about exploring, investigating, testing and figuring out how things work. How To Be A Scientist is packed with fun activities and projects that let you answer lots of tricky questions and help to explain the world around you. This kid's educational book challenges children to think for themselves and covers topics like: - Weather, making a tornado, the water cycle, how to make a compass - Energy, hot air balloons, electricity, Newton and Einstein - The solar system, making a sundial, creating your own sunrise, phases of the moon How to be a Scientist (Careers for Kids) is one of four fantastic books in the How to... educational books series, including How To Be A Math Genius, How to Be Good at Math, andHow to Make a Better World. Official reviews include: International Literacy Association's Children's Choices 2018 Reading List "Readers will be inspired to learn more about how to think and act like these famous scientists while uncovering deep scientific knowledge they can apply through fun-filled science projects." Minnesota Parent "This mix of classic and unusual science anecdotes and experiments is just the thing for budding STEM/STEAM fans, including tips for learning how to think and act like a scientist with fun activities and simple scientific explanations of biology, anatomy, physics, astronomy, chemistry and more."

Download or read book Connection written by Randy Olson and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The power and importance of storytelling is now widely accepted, but this book goes further to focus on storymaking. CONNECTION brings together a former scientist, a story consultant, and an improv actor to give you the critical thinking of science combined with a century of Hollywood knowledge in the creation and shaping of stories. The material is relevant to lawyers, politicians, public health workers, educators, activists-- everyone. In today's "Twitterfied" world, CONNECTION provides the narrative tools for effective communication.