2 comments about Skeptical Chemist: The Story of Robert Boyle (Profiles in Science).

1. This is a delightful short biography of Robert Boyle, known (at least a little bit) by everyone who has studied elementary chemistry or physics as the founder of Boyle's law.
   
   Boyle was a member of the British upper class, born in 1627 he lived until 1691. English history students will recognize this as including the years when Oliver Cromwell overthrew King Charles I, when the Black Death was running rampant, when the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city.
   
   This was also a time when experimental science was beginning to replace the earlier Aristotle based ideas of only thinking about a problem was beginning to be replaced by experiment. The whole concept of science was changed by this simple rule. An experiment proved or disproved a theory. The experiment must be repeatable, that is, you or I must be able to do the same esperiment and get the same results over and over. Students will recognize this as the basis for experiments demonstrated by teachers or conducted by the students themselves.
   
   By any measure, Boyle was one of the great scientists of all time.



2. Very good book, for older elementary and secondary students. Encourages them to think and feel with the book. Thanks again. Great book.

5 comments about Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla.

1. This book was so interesting. It gave a lot of information!



2. A volume that records the early pioneering work of an electrical genius and inventor, in the same platform of Thomas Edison and Charles Steinmetz, Guglielmo Marconi and George Westinghouse, though never as well known. It shows in great detail not only the works of Tesla's experiments, but will give the reader a glimpse of the amazing range of his thinking. From alternating curent generators to Unipolar generators (generators being just one field of study) to theories and applications of polyphase currents and motors to high frequency and high potential currents, this gives the reader some basic understanding of his pioneering work.

   This is not about his life and times, and how this genius could understand the mysteries of electromagnestism but could not help himself when it comes to battling corporations represented by lawyers of JP Morgan. It may seem outdated, since the work was published in the 1890s. But nowhere can you find a book that will explain more about the foundations of his technical and scientific work.




3. I've read a borrowed copy of this; seeing that Amazon had it, I bought my own copy - I could see that digesting this material is going to take a while.

   The text is all here, unabridged. The image quality of the illustrations leaves a lot to be desired with this edition, however. It looks like a second-generation xerox in spots. If this is a problem, do yourself a favor and look for the 1980's hardcover reprint. The images are much better in that one. That said, the substance of this book is thoroughly recommended for the serious student of electrical engineering as well as fans of Tesla.

   Since this text was written in the late 1800s, and is reprinted here without alteration, the language can sometimes have the density of Shakespeare (without the poetry). Much of the phraseology has passed out of use in the last hundred years. This material is written for the intelligencia of Tesla's era, and not "dumbed down" for this age as many other books are. This is an advantage for someone who wants an authoratative viewpoint on this subject (who more authoratative than Tesla!), but poisonous to the casual reader.

   Many of the inventions discussed in this book are now commonplace (for instance - the AC induction motor, fully described here, is in use everywhere). Nikola's own depth of understanding of the principles involved make this a thoroughly intense experience for those who are ready for it. Readers who can understand this material are going to experience the devine "Ah-ha" on a regular basis throughout this book. Others will be put to sleep.

   This book will separate the men from the boys very quickly.




4. When I was young I planned to write something along the lines of "an evaluation of Tesla's scientific contributions." Three things stopped me: 1) procrastination, 2) laziness, and 3) the impression that everyone who writes about Tesla will have a "kook" label stick to them for the rest of their lives. Why this is so is interesting, but first about the book.

   This is a reprint of one published a little more than a hundred years ago, and is most definitely not a "kook book." The author, Mr. Martin, writes a very good description of the nature and significance of Tesla's work up to about 1895. The second part of the book consists of reprints of lectures delivered by Tesla, apparently written by the great man himself. The book contains many good diagrams and illustrations.

   Both parts have the expected "old-fashioned" feel, but the book gives us a chance to compare Tesla's writing style with that of a contemporary. My own impression is that Tesla's writing style is fairly good as well as interesting, though perhaps even more florid than customary during that age. The book is rather long, and I would venture only two types are likely to read it in entirety: 1) historians of science, and 2) the Tesla sycophants.

   When the book was originally published Tesla was at the height of his powers. About that time his assertions started to become more and more grandiose, if not fantastic. Following the debacle of his "world wireless power transmission" scheme (just prior to WWI), his reputation suffered. Although he lived until 1941, in later life he tended to be increasingly seen as an eccentric loner and kook. He died in loneliness and poverty.

   OK, so why does a "kook" label tend stick to anyone who has more than passing interest in Tesla? The first reason is, of course, the fantastic and eccentric claims Tesla made late in life. But by itself this is not enough - after all, even the great Newton dabbled in alchemy and the Book of Revelations late in life. To the first reason must be added a second: a "conspiracy" cult has grown around Tesla; cultists explain all his failing not as personal failings, but as due to a conspiracy against the man. In short, Tesla has been turned into a messianic figure, and scientists are not comfortable with this image.




5. As opposed to the unearthly stuff most people who would be searching for Tesla books are actually interested in. If you want to wind coils for old-fashioned electric motors, alternators and inductors, this is the book for you! Unfortunately for those interested in extraterrestrial influences and transmitting electrical power through the ether, this book represents the real science and inventions that made Tesla a true success in his day, as opposed to the kookier speculations that later fertilized his legend. Because it dispells myths, I have given it three stars for performing a real service. But unless your are deeply interested in the history of alternating current, you don't have to spend [money] for a paperweight.

1 comments about THE DNA DOCTOR: Candid Conversations with James D Watson.

1. "The DNA Doctor: Candid Conversations with James D. Watson", Istvan Hargittai, World Scientific Pub., Singapore, 2007. ISBN:-13 978-981-270-797-0. PB 212 pages, 74 B & W photos, plus 8 page Index. 9" x 6".
   
   An unique but disquieting book, incorporating conversational elements of Nobel laureate co-discoverer of DNA double helix, Dr. James (Jim) Watson along-side those of a dozen or more contemporary, world-renowned distinguished scientists on events leading to cracking the genetic code when JDW was 25 years old. It is a story of good, bad and even ugly paths taken by adventurous scientists in their quest for success and acclamation which may include recognition by prestigious awards of medals, academic positions, money, Knighthood, etc. Anyone who has worked within the confines of an 'Ivory Tower' knows full well the unwritten rules of the pecking order and the essential ingredients and struggles required to hold claim to personal rewards and its special jubilations. The templates for success are outlined, and the anguish experienced by those not winning the race, though tempered, is perhaps tactfully stated oftentimes because of quote marks, oft succint, sometimes harshly crude, but rewardingly insinuate and not just buffoonery.
   
   There is an estimable section on the contentious depiction of religion, ethnicity, equality of the sexes in basic science departments, also contemplation's of disposition of neonates with serious birth defects, and health care for the elderly embraced by both Watson and several of his contemporaries. Overall, we are led, progressivly, to view JDW as consumed with ambition for public and peer praise, self-aggrandizement and and as an arrogant but verbally crude, skewed off-center person insensitive "that human beings are easily hurt...and wounds...are painful and slow to heal." That he was a genius or nearly so, and with cohort, Francis Crick, boldly advanced science in the likes of Dr. Charles Darwin, is not to be doubted. The book emerges as a tour de force, boasting its accumulation of diverse most personal impressions evinced of Dr. Watson from diverse sources, often reinforced by citing multiple sources.
   
   That this book ever saw its press printing is a feat rarely accomplished, particularly being written by a scientist, a friend and his wife with a tape-recorder, a writer who has developed, through practice, exceptional skill in conversing with the uppermost rank of scientists, perhaps sometimes privy to recording excesses, a point at which delicate editing is needed to preserve or prevent going beyond bounds of honest journalism, not always an easy assignment as tabloid journalism may sell but cheapen the writings, for it must never be the nature of a true Journalist to destroy their object.
   
   Istvan has done an admirable job in walking that sometimes thin line, likely reflecting his admiration for Watson (who interestingly had written the Foreword to one of his prior books, i.e. "The Road to Stockholm" published in 2001/2). I did appreciate reading of those positive aspects the author attributed to the life and times of Dr. James D. Watson, i.e. a book which might have otherwise been seriously out of balance. Now -- Watson, his wife Liz, and two sons, one with perhaps some variant of autism, will be avid readers of further machinations of "Honest Jim." Thusly, at the age of 80, Watson seems to be more vulnerable, perhaps unfairly targeted by those who did not (and some who ought not) receive a Nobel Prize.
   
   Recall, if you can, it was less than one week ago that JDW was pressured to resign Chancellorship of the CSHL over several ethnic ruminations he voiced on the likely failures and impropriety of current poverty programs designed to salvage chronically impoverished Africa. JDW showed a known vulnerability to being politically incorrect, something he'd promised to avoid but not to change just to please others. He spoke his mind, and like anyone else, was subject to interpretation by his audience. And, being judged in a position of power, he was judged 'racist' and had to be sacrificed in his waning years despite accomplishing momentous things in his Youth, something others were incapable of doing in same timely fashion, for humanity. If that recent furor makes you happy, so be it. I think its tragic, but not fatal. The B & W Photos are each worth a 1000 words, and the several Appendices are interesting. This is an excellent read.

No comments about The World Made New: Frederick Soddy, Science, Politics, and Environment.

2 comments about The Camel's Nose: Memoirs Of A Curious Scientist.

1. Schmidt-Nielsen's book, "The Camel's Nose..." is a history of science in the 20th C., a textbook on physiology, and a personal journal. From the first page I was as fascinated with his research subjects as he was! It was refreshing to learn of a time when personal curiosity and professional work were not at odds with each other, but worked to create the best possible research and a happy life. Schmidt-Nielsen believes that scientific literature should not be convoluted, and his memoirs follow this rule. I highly recommend this book to anyone who still has their childhood curiosity about how non-human animals work! A science degree is not necessary to be totally enthralled by his work and life.



2. As an ecologist, I knew little of Prof. Schmidt- Nielsen's research. However, I was impressed by three aspects of his autobiography:

   1. He showed that research in the field or the lab can be a real adventure.

   2. His approach to research was a strong combination of observation and humane experiment- ation.

   3. He is a scientist who can write clearly, with no reliance on jargon used only by scientists in his profession.

   This is a book I recommend to scientists, budding scientists, and anyone curious about the way scientists live and love!

No comments about The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Volume 1: Journalist, 1706-1730 (Life of Benjamin Franklin).

5 comments about The Boy Who Invented Television: A Story Of Inspiration, Persistence, And Quiet Passion.

1. I really enjoyed this engaging biography of Philo T. Farnsworth. The science of the book was mostly understandable to a layperson, and I found myself rooting for Farnsworth all the way. I could really sympathize with his triumphs and his losses, and I was so saddened and angry at the way he was treated toward the end of his life. It seems a real shame that he has not gotten the recognition he deserves, and I'm glad this book is out to give him the publicity due him.



2. The Boy Who Invented Television is the astonishing biography of Philo T. Farnsworth, who at age 14 dreamed of trapping and transmitting light, and while plowing on his father's farm looked at the parallel rows he had been making and conceived of a practical and effective way to wirelessly beam information from one point to another which concept resulted in his 1930 fundamental patent for modern television. Farnsworth's struggle against challenges from the Radio Corporation from America, his fight to protect his vision from reticent investors, and his work that would forever change the world and modern communications, is presented in a highly readable narrative enhanced with black-and-white photographs. The Boy Who Invented Television is very highly recommended reading -- especially for television buffs who want to learn how it all really began!



3. 
   We know the inventor of electric lighting, and we know who turned mass production assembly lines into affordable automobiles. Nicola Tesla invented the alternating current motors we use today, invented radio, invented fluorescent lighting, discovered X-rays, and yet failed to cash in or get credit, and wound up dying at an advanced age in a transient hotel.
   
   This book is the bio of an Philo T. Farnsworth, a young man who walked away from the obscurity of his rural agricultural background into a Teslian style obscurity, after a lifetime of brilliant work.
   
   This American inventor eventually turned to inertial containment as the solution to controlled fusion for electrical power generation.
   
   The account in this book of his fusion work is interesting, and includes a tantalizing incident in which fusion may have been achieved, briefly. Much more important than who invented the intelligence vacuum (TV) vs. who got the credit for it is the discussion of Farnsworth's breakthroughs in fusion and his being frozen out by the US government et al.
   
   The current laser inertial containment research (Sandia Labs' Z-Machine dumps 290 trillion watts of X-rays onto a sample target as of four years ago) owes a debt to Farnsworth. While I personally doubt that fusion will ever reach breakeven regardless of the money poured into it, should it bear fruit Farnsworth will probably get flipped out of the picture.
   
   



4. This Biography reads as a Suspense!
   Will Philo Farnsworth get the money to develop his invention?
   Will he get a patent?
   Who will be the first to get the patent?
   Who is "the other woman" in his life?
   You have to read it to find the answers!
   
   O.K.



5. This book gave an in depth of how TV was invented, who invented it, and the corporate war with the big monopoly based/financed by government companys like R.C.A, AT&T, G.E, etc.
   
   Here is some excerpts of this book:
   "Only one man stood between David Sarnoff and his dreams of an ethereal empire-Philo T. Farnsworth. Sarnoff knew that in order to add television to the existing cross-licenses, each side would have to have patents central to the new art to exchange. AT&T was well prepared to begin negotiating around its contribution, the coaxial cable, and apparently RCA was expected to deliver its end of the bargain in the form of patents that covered the art of sending and receiving video signals. But as things stood in the middle of 1937, RCA didn't own any of those patents. They belonged to Philo Farnsworth. " -- David Sarnoff was the President and CEO of R.C.A. at that time.
   
   Here is another quote:
   "Thus RCA started out with a comprehensive pool of patents, combining those of Marconi with those of Hertz, Tesla, DeForest, Fessenden, Alexanderson, Armstrong, and other lesser known pioneers of radio, giving RCA a virtual lock on all aspects of the art & science of radio. RCA was, in other words, a government-spawned and sanctioned monopoly." - page 85 in book.
   
   Extra Bonus: Conspiracy within the Big 3 Electronic Giants -
   "The relationship between the corporate elders of electrical industries -- AT&T, GE, and Westinghouse -- with the new kid on the block -- RCA -- was always an incestuous one. These companies pooled their patents, and then agreed on which businesses each would pursue to exploit those patents. Still there were great rivalries between them over which companies would control the emerging new field of radio broadcasting. "
   
   
   I highly recommend reading this book...what you see back at that time is what we are witnessing right now...or what goes around, comes around...!

1 comments about Linus Pauling, Scientist and Peacemaker.

1. +++++
   
   This is a centenary biography that commemorates the hundredth birthday of Dr. Linus Carl Pauling (February 1901 to August 1994). He was the only person to win two unshared Nobel Prizes.
   
   This book has a number of good features:
   
   (1) THE EDITORS' HONESTY. This slim book, as the editors state in the preface, does not do "complete justice to Linus Pauling's enormous life work" but is intended to give readers an "intriguing taste of his interests and accomplishments."
   
   (2) THE GOOD AND BAD. Be aware that this book not only has contributions from Pauling's friends, colleagues, and former students but also has contributions from his detractors and those who thought he was over-stepping his scientific boundaries.
   
   (3) ARTICLES. This is not your typical narrative biography! It is divided into four parts and the first three parts is a series of articles. (I use the word "article" loosely to mean an essay, a chronology, diary excerpts, interview transcript, public speech transcript, letter, Nobel lecture transcript, book excerpt, journal excerpt, or television transcript.)
   
   Articles are written in the first person by Pauling himself or in the third person by others. Before each article is a small italicized paragraph written by the editors. The purpose of this is to put each article into proper context with respect to time, place, and importance.
   
   (4) THE BOOK'S STRUCTURE. This book has four parts titled as follows:
   
   (i) "The Man." It presents the personal side and overall personality of Pauling. It consists of nine articles, five of which were written by Pauling at various times in his life. Note that Pauling had a wife named Ava Helen and four children.
   
   (ii) "The Science." It details the scientific genius of Pauling. It consists of twelve articles, six written by Pauling. These science articles are not difficult to follow. Pauling won the 1954 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Specifically he won it "for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances."
   
   (iii) "The Peace Work." It discusses Pauling's anti-nuclear peace work. It consists of six articles, all of them written by Pauling. Pauling won the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize "for his efforts to end open-air testing of nuclear weapons."
   
   (iv) "Facets." It gives us various brief snippets of Pauling in the form of historical reminiscences or short anecdotes not only written by Pauling but by others (such as family members, friends, and colleagues). There are over forty of these that were written or said during his lifetime or after his death.
   
   (5) PICTURES. Over eighty are peppered throughout the book. When I say pictures, I mean black-and-white photographs; sketches; and reproduced, readable notes, manuscripts, letters, and textbook covers. There's even a reproduction of the Paulings' famous and controversial nuclear weapon's petition!
   
   (6) MARGINALIA. In the margins of the book, there are short anecdotes (shorter than those mentioned in the "Facets" section above). These are based on taped interviews with colleagues and contemporaries. There are over thirty of these scattered throughout the book.
   
   (7) BIBLIOGRAPHY. Finally there is a useful selected bibliography. It consists of a significant list of articles written by Pauling and important books written by him. (My favorite book written by him is entitled "How to Live Longer and Feel Better" (1986).) There is also a list of books and articles written about Pauling.
   
   One of my favorite articles was in the science part. This article details the race to find the structure of DNA. According to Pauling, Dr. Rosalind Franklin's scientific work and X-ray photographs (which he never had access too) were the key that unlocked DNA's double helix structure.
   
   In conclusion, if you want a multi-dimensional portrait of a two-time Nobel Prize winner who was the recipient of numerous awards and medals and, as well, for those who want a unique reading experience where you can form your OWN picture of this brilliant man, then peruse this fascinating book.
   
   +++++

1 comments about A Genetic and Cultural Odyssey: The Life and Work of L. Luca Cavalli-Sforza.

1. In recent years it has becomm possible to use DNA to trace human development. For instance the people of iceland believed themselves to be of Viking descent. DNA testing has shown that yes, the men of Iceland are of Viking descent. But the women came from England and Scotland. Apparently the Vikings stopped off to capture a few women on their way west.
   
   This little tidbit of knowledge is a mixture of multiple sciences and fields of study. The beliefs of the Icelanders has to come from a humanities perspective. The DNA evidence has to come from the hard science in the laboratory. (The supposition at the end is my own.)
   
   Dr. Cavalli-Sforza, as the title of this book says, has spent a lifetime of study spanning across many fields of study in the hard sciences and in many different areas of the humanities. This is a book that spans the globe from his offices in California and Italy to field studies in Africa and elsewhere.
   
   Written by an anthropologist and a geneticist, this book is also a good combination of crossing the fields of science and humanity.

5 comments about A Brief History of the Future: From Radio Days to Internet Years in a Lifetime.

1. I've worked in the software industry for twenty years, and now I finally have an entertaining, enjoyable book to give to friends and family who don't really understand what I do all day. If you've ever struggled to explain how the internet works, or why anybody would use it. This is the book. I gave a copy to my 77 year old flight instructor, he loved it.



2. Reads like a sci-fi novel while providing a solid understanding of how and why the Internet works. At times the detail is almost overdone but this only adds to the credibility of the author. I started with a Timex Sinclair computer and have lived through the period covered in this book without really understanding just what made the internet work. Now I know!



3. What does the Internet mean for the future? An answer partially depends upon an analysis of the past, and John Naughton's Brief History of the Future is the first book to cover the entire history of the Internet's development, from those who first thought of it in the 1940s to the scientists and engineers who brought it to life. Anecdotes blend with history to provide an intriguing blend of personal and scientific observation.



4. Next time you take a transcontinental flight to a technical conference, skip the airline movie and just read this wonderful book cover to cover. I wish history class in high school had been this much fun. Naughton has written the definitive history of the Internet so far. For example, when the Pentagon asked AT&T to build an early prototype of the Internet for them, AT&T pooh-poohed packet switching as a worthless idea concocted by some young whippersnapper (Paul Baran of the Rand Corp.) who knew nothing about proper telephone engineering. The book is full of anecdotes and funny stories. Great reading for old fogies and young fogies alike.



5. This book is essentially an overview of the development and evolution of the Internet, ending with the browser war between Netscape and Microsoft. It was initially published in the UK in 1999, then in the US in 2000. There is some discussion of the intellectual backstories such as Norbert Wiener's cybernetics and JCR Licklider's ideas on interactive computing, but the book is mainly about the birth and growth of the Net. This book lacks detail - and is in that sense superficial - but it works well as the general overview the author meant it to be.