Helen Czerski is a physicist at the University College London’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. In her spare time, she produces BBC science programs and writes books. Storm in a Teacup tells you why popcorn pops, why ducks don’t get cold feet, and how waves work. Helen Czerski’s writing style is engaging and clever. She uses a lot of personal examples (many of them humorous) to explain a scientific principle like the conservation of energy or gravity. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on nanotechnology and its promising future. If you’re a fan of science, Storm in a Teacup will brighten your day and expand your mind. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction
Popcorn and Rockets
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Small Is Beautiful
A Moment in Time
Making Waves
Why Dont Ducks Get Cold Feet?
Spoons Spirals and Sputnik
When Opposites Attract
A Sense of Perspective
References
Acknowledgments
Index
Your eclecticism is a common topic in our house.
Patti, I have some more eclectic books coming up in the next few weeks.
Why am I anticipating a curmudgeonly response from Rick?
You would be wrong, Jeff.
sounds like it will be a fun read, though I don’t have time for it for the foreseeable future
Maggie, I love books on science that are readable.
This sounds like a lot of fun. I’m checking to see if the library has it right away. I loved the Mr. Wizard TV show as a kid, and will probably like this, too.
Rick, STORM IN A TEACUP has a lot of MR. WIZARD aspects. You would enjoy it!
I’ve requested the ebook download, will be notified when it’s available – there’s a 19 person wait on 2 copies.
Glad I was wrong, Rick, and I apologize.
No problem, my friend.
If I could get that book for free I might have a look at it – right now I’m having fun with people on Quora putting up strange questions about physics and maths …
It’s funny (but sad really) how people tend to misunderstand everything you tell them about the real world!
Wolf, people believe what they want to believe. Magical thinking!
I expanded my mind in the seventies! Pass!
Bob, somehow I suspect you struggled in EARTH SCIENCE classes.
No, I did okay! The teacher had an adenoidal voice and a metal plat in his head!
Make that metal plate in his head.
George, I imagine as a physicist the writer has a distinct, even humourous, take on everyday life that non-physicists like me would be hard pressed to explain.
Prashant, exactly! Helen Czerski presents plenty of everyday examples of the physics principles she’s trying to explain.