compiled and edited by Mick O'Hare, New Scientist
This book appeals on all sorts of levels. It is great for the curious, excellent for those interested in Science, valuable for the hoarders of trivia, and a good “dip in” book (i.e. one you can read in random chunks). I was only a few pages in when I recognised some familiar material. The reason is that I regularly read New Scientist, and the whole book is drawn from the back pages of that magazine... in particular the section where readers pose questions and other (well informed) readers answer them.
I was interested in the section on why Bond required martinis to be “shaken not stirred”... a number of complex theories were proposed and courageously tested. Other questions arise from natural curiosity (“Why are there no green mammals?”) or from keen and well informed observation (“why is the moon as bright as a cloud in the daytime sky when their albedos are quite different?”)
Some of the answer are whimsical and playful, but alongside these there is always an attempt at a good science based answer. In some cases readers propose a variety of explanations, and a sample of these is often given, leaving the reader of the book the job of deciding which is the most satisfactory account.
The material is fine for any age (unless you are worried by the martinis). The explanations range from the general (perhaps Middle School and up) and the reasonably technical.
review by Andrew Lack
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