Maybe I’ve spent too much time around teenage boys, but an April 6, 2018 podcast segment of the NPR program Science Friday got my attention — an interview with Nick Caruso and Dani Rabaiotti, authors of Does It Fart? The Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence. Yes, this is serious science. Specifically, it’s called “flatology” —
There is so much talk these days about developing alternative forms of energy, especially solar. But there is one idea that’s so obvious that I’m surprised I didn’t see it coming. An artificial leaf. I first saw this idea on a LinkedIn post from Bill Gates, which led to “The Race to Invent the Artificial
One of the hallmarks of the Disney animated TV show “Darkwing Duck” was a cadre of eccentric villains, like Dr. Reginald Bushroot, a vengeful botanist who became part plant after a failed experiment (http://darkwingduck.wikia.com/wiki/Bushroot). I recalled this when I read about a German forester who is giving plants credit for some very human characteristics. Peter
Who really runs our government? Of course, there are the major actors. The president sets broad policy and makes major decisions, congressional leaders play a huge role, and one Supreme Court justice can change the course of history. Then there is the Federal Reserve. But there are many people in support roles who can make
I’ve been athletic all my life, but sometimes with very little success, so I’ve seen both sides, particularly in youth sports. I was in Little League, where the competition for a team hat (never mind a uniform) was so fierce I rarely got one. People in my hometown were such rabid fans other local communities
If you’ve ever wondered what Bill Gates reads, he has been publishing annual reading lists (for example, https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Best-Books-2017 ). Earlier this year, I saw his summer reading list (https://qz.com/988136/bill-gates-book-list-2017-recommended-books-for-summer-reading/) and picked out Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari. This is definitely an intellectual book that puts a unique spin on human
Any pet owner can tell you that animals have personalities. Now there’s a book that takes this one step further. Mousy Cats and Sheepish Coyotes: The Science of Animal Personalities is by John Shivik, a wildlife expert in the development, testing, and application of non-lethal techniques for predator management. This project traces back to when
About a month ago, I wrote about the book Truthers by Geoffrey Girard. Mr. Girard is the author of several books, and he currently chairs the English department at a private boys’ high school. He wrote this story to help his students critically analyze the conspiracy theories they were so fond of discussing, especially the
You’ve always heard the mantra “money can’t buy happiness.” Well, maybe it can. According to a new paperback from the editors of Time magazine entitled The Science of Happiness: New Discoveries for a More Joyful Life, (and yes, It’s on Amazon.com), “Money can help you find more happiness, so long as you know just what you
As a history nerd, my problem with your average history book is it will tell you what happened, but not how it happened. To get the real story, you have to find books like Nothing To Fear: FDR’s Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America by Adam Cohen. We all know the