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Science Future for December 15, 2015
December 20 Join astronomers for the Winter Solstice and Telescope Party at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Jupiter and the full moon will be on view. See bit.ly/SFsolparty January 13–15 Marine ecologist Enric Sala relates his ocean-exploring adventures at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall. Learn more at bit.ly/SFsala
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Fly guy
Brian Brown can discover a new kind of fly anywhere. He often takes up the search in exotic locales such as New Zealand, Chile or Taiwan, but he’s not picky. Once, he was challenged to find a new species in a Los Angeles backyard. After setting a trap and waiting, he pulled out a winner: […]
- Earth
Grand Canyon could be much older than thought
Disputed dating of rock erosion pegs the ancient chasm as 70 million years old.
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Letters
Curiosity cleanup In the article “Protecting the planet” (SN: 11/3/12, p. 32), the sidebar “Keeping Mars clean” gives the impression that Curiosity had not been contaminated, while the opposite is true. Apparently the sterilized craft was opened up and microbial contamination likely occurred. Curiosity’s drill bits may be contaminated with Earth microbes. So now NASA […]
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BOOK REVIEW: Apocalyptic Planet: Field Guide to the Everending Earth by Craig Childs
Review by Sid Perkins.
- Particle Physics
The Particle at the End of the Universe
How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World, by Sean Carroll.
- Earth
Shrinking polar ice caused one-fifth of sea level rise
Comprehensive analysis quantifies ice sheet loss in Greenland and Antarctica.
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The Half-life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date by Samuel Arbesman
Learning how knowledge changes over time, a mathematician contends, will help humans better make sense of their world. Current, 2012, 242 p., $25.95
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The Miracle of Trees (Wooden Books) by Olavi Huikari
Packed with drawings and engravings, this pocket guide briefly covers the science of trees, from how they grow and reproduce to whether they feel pain. Walker & Co., 2012, 58 p., $12
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Hunger, Thirst, Sex, and Sleep: How the Brain Controls Our Passions by John K. Young
A biologist delves into the varied roles of the hypothalamus, the command center in the brain that controls the most basic human drives. Rowman & Littlefield, 2012, 161 p., $39.95
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Seduced by Logic: Émilie Du Châtelet, Mary Somerville and the Newtonian Revolution by Robyn Arianrhod
The tales of two women — a French aristocrat and a Scottish commoner —intersect in an exploration of how the pair advanced Newton’s ideas about the universe. Oxford Univ., 2012, 338 p., $34.95
