Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre

Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1611459125
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
Winner of the IgNobel Prize in physics and the 2004 American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award, Len Fisher showed just how much fun science can be in his enthusiastically praised debut, How to Dunk a Doughnut. In this new work, he reveals that science sometimes takes a path through the ridiculous and the bizarre to discover that Nature often simply does not follow common sense. One experiment, involving a bed, platform scales, and a dying man, seemed to prove that the soul weighed the same as a slice of bread. But other, no less fanciful experiments and ideas led to the fundamentals of our understanding of movement, heat, light, and energy, and such things as the discovery of electricity, and the structure of DNA; improved engines; and the invention of computers. As in his previous book, Fisher uses personal stories and examples from everyday life, as well as humor, to make the science accessible. He touches on topics from lightning to corsets and from alchemy to Frankenstein and water babies, but he may not claim the last word on the weight of the soul!

Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre

Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1611459125
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
Winner of the IgNobel Prize in physics and the 2004 American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award, Len Fisher showed just how much fun science can be in his enthusiastically praised debut, How to Dunk a Doughnut. In this new work, he reveals that science sometimes takes a path through the ridiculous and the bizarre to discover that Nature often simply does not follow common sense. One experiment, involving a bed, platform scales, and a dying man, seemed to prove that the soul weighed the same as a slice of bread. But other, no less fanciful experiments and ideas led to the fundamentals of our understanding of movement, heat, light, and energy, and such things as the discovery of electricity, and the structure of DNA; improved engines; and the invention of computers. As in his previous book, Fisher uses personal stories and examples from everyday life, as well as humor, to make the science accessible. He touches on topics from lightning to corsets and from alchemy to Frankenstein and water babies, but he may not claim the last word on the weight of the soul!

Weighing the Soul: Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre

Weighing the Soul: Scientific Discovery from the Brilliant to the Bizarre PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1611459761
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 166

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Book Description
From the man who "puts the fizz in physics" (Entertainment Weekly), an entertaining and thought-provoking foray into the science of the bizarre, the peculiar, and the downright nutty! Winner of the IgNobel Prize in physics and the 2004 American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award, Len Fisher showed just how much fun science can be in his enthusiastically praised debut, How to Dunk a Doughnut. In this new work, he reveals that science sometimes takes a path through the ridiculous and the bizarre to discover that Nature often simply does not follow common sense. One experiment, involving a bed, platform scales, and a dying man, seemed to prove that the soul weighed the same as a slice of bread. But other, no less fanciful experiments and ideas led to the fundamentals of our understanding of movement, heat, light, and energy, and such things as the discovery of electricity, and the structure of DNA; improved engines; and the invention of computers. As in his previous book, Fisher uses personal stories and examples from everyday life, as well as humor, to make the science accessible. He touches on topics from lightning to corsets and from alchemy to Frankenstein and water babies, but he may not claim the last word on the weight of the soul!

Incredible Facts for Inquisitive Minds

Incredible Facts for Inquisitive Minds PDF Author: Fred Flynn
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781922590596
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


Weird Science and Bizarre Beliefs

Weird Science and Bizarre Beliefs PDF Author: Gregory L. Reece
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857717871
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 253

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Book Description
Does the giant Yeti roam the mountain ranges of Tibet? Does a real-life Shangri La lie waiting to be discovered in a Himalayan valley? Do transmissions from lost civilizations beam messages of salvation to humankind? What lost creatures lurk in the murky depths of Scotland's brooding Loch Ness? And who - or what - is responsible for the implacable monoliths which tower over Easter Island? The obsession that so many now have with the uncanny and the unnatural is in itself a mystery. It prompts serious questions which could have remarkable answers. Drinking deep from the wells of esoteric knowledge, Greg Reece undertakes a heroic quest for solutions. Braving the darkest recesses of cult belief, he stalks the twilight borderlands of contemporary culture, where, at the outer edges of mainstream thought, things become downright freaky and outlandish. Taking his life in both hands, the author explores a subterranean cavern reputed to be the home of elusive blue-skinned troglodytes; goes hiking in the backwoods for a glimpse of Bigfoot; investigates the truth of Alternative Archaeology in search of Atlantis; and tests for himself the time-travel and anti-gravity theories of famed inventor Nikola Tesla. Unashamedly revelling in the unexplained, Weird Science and Bizarre Beliefs is both a penetrating analysis of the hidden underbelly of science, pseudo-science and religion as well as an unforgettable journey into the innermost depths of the fantastic, the extraordinary and the peculiar.

Bizarre Facts in Science & Technology

Bizarre Facts in Science & Technology PDF Author: Jimmy McNeil
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN:
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Dive into the extraordinary and often unbelievable world of science and technology with "Bizarre Facts in Science & Technology: Exploring the Wonders of Our World." This captivating book unravels a tapestry of the most peculiar and fascinating aspects of scientific discovery and technological innovation. From the serendipitous accidents that led to groundbreaking inventions to the weirdest phenomena in the natural world will takes readers on an enthralling journey beyond the boundaries of conventional knowledge. Each page turns the spotlight on astonishing facts and stories that challenge our understanding of the world around us. "Bizarre Facts in Science & Technology" is not just a compilation of facts; it is a celebration of human curiosity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Perfect for science enthusiasts, trivia buffs, and the innately curious, this book offers a unique blend of education and entertainment. It's a testament to the weird and wonderful ways in which science and technology continue to transform our world. Prepare to be amazed, delighted, and inspired as you explore the wonders of our world through the lens of the bizarre and the extraordinary.

Weighing the Soul

Weighing the Soul PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 178022060X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 222

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Book Description
From the IgNobel-winning author of How to Dunk a Doughnut, another slice of the weird and wonderful side of science Good science and common sense often don't mix. In Weighing the Soul, Len Fisher shows the path to scientific discovery is frequently a bumpy one that follows Schopenhauer's famous maxim - 'All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently opposed; and Third, it is accepted as self-evident.' Fisher tells the fascinating, human stories behind some of the great as well as some of the not-so-great scientific ideas of the past - those that were truly bizarre, peculiar or downright daft, and those that just seemed that way at the time. As he shows, it is often only with hindsight that the two can be told apart, and it is some of those who appeared most wrong - and who were variously ignored, persecuted and imprisoned as a result - that ultimately went on to be proved most right.

Weighing the Soul

Weighing the Soul PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Arcade Publishing
ISBN: 9781559707329
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
Explores the strange and ridiculous paths science can take, describing bizarre experiments, discoveries, and figures.

Why People Believe Weird Things

Why People Believe Weird Things PDF Author: Michael Shermer
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
ISBN: 1429996765
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 382

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Book Description
"This sparkling book romps over the range of science and anti-science." --Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel Revised and Expanded Edition. In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, "Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things," Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science. Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.

Spooky Science

Spooky Science PDF Author: John Grant
Publisher: Union Square + ORM
ISBN: 1454917261
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
A hilarious lampoon of scientific inquiry into the psychic. Life after death, spirit communication, the astral plane, reincarnation: on the relatively rare occasions when scientists have tried to apply their methods to the paranormal, they’ve often ended up embarrassed—fooled by obvious charlatans, deluded into making irrational and unsubstantiated claims, or frustrated in their attempt to find something that just isn’t there. John Grant—author of Discarded Science and Corrupted Science—investigates the pseudoscience of spooky stuff to fascinating and humorous effect. From scamming mediums, to poltergeist fakery, to heavenly hallucinations, Grant spares ardent believers and gullible thinkers no mercy in this rollicking history of psychic “phenomena.”

The Perfect Swarm

The Perfect Swarm PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Basic Books (AZ)
ISBN: 0465020240
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
The IgNobel Prize-winner and author of Rock, Paper, Scissors applies science-based solutions to seemingly complex problems in life.