Blog Entry

All right, I admit it. The title is intended as “hype,” but neither one of these events, a fireball in the skies over New Mexico and a book talk about the history of Physics in suburban Pittsburgh, is a mere “flash in the pan.”

Rediscover Physics through the lives of ten remarkable individuals as yours truly, Science Blogger and author Fred Bortz, speaks on “Ten Decades, Ten Physicists: A History of Physics in the Twentieth Century” on September 19, 2007 at the Monroeville (PA) Public Library from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Ever since I wrote Beyond Jupiter: The Story of Planetary Astronomer Heidi Hammel in the “Women’s Adventures in Science” series for middle graders, I have been following Heidi’s work.

This year is particularly interesting for her as an expert on the ice giant planets. Uranus is approaching its once-in-42-Earth-years equinox, which is leading to a number of interesting opportunities for observation, including the first-ever chance for people to see its rings edge-on.

I’ve added two titles to my Science Shelf book review archive:

The Social Atom: Why the Rich Get Richer, Cheaters Get Caught, and Your Neighbor Usually Looks Like You by Mark Buchanan;

and

A Contract With The Earth by Newt Gingrich and Terry Maple.

I’ve also got some interesting titles in my to-review stack.

Click “Read more” for the full update.

I’m excited about this. I thought I did a good job on my new book Astrobiology in Lerner’s “Cool Science” series, and now I know the folks at NASA agree.

For my school visits and public lectures this coming academic year, I have added a talk called “The Truth About Space Aliens.”

It is based on my new middle-grade book called Astrobiology, which is now available.

I wasn’t expecting my next book to appear until October, but I just got my author’s copies of Astrobiology in Lerner’s middle-grade “Cool Science” Series.

Astrobiology is the science of life in the universe.

Time to toot my horn.

Read about my new book, a history of physics in the 20th century for high school, college, and public libraries. I’m interested in sharing that history in a colloquium talk at colleges.

Want more? Click below.

Dear Science Readers,

As noted in the previous Science Shelf update, we were looking forward to two books related to politics and global warming. We have now received copies of both Storm World and A Contract With the Earth and have written a review of one.

Another new review on the Science Shelf recommends The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science.

Also, one of my favorite books from last year has now appeared in paperback. Its subject is about as light as you can get, but there’s plenty of substance as well as good story telling. Take a fresh look at my review of The Cloudspotters Guide.

Click “Read More” to read more. (What else?)

I lost a childhood friend yesterday. Don Herbert, better known as Mr. Wizard has died.

The New York Times obituary notes:

Mr. Herbert held no advanced degree in science, he used household items in his TV lab, and his assistants were boys and girls. But he became an influential showman-science teacher on his half-hour “Watch Mr. Wizard” programs, which ran on NBC from 1951 to 1965.

Millions of youngsters may have been captivated by Howdy Doody and the Lone Ranger, but many were also conducting science experiments at home, emulating Mr. Wizard.

I was one of those millions, and I want to use my blog to say farewell and thank you from “Dr. Fred.”