That's Not in My Science Book A Compilation of Little-Known Facts

by Kelly, Kate

• ISBN13: 9781589792906
• ISBN10: 1589792904
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781461636014
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-08
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

This follow-on to the best selling That's Not in My American History Book explains in every-day language both the ordinary and the bizarre, technological marvels that we take for granted and laws of nature that serve as the baseline for life on earth. Beginning with clear and entertaining descriptions of the important discoveries that form the basis of our scientific knowledge-the book goes on to tell scientific stories that are lost between the pages. These include the discovery of the periodic table of elements (and why it matters), the development of miracle drugs such as aspirin and penicillin, the invention of television, the prospects for earthquake prediction, and the genesis of the Internet.

Author Biography

As a professional writer, Kate Kelly specializes in helpful nonfiction. She has authored or co-authored twenty-four books on health, money tactics, raising teenagers, organization and time management, and family and personal safety. She lives in Larchmont, New York.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	1	(6)
Part One Secrets of the Earth Revealed
1 How Old Is the Earth Anyway? The Geologic Time Scale	7	(10)
2 The Earth Moves in Mysterious Ways: Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, and More	17	(14)
3 Dinosaurs: From Mythical Griffin to Modern-Day Bird	31	(12)
4 The Elephant: From Hairy Mammoth to Great Communicator	43	(12)
5 Mosquitoes: Annoying Pest and Deadly Foe	55	(10)
Part Two Scientific Discoveries That Have Changed Our Lives
6 How They Learned Why We Get Sick: The Origin of Germ Theory	65	(10)
7 Darwin: Then and Now	75	(14)
8 The Secret of Life: The ABCs (and a Little CH) of DNA	89	(14)
9 The Avian Flu: A Dangerous Virus and Its Long Shadow	103
Part Three Contents Amazing Discoveries That Changed Our View of the Universe
10 The Copernican Revolution: A Four-Hundred Year Story	117	(12)
11 How Isaac Newton Changed Our View of the Universe	129	(8)
12 Atomic Theory: How They Discovered Something Way Too Small to Be Seen	137	(12)
13 Einstein Made Clear (Enough)	149	(12)
14 A Ticket to Pluto and Beyond	161	(14)
Part Four Protecting Our Living Planet
15 Little-Sung Heroes: The Environmental Crusaders	175	(14)
16 It's Getting Hot in Here: The Reality of Global Warming	189	(8)
17 Mercury: From Early Medicine to Environmental Scourge	197	(12)
Part Five A Peek at the Future
18 Nanotechnology: A New Frontier	209	(8)
Index	217