Home / science
science etiketine sahip kayıtlar gösteriliyor. Tüm kayıtları göster
science etiketine sahip kayıtlar gösteriliyor. Tüm kayıtları göster

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson




Summary (amended from Amazon's description):
Questions such as "What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us?" are discussed in this little but powerful book, which was on the New York Times booklist for over a year. Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and will reveal answers from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics, and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe.
Quotes from the book: 
"We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe, atomically."
"The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you."
Reviews: 
Citizen Science Project: Search for Gravitational Waves with your computer: Einstein@Home: https://einsteinathome.org/
Interviews:
Neil deGrasse Tyson's website: https://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/

(http://www.setterfield.org/Subatomic_Particles.html)




10 Scientific Laws and Theories You Really Should Know: 

Discussion Questions: (John will be leading our discussion with the following questions)

1. What is your understanding and experience with astronomy?
2. What are some concepts and observations that surprised you in this book?
3. Discuss Einstein contributions to our understanding of the relationship between energy and matter and also his theory of general relativity (GR).
4. Why and how are we made of stardust? How is this connected to the formation of the universe?
5. What are dark matter and dark energy? Since neither have been directly observed why are both considered necessary to explain the physical universe?
6. Briefly, how was it thought that the universe began? Discuss the most basic building block particles and energies that comprise and hold together matter.
7. What is “Cosmic Microwave Background” (CMB) “? How does it relate to the beginning of the universe and how was it discovered?

8.  Tyson notes that after enough time all current visibly galaxies will be too far to be observed. Discuss the implications of this idea and the possibility that events may be already unobservable.

(https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/10-scientific-laws-theories1.htm)



The World Without Us by Alan Weisman


Summary: (Selection from Amazon):
"Alan Weisman offers an utterly original approach to questions of humanity's impact on the planet: he asks us to envision our Earth, without us. In this far-reaching narrative, Weisman explains how our massive infrastructure would collapse and finally vanish without human presence; which everyday items may become immortalized as fossils; how copper pipes and wiring would be crushed into mere seams of reddish rock; why some of our earliest buildings might be the last architecture left; and how plastic, bronze sculpture, radio waves, and some man-made molecules may be our most lasting gifts to the universe."

Reviews:
NY Times: "Starting Over" by Jennifer Schuessler:
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/books/review/Schuessler-t.html
The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/may/03/society1

Book and Author Website:
http://www.worldwithoutus.com/about_author.html

Author Interviews:
1. NPR: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14194915
2. Jon Stewart: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/0xoqg1/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-alan-weisman
3. NOVA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8CsBMCfu0s
4. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQxBYoGNmO0

Related Articles:
1. "Should it be Saved: Proposals to focus resources on some endangered species and let others go extinct are stirring fierce debate", Warren Corwall, Science, Sept. 7, 2018.
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6406/962

2. "Florence engulfs hog farms and chicken houses, thrashing NC agriculture", Dan Charles, NPR, September 18, 2018.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/09/18/649132289/florence-engulfs-hog-farms-and-chicken-houses-thrashing-north-carolina-agricultu

Eleven Fun Facts from the Book: Mother Earth News:
https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/nature/world-without-us-alan-weisman




Discussion Questions: 
1.     What are some of the things that you found surprising or not, that would survive a world without humans?
2.     When considering common household items you use (such as a computer, cell phone, lawnmower, etc.), reflect on its origins, how it’s manufactured, its’ uses and lifespan, etc. How might such self-reflection inform your future choices that you make to buy, use or store something?
3.     Which species do you think will adapt, thrive or decline in our changing world?
4.     Many conservation groups and governments (i.e. Endangered Species Act, etc. ) have worked and continue to work to protect and restore species most at risk of disappearing. Which species do you think we should focus on to save? How does one choose?
5.     Are humans a part of the natural world or separate?
6.     We are aware of some of the worst ecological disasters such as Chernobyl, but were some of the author’s examples surprising to you, such as plastics, embalming products, flower industry waste, nuclear waste? (Remember, this book was written in 2007)
7.     Did you find this book depressing? Hopeful? What was your emotional response to this book?
8.     If humans were gone, what would you hope would return, i.e. animals, plants, etc.
9.     What new revelations might you have to help the destiny of the earth now, beyond your own personal actions, which would have a greater, broader, meaningful impact? Perhaps: promoting renewable energies, encouraging businesses to eliminate plastic bags and straws, supporting conservation and environmental groups, other ideas?

Some of the questions were inspired from: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/sites/default/files/bookclubkit/discussions/weisman_world.pdfand http://www.galesburglibrary.org/BookClub/WorldWithoutUs.pdf


Citizen Science: How Ordinary People are Changing the Face of Discovery by Caren Cooper



Summary ( from Amazon): 
"Think you need a degree in science to contribute to important scientific discoveries? Think again. All around the world, in fields ranging from astronomy to zoology, millions of everyday people are choosing to participate in the scientific process. Working in cooperation with scientists in pursuit of information, innovation, and discovery, these volunteers are following protocols, collecting and reviewing data, and sharing their observations. They are our neighbors, our in-laws, and people in the office down the hall. Their story, along with the story of the social good that can result from citizen science, has largely been untold, until now.
Citizen scientists are challenging old notions about who can conduct research, where knowledge can be acquired, and even how solutions to some of our biggest societal problems might emerge. In telling their story, Cooper will inspire readers to rethink their own assumptions about the role that individuals can play in gaining scientific understanding and putting that understanding to use as stewards of our world. Citizen Science will be a rallying call-to-arms, and will also function as an authoritative resource for those inspired by the featured stories and message. "

Scientific articles by Caren Cooper: 
"Citizen Science: A Developing Tool for Expanding Science Knowledge and Scientific Literacy"
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/59/11/977/251421

Articles in Scientific American by Caren Cooper:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/caren-cooper/

Author's Website: https://www.carencooper.com/

Reviews:
Wilson Center:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/book-review-citizen-science-how-ordinary-people-are-changing-the-face-discovery
Discover Magazine:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/citizen-science-salon/2017/05/23/book-review-citizen-science-how-ordinary-people-are-changing-the-face-of-discovery/#.W10uCthKiRs

Interviews:
Informal Science (2015): http://www.informalscience.org/news-views/advancing-citizen-science-qa-caren-cooper

TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7cQHSqfSzI

Yale Envirnomenal 360:
https://e360.yale.edu/features/interview_caren_cooper_how_rise_of_citizen_science_is_democratizing_research

ASTC (2016): http://www.astc.org/events/astc-on-air-with-caren-cooper/


Citizen Science Event at Bucks County Audubon Society: August 18th at 2 p.m. Cold Blooded Critters: PA Amphibians and Reptile Survey: Click here to learn more:
http://www.bcas.org/event/cold-blooded-critters-pa-amphibian-reptile-survey-pars/

Sites to find and participate in Citizen Science projects:
**This is the one is guided by the author: https://scistarter.com/cooper
https://www.zooniverse.org/

Discussion Questions: (Heidi will be leading the discussion and these are her questions.)
1. How would you describe citizen science and is it real science?
2. There are many citizen science programs that have yielded fascinating findings and important contributions, such as: CoCoRaHS  and weather monitoring (p. 22-), Nest Record Scheme (p. 34), Christmas Bird Count (CBC) and ebird (p. 42 - ), Monarch Programs (p. 81 - ), Galaxy Zoo or Stardust@home (pp. 83-),  Biochemistry and Folding@home and Rosetta@home (p. 111 - ),  MERCCURI (p. 133  -), Keep it Clean (p. 192- ), etc.
3. Discuss what impacts these programs have had and which ones you found especially surprising and interesting.
4. What do you think of BOINC (p. 110 - ) and what it accomplishes?
5. Discuss the cases that led to open access policies, including Michael Servetus, Aaron Swartz and We the People. (148 - )
6. What impact does citizen science and open access science have on traditional science and the research process? (p. 151 -)
7. “ Crowds may be typical in citizen science, but they are not essential.  James-Creedon quotes Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only that that ever has.” “ (p. 210) How can an engaged public through these projects yield life saving information and change, good and perhaps, not wanted, i.e. with fracking, tracking pollution, Sustainability Leadership Program, Global Community Monitor, LABB, iWitness Pollution Map, etc, ? (p. 172-, 209- )
8. Discuss the concept of  “community insurance” as used to protect the snow leopard in Asia. (p. 165-)
9. Have you or are you currently involved in a Citizen Science program and if so, which one(s)? Describe how you got started and your experiences.

10. Have you visited the Scistarter website and if yes, which projects look interesting to you?







The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan


Summary (from Amazon):
"Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers’ genes far and wide. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also done well by them. So who is really domesticating whom?"

Reviews:
New York Times, "For the Love of Potatoes":
 http://www.nytimes.com/books/01/06/03/reviews/010603.03bilgert.html

The Guardian: "Power to the Potato":
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/01/featuresreviews.guardianreview7


Author's Site: http://michaelpollan.com/interviews/botany-of-desire/

Interviews: 
* NPR: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1126607, (Part 2) https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?; storyId=1123916; https://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/radio/010604.pollan.html

* TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pollan_gives_a_plant_s_eye_view



The Movie by PBS: http://www.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/

Study guides:
PBS: https://www-tc.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/pdf/BotanyofDesire_RandomHouseTeacherGuide.pdf

Bookrags: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-the-botany-of-desire/#gsc.tab=0

(https://s2-ssl.dmcdn.net/H9VPc.jpg)


Discussion Questions: (Donna wrote these questions and will be leading the discussion.)
1. Does this book about domesticated species fit into our nature lover’s book selections, or not?

2. What are a few examples of coevolution right here in our neck of the woods, meadows, or backyards? Or in other books we have read together like “Beak of the Finch” , “Forest Unseen”, etc.?

3. What do you think about Pollan’s premise that we humans are part of the coevolutionary process?  Scientists and farmers have been artificial selectors for hundreds of years, what is the difference between artificial selection and coevolution..? or is there one?  What did Darwin argue?

4. On page xxiii of the introduction Pollan writes “Indeed, even the wild now depends on civilization for survival.”  Let’s talk about how this fits some of our previous discussions.

5. What was your favorite and/or least favorite chapter? Why?

6. Let’s talk about the storied 10,000 year history of Cannabis and the discovery of cannabinoid receptors in the human brain?  How is marijuana different/similar to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs?  Should it be legal?

7. What are some other plants, foods, animals Pollan (or other authors) could use to illustrate his thesis?

8. In your opinion, are GMOs a net plus or minus for our U.S. food system?  What about malnourished countries?  Is spraying chemical insecticides different than putting natural insecticides directly into a plants’ genes? Why or why not?

9. Talk about biodiversity versus monocultures on our farms, on our dinner plates, in lumber tracts, etc.

10.  Do we control plants or do they control us?   On page 187, “Everything affecting everything else” is not a bad description of what happens in a garden, or any ecosystem.  


(http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/bjymCADvSrt4qxC3gfXTW0zc8A1.jpg)





Kaydol: Kayıtlar (Atom)