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Best Science Education Research

The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus
The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story, giving a hair-raising account of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their "crashes" into the human race. And in 1989 Philippine monkeys in a Reston, Va., research lab, found to be infected with Ebola, were the target of a U.S. Army-led biohazard task force that decontaminated the lab, exterminating hundreds of monkeys to prevent the possible airborne spread of the disease to humans. In a horrifying and riveting report, portions of which appeared in the New Yorker , Preston ( American Steel ) exposes a real-life nightmare potentially as lethal as the fictive runaway germs in Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain.
Reviews
"I'm writing this review now because, 1- the current (July 2014) outbreak of Ebola is "the deadliest in recorded history," and 2- I've NEVER forgotten the book. The thing that is so terrifying is the way the poor people who contract the disease die."
"I learned a lot about the virus. After reading this book, im able to read between the headlines of what is being said and more importantly, what's NOT being said. Medical researchers working with the virus give share their information."
"I bought this book in its hard-cover version when it first came out, quite a few years ago, and what with the recent Ebola crisis in Africa and now in the news here in the U.S., I wanted to re-read it. I am dismayed that the CDC is still "learning" how to contain this disease, when the knowledge has been in use by the U.S. Army, and various charitable organizations in Africa for many years."
"A scary, eye opening book about Ebola. He describes in detail the Ebola Reston outbreak in Maryland."
"A must read for anyone who wants the scientific truth about this disease, how it can be spread & how easily & quickly it can mutate."
"Although twenty years old, the information is timely and so. pertinent for our age when Ebola is devastating Africa and may be advancing thought the world."
"Because you will be terrified every time you have a tiny headache. Because you will want strangers to stay far away from you, especially if they are breathing. Because you will realise that your government, our government, the government will probably be unable to stop a proper Ebola virus. Because you will forgive the sometimes over detailed writing because you are completely absorbed in the horror. Because this is not fiction, this is real, this is here, this is now. And this is a gripping, interesting, well put together, well researched non-fiction book that reads like an adventure, a horror and a thriller all at once. Viruses are clever little buggers and best we be afraid."
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The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace. “ A glorious book . Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. He labels as hoaxes the crop circles, complex pictograms that appear in southern England's wheat and barley fields, and he dismisses as a natural formation the Sphinx-like humanoid face incised on a mesa on Mars, first photographed by a Viking orbiter spacecraft in 1976 and considered by some scientists to be the engineered artifact of an alien civilization.
Reviews
"Despite being a tad dated now, Sagan's thesis that it's the dual modes of thinking - wonder of the real world and skepticism of authority and baseless assertions - that most benefit societies. His clarion call for a people with mature critical thinking skills needs to be heard more than ever. He is clear that belief without evidence is anathema to a free, 21st century society world."
"Everyone should be taught the lessons in this book on how to approach life's questions."
"This is a wonderful book."
"In brilliant witty well thought out arguments, he shows how susceptible humans are to illusion and hoax, and that our best defence is rigorous use of the scientific method (experiment and verify, keep or try again) plus a healthy dose of scepticism."
"The book can be divided into three seperate "sections": the first part of the book focuses on exploring all types of pseudoscience and showing how its proclomations are sloppy when compared with the scientific method. Sagan's focus on debunking psueodscientific belief in ET is also an interesting choice because Sagan was somewhat of a sympathizer with belief in ET. The section "section" of the book consists of one of the best explanations of the scientific process and how sceince works that I have ever seen outside of the abstruse philosophy of science texts. This is where the real "money is made," and one criticism I have of the book is that, as strong as this section is, it may have made more sense to put this section first and the excoriation of pseudoscience after. Two chapters stand out from this section of the book. Lastly, there are so many chapters dealing with the same or similar themes (many chapters on belief in UFO's, a few on belief in first-hand testimony), that the book suffers from a bit of redundancy at times."
"The Demon-Haunted World is written beautifully."
"This book taught me how important is to keep healthy balance (skepticism yes, but don't go too far with it it is almost equally unproductive as closing your mind before some truth just because you were told differently)."
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Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War
"America's funniest science writer" ( Washington Post ) Mary Roach explores the science of keeping human beings intact, awake, sane, uninfected, and uninfested in the bizarre and extreme circumstances of war. Roach samples caffeinated meat, sniffs an archival sample of a World War II stink bomb, and stays up all night with the crew tending the missiles on the nuclear submarine USS Tennessee. An Amazon Best Book of June 2016: It takes a special kind of writer to make topics ranging from death to our gastrointestinal tract interesting (sometimes hilariously so), and pop science writer Mary Roach is always up to the task.
Reviews
"Military science under the microscope. Now, in Grunt, her latest book, Roach has turned her attention to military science, specifically the science-based efforts by the U.S. defense establishment to clothe, train, armor, and heal our soldiers, sailors, and airmen and protect them from every manner of wound and loss of function. Surprises galore. Unless you are remarkably knowledgeable about the U.S. military, you’re likely to learn a great deal about how it actually works by reading Grunt. You’ll learn why shooting chickens out of a sixty-foot “chicken gun” at 400 miles per hour to test their impact on aircraft in flight was eventually deemed unsuitable. *** You’ll learn why the Army’s clothing designers crafted custom-designed tops for snipers, with pockets on the sleeves for easy access, a zipper on the side instead of the front, and no buttons, so that when lying on the ground or crawling across it their buttons won’t catch or the zipper make noise that might give away their position. Military science can be fun — at least, reading about it can."
"I have to assume that what she reports is accurate."
"Mary covers quite a bit of serious ground in this book while managing to keep the tone lighthearted, and it's a fun read."
"The military pours out thousands of stories, feats of combat valor and battlefield derring-do, but Mary Roach's Grunt focuses on the (largely unexplored) war fighters behind the scenes."
"Humorous, intelligent, thoroughly researched, it is her typical layperson's guide to the science behind today's military."
"This is a difficult topic to even step near with any sensitivity, and to be honest, I was a little wary--most of her other books deal with universal humanity, rather than the small slice of us who volunteer for military service. It might be a good intro to new readers who are interested in the topic (loosely, military science), though I'm not sure that some of the chapters would make it a big seller with families of soldiers and sailors."
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Best Science Education

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace. “ A glorious book . Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. He labels as hoaxes the crop circles, complex pictograms that appear in southern England's wheat and barley fields, and he dismisses as a natural formation the Sphinx-like humanoid face incised on a mesa on Mars, first photographed by a Viking orbiter spacecraft in 1976 and considered by some scientists to be the engineered artifact of an alien civilization.
Reviews
"Despite being a tad dated now, Sagan's thesis that it's the dual modes of thinking - wonder of the real world and skepticism of authority and baseless assertions - that most benefit societies. His clarion call for a people with mature critical thinking skills needs to be heard more than ever. He is clear that belief without evidence is anathema to a free, 21st century society world."
"Everyone should be taught the lessons in this book on how to approach life's questions."
"This is a wonderful book."
"In brilliant witty well thought out arguments, he shows how susceptible humans are to illusion and hoax, and that our best defence is rigorous use of the scientific method (experiment and verify, keep or try again) plus a healthy dose of scepticism."
"The book can be divided into three seperate "sections": the first part of the book focuses on exploring all types of pseudoscience and showing how its proclomations are sloppy when compared with the scientific method. Sagan's focus on debunking psueodscientific belief in ET is also an interesting choice because Sagan was somewhat of a sympathizer with belief in ET. The section "section" of the book consists of one of the best explanations of the scientific process and how sceince works that I have ever seen outside of the abstruse philosophy of science texts. This is where the real "money is made," and one criticism I have of the book is that, as strong as this section is, it may have made more sense to put this section first and the excoriation of pseudoscience after. Two chapters stand out from this section of the book. Lastly, there are so many chapters dealing with the same or similar themes (many chapters on belief in UFO's, a few on belief in first-hand testimony), that the book suffers from a bit of redundancy at times."
"The Demon-Haunted World is written beautifully."
"This book taught me how important is to keep healthy balance (skepticism yes, but don't go too far with it it is almost equally unproductive as closing your mind before some truth just because you were told differently)."
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Best Zoology of Mammals

Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals
Drawing on the latest research and her own work, Grandin identifies the core emotional needs of animals and then explains how to fulfill the specific needs of dogs and cats, horses, farm animals, zoo animals, and even wildlife. Now she builds on those insights to show us how to give our animals the best and happiest life--on their terms, not ours. Knowing what causes animals physical pain is usually easy, but pinpointing emotional distress is much harder. Whether it's how to make the healthiest environment for the dog you must leave alone most of the day, how to keep pigs from being bored, or how to know if the lion pacing in the zoo is miserable or just exercising, Grandin teaches us to challenge our assumptions about animal contentment and honor our bond with our fellow creatures. Animals Make Us Human is the culmination of almost thirty years of research, experimentation, and experience. But the thing about cattle is they're a prey-species animal and they get scared really easily--and I can relate to that because as a person with autism, fear is my main emotion. And today many more people are now involved in teaching low-stress stockmanship and good cattle handling. And people need to watch for that kind of situation, because even though it looks peaceful, that one particular cat that never sleeps is going to be stressed out. Dogs need to be taken out every day for quality interaction with a person, exercise, and fun play. At the same time that I was working on cattle handling in the U.S. in the early seventies, Ron Kilgore was doing the same sorts of things in New Zealand. A woman working at Niman Ranch said that we've got to give animals "a life worth living." These cattle can have a decent life: the cows and the bulls, out on a ranch eating grass. Q: If you could give your book to one person or one group of people so that they could learn more about animal care, who would that be? Its aim is to reduce the inhumane confinement of farm animals by giving them enough room to stand up, turn around, and stretch. It's so much more expensive to put them in systems that are cage-free, and what I'm worried about is the egg industry migrating to Mexico and being a real mess, where we have no controls at all. Working from the premise that an animal is a conscious being that has feelings, the autistic author assesses dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, poultry, wildlife and zoo animals based on a core emotion system she believes animals and humans share, including a need to seek; a sense of rage, fear, and panic; feelings of lust; an urge to nurture; and an ability to play. Among observations at odds with conventional wisdom: dogs need human parents, not alpha pack leaders, and cats respond to training. Discussions of why horses are skittish and why pigs are arguably the most intelligent of beasts—raccoons run them a close second—illuminate the intersection of people and more domesticated animals; chapters on cows and chickens focus more generally on animal welfare, particularly the horrific conditions in which they are usually raised and slaughtered. Packed with fascinating insights, unexpected observations and a wealth of how-to tips, Grandin's peppy work ably challenges assumptions about what makes animals happy.
Reviews
"Temple Grandin shares her very profound insights into animal behavior all the way from small domesticated animals through horses and cattle and large wild animals."
"Greater understanding promotes a much healthier and satisfying relationship for both animal and human."
"I suspect that it is just normal animal behavior that has involved into the animal known as human that is being described rather than an anthromphism. Dr. Temple Grandin provides a wonderful guide regarding animal behavior and problem solving."
"This book will make you think."
"As an animal lover, I have had many different experiences with a variety of animals and found that Temple's read to be accurate and true."
"I know about Temple Grandin's story, and I have been thinking about breeding animals lately, so I thought this book might help me know more about handling animals. If you are not interested in this, ski these chapters and go straight to the chapter(s) on your animal(s) of interest. After the research section, Grandin breaks the book up into chapters on different types of animals: cats, dogs, horses, cows, pigs, poultry, wildlife, and zoos."
"I have quoted information from this books to many other dog owners and recommend it highly to anyone who shares this planet with animals."
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Best Science Education for Kids

Basic Physics: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides)
This fully up-to-date edition of Basic Physics: * Has been tested, rewritten, and retested to ensure that you can teach yourself all about physics. * Requires no math--mathematical treatments and applications are included in optional sections so that you can choose either a mathematical or nonmathematical approach. * Lets you work at your own pace with a helpful question-and-answer format. * Lists objectives for each chapter--you can skip ahead or find extra help if you need it. * Reinforces what you learn with end-of-chapter self-tests.
Reviews
"I bought it expecting a simple "Physics for Dummies" type of approach, but what I found was a detailed breakdown of physics, chemistry, electricity, and a handful of other fascinating subjects that are all directly connected to Physics. My favorite part is that each section includes a "Prerequisites" list, which is just a list of other sections in the book you should read first. This isn't an academic book that just throws information at you non-stop."
"I tried to understand a few things on Wikipedia about laws of nature that use principles of physics; having never studied calculus or physics."
"Great book it has what I have learn it high school."
"Great price, book was in excellent shape!"
"For the price you just cant beat it, does fine at the price point."
"I always wanted to understand a little about physics, so this was my. chance."
"Just the book needed for this course and I would thoroughly recommend it."
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