Photo credit: John Wiley & Sons
Cover shows two astronauts beside a spaceship setting up equipment on a moon-like surface
Just why do stars appear to twinkle? How are the Moon and tides connected? Did the Moon landing in 1969 really happen, or was it all a big hoax? Explanations of these and other astronomical features and phenomena are tackled in the book: Bad astronomy by Philip Plait. Because it is written for non-specialists in a lively engaging style, you need not be a scientist to find it fascinating. A recently created Science Book Group, which meets in the Library, has chosen this title for discussion at their next meeting in December 2015. Science Book Group members are making the most of the modern science collections in the Library – exploring titles published several years ago, as well as current publications. Would you like to join us? Further details are at the bottom of this post.
Modern science titles are among the hundreds of books which arrive in the Library each week and are added to stock. Recently arrivals have included books as diverse as: Have bacteria won? by Hugh Pennington and a beautiful book about the botanical artist, James Sowerby (1757-1822): James Sowerby : the Enlightenment’s natural historian by Paul Henderson. Once you register as a reader at the Library, you can come in to the reading-room and check out any title which interests you.
Prospective new members of the Science Book Group will be made very welcome. Our next meeting is in the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh from 5:30-7pm on Tuesday 15 December. For further details, please email: science@nls.uk