Science All books
André Brahic
Children of the Sun The History of Our Origins
In less than a century, scientists have acquired enough information to try to explain the origin of life, to realise that there may be other life forms in the universe, and to begin to understand the birth of our planet and its future. André Brahic writes about the planets, the stars and the universe without forgetting the role played by human beings who are themselves made from solar atoms and are thus truly "children of the sun". André Brahic, an astronomer, is known for discovering the rings of Neptune.
Jill-Patrice Cassuto
From Mad Cow Disease to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Jill-Patrice Cassuto examines the precursors of BSE and reviews some of the early research into the disease. He also studies the human form of BSE, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, and addresses the highly controversial question of ways the disease may be transmitted. This book is not only a scientific overview of current knowledge about BSE. It is also a thorough inquiry into the BSE scare and an examination of the issue of responsibility and of how health issues and risks are dealt with within the European Community. Jill-Patrice Cassuto teaches medicine and heads a clinical hematology service in a university hospital.
Yuval Ne'eman, Yoram Kirsh
The Particle Hunters
In this book, Yuval Neeman and Yoram Kirsh recount the story of particle physics in the twentieth century. They explain how physicists first discovered the various levels of the atom and then tried to describe its structure, culminating in the most recent "standard model". Assuming that the readers knowledge of physics is limited to basic notions such as energy, mass, and electrical charge, the authors explain the theory of relativity and the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, which have guided physicists in their search for the ultimate particles of matter. Yuval Neeman teaches theoretical physics at the University of Tel Aviv. Yoram Kirsh teaches physics at the Open University of Israel.
Georges Charpak
Children, Researchers and Citizens
Georges Charpak has taken the initiative for a complete reform of our methods of science teaching. He proposes a teaching method based on creativity and problem-solving, instead of the old theoretical, book-based approach. This book recounts the experiences of two teams of French educators in a research institution created by Leon Lederman in Chicago, and the lessons which we can take from their experiences. Pollens shows that to learn is to discover, and that it is in discovering that one learns. Georges Charpak is a Nobel laureate in physics, and the author of La vie à fil tendu and Feux follets et champignons nucléaires, both published by Editions Odile Jacob.
Harald Fritzsch
E=mc2 A Formula which Changes the World
An imagined account of a meeting between Einstein and Newton, described as a dream. It provides the occasion for a fascinating discussion between two scientific geniuses and a most effective way to be introduced to the mysteries of physics by those who have themselves revolutionised the field. Professor of physics at the University of Munich, Harald Fritzsch is also an associate professor at the CERN of Geneva, and at the California Institute of Technology of Pasadena, in California.