Pick-a-Shelf discussion

I thought I would start a new thread for this month only so that we could have some science discussions that don't really belong in any other category (ie aren;t necessarily book reviews).

You could share an interesting fact or theory you have come across.

I want to know, for example, what topics/questions in science interest you and why.

I will start by answering my own question:

I chose books this month that deal with some of the questions in science that interest me (although I must confess that I have never done anything to explore them until now)

1) Nature vs. Nurture
2) The connection between science and religion
3) The history of mathematics

Can't wait to see what you guys say!

OOOH, I almost forgot...I am loving the new profile pics for our group.

You and my son Joe, Natasha. Most of the time I don't even understand anything he is saying.

As for what about science interests me, as Lynne could probably tell you, nothing. Never liked it in school, took as little as possible. The only thing closely related that interests me is consumer psychology. What makes people tick.

The book I picked, however, deals with forensics, since I read so many thrillers I thought it might be interesting. We'll see.

As I posted earlier, I chose my book because my husband declared it a "must read." This particular book, The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature, looks at how we (and other animals) behave from the perspective that we're really just vehicles for passing on our genes to our progeny.

Reading non-fiction is work for me, as opposed to fun and relaxing, so I'm reading something else at the same time. It's a little bizarre how relevant the concept of passing on genes turns out to be in The Wild Seed, my current non-fiction book.

I picked science books with another story woven in. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York also looks at the the Jazz age and The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements sounds like there may be other stories mixed in as well.
I loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks because I not only learned some really interesting information but also learned about some of the controversial issues that went with along with the cells.
When it comes to science, I do tend toward biology. Forensic Science has always been very interesting to me as well.

i've always been interested in genetics and how different diseases and traits come about, and a year or so ago, I was watching a documentary about mongolia which said that like 75% of the population could trace their DNA back to genghis khan - which really intrigued me - so i'm reading The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry which is about how the scientists learnt about mitochondrial DNA and how it doesn't change significantly from generation so you can trace multiple generations back - i'm only about 20% of the way in - but its interesting - like the fact that all hamsters in the world can be traced back to one female in a lab in Syria (with 3 males). the chapter i'm reading right now is about using the DNA to identify the romanov family from russia

Tara wrote: "I picked science books with another story woven in. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York also looks at the the Jazz age and ..."</i>

I loved [book:The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, too, and have recommended it to quite a few people. I'm looking forward to your reviews on the other two books because I've had my eye on buying them. They look very interesting.

My biggest interests in the sciences are in the earth science area -- though some other areas, too. I love geology, geography, meteorology, and biography in science (the who's and why's of discoveries).

Lynn - you might like Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time - its a math/science based bio about the guy who figured out how to calculate longitude while travelling - I read it last year and it was interesting

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Lynn - you might like Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time - its a math/science based bio about the guy who figured out how ..."

That one's on my bookshelf here at home and I just haven't gotten to it. I'll have to dig it out of whatever book pile it's in and get to it!! Glad to hear you liked it.

having been a navigator on a navy ship that stuff is of interest to me - because we use lat/long all the time - I think I saw another one by Sobel also on the list - maybe about gallileo

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "i've always been interested in genetics and how different diseases and traits come about, and a year or so ago, I was watching a documentary about mongolia which said that like 75% of the populatio..."

That sounds pretty interesting. I have a friend at work who volunteered to be part of some genetic project that National Geographic is doing. She and her husband sent in DNA samples and had their anscestory traced back to original tribes in Ancient Europe etc.

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Lynn - you might like Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time - its a math/science based bio about the guy who figured out how ..."

I own that book but haven't read it yet.

Great discussion guys/gals. Just what I was hoping for when I started the thread!

I was reading Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea last night and found it interesting when the author was writing about how the differences in Algebra and Geometry have their roots in the different cultural emphases between the Greeks (Geometry) and the ancient people of India (Algebra).


I know, I know...I am a total math geek! :)

that might be part of this - i haven't gotten that far in the book yet though - but I know they are trying to trace the population back to 7 women

Lynne wrote: "Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "i've always been interested in genetics and how different diseases and traits come about, and a year or so ago, I was watching a documentary about mongolia wh..."

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Lynn - you might like Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time - its a math/science based bio about the guy who figured out how ..."

There is also a Sibert Honor book on the same topic called The Longitude Prize by Joan Dash. (The Sibert award is for the most distinguished informational book published in English each year for children and young adults.)

Lynne wrote: "Great discussion guys/gals. Just what I was hoping for when I started the thread!

I was reading Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea last night and found it interesting when th..."

If you are a math geek, you should look at Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth. It was really interesting and you may like it.

Lynne wrote: "Great discussion guys/gals. Just what I was hoping for when I started the thread!

I was reading Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea last night and found it interesting when th..."

You so are!!

Oh this is a good discussion for me, I've always loved science and I'm doing a PhD in chemistry. So there are many, many scientific questions that interest me - and my supervisor keeps adding to my project because apparently "it seems like you're good at multitasking". Fortunatly I don't mind having a lot to keep me busy.
I get to read a lot of chemistry papers (as well as some physics, nanotech, biology etc) as lit reviewing is an ongoing process - but I don't think I can add them to my tally here :)

I'm reading The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory because I like the idea of string theory but don't know much about it. I would also like to read The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements because I'm interested in the history of chemistry and how the elements were discovered.

I enjoy science and wish I paid more attention in my various science classes in college because there is so much I don't remember! Classes I would go back and do again (in my imagination) are things like astronomy, geology, anatomy, botany, nutrition, maybe biology. I really like social sciences. For me it's not so much the subject but rather how it's presented in the book. I have no desire to read a "textbook".

Lyn M wrote: "Lynne wrote: "Great discussion guys/gals. Just what I was hoping for when I started the thread!

I was reading Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea last night and found it interes..."

Pfffffffft!