Hamster Power, rancid wine, and travel sick horses. (Do Polar Bears Get Lonely?: And 101 Other Intriguing Science Questions)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	Do Polar Bears Get Lonely?: And 101 Other Intriguing Science Questions
Date:	20/08/09 (19 review reads)
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I've developed a little bit of interest in science in the last few months, mainly as a result of dating a physics geek and him often mentioning things that interest me . So, I've been started buying a few books from Amazon that offer approachable science for the non-scientific person. I've already reviewed How to Fossilize your Hamster, which was also published by New Scientist Magazine.

This book though, rather than being experiments that could be easily and safely performed at home , is a compilation of questions asked by readers of New Scientist magazine in their 'last word' column, and the answers provided by other readers -some of whom are scientists themselves, but many of whom are just ordinary people .

There are 102 questions asked in this book - some very simple, some incredibly complicated. Each question displays one or two answers (although some have clearly raised a hot topic and have many more) and generally covers a page or two . Many answers are serious , and most are easy to understand (bearing in mind I talk from the perspective of only having a very basic understanding of science) although one or two get a little wordy and had me reaching for a dictionary .

Examples of questions asked range from the relatively simple ...

Why does red wine become lighter as it ages, whereas white wine becomes darker ?

What is the worlds largest possible raindrop ?

Do horses get motion sickness ?

... to the slightly more elaborate :

Could hamster power be a valid solution to the impending energy crisis ?
How many hamsters running on wheels would it take to fuel a house, or a factory.

Answers are mostly serious, but there is the occasional humerous one thrown in which raises a giggle, and overall the book is very enjoyable . For me, I found it a book best read in small chunks - I'd probably read one or two questions and answers at a time, before sitting and thinking about them .

Overall, I enjoyed the book very much - I've learned a little (for example that horses are incapable of vomiting) , giggled quite a lot, and spent time imagining some of the situations described . I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in the lighter end of science, and with a cover price of 7.99 (although its cheaper on amazon at 4.12) its good value for money .

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