Scientific fact or fiction?

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JAN-FEB 2008 | VOLUME 11 | NUMBER 1-2 51

Energy... beyond oil

Fraser Armstrong and Katherine

Blundell (eds.)Oxford University Press • 2007 • 240 pp

ISBN: 978-0-19-920996-5

$49.50 / £25

This is a collection of contributions

from experts in physics, chemistry,

materials science, and biology together

with key industrialists, politicians, and

policy makers. The contributions focus

on solutions to the energy problem

and describe the major energy-generation

technologies that are still under

development.

Tissue Engineering Using Ceramics and Polymers

Aldo R. Boccaccini and Julie Gough

(eds.)CRC Press • 2007 • 700 pp

ISBN: 978-1-420044-54-6

$329.95 / £165

This book brings together international

experts to review the latest research

and advances. Contributions include

chapters on ceramic and polymeric

biomaterials, bioactive ceramics and

glasses, biodegradable and bioactive

polymer/ceramic composite scaffolds,

transplantation of engineered cells and

tissues, and tissue organ generation.

The editors also highlight some of the

characterization techniques used.

Materials Chemistry

Bradley D. FahlmanSpringer • 2007 • 485 pp

ISBN: 978-1-4020-6119-6

$89.95 / £54 / �72.75

This textbook is a reference point,

providing detail on the structure

and properties of inorganic, organic,

and nanoscale materials. The

book covers solid-state chemistry,

amorphous solids, powder metallurgical

methods, steels, corrosion, and shape-

memory materials. It also focuses on

modern transistors, IC fabrication, and

photovoltaics. The book ends with a look

at polymers.

This latest attempt to popularize science through the

medium of popular culture takes the world’s favorite

yellow cartoon family and uses the characters to

explore a number of scientific themes and related

sociological concerns. Although not a science fiction

show, The Simpsons does have a number of former

scientists on its writing staff and is famous for

appearances by celebrities, including Stephen Hawking,

Stephen Jay Gould, and Dudley Hirschbach. As such,

the plotlines frequently allude to science and where

there are no specific episodes addressing the area he

wishes to discuss, Halpern has had

fun creating hypothetical situations,

some of which may even inspire the

series creators to examine even more

scientific topics in the future!

The author is a physicist and

mathematician, and the sections

dealing with mechanics (such as the

reasons for doubting Lisa’s creation

of a perpetual motion machine

for the school science fair and the

discussion of robotics pertaining to

Bart’s replacement robot brother), are

particularly strong.

I was less convinced by some of the

discussions of genetics, in particular

the lengthy debate about whether radiation could

actually cause a mutation to give a three-eyed fish,

which then digresses into tales of ‘actual’ fake three-

eyed fish created by rogue fishermen (who apparently

perfected the art of cutting open fish and adding

an additional eye). Such anecdotes are entertaining,

but not really anything to do with either radiation

effects or genetics. However, it was heartening to

see a chapter devoted to Darwinism and the debate

between science and religion. This is a contentious

area, particularly in the US, and can always benefit

from a level-headed (and in this case amusing)

discussion.

In some sections, the author veers off into more

social scientific and even sci-fi related areas, such as

the chapter devoted to Asimov’s Laws of Robotics.

However, Halpern is always careful to include some

genuine scientific mitigation for these digressions

– in the case of robotics he gives an explanation of

the Turing test, then leads onto a discussion of chaos

theory and Einstein’s theories of relativity. There

are also several chapters on astronomy (including

near-earth objects), space travel, and a somewhat

implausible section on aliens, which is clearly aimed at

the more sci-fi obsessed reader. (Although even here

Halpern manages to include references to the Fibonacci

sequence, a discussion of topology as it pertains to the

shape of the Universe, and a brief introduction to string

theory).

To cover such a wide range of scientific concepts in

such a thin volume is brave, and occasionally leads

to some awkward transitions and an uneven tone

(moving from wordy and complex

sections to those that are rather glib

and superficial). As with earlier books

in this vein, such as The Physics of Star

Trek, the intended audience is not

always clear. Much of the writing reads

like a fanzine, with scene-by-scene

descriptions where the relevance to the

science being discussed is not always

apparent.

Although the book is roughly divided

into four sections (genetics/biological

sciences; mechanics/robotics;

particle physics/time travel; and

astronomy/space travel), there are

frequent digressions and overlaps that could make the

material confusing for a nonscientist. In addition, the

text is completely lacking in illustrations and while it

is easy to imagine that permission to use stills from

the cartoon might have been impossible to obtain,

some of the science discussed (such as DNA mutation,

nuclear physics, and Newtonian mechanics) would

be a lot more accessible with some well-designed

accompanying figures.

Despite all these reservations, this is an entertaining

and informative book. Halpern has even suggested a

list of questions to consider when watching the movie;

a combination of the two might make an inspiring

gift for a young Simpsons fan who also displays the

potential to become a budding scientist.

Paul Halpern

What’s Science Ever Done For Us?: What The Simpsons Can

Teach Us About Physics, Robots, Life, and the Universe

Wiley • 2007 • 272 pp • ISBN: 978-0-470-11460-5

$14.95 / £9.99 / �12

Scientific fact or fiction?Paul Halpern has fun examining the science used in The Simpsons and creates some more hypothetical situations that may inspire the series’ creators for future episodes.Lucy Dickinson | lucymdickinson@yahoo.co.uk

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