Comments on: Science geek holiday gifts: books!

By: Jen Kline

Jen Kline — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:22:28 +0000

If your geek watches DVD’s in the dark at night they would love this gift idea – The Microlite, tiny LED light that illuminates your remote control so you can actually read it in the dark. It looks really high tech too, but is only $10 or three for $19.99.
http://www.microlitetech.com

By: Judith Brigg

Judith Brigg — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:29:54 +0000

“So you read this blog, which means you’re a hopeless geek.”

YOU MADE MY DAY, I’M A HOPELESS GEEK! YAY!

Thanks.

By: Jim Kakalios

Jim Kakalios — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:00:52 +0000

Michael and DeafScribe:

Nerds run this planet! And we’re not going to take anymore from the Man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72XAXiyXf-k

Phl: Thanks so much for the kind words about my book.

By: Michael Swanson

Michael Swanson — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:10:46 +0000

@ 31. DeafScribe

“…it’s time to admit the obvious, what Phil already knows – I’m a hopeless geek. Is there a twelve-step program or should I just roll with it?”

Roll with it, you giant nerd! Be proud!

By: Buzz Parsec

Buzz Parsec — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:43:33 +0000

Oops! Need to correct my previous post. I don’t think the carrion beetle was actually eating the frog, but most likely was scouting it as a location to lay its eggs. P.S. my niece identified it from one of her nature books… She loves looking up things she has found and studying about them, then going back to look at them again.

By: Buzz Parsec

Buzz Parsec — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:06:19 +0000

I’m proud to say my recommendation, “The Calculus Diaries”, is next month’s book in my local skeptics book club. BTW, Kathy Moon@33, “Packing for Mars” was this month’s book. “A little disgusting, but very interesting”, to quote my 8-y-o niece commenting on a dead frog being consumed by a carrion beetle. (I need to get her the Evolution book…)

By: Kathy Moon

Kathy Moon — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:31:20 +0000

I hear “Packing for Mars” (by the author of “Bonk”) has been getting good reviews.

By: Dwight

Dwight — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:24:36 +0000

There is also a new book available which will make an ideal gift for the über-geek: Live TV From the Moon. It details the aspects of R&D for the technology which ultimately allowed citizens of planet earth to watch as Neil Armstrong first set foot upon the moon. This event wasn’t some science fiction TV series, it was a real historical event – and if you ask me, that is way more exciting! It also is packed with pics and diagrams which put the role of TV during Apollo into its correct perspective.

Sorry for the balatant plug.

By: DeafScribe

DeafScribe — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 04:34:05 +0000

I already have some of these books and I want several of the others. I also read this blog daily. Clearly it’s time to admit the obvious, what Phil already knows – I’m a hopeless geek. Is there a twelve-step program or should I just roll with it?

I’m nominating Dennis Overbye’s Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos. Beautifully written biography/history of cosmology, and particularly poignant in the wake of Allan Sandage’s passing.

By: Jim Crider

Jim Crider — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 04:13:11 +0000

“50 Dangerous Things (you should let your children do)” by Gever Tulley & Julie Seymour is now available in special 5-signed-copy bundles for the Solstice:

http://tinkering-unlimited.com/store/bundle.html

By: Monkey

Monkey — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 04:09:49 +0000

@Shane

touche!

By: Donna H

Donna H — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:55:30 +0000

I’m reading Trick or Treatment by Edzard Ernst & Simon Singh. Highly recommend it.

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:42:43 +0000

@Monkey

Without sci-fi how are you going to prepare for the impending zombie apocalypse?

By: Zyphane

Zyphane — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:39:06 +0000

@BrainToo Didn’t see Battlestar Galactica: The Plan, huh? The Cylons pursuing the remnant fleet has entirely to do with **SPOILERS**Cylon Model 1, Cavil, having some serious daddy/mommy-issues with his creators, the “Final Five” cylons. He was all upset they made him have a lame-o human body instead of any awesome robo-body and that they didn’t love him as much as they did the hoo-mans. He killed them, put them in human society, destroyed human civilization, and after they all survived and joined the fleet, kept harassing them so they would finally come to see that humans aren’t as cool as robots. It didn’t work.**END SPOILERS**.

By: Monkey

Monkey — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:33:38 +0000

Can we also stop wishing for Zombies, or talking about zombies….the boredom kills me!

By: Monkey

Monkey — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:31:55 +0000

Not into the sci-fi rubbish, sorry. The Quantum book looks interesting, though!

I dare say Im “into geeky things at times” but to lump into the “I like astronomy therefore Im a trekkie…” category is a touch too far fer me!

By: kuhnigget

kuhnigget — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:45:47 +0000

I heartily recommend exciting archaeological novels. written by highly underrated (and under read) authors.

Clickity click?

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:31:57 +0000

Here’s the thing that bothered me about BSG. Why did the machines care?

I mean obviously they were enemies. However the Cylons achieved almost total victory. Humanity, so far as they knew, were shattered and no threat anymore.

Yet the machines kept coming. On and on, like they were obsessed. The machines had freedom, victory, a fleet, territory, you name it. The Cylons even tried to rule a camp of humans. For no obvious purpose at all. Why would the Cylons do that? What’s in it for them?

Here the humans are running away as fast as they can and the Cylons have nothing better to do with their time?

By: dangermom

dangermom — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 23:13:44 +0000

I NEED that book from Trace Beaulieu. However, if anyone cares, I got the “Evolution” book for kids and it was nice, but not as in-depth as I had hoped for. It’s a decent jumping-off point, though.

By: Cain

Cain — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:55:07 +0000

I always give “Demon Haunted World” to anyone I want to infect with a love of science and skepticism.

By: psuedonymous

psuedonymous — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:14:29 +0000

BSG may have had a few moments of almost reasonable science (Space is Quiet! Except for gunfire, engines, and things zooming past if they’re close enough, or explosions if they’re large enough), but as a TV show? Awful! Massively contrived plot, hugely unlikeable characters with little to no development (I know, let’s add ANOTHER dysfunction!) with the entire show hinging on the sheer mind boggling incompetence of the Evil Machines.

The space battles, while totally unrealistic (essentially space ship knife fights), were rather pretty. Pity they were so few and far between, especially as the show dragged on.

By: Michael Swanson

Michael Swanson — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:07:48 +0000

Ah, Battlestar Galactica…the best three seasons of TV sci-fi ever. Yes, I know it was on for four seasons.

By: chimango

chimango — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:24:12 +0000

Anything from Carl Sagan’s a good idea for a gift.
Hey, when are we going to see your book in spanish? I want to give away (and borrow later) Muerte desde los Cielos!

By: BJN

BJN — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:10:59 +0000

BSG may have made an effort to get some science more “right” but it’s also cram-packed with pseudo-religious and mystical themes that easily offset that effort.

The root story of BSG is the Mormon story of the “lost tribes of Israel”. The planet Kobol is derived from the Mormon home planet of God, Kolob. There are many other references to Mormon theology and folklore, particularly in the original TV series. The new series is more vague, but is still a dense stew of woo. Dramatic, entertaining, and really worthwhile watching, but woo nonetheless.

By: Michael Swanson

Michael Swanson — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:33:51 +0000

Obviously Phil needs to plug his own book, but it really is excellent. It was an immensely informative and entertaining read, and I’ve already recommended it to all of my science geek friends.

But my all time favorite science book (sorry Phil) is “Measuring Eternity” by Martin Gorst. Not only is it a great history book about determining the ages of the Earth, the Solar System and the universe itself, but it wonderfully fills a secondary role of showing young earthers that science isn’t inherently anti-religious. The book starts with Bishop James Ussher, the guy who determined that the Earth was created in 4004BCE, and it pays him his due. His work, for its time, was brilliant, and his dedication was unbelievable. But from there, science is just a process of observation, discovery and correction. Read it!