Highlighted reviews
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Science Fact
Antimony, Gold and Jupiter's Wolf: Peter Wothers **** 4 December 2019 - If you are interested in chemistry, the derivation of words and history of science this is a perfect title: a cabinet of chemical/lexicographical curiosities.
Saturn: William Sheehan **** 28 November 2019 - With many images, some truly breathtaking, this exploration of Saturn takes the reader effectively and methodically from history, through what we know to expeditions and its moons.
The Apollo Chronicles: Brandon Brown ***** 23 November 2019 - Pulls off the remarkable feat of making the day-to-day issues of engineering the Apollo missions fascinating as repeated obstacles are overcome. Also gives good political context.
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Starsight: Brandon Sanderson ***** 3 December 2019 - The second novel in this spacefaring trilogy really takes off: great action, lots of clever detail and a move away from juvenilia that makes it a far better crossover.
Ship of Strangers: Bob Shaw *** 11 November 2019 - A solid piece of writing in this 1978 collection of linked novellas/long shorts - what makes it stand out is the cleverness of the challenges faced by the crew of a survey ship.
Helene: Karl Drinkwater **** 20 October 2019 - A novella filling in some of the backstory to Drinkwater's Lost Solace novels provides an interesting portrayal of the socialisation of an AI.
Classic reviews:
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Physics professor Brandon Brown tells us why he decided another Apollo book needed to be written despite not being interested in NASA growing up - and the puzzle that physicists 'use our brains as if they are perfect for any task, with no manufactured tendencies toward certain shortcuts, cul-de-sacs, or misconceptions.'
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The Royal Society Book Prize 2018
Congratulations to Sarah Jayne Blakemore, who won the 2018 prize with Inventing Ourselves: the secret life of the teenage brain…
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We also explore why maths is relevant to the game of blackjack, the science of winning at casinos, how AI is taking on the pro gambler, brain training software, Pascal and roulette, writing academic scientific book reviews, and getting your homework done.
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