Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
286th out of 596 books
—
1,318 voters
Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax"
Dr Platt created his popular web site: www. badastronomy.com, to debunk bad astronomy in popular culture. This website proved popular, which led to this first book by Plait, that carries on from the website and in a detailed and clear fashion criticises and disproves popular myths and misconceptions relating to astronomy, and promotes science as a means of explaining the s...more
Paperback, 277 pages
Published
March 5th 2002
by John Wiley & Sons
(first published March 1st 2002)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
Este libro es directamente fantástico. Es como Malaciencia, pero aplicado únicamente a la astronomía, al Espacio y a alguna cosa más. El autor es humilde y a la vez mordaz, y no deja títere con cabeza cuando se pone a analizar uno por uno bastantes mitos sobre la ciencia. El estilo es simple, claro y conciso. Me encanta. Un breve resumen de los temas que trata seguro que les hace la boca agua:
- Huevos que se sostienen solos durante el equinoccio
- El efecto Coriolis y hacia dónde gira el agua en...more
- Huevos que se sostienen solos durante el equinoccio
- El efecto Coriolis y hacia dónde gira el agua en...more
What do you think you know about astronomy? For example, what causes us to have seasons? If you said that it's our distance from the sun - sorry, you're wrong. Or how about why the sky is blue? If you think it's that the sky reflects the sea, nope. Wrong again. Or perhaps you think that the moon's tidal effect makes people crazy, or that an egg can only stand on end if it's the Vernal Equinox or that an alignment of the planets will cause a terrible buildup of gravity that will kill us all!
All w...more
All w...more
As I read this book, I found myself wondering who it was written for. There were occasional snippets of information that I really enjoyed (random little factoids I hadn't really thought about before), but most of what I found in here were things I already knew. Most of it I learned in elementary school, such as the cause of seasons. Since most of the book wasn't news for me, I was pretty bored while I read - though I occasionally found myself making note of "Oh, that's something to explain to my...more
Subtitled ‘Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing “Hoax”‘, this book discusses misconceptions related to astronomy. For example, various false explanations to why the sky is blue are talked about. The first part is about things like tides, eclipses. Then the book moves on to things like astrology and the purported Moon landing hoax. There is also a section on bad astronomy in films.
Philip Plait is an astronomer who also runs the excellent Bad Astronomy website. H...more
Philip Plait is an astronomer who also runs the excellent Bad Astronomy website. H...more
Feb 28, 2012
Holden Attradies
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE!
Definitely one of my all time favorite "skeptic" books. It's a really "down to earth" and engaging read and every time I read it I feel like I've walked away with new knowledge or mistaken knowledge corrected. It's one of those books that has an amazing amount of information provided in it, right on the edge of being overwhelming. But, it's presented in a way (especially the way the chapters are broken up) that it isn't overwhelming and once your done you feel anything you missed you could happi...more
I enjoyed reading Bad Astronomy. Explanations of astronomical misconceptions were easy and absolutely comprehensive. Plait's writing is light and clear. He has a good sense of humor. But this book is for dummies rather than for smart guys. To be more correct. If you like Astronomy and somehow you know very little about it, this book is brilliant for you. But even if you think you know about such small matters why the sky is blue, why the seasons change, why the star Polaris is important. Maybe y...more
A collection of essay by Plait, drawn from his experience writing the "Bad Astronomy" website. Not as interesting a read as his subsequent book, "Death from the Skies", but that may largely be due to the range of articles. They include some pretty banal topics: eggs and the equinox; why seasons change; why stars appear to twinkle; the great planetary alignment of 200.
Other essays display his skill as a scientist and skeptic, including a debunking of hoaxers arguments that the Apollo moon landin...more
Other essays display his skill as a scientist and skeptic, including a debunking of hoaxers arguments that the Apollo moon landin...more
Others have done a good job of explaining what this book is about, so here's an opinion!
It's been years since I finished this book for the first time, but I'm still going back to it to resolve arguments and clear up my own misunderstandings. The writing is extremely entertaining and accessible (I first read it when I was fifteen and nothing confused me or had me out of my depth), while also being rigorous, and Plait avoids oversimplifying things, which is a huge pet hate of mine in popular scien...more
It's been years since I finished this book for the first time, but I'm still going back to it to resolve arguments and clear up my own misunderstandings. The writing is extremely entertaining and accessible (I first read it when I was fifteen and nothing confused me or had me out of my depth), while also being rigorous, and Plait avoids oversimplifying things, which is a huge pet hate of mine in popular scien...more
Philip C. Plait definitely knows how to decant sciences down to layman like myself.
Finally, I know the reason for 2 high tides and 2 low tides per day, ok, I kind of know it now. I felt that the author could have spent a couple more pages explaining this.
His diagram for illustrating the various phases of the moon was very helpful to me. I always had the question in my mind, how could the moon's visible shape be the same from moon rise to moon set on any given day.
I was astounded to learn that...more
Finally, I know the reason for 2 high tides and 2 low tides per day, ok, I kind of know it now. I felt that the author could have spent a couple more pages explaining this.
His diagram for illustrating the various phases of the moon was very helpful to me. I always had the question in my mind, how could the moon's visible shape be the same from moon rise to moon set on any given day.
I was astounded to learn that...more
This is a great read. This book is a sound debunking of various astronomical conspiracy theories, from the Moon Landing to the face on Mars. Plait keeps things simple, and doesn't bog everything down with scientific jargon. He's also very professional in his writing, never personally attacking the people behind these theories. (Which is really amazing, since you can read transcripts of radio shows he's appeared on with these people on his website, and they are always launching personal attacks a...more
Fun read. I thought that I'd know most of the things that he covered, but I learned a lot from this book, including why the moon looks bigger on the horizon (I never did buy the whole "We compare it to the trees" theory). I enjoyed reading this one--the author has a nice sense of humor (a few groan-worthy puns notwithstanding).
Recommended for everyone. He uses clear comparisons and analogies. Most of the subject is directly related to things that everyone knows about and understands. He even cov...more
Recommended for everyone. He uses clear comparisons and analogies. Most of the subject is directly related to things that everyone knows about and understands. He even cov...more
an okay book. i won't be reading it a second time.
1 like · like · see review
There is a fundamental problem with any book of this sort in that it's always going to be preaching to the choir. Anyone who needs to read it - people who believe the moon landing was hoaxed, for example - wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. So while I applaud the author's motives I fear they may be a bit wasted.
There wasn't much in here I didn't already know, but it was written well and I would recommend perhaps to younger readers with an interest in science. Of course, I would also recommend...more
There wasn't much in here I didn't already know, but it was written well and I would recommend perhaps to younger readers with an interest in science. Of course, I would also recommend...more
I really like the way astronomy is presented in this book. Instead of talking about what is what in astronomy, Philip explains what is not real astronomy. In the conventional way, books start with the solar system, then galaxy and then like, which is awesome but dull. Philip does not do it this way. He starts with what we have already known about astronomy, from movies, stories or other sources, and he tries to tell us how some explanations are wrong. This is really the first book I've every rea...more
I don't have much to say about this book. It's competently done, but I wasn't particularly satisfied with it even though it did cover some misconceptions I didn't realize I held (that the Earth's shadow causes the moon's phases, for example).
I think my biggest problem was with the book's tone. It's extremely conversational, and Plait frequently illustrates his points with metaphors. This isn't automatically a problem, but after a while they were so frequently that they started to interrupt the f...more
I think my biggest problem was with the book's tone. It's extremely conversational, and Plait frequently illustrates his points with metaphors. This isn't automatically a problem, but after a while they were so frequently that they started to interrupt the f...more
I have a bit of an interest in astronomy and astrophysics and such like, although not enough to really get into the weighty material on the topic. This book was good because it is written largely for folks like me, whose technical knowledge of the subject is quite limited, but who want to learn a bit more.
There's a good number of chapters on various interesting things which I didn't understand or which I misunderstood, such as water swirling down a drain, and why the sky is blue and so on. The a...more
There's a good number of chapters on various interesting things which I didn't understand or which I misunderstood, such as water swirling down a drain, and why the sky is blue and so on. The a...more
I enjoyed reading Bad Astronomy. Explanations of astronomical misconceptions were easy and absolutely comprehensive. Plait's writing is light and clear. He has a good sense of humor. But this book is for dummies rather than for smart guys. To be more correct. If you like Astronomy and somehow you know very little about it, this book is brilliant for you. But even if you think you know about such small matters why the sky is blue, why the seasons change, why the star Polaris is important. Maybe y...more
So many times I've wanted to shove this book into someone's hands. The standing the egg on end on the equinox thing is among the misconceptions that gets me sputtering the most. On The West Wing, Toby's argument is that you can't stand an egg on end ever, but really the argument should be that you can stand an egg on end whenever you have the patience to try. The fact that people only try on the equinox is silly.
Also, coriolis effect in your toilet? Dumb.
Also, coriolis effect in your toilet? Dumb.
A fine book but a bit of a letdown after reading Death from the Skies first, the latter being a much more in-depth and engaging read. I found myself skimming over parts of this book, as I was looking for more interesting things about astronomy instead of more debunking – of which this book has a lot.
Plait’s writing is still really fun though, and the book doesn’t fail to stir up excitement for astronomy and it’s a great introduction to this fascinating field of science. I wish I had read this in...more
Plait’s writing is still really fun though, and the book doesn’t fail to stir up excitement for astronomy and it’s a great introduction to this fascinating field of science. I wish I had read this in...more
Funny, entertaining, informative. Most of the stuff I already knew (I used to teach high school science), but I learned a few things, too.
My only complaint came on page 16: "That makes sense; the yolk is really the embryo of the chicken and shouldn't get jostled too much." This is not true. The embryo only grows if the egg is fertilized, and it starts as a small dot ON the yolk. The yolk provides food for the growing chick. I guess I need to write a book called "Bad Biology"!
My only complaint came on page 16: "That makes sense; the yolk is really the embryo of the chicken and shouldn't get jostled too much." This is not true. The embryo only grows if the egg is fertilized, and it starts as a small dot ON the yolk. The yolk provides food for the growing chick. I guess I need to write a book called "Bad Biology"!
1 like · like · see review
Let's be honest. If there was anything in this book that I didn't know, I should be calling UMd and returning my degrees. I didn't listen to this book to find out what science/astronomy misconceptions I've been harboring; I listened to it to find out what misconceptions are out there. Some I've heard before. Some I hadn't. I think the most interesting part of a book like this is learning what misconceptions are out there and learning how to respond in a down-to-Earth manner. I enjoyed it.
Included alot of basic information that I would think anyone reading this book would already know. Also, would have been greatly improved if the bad science from fields other than astronomy had been edited out(e.g. 'Australopithecus afarensis was the most highly evolved creature on the planet', stating that store bought eggs are fertilized.) And he's not the best writer.
This was a fun read. It taught me some stuff I didn't know, and clarified some concepts I only vaguely knew about. But in the end I think I prefer Plait's website. The stuff I really like--the debunking of movie "science"--was only a short chapter in the book, and there's much more of that at the blog.
Also, something that happens EVERY SIX MONTHS (such as an eclipse) is not a "rare" event, Mr. Plait. *glare*
Also, something that happens EVERY SIX MONTHS (such as an eclipse) is not a "rare" event, Mr. Plait. *glare*
This could have been a fun and interesting expose of numerous science and astronomy myths and misconceptions, but it was overly tedious, as if he were defending his corrections to mis-informed scientists instead of explaining things to novices, like me. Much of it went right over my head. But I really enjoyed his satire and sense of humor.
A very nicely done series of essays by a most earnest astronomer concerned about getting things right. He may not be very nice to astrologers, but that's how science is. His website is terrific and his work re the supposed moon-landing hoax is among the best. Definitely worth a look,and not a difficult or overly technical read.
I'm a huge fan of Phil Plait and I've been following his Bad Astronomy blog for year. As a sceptic, this shouldn't influence my review.
The book is really interesting. Even the chapters that didn't really interest me, contained many interesting facts. For example, I don't care about the moon landing hoax, but I liked the questions/answers like "Why are there no stars on the photos of the astronauts?".
Overall, the book is great. I wish it was made more difficult though.
The book is really interesting. Even the chapters that didn't really interest me, contained many interesting facts. For example, I don't care about the moon landing hoax, but I liked the questions/answers like "Why are there no stars on the photos of the astronauts?".
Overall, the book is great. I wish it was made more difficult though.
The first half of this book reads as a basic course in Astronomy, reviewing everything from the moon's phases and the seasons to why the sky is blue. I considered myself educated in the subject before reading Bad Astronomy, but was surprised (embarrassed) by how much I either didn't know or knew wrong. For the first half alone, I highly recommend this book.
The second half focuses on debunking rather strange claims about Astronomy and science in general. For a lesson in skepticism, I approve, but...more
The second half focuses on debunking rather strange claims about Astronomy and science in general. For a lesson in skepticism, I approve, but...more
The average American knows more about what Julia Roberts eats for breakfast than what the Coriolis effect is, and Dr. Plait thinks that should change. I think this book should be mandatory reading for anyone remotely interested in astronomy and/or science fiction. His website is just as informative.
I thought I wrote about this already... although there's interesting material in here, I was annoyed by weak/wrong and/or irrelevant arguments. If your book is going to be all about sneering at other people's mistakes, you really need to be accurate in what you say and how you say it.
One example: Plait mocks advertisers who refer to a product as "lightyears ahead", asserting that they are using "lightyears" as a unit of time, when it's really a unit of distance. I have no clue how he decided tha...more
One example: Plait mocks advertisers who refer to a product as "lightyears ahead", asserting that they are using "lightyears" as a unit of time, when it's really a unit of distance. I have no clue how he decided tha...more
Just finished this one. Full of common misunderstandings juxtaposed by scientific fact explained in clear terms that can be understood by any layman. Specked with a good dose of humor, it was both fun and interesting to read. I especially found the part about light and the tides very interesting.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Philip Cary Plait, Ph.D. (aka "The Bad Astronomer") is a US astronomer, skeptic, writer and popular science blogger. He is a well known author and public figure in the fields of astronomy and science.
Platt gained his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Virginia in 1994. He began his career with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His first foray into public life was with his blog that des...more
More about Philip C. Plait...
Platt gained his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Virginia in 1994. He began his career with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His first foray into public life was with his blog that des...more
Share This Book
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
“If a little kid ever asks you just why the sky is blue, you look him or her right in the eye and say, "It's because of quantum effects involving Rayleigh scattering combined with a lack of violet photon receptors in our retinae.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
Nov 09, 2012 01:15pm