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The Odd Book of Data
The Odd Book of Data focuses on the principles of nature, science, astronomy, physics, economy, and education. The book first offers information on the universe, earth, and physics. Topics include creation of the universe, orbital speeds, the Milky Way, solar orbit of the earth, coastlines, rain supply, and Einstein's relativity theory. The text then elaborates on atoms and molecules, botany, biology, and mankind. Topics include life expectancy, urbanization, radiation, birth control, agriculture, forces of attraction in matter, and size and motion of electrons. The manuscript examines sense organs, energy, science and education, and economy. Discussions focus on standards of living, productivity, industrialization, proliferation of computers, illiteracy, energy resources, and fuel and power. The book then elaborates on transport and communication. The text is a valuable source of information for researchers wanting to explore the principles of nature, science, astronomy, economy, physics, education, and related fields.
105 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1965
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 4, 2014
I thought I'd reviewed this a month ago, but writing to recommend it to a goodreads friend found no. Here's what I said to the friend today, with a little added:
This a very odd book, just made for a quick browse or a longer read. The writer, a Dutch chemical engineer who must have had a very engaging mind, considers measurements and quantities, then makes humorous analogies to other measurements, like imagining a race to see who can go the farthest in one second. The contestants are a race car, a gamma ray, a molecule in Brownian motion, a sound wave, a guided missile, the velocity of a point on the earth's rotating surface relative to the earth's axis, a fast neutron and electron. Each is personalized with a comic name. Some people could predict the order of finish among them but even those savants might not know right off how much separates the competitors after one second.
A couple more examples:
Sound energy compared to mechanical: the sound energy generated by hearty applause from a large audience at a concert corresponds to the energy expended by one member of the audience raising an arm up to his head.
Pressure: "A woman of average size supporting her weight on one stiletto-heeled shoe exerts a local pressure on the ground similar to that acting on the walls of an ordinary high-pressure steam boiler. (75 atm).
The book was published 1965, and a few passages are outdated like those on computing speed. Most will never change fundamentally. Take the passage on compound interest which, quoted somewhere, led me to track down this book in 2002. "A dollar invested at 4% compound interest in the year of Christ's nativity would now have the value of roughly one hundred thousand globes of solid gold, each the size of the earth! At simple interest, however, the investor would now be entitled to withdraw about $80."
Good for bar-room bets that you don't want to lose. Also good for teaching science along with say The Cartoon Guide to Physics. Also good for appreciating the universe and our place in it.
This a very odd book, just made for a quick browse or a longer read. The writer, a Dutch chemical engineer who must have had a very engaging mind, considers measurements and quantities, then makes humorous analogies to other measurements, like imagining a race to see who can go the farthest in one second. The contestants are a race car, a gamma ray, a molecule in Brownian motion, a sound wave, a guided missile, the velocity of a point on the earth's rotating surface relative to the earth's axis, a fast neutron and electron. Each is personalized with a comic name. Some people could predict the order of finish among them but even those savants might not know right off how much separates the competitors after one second.
A couple more examples:
Sound energy compared to mechanical: the sound energy generated by hearty applause from a large audience at a concert corresponds to the energy expended by one member of the audience raising an arm up to his head.
Pressure: "A woman of average size supporting her weight on one stiletto-heeled shoe exerts a local pressure on the ground similar to that acting on the walls of an ordinary high-pressure steam boiler. (75 atm).
The book was published 1965, and a few passages are outdated like those on computing speed. Most will never change fundamentally. Take the passage on compound interest which, quoted somewhere, led me to track down this book in 2002. "A dollar invested at 4% compound interest in the year of Christ's nativity would now have the value of roughly one hundred thousand globes of solid gold, each the size of the earth! At simple interest, however, the investor would now be entitled to withdraw about $80."
Good for bar-room bets that you don't want to lose. Also good for teaching science along with say The Cartoon Guide to Physics. Also good for appreciating the universe and our place in it.
January 31, 2013
100 pages of fun facts to know and tell. For example, there are as many molecules of water in a teaspoon as there are teaspoons of water in the Atlantic ocean
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews