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Science Times Books
The Science Times Book of Natural Disasters
Explores the causes and effects of natural disasters, including sections on climatic changes and the impact of space debris on the earth
194 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2000
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May 6, 2011
The recent epidemic of tornadoes in the United States isn’t what prompted me to read this installment in the Science Times series. However, those horrific events, and our society’s struggle to cope with them, underscore the importance of being conversant in the science behind natural disasters. Books like this one—collections of articles by world-class reporters—are less about delivering shock value and more about cultivating a practical understanding of catastrophes. As such, I found this book extremely valuable, even as it failed to be stunning nature porn.
This book also provided me a better sense of the style of science reporting. What techniques do reporters use when conveying the facts about scientific phenomenon? It’s newspaper writing, so the first paragraph sums up the essence of the story. The body of the article contains a variety of stats and quotes. Connections are made to our desire for quality of life. And to the NY Times reporters’ credit, I came to appreciate just how inadequate any single voice is in covering a scientific topic. Only multiple perspectives and examples can do justice to even specific subjects like tornadoes.
While reading I was reminded that any given scientific article is but one interjection into an ongoing conversation. What is more, over the course of reading several articles back to back, it became apparent that science--like religion and politics--spawns opposing factions. Yes, most scientists are in agreement about larger issues like global warming, plate tectonics, and the very real threat of asteroid impacts. Still, it’s in the nuts and bolts that fascinating disputes emerge. But you can’t appreciate those debates, let alone grasp them, unless you invest the time required to become conversant.
Bottom line: I strongly recommend this book, and by extension the entire Science Times series. It is written for non-scientists and is quite accessible. Most importantly, the book provides a keener understanding of how the life-giving world around us routinely ends our lives.
This book also provided me a better sense of the style of science reporting. What techniques do reporters use when conveying the facts about scientific phenomenon? It’s newspaper writing, so the first paragraph sums up the essence of the story. The body of the article contains a variety of stats and quotes. Connections are made to our desire for quality of life. And to the NY Times reporters’ credit, I came to appreciate just how inadequate any single voice is in covering a scientific topic. Only multiple perspectives and examples can do justice to even specific subjects like tornadoes.
While reading I was reminded that any given scientific article is but one interjection into an ongoing conversation. What is more, over the course of reading several articles back to back, it became apparent that science--like religion and politics--spawns opposing factions. Yes, most scientists are in agreement about larger issues like global warming, plate tectonics, and the very real threat of asteroid impacts. Still, it’s in the nuts and bolts that fascinating disputes emerge. But you can’t appreciate those debates, let alone grasp them, unless you invest the time required to become conversant.
Bottom line: I strongly recommend this book, and by extension the entire Science Times series. It is written for non-scientists and is quite accessible. Most importantly, the book provides a keener understanding of how the life-giving world around us routinely ends our lives.
Displaying 1 of 1 review