Early on in this excellent examination of the state of one of the earth's most important resources, Dolan (Our Poisoned Sky, 1991, etc.) warns readers not to take on faith doomsday scenarios, and later reminds them that the not-yet-hopeless fight for clean water requires a lifelong commitment. In between, he outlines the tolls of irrigation, salinization, and the burning of fossil fuels (leading to acid rain); he discusses the depletion of aquifers, the ruining of the great European rivers—the Elbe, the Danube, and the Rhine, which have become open sewers—and the Everglades, the US's most threatened wetlands. Dolan spells it all out, without making more sordid than necessary the contributions of greed, stupidity, and unrestrained population growth to the damage. Balanced and objective, this is a good overview of an impending global calamity, driven more by statistics and common sense than fear. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12+)
Pub Date: April 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-525-65220-5
Page Count: 122
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
This entry in the Portraits in Science series introduces a pioneer of the computer, 19th-century mathematician and philosopher Charles Babbage. Born in 1791 to affluent parents, Babbage excelled in the study of mathematics at Trinity College, Oxford; married young, he chose to support himself and his wife on their modest annual allowances rather than finding a job; one of his pet projects was inspired by his desire to escape dull classroom computations—and thus the idea for the Difference Engine was born. He constructed a small version of this mechanical calculating machine; kudos from the scientific community and financial support from the British government led to the development of a full-fledged prototype. He had to abandon it; his next inspiration, the Analytical Engine, was credited with containing many of the basic elements of an electronic brain (a CPU, memory banks, coded cards for programming), but was never completed either. While the discussions of how Babbage’s machines function are fairly sophisticated and involved, the authors capture the inventor’s personality, showing the impact the loss of his wife and child had on his work. Numerous sidebars explain the significance of logarithms, early mechanical calculators, the Jacquard Loom, and more. (b&w photographs and reproductions, chronology, further reading, index) (Biography. 12+)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-19-508997-9
Page Count: 123
Publisher: Oxford Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1998
Middle-school science students will find this title a useful jumping-off place for science explorations using readily available household products, including toothpaste, shampoo, soap, hand lotion, sun block, detergent, aspirin, and orange juice. The author begins with a review of the scientific method and detailed safety warnings, then presents a variety of projects, for example, evaluating shampoos for cleaning power, analyzing aspirin for the amount of active ingredient, and testing the vitamin C content of orange juice. The author notes all the experiments included are to help the reader become a more educated consumer and to have fun with science. For science-fair projects, additional research and elaboration would be necessary. Some useful extension ideas include investigating “anti-bubbles,” and exploring the scientific concerns regarding overuse of antibacterial products. One experiment, testing large doses of lipid-soluble vitamins on the ability of planarian worms to regenerate lost parts does not seem to provide sufficient safeguards for humane treatment of the experimental animals. A sturdy, readable, and useful title in the “Science Fair Success Series.” (brief glossary, further reading, useful Web sites, suppliers, index) (Nonfiction. 12-14)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-7660-1626-9
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Enslow
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2002
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