The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - The Handy Science Answer Book

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Jim and Naomi dedicate this edition to Sandi and Carey: We owe you a lot! In addition, the authors thank their families for the ongoing interest, encouragement, support, and especially their understanding while this edition was being revised.

Photo Sources

Salix Alba: .

Andrevruas (Wikicommons): .

Toni Barros: .

J. Brew: .

Carafe (Wikicommons): .

Carny (Wikicommons): .

Daderot (Wikicommons): .

Valentin de Bruyn / Coton: .

Stephen C. Dickson: .

Efbrazil (Wikicommons): .

Electrical Review : .

ESO/L. Calada and Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org): .

Executive Office of the President of the United States: .

Gawthorpe Hall: .

Georesearch Volcanedo Germany: .

German Federal Archives: .

Mike Goren: .

Hannes Grobe/AWI: .

Alex Handy: .

Fred Hartsook: .

Kevin Hile: (left).

Houghton Library: .

Kjoonlee (Wikicommons): .

Kowloonese (Wikicommons): .

Robert Krewaldt: .

Library of Congress: p.

Life magazine: .

Russ London: .

Walter Marius: .

Mercury13 (Wikicommons): .

Paul Nadar: .

NASA: p.

NASA Glenn Research Center (NASA-GRC): (left).

NASA/JPL-Caltech: .

NASA/JPL/DLR: .

National Institutes of Health: (left).

National Maritime Museum: (left).

National Museum of Fine Arts, Sweden: .

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: p.

National Science Foundation: .

New York Public Library: (right).

Old Farmers Almanac : .

Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky: .

Dustin M. Ramsey: .

Shutterstock: p.

Smithsonian Institution Archives Collection: .

Speeding Cars (Wikicommons): (top).

Amber Stuver: .

Tamiko Thiel: .

Yunuskhuja Tuygunkhujaev: .

Tyomitch (Wikicommons): .

U.S. Air Force: .

U.S. Department of the Treasury: .

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: .

U.S. Geological Service: .

U.S. Navy: .

Stefan Zachow: .

Public domain: p.

Introduction

In the twenty-five years since the first edition of The Handy Science Answer Book was published in 1994, innumerable discoveries and advancements have been made in all fields of the biological and physical sciences. These accomplishments range from the microscopic to the globalfrom gene sequencing and CRISPR technology to advances in particle and quantum physics to the discovery of exoplanets. As a society, we have increased our awareness of the environment and the sustainability of our resources.

This newly updated fifth edition continues to be an educational resource that is both informative and enjoyable. The questions are interesting, unusual, frequently asked, or difficult to answer. Statistical data have been updated for this new edition. Both of us are pleased and excited about the various changes, including additions and improvements in this new edition, which continues to add to and enhance the original publication presented by the Science and Technology Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

GENERAL SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

What is science?

The field of science involves the observation, description, and experimentation of the natural world in an attempt to explain the whys and hows of our world. It is a way of thinking and an ongoing method of looking at the world. Science is a way of discovering how the world works by using a set of rules devised by scientists.

Who were the earliest scientists?

Inquisitive individuals have always attempted to explain the physical world. The early Babylonians and Egyptians were aware of natural phenomena and events. Many times, they tried to explain these events in terms of their gods. The early Greeks were among the first people to look for explanations of natural phenomena based on discovery and knowledge. Greek philosopher Thales (c. 624c. 547 B.C.E .) is often credited as being the first to look for an answer to the question, What is the world made of? Although most of the writings of Thales have been lost, we know he proposed water as the single substance from which everything in the world was made.

Who is considered the most influential scientist in the history and development of Western science?

Most experts seem to agree that Isaac Newton (16421727) is the most influential figure in the history of Western science. He was considered a great intellectual in his lifetime, and the admiration within the scientific community continues today after some three hundred years.

Why is Isaac Newton also considered the father of modern science?

Isaac Newton earned his place as the father of modern science by totally changing the way science was viewed in the evolution of human understanding of the universe, especially regarding his concepts and theories of motion, gravity, and mechanics.

What other scientists have been particularly influential in the history and development of science through the ages?

Many scholars regard the following list as individuals who have played a major role in the history and development of science:

1.Isaac Newton (16421727) and the Newtonian Revolution

2.Albert Einstein (18791955) and Twentieth-Century Physics including the Theory of Relativity

3.Galileo Galilei (15641642) and the New Science

4.Johannes Kepler (15711630) and Motion of the Planets

5.Nicolaus Copernicus (14731543) and the Heliocentric Universe

6.Niels Bohr (18851962) and the Atom

7.Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (17431794) and the Revolution in Chemistry

8.Charles Darwin (18091882) and Evolution

9.Louis Pasteur (18221895) and the Germ Theory of Disease

10.Sigmund Freud (18561939) and Psychology of the Unconscious

Sir Isaac Newton was the central figure in illuminating to the world how key physical laws of the universe operate.

What are some of the historical time periods of science?

The historical periods in the development of science include:

1.Antiquity: The period of time in which practical goals, such as establishing a reliable calendar or determining how to cure a variety of illnesses, existed simultaneously with abstract investigations known as natural philosophy.

2.Medieval Science: Few major contributions in fields of science occurred during the Medieval years. Exceptions were the emergence of science in the first established universities and the formulation of the Scientific Method.

3.Renaissance and Early Modern Science: During this time period, Nicolaus Copernicus (14731543) formulated a heliocentric model of the solar system unlike the geocentric model of Claudius Ptolemy (c. 100c. 170). Johannes Kepler (1571 1630), through his laws of planetary motion, improved upon Copernicuss heliocentric model. A major technological development was the invention of the printing press.

4.Age of Enlightenment: Science during the Enlightenment was dominated by scientific societies and academies, which had largely replaced universities as centers of scientific research and development. Science became increasingly popular among the educated and literate population. This time period saw advances in mathematics and physics; the development of biological taxonomy; a new understanding of gases as well as magnetism and electricity; and the maturation of chemistry as a discipline.