Robert Ehrlich (1)

One of the goals of a course I teach in our Honors College is to provide non-science majors with the tools they need to differentiate authentic science from material that has merely been provided a "scientific" dressing. Physicist Robert Ehrlich has provided nine case studies that are ideal for this purpose. Do more guns in the hands of citizens decrease crime? Is AIDS really caused by HIV? Is sun exposure harmful or beneficial? Are low doses of (nuclear) radiation beneficial? Does our solar system have two suns? Do "fossil" fuels really come from abiogenic origins? Is time travel possible? Is the Big Bang a myth? Are there faster-than-light particles? Ehrlich takes a serious and analytical look at each of these questions, and (unfortunately, I think) states his answer at the end of each chapter. The important thing is, of course, not the conclusion but the quest for it.… (plus d'informations)

This is a sequel to Ehrlich's "Nine Crazy Ideas in Science", which was my pick for December, 2001. I don't think it is as good as the first one, although it does have some great strengths; his discussion of the climate change issue is about as good as any, and he also has an especially good discussion of the efficacy of placebos. The other topics not mentioned in the subtitle are: "Is Complex Life in the Universe Very Rare?", "Are People Getting Smarter or Dumber?", (paraphrasing) Intelligent Design, Health Effects of High Cholesterol, and Psychokinesis. One of the strengths of "Eight Preposterous Propositions" is that Ehrlich provides good references, so you (or your students) can follow up on the argument in more detail if you wish.… (plus d'informations)

This collection of over 100 examples of simple physics demonstrations and experiments seeks to dispel the myths that physics is highly abstract, dauntingly complex, user-unfriendly, and remote from everyday life. Intentionally using "low-tech" and inexpensive materials from everyday life, this book humanizes key principles of physics, and shows how the best demonstrations are the simplest ones. The fact that they also save money is an added bonus.
As Ehrlich puts it, "You can actually fit many of these demonstrations in your pocket, bring them to class without any setup required and, best of all, you need not fear that your "demo" will more likely illustrate Murphy's Laws rather than Newton's."
Some of the more intriguing examples include:
Estimating the net forces on a moving book.
Deep knee bends on a bathroom scale.
Recoil force on a bent straw.
Avalanches in a sand pile.
Spinning a penny.
Swinging your arms while walking.
The "Tachyon Telephone" and, of course
Why Toasts land jelly-side down.
An essential resource for Physics teachers, students and anyone with even the slightest interest in physics.… (plus d'informations)