In the first of a new series of bite-sized reviews, Physics World editors give their verdicts on top new science titles
Love Triangle: the Life-changing Magic of Trigonometry
By Matt Parker
Comedian and science author Matt Parker is on a mission to elevate the reputation of the humble triangle. Despite dealing with what might be familiar concepts, Love Triangle shows that geometry and trigonometry can pop up in exciting and unexpected places. From cosmology to skateboarding, Parker argues that triangles underpin both the epic and the everyday. The book, which is funny and accessible, would also be suitable for keen teenage readers. Katherine Skipper
- 2024 Penguin Random house
The Science of Spin: the Force Behind Everything – From Falling Cats to Jet Engines
By Roland Ennos
We’ve all had fun with spinning tops, pushed each other on playground swings or relied on washing machines rotating at high speeds to wring dry our wet clothes. In The Science of Spin, University of Hull visiting professor Roland Ennos examines the myriad ways spin affects our lives. From the movement of cricket balls to the shielding of the Earth’s atmosphere and even black holes, this delightful and easy-to-follow book won’t leave your head spinning. Matin Durrani
- 2023 Oneworld
Adventures in Volcanoland: What Volcanoes Tell Us About the World and Ourselves
By Tamsin Mather
University of Oxford earth scientist Tamsin Mather explains the science of volcanoes through her fascination and career with them in Adventures in Volcanoland. She describes visits to volcanoes large and small, and traces how we humans have understood (or failed to understand) what volcanoes are since ancient times. From gods and fire to radioactivity and tectonics, and from her current research on volcanic gases to future possibilities such as harnessing their power as a renewable energy source, this is an accessible and enjoyable read. Kate Gardner
- 2024 Abacus Books
A Summer With Pascal
By Antoine Compagnon
Translated by Catherine Porter
Based on a radio series on France Inter, in A Summer With Pascal literary critic Antoine Compagnon analyses Blaise Pascal’s major philosophical and theological works Pensées and Lettres Provinciales. Short chapters cover topics including “the art of persuasion”, predestination and uncertainty. References to Pascal’s scientific and mathematical work are few, but this close analysis may still be of interest to Physics World readers who want to know more about the 17th-century polymath. Kate Gardner
- First published in French 2020 by Éditions des Équateurs
- 2024 Harvard University Press
- SEO Powered Content & PR Distribution. Get Amplified Today.
- PlatoData.Network Vertical Generative Ai. Empower Yourself. Access Here.
- PlatoAiStream. Web3 Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. Access Here.
- PlatoESG. Carbon, CleanTech, Energy, Environment, Solar, Waste Management. Access Here.
- PlatoHealth. Biotech and Clinical Trials Intelligence. Access Here.
- Source: https://physicsworld.com/a/a-love-of-triangles-the-physics-of-spin-volcanic-science-and-pascals-papers-micro-reviews-of-the-best-recent-books/
