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Science. Nonfiction. Humor (Nonfiction.) What makes ice cubes cloudy? How do shark attacks make airplanes safer? Can a person traveling in a car at the speed of sound still hear the radio? Moreover, would they want to. . . ?Do you often find yourself pondering life's little conundrums? Have you ever wondered why the ocean is blue? Or why birds don't get electrocuted when perching on high-voltage power lines? Robert L. Wolke, a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and acclaimed author of What Einstein Didn't Know, understands the need to . . . well, understand. Now he provides more amusing explanations of such everyday phenomena as gravity (If you're in a falling elevator, will jumping at the last instant save your life?) and acoustics (Why does a whip make such a loud cracking noise?), along with amazing facts, belly-up-to-the-bar bets, and mind-blowing reality bites all with his trademark wit and wisdom.If you shoot a bullet into the air, can it kill somebody when it comes down? You can find out about all this and more in an astonishing compendium of the proverbial mind-boggling mysteries of the physical world we inhabit.Arranged in a question-and-answer format, What Einstein Told His Barber is for anyone who ever pondered such things as why colors fade in sunlight, what happens to the rubber from worn-out tires, what makes red-hot objects glow red, and other scientific curiosities.… (more)
User reviews
The author serves up some truly fascinating scientific nuggets. What's more, he does so in a folksy fashion -- at least
Some of the stuff packed in this volume fall into the "news you can use category," including tips on how to clear a fogged-up windshield. Other entrees could be considered "interesting but totally useless tidbits," such as a tiny essay on why snow is white. Sadly, too many of the entries fall into the "who could possibly give a hoot?" category, probing questions like "can you operate a vacuum cleaner in a vacuum?" Still, I enjoyed browsing through the book. It even solved a couple nagging household mysteries, including what happens to socks when they go missing in the laundry. The answer? I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.
I found some discourses a tad esoteric (I've little interest in demonstrating understanding of how a radiometer works) and, I couldn't stand some of the childish attempts at jokes and puns. But I love this science overview genre and overall, this was an extremely informative book.