Author: Biz India

Editors: Joshua Nall, Liba Taub, and Frances Willmoth Publisher:  Cambridge University Press – 334 pages Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram In 1944, Robert Stewart Whipple (1875-1953) presented his collection of more than 1,000 scientific instruments and other objects, as well as his collection of a similar number of rare books to the University of Cambridge. In November of that year, an exhibition was held to mark the official presentation of Whipple’s collections and to launch the museum. Over the years, many historic instruments relating to science in the possession of this university have been transferred to the museum. Other...

Author: Guy R. Lefrancois Publisher:  Cambridge University Press – 547 pages Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram This being the seventh (2020) edition of this book, with the first edition published in 1972, I was curious to learn why it has been so popular for nearly 50 years. So I checked its ranking on Amazon, but there was no ranking to be found. If you want to know the reason for the popularity, persistence, and longevity of this book, having gone through six revisions, you will find the answer in the Preface of the printed book. Preface: “Read this first…not...

This book is No. 23 in the Cambridge Planetary Science Series that contains 23 books. Author: Vladimir A. Krasnopolsky Publisher:  Cambridge University Press- 542 pages Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram Did you know that the origin and evolution, and the thermal balance, climate, and dynamics of a planet can be determined by looking at the chemical composition of its atmosphere? This is what I understood (I could be wrong) by reading the quoted statement below by the author of this book, a retired research professor named Vladimir A. Krasnopolsky:   “The chemical composition of any planetary atmosphere is of...

(This is part of the 25 books (so far) comprising  the Cambridge Planetary Science Series) Editors: Galina O. Ryabova, David J. Asher, and Margaret D. Campbell-Brown Publisher:  Cambridge University Press – 306 pages Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram While this book has been written for advanced students and researchers, this book is accessible to anyone curious and interested enough about phenomena in the sky in our Space Age. Here are some questions discussed in this guide to the central topics of meteor science: What are the physical and chemical compositions of meteors, meteorites, meteoroids? What are the most significant...

Authors: B. Ronald Frost and Carol D. Frost Publisher:  Cambridge University Press – 349 pages Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks and the conditions under which they form. Petrology has three subdivisions: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary petrology. Igneous and metamorphic petrology are commonly taught together because they both contain heavy use of chemistry, chemical methods, and phase diagrams. Sedimentary petrology is, on the other hand, commonly taught together with stratigraphy because it deals with the processes that form sedimentary rock. This book on igneous and metamorphic petrology outlines and discusses the origins, environments, and basic processes that...