Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from Your Airplane Window
By Brian Clegg
3/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
The perfect companion to any flight - a guide to the science on view from your window seat. There are few times when science is so immediate as when you're in a plane. Your life is in the hands of the scientists and engineers who enable tons of metal and plastic to hurtle through the sky at hundreds of miles an hour. Inflight Science shows how you stay alive up there - but that's only the beginning.
Brian Clegg explains the ever changing view, whether it's crop circles or clouds, mountains or river deltas, and describes simple experiments to show how a wing provides lift, or what happens if you try to open a door in midair (don't!). On a plane you'll experience the impact of relativity, the power of natural radiation and the effect of altitude on the boiling point of tea. Among the many things you'll learn is why the sky is blue, the cause of thunderstorms and the impact of volcanic ash in an enjoyable tour of mid-air science. Every moment of your journey is an opportunity to experience science in action: Inflight Science will be your guide.
Brian Clegg
Brian Clegg is a popular-science writer whose Dice World and A Brief History of Infinity were both longlisted for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books. Also the author of Big Data, Gravitational Waves, The Graphene Revolution, and Quantum Computing for the Hot Science series, he has written for publications such as Nature, Physics World, The Times, The Observer, and BBC Focus.
Read more from Brian Clegg
Game Theory: Understanding the Mathematics of Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe God Effect: Quantum Entanglement, Science's Strangest Phenomenon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Are Numbers Real?: The Uncanny Relationship of Mathematics and the Physical World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gravity: How the Weakest Force in the Universe Shaped Our Lives Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Universe Inside You: The Extreme Science of the Human Body from Quantum Theory to the Mysteries of the Brain Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsExtra Sensory: The Science and Pseudoscience of Telepathy and Other Powers of the Mind Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lightning Often Strikes Twice: The 50 Biggest Misconceptions in Science Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat Colour is the Sun?: Mind-Bending Science Facts in the Solar System's Brightest Quiz Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInflight Science: A Guide to the World from Your Airplane Window Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Reality Frame: Relativity and our place in the universe Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsScience for Life: A manual for better living Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Light Years and Time Travel: An Exploration of Mankind's Enduring Fascination with Light Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Inflight Science
Related ebooks
Confessions of an Air Craft Pilot: Including Tales from the Pilot's Seat Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Why Planes Crash Case Files: 2003: Why Planes Crash, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrace for Impact: Air Crashes and Aviation Safety Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5AIR UP THERE Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings101 Amazing Facts about Planes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Land a Plane Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings20 West Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThis Is Your Captain Speaking: Stories from the Flight Deck Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOne Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Return to Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Cynic Looks At Life: "Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Silent Spring Revisited Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How We'll Live on Mars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Colleagues in Genius: Out of My Later Years, Scientific Autobiography, and Nuclear Physics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Age of Everything: How Science Explores the Past Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Zoomable Universe: An Epic Tour Through Cosmic Scale, from Almost Everything to Nearly Nothing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Galileo: And the Science Deniers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Liftoff: An Astronaut Commander's Countdown for Purpose-Powered Leadership Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThey Laughed at Galileo: Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Airbus A380: A History Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Accelerating Universe: Infinite Expansion, the Cosmological Constant, and the Beauty of the Cosmos Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5#Apollo8: Hashtag Histories, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Virginian Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Astrophysicist and Space Advocate Neil deGrasse Tyson Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Inside the Mind of Stephen Hawking: Quotes from a Scientific Genius Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Travel For You
Lonely Planet Mexico Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Rocks and Minerals of The World: Geology for Kids - Minerology and Sedimentology Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Let's Build A Camper Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Southwest Treasure Hunter's Gem and Mineral Guide (6th Edition): Where and How to Dig, Pan and Mine Your Own Gems and Minerals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's Best Road Trips in the USA: 50 Epic Trips Across All 50 States Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats and Ramen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Spotting Danger Before It Spots You: Build Situational Awareness To Stay Safe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Traveler's Guide to Batuu Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Northeast Treasure Hunter's Gem & Mineral Guide (5th Edition): Where and How to Dig, Pan and Mine Your Own Gems and Minerals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's New Orleans Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lonely Planet The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Frommer's Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's Essential Japan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fodor's Bucket List USA: From the Epic to the Eccentric, 500+ Ultimate Experiences Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRV Hacks: 400+ Ways to Make Life on the Road Easier, Safer, and More Fun! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West: with the Best Scenic Road Trips Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings50 Great American Places: Essential Historic Sites Across the U.S. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fodor's Nova Scotia & Atlantic Canada: With New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island & Newfoundland Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiving the RV Life: Your Ultimate Guide to Life on the Road Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpanish Verbs - Conjugations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTales from the Haunted South: Dark Tourism and Memories of Slavery from the Civil War Era Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Footsteps of the Cherokees: A Guide to the Eastern Homelands of the Cherokee Nation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Camp Cooking: 100 Years Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Inflight Science
29 ratings12 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5INFLIGHT SCIENCE by Brian Clegg is chock full of facts. Using flight as a launching pad (okay, yes, pun intended), Clegg relays scientific facts about altitude, astronomy, quantum physics, the earth, color...and much much more. Not only does Clegg describe the science behind much of those things (why IS the sky blue?), and real world examples of the science, he also provides experiments for readers to try to illustrate the scientific concepts he's describing.I thought of my brother when I read this book, a science-y (and dare I say it, geeky?) kind of guy even as a kid, he would have loved this book. This would be a great book for any science buffs out there, and for teachers to either use in their classroom or have in a classroom library for kids to read.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I should've figured that this book would be rather below my level -- I was an RAF cadet as a teen and was rather interested in the long classes we had on stuff like the priciples of flight. So this book didn't teach me much, being very accessible and basic. If you know very little about flight, it could be quite interesting -- if you were ever a cadet long enough to have flown a Vigilant glider or a Grob Tutor plane, chances are there's nothing new for you!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A book meant to accompany you on a plane fight and explain some of the science behind what you're experiencing as you zoom through the skies. It covers most of the stuff you'd expect: the physics of flight, the nature of clouds, why your ears hurt like that, etc., but also works in lots of other scientific topics, from the optics of color to the nuclear processes that make the sun shine. There really wasn't much of anything here that was new to me, and the writing is very clear and simple, rather than trying to be especially entertaining, so I personally didn't get as much out of it as I might have hoped, but if you're interested in learning some scientific basics while munching down on your little packet of peanuts, it's worth a look.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Brian Clegg's "Inflight Science" is a breezy collection of scientific anecdotes loosely oriented around what is seen and experienced on an airplane flight. The breadth and depth are just about right for a transcontinental flight: informative enough to be educational, but topic-surfing so quickly that interest doesn't have the opportunity to wane. Much of the science is roughly high school level material, but from time-to-time Clegg dips into Einstein's relativity, forcing one's brain to engage fully.Avid science readers won't find much (anything?) new here so the book isn't recommended for them, but for those who enjoy picking up a pop science magazine, this book will make your flight time pass quickly.(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy via the Library Thing Early Reviewers program.)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An interesting look at the "science" involved in flying. Depending on how much of a science geek you are you may not learn very much new information, but it's a fairly good read all the same. For the most part it's easily understood by the layman, but it does get into some heavier subjects that most of us ignore or don't even think about on a regular basis.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Breezy and light, this book takes readers from the departure gate to touching down in an airplane, examining the science that abounds aloft. Everything from angular momentum to x-rays is covered, in short, easy to read sections. None of the science is particularly in-depth or technical, a disappointment for some readers. But what the book lacks in depth, it makes up for in breadth. Clegg's clear style, with an occasional dash of British wit, makes for a very pleasant, if light, read.For me the best science writing tells a story, perhaps examining the history of a topic, or revealing the minds and personalities that make science and technology happen. This books misses that high mark, found in such top-notch works as Rebecca Skloot's "Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." This book is more a collections of facts united by their relationship to flight. Clegg jumps around from topic to topic, from crop circles and meandering rivers, to cirrus clouds and the physics of lightning. Loosely stitched together, these snippets of science never quite gel into a thoughtful examination of the subject.But in the end, if you are looking for a few cogent facts about flight, perhaps enough to get a conversation going with the attractive man or woman in the aisle seat next to you on a plane, this is the book for you. Look for depth elsewhere, but for a good quick read about flight, start here.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Inflight Science is an enjoyable look at geology, applied physics, astronomy, and meteorology as relates to or experienced from an airplane. While none (or at least very little) of the information in the book was new to me — thanks to my high school AP chemistry and AP physics courses and a university-level astronomy course, as well as on-going interest in related topics — I found the way that Clegg links the diverse topics to the experience of airplane flight to be novel and interesting.I don't know if this is a book I would have chosen on my own, but as an Early Reviewer win (or a loan from a friend), it was an entertaining refresher of my science knowledge. Clegg's explanations are easy to understand and build upon each other very well. For example, although special relativity is a tough topic, I thought it was addressed very well, and naturally came from previous explanations Clegg had given.This book will be easier to read if you have some science (especially physics) knowledge — I wouldn't give it to a teenager without a decent vocabulary or ability to use a dictionary, due to science terms (most of which are explained, but not all!) — and can easily translated Br-Eng terms and spelling to Am-Eng. But it's a fun read and using airflight as a link is a nice way to cover diverse topics and provide a good, basic look at the world through science.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is science for the rest of us - anyone with a good knowledge of physics or earth science will have encountered most of this before. However, for those without that background, this is an interesting introduction to science and how we can see manifestations all around us. I found the experiments rather simplistic but the book was well written and one that I would heartily recommend for someone who says that all science is boring.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5As someone who has spent most of his career in the aerospace industry, and currently flies over 50,000 miles a year, I spend a lot of time looking out of airplane windows. This seemed like the perfect book for a plane flight - so that's where I read it. Maybe I was expecting too much, but overall I found the text more frustrating than illuminating.The aeronautical sciences were glossed over, and a lot of the cool technology that makes a modern airliner work left out.And while I did learn some things about the word outside my aircraft window, I felt it either didn't go far enough, or too easily veered off into discussions of irrelevant examples that you would never probably experience in decades of flying.Early in the book Clegg admits that he doesn't enjoy flying, and that fact, at least to me, underscored the tone of the book. It felt like a popular science book shoe horned into a narrative framework that the author wasn't comfortable, or familiar, with. There is a good science book in here struggling to get out - it just needed a different perspective.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I really wanted to like this book. I am a science nerd and I love flying, but ultimately Inflight Science was disappointing. It stays at a very basic and elementary level, it would start to touch on something interesting, but then dart off onto the next topic. The over feel of the book was very scattered and it lacked focus. There is so much that I would love to know about flight, but none of it was in this book.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5From your arrival at the departure airport, via the security checkpoints and your plane's departure, through to landing in your destination -- Brian Clegg runs you through all the popular science related to a typical flight.While the 'hard science' is somewhat lacking, this is still a worthwhile book that you can't fail to learn one or two things from.Written in an informal and educational manner, Inflight Science feels more like an extended secondary school science lesson than a serious discourse in 'the science of flying'.That said, if you're looking for an easy read, or if you're new to popular science books, then this is a good choice for a long flight: it'll open your eyes and keep you entertained.If you're already well-read in matter of science, this is probably one to miss.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Using the framework of an airplane flight, from waiting at the airport terminal to takeoff and cruising to the return to terra firma, Brian Clegg's "Inflight Science" teaches a broad array of flight related engineering and science. He covers the electromagnetic spectrum, airport security systems, gravity, clouds, how an airplane wing works, relativity, and, naturally, he answers the question "why is the sky blue?"The writing is inviting and clear, never getting too bogged down in the details, yet managing to provide a good overview of many topics. I think it may leave technical-minded readers wanting more, but I think the intent of the book was to provide an engaging overview of the many areas of science and engineering that surround us when we fly. I think it succeeds.