To add comments or start new threads please go to the full version of: Physorg Community Book Recommendations.
PhysForum Science, Physics and Technology Discussion Forums > Physforum > Comments / Suggestions

photojack
28th March 2008 - 05:21 AM
"Build it, and they will come!" tongue.gif As uaafanblog wished recently, and I proposed months ago, let's start a book forum, partly to optimize the exchange of ideas academically, and for the best recommendations for the "science challenged" who sometimes post here. biggrin.gif
With them in mind, I have recently, in several threads recommended Dr. Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot." In it, that inveterate popularizer of science for the masses explains the origin of the universe, our solar system, the origin of life and its subsequent development for the non-specialist with simplicity, eloquence and beauty, all of course without any supernatural elements involved. Pure science, with its intrigue and mystique for all to appreciate and understand. Science 101 for the masses! cool.gif

Let's add other recommendations, specialized and general for their merit and modernity, their timelessness and their cutting edge ideas. wub.gif
TheDoc
28th March 2008 - 05:38 AM
I recommend an 8th Grade science textbook to begin, and then we'll work from there.

smile.gif
N O M
28th March 2008 - 07:24 AM
Trollslayer
Gorgeous
28th March 2008 - 09:08 AM

Perhaps this to begin with?




g.
TheDoc
28th March 2008 - 05:33 PM
QUOTE (Gorgeous+Mar 28 2008, 09:08 AM)
Perhaps this to begin with?




g.

Hmm! This should get us started on the right track! cool.gif
Empress Palpatine
29th March 2008 - 10:21 PM
A while back there was a thread about recommended books. It would be good to dig it up again.
photojack
29th March 2008 - 10:31 PM
QUOTE
The Evolution of Desire by David Buss is a good read.... I wish we had a place in this forum to recommend books on various topics to each other....
DuzmA quote. (And what instigated this thread! ohmy.gif )

This IS the book I thought it was! Perhaps including the subtitle would pique more interest - "Strategies of Human Mating." tongue.gif

There's another book, I can't think of its title right now, that covers the evolution of the five senses through the animal kingdom and up to mankind's most current research. That of course, relates to the sensual/sexual human mating behaviors in Buss's book. cool.gif
Empress Palpatine
30th March 2008 - 06:23 PM
For serious book recommendations, I dug up the old book thread. biggrin.gif


http://www.physforum.com/index.php?showtopic=17045

This is of course, for physics and science books.
photojack
3rd April 2008 - 02:01 PM
Thank you Empress Palpatine. biggrin.gif I wasn't aware of that much earlier book thread, though it is concentrating on physics only. In light of its style and format, here's some links to get this thread to concentrate on the newest developments and research concerning evolution and the natural sciences.

QUOTE
Molecular Biology and Evolution publishes research at the interface between molecular and evolutionary biology. The journal publishes investigations of molecular evolutionary patterns and processes, tests of evolutionary hypotheses that use molecular data, and studies that use molecular evolutionary information to address questions about biological function at all levels of organization.
From: http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/

MBE (Molecular Biology and Evolution) has abstracts of all articles and selected free full access articles, just like the PNAS (Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences.)

QUOTE (->
QUOTE
Molecular Biology and Evolution publishes research at the interface between molecular and evolutionary biology. The journal publishes investigations of molecular evolutionary patterns and processes, tests of evolutionary hypotheses that use molecular data, and studies that use molecular evolutionary information to address questions about biological function at all levels of organization.
From: http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/

MBE (Molecular Biology and Evolution) has abstracts of all articles and selected free full access articles, just like the PNAS (Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences.)

"Detecting evolutionary relationships across existing fold space, using sequence order-independent profile–profile alignments."

Abstract.

Here, a scalable, accurate, reliable, and robust protein functional site comparison algorithm is presented. The key components of the algorithm consist of a reduced representation of the protein structure and a sequence order-independent profile–profile alignment (SOIPPA). We show that SOIPPA is able to detect distant evolutionary relationships in cases where both a global sequence and structure relationship remains obscure. Results suggest evolutionary relationships across several previously evolutionary distinct protein structure superfamilies. SOIPPA, along with an increased coverage of protein fold space afforded by the structural genomics initiative, can be used to further test the notion that fold space is continuous rather than discrete.
From: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0704422105v1?etoc

These are further examples of the newest research from disciplines Darwin could not have imagined, verifying his theory, with the fine adjustments and modifications expected from such new developments. How many editions has "The Molecular Biology of the Gene" by Watson gone through and how many co-authors have been added? This ever-changing field fully warrants these revisions. I have an 1870's second edition of Darwin's "Descent of Man" in the preface of which he answers some of the criticisms from the first edition. Darwin's great grandson contributed to the PBS documentary on Kitzmiller vs. Dover, the "Intelligent Design" lawsuit which resulted in the total defeat and exposure of their strategies and beliefs.

LONG LIVE SCIENCE! tongue.gif
AlphaNumeric
3rd April 2008 - 02:06 PM
For the simple foundations of mathematics, like how proof works and the notions like the natural numbers, induction, cardinality etc I recommend

Tim Gowers - A Short Introduction to Mathematics

Aimed firmly at the layman who wants to understand a bit of what mathematicians do and what maths beyond school involves, at least initially.

A similar but more advanced book is

Russell - An Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy

Similar style, just longer and written with Russell's typically excellent style.
Gorgeous
3rd April 2008 - 02:32 PM
http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Physics-Un...07233543&sr=1-1


g.
PhysOrg scientific forums are totally dedicated to science, physics, and technology. Besides topical forums such as nanotechnology, quantum physics, silicon and III-V technology, applied physics, materials, space and others, you can also join our news and publications discussions. We also provide an off-topic forum category. If you need specific help on a scientific problem or have a question related to physics or technology, visit the PhysOrg Forums. Here you’ll find experts from various fields online every day.
To quit out of "lo-fi" mode and return to the regular forums, please click here.