COMMENT:A science book for kids by the star of the syndicated TV show "Bill Nye The Science Guy." This is not the only book that discusses science and suggests experiments children can try; what makes it of interest to skeptics is Bill Nye's superb introduction to science and the scientific method in the very first chapter. He gives an outline of the scientific method -- observe, hypothesize, experiment, check results, start over if necessary. He goes on to discuss Occam's Razor by name, and follows with a section with a title familiar to skeptics: "Extraordinary Claims, Extraordinary Proof." As an illustration of this principle, the first experiment in the book deals with astrology! Bill points out that, as a result of the experiment, "You'll see pretty quickly that astrology just doesn't work." The other eight chapters of the book cover various topics with the same Science Guy wit and enthusiasm that makes the TV show so much fun. The topics are mostly physics (including the Laws of Thermodynamics!), plus one chapter on meteorology and one on astronomy. It's a great kids' science book, but that first chapter makes it a particularly valuable part of any skeptic's child's library.
DATE:19980930
KEYWORDS:critical-thinking science
MISC:172p.
PUBLISHER:Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
SUBMITNAME:Mark Meyer
TITLE:Bill Nye The Science Guy's Big Blast Of Science
