The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2010
Freeman Dyson, renowned physicist and public intellectual, edits this year’s volume of the finest science and nature writing.
Search in google:
Freeman Dyson, renowned physicist and public intellectual, edits this year’s volume of the finest science and nature writing.
ForewordIntroduction Freeman Dyson Dyson, FreemanPart One Visions of SpaceThe Believer Andrew Corsello Corsello, Andrew 3From GQOne Giant Leap to Nowhere Tom Wolfe Wolfe, Tom 16From the New York TimesThe Missions of Astronomy Steven Weinberg Weinberg, Steven 23From the New York Review of BooksCosmic Vision Timothy Ferris Ferris, Timothy 32From National GeographicSeeking New Earths Timothy Ferris Ferris, Timothy 40From National GeographicPart Two Neurology Displacing Molecular BiologyDon't! Jonah Lehrer Lehrer, Jonah 47From the New YorkerOut of the Past Kathleen McGowan McGowan, Kathleen 61From DiscoverBrain Games John Golapinto Golapinto, John 73From the New YorkerPart Three Natural BeautyThe Alpha Accipiter Gustave Axelson Axelson, Gustave 99From Minnesota Conservation VolunteerFlight of the Kuaka Don Stap Stap, Don 106From Living BirdModern Darwins Matt Ridley Ridley, Matt 114From National GeographicThe Superior Civilization Tim Flannery Flannery, Tim 122From the New York Review of BooksStill Blue Kenneth Brower Brower, Kenneth 133From National GeographicThe Lazarus Effect Jane Goodall Goodall, Jane 144From DiscoverDarwin's First Clues David Quammen Quammen, David 149From National GeographicPart Four The Environment: Gloom and DoomAll You Can Eat Jim Carrier Carrier, Jim 161From OrionA Formula for Disaster Felix Salmon Salmon, Felix 172From WiredNot So Silent Spring Dawn Stover Stover, Dawn 182From Conservation MagazineThe Catastrophist Elizabeth Kolbert Kolbert, Elizabeth 188From the New YorkerThe Sixth Extinction? Elizabeth Kolbert Kolbert, Elizabeth 202From the New YorkerPart Five The Environment: Small BlessingsScraping Bottom Robert Kunzig Kunzig, Robert 229From National GeographicA Life of its Own Michael Specter Specter, Michael 239From the New YorkerPurpose-Driven Life Brian Boyd Boyd, Brian 259From the American ScholarThe Monkey and the Fish Philip Gourevitch Gourevitch, Philip 272From the New YorkerPart Six The Environment: Big BlessingsGraze Anatomy Richard Manning Manning, Richard 301From OnEarthHearth Surgery Burkhard Bilger Bilger, Burkhard 311From the New YorkerGreen Giant Evan Osnos Osnos, Evan 334From the New YorkerIndia, Enlightened George Black Black, George 352From OnEarthContributors' Notes 377Other Notable Science and Nature Writing of 2009 383
\ Publishers WeeklyThe latest addition to this uniformly excellent series, edited by renowned physicist Dyson, does not disappoint. Dyson showcases 28 essays covering astronomy and cosmology, neurology, nature writing, and three sections loosely organized on the environment. Some are more optimistic than others that environmental disaster might be averted. Many standout pieces describe the cutting edges of science, such as a strong piece by Kathleen McGowan in the neurology section on reprogramming memory and efforts to reduce the ruinous impact of PTSD. The nature section includes an essay by Don Stap on the kuaka, an astonishing bird that travels 7,000 miles over the Pacific Ocean in eight days without stopping or eating, and there is an arresting essay by Brian Boyd that ponders the evolutionary value of art and science, concluding that natural selection is evolution toward a purpose-driven life. Each of the authors--many familiar to readers of publications such as the New Yorker (from which Elizabeth Kolbert merits two entries) and the New York Review of Books--writes clearly, on occasion elegantly, and oftenwith a contagious passion. (Oct.)\ \
