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The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference
The most comprehensive single volume of frequently needed information on science available, this extensive reference is authoritative, up-to-date, and easy-to-use, spanning ten separate disciplines as well as related fields. Includes 350 charts, tables, graphs, and illustrations.
Hardcover
First published September 25, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 30, 2024
New York Public Library Science Desk Reference, 1995, 668 pages, ISBN 0028604032
ERRATA
p. 16 "1 mm to 1 cm" as "limit of visibility of the unaided eye." No, we can easily see objects a tenth of a millimeter across.
p. 93, evolution, shows mammals splitting off from reptiles 2 million years ago! In fact, Lucy and other fossil hominids have been dated at many millions of years ago. As shown on p. 405.
p. 531. "12,000 B.C." as the discovery of the use of fire. In fact, there's evidence of cooking fires hundreds of thousands of years ago in southern Africa. Homo Erectus domesticated fire, some 500,000 years ago, according to /Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States/, James C. Scott, p. 17. Isaac Asimov gives a date between 1.5 million and 500,000 years ago, in his /Asimov's Chronology of the World/, pp. 15-21.
p. 531 Significant Discoveries and Inventions does not list iron or steel metalworking. Although on p. 411 under "discoveries in earth science" it says 1000 BCE industrial use of iron in Egypt and Mesopotamia. [Iron metallurgy was a Hittite military secret 1300 BCE to 1200 BCE in the Caucasus foothills, according to Isaac Asimov in /Asimov's Chronology of the World/, p. 43.]
p. 532 "A.D. 1455" says cast iron was used in 1380 A.D. The iron age began much longer ago than that.
p. 532. "c. 250 B.C." for principles of the lever and other simple machines. But the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians built pyramids long before, using simple machines.
p. 532. lists eyeglasses twice, 1249 and 1285.
p. 532. lists gun twice, 1260 and 1347.
p. 532 "c. 1454 printing press" should say, "printing press with movable type."
p. 533 "1611 Coke." Coke was produced in China in the 4th century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(f...
ERRATA
p. 16 "1 mm to 1 cm" as "limit of visibility of the unaided eye." No, we can easily see objects a tenth of a millimeter across.
p. 93, evolution, shows mammals splitting off from reptiles 2 million years ago! In fact, Lucy and other fossil hominids have been dated at many millions of years ago. As shown on p. 405.
p. 531. "12,000 B.C." as the discovery of the use of fire. In fact, there's evidence of cooking fires hundreds of thousands of years ago in southern Africa. Homo Erectus domesticated fire, some 500,000 years ago, according to /Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States/, James C. Scott, p. 17. Isaac Asimov gives a date between 1.5 million and 500,000 years ago, in his /Asimov's Chronology of the World/, pp. 15-21.
p. 531 Significant Discoveries and Inventions does not list iron or steel metalworking. Although on p. 411 under "discoveries in earth science" it says 1000 BCE industrial use of iron in Egypt and Mesopotamia. [Iron metallurgy was a Hittite military secret 1300 BCE to 1200 BCE in the Caucasus foothills, according to Isaac Asimov in /Asimov's Chronology of the World/, p. 43.]
p. 532 "A.D. 1455" says cast iron was used in 1380 A.D. The iron age began much longer ago than that.
p. 532. "c. 250 B.C." for principles of the lever and other simple machines. But the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians built pyramids long before, using simple machines.
p. 532. lists eyeglasses twice, 1249 and 1285.
p. 532. lists gun twice, 1260 and 1347.
p. 532 "c. 1454 printing press" should say, "printing press with movable type."
p. 533 "1611 Coke." Coke was produced in China in the 4th century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(f...
July 5, 2008
How can you NOT have this on hand. Science is what we (American's) are about. Knowing the basics of all primary disciplines is essential to our understanding or self, others, man / women, the world, and beyond. Open your mind and ponder the possibilities. And you can explain scientifically to your child why the grass is green, sky is blue, the pavement in summer looks like it's melting, and why wagon wheels even though going forward look to be going backwards. Hell, you'll be a virtual entertainment source for your kids and their friends! Rock on, you walking Encyclopedia-Britannica-all-volumes-inclusive super dude!
July 10, 2007
A bit dated, and definitely oriented towards the layman, this work was essential for me when I was a young lad.
Read
December 8, 2008The dog was first domesticated in Mesopotamia c. 10,000 bce.
June 10, 2009
The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference (The New York Public Library Series) by Patricia Barnes-Svarney (1995)
Want to read
January 4, 2009no, not front to back.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews