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Ancient minds imagined the benefits of technological advances that wouldn't be realized for hundreds of years: "heavier-than-air-flight, ultrarapid ground transportation, the prolongation of life through better medicines, even the construction of skyscrapers and the use of robots." But as Tom Shachtman points out in his Alfred P. Sloan-funded science history Absolute Zero and the Conquest of Cold, no one could conceive of how or why humans would make use of intense cold. "Cold was a mystery without an obvious source, a chill associated with death, inexplicable, too fearsome too investigate."

But as we now know, the mastery of cold has yielded innumerable advances, from the ubiquitous presence of refrigeration and air-conditioning to phenomenal leaps in superconductivity and subatomic research--in 1999 alone, Shachtman cites, a Harvard team used laser cooling to create an environment 50-billionths of a degree above zero, slowing the speed of light to just 38 miles per hour!Absolute Zero guides us skillfully through the fitful, nascent growth of this misunderstood, bastard branch of science, from the early accomplishments of Boyle, Joule, William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin), and other lesser-knowns like Anders Celsius and Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit to the 20th century, the integration of ultracold research with quantum theory, and the most recent accomplishments in the field. Shachtman's approachable voice proves equally facile with both the science of cold and the mundane history of its technical and commercial uses, including the global ice trade and the work of one of cold's greatest commercial pioneers, a chemist named Clarence Birdseye. --Paul HughesBook Description
In a sweeping yet concise scientific adventure story, Tom Shachtman takes us on a journey in which the extraordinary secrets of cold are teased apart and mastered, bringing advances in civilization and comfort. Starting in the 1600s with an alchemist's attempt to air-condition Westminster Abbey, the incredible story includes the invention of thermometers and scales, the sale of Walden Pond ice to tropical countries by nineteenth-century merchants, and the pursuit of absolute zero by scientists who competed with as much fervor as those racing to the poles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Utterly annoying and scientifically misleading
I got the distinct impression that the author lost interest in his own work somewhere after the third chapter, but had already spent his advance and was forced to finish writing it.The science is misleading (I think he mentioned "vaccuming off lighter molecules" of the same gas in the Kammerleigh Onnes section, maybe forgetting that identical molecules all have the same molecular weight unless we are talking isotopes, but hey, who wants to bother getting the scientific fundamentals straight when we can gossip about Tydall and Dewar's little falling out...).This book is a exaggerated People magazine retelling of the search to attain Absolute Zero.The author would have been wise to try speaking to a few living scientists to get a feel for the real challenges, frustrations, and joys of doing research rather than investing so much energy in "he said, she said" stories. I think the telling of this story would best have been left to someone with a better understanding of physics and the art of doing scientific research. From my own experience, research is no more a "wild ride" than gardening, or a long hike.It's joys are subtle but persistent, not a point this author ever seems to have understood.

Utterly annoying and scientifically misleading
I got the distinct impression that the author lost interest in his own work somewhere after the third chapter, but had already spent his advance and was forced to finish writing it.The science is misleading (I think he mentioned "vaccuming off lighter molecules" of the same gas in the Kammerleigh Onnes section, maybe forgetting that identical molecules all have the same molecular weight unless we are talking isotopes, but hey, who wants to bother getting the scientific fundamentals straight when we can gossip about Tydall and Dewar's little falling out...).This book is a exaggerated People magazine retelling of the search to attain Absolute Zero.The author would have been wise to try speaking to a few living scientists to get a feel for the real challenges, frustrations, and joys of doing research rather than investing so much energy in "he said, she said" stories. I think the telling of this story would best have been left to someone with a better understanding of physics and the art of doing scientific research. From my own experience, research is no more a "wild ride" than gardening, or a long hike.It's joys are subtle but persistent, not a point this author ever seems to have understood.

Very Well Written Understandable Yet Technical Book
This is a very interesting book. The technology discussed is complex, but the complexity never gets in the way or leaves the reader wondering what the author is talking about.I highly recommend this book especially for those interested in the history of industrial revolution, or in the sequence of discoveries leading to the discovery of super conductors.

Explains the personalities, not the science
For a book with this much detail about such a complex topic not to have a single illustration, diagram, or equation cannot be an oversight. I'm not sure if the author really wants to give you the illusion that he is allowing you to understand the relevant physics or not. He delves endlessly into the upbringing of the various scientists, and fails miseraby at making lay people understand what it is they dicovered. Many times he mentions scienfic findings in a context that makes one wonder if the equation or experiment turned out to be a cornerstone of later discovery or a red herring. I therefore conjecture that this book was meant to be primarily a history of competition and petty bickering among academics, and the title refers to how much you will learn about the physical forces responsible for low temperatures. The comparisons to "Longitude", (an excellent book), are apt in that both books focus on the egos and disputes involved, but "Longitude" traces the fight over the lifespan of one man, who ultimately triumphs despite long odds. If that book had been carried through with the same tone until it became a breathless account of how Bullova can outsell Rolex in 1992, I would also have given it 2 stars.

Wonderful
If you are interested in science, scientists and its history; If all you remember from your science classes are the names ofscientists like Boyle, Van der waals and Joule; if you are ready to be taken on a fantastic ride into the realms of the cold and the story of its conquest.... This is the book for you.

I really enjoyed it very much. Not only did I get a better perspective of physics and chemistry but I was surprised at the amount of work that had gone into the construction of the common refrigerator or the air conditioner, to which we never pay any attention. And the personal touch the author added really helped me feel like I was with the scientists when each discovery was being made. Now, I feel like I know Dewar and Joule well enough to call them by their first names! ... Read more

Book Description

In the icy jaws of an early winter, three big-city professionals joined Phil Broker on a canoe trip across Minnesota's remotest lake. Nature's unexpected fury battered and nearly killed them.

Customer Reviews (1)

Really Absolute Zero
I find it amazing that the title of this book also serves as an apt description of it's value.Unless of course you're turned on by mindlessly crude language.If the number of "f" words were removed from the book, it would be 100 pages shorter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This book will definitelytickle the funny bone of both scientists & non-scientists alike!
This is just a collectionof jokes, anecdotes, limericks & riddles revealing the funny side of physics, biology, mathematics, & other branches of science. I often buy books like this one - in fact, I have already amassed a vast collection over the years. I will often browse them from time to time, just to keep my intellectual mind, - not just my funny bone - alive!

Absolute Zero Gravity captures the levity of the world of science. I always have a ardent fascination for science, technology & discovery.

To some people, science may seem stuffy & serious, but behind the equations, observations, & reactions lies a hidden affinity for the irrational, the paradoxical, & the simply amusing. From Darwin to Einstein, from astronomy to zoology, Absoulte Zero Gravity includes all the funniest manifestations of the scientific method: from irreverent anecdotes & brilliant insults to practical jokes, experimental graffiti, & proofs of the absurd e.g.

The astrophysicist's dilemma:

If the universe is really expanding, why can't you find a parking place?

Let me share with readers one interesting joke from the section under 'Science, Nonscience & AntiScience':

An engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, & a mystic were asked to name the greatest invention of all time. The engineer chose fire, which gave humanity power over matter. The physicist chose the wheel, which gave humanity power over space. The mathematician chose the alphabet, which gave humanity power over symbols. The mystic chose the thermos bottle.

"Why a thermos bottle?" the others asked.

"Because the thermos keeps hot liquids hot in winter & cold liquids cold in summer."

"Yes - so what?"

"Think about it," said the mystic reverently. "That little bottle - how does it know?"

Let me say this: Absolute Zero Gravity will definitelytickle the funny bone of both scientists & non-scientists alike!

Absolute Zero Gravity is a great gift idea for Geeks!
This is one of those Rolling-On-The-Floor (LMAO) books that really only makes sense if you are a Geek yourself. It's a great gift and it's very lighthearted.Most of the jokes/anecdotes are short.Warning: it's adictive...

Tremendously Funny!
By far, the best collection of Science, math, and computer jokes I've seen. Few of the jokes are misses, and there's even an explanation for some of the most obscure gags. The section on how various professions prove numbers prime is a scream.

Hilarious!
This book contains side-splitting humor for anyone who appreciates science, engineering, or mathematics (or not!). The collection of light bulb jokes is amazing. Too bad it's out of print. It made a wonderful Christmas present for all my nerdy family members and friends, and some of them kept asking me for copies so they could pass it on. ... Read more

Book Description
Absolute Zero is a black comedy ripe with puns. A postmodern bildungsroman.A comic revenge tragedy. A collection of black marks on white paper that challenges us to discern fiction from non-fiction as it traces the life of the story's protagonist, Justin Time. At age 17, Time stops aging, and so begins his journey. Follow him as he becomes a reluctant cult idol and encounters quirky characters in his search for self-definition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Inspired Madness & Brilliant Chaos
I *loved* these books as a child-- so much that I found I could still remember some of the sentences word-for-word as an adult. Even as an adult I found myself giggling out loud as I read about The Bagthorpe's and their contest-entering mania.

Shame that it's out of print! Bring it back!

absolute madness
Absolute Zero, the 2nd in the Bagthorpes series was the book that hooked me to the Bagthorpe series.The Bagthorpe clan with its outrageous personalities reminds me still of my own large eccentric family.One of my fondest childhood memories is the hours I spent laughing at the antics of Jack and his family.I found the feud between Uncle Parker and Mr. Bagthorpe to be hilarious.Mrs Fosdale is a wonderful minor character and her reaction to the pantry still dissolves me into hysteria.Jack Bagthorpe was as close as a best friend to me.His misadventures with Zero and his family still make me laugh, smile and want to hear more.If your child is not quite ready for Harry Potter or needs a fill in the Bagthorpes though a different genre will absolutely do!

absolute madness
Absolute Zero, the 2nd in the Bagthorpes series was the book that hooked me to the Bagthorpe series.The Bagthorpe clan with its outrageous personalities reminds me still of my own large eccentric family.One of my fondest childhood memories is the hours I spent laughing at the antics of Jack and his family.I found the feud between Uncle Parker and Mr. Bagthorpe to be hilarious.Mrs Fosdale is a wonderful minor character and her reaction to the pantry still dissolves me into hysteria.Jack Bagthorpe was as close as a best friend to me.His misadventures with Zero and his family still make me laugh, smile and want to hear more.If your child is not quite ready for Harry Potter or needs a fill in the Bagthorpes though a different genre will absolutely do!

Hysterical.Classic.Perfect.
Absolute Zero is the second book of the Bagthorpe Saga, and in my opinion, it's the best, although the first four in the series are all exceptional. I loved these books as a child, and I love them now as an adult - it's apity they are out of print in the US.(They are, however, still availablein the UK, and US readers can order them online from amazon.co.uk, amongother online shops.Believe me, the extra shipping is more than worthit.)

Like Ordinary Jack before it, Absolute Zero chronicles the lives ofthe eccentric, lunatic Bagthorpes.Competition madness overtakes thefamily after the urbane Uncle Parker wins a Caribbean trip for two.Betteryet, while Uncle Parker and Aunt Celia take their trip, their daughterDaisy, the world's only destructively creative four-year-old, is left withthe Bagthorpes.Hilarity inevitably ensues, in the shape of Daisy-induceddisasters, police involvement, and unfortunate prizes.

The dry humor andintelligent wit of the early books in the Bagthorpe series raise them abovetheir genre, and the books are as fresh and entertaining now as fifteenyears ago.Any adult who still knows how to laugh would enjoy thesenovels, and as for children - well, the danger isn't that they won't likeit.The danger is that they will start tearing the labels off canned goodsin their parents' pantries, in hopes of recreating the joy of theseries.

(NB: The last few books of the series - I believe it's now up toseven or eight books - are not at all worth reading.The first four in thesaga are musts, and true Bagthorpe fans will probably enjoy book five andeven book six, but after that, don't bother.Spare yourself the pain ofseeing one of the best humorous series of our time go to pot.)

Some of the funniest writing ever!
This is part 2 of Helen Cresswell's "Bagthorpe Saga", a truly hilarious series about a bizarre British family.As an adult, I still treasure these books and read them when I'm in need of a laugh. (For moredescription of the Bagthorpes, read the first review of "OrdinaryJack", the first book in the series. I agree with that reviewer'scomments.)

I think part of the reason these books aren'tvery wellknown in the US is that the reading level is quite high,especiallycompared to most contemporary kids' series.A young person who's agiftedreader and appreciates British-style humour - a la "Monty Python"or "Fawlty Towers" - would surely enjoy them.I'd suggestchecking used bookshops (e.g. through Bibliofind web site), or the AmazonUK site.You won't regret getting to know the Bagthorpes! ... Read more

Book Description
Craig Freemont commits a crime and is sentenced to die. While he awaits his sentence he ponders the conflict of values versus temptation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fabulous plot and action
I read 3-4 books a week for 30 years and more and I usually cannot find anything that is original and captivating.I was so shocked that this book was so good in developing the suspense and the character development was terrific, but what was really awesome was the technical data and research that was highly readable and educational and seamlessly fitted in.I just loved it!!I will buy anything this author writes in the future.

Excellent first effort!Truly engaging.Intelligent!
Fred is a friend of mine and I am proud of his most excellent first effort.This book is intelligent, engaging and truly interesting.A delightful read! A unique and enthralling story of high-tech terrorismplayed out in the heartland of modern-day America.This is a fun and trulyengaging read! ... Read more

Product Description
India Absolute Zerp Population India will be number one in population in 2025. China will be number two. For India it is nothing to be proud about if the problems of populations cannot be solved.Prevention is better than cure. Why keep working unsuccessfully to solve and cure problems due to population. For 53 years since independence of India in 1947, this problem can be prevented in the first place by 'Absolute Zero Population'India has 340 million population below the age of 14 years. It is the only nation in the world with high young age population. My book is dedicated to 340 million Indians below the age of 14 years of age.First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has not addressed to the population problem. Indira Gandhi has tried. Present Prime Minister Vajpayee or BJP has not. Administration does not care to solve.The formula or recipe for the population control by 'Absolute Zero Population' will equally be applicable to other nations in the world, with runaway increase in population. ... Read more

Product Description
This is volume 1 ONLY of an 11 volume set. ... Read more

Book Description

The Gale Encyclopedia of Science is written at a level somewhere between the introductory sources and the highly technical texts currently available. This six-volume set covers all major areas of science and engineering, as well as mathematics and the medical and health sciences, while providing a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge and technology. Alphabetically arranged entries provide a user-friendly format that makes the broad scope of information easy to access and decipher. Entries typically describe scientific concepts, provide overviews of scientific areas and, in some cases, define terms.

Product Description
A penetrating Analysis of the State of Poetry. ... Read more