The Canon
A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science

Reading The Canon, A Chronology: Chapter One: "Oh, interesting. I'd never thought about it that way before. Ha ha, clever." *giggles* Chapter Two: "I had forgotten about that!" *feels superior for remembering the basics of probability* *chuckles at a drawn out word play* Chapter Three: "Huh, that's nea......more

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally here.) The more I learn about the history of science, the more I realize why it has such a precarious, semi-m......more

Science is cool. I didn't think so back in high school but I like to think I've matured since then. Back then I evaded chemistry by taking an earth science course (Rocks for Jocks). Seems a shame because now I find that stuff very interesting. What Ms. Angier so ably and entertainingly covers in thi......more

The Canon is exactly what its subtitle says: a tour of the basics of science. Natalie Angier is a science writer; that is, a writer who is a knowledgeable observer of science and who is able to get scientists to explain things in terms the rest of us might understand. Her writing style is very light......more