50 Science Numbers Everyone Should Know

Over the last one hundred years, scientists have revealed answers about the sun, earth, universe, and life itself that have eluded mankind for most of its existence. Despite these rapid and enormous advances in human knowledge, most people remain woefully ignorant about the major scientific mysteries that have been solved in our lifetimes. From revealing the speed of light to discovering when the dinosaurs went extinct to knowing when organs first begin to form in a human embryo, this book brings the reader up to date on key concepts of scientific literacy. Told in short answers that use the power of numbers to explain science, this book will appeal to children, teenagers, and adults alike. It can be useful teaching tool for classroom instructors and a quick primer in science for adults. It can be read in a single session while flying on a plane or traveling as a passenger in a car. The author's succinct and well-phrased explanations will help readers talk with authority about science matters. Wondering how old the Earth is? Dr. Fruncillo's answers helpfully explain that when the universe was about nine billion years old, a large dust cloud began to condense in on itself in a process that would eventually create the sun and the planets. While many of the answers provide newer information to old questions such as the dawn of our upright-walking human ancestors to the number of transistors on a computer chip, Fruncillo is unafraid to tackle some of the harder questions whose answers scientists have only recently begun to elucidate. As an example from molecular biology, the author asks "How many times a day ia a human cell at risk for the development of cancer." The answer is a surprising one million times a day. According to researchers, the initiation of cancer can begin anytime DNA is damaged, and in humans, DNA is damaged at a staggering rate of a million times per day. Fortunately, for us, we posess remankably agile and attentive DNA repair mechanisms that patrol up and down the DNA strand, looking for damage and restoring the affected cells back to normal health. 50 Science Numbers Everyone Should Know is an easy-to-read gold mine of current science facts.