New Scientist no April

This book presents the extraordinary story of a Bolognese woman of the settecento. Laura Maria Caterina Bassi (1711-1778) defended 49 Theses at the University of Bologna on April 17, 1732 and was awarded a doctoral degree on May 12 of the same year. Three weeks before her defense, she was made a member of the Academy of Sciences in Bologna. On June 27 she defended 12 additional Theses. Several of the 61 Theses were on physics and other science topics.

Why the social character of scientific knowledge makes it trustworthy

Children around the world know that to tell how old a tree is, you count its rings. Few people, however, know that research into tree rings has also made amazing contributions to our understanding of Earth's climate history and its influences on human civilization over the past 2,000 years. In her captivating new book, Tree Story, Valerie Trouet reveals how the seemingly simple and relatively familiar concept of counting tree rings has inspired far-reaching scientific breakthroughs that illuminate the complex interactions between nature and people.

A short but engaging exploration of the brain.

In 1895, a German scientist named Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered the existence of X-rays. His work led to the 1901 Nobel Prize in Physics, and X-rays would come to play a prominent role in the research of Marie Curie, Henri Bequerel, Thomas Edison, and other towering figures in science and medicine. This edition examines how Roentgen used the scientific method to achieve his aims and the applications of his discovery. The book also explains how Roentgen's discovery continues to lay the groundwork for new discoveries in astronomy, biology, and more.