Zapped

June 5, 2017
Electromagnetic radiation—light—is everywhere, but it’s not all visible to the naked eye. Astronomy writer Berman (Zoom) runs through a fascinating history of the rainbow’s invisible bands in this breezy, accessible read. Berman draws from topics as far-flung as art, gardening, relativity, and radioactivity to explain light’s intriguing nature and its influence on humans, in order “to explore the unseen energies that pervade our universe, our planet, and our bodies.” Humans only “perceive sunlight’s most abundant energies,” Berman writes; thus we regard the “universe through the sun’s eyes.” In those bounds, evolution honed our ability to distinguish green “wavelengths that differ by just one nanometer.” Berman adeptly explains the physics of light and its modern applications in studious detail. Since the discoveries of infrared radiation, microwaves, and UV rays, invisible light has made microwave ovens, cellphones, GPS, and other innovations possible. Scientists use it as a tool to examine the distant universe and search for alien life. In the style of a favorite professor, Berman injects bits of odd humor and captivating tangents into this complex but familiar topic. After the final page, readers will still be reflecting on “the unseen lights that blaze brilliantly in realms beyond what our senses can ever perceive.” Agent: Albert Zuckerman, Writers House.

June 15, 2017
An enthusiastic account of all the light we cannot see from a science popularizer with a knack for presenting hard facts clearly and stylishly.Berman (Zoom: How Everything Moves: From Atoms and Galaxies to Blizzards and Bees, 2014, etc.), a columnist for Astronomy magazine and science editor of the Old Farmer's Almanac, promises that in his latest book of popular science, "myths will be busted and wild facts will abound." He keeps that promise as he clarifies for the nonscientist the nature of the many forms of radiation around us. First, the author tackles visible light, introducing the difficult concept that light is both a particle and a set of waves of electricity and magnetism. From there, he moves on to light outside the visible spectrum: infrared, ultraviolet, radio waves, microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays, and other forms of radiation that surround us and bombard us. Due to information overload, some readers may be inclined to skim or skip ahead in certain sections. Aware that the material is occasionally dense, Berman cues readers with lines like, "read the preceding paragraph one more time," and "I hope you're taking notes on all this." Thankfully, the author interweaves his science lessons with selective profiles of pioneers in the field and fascinating tales from fiction and real life--e.g., Archimedes' supposed burning of enemy ships with focused sun rays, the death rays depicted by H.G. Wells in The War of the Worlds, and astronaut Edgar Mitchell's brain wave-based ESP experiments during the Apollo 14 mission. Berman includes a chapter on solar eclipses, a favorite phenomenon of his, and there is a bit on the Big Bang and cosmic radiation. For those concerned about health and safety, the author deftly separates fact from myths about cell-phones, brain scans, and other sources of radiation. For those curious about what lies ahead, he takes a look at future applications of invisible light in medicine and computing. A guide for laymen written with gusto and assurance.

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July 1, 2017

We are surrounded by a vital substance we cannot see. Berman (Zoom; The Sun's Heartbeat) tracks the history of invisible light from the findings of early Greek and Arab thinkers who observed the eye to discoveries of 19th-century scientists William Herschel, Heinrich Hertz, Michael Faraday, and the Curies. The author explores different types of invisible light including radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, and cosmic rays. He explains the principles behind microwave ovens, cell phones, GPS trackers, and X-rays, as well as the controversies over the perceived dangers of these technologies. Berman also addresses fantastical applications of light waves such as ray guns and ESP and still emerging fields of zero-point energy and dark energy. The author excels at making complex concepts accessible for lay readers. VERDICT Like other books that focus on common but often murky topics (for instance, Mark Kurlansky's Salt, Mary Roach's Stiff, and Donald Canfield's Oxygen), this is a great option for those curious about history, theories, and function of everyday things.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

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