Information Waves

Gr 6–8—The newest entries in this ongoing series encompass a range of topics—most of them gratifyingly broad—in physics, technology, and earth sciences. Duke covers the history of human understanding of matter from ancient times to subnuclear physics—in enough detail to encompass all five states of matter and even a rare note about some possible others. Though most of the presentations are both informative and accurate, Waves contains incorrect descriptions of Philo Farnsworth's TV and Bill Gates's BASIC. BASIC was not a "microcomputer" but a language. In Space, Kootz offers an incomprehensibly garbled version of string theory. The two or three hands-on activities in some (not all) volumes vary likewise, from a terrific one in Power that involves using rotting meat to blow up a balloon to an unfeasible, complex household survey for Planet.