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Lightning Often Strikes Twice

The 50 Biggest Misconceptions in Science

Brian Clegg
Air resistance, terminal velocity and an unstable fluttering effect mean that, contrary to popular belief, a coin dropped from the Empire State Building is unlikely to kill a passer-by. This light-hearted compendium sets out the science behind many such ‘facts’, exploring the truth about whether fingernails continue to grow after death, if a goldfish can remember more than the last few seconds, and whether humans really only use 10% of their brain power. 
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RRP £12.99

£5.99

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Product information:
  • Publisher: Michael O'Mara
  • Year: 2022
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 192pp
  • Illustrated: Yes
  • Dimensions: 204x136mm
  • ISBN: 9781789294255
  • Condition: New
  • Weight: 0.3kg
Product code:
528964
Product information
Full publisher description
A revealing and entertaining guide through some of the biggest misconceptions in science that many of us still believe.

You may well be familiar with the fact that lightning, contrary to the popular saying, often strikes the same place twice. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what many of us wrongly believe about the way the world works. Whether it's word of mouth, myths you've read about online, or misremembered facts from school, we're bombarded by misconceptions about the science we come into contact with every day - this book will uncover the most popular myths to help you avoid contributing to the perpetuation of these misunderstandings.

Breaking it down into fifty of the most popular misconceptions in science, each chapter of this book will be headed up with a 'fact', followed by the real story, providing the science and theory that debunks the myth. From fears about the exponential growth of the human population to the embarrassment of always pointing out the north star as the brightest in the sky, this is the book to read if you want to separate the science fact from fiction.
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