Fast-reading, funny prose on science, pop culture, politics, and life.

Steve Mirsky's monthly column, “Anti Gravity,” appears in Scientific American, and he also produces and narrates Scientific American's weekly podcast. His freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as Astronomy, Audubon, Earth, Men's Fitness, National Wildlife, Self, and Wildlife Conservation.

I¿ve lost count of the number of people I¿ve met who say, ¿Oh, I read Scientific America all the time.¿ To which I say to myself, ¿No, you don¿t.¿
One such TV appearance came on Sunday, September 4, 2005 (a date which will live inflaming me), on Meet the Press. NBC News Washington bureau chief and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert introduced [a Scientific American writer] and noted that his article had appeared in ¿ buckle up-Scientific America. (The written transcript of the program corrects the error, but it¿s clear in the audio available through the NBC Web site.)

Actually, Moot the Press and I have had issues for some time. Back in the dark days before the turn of the millennium, Y2K was an alleged impending crisis. The renowned computer scientist, systems analyst, and cultural anthropologist Pat Robertson appeared with Russert to explain that the coming computer meltdown was going to cripple us. I wrote a letter to the producer suggesting that a serious discussion of the Y2K issue would require guests with greater expertise in the field than a televangelist has . . .
Having some scientists on would also be good.

Steve Mirsky, humorist and podcaster, has entertained and provoked readers of Scientific American magazine in his "Anti Gravity” column for the past ten years. With his sharp wit, wide-ranging interests, and droll application of a scientific viewpoint to pop culture, Mirsky has covered topics ranging from CSI's influence on college majors to the cheap-Formica-billed woodpecker, from the absurdities of creation "science" to the inanities of politicians trying to address scientific topics on Sunday-morning talk shows. This book offers the best of Mirsky's smart sensibility to fans new and old.

 

Imprint: The Lyons Press
Distributor: The Globe Pequot Press
Publication Date: 05-01-2007
Pages: 232
Measurements: 9.00in X 6.00in