The Science of Science Fiction

by Josephine Martin PH., Tom Casteel (Illustrator)

Overview

Early science fiction imagined a world with space travel, video calls, and worldwide access to information, things we now know as NASA’s human spaceflight program, Skype, and the Internet. What next? Could we really bring back the dinosaurs, travel to a distant star, or live on Mars?

In The Science of Science Fiction, readers ages 12 to 15 explore the science behind classic and modern science fiction stories, including artificial intelligence, androids, and the search for alien life. They learn how cutting edge concepts, including time dilation and genetic manipulation, influence today’s fiction.

The Science of Science Fiction promotes critical thinking skills through inquiry, discovery, research, analysis, and reflection of key scientific ideas and concepts made popular by many titles in science fiction. Each chapter features informative sidebars and video and website links for an in-depth look at key topics. Science-minded experiments include a simple demonstration of artificial gravity using a bucket of water and calculating the speed of light using chocolate in a microwave. This variety of resources ensures the material is accessible to students with diverse learning styles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619304666
Publisher:	Nomad Press
Publication date:	02/14/2017
Series:	Inquire and Investigate Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	1060L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 15 Years

About the Author

Matthew Brenden Wood is a math and science teacher with a passion for STEAM education. An avid amateur astronomer and astrophotographer, Wood holds a bachelor’s degree in astronomy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and lives in Phoenix, AZ.

Tom Casteel is a cartoonist with a master's degree from the Center for Cartoon Studies. Tom has illustrated several books for Nomad Press, including The Brain: Journey Through the Universe Inside Your Head. Tom lives in South Bend, IN.

Table of Contents

Timeline
Introduction: The Science Behind the Fiction
Chapter One: Living on Other Worlds
Chapter Two: Wrapping Your Head Around Warp Speed
Chapter Three: The Trouble With Time Travel
Chapter Four: Your Friend the Android
Chapter Five: Living to the Ripe Old Age of …?
Chapter Six: Your Pet Dinosaur
Chapter Seven: Aliens!
Glossary
Resources
Index

Editorial Reviews

School Library Connection September 1 issue

By exploring the intersection between the arts and sciences, this book provides an engaging discussion of how works of science fiction can influence actual scientific innovation and vice versa. This title is best for middle and high school libraries looking to expand their STEAM collection or with a substantial sci-fi fan base in their community. The suggested activities included in this title provide many opportunities for collaboration, high-level thinking, discussion, and debate. Recommended

From the Publisher

02/01/2017
Gr 6 Up—Blockbuster hits like Star Wars and Jurassic Park have plots, settings, and technology that could exist only in the far distant future. But as science advances and new discoveries are made, fantastical sci-fi technologies might be closer to reality than one may think. This title compares fictional stories with real-life scientific breakthroughs, including artificial intelligence, cloning, space travel, and beyond. Older examples such as H.G. Wells's The Time Machine and more contemporary movie releases like 2015's The Martian are cited. After presenting a work of sci-fi and its fictional aspects, the author uses information and theories about the subject to explain how possible or impossible it is presently and in the future (for instance, the chances of humans traveling to Mars or cloning a woolly mammoth). Accompanying the main text on each page are additional facts, photos, and short comics infused with a bit of corny humor. Each of the six chapters ends with a section of projects and discussion questions that make for great student interaction or homework assignments. VERDICT Jam-packed with high-interest material, this selection will be useful for science classes or literature units that cover the books mentioned within.—Thomas Jonte, Horry County Memorial Library, SC

School Library Journal