New books & media

Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and Triumph of Final Moon LandingsSection:ChooseTop pageAcross Wilds:... <<The Star Builders: Nuclea...FathomTsunami: World’s Grea...Through Glass Ceiling...Across Landings, Earl Swift, Custom House, 2021, $28.99The lunar rover is one “a few Holy Grail items Apollo history,” writes journalist Swift in his new book Wilds. A remarkable feat engineering, allowed humans to cover as much ground possible on reach “the edge man’s travels a species.” Wilds serves paean NASA’s “spacecraft wheels,” providing detailed history its genesis, construction, use. By focusing some memorable people involved visiting sites such US Space & Rocket Center Huntsville, Alabama, astronaut training grounds near Flagstaff, Arizona, brings story life. —ccThe Nuclear Fusion Race Power PlanetSection:ChooseTop Wilds:...The Nuclea... <<FathomTsunami: Ceiling...The Planet, Arthur Turrell, Scribner, $28.00As joke goes, commercially viable nuclear fusion reactors are always 30 (or 50) years away. Despite ridicule, dream feasible source power remains alluring because promise near-limitless supply carbon-free energy. In Builders, plasma physicist science writer Turrell argues that research necessary address climate crisis renewable energy won’t be able provide enough for entire world. profiles physicists—whom he poetically calls “star builders”—in academia, industry, at centers like ITER, international prototype reactor under construction France. view, net gain from will achieved soon, bigger problem quickly deploying worldwide. —rdFathomSection:ChooseTop Nuclea...Fathom <<Tsunami: Ceiling...Fathom, Drew Xanthopoulos, Apple TV+, 2021Fathom started off an investigation into evolved film about women science, according director Xanthopoulos. two main subjects, Michelle Fournet Ellen Garland, whale researchers, documentary follows them field. Fournet’s based Alaska, where she records humpback-whale songs tests see if responses back can cause reaction. other hand, ship waters French Polynesia, looks insights how melodies propagate across globe. Featuring beautiful camerawork superb visuals convert acoustics images, Fathom great introduction bioacoustics. It captures trials, tribulations, occasional loneliness field remarkably well. —pkgTsunami: Greatest WavesSection:ChooseTop Grea... <<Through Ceiling...Tsunami: Waves, James Goff Walter Dudley, Oxford U. Press, $34.95Authored by tsunami researchers this focuses those destructive waves. call arms: Although hurricanes famines may get more attention, points out tsunamis have been most natural disasters history. Few likely aware, example, deadliest disaster 21st century was probably 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed estimated 227 898 people. At time, there no early-warning system Ocean, meant millions were taken surprise when wave hit. Blending with interviews survivors, Tsunami warns us prepared future tidal —rdThrough Ceiling Stars: Story First American Woman Command MissionSection:ChooseTop Ceiling... Mission, Eileen M. Collins, Jonathan H. Ward, Arcade, $27.99Not only Collins first woman command space mission, also Air Force’s female pilots pilot shuttle. An unremarkable student high school who raised single mother, became fascinated aviation early age. She accepted air force’s ROTC program then program, flying total four shuttle missions—two commander—from 1995 2005. With coauthor enthusiast, recounts her inspiring traditionally male pioneer during era. —cc© 2021 Institute Physics.