Why Nothing Can Travel Faster Than Light-- and Other Explorations in Nature's Curiosity Shop

Book excerpt: Why is the sky blue? What killed off the dinosaurs? How big is the universe? Can computers think? Why do we grow old? To the open-eyed and inquisitive, nature is a fascinating curiosity shop with an endless array of wonders and mysteries on display. Yet most of us know very little about the marvelous aspects of science that surround us every day of our lives. Why Nothing Can Travel Faster than Light is a lively collection of engrossing and highly readable essays that shed light on some of the most provocative questions about science and technology. Barry and David Zimmerman, brothers who teach science and write widely on science subjects, range effortlessly across the broad spectrum that is nature: from how the universe began to its probable fate, from cryonics to ozone depletion, from natural history to quantum physics. Their essays will enlighten and entertain everyone who enjoys the wonder of exploring nature's marvelous curiosity shop.