Ode to Forgotten Science

Reviewing the Science Study Series

One of my latest obsessions is the Science Study Series, a treasure trove of insightful books designed to make scientific discoveries accessible to students and the general public. These books span a vast array of topics, from the minutiae of subatomic particles to the nature of violent storms to the intricacies of bird migration. Published between 1958 and 1974, the books were authored by experts who are not only knowledgeable but also skilled in communicating complex ideas engagingly. The 72 books in the series vary in focus, some delving into the practical impact of science on technology and civilization, while others offer biographical sketches of significant figures in the field, exploring their contributions and discoveries. With gorgeous cover art that captures the essence of the era, these trade paperbacks were affordable for almost everyone with original list prices ranging from $0.95 to $1.95.

The Science Study Series serves as a time capsule into how we viewed science in the Space Age, shortly after the launch of Sputnik put Americans in a frenzy. At the dawn of the Cold War, a convergence of military urgency and cultural conflict gave birth to the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC). This initiative wasn't just about science education. It was a strategic response to a national crisis, reflecting America's profound anxieties about Soviet dominance. America couldn’t let the Soviets gain a technological edge, and the best way to retain dominance was through science education. As Lee Iacocca said,

A little righteous anger really brings out the best in the American personality…We put a man on the moon because Sputnik made us mad at being number two in space. Getting mad in a constructive way is good for the soul and the country.

The PSSC released a number of educational resources: textbooks and course materials, laboratory equipment, an experimental handbook, more than 50 educational films depicting physical phenomena, and the Science Study Series paperbacks. The goal was not only to educate but also to inspire readers to explore and experiment on their own, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of natural phenomena.

This latter point is perhaps the thing I love most about the series. The Science Study Series places a prime emphasis on experimental work and understanding how we know what we know. This is in stark contrast to the majority of the physics books published today. A quick online search for “popular physics” books reveals titles with pop culture tie-ins (The Science of Star Wars, The Physics of Star Trek, etc.), astrophysics & cosmology (numerous books by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Stephen Hawking, and others), and “weird” physics like relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, and wormholes (How to Build a Time Machine, Black Holes and Time Warps, How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog, etc.) There’s nary a condensed matter physics book in sight, despite it being by far the most common research field pursued by physics PhDs.

There’s nothing wrong with books on these topics. They’re engaging and audiences enjoy them. Heck, even the book I’m currently writing has a chapter on nanotech in movies. But how did the popular physics book landscape get so dominated by just a handful of topics, many of which are speculative? I can’t believe that’s good for science education. Is a middle school student supposed to build their own quantum computer or learn enough differential geometry to solve Einstein’s field equations and design a working time machine? Where are the books teaching kids how to build wind tunnels out of leaf blowers? Or how to make their own heat engines out of candles and soda cans? Or how to make beautiful and amazing surface tension experiments out of bubbles?

If the PSSC were alive today, I can’t imagine they’d approve the current slate of book titles. Just look at the diversity of topics the included in the Science Study Series:

Science Study Series Titles

1. Hughes, Donald J. - The Neutron Story: Exploring the Nature of Matter (1959)

2. Bitter, Francis. - Magnets: The Education of a Physicist (1959)

3. Boys, Sir Charles Vernon. - Soap Bubbles and the Forces Which Mould Them (1959)

4. Griffin, Donald R. - Echoes of Bats and Men: Seeing with Sound Waves (1959)

5. Hurley, Patrick M. - How Old Is the Earth? (1959)

6. Holden, Alan and Singer, Phylis. - Crystals and Crystal Growing (1960)

7. Fink, Donald G. and Lutyens, David M. - The Physics of Television (1960)

8. Van Bergeijk, Willem A.; Pierce, John R.; and David, Edward E., Jr. - Waves and the Ear (1960)

9. Cohen, I. Bernard. - The Birth of a New Physics (1960)

10. Benade, Arthur H. - Horns, Strings, and Harmony (1960)

11. Romer, Alfred. - The Restless Atom (1960)

12. Jaffe, Bernard. - Michelson and the Speed of Light (1960)

13. Bondi, Hermann. - The Universe at Large (1960)

14. Dubos, Rene. - Pasteur and Modern Science (1960)

15. Koestler, Arthur. - The Watershed: A Biography of Johannes Kepler (1960)

16. Wilson, Robert R. and Littauer, Raphael. - Accelerators: Machines of Nuclear Physics (1960)

17. Davis, Kenneth S. and Day, John Arthur. - Water: The Mirror of Science (1961)

18. Battan, Louis J. - The Nature of Violent Storms (1961)

19. MacDonald, D. K. C. - Near Zero: The Physics of Low Temperature (1961)

20. Shapiro, Ascher H. - Shape and Flow: The Fluid Dynamics of Drag (1961)

21. Gamow, George. - Gravity (1962)

22. Ovenden, Michael W. - Life in the Universe: A Scientific Discussion (1962)

23. Battan, Louis J. - Radar Observes the Weather (1962)

24. Galambos, Robert. - Nerves and Muscles (1962)

25. Page, Robert Morris. - The Origin of Radar (1962)

26. Sandfort, John F. - Heat Engines (1962)

27. Brown, Sanford C. - Count Rumford: Physicist Extraordinary (1962)

28. Battan, Louis J. - Cloud Physics and Cloud Seeding (1962)

29. Weaver, Warren. - Lady Luck: The Theory of Probability (1963)

30. Weisskopf, Victor F. - Knowledge and Wonder: The Natural World as Man Knows It (1963)

31. Bitter, Francis. - Mathematical Aspects of Physics (1963)

32. MacDonald, D. K. C. - Faraday, Maxwell, and Kelvin (1964)

33. Bascom, Willard. - Waves and Beaches: The Dynamics of the Ocean Surface (1964)

34. Andrade, E. N. da C. - Rutherford and the Nature of the Atom (1964)

35. Bondi, Hermann. - Relativity and Common Sense (1964)

36. Griffin, Donald R. - Bird Migration (1964)

37. Pierce, John R. - Electrons and Waves (1964)

38. Stewart, Alec T. - Perpetual Motion (1964)

39. Kock, Winston E. - Sound Waves and Light Waves (1965)

40. Asimov, Isaac. - A Short History of Chemistry (1965)

41. Andrade, E. N. da C. - Sir Isaac Newton: His Life and Work (1965)

42. Fink, Donald G. - Computers and the Human Mind: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (1965)

43. Pierce, John R. - Quantum Electronics (1966)

44. Gamow, George. - Thirty Years That Shook Physics (1966)

45. Battan, Louis J. - The Unclean Sky (1966)

46. Ohring, George. - Weather and the Planets (1966)

47. Thomson, George. J. J. - J.J. Thomson: Discoverer of the Electron (1966)

48. Edinger, James G. - Watching for the Wind: The Seen and Unseen Influences on Local Weather (1966)

49. Blanchard, Duncan C. - From Raindrops to Volcanoes: Adventures with Sea Surface Meteorology (1966)

50. Pierce, John R. - Waves and Messages (1966)

51. Cohen, Bernard L. - The Heart of the Atom: The Structure of the Atomic Nucleus (1967)

52. Reiter, Elmar R. - Jet Streams: How Do They Affect Our Weather? (1967)

53. Newhall, Beaumont. - Latent Image: The Discovery of Photography (1967)

54. Craig, Richard A. - The Upper Atmosphere (1968)

55. Clancy, Edward P. - The Tides (1968)

56. Moore, A. D. - Electrostatics (1968)

57. Sciama, D. W. - The Physical Foundations of General Relativity (1969)

58. Landsberg, H. W. - Weather and Health: An Introduction to Biometeorology (1969)

59. Moore, A. D. - Invention, Discovery & Creativity (1969)

60. Battan, Louis J. - Harvesting the Clouds: Advances in Weather Modification (1969)

61. Kock, Winston E. - Lasers and Holography: An Introduction to Coherent Optics (1969)

62. Patterson, Elizabeth C. - John Dalton and the Atomic Theory: The Biography of a Natural Philosopher (1970)

63. Jaffe, Bernard. - Moseley and the Numbering of the Elements (1971)

64. Tarling, Don and Tarling, Maureen. - Continental Drift: A Study of the Earth's Moving Surface (1971)

65. Billmeyer, Fred W., Jr. - Synthetic Polymers: Building the Giant Molecule (1971)

66. Rothman, Milton A. - Discovering the Natural Laws: The Experimental Basis of Physics (1971)

67. Foreman, Harry, M.D., ed. - Nuclear Power & the Public (1972)

68. Schlegel, Richard. - Inquiry into Science: Its Domains & Limits (1972)

69. Parsegian, V. L. - This Cybernetic World of Men, Machines & Earth Systems (1972)

70. Bowden, F. P. and Tabor, David. - Friction: An Introduction to Tribology (1973)

71. Denes, Peter B. and Pinson, Elliot N. - Speech Chain: The Physics & Biology of Spoken Language (1973)

72. Cohen, Bernard L. - Nuclear Science and Society (1974)

A New Science Study Series?

In a modern world filled with anti-science conspiracy theories, it’s vital that we diversify our popular science outreach. If we want people to trust scientists again, we need more science books on things people can see, feel, and touch—books that explain the fascinating history of how we know what we know. We also need topics for a modern age. In addition to black holes and relativity, we need experimentally-focused books on artificial intelligence & machine learning, asteroid mining, climate models, CRISPR, cybersecurity, electric cars & batteries, the energy grid, geothermal heating, the Internet of Things, nanotechnology, nuclear fusion energy, pandemics & virology, planet hunting, plastic recycling, solar power, quantum computers, virtual reality, and water desalination.

What do you think? Have you ever come across any Science Study Series gems in a bookstore or library? If we had to make a new Science Study Series of affordable books today, what topics would you want to include? Let us know in the comments down below.