love going to the Festival of the Spoken Nerd live shows, but do sometimes find myself getting a little left behind by explanations of the experiments I witness.
Self guided experimentation by way of The Element In The Room is therefore perfect for me, I can reread the scientific whys and hows enough times that the information actually lodges in my brain rather than skimming off into the distance!The Element In The Room includes much of what is most fun about FotSN live shows the humour, the tangential leaps of subject, and there's even a song.
It is geared towards the home though and I have been enjoying trying out experiments in our caravan, I hadn't previously considered what a good laboratory it makes, but we have turmeric and noodles and I can cook up a curry.
Making a grill pan chime like Big Ben is particularly impressive in such a small room, On the downside, poor Dave has had to listen to me recounting Quite Interesting facts and misremembered theories for the best part of a week.
He's now reading The Element In The Room for himself and looking forward to extracting DNA from strawberries sometime soon, If you're fascinated by the world around us and like your science based in practical experimentation, this could be the perfect book for you too.
The book was relatively enjoyable for the first few chapters while it remained true
to its “science in the room”/“experiments you can do right now” ethos.
That stopped round about half way through but was still quite interesting with some nice facts and figures thrown in, My main criticism regards the “gags”I dont think I found even one which was the remotest bit funny, The attempts at humor unremittingly of the “yay Im so zany” kind were desperate, stale and ruined an otherwise nice book, Try less hard I've had this book for less thanhours and it's already really annoyed my wife laughing out loud so often and having uncontrollable giggles while she's trying to sleep.
. ! It's fantastic. Not sure what it'll do for your relationship, but it is rather brilliant, . ! It's actually really fascinating too and packed with loads of experiments to try or not to try as well, The perfect gift for one's inner nerd, . ! Who'd'a'thought there's so many great sciencey things to do and see all around us and I love the writing style too, I'll never look at bees the same way again, Thanks guys! Well, that's got my Christmas Presents sorted, hasn't it, . ! Enjoy! I read the sampler on my holiday And it was so entertaining, I loved the illustrations too, and the punny title Noice, Being a journo, and a wannabe nerd, all of this stuff appealed to me no end, Having been 'sci curious' since leaving school and no longer being bored sless by uninspiring curriculums and teachers I found this book to be a delight.
Irreverent and funny, and full of the life I would want to be injected into what is a fascinating subject all things considered.
The little snippets remind me of the bits in text books that WERE interesting, The fascinating factoids that injected life into the dour schoolings of old, But what's different here is that the interesting bits ARE the main appeal, I'll definitely be ordering the full book, And I will be sharing it with my nieces, when they are slightly older and I have taught them a few expletives :DHelen's writing style is personable, friendly and hilariously funny.
I expect she could tell me things about the reveals age phone book and make it engaging and interesting, How I LOLed at the silly asides, as I inadvertently absorbed facts against my will, This is how teaching should be, And if all learning about stuff was this much fun, we'd all be better educated, If sci curious, this book is an absolute must, And I am already planning which planet to move to, based on the recommendations within this brilliant tome, for when Trump and North Korea blow this one up And I am already pissed off that my mini can't drive itself yet than I can tell you.
Brilliant. I love it. Buy it. I'm not entirely sure I'm the right audience for this, but I still enjoyed it, I've not seen the Spoken Nerd, but it's been mentioned a few times to me, esp given my love of the Infinite Monkey Cage podcast.
This is of a similar vein, but the science is a lot simplified, being concerned with every day things, rather than the rarefied cosmology.
It doesn't read like a science book though, it's loaded with jokes, digessions, and little comments, that make the entire book a joy.
Also included are lots of little experiments you can try out at home, Some of which would be than suitable for kids, a couple adult orientated, however there is a warning saying the experiments should not be carried out by unsupervised children or irresponsible adults.
I'm not sure if I'd give this to a kid, but any adult with a sense of humour and an interest in science should enjoy it.
'Made me go Hydrogen Argon Hydrogen Argon Hydrogen Argon' Rufus HoundAs featured in Best stocking filler books ofThe Guardian'Witty and clever writing every topic is engaging fun and in some cases laugh out loud funnythere are too many highlights to mention' How it WorksWhy is it impossible to spin your right foot clockwise while you draw awith your right hand Can you extract DNA from a strawberry daiuiri Would you make love like a praying mantis Should you book a holiday on EarthThe Element in the Room will take you on a rib tickling experiment fuelled adventure to explain everyday science that is staring you in the face If you are sci curious pi curious or just the end is nigh curious then this is the book for you Steve Mould and Helen Arney are two thirds of science comedy phenomenon Festival of the Spoken Nerd As a trio they have appeared on I created their own experimental comedy show 'Domestic Science' for Radiotoured their stand up science shows to overnerds and non nerds and accumulated millions of views on YouTube 'These nerds are the real deal' Ben Goldacre author of BAD SCIENCE'They make science fun and understandable which is a great combo' Sandi Toksvig 'MIND BLOWN' Tim Harford 'Science was never such hilarious explosive fun' Richard Herring 'This book isbetter than mine But it tooknerds to write it' Matt Parker the other third of Spoken Nerd
'Made me go Hydrogen Argon, Hydrogen Argon, Hydrogen Argon.
' Rufus Hound
As featured in Best stockingfiller books ofThe Guardian
'Witty and clever writing, every topic is engaging, fun and in some cases laughoutloud funny.
. . there are too many highlights to mention' How it Works
- Why is it impossible to spin your right foot clockwise while you draw awith your right hand
- Can you extract DNA from a strawberry daiquiri
- Would you make love like a praying mantis
- Should you book a holiday on Earth.
The Element in the Room will take you on a ribtickling, experimentfuelled adventure to explain everyday science that is staring you in the face.
If you are scicurious, picurious or just theendisnighcurious then this is the book for you,
Steve Mould and Helen Arney are two thirds of science comedy phenomenon Festival of the Spoken Nerd.
As a trio they have appeared on QI, created their own experimental comedy show 'Domestic Science' for Radio, toured their standup science shows to over,nerds and nonnerds and accumulated millions of views on YouTube.
'These nerds are the real deal' Ben Goldacre, author of BAD SCIENCE
'They make science fun and understandable which is a great combo.
' Sandi Toksvig
'MIND BLOWN, ' Tim Harford
'Science was never such hilarious explosive fun, ' Richard Herring
'This book isbetter than mine, But it tookmore nerds to write it, ' Matt Parker the other third of Spoken Nerd
'Made me go Hydrogen Argon, Hydrogen Argon, Hydrogen Argon.
' Rufus Hound
As featured in Best stockingfiller books ofThe Guardian
'Witty and clever writing, every topic is engaging, fun and in some cases laughoutloud funny.
. . there are too many highlights to mention' How it Works
- Why is it impossible to spin your right foot clockwise while you draw awith your right hand
- Can you extract DNA from a strawberry daiquiri
- Would you make love like a praying mantis
- Should you book a holiday on Earth.
The Element in the Room will take you on a ribtickling, experimentfuelled adventure to explain everyday science that is staring you in the face.
If you are scicurious, picurious or just theendisnighcurious then this is the book for you,
Steve Mould and Helen Arney are two thirds of science comedy phenomenon Festival of the Spoken Nerd.
As a trio they have appeared on QI, created their own experimental comedy show 'Domestic Science' for Radio, toured their standup science shows to over,nerds and nonnerds and accumulated millions of views on YouTube.
'These nerds are the real deal' Ben Goldacre, author of BAD SCIENCE
'They make science fun and understandable which is a great combo.
' Sandi Toksvig
'MIND BLOWN, ' Tim Harford
'Science was never such hilarious explosive fun, ' Richard Herring
'This book isbetter than mine, But it tookmore nerds to write it, ' Matt Parker the other third of Spoken Nerd,