Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from your Airplane Window
by Brian Clegg £12.99 ICON BOOKS
If you're a frequent flyer, it's easy to become blasé about the remarkable technology that lies at the heart of aviation. Yet, as Brian Clegg points out in this entertaining and informative book, we've come a very long way in just over a century, since the Wright brothers first took to the air. And quite literally: the wingspan of a Boeing 747 is almost twice the length of their 37m maiden flight.
Clegg looks at the whole experience of flight, from arrival at the airport to the journey itself, including the view from your window, and examines the science that's at work at every step. Although his populist approach may be a little too dumbed down for some tastes, there's still much here to marvel at.
For instance, he explains how Newton's three laws of motion come into effect during take-off. He reveals that Einstein's concept of 'special relativity' means that after 40 years of crossing the Atlantic every week, you would be one thousandth of a second younger than an identical twin. More prosaically, he even goes into the mechanics of the onboard toilet.
As a bonus, Clegg has also included some simple experiments illustrating many of his observations, although they're probably best used for keeping small children amused. All in all, though, there's much to be learned in this book, for both young and old.
8/10
BUY IT HERE: Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from your Airplane Window
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