Publisher's Weekly Review
Electromagnetic radiation-light-is everywhere, but it's not all visible to the naked eye. Astronomy writer Berman (Zoom) runs through a fascinating history of the rainbow's invisible bands in this breezy, accessible read. Berman draws from topics as far-flung as art, gardening, relativity, and radioactivity to explain light's intriguing nature and its influence on humans, in order "to explore the unseen energies that pervade our universe, our planet, and our bodies." Humans only "perceive sunlight's most abundant energies," Berman writes; thus we regard the "universe through the sun's eyes." In those bounds, evolution honed our ability to distinguish green "wavelengths that differ by just one nanometer." Berman adeptly explains the physics of light and its modern applications in studious detail. Since the discoveries of infrared radiation, microwaves, and UV rays, invisible light has made microwave ovens, cellphones, GPS, and other innovations possible. Scientists use it as a tool to examine the distant universe and search for alien life. In the style of a favorite professor, Berman injects bits of odd humor and captivating tangents into this complex but familiar topic. After the final page, readers will still be reflecting on "the unseen lights that blaze brilliantly in realms beyond what our senses can ever perceive." Agent: Albert Zuckerman, Writers House. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
An enthusiastic account of all the light we cannot see from a science popularizer with a knack for presenting hard facts clearly and stylishly.Berman (Zoom: How Everything Moves: From Atoms and Galaxies to Blizzards and Bees, 2014, etc.), a columnist for Astronomy magazine and science editor of the Old Farmer's Almanac, promises that in his latest book of popular science, "myths will be busted and wild facts will abound." He keeps that promise as he clarifies for the nonscientist the nature of the many forms of radiation around us. First, the author tackles visible light, introducing the difficult concept that light is both a particle and a set of waves of electricity and magnetism. From there, he moves on to light outside the visible spectrum: infrared, ultraviolet, radio waves, microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays, and other forms of radiation that surround us and bombard us. Due to information overload, some readers may be inclined to skim or skip ahead in certain sections. Aware that the material is occasionally dense, Berman cues readers with lines like, "read the preceding paragraph one more time," and "I hope you're taking notes on all this." Thankfully, the author interweaves his science lessons with selective profiles of pioneers in the field and fascinating tales from fiction and real lifee.g., Archimedes' supposed burning of enemy ships with focused sun rays, the death rays depicted by H.G. Wells in The War of the Worlds, and astronaut Edgar Mitchell's brain wave-based ESP experiments during the Apollo 14 mission. Berman includes a chapter on solar eclipses, a favorite phenomenon of his, and there is a bit on the Big Bang and cosmic radiation. For those concerned about health and safety, the author deftly separates fact from myths about cell-phones, brain scans, and other sources of radiation. For those curious about what lies ahead, he takes a look at future applications of invisible light in medicine and computing. A guide for laymen written with gusto and assurance. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
What role does invisible light play in our medicine, our technology, and our culture in the twenty-first century? What new opportunities for its use are on the horizon? Berman (Zoom: How Everything Moves, 2014) answers these and other questions about the many ways unseen light affects our world. The author is quick to point out that light is fundamentally a sensation, lacking color and brightness, that doesn't exist without being observed. This scientific principle, which he deems Wonderland-strange, informs the stories of illuminating discoveries throughout history, like amateur astronomer William Herschel (who also discovered Uranus) accidentally stumbling upon infrared radiation in 1800, Heinrich Hertz's experiments with radio waves, the unauthorized ESP experiments conducted by an Apollo 14 astronaut, and the unimaginably violent and superpowerful gamma rays. Along the way, Berman nimbly busts common myths about the danger of cell-phone microwave radiation (overrated); UV rays (can still burn you in the shade!); and other not-so-light concerns. Erudite but never stuffy, Berman writes with enthusiasm and clarity, making this an informative and digestible read for the science-curious.--Comello, Chad Copyright 2017 Booklist