Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze? is the latest compilation of readers' answers to the questions in the 'Last Word' column of New Scientist, the world's best-selling science weekly. Following the phenomenal success of Does Anything Eat Wasps? - the Christmas 2005 surprise bestseller - this new collection includes recent answers never before published in book form, and also old favourites from the column's early days. Yet again, many seemingly simple questions turn out to have complex answers. And some that seem difficult have a very simple explanation. New Scientist's 'Last Word' is regularly voted the magazine's most popular section as it celebrates all questions - the trivial, idiosyncratic, baffling and strange. This new selection of the best is popular science at its most entertaining and enlightening.
Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze?: And 114 Other Questions
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Review
'Extraordinary book... responsible for putting popular science
back on its feet'
-- BBC Radio 5 Live
'a fascinating mix of the baffling, ridiculous and trivial...
answers the scientific questions you never got round to asking'
-- Daily Express
'at last, the mysteries of the world are explained... the book
everyone is talking about'
-- Independent on Sunday
back on its feet'
-- BBC Radio 5 Live
'a fascinating mix of the baffling, ridiculous and trivial...
answers the scientific questions you never got round to asking'
-- Daily Express
'at last, the mysteries of the world are explained... the book
everyone is talking about'
-- Independent on Sunday
Book Description
What time is it at the North Pole? Should you pickle your conkers? Why does my aubergine look like Elvis? These, plus 111 other questions answered.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
This book's predecessor, Does Anything Eat Wasps?, was the surprise publishing phenomenon of the 2005 Christmas season. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
This book's predecessor, Does Anything Eat Wasps?, was the surprise publishing phenomenon of the 2005 Christmas season. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By Alessi Lover
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Wonderful for anybody that wants to know the answers to life's sometimes baffling questions (especially if you have children that want the answers to questions that sometimes you even have doubts about). This book is almost certainly for you (look really clever in front of the childern, no more ask the teacher the answer to that one). Boys will love the question on snot, and for you older one's (the answer to why hair goes grey might be of some help, no it is not too much perming or colouring, buy and book and read it to find out.
I originally bought the book for our daughter who is aged 15 but couldn't resist a look at it myself, had to read it though as it is just so gripping, once looking at one question and answer, then it snowballs. (At least if I get caught short on the conversation front, now I can think of different questions and see how people answer), or they will just look and think what the heck am I on.
A must book for summer holidays, long car journeys, you could ask one question and get everyone to give their answer to it, enjoyable fun and could put the end to are we there yet?
Bought my copy from Amazon on offer, so got a really good deal, but even at full price less than £8.00 still a good buy.
I originally bought the book for our daughter who is aged 15 but couldn't resist a look at it myself, had to read it though as it is just so gripping, once looking at one question and answer, then it snowballs. (At least if I get caught short on the conversation front, now I can think of different questions and see how people answer), or they will just look and think what the heck am I on.
A must book for summer holidays, long car journeys, you could ask one question and get everyone to give their answer to it, enjoyable fun and could put the end to are we there yet?
Bought my copy from Amazon on offer, so got a really good deal, but even at full price less than £8.00 still a good buy.
66 of 68 people found the following review helpful
By W. Chung
Format:Paperback
This book, the follow up to 'Does Anything Eat Wasps?', of trivial, is a wonderful compilation of trivial, unimportant questions that you might wonder about but never really knew the answer to, or who to ask, or where to look.
Why Don't Penguins Feet Freeze? compiles a list of these questions, all categorised into their own section, all come with a variety of responses (scientific, factual and sometimes funny and bizarre) for you to enjoy.
You don't have to be an expert in science to appreciate and enjoy this book (such as me). Embrace it and learn something new everyday. Definitely worth checking out.
Why Don't Penguins Feet Freeze? compiles a list of these questions, all categorised into their own section, all come with a variety of responses (scientific, factual and sometimes funny and bizarre) for you to enjoy.
You don't have to be an expert in science to appreciate and enjoy this book (such as me). Embrace it and learn something new everyday. Definitely worth checking out.
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By Rowena Hoseason
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
There are now quite a few of these type of books around, but this volume and its partner (the one about Does Anything Eat Wasps?) are the originals. And they are very entertaining!
The information is taken from New Scientist magazine, however, so very often it is quite complex and detailed. The questions are very varied, and range across natural history, biology, chemistry, physics, astrophysics -- you name it. Sometimes the questions are very basic; sometimes they are complicated -- and sometimes the answers can be half a dozen lines or several pages long.
These trivia snippets are a bit like grown-up factoids: interesting to read and file away, and maybe useful once in a blue moon, but mainly worth reading to satisfy some curiosity.
Because the book is divided into sections, and each question forms a different topic, it is very easy to dip in and out of this book. It's much harder to read it all in great long sessions, as you would a novel.
So this is maybe a book to keep in the small room and flick through when the mood takes you!
Although it is non-fiction, Penguin's Feet isn't a reference book as such. Because the topics are so different, and the replies vary in depth and detail, this really isn't a serious science guide.
Instead it's a jolly compilation which lets you surf through some science -- and it's no problem if you skip the bits you don't understand!
The information is taken from New Scientist magazine, however, so very often it is quite complex and detailed. The questions are very varied, and range across natural history, biology, chemistry, physics, astrophysics -- you name it. Sometimes the questions are very basic; sometimes they are complicated -- and sometimes the answers can be half a dozen lines or several pages long.
These trivia snippets are a bit like grown-up factoids: interesting to read and file away, and maybe useful once in a blue moon, but mainly worth reading to satisfy some curiosity.
Because the book is divided into sections, and each question forms a different topic, it is very easy to dip in and out of this book. It's much harder to read it all in great long sessions, as you would a novel.
So this is maybe a book to keep in the small room and flick through when the mood takes you!
Although it is non-fiction, Penguin's Feet isn't a reference book as such. Because the topics are so different, and the replies vary in depth and detail, this really isn't a serious science guide.
Instead it's a jolly compilation which lets you surf through some science -- and it's no problem if you skip the bits you don't understand!
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3.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Book of random questions
Random facts from Why is Snot Green ? to Why are aeroplane windows so small? Some good reading in there but a lot of stuff way over my head!
Published 21 days ago by F Keegan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
This book is more scientific than I thought it would be but is very informative. Certainly has educated me in alot of facts that I wondered about.
Published 2 months ago by rainbow
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't fire your gun into the air...
The Great Wall of China commonly thought to be the only non-natural object visible from space, but the claim is incorrect. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Eileen Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Love It
I originally bought the book for my daughter but couldn't resist a look at it my self.
The book is divided into sections, and each question forms a different topic, it is very... Read more
The book is divided into sections, and each question forms a different topic, it is very... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Pemberton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brrr-illiant
Another great collection of unanswerable (or so we thought!) science questions from the Last Word team. Highly recommended read for children and adults.
Published 13 months ago by eck4355
5.0 out of 5 stars
haha lol
this book is great for those that love science and is as equally as good for those that ask random questions. ever wanted to know why snot is green? then this is the book for you!
Published 15 months ago by nadia short
3.0 out of 5 stars
Full of interesting facts
An interesting book full of answers to questions you didn't know you wanted to ask. It is comprised of letters and answers from New Scientist magazine. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Six Impossible Things
4.0 out of 5 stars
One for the side table to dip into
This book is just the thing for trivia loving adults or naturally inquisitive children of about 12+ years. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Kristin
3.0 out of 5 stars
just okay
i found myself skipping large sections of this book which i just found a bit boring! i'm sure that's probably just my personal preference though! well set out and funny in parts.
Published on 14 May 2011 by Ms. Louise Griffiths
3.0 out of 5 stars
You learn something new everyday
This book is a series of questions that have been answered by readers of the New Scientist magazine. Most of the questions were interesting but others I did not care about at all. Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2011 by Ken
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