What's Science Ever Done For Us: What the Simpsons Can Teach Us About Physics, Robots, Life, and the Universe | 
 enlarge | Author: Paul Halpern
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 20757
Media: Paperback
Edition: Mti
Pages: 272
Number Of Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 0470114606
Dewey Decimal Number: 500
EAN: 9780470114605
ASIN: 0470114606
Publication Date: July 9, 2007
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Product Description
A playful and entertaining look at science on The Simpsons
This amusing book explores science as presented on the longest-running and most popular animated TV series ever made: The Simpsons. Over the years, the show has examined such issues as genetic mutation, time travel, artificial intelligence, and even aliens. "What's Science Ever Done for Us?" examines these and many other topics through the lens of America's favorite cartoon.
This spirited science guide will inform Simpsons fans and entertain science buffs with a delightful combination of fun and fact. It will be the perfect companion to the upcoming Simpsons movie.
The Simpsons is a magnificent roadmap of modern issues in science. This completely unauthorized, informative, and fun exploration of the science and technology, connected with the world's most famous cartoon family, looks at classic episodes from the show to launch fascinating scientific discussions mixed with intriguing speculative ideas and a dose of humor. Could gravitational lensing create optical illusions, such as when Homer saw someone invisible to everyone else? Is the Coriolis effect strong enough to make all toilets in the Southern Hemisphere flush clockwise, as Bart was so keen to find out? If Earth were in peril, would it make sense to board a rocket, as Marge, Lisa, and Maggie did, and head to Mars? While Bart and Millhouse can't stop time and have fun forever, Paul Halpern explores the theoretical possibilities involving Einstein's theory of time dilation.
Paul Halpern, PhD (Philadelphia, PA) is Professor of Physics and Mathematics at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and a 2002 recipient of a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship. He is also the author of The Great Beyond (0-471-46595-X).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Only for those with more than a little knowledge of science. October 8, 2008
Norman Strojny (western desert of Utah)
Be sure you, personally, have a look through this book to see if it is what you want before buying it. Not recommended for readers younger than 16-18. It will be most enjoyed by college-level science students and young scientists and technically oriented "young" adults.
This book does not "teach" science in a straight forward way. Generally, examples of science are taken from episodes of The Simpsons, an amount of explaination is added, and the author usually leaves good hints for those who want to look for further science-oriented information. However, for me, the book seemed to be more of an appreciation of The Simpsons than a teaching tool for science.
If you are looking for a book to interest young children in serious science, this is not a good pick.
not for children July 18, 2008
Rosa Canon (Lexington KY)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I made the mistake of buying this book for a grandchild who likes The Simpsons and science. It is definitely not a good choice for children unless you know one who already has a B.S. degree. The writing level and style are not going to interest children. I'm quite sure the author didn't intend it to be for children.
 Simpsons Simplified Science January 21, 2008
J. J. Kwashnak (Atlanta, GA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Over the course of nearly 20 years, it's easier to ask what the Simpsons have NOT touched upon. It's the witty, wide ranging and educated way the writers take on the world that has kept the show on the air, and allowed the show to become the basis for studies of religion, philosophy and now science. When working with an animated show you are luckily outside the realm of the real world, so everything is back to normal at the beginning of the next episode. At the same time you can take science and have some fun with it, shrinking people, entering the third dimension and have comets disintegrate in pollution laden air. However, thanks to brainy Lisa, there usually is a baseline of true science even when we enter the realm of science fiction. Paul Halpern takes this baseline truth as a launching point to discuss varied scientific topics. While never delving too deep into the science or causing the reader's eyes to glaze over, he does a competent job in explaining a wide variety of science topics using examples from the show to help illustrate his point. He will often attribute the storyline points on science the subject of artistic license or exaggeration (as exampled by the Cartoon Laws of Physics he references) but he never calls the writers dumb, nor does he call the reader dumb because he or she comes to the book believing that toilets swirl the opposite direction depending on whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere. Rather he instead approaches the topics with a "well popular culture may have you think this is true because of A, B or C, but the fact is that is incorrect, and here's why." Nothing he writes about goes too deeply into the science topics - you probably would get deeper science in some Wikipedia articles, but for the layman that is good. He feeds you spoon sized lessons for the average reader to digest. You laugh with the Simpsons, and you also learn a little. Even Homer might enjoy this book.
fun and educational January 17, 2008
Zachary R. Destefano (Manhattan, NY, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book talks about an episode of The Simpsons and then goes into the science behind it. There are 26 chapters that each mention a different scientific topic mentioned in The Simpsons. It is a fun read and you learn scientific information. You only learn basic information however, but it is still a good read. The most surprising thing was that in the introduction, the author mentions the educational background of the writers and creators of The Simpsons. Many of them have master's degrees and/or Ph.D.'s in math or science.
 Exx-cellent (with tented fingers) November 10, 2007
Steve Skye (Phoenix)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am a huge fan of The Simpsons; I think I have watched an episode everyday for the past however many years the series has been on. The show has become part of my stream of consciousness which will cause me to unexpectedly smile or laugh throughout the day. My obsession is so great that friends have even developed an almost psychic ability to recognize when I am thinking about the program. I am also a fan of science and have read many books on scientific subjects so you can appreciate how much I look forward reading about the science of the show.
This book provides great insight to the scientific topics portrayed in some of the best episodes. It was interesting to learn that many of the writers and producer have advanced degrees in science, The Simpsons is one of the most intelligent shows of all time and now I understand why. When reading about the scientific consideration the stories were attempting to impart I now can see why the show is so entertaining. The success of the scripts come from their intellectual conception, this I think resonates almost subconsciously with the fans however is now made clear in this book.
I really appreciated the descriptions of the episodes and the scientific basis of the plots, I found myself laughing even more as the explanation gave me greater awareness however at times the elucidation was to difficult for my high school acumen to comprehend. I think like the show I will just have to read the book again and again to be delighted and educated once more.
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