Cutting-edge science; high-performance sports
Jennifer Swanson is a middle school science instructor for John Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth, as well as the award-winning author of more than twenty nonfiction and fiction books for children, including several titles in the How Things Work series (The Child's World). She lives in Jacksonville, Florida.
Science teacher and writer Swanson tells the story behind
nanotechnology's introduction and impact on sports. Swanson defines
her subject as "the science of things at the nanoscale....Nano-
means ‘one-billionth,' so a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter"
before going on to explore how nanotechnologists are proceeding
from superfibers to discover still more inventive ways to apply the
technology to fabrics and equipment. She hasn't found a really
comfortable fit between her audience and her writing in this
effort. She asks readers to field concepts such as molecular
structure and the refractive qualities of nanoparticles on the
dispersion of light, and she also belts out "Now that's tiny!" or
"We're talking about some pretty small stuff!" The two don't jibe.
Nor do her introductions to the chapters on various nanotech uses
square with the material coming later in the chapter. "From
swimming to biking to running, the fastest person to finish is the
winner," she writes at the beginning of the chapter on "super
suits" before going on to discuss "silicon nanofilaments" with
"microscopic spikes." Swanson is splendid at explaining how
nanotechnology works, and boxed asides help readers conduct
experiments on drag, surface area, and such. But she can also go
wrong. "There is no prize for being the best drafter." The best
drafters are in the best position to win, which they then often do.
Ask Apolo Ohno. Plenty of good science sunk by tone and
blunders.
- Kirkus Reviews
This title provides a fascinating insight into the developing world
of nanotechnology applications in sports. The opening chapter
outlines concepts of molecular bonding, including an illustration
of the crystalline structure of ice. The text then segues into a
lucid explanation of the very different forces at work in extremely
small carbon nanoparticles. Subsequent chapters examine changes
wrought by nanotechnology in particular sports: football helmets
that absorb more energy and could protect against concussion, shoes
and track surfaces meant to improve running speed and reduce
injury, golf clubs and tennis racquets that are stronger and
lighter, and swimsuits designed in conjunction with NASA intended
to reduce drag. The sports connections are tied to standout
athletes, including swimmers Alia Atkinson and Michael Phelps,
golfers Michelle Wie and Phil Mickelson, speed skater Shani Davis,
and tennis champion Serena Williams. Sidebars and simple drawings
illustrate important concepts in physical science, especially lift,
turbulence, and drag. One "Super Fact" sidebar shows how a
single-walled carbon nanotube is narrower than a human hair in the
same proportion as the hair is to a typical house. A hitch is that
the science is so new that some of the technology is unproven. A
sidebar on Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt concludes that the effect
of his nanotech shoes on his speed is unknown. VERDICT A highly
engaging introduction to an exciting aspect of cutting-edge,
real-world science for STEM collections.
- School Library Journal
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