Heavenly Errors

Misconceptions About the Real Nature of the Universe

By: Neil Comins

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Hardcover | 27 June 2001 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
288 Pages

Age
22+

Dimensions(cm)
23.69 x 15.57 x 2.28

Hardcover

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One of the great paradoxes of modern times is that the more scientists understand the natural world, the more we discover that our everyday beliefs about it are wrong. Astronomy, in particular, is one of the most misunderstood scientific disciplines.

With the participation of thousands of undergraduate students, Neil F. Comins has identified and classified, by origin and topic, over 1,700 commonly held misconceptions. Heavenly Errors provides access to all of them and explores many, including:

? Black holes suck in everything around them.

? The Sun shines by burning gas.

? Comets have tails trailing behind them.

? The Moon alone causes tides.

? Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, is the hottest planet.

In the course of correcting these errors, he explains that some occur through the prevalence of pseudosciences such as astrology and UFO-logy and some enter the public conscience through the "bad astronomy" of Star Trek, Star Wars, and other science-fiction movies.. Perhaps most important, Professor Comins presents the reader with the methods for identifying and replacing incorrect ideas-tools with which to probe erroneous notions so that we can begin to question for ourselves... and to think more like scientists.

Industry Reviews

An interesting new look at how humans perceive nature...A good primer on critical thinking and how science really works. Choice His relaxed style of discourse makes his book quite readable, and though his pedagogical approach is somewhat unconventional, he deserves a hearing. Recommended for academic and public libraries. Library Journal Anyone concerned with astronomy will find this book useful. Astronomy Now Debunking silly, frightening and grandiose beliefs, the University of Maine professor of physics and astronomy is reassuring and engaging. Publishers Weekly An easy-to-read guide to what science now knows about the universe. San Diego Union Tribune Intriguing analysis of common errors and misconceptions of the real nature of the universe. Bookwatch

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Reference, Information & Interdisciplinary Subjects Encyclopaedias & Reference Works Reference Works Science Science in General Popular Science Astronomy, Space & Time Cosmology & The Universe Nature & The Natural World Popular Astronomy & Space Physics

Applied Physics Astrophysics

Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
Fun in the Sun: Some Misconceptions Close to Home	p. 9
Blame It on Someone Else: External Origins of Incorrect Beliefs	p. 49
Creating Your Own Private Cosmos: Internal and Mixed Origins of Incorrect Beliefs	p. 83
Survival in a Misperceived World: How Well Did Our Ancestors Do Without Understanding Nature?	p. 121
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Misconceptions Are Hard to Replace	p. 145
The Sage on the Stage or the Guide by Your Side: A Peek Behind the Effort to Help You Unlearn Misconceptions	p. 169
Let the Buyer Beware: How to Avoid Future Misconceptions	p. 195
Conflicts and Dangers: The Problems That Misconceptions Create	p. 215
Epilogue: False Personal Cosmologies	p. 229
Selected Bibliography	p. 233
Index	p. 237
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

Heavenly Errors

Misconceptions About the Real Nature of the Universe

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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