The Sun's Heartbeat: And Other Stories from the Life of the Star That Powers Our Planet

by Bob Berman

Did you know that scientists are beginning to think that the sun is safer than sunscreen? That whenever we see the sun on the horizon, it's actually a phantom image because the sun has already set? That career pilots have a one percent higher incidence of cancer because of their time in the sky? Or that the sun's unusual dormancy is causing our climate to be cooler than it otherwise would be?

Peppered with memorable anecdotes about spectral curiosities, THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT is a robust narrative that explores the sun's birth, its life as a self-sustaining ultra-H-Bomb fusion explosion, and its spectacular future death. Astronomer Bob Berman's expert observations tell a dramatic story about the familiar star that crosses our sky daily.

• ISBN10: 0316090999
• ISBN13: 9780316090995
• Publish Date: 23 August 2012 (first published 1 January 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
• Imprint: Back Bay Books
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

I received a free digital copy through Net Galley.

This is a science book that reads more like a story, with the Sun as the main character, rather than a textbook with the Sun as the subject to be explained. Bob Berman's writing style is very welcoming to a non-science minded audience, but still interesting enough for those of us who are more familiar with the subject. His humor makes this a very fun read, which is the best way to help people learn. The Sun is much more than just the central star of our solar system and this book definitely explains why.