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Learning Science Through ExperimentsLearning science is fun and joyful. Any doubts? Pick up the latest book written by Jyoti Bhansali and Prof. L S Kothari. The book, Fun and Science at Home, takes you to the fascinating world of science through some 120 simple and exciting science-related experiments that any child at an age of 8 and above can do at home. These experiments that require only cheap and ordinary objects used in everyday life are classified under broad topics such as air, water, sound, light, forces, and heat. The authors also include a few general activities in the book.  Apart from elaborately explaining how these experiments are to be done, the book clearly describes the science behind each experiment, thus making children understand many scientific principles they learn in schools better. Not just children, even adults will find many of the experiments described in the book educative and interesting. This book, by all means, could serve a good resource material for teachers teaching science up to higher secondary levels. Fun and Science at Home,
By Jyoti Bhansali and Prof. L S Kothari, Published by Vigyan Prasar,
2001, pp: 124+vi, ISBN: 81-7480-078-6, Rs. 75/-
The Story of BicycleIt has been the endeavour of Vigyan Prasar to popularise the science behind things we see, we hear and we use everyday through its publications. Continuing with this tradition, we this month publish a book, The Bicycle Story, written by Vijay Gupta, Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur. Written in a simple and lucid language, this book retraces the history and evolution of bicycle, which is undoubtedly the vehicle of common man world over. Besides chronicling technological advances the bicycle has gone through since its crudest form appeared on the scene some 300 years ago, the author touches upon some interesting facts about it. According to Prof. Gupta, bicycle is the most efficient vehicle ever designed by man. Its cost, in terms of energy spent in carrying a comparable load over a comparable distance, is one-tenth of that of the most efficient jet aircraft and about one-twentieth of the best automobile! The book also seeks to explain, along with illustrations, various engineering designs tried and tested during the span of three centuries in different parts of the world in order to arrive at its present form of a highly efficient transportation and leisure vehicle. This process of evolution of design was slow sometimes and rapid at other times, each stage leading to an improved product. Through the book, the author explores the possibility of introducing some essential principles of engineering mechanisms such as treadles, cranks, velocity ratio, transmission, gearing, anti-friction bearing, etc. He also discusses the science of bicycling through discussions on force and power, wind resistance, braking and stability in the book. The Bicycle Story, By Vijay Gupta, Published by Vigyan Prasar 2001 Dr. Hari Krishna Devsare, Fellow, Vigyan Prasar was presented Balsahitya Bharti Award for his contributions to childrens literature at a function held at Lucknow on 8th December 2001. The award was presented by His Excellency Shri Vishnu Kant Shastri, Governor, U.P. Shri Kesari Nath Tripathi, Honble Speaker, U.P. Vidhan Sabha was also present on the occasion.
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