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Fermi Problems or The Art of Estimation ISBN: 81-7480-122-7 Price: Rs.20.00 Fermi problems widen one’s
horizon and develop a sense of appreciation. What is more important, it helps
understand the inter-relationship of different disciplines in a given problem,
phenomenon or situation. It is therefore a training and experience that
enriches our lives.
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 The Unknown Einstein ISBN: 81-7480-120-0 Price: Rs.75.00 Most famously known for his theory of relativity and the path-breaking equation E = mc2, Albert Einstein remained an enigma during his lifetime. Even after his death his brain remains a source of wonder for neurologists. What was this man like in his real life? Chosen as the Man of the 20th Century by Time magazine, Einstein was a genius, but he had his eccentricities too. He was also a statesman and even held a patent for his invention. Replete with anecdotes, this book is an attempt to bring out these and many other little-known facets of Einstein’s personality. Bal Phondke (b. 1939) is a popular science writer par excellence, whose columns are featured in almost all leading Marathi newspapers. A recipient of several prestigious awards including the NCSTC National Award for Best S & T Coverage in the Mass Media, INSA Indira Gandhi Award for science popularisation, and B.C. Deb Memorial Award of the Indian Science Congress Association. After obtaining doctorate in biophysics-immunology from London University, he began his career as a research scientist in BARC. He rose to become Chief Editor of Science Today, science editor of the Times of India group of newspapers, and later Director of National Institute of Science Communication (CSIR). He continues to be a prolific freelance science communicator. He has published so far over 40 books in Marathi, English and Hindi. |
ISBN: 81-7480-121-9 Price: Rs. 120.00 In the course of human history, man has continuously developed newer materials primarily to improve his tools. This quest originated with the use of naturally occurring stones and sticks which he shares with his cousin, the chimpanzee. Since then, the quest had resulted in the development of the miracles of ancient metallurgy and today has reached the nano dimension. Man currently has the ability to manufacture millions of electronic devices on a small chip of silicon, each of the transistor being as small as a few nanometers. He has also learnt to manipulate individual atoms and emulate the capabilities of living organisms which they acquired in the course of 3.5 billion years of organic evolution. These exciting capabilities in turn are the consequences of the fundamental understanding of physics, chemistry and biology. The book provides a bird’s eye view of the saga of human materials development from the stone age to nanomaterials and genetic engineering and a coherent brief description of the science which underpins this development. Dr S T Lakshmikumar obtained a Ph. D degree from Indian Institute of Science Bangalore joined the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi as a scientist in the materials division. He has been a visiting scientist at the Ransellaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, USA as a C V Raman Fellow in 1992. He began his research on metallic glasses and has continued research and development of new materials for nearly thirty years. Over the years, his research interests have included glassy metals, amorphous semiconductors, photovoltaic materials, extrinsic dielectrics and currently nanostructured materials. In this book he draws on his expertise in materials development, characterization and instrumentation to provide an account of the latest research in mankind’s quest for new materials, translating the high science to be palatable to young science students and general public interested in understanding materials science. |
