Thimmesh, Catherine. The sky's the limit; stories of discovery by women and girls.THIMMESH, Catherine. The sky's the limit; stories of discovery by women and girls. Houghton Mifflin Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational publisher in the United States. The company's headquarters is located in Boston's Back Bay. It publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers . 73p. illus. bibliog. index. c2002.0-618-49489-8. $7.95. J A collection of brief vignettes with the theme of "discoverers," this book could be used as an excellent introduction to the lives and works of the 12 or so women whose discoveries are discussed in this book. The descriptions are quick, snapshot-type views of the women and girls and their most famous discoveries, and could be starting points for further investigation into the lives of these fascinating women. Included are Beatrix Potter, who had a love of natural history unsuspected by her legions of readers; Vera Rubin Vera (Cooper) Rubin (born 23 July 1928) is an astronomer who has done pioneering work on galaxy rotation rates. Her discovery of what is known as "flat rotation curves" is the most direct and robust evidence of dark matter. After she earned an A.B. , who became hooked on astronomy at an early age and made her own telescope out of a linoleum linoleum (lĭnō`lēəm), resilient floor or wall covering made of burlap, canvas, or felt, surfaced with a composition of wood flour, oxidized linseed oil, gums or other ingredients, and coloring matter. tube and a small lens; and Denise Schmandt-Besserot, who found evidence that counting actually preceded writing. Others are Donna Shirley, inventor of the Mars Rover A Mars rover is an unmanned rover used for exploration of the planet Mars. They are deployed because it has so far been too costly and difficult to achieve a manned mission to Mars, and because probes and satellites are too limited (due to their immobility or their distance from robot; Jane Goodall Noun 1. Jane Goodall - English zoologist noted for her studies of chimpanzees in the wild (born in 1934) Goodall , who did invaluable research among chimpanzees; Mary Anning, who as a young girl found the first complete plesiosaurus Plesiosaurus (plē'sēəsôr`əs), genus of extinct predatory marine reptiles that arose in the Triassic period of geologic time and continued into the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. ever found, which led her to become a paleontologist; and Sue Hendrickson, finder of the most complete set of Tyrannosaurus Tyrannosaurus (tīrăn'ōsôr`əs, tĭr–) [Gr.,=tyrant lizard], member of a family, Tyrannosauridae, of bipedal carnivorous saurischian dinosaurs characterized by having strong hind limbs, a muscular tail, and short Rex bones ever--amazingly enough, in South Dakota. Archeologist Mary Leakey is included, along with Anna Sofaer, researcher into the sun-dagger calendar of the Anasazi Indians. There are recent discoverers listed, such as June Moxon, inventor of a kinetic sculpture that she pedaled across the US, and older ones, such as Maria de Sautuola, discoverer of cave art in Altamira, Spain in 1879. There are also several young modern-day girls included who have made important discoveries through their science projects. This is not an in-depth research tool but it is a good place to start learning about these inspirational women. Nancy Chrismer, Libn., Juniata H.S., Mifflintown, PA J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescent and their teachers. |
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