This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in that paper on Fridays.

By: Tom Wickersham

Wednesday March 14 marks the anniversary of the birth of Albert Einstein. Born in 1879, Einstein’s work and life continues to influence scientists and non-scientists alike.

Still Einstein is only one of many scientists who have impacted our understanding of the world around us.

For example, March 11 is the birthday of microbiologist Charlotte Friend, who was the first to demonstrate a direct link between viruses and cancer in 1956.

Every time you turn on a light, think about George Ohm, who was born on March 16, 1789, and who formulated the law of the relationship between electrical current, voltage, and resistance that now bears his name.

Scientific discovery is often a time consuming process, but discovering the above history was quite simple—they were easily found using a new scientific diary, The Book of Science Days.

“It’s such a clever compilation,” noted Shiela Humberstone, one of the first to purchase a copy. “I still have lots to read and it is a book to come back to time and again.”

Developed by Anne Hance and illustrated by Kathy West, The Book of Science Days was released in December of last year. The 225-page book provides a daily glimpse into the history of science.

One of the founding members of Explorit Science Center, Hance continues to support Explorit’s mission in many ways. The Book of Science Days was created on behalf of Explorit. Sales of the book go to support Explorit’s programs.

“For most people, the dates are the hook; the urge to see what is written on a specific date is quite strong,” Hance added.

In addition to the daily entries, which include sixty entries about women scientists, there are also mini essays written by several local notable scientists, as well as Edward Teller, Jacques Cousteau, and Richard Leakey.

Hance worked on this book off and on for over ten years. This project picked up steam in recent years, especially with the addition of scientific illustrator Kathy West to the team.

“I am pleased by the way the book looks,” Hance said. “I think Kathy West did a great job.”

West’s original artwork—everything from a detail of the human eye to a portrait of Margaret Mead—graces most of the pages. She feels that the book can be enjoyed on a lot of different levels, but the art work can sometimes pull you into the book as you attempt to find out why there is a certain drawing.

“The illustrations are not always linked to a specific entry, which makes you dive into the text to solve the puzzle,” West said.

There are plenty of surprises, too. Did you know Florence Nightingale was an accomplished mathematician? How about that dendrochronology—the science of dating using the rings on a tree—was developed by Andrew Douglass, an astronomer?

Copies of The Book of Science Days are available at Explorit Science Center and at several local bookstores.

Hance suggested the book is more than a reference book. “I wanted to create a book that would encourage people to be interested in science and to learn a little along the way.”

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