Ask HN: Good Reading for Young People about Science? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Good Reading for Young People about Science?

5 pointstokenadult8 comments

Another thread here reminds me to ask about reading suggestions for my third son (age eleven, reading level at senior high school level) who is passionate about science. What books or magazines or websites (in English or in Chinese) are especially good for young people to read to help them better understand the process of science, learn more science facts, or build deeper ability in reasoning about scientific literature? What did you enjoy reading about science when a teenager? What sources have surprising and interesting information about science that more people should know? All suggestions much appreciated.

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Some of my earliest memories are of my grandfather reading to me from Sky and Telescope magazine (not that I was understand very much of it). I'm told that this is actually how I was potty trained. Even if I didn't understand, there was a certain amount of romance, I suppose.

And from my grandfather more broadly, I got a both an interest and some background. He was involved in the Hubble Telescope, spy satellites, and the like. So I think that the example and influence of someone knowledgeable and enthusiastic is very important.

On my own, I read a lot of science fiction, which gave a mystique and romance, as well as some real information and knowledge, at least in the "harder" sub-genre. And I remember as a teenager subscribing to Omni magazine, devouring both the factual articles and the fiction.

Unfortunately, I also remember teachers that fed us science as facts, rarely sparking wonder or amazement at how the world actually works. I think that institutionally, the educational system for science is broken.

When I was a little younger than your son, my parents got me a book called The Third Millennium which was absolutely fascinating. It's basically a "history" written from the perspective of someone in the year 3000 looking back on how science and society changed in the years 2000-3000.

I posted about it earlier and will try to find that post, but I would highly recommend it. It touches on many facets of science and how they might evolve and coexist over the next 1000 years. I got a copy for my daughter and I hope she gets as much out of it when she's older as I did when I was younger.

One of my favorite books when I was a kid was a book called the World of Tomorrow which was quite a visual spectacle illustrating how technological developments would change our world. It would be good to get a hold of it and see how much of it played out, how much is outdated and how much could still happen.

I know you asked about books, but for me hands on was the best way. I learn best from doing. My favorite toys as a kid were the 1001 electronic projects kit and the chemistry kit. Those things still exist, have some reading but are really hands on.

+1 on the chemistry kit. Also the Evil Genius series of books are very much about hands on science and engineering projects.

Im actually in a bit of a similar situation. I have a niece who reads at a similar level. She reads mostly fantasy books so im not sure about science. Ill try to look some up and leave them here.

climbing mt improbable by richard dawkins and then others, carl sagan, and richard feynman (start with 'surely you're joking mr feynman') - if those don't work go back to heinlein and asimov

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is well worth considering.

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