Book Review: The Scientific Indian, A Twenty-First Century Guide to the World Around Us

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Author: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam and Y. S. Rajan

Book name: The Scientific Indian, A Twenty-First Century Guide to the World Around Us

Genre: Earth sciences

Language: English

About the Author

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was an Indian aerospace scientist who served as the 11^th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering.

Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan or Y. S. Rajan is an Indian professor, scientist, and administrator. He is Honorary Distinguished Professor in Indian Space Research Organisation. He has made major contributions to various aspects of the management of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

About the book

This book is dedicated to all those who are curious about nature and life and bold enough to seek new knowledge and endure the rigorous methods of science. Many of us become curious when the Mangalyaan successfully enters Mars orbit in the first attempt. What is Orbits? Why is this project is so important? 

How ISRO and India become the First Nation to enter the Mars orbit in the first attempt? For the common people, understanding space and other scientific research is a complex phenomenon. This book will help to give you the inside of these questions!

Review

This book is divided into three sections i.e. Space, earth, and life. Honestly saying I become curious to read further by seeing the index.  The first chapter space starts with the brief introduction of Space which says that ‘…It is difficult to give a precise answer. Just above the surface of the earth is the atmosphere, without which life would not exist on earth.’ This atmosphere is divided into three layers troposphere, stratosphere, and ionosphere.

Further, it explains the question of why is it so difficult to place a satellite in orbit? Here the author has explained that how gravity becomes the main interruption and one has to find a way to ensure that the satellite obtains adequate velocity to be injected into an orbit 400 Km or more above the earth’s surface. 

There are different types of the satellite which serves the different purpose for the betterment of the state. The authors have also explained that what kind of fuel or better say propellants scientist needs to give the required force to power the rocket. The common solid propellant is used are Carboxy Terminated Butadiene (CTPB) and Hydroxy Terminated Poly Butadiene (HTPB).  

The control of the rocket is one of the crucial steps which requires various studies and sends a command to the rocket. In the next part, the authors have explained the future scope in the space studies and research which includes various types of the satellite which can help to give us the real-time data of any natural calamities and disasters. It can also help with space security and military operations, space assets, surveillance, and much more.

The next section of this book is earth, where we live. In this section, the authors have detailed about the earth that how it is a unique planet in the whole galaxy, and how it is the perfect place in the sun’s orbit to produce and nurture life. Here authors write that heat is the main source of living but the constant human activity has increased the temperature.

 

My Ratings for the book 4.5/5

You can easily order a copy of it from Amazon- The Scientific Indian

Written By - Violet Priscilla S

Edited By - Anamika Malik