The Martian Wisdom

Fang-fang, a university freshman, longs for friendship. One day, while waiting for her classmate in the library, Fang-fang runs into two unusual visitors. Their odd shapes and especially unique voices remind Fang-fang of her first encounter with the pair many years ago in her homeland. They are not Earthlings, but they do not like to be called aliens. What are they? Where do they come from? What is their purpose in visiting Earth? The Martian Wisdom explores the universe through the conversation of a human and two outer space visitors. They chat, argue, joke, and laugh, gratifying the human's natural needs for social connections, depicting a distinctive, novel universe, putting forward a worldly meaning for friendship while challenging the intuitive fear of aliens in human. But what is Martian wisdom?

"Wisdom of the Martians of Science refers to five scientists whose brilliance contributed to shaping the modern world. John von Neumann was a pioneer of the modern computer; Theodore von Kármán was the scientist behind the US Air Force; Leo Szilard initiated the development of nuclear weapons; the Nobel laureate Eugene P Wigner was the world's first nuclear engineer; and Edward Teller was the father of the hydrogen bomb. They were born and raised in Budapest, were forced out of Hungary and then from Germany, they became Americans, and devoted themselves to the defense of the United States and the Free World. They contributed significant discoveries to fundamental science ranging from the properties of materials to the application of the symmetry principle in physics, to creating information theory, to game theory. The areas in which we can learn about their wisdom include applications of science to past, present and future real-world needs; defense; education; environment; human nature; humor; politics; religion; weather modification, and others. This book shows the wisdom of the Martians by presenting their thoughts and ideas in their own words and placing them into context. Their wisdom is intriguing, witty, provocative and thought provoking. It extended over many aspects of life and culture that impinge on our existence. While we cannot always agree with what they say, they are never boring. The power of their words and their philosophies will inspire the readers to pursue their own dreams."--

The Puzzles of Mars is a puzzle book intended for bright or gifted young people in grades 8 through 12. The book is a fictional tale about a mathematician from Earth who travels to the planet Mars to share and exchange puzzles with Martians at the Martian Academy of Sciences. Most of the puzzles appear to be difficult, yet they have simple, ingenious solutions. Some of the puzzles require a little mathematical skill, though not much beyond what is usually taught in American grade schools. The main focus is on puzzles that are based on important mathematical ideas and concepts. Each puzzle is a special instance of deep, important mathematical ideas like symmetry, invariance, parity, and relative motion. A Notes for Teachers section is included with ideas and questions to stimulate classroom discussion of mathematical ideas and concepts.

More than 50 years after the Mariner 4 flyby on 15 July 1965, Mars still represents the next frontier of space explorations. Of particular focus nowadays is crewed missions to the red planet. Over three sections, this book explores missions to Mars, in situ operations, and human-rated missions. Chapters address elements of design and possible psychological effects related to human-rated missions. The information contained herein will allow for the development of safe and efficient exploration missions to Mars.

This is a textual, bibliographical and cultural study of 60 years of Bradbury's fiction. The authors draw upon correspondence with his publishers, agents and friends, as well as archival manuscripts, to examine the story of Bradbury's authorship over more than half a century.

This essay collection explores the life and work of science fiction doyen Ray Bradbury from a variety of perspectives. Noting the impact of the Southwest on Bradbury, some of the essays analyze Bradbury's southwest metaphors: colonial pollution of a pristine ecology, the impacts of a colonial invasion upon an indigenous population, the meeting of cultures with different values and physical aspects. Other essays view Bradbury via the lens of post-colonialism, drawing parallels between such works as The Martian Chronicles and real-life colonialism and its effects. Another essay views Bradbury sociologically, analyzing border issues in his 1947 New Yorker story "I See You Never," written long before the issue of Mexican deportees appeared on the American literary horizon. From the scientific side, four essays by astronomers document how Bradbury formed the minds of many budding scientists with his vision. On August 22, 2012, the Martian landing site of the Curiosity rover in the Gale Crater was named "Bradbury." This honor shows that Bradbury forms a significant link between the worlds of fiction and planetary science.

An in-depth look at Marvel Comics' Cosmic Team from 1968 to 2011, with an extensive history of the character Peter Quill - Star-Lord - including insights from creator Steve Englehart, writers Chris Claremont, Timothy Zahn, Dan Abnett, Rafael Morin and more. Also includes in-depth profiles of Adam Warlock and Thanos, as well as extras on Killraven and Monark Starstalker. Some of this material originally appeared on-line in columns by Mike Luoma at the late, lamented ComicRelated.com and other sites where they're no longer available.