Books with author Alfred B. Bortz

How can we tell that meteorite ALH 84001 comes from Mars, and what is it doing on Earth?! This meteorite, found in Antarctica in 1984, provided scientists with evidence suggesting the possibility that life once existed on Mars. Dr. Fred Bortz uses the scientific process to break down what we know, and what we are still learning. Newly updated (2014) to include data acquired by the Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity rovers.

Bortz takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the origins of the universe, the impact of comets and asteroids on the history of the Earth and the Moon, what we have learned from current research about these space rocks, and what we might expect in the future. Newly updated in 2014 to include the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteorite, as well as the latest technological developments.

Before Copernicus, educated people believed without a doubt that the sun and the planets traveled around Earth. Through his brilliant thinking and years of careful observation and documentation, Copernicus turned this idea on its head, making the astonishing assertion that Earth revolves around the sun. In this engaging biography, the author traces the great scientist's life and influences in Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, including his work in the Roman Catholic Church. The title is an excellent resource for Common Core anchor standard 3: analyzing the development of individuals, events, and ideas.