Books with author James Olstein

Can we correctly predict the flip of a fair coin more than half the time — or the decay of a single radioactive atom? Our intuition, based on a lifetime of experience, tells us that we cannot, as these are classic examples of what are known to be 50–50 guesses.But mathematics is filled with counterintuitive results — and this book discusses some surprising and entertaining examples. It is possible to devise experiments in which a flipped coin lands heads completely at random half the time, but we can also correctly predict when it will land heads more than half the time. The Fate of Schrodinger's Cat shows how high-school algebra and basic probability theory, with the invaluable assistance of computer simulations, can be used to investigate both the intuitive and the counterintuitive.This book explores fascinating and controversial questions involving prediction, decision-making, and statistical analysis in a number of diverse areas, ranging from whether there is such a thing as a "hot hand" in shooting a basketball, to how we can successfully predict, more than half the time, the decay of the radioactive atom that determines the fate of Schrodinger's Cat.

This book is filled with weird and amazing facts that you’ve never heard before. Read about the dinosaur that used camouflage, wonder at the penguins that ‘propose’ to each other with rocks and tell your friends that the dodo was actually quite smart!Scientists found that cockatoos in Australia make their own drumsticks and their own music. Each bird plays it’s own different rhythm at its own different speed to attract a mate.Scientists in Tokyo have trained pigeons to distinguish between art style. They can tell the difference between works by Picasso and Monet.There are facts about sharks that listen to Death Metal, the amazing amount a hummingbird needs to eat, and strange creatures such as the ‘ghost’ octopus.James Olstein beautifully illustrates these odd facts in a retro-inspired, quirky style. His designs aren’t meant to be taken literally, but you’ll laugh-out-load when you see a spider relaxing on a pool float and dinosaurs playing with a ball!Prepare to laugh, marvel and learn.Being a geek has never been so cool.