Pop Research
Pop Research
Yes, we've heard of pop music and pop culture, but my newest interest is pop research. You see, there are these things called 'books' in which people aggregate information that has been written in other 'books'. Often they draw conclusions after combining facts from seemingly disparate sources. At the end of the day, you have something like a PBS special that's kinda long. I, of course, will wait until somebody records themselves reading the 'book' outloud before experiencing the message of the author.
The difference between pop research and the regular variety is that the former is designed to inform in a more friendly matter. Dr. Feynman once lamented that the only way to learn about the beauty that is science is to attend a highly boring lecture. Pop research efforts are trying to address this issue by presenting the material in a less rigorous but more practical light. I support this non-mindless form of entertainment.
In any case, I highly recommend the following 'books' to anybody interested in learning neat things, even if it may not be 100% pure research.
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Guns Germs and Steel
The Wisdom of Crowds
I believe my next one will be The World is Flat