A couple of items to consider for future editions.
EGGS
A double hit of Bad Biology right on the first page of Chapter 1 (p. 11)!
First, you say that eggs have a "calcium shell". It isn't calcium, it's calcium carbonate (
American Egg Board). You get it right on p.15 "has calcium carbonate deposited", but wrong again on p.15 "calcium comes out" and p.16 "calcium bumps".
This was briefly discussed in another thread in this forum.
(10 page excerpt at the Wiley website) The BA said:
Quote:
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We say you need calcium for your bones, but really we mean calcium carbonate. So it's not so much sloppy as it is a shortcut, almost an expression. I don't think using it in this context is incorrect.
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Bones and eggs
contain calcium but aren't
made of calcium. And bones are primarily calcium phosphate, not calcium carbonate. The calcium content of calcium carbonate is about 40%. I know most people don't recognize the difference between calcium mineral and calcium metal. I still think you should say it right at the first occurrence, if not every time.
By the way, the American Egg Board website mentions equinox standing in their egg trivia.
Second, genus names should be capitalized, as in
Gallus domesticus. (See the
Columbia Encyclopedia under "classification"). You have
gallus (lowercase) on p.11.
FLOUR
In discussing moon dust in Chapter 17 (p.165), you state "Flour is incredibly dry." This isn't true - flour is about 12% water, almost as much as raisins!
USDA National Nutrient Database). This has significance since you make such a big deal about the absolute dryness of lunar soil.
The activity of water in foods can be surprising. We see food all the time, so we think we understand it, but we're often wrong (not unlike the sky). A better example may be powdered sugar, at 0.3% water. Granulated sugar and salt have less even water, but they are crystalline rather than powdered, so don't exhibit moon-dust-like behavior.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: maryellenandtom on 2003-01-22 09:43 ]</font>