Confused About Fusion? Weed Your Science Collection with a Pro
Charli O'Dell -- School Library Journal, 10/1/1998
Are mushrooms in the plant kingdom? What caused the Hindenburg disaster? Is the American bald eagle endangered? How many states of matter are there?
If you answered these basic science questions using knowledge from your high school or college days, chances are you'd get most of them wrong. What if, instead, you used science books from your library -- then could you answer them correctly? Maybe not.
Science information is changing more rapidly than ever. A commencement speaker at Stanford University recently reported that the "half-life" of science information is about four years. This rough approximation indicates that on average, one half of all the information we know about science will change every four years. What impact does this have on library collections? Due to the extremely time-sensitive nature of some science topics, "weeds" on our science shelves may be growing out of control. I can remember more than one instance when books that I ordered in May contained dated and inaccurate information by the following September.
In light of the rapid development of science information, you may be tempted to just put your entire science collection online. My advice is: don't. Though there are many dynamic sources of electronic information, we may never have enough computers to adequately deliver this information to 32 students during a single class period. Furthermore, it's been my experience, both as a science teacher and media specialist, that kids -- make that "people" -- learn certain science concepts better from books.
I have nothing against computers. But absorbing information from a computer can be awkward during that critical phase when a learner is just trying to "get it" That's because certain science concepts are best learned by pondering, while computers can discourage that kind of reflection. Watch your students as they interact with their terminals. Young, experienced operators click from screen to screen with video game speed and are adept at trial and error solutions. But they often lose patience when they must slow down to unravel a complex explanation.
The bottom line is that even with computers, our kids still need good science books they can check out and take home.
Fortunately, all science information does not "decay" at the same rate. In fact, during a recent outing to the corner bookseller, I perused several science books with 1996 copyright dates that showed no substantial changes from the 1986 editions. These books were fine.
So how do we weed science collections? For starters, we should probably discard the old rule that "if any information in the book is outdated, the entire book is outdated." As library media specialists, we simply cannot afford to keep only the three up-to-date books we have on cells, for example, when we know we'll have full classes who need to use those materials simultaneously. If we remove all outdated materials from the collection we won't have enough resources. On the other hand, if we leave dated sources on the shelves, we risk having our clientele take home inaccurate information.
What's the answer? One thing I do is teach students to check copyright dates and decide if the information they seek needs to be current as of today, this year, this decade, or this century. I also encourage teachers to have students use at least one recent source -- a magazine, newspaper, or the Internet -- in all science research. This helps prevent any gross errors resulting from materials that are too old -- and "old" in some cases could be 1996.
But even if you arm students with knowledge, you as a librarian still need to know when a book should stay and when it should go. One thing to consider is whether a book's information is really "inaccurate" or merely not as complete as it could be based on the latest research. In science, new concepts often build on older ones, allowing us to understand something in much greater detail. Our knowledge about DNA, for instance, has increased tremendously in the past several years. That doesn't mean what we knew previously is incorrect, it was just less complete. So a 1988 genetics book may very well contain accurate information that's detailed enough for a seventh grader who needs to construct a structural model of DNA. But the same book might offer too little detail for a high school biology student who needs to investigate how scientists use the structure of DNA to solve crimes.
Finally, the most important thing you can bring to weeding your science collection is a broad knowledge base. It's essential for you to be aware of the major science and technology developments of the last few decades. To help bring you up to date, I've compiled a list of some of the areas you should look at when making those weeding decisions. Even if your budget cannot always provide the most up-to-the-second-gee-whiz science, you can use these principles to ensure an accurate collection that will help students develop a sound foundation for understanding basic scientific concepts.
- Plate Tectonics. Remember the term "continental drift?" Early this century, scientists realized that the large landforms on earth were moving away from each other, and for many years we believed that the continents were just drifting apart. We've since discovered that they are, instead, "growing" apart, and their movement is now known by the more accurate term "plate tectonics." Here's what happens: magma, or molten rock, is continually released from ridges beneath the ocean. As this magma is released, it is slowly forcing some of the continents farther apart. Recent books may still use the familiar term "continental drift," but if they donA-t also explain this movement with the terminology of "plate tectonics," get rid of them. (Don't forget to check your atlases and physical geography books as well.)
- Fission. The debate over the use of fission to produce nuclear power continues to rage. Older science books may see fission, or atom splitting, as the answer to our energy shortage, but most of these books were written before the nuclear reactor disasters at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Books on the topic now should cover the dangers of using nuclear fission for alternative energy sources. Still, there are over 100 nuclear reactors producing energy in the United States today, so we need books on our shelves that discuss both sides of the debate. This issue is not just a science problem -- it poses ethical and policy questions your students will find compelling.
- Fusion. Between 1960 and 1994 the U.S. population increased by 45 percent, while our total energy consumption rose by 95 percent. It's no wonder we are desperately looking for alternative energy sources. Some scientists predict that nuclear fusion holds the real answer to our future energy needs. In this reaction, the nuclei of two different elements combine and in the process, release energy. A pair of electrochemists in Utah made headlines in 1989 when they claimed they'd discovered a method to produce economical energy with cold fusion. Had their experiment not been flawed, the discovery would have ranked right up there with fire. And scientists continue to investigate the possibilities of clean, inexpensive, unlimited energy from this source. If fusion becomes a viable energy alternative, we will find ourselves purchasing all new books on this subject. Until then, at least check to see that you have plenty of current books that discuss the possibilities and difficulties of developing this type of energy.
- Radioactive Dating. Studies in dating using radioactive decay have progressed only during this century. Since our precision in radioactive dating continues to improve, some of your books may not be perfectly up to date. But there are a few key breakthroughs your collection should reflect. For instance, we now know that the earth is around 4.6 billion years old, and that life has existed here for some four billion years. Older books may show different ages for these landmark events, or simply report that we don't know. Now we know, so check your shelves.
- Weather and Climate. We still can't control the weather, but meteorological satellites have made predictions much more reliable. Check your weather books to make sure they mention the role of computers and satellites in forecasting. You also need some books that move beyond predictions, however, and into the more contemporary field of "atmospheric science" a reference to the fact that scientists today look not only at the weather of individual regions but at the atmosphere of the entire planet.
While you're thumbing through those weather and climate books, look to see if they discuss how computers have been helping scientists forecast the future effects of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases on the earth's atmosphere. Scientists can't agree on the severity of this problem, but they're computing like crazy to see how long we've got if we don't change our ways. Depletion of the ozone layer is another hot topic. It appears that a thinning of this layer of the atmosphere, which created the "hole" over Antarctica, now extends into the middle latitudes and beyond. We may see a marked rise in skin cancers in the next century. Your science and technology resources should contain recent studies of all these environmental problems.
- Astronomy and Space Science. Only in this century did we discover that the Milky Way is not the only galaxy out there. It seems we'd previously overlooked billions of others. By putting great telescopes into orbit, we're now seeing planets and other distant attractions in a whole new light -- literally. These telescopes use gamma rays, ultraviolet light, infrared light, and x-rays to see farther and with greater detail beyond our own planet. See what your collection has about the Hubble Space Telescope. Make sure it also covers the focusing problems the Hubble experienced after it was placed into orbit. In 1993, the real astronomical miracle was performed by the seven astronauts who fixed this optical disaster.
Advances in space optics have enabled us to look not only into space but into the past. For example, it takes only eight minutes for light to travel to earth from the sun. But light traveling from the North Star, Polaris, takes 650 years to reach us. That means we're seeing this distant star as it appeared 650 years ago. If Polaris exploded today, we wouldn't even know it until about 2650. Our new telescopes are enabling us to view distant quasars as they were billions of years ago -- near the time our own universe was forming. For all these reasons, I would be very cautious about any information about the universe written before 1995. You don't necessarily have to get rid of these books, but this is a prime area for making sure students use at least one up-to-date source.
Also check out your books on space exploration. Over the last 15 to 20 years, we've explored some 70 other worlds. And each time we do, our knowledge of them increases "astronomically." Your collection should at least cover missions that have put spacecraft on the Moon, Mars, and Venus.
- The Elements. Reports on various elements are common science-class assignments, so your library should have current information on the elements and their uses in class-size quantities. But how many elements are there? In 1922, textbooks listed only 87. Most periodic charts today recognize about 109; in weeding your collection, look for at least this number. It's worth knowing that elements with atomic numbers above 92 are radioactive and can exist for only very short periods of time. Some scientists are now predicting the existence of an element 114, not yet discovered, that might have a longer life than some of its predecessors. New elements are always big news.
A subject that comes up frequently in chemistry classes is the Hindenburg disaster, used to teach students about the explosive qualities of the element hydrogen. The Hindenburg explosion has previously been attributed to the ignition of the hydrogen on board by atmospheric electricity. The November 1997 issue of Popular Science, however, said that the underlying problem might not have been the free hydrogen on board, but the fact that the Hindenburg was painted with a highly flammable aluminum powder compound that we use today for rocket fuel. I just bought a new book on the Hindenburg, too, and it doesn't mention the problem of rocket fuel in the paint. My new book is already looking very weed-like.
- Integrated Science. Our knowledge of the laws governing chemistry and physics has not changed much since the early part of this century, which brought discoveries about the nature of chemical bonds. Some things have changed, though. Most chemistry teachers, for example, are now teaching about a fourth state of matter, plasma, in addition to solids, liquids, and gases. But the significance of this knowledge to beginning chemistry classes is trivial. What's really changed is how we are applying knowledge from chemistry and physics to other fields, such as plastics, metallurgy, medicine, foods, and environmental science. Schools across the country are now striving to integrate their science courses, as educators recognize that most biology can best be understood through its chemistry and most chemistry, through its physics. Textbook companies are doing a commendable job of showing how the science disciplines interrelate, but most of the reference works in our libraries are weak in this area. Two notable exceptions are The Elements (Grolier, 1997) and The New Encyclopedia of Science (Oxford, 1995), recommended later in this article.
- Classification. An obvious change in biology and life science texts has been the reclassification of life itself. Until the early 1980s life was divided into three kingdoms: plants, animals, and protists (single-celled organisms). Scientists now recognize five kingdoms: plants, animals, protists, monerans (bacteria), and fungi (including mushrooms). Since classification activities often draw students in to use the library, it would be prudent to check your science collection in this area. Anything with a copyright date prior to 1986 might be in error.
- Cells. Cellular biology has recently become a much more detailed science. For example, before this decade, it was generally enough for biology classes to find information about cell structures such as the endoplasmic reticulum. But biology students are now asked to differentiate between smooth and rough E.R., and your collection may not have sources that include this much detail. The more general sources would still be adequate for most middle school students' needs. But it would be wise to include a few up-to-date textbooks in your collection that are written for higher grade levels. High school or even entry-level college textbooks might fill the gaps, and you can usually get these free from the science department or publishers.
- DNA. Perhaps the most significant recent discoveries in biology relate to DNA. We can now read genetic code from chromosomes, and we have mapped this genetic blueprint for many organisms. We are still working on a map of the human genome (all the genes that make up humans), and researchers will undoubtedly complete this task early in the next millennium. I would be surprised to find any really top-notch books in your library that include clear explanations of recombinant DNA techniques (gene splicing). And yet, science and medical foundations are generously financing programs in universities around the country showing secondary educators how to teach these techniques to students. The problem publishers must address is how to provide truly introductory material on this tough topic. Again, you may need to catalog some textbooks. The payoff of our knowledge and skills in biotechnology will eventually be enormous, but to date the promise of new medical breakthroughs using gene therapy has been much slower than predicted. Still, look for some giant leaps for mankind here in the future, and be aware that this is another part of the collection we must "weed and feed" often.
A closely related area and a high-interest research topic is bioethics. News about Dolly the sheep started a media frenzy in 1997. Not only was she cloned from the cells of an adult sheep, it was a dead sheep at that. The human implications are prodigious: To clone or not to clone? Your students will be debating that question.
- Primates and Evolution. Much new information in human biology has come recently from researchers living with other primates. Scientists who've moved in with our close relatives have asserted they possess many of the traits that the books on our shelves might attribute to being uniquely human (use of tools, music, symbols, politics, foresight, language, compassion, etc.). This, of course, brings up the "E word." Many people still argue against teaching evolution, but biology is built entirely upon evolutionary principles. If you happen to find science books that treat creationism as a science, check the copyright date. Books on creationism need to be reclassified as religion. Creationism is not wrong. It's just not science.
- Endangered Species. Most of the books in your library that describe nature and animals are probably current. What is always subject to change, however, is the particular list of animals declared "endangered" or "threatened." Due to spectacular recovery efforts, for instance, our national bird, the bald eagle, was removed from the endangered list in 1995, though it's still considered threatened. This type of information changes frequently, but I would still suggest keeping some older books on the topic if they're in good shape. When students need to know the current status of endangerment, have them check an online source. Two good ones are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department's Endangered Species Home Page (www.fws.gov/r9endspp/endspp.html) and a site called EE Link, which has an endangered species link (www.nceet.snre.umich.edu).
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*If you feel you must catalog any of these volumes in the reference section, it's important to make older editions available for circulation or allow students to check out the reference materials overnight. |
