A primer on biomedical engineering.
Veteran science author Latta (Zoom in on Mining Robots, 2018, etc.) here spotlights the fascinating convergence of medicine, engineering, and scientific discovery, offering provocative glimpses into the burgeoning fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, neuroscience, microbiology, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology. Inspiring problem-solving–minded teens to explore these STEM disciplines by describing projects so cutting edge they seem like science fiction, Latta also includes brief profiles and photos of diverse researchers that enable readers to imagine themselves pursuing similar careers. Says Dr. Gilda Barabino, “I think there’s a little bit of an engineer in everybody. It’s curiosity! Everybody wants to know how things work.” Areas of potential breakthrough covered include brain-computer interfaces that may one day allow people with paralysis or limited mobility to move their limbs or control a robot helper; editing the human genome to treat chronic diseases like sickle cell disease by removing and replacing damaged DNA; optogenetics, which hopes to combine gene therapy with light to reduce pain and cure blindness; and growing bespoke body parts like bone, skin, arteries, and more in the lab, seeded by one’s own cells and partially crafted by 3-D bioprinters. Full-color diagrams and photos combined with informative text boxes and a lively, conversational style make this an appealing choice.
Hot and heady: an enticing calling card for researchers of tomorrow. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, further information, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-2813-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Aug. 28, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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In a world of ubiquitous screens, how can teens find the right balance?
Marcus, a mindfulness practitioner and teacher, offers a variety of suggestions for investigating one’s relationship with technology, with the goal of finding a healthy balance. She draws her readers in with an extensive consideration of ways technology helps them make connections, locate affinity groups and paths to create social change, acquire information and education, express themselves creatively, utilize organizational tools, and seek entertainment. However, she states, many elements of technology are designed to be addictive. Marcus offers pros and cons for a variety of common complaints about teens and screens, including that they interfere with mental and physical health and, some claim, damage cognitive abilities (an accusation she puts into nuanced context). With this groundwork laid, she introduces the practice of mindfulness. The second half of this self-help title offers a wide variety of ways to use mindfulness to examine one’s own tech habits, notice and recover from situations in which technology may have hijacked one’s attention, and identify and work toward achieving one’s goals. The conversational narrative is full of specific examples, lists of activities, writing prompts, and QR codes for audio files of guided mindfulness techniques. From the very beginning, the author couches her advice as suggestive rather than prescriptive and chronicles her own steps and missteps.
A valuable handbook for developing a healthy relationship with technology. (source notes, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72841-719-6
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Zest Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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PERSPECTIVES
A step-by-step guide to becoming a social media star.
Debut author Rojas draws on her experience as the co-founder and CEO of DigiTour to put together a book of practical advice for teens aspiring to become social media stars. The book lays out concrete steps for doing everything from picking a platform to building a loyal following to monetizing online success. Case studies focus on individual social media celebrities and their paths to stardom, punctuated with lists, photos, questions for reflection, definitions, and, at the end, pages for note-taking. Throughout, Rojas provides opportunity for self-reflection, urging readers to think about what makes them unique, to become creators in their own right, and to seriously consider the downsides of fame. The book’s voice is clear and easy to read, balancing her serious, no-nonsense wisdom with wit and enthusiasm; the stern but nurturing tone makes it clear why social media stars sometimes call her “mom.” The book begins with reminders about basic online netiquette as well as internet safety guidelines. Unfortunately, the majority of social media stars profiled appear to be white, and the book’s references to teen girls lining up to see teen boy stars feel both heteronormative and gendered, not to mention an oversimplification of the complexities of fandom.
Overall, a fascinating, practical read by a knowledgeable author that could have been significantly improved by some attention to diversity. (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-19674-3
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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