Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 Cop Out December 13, 2007
Michael Carter (London, England)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
The book is an assemblage of good answers to some good questions.
So why didn't I enjoy it?
I think because in keeping faith with the contributors of answers, several answers to one question are included and a lot of each answer is the same, though expressed slightly differently.
So it would have been better (to my way of thinking) to include each contributor's answer ONLY as far as it added to a previous answer.
Certainly make for a better read.
 No, it's not because they wear a tuxedo November 23, 2007
Bellhop Bob (Gloucestershire and environs)
25 out of 26 found this review helpful
I wasn't sure about this book, but then I bought DO ANTS HAVE ARSEHOLES? And laughed myself silly. This book is on the same scale.
The book contains questions we've all wondered about, but were afraid to ask. And here they are. With the answers. The great thing about WHY DON'T PENGUINS' FEET FREEZE is that it can be read by adults and children. PG rating. The ideas range from history to physics, to chemistry and strophysics, so you won't be bored, but neither will you be overwhelmed. For other great books, I'd reommend DON'T STOP ME NOW and the book DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUORY by David Sedaris.
 Good compilation of facts October 12, 2007
A. Phillips (West Midlands, UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is a collection of questions asked, and answered, by readers of 'New Scientist' magazine. If you've never read the magazine, the questions are fairly light-hearted and vary a lot in content. Paraphrasing, examples are 'Why are windows in ships round?', 'What is the diameter of a lightning bolt?', 'Do the living outnumber the dead?' and 'Would polar bears and penguins survived if they swapped poles?'.
The answers are often quite detailed in their replies, or require some level of scientific knowledge, but can be quite entertaining. I've got a reasonable scientific background and got the idea most of the time, but I certainly didn't understand everything as some of the answers contain a lot of jargon and specialised knowledge can help. Obviously the editor has picked some good examples, so the quality of the book is generally pretty good. My only real complaint has been raised by other reviewers - some of the replies aren't really answers, they're more like educated guesses, and sometimes they contradict one another. In a way that adds to the charm as the book doesn't take itself too seriously.
A good book if you want to learn something but don't want to think to hard while you're doing it.
 Quite dissapointing September 19, 2007
Mr. M. Ashton (Wrexham, UK)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've been a big fan of New Scientist for a number of years, and was so excited to see this book, and "Does anything eat wasps?". I decided to buy this one over the first one, for a reason unbeknown to me, and I was quite dissapointed with the content and replies to the questions.
I was expecting set-in-stone scientific reasons for each question, and much of the time it is simply a persons opinion, and there may even be 3 or 4 answers to the same question each saying something different, which then makes me beg the question..What's the point? I'm still non the wiser!
I thought this book would appeal to me much more than it actually does, it seemed like a book full of answers to questions I reguarly annoy friends and family with, but many of the questions seem like they were asked for the sake of asking, and that New Scientist were clutching at straws to get enough content to fill the book.
There are some interesting facts which can be taken, but nothing which can't be found on the internet.
 BORED June 29, 2007
S , AYRSHIRE (SCOTLAND)
4 out of 19 found this review helpful
Sorry , maybe its because i read a great book before this one (PAUL McGRATH BACK FROM THE BRINK), but this did very little for me.A few interesting details , but not great, sorry not for me
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