Brain Worms. Albert Driedger. 2024. 276 Pages. (Paperback.).

Full disclosure. The author is a dear friend, a former colleague, and and a brilliant scientist whom I have long admired. When he recently related that he had published a book, I immediately ordered it. In these 94 short essays on a wide variety of scientific subjects, his vast knowledge shines though in mostly easy-to-understand plain language.

For example, Cleopatra’s goiter contributed to what what was considered to be beautiful about her. Bees keep track of  time and solve  quadratic equations. The Toxoplasma parasite only reproduces in the gut of felines, but when it infects rodent’s brains, they loose their fear of felines and run up to them to present an easy meal. (Hence the title.) Ockham’s razor is  invoked twice and explained as to its name. Waste management, Paul Ehrlich’s contribution, dreams, other hominids, polite discourse, origins of life,  astrobiology, small nuclear reactors, nutrition, and climate change are all discussed in these short essays.

Although Al and I first met in church, and the evolution of his thinking about religion, abortion, homosexuality and so much more, in many ways mimics mine, he is much more scientific, experienced and convincing than I could ever hope to be. We evolved to similar ways of thinking about the world, but never discussed these issues in any detail. 

If one is not interested in the collisions of massive black holes of infinite density and zero volume, or the nature of dark matter and dark energy just skip those essays. There are many others. 

A couple selected quotes.

On the World Wide Web: «  The ability to hurl invective from behind the barrier of autonomy, seems, for most commentators, to be too much to resist »

« It is an advantage of a long life, that one is afforded the opporunity to change of mind… »

I am in awe of the vast knowledge conveyed in this book, and I am sure it is not just because I have been priveledged to know the author. 

4.7/5