C. Savage, mythen en wetenschap, 114 blz.

This slim volume by a Canadian natural history writer is a history of our relationship with the aurora borealis, often called northern lights. Savage begins with how different ancient peoples interpreted the northern lights and then gives a scientific history of how we were able to learn about them. The story of our coming to understand the cause of the auroras could have been worthy of Stephen Jay Gould had the author kept going. For example, Tycho Brahe's copper-plated nose, Alexander Von Humboldt's love interest, and Michael Faraday's nervous breakdown are all mentioned parenthetically, leaving the reader wanting to know more. The text is supplemented with old illustrations, impressive photos of auroreal displays, and numerous sidebars on related topics.