Hot Carbon: Carbon-14 and a Revolution in Science by John F. Marra John F. Marra, professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and director of the Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center, has a new book, Hot Carbon: Carbon-14 and a Revolution in Science, published by Columbia University Press. From the Publisher’s Website “In Hot Carbon, John F. Marra tells the untold story of this scientific revolution. He weaves together the workings of the many disciplines that employ carbon-14 with gripping tales of the individuals who pioneered its possibilities. He describes the concrete applications of carbon-14 to the study of all the stuff of life on earth, from climate science’s understanding of change over time to his own work on oceanic photosynthesis with microscopic phytoplankton. Marra’s engaging narrative encompasses nuclear testing, the peopling of the Americas…and the flax plants used for the linen in the Shroud of Turin. Combining colorful narrative prose with accessible explanations of fundamental science, Hot Carbon is a thought-provoking exploration of how the power of carbon-14 informs our relationship to the past.” Praise for Hot Carbon “Wonderfully engaging…Hot Carbon offers a timely perspective on how mind-bogglingly connected our planet is—and how 14C will continue to be important in helping us to understand what lies ahead.”—Nature Magazine “It has been a joy to read an academic book where the author did not seek to dazzle by his own brilliance. It was even a greater joy to find a narrative strong enough to sustain my interest from beginning to end.”—Richard Joyner, Times Higher Education See Also “Perhaps the most important isotope”: how carbon-14 revolutionized science—The Guardian
