Top Secret Science

by Jennifer Swanson

Deadly bombs. Human experiments. Spies and black ops. Top secret projects aren’t just the stuff of  fantasy in books and movies. They are real, and some are even happening right now.

Genres: Science, War, Technology

36 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Science Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers, Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival (twice), the Atlanta Science Festival (twice) and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival in 2019. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title, “Top Secret Science: Projects You Aren’t Supposed to Know About,” is provocative enough to snag the attention even of readers without a scientific bent. The text details deadly bombs, human experiments, spies and black ops. Presented are declassified projects reflecting the most common topics on conspiracy theorists’ checklists: Bio-weapons, guns disguised as cigarettes (both of which can kill you...), human experiments, mind control, and spies. The one- and two-page spreads are darkly ominous and the accompanying text is only slightly paranoid in tone. Sensitive readers may find the content unsettling.

Author Jennifer Swanson does not reassure her young readers that the vast majority of scientific research is transparent, boasting projects that are open to scrutiny from the public. Instead, Swanson admits, “This may sound like the beginning of an action movie. It’s not. Top secret projects are real. They’ve happened in the past, and they are happening now.” Readers should be encouraged to delve more deeply into any of the topics that disturb them, in order to gain a more thorough understanding of the issues that prompted the top secret projects and what impact, short- and long-term, resulted. Instead there are only two books listed in the suggested reading list (on Area 51 and the Manhattan Project); this truncated resource list should be supplemented by resources related to each project described in the volume. Of course, some acquisitions staff may question the suitability of some of the featured projects for the intended audience (3-6 graders), and other resources geared to this age-group may be scarce, precisely for that reason.

Rather than generating prurient interest in the dark side of science, especially when there is no discussion of a code of scientific ethics to balance and round out the text, purchase agents will want to survey the literature to locate titles that encourage a healthier, more positive approach to scientific inquiry.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this slim volume provides just enough tantalizing facts and snippets of information about the darker side of science, its lack of depth and minimal references detracted from my enjoyment. It might serve to entice curious readers to want to learn more about some of its topics, including the Manhattan Project, Operation Vegetarian, Area 51 or some of the secret weapons being developed by the military. I liked the book's title a great deal since it promised to reveal secrets, and to some extent, it follows through on that promise. I wish, though, that there had been more detail and a little more balance. For instance, one section discusses Soviet spying, almost as though the United States wasn't doing any spying, which seems to be rather disingenuous and rather unlikely. I wish there were much more about each of the book's topics instead of what amounts to thumbnail sketches of secret science projects. I also would have liked some discussion of accountability and ethics to be included.

[Rani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terrible plans and weapons people made during the war.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, this is the kind of stuff my 6 year old son is reading. His favorite fact is that the Manhattan Project test explosion blew out windows 100 miles away.