 | Discover (2-year)
Availability: Your first issue should arrive in 6-10 weeks. Average customer review: (128 customer reviews) |
- Amazon Sales Rank: #57 in Magazine Subscriptions
- Formats: Magazine Subscription, Print
Amazon.com Review
Discover attracts intelligent and curious readers - forward thinkers and public advocates engaging in a dialogue of action that influences opinion leaders and encourages innovation. They are active in their communities, carry a strong voice concerning political issues and are very active in environmental groups.
What You Can Expect in Each Issue:
- Vital Signs: Discover's longest-running and most popular column. Each month, an emergency room doctor describes and solves a real-life medical mystery.
- Better Planet: Questioning the choices we make about our environment, and how we affect its overall health.
- 20 Things You Didn't Know About...: An exploration of arcane and interesting bits of information that you may not be able to Google.
- Data: Informative news section with short pieces on breaking science developments.
- Blinded by Science: A column where humor meets science, written by novelist Bruno Maddox, nominated for the 2007 National Magazine Award, Columns and Commentary.
- ThinkTech: Discover's monthly look at technology moving out of the lab and into the mainstream.
- Features: Cover subjects represent a selection of topical science, technology, environmental, global and health issues that affect our life and the world around us. Recent issues include: Year in Science, Dedicated issue, The Secret Einstein, Better Planet, Extreme Engineering, Scientist of the Year.
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Contributors:
Discover draws on the talents of some of America's premier nonfiction writers, including Walter Isaacson, Jared Diamond, Jim Holt, and Carl Zimmer. Some of our contributors are veteran science journalists; others regard science just as one source of great ideas. What they all have in common is a rare ability to conduct deep investigations into the most complex topics and emerge with stories that will entertain and enlighten anyone who appreciates a good narrative.
Magazine Layout:
Discover gives its readers the real story: on-the-scene photography, highly personal portrait shots, and cutting edge scientific imagery. The design is elegant and refined--not dry like a textbook, not glossy and remote like a travel guide. Every issue contains a balance of big-idea, text driven stories and more image-rich features that convey the feel of where and how the most amazing research happens.
Comparisons to Other Magazines:
Discover examines what really matters about science and places it squarely in a human context. It is an accessible guide to the ideas that matter most in today's world. Unlike Scientific American, it is accessible to any curious reader, not just to science insiders. Unlike Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, it focuses on ideas and discoveries, not gadgets and weapons. And unlike National Geographic, it does not shy away from the personal, political, and social aspects of science. Above all, Discover is unique in combining deep, probing reporting with accessible, narrative writing--more in the mode of The New Yorker than in the style of traditional science journalism.
Advertising:
US Navy, Chevy, Hartford, Bose, Aridian Publishing, Shell, BBC, PBS, VISA, Ford, Ambien, GM, Sony, Sanyo, Discovery Channel, Math Tutor, Rosetta Stone, Gel Pro, Caravan Tours, First Street, Vanguard, Michelin, Lantus, etc.
Awards:
- Discover was presented with an award by the American Society of Journalists and Authors for July '07 feature on Science and Islam.
- MPA Digital Awards 2007 BEST PODCAST SERIES: Recognizes creativity and content innovation in a magazine's podcast series – Discover's Vital Signs won 3rd place.
- 2007 Ellie National Magazine Award Finalist, Columns and Commentary
Science rules the headlines these days, with new developments each week in genetics, astrophysics, computers, and medicine, and Discover is a great way to get a broad spectrum of science news. Designed for the general reader, Discover translates and interprets many of the same stories professionals peruse in Scientific American. Accessible articles on genetically engineered food, what's living in your pillows, real robots in action, and what makes a Stradivarius sing add up to a truly delightful family science magazine. Each issue brings to light new and newsworthy topics to stimulate dinnertime and water-cooler conversations beyond the mundane, and Discover spices the mix with puzzles, Web links, book reviews, and experiments for amateur scientists. --Therese Littleton
Most helpful customer reviews
158 of 167 people found the following review helpful.
By K. L Sadler
As a scientist/educator, I enjoy reading about current science being done in all fields, whether neuroscience or astronomy. We get so specialized in our fields sometimes, we forget about the other sciences which we are not personally involved in. This is one of the better science journals for laypeople who have limited background in most sciences. It's great for me, and I have a large background in most sciences. But so much happens in all areas of scientific endeavor that it is impossible to keep up with. So a magazine like Discover helps to close the gap on my personal ignorance in other areas of science besides neuroscience.
Discover is by the same people running Discovery Channel. Their information is good, they do the research, and they often broach difficult and contrary science concepts which may not be mainstream yet. Their writers and editors do an excellent job. My own personal favorite article each month is Vital Signs, from doctors about medical cases that may be strange or that need to be brought to the attention of the public. I always read that first.
This is a good magazine for high school students to have access to in addition to the regular science textbooks. The type of information given often makes science more accessible for high school students. They can see why someone would choose to go into particular fields of science, and why research is needed.
I do not always agree with the information given. Too many times, it seems that Discover and its editors promote ideas or new medical concepts/technology which has not been proven. As always, lay readers should be sure to get a variety of inputs and information, as well as second opinions before accepting what is said by Discover or any other source. An example of this is the retinal implant spoken about in 2001. Readers should not go asking their physicians about such technology for themselves, but should do as much research as possible prior to making a decision on experimental procedures.
Karen SAdler,
Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh
130 of 141 people found the following review helpful.
By DisappointedReader
Edit:
I encourage people to give this magazine a second chance, four years later. I haven't checked up on it in that time, but some indicate that the quality has gone up significantly since Discover embarked on its new look. -- 06/28/10
53 of 55 people found the following review helpful.
By Sir Robert
Yes, the strongest appeal that this magazine has is its readability. The articles, however diverse they are, are not that hard to understand at all. I believe that even younger readers could read them without feeling offended and snobbed by the writing style. This is because Discover is intended for the general public. People who like a beefier telling of scientific issues should read Scientific American instead. But please note: I am not saying that Discover is kid-stuff. It is not.
Points of interest:
1.) In every issue, there is this Neuroquest, a very interesting one page "exploration of the inner workings of the human brain."
2.) The mag also offers Bogglers, a set of brain-teasers/puzzles to give those gray cells something to work on.
3.) And, Science Surfing, do I have to tell you what this is??
So far, all the Discover issues that I have have 92 pages, of which 17-18 pages were devoted to ads.
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