History of science Books

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA thrilling account of a centuries-old rivalry - an exploration of scientific discovery and its evolution in an ever-changing and displaced world.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the most significant biological breakthrough of the century - the discovery of the structure of DNA.Trade ReviewThis timely reissue of Watso's feisty memoir gives a dramatic account of how the double helix was mapped. -- James Urquhart * FINANCIAL TIMES *An exhilarating memoir -- John Dugdale * GUARDIAN *

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Book Synopsis"As every amateur toxicologist knows, the difference between a poison and medicine is often simply the dose."There is no weapon as insidious, as seductive or as mysterious as poison. In this terrifying account of history's silent assassin, discover the gripping tales of users, abusers and victims of these mysterious substances, from Cleopatra and Catherine de' Medici to contemporary secret service agents and terrorists.Documenting royal scandal, political upheaval and personal tragedies, Poison details a gruesome thread that runs often undetected through human history.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Poison - a Recurring Story • Poisons of the Ancient World • Medieval and Renaissance Poisons • 17th and 18th Century Poisons • 19th Century Poisons • 20th Century Poisons • 21st Century Poisons.

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Book Synopsis''The best book ever written'' Nicholas Lezard, GuardianRobert Burton''s labyrinthine, beguiling, playful masterpiece is his attempt to ''anatomize and cut up'' every aspect of the condition of melancholy, from which he had suffered throughout his life. Ranging over beauty, digestion, the planets, alcohol, goblins, kissing, poetry and the restorative power of books, among many other things, The Anatomy of Melancholy has fascinated figures from Samuel Johnson to Jorge Luis Borges since the seventeenth century, and remains an incomparable examination of the human condition in all its flawed, endless variety.Edited with an introduction by Angus GowlandTrade ReviewThe best book ever written -- Nick Lezard * Guardian *The greatest work of prose of the greatest period of English prose-writing -- Llewelyn PowysBurton's masterpiece. It is one of the finest prose works in English . . . it is funny, a laugh-aloud book, one that seems to convey the character of its writer with a rare clarity. It is an ode to reading that overflows with allusions and quotations, making it a book that feels, at times, as if it is about the whole of human knowledge. In its wonderfully capacious digressiveness, it pulsates with a life force that is, in itself, a charm against the terrors, the fears and the loneliness of melancholy * The Guardian *This is the best popular edition ever produced of one of the most amusing books in our language, a masterpiece of scholarship. It belongs on the shelves of everyone who loves English literature and all those who aspire to do so * The Critic *

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Book SynopsisThe tenth anniversary edition of the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution of how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. With a new Foreword by the celebrated astronaut Neil Armstrong.Sobel has done the impossible and made horology sexy no mean feat' New ScientistAnyone alive in the 18th century would have known that the longitude problem' was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day and had been for centuries. Lacking the ability to measure their longitude, sailors throughout the great ages of exploration had been literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Thousands of lives, and the increasing fortunes of nations, hung on a resolution.The quest for a solution had occupied scientists and their patrons for the better part of two centuries when, in 1714, Parliament upped the ante by offering a king's ransom (20,000) to anyone whose method or device proved successful. Countless quacks weighed in wiTrade ReviewDava Sobel has written a gem of a book…one of the best reads for the non-scientific writing to come along for many a moon." Financial Times "A true life thriller, jam-packed with political intrigue, international warfare, personal feuds and financial skullduggery." Daily Mail "Rarely have I enjoyed a book as much as Dava Sobel's Longitude. She has an extraordinary gift of making difficult ideas clear." Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisWhy did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium (Cd, 48)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie''s reputation? And why did tellurium (Te, 52) lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?The periodic table is one of our crowning scientific achievements, but it''s also a treasure trove of passion, adventure, betrayal and obsession. The fascinating tales in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, gold and every single element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, the arts, medicine and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. Why did a little lithium (Li, 3) help cure poet Robert Lowell of his madness? And how did gallium (Ga, 31) become the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Disappearing Spoon has the answers, fusing science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, discovery and alchemy, from the Trade ReviewKean has Bill Bryson's comic touch... a lively history of the elements and the characters behind their discovery * New Scientist *A wealth of fascinating stories with a dazzling cast of heroes and villains. Written with gusto and backed by a mind-boggling amount of research, this is a real page turner -- Robert Matthews * Daily Telegraph *One of the most readable and entertaining books about science yet published ... [Kean] is master of enlightening metaphors * Daily Express *The periodic table meets the best-seller list with Sam Kean's Disappearing Spoon, an engaging tour of the elements... with the éclat of raw sodium dropped in a beaker of water * The New York Times *the anecdotal flourishes of Oliver Sacks and the populist accessibility of Malcolm Gladwell * Entertainment Weekly *

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking new series from bestselling author Sean CarrollTrade Review‘Neat, and extremely simple: only a deep thinker such as Sean Carroll could introduce the complexity of Einstein’s general relativity in such a luminous and straightforward manner.’ -- Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics‘Sean Carroll has achieved something I thought impossible: a bridge between popular science and the mathematical universe of working physicists. Magnificent!’ -- Brian Clegg, author of Ten Days in Physics that Shook the World'What is most appealing in this ambitious book is its combination of technical accuracy and lightness of tone…reader-friendly… the scientific and mathematical aspects of the book are impeccable.' -- Wall Street Journal'Reading The Biggest Ideas in the Universe is like taking an introductory physics class with a star professor – but with all of the heady lectures and none of the tedious problem sets… For those without the [STEM] background, [the result] might feel like a porthole into another world.' -- Scientific American‘Do popular books about physics leave you feeling that you’re just getting stories and not real science? If so, this is the book for you. In a clear and non-scary way, it explains the mathematical theories behind what physicists really think. Carroll’s trilogy will plug a big gap in how physics is communicated to non-specialists – and to judge from this first volume, will do so brilliantly.’ -- Philip Ball, author of Beyond Weird: Why Everything You Thought You Knew about Quantum Physics Is Different‘As a ten-year-old physics enthusiast, I would have loved The Biggest Ideas in the Universe. With this book, Sean Carroll rejects traditional elitism in physics and welcomes in anyone who knows only a little algebra but wants to understand the whole universe.’ -- Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, author of The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred‘Sean Carroll is a wizard of empathy. In this short book, the first of three on The Biggest Ideas in the Universe, he anticipates what’s always confused you about physics and then gently guides you to enlightenment… and ultimately, to newfound wonder.’ -- Steven Strogatz, author of The Joy of X and Infinite Powers'Sean Carroll shows… that the essence of physics, including its fundamental equations, can be made accessible to anyone equipped with no more than high school math. Carroll is an accomplished science writer, a talent with few peers… The Biggest Ideas in the Universe brings science dissemination to a new level. In doing so, the biggest and most consequential idea in Carroll’s trilogy might well be that substantive discussions about science can ultimately be had by everyone.' -- Science‘Sean Carroll has produced a guide to relativity theory for the 21st century, plugging the gap between “popularisations” that emphasise the oddities without giving the facts, and textbooks that train students to manipulate equations without providing insight into what it all means. He will open your eyes to the way physicists view the universe, making fundamental ideas accessible without the need for a degree in science, but bravely ignoring the old adage that adding equations will scare readers off. Don’t be scared; this is the best lay-person’s guide to the subject, written in an accessible, entertaining style and impeccably accurate. And the author promises to tackle quantum theory next! I can’t wait.’ -- John Gribbin, senior honorary research fellow in astronomy, University of Sussex‘Sean Carroll’s greatest gift isn’t that he’s an expert on the fundamentals of physics, which he is, but that he never speaks down to his reader. He assumes that anyone, even the uninitiated, can learn to understand the formulae that underlie complicated concepts like space and time. It is a pleasure to read his work, a greater pleasure still to get a world-class education from such a witty, thoughtful teacher.’ -- Annalee Newitz, author of The Future of Another Timeline‘No-nonsense, not-dumbed-down explanations of basic laws of the universe that reward close attention.’ -- Kirkus'One-of-a-kind… Carroll flips the script and illuminates the form and beauty underlying a discipline that helps us understand all that exists.' -- Booklist

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Book SynopsisA FINANCIAL TIMES AND TLS BOOK OF THE YEARAn exhilarating new biography of John von Neumann: the lost genius who invented our world''A sparkling book, with an intoxicating mix of pen-portraits and grand historical narrative. Above all it fizzes with a dizzying mix of deliciously vital ideas. . . A staggering achievement'' Tim HarfordThe smartphones in our pockets and computers like brains. The vagaries of game theory and evolutionary biology. Self-replicating moon bases and nuclear weapons. All bear the fingerprints of one remarkable man: John von Neumann.Born in Budapest at the turn of the century, von Neumann is one of the most influential scientists to have ever lived. His colleagues believed he had the fastest brain on the planet - bar none. He was instrumental in the Manhattan Project and helped formulate the bedrock of Cold War geopolitics and modern economic theory. He created the first ever programmable digital computer. He prophesied the potential of nanotechnology and, from his deathbed, expounded on the limits of brains and computers - and how they might be overcome.Taking us on an astonishing journey, Ananyo Bhattacharya explores how a combination of genius and unique historical circumstance allowed a single man to sweep through so many different fields of science, sparking revolutions wherever he went.Insightful and illuminating, The Man from the Future is a thrilling intellectual biography of the visionary thinker who shaped our century.

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Book SynopsisIn the first cultural and political history of the Russian nuclear age, Paul Josephson describes the rise of nuclear physics in the USSR, the enthusiastic pursuit of military and peaceful nuclear programs through the Chernobyl disaster and the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the ongoing, self-proclaimed renaissance' of nuclear power in Russia in the 21st century. At the height of their power, the Soviets commanded 39,000 nuclear warheads, yet claimed to be servants of the peaceful atom' which they also pursued avidly. This book examines both military and peaceful Soviet and post-Soviet nuclear programs for the long durée before the war, during the Cold War, and in Russia to the present whilst also grappling with the political and ideological importance of nuclear technologies, the associated economic goals, the social and environmental costs, and the cultural embrace of nuclear power. Nuclear Russia probes the juncture of history of science and technology, political and cTrade ReviewThe nuclear complex of Russia has not come to an end, to the contrary: its military and civilian arms continue to expand threating both the global political order and the environment. Nuclear Russia unfolds the entangled history of this socio-technical complex from the February Revolution of 1917 to the present, its knowledge and engineering orders, nuclear warheads and military facilities, actors and reactors, and above all its political, economic, environmental and cultural ramifications. This most timely book is a great pleasure to read. * Helmuth Trischler, Prof. Dr., Rachel Carson Center and Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany *One can hardly imagine a better guide to Russian nuclear power than Paul R. Josephson. Attention to Ukraine is particularly welcome in the wake of Russia’s devastating invasion and attendant risk of nuclear disaster. * Matthew Evangelista, President White Professor of History and Political Science, Cornell University, USA *Nuclear Russia: The Atom in Russian Politics and Culture more than succeeds in its goal of stimulating readers to think deeply about the cultural and political roles of nuclear physics, weapons, and energy in the Russian empire of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (p. ii)… Provides an excellent overview of a complex subject that remains all too timely and relevant. * H-Net Reviews *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations 1. Nuclear Bolshevism 2. Nuclear Defense 3. Nuclear Peace 4. Nuclear Hubris 5. Nuclear Disintegration 6. Nuclear Renaissance Index

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Book Synopsis'Luminous and straightforward.' Carlo Rovelli

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Book SynopsisDiscover and understand the key ideas that underpin the core science of chemistry and learn about the great minds who uncovered them Written in plain English, The Chemistry Book is packed with short, pithy explanations of some of the most historic moments in science, from the birth of atomic theory to the discovery of polyethylene and the development of new vaccine technologies to combat COVID-19. Simple graphics, such as flowcharts and mind maps, support the text and make the explanation of key concepts easy to follow.Arranged in chronological order, the book covers key themes in the physical and natural sciences, such as geochemistry and the elements. Within each chapter, a series of articles traces the history of scientific thought and introduces the work of the scientists who have shaped the subject such as John Dalton, Marie Curie, Dmitri Mendeleev, Kathleen Lonsdale, and Stephanie Kwolek. Along the way, the book addresses some of the most fund

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Book SynopsisThe instant Sunday Times bestseller -- a beautiful story of rebellion and science''A triumph. . . We are left in a world that is not disenchanted by science, but even more magical'' Financial TimesIn June 1925, twenty-three-year-old Werner Heisenberg, suffering from hay fever, had retreated to the treeless, wind-battered island of Helgoland in the North Sea in order to think. Walking all night, by dawn he had wrestled with an idea that would transform the whole of science and our very conception of the world.In Helgoland Carlo Rovelli tells the story of the birth of quantum physics and its bright young founders who were to become some of the most famous Nobel winners in science. It is a celebration of youthful rebellion and intellectual revolution. An invitation to a magical place.Here Rovelli illuminates competing interpretations of this science and offers his own original view, describing the world we touch as a fabric woven by relations. Where we, as every other thing around us, exist in our interactions with one another, in a never-ending game of mirrors.A dazzling work from a celebrated scientist and master storyteller, Helgoland transports us to dizzying heights, reminding us of the many pleasures of the life of the mind.Translated by Erica Segre and Simon CarnellChosen as a Book of the Year by The Times, Financial Times, Sunday Times, Guardian and ProspectShortlisted for the Nayef Al-Rodhan PrizeTrade ReviewPopular science has rarely been so good * Prospect *The greatest populariser of physics today. . . We are left in a world that is not disenchanted by science, but even more magical. A triumph -- Julian Baggini * Financial Times *Theoretical physics often feels rather mystical. This mind-bending, lively book by the bestselling physicist Carlo Rovelli reinforces that other-wordly feeling. . . unforgettable * The Times *Rovelli is often called the poet of physics. He writes elegant, wondering, enlarging books on time and quantum theory, much in the spirit of a priest bringing the word of God to his congregation, and I've found it good for my soul to be confronted with how little I understand the world and everything in it -- Sarah Perry * Guardian *One of the warmest, most elegant and most lucid interpreters of the dazzling enigmas of his discipline. . . A momentous book -- John Banville * Wall Street Journal *His most beautiful book yet. . . leaves an unforgettable impression of its author as a man struggling at the furthest limits of human comprehension -- James Marriot * The Times *A deep-thinking, restlessly inquiring spirit. . . His books continue a tradition of popular scientific writing from Galileo to Darwin that disappeared in the academic specialisations of the past century -- Ian Thomson * Observer *Another brilliant book by Rovelli. . . You'll have fun -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *If anyone can make sense of the topsy-turvy, counterintuitive world of quantum physics, it is Carlo Rovelli, the most poetically minded of today's science communicators * The Times *A remarkably wide-ranging new meditation on quantum theory. . . With the light touch of a skilled storyteller. . . Rovelli is not afraid to mix quantum physics and eastern philosophy -- Manjit Kumar * Guardian *A great tonic for long-isolated minds . . . a thrilling story, written with Rovelli's accustomed wit and panache. After reading him, you'll look at the grains of beach sand between your toes with an entirely new eye * Irish Independent *Inspiring. . . Without mathematics or experiment, by page 81 your thoughts are at the frontier of quantum theory -- Alexander Masters * Spectator *A delight . . . it is a pleasure to travel in Rovelli's company * New Statesman *Travelogue meets biography meets a masterful explanation of quantum theory in this warm and fascinating account * Guardian *Explained with uncanny insight and lyrical grace * Time *A new vision, one with a remarkable power in delivering new answers to old quantum riddles. . . original and graceful -- Jenann T. Ismael * TLS *Bracing and refreshing. . . Rovelli is offering a new way to understand not just the world but our place in it, too * NPR *Carlo Rovelli is a genius and an amazing communicator. . . What I love about his writing is that it always comes back to people -- people interacting with other people, who are interacting with their world. This is the place where science comes to life -- Neil GaimanWhen life feels strange, Rovelli's books remind me that there is beauty in the strangeness -- Johny PittsRovelli is a brilliant and lucid teacher who uses his understanding of theoretical physics and the quantum world to talk about the complexity of our everyday reality -- Russell BrandCarlo Rovelli's imaginative rigour, his lively humour and his beautiful writing are inspiring -- Erica WagnerRovelli opens windows onto the imagination for all of us -- Antony GormleyI always find with Carlo Rovelli's books that there are moments when you get a real hit of understanding -- a jigsaw in your mind that just falls into place -- Robin InceHelgoland is a wonderful guide to the most extraordinary story in physics. It will reset your view of the universe -- Marcus du SautoyHooked me so hard I read the entire book in one sitting. And then twice more -- Lisa Feldman Barrett * Chronicle of Higher Education *The old, solid world, if you believed in it at all, breaks into a glorious shimmer of limitless potential -- Brian Morton * Tablet *Rovelli has an uncanny knack for instilling wonder and explaining complex theories in plain, entertaining ways * Irish Times *I'm keen for everyone to read Helgoland: a wonderfully lucid and poetic account of the foundations of quantum physics. It combines a compelling history with Rovelli's own intriguing - and for me very appealing - views about the basis of all things -- Anil Seth, author of Being You

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Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR SERIES 'GENIUS' ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, PRODUCED BY RON HOWARD AND STARRING GEOFFREY RUSHEinstein is the great icon of our age: the kindly refugee from oppression whose wild halo of hair, twinkling eyes, engaging humanity and extraordinary brilliance made his face a symbol and his name a synonym for genius. He was a rebel and nonconformist from boyhood days. His character, creativity and imagination were related, and they drove both his life and his science. In this marvellously clear and accessible narrative, Walter Isaacson explains how his mind worked and the mysteries of the universe that he discovered. Einstein's success came from questioning conventional wisdom and marvelling at mysteries that struck others as mundane. This led him to embrace a worldview based on respect for free spirits and free individuals. All of which helped make Einstein into a rebel but with a reverence for the harmony of nature, one with just the right blend of imagination and wisdom to transform our understanding of the universe. This new biography, the first since all of Einstein's papers have become available, is the fullest picture yet of one of the key figures of the twentieth century. This is the first full biography of Albert Einstein since all of his papers have become available -- a fully realised portrait of this extraordinary human being, and great genius.Praise for EINSTEIN by Walter Isaacson:- 'YOU REALLY MUST READ THIS.' Sunday Times 'As pithy as Einstein himself.’ New Scientist ‘[A] brilliant biography, rich with newly available archival material.’ Literary Review ‘Beautifully written, it renders the physics understandable.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Isaacson is excellent at explaining the science. ' Daily Express

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Book SynopsisWe live in a world made by science. How and when did this happen? This book tells the story of the extraordinary intellectual and cultural revolution that gave birth to modern science, and mounts a major challenge to the prevailing orthodoxy of its history.Before 1492 it was assumed that all significant knowledge was already available; there was no concept of progress; people looked for understanding to the past not the future. This book argues that the discovery of America demonstrated that new knowledge was possible: indeed it introduced the very concept of ''discovery'', and opened the way to the invention of science.The first crucial discovery was Tycho Brahe''s nova of 1572: proof that there could be change in the heavens. The telescope (1610) rendered the old astronomy obsolete. Torricelli''s experiment with the vacuum (1643) led directly to the triumph of the experimental method in the Royal Society of Boyle and Newton. By 1750 Newtonianism was being celebrateTrade ReviewThe seventeenth century saw the emergence of the mindset that characterizes modern science. David Wootton lucidly describes the individuals, the experiments and the controversies that marked this intellectually turbulent and transformative era. ... This fascinating and scholarly book should receive a wide readership. -- Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, President of the Royal Society 2005-10This is a superb book, at once cogent, revisionist and profound. It offers the most novel and significant account of the Scientific Revolution to appear for many years ... it is simply rather brilliant. -- Michael Hunter, Professor of History at Birkbeck, University of LondonA truly remarkable piece of scholarship. His work has an ingenious and innovative linguistic foundation, examining the invention and redefinition of words as tracers of a new understanding of nature and how to approach it. His erudition is awesome, and his argument is convincing. -- Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and of the History of Science at Harvard UniversityA grand, whooping narrative that is also exhaustively researched. It will, I am certain, become a landmark in the discipline of the history of science. -- Andrea Wulf * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Relationships can be notoriously complicated, and our ancient bond with wheat is no exception. As Zabinski recounts in Amber Waves, it’s been a rocky path over the millennia, replete with heartbreak, endless drama, and even an unlikely love affair. If it hadn’t been for a capricious interloper named goatgrass mixing into wheat’s gene pool half a million years ago, our daily staple of bread—not to mention birthday cakes, mac and cheese, and pepperoni pizza—might never have existed. . . . Amber Waves nimbly segues into a socio-agro primer, providing a crash course in genetics, plant breeding, and agronomy. The author . . . also provides a fascinating retrospective on some of our lesser-known food innovators. . . . Engaging. . . . Zabinksi is a reliably optimistic guide, pointing us toward a hopeful food future. ‘As a species,’ she observes, ‘we have a stunning capacity for creativity and problem solving. Imagine if we focused all that capacity on optimizing agricultural production in the most environmentally sustainable way.’ It’s a towering opportunity for such a tiny, humble seed—but one that seems tantalizingly close to being within our grasp." * Wall Street Journal *"Wheat is a staple in the diets of cultures across the globe. But when and how did the first societies decide to consume grass seeds? Plant and soil ecologist Zabinski takes the discussion beyond history and anthropology to talk about the science of agriculture and the development of wheat production throughout the modern world. The more practical aspects of the crop are also discussed, such as why grass seeds are easier to store than other early cultivated grains. While the account focuses on wheat’s history, there is a section that concentrates on the stress of the crop for a growing population. An abundance of endnotes and references indicate an extensively researched text, while the chronological narrative reads like a biography starting with ancient people and cultivation through the modern practices of manipulating food DNA. . . . This work will appeal to lay scientists, anthropologists, and consumers who wish to know more about the science behind this common dietary staple." * Library Journal *"A pleasant . . . account of the long history of humans and wheat. . . . Zabinski notes how agricultural practices have driven social and political organization, and speculates that wheat cultivation led to militarization, as armies were used to keep laborers in the fields and to protect farmers from outside raiders. In elaborating on the interconnections between wheat production and culture, she shares some worthwhile historical tidbits, such as how the need to grow wheat across North America’s ‘wide temperature and precipitation gradients’ gave rise, in the nineteenth century, to breeding as a modern science, or how Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union was motivated by his desire for Ukraine’s fertile soils." * Publishers Weekly *“Deftly surveys both the biological and the social perspective in nine concise chapters, starting in deep time, with a quick summary of the evolution of plants, then moving swiftly through the first agricultural societies, the growth of city-states, the great empires of the classical and medieval world, and on into the modern era. Wheat is a silent but salient character, providing the energy needed to maintain growing concentrations of population, shaping systems of social organization needed to manage production and distribute food, and driving innovations in agriculture, such as crop rotation, irrigation, and the moldboard plow of the Middle Ages. . . . It’s clearly an open-ended story, not just a tale of how humans have used a nutritious plant, writes Zabinski, but ‘how that plant used us to take over the world.’” -- Laurence A. Marschall * Natural History *"The human relationship with wheat is the subject of Zabinski’s short book Amber Waves, which presents itself as a ‘biography’ of the grain. . . . Zabinski, a plant and soil ecologist at Montana State University, seeks to tell ‘a story of a group of grasses whose existence became complicated by its convergence with our own species and our never-ending need for more food’. The vast consumption of wheat today is linked to the fact that it is the main ingredient in so many convenience foods. If you want to satisfy hunger quickly and cheaply, the odds are that you will turn to a wheat-based food (unless you opt for potatoes, in the form of crisps or chips). You might buy a healthy wrap or an unhealthy burger or a pie or a sandwich or a slice of pizza or a tub of instant ramen or a samosa or a slice of toast or a bowl of bran flakes. Whichever choice you make, you will end up eating the same industrial wheat. No other grain comes in such a vast range of ready-to-eat foods. Yet it must have taken great perseverance and ingenuity for our Neolithic ancestors to add wheat to their diets." -- Bee Wilson * London Review of Books *"In this high-fiber read, plant ecologist Zabinski follows the evolution of wheat, from its wild origins to its highly modified existence as a staple of modern agriculture." * LitHub *"Zabinski has produced a tour de force with Amber Waves. From her work as a soil and plant ecologist at Montana State University she pulls together the fascinating biological and social history of wheat. It is a story of human ingenuity across thousands of years." -- Jenny Willan * Resurgence and Ecologist *"Wheat was among the first grains to be cultivated and it is now one of the most important staple crops in the world. In Amber Waves, Zabinski . . . tells the story of wheat from its origin, domestication, and genetic improvement, and the history of its production, processing, and trade. Moreover, Zabinski proposes that the biography of wheat is not simply the story of a crop—it is a thread in the history of humans seeking food security. . . . This story about the complex relationship between humans and crops should appeal to plant scientists in particular, and indeed the general public." * Nature Food *"For a sustainability-conscious readership, Zabinski looks at how wheat both enabled the food security necessary for civilization and created new ecological problems." * Publishers Weekly, "Spring 2020 Announcements: Science Top 10" *"Zabinski explores the history of wheat and society, and argues we must focus on optimizing agriculture in environmentally sustainable ways." * Climate & Capitalism *"Skillfully done. . . . I urge you to read Amber Waves by Zabinski, which is an excellent example of plants-and-people writing—and is also pretty good SciComm . . . " * Botany One *"The story of wheat is inextricably linked with that of humans. Zabinski’s Amber Waves tells both. In fact, the author suggests this might be the tale of how wheat used humans to take over the world. . . . Zabinski’s warm, down-to-earth style and whimsical analogies are so engaging that readers might not notice how much archaeology, soil chemistry, and molecular genetics they are absorbing. Biology students who found photosynthesis boring didn’t have Zabinski as their instructor. . . . She tosses delicious tidbits into her literary soup, such as origin stories for Turkey Red and Red Fife, formerly the dominant types of wheat grown in the United States and Canada, respectively. . . . Amber Waves would make a good text for an introductory agriculture course—and for anyone who wants to understand how today’s food is grown. Zabinski does not rail against current agricultural systems; nor does she give checklists of actions for readers to follow to become better food citizens. Instead, she starts at the beginnings of agriculture to explain why contemporary wheat has turned out the way it has, why humans now grow it as they do, and why these methods might not work so well in the future. She suggests that readers listen to the story carried in the whisper of the wheat stalks and think hard about how to make food systems more sustainable and equitable." * Issues in Science and Technology *“In a friendly and accessible style, Amber Waves rather cleverly integrates material about plant evolution and physiological processes into a narrative of the development of wheat, concentrating heavily on the early stages of the process of plant domestication, with asides into evolution, genetics, plant nutrition, gluten-related health issues, and the role of wheat in history and power politics. A balanced discussion of the Green Revolution and the future possibilities of wheat breeding bring the story up to date for anyone who wishes to learn more about the history of farming and about plants.” -- Noel Kingsbury, author of "Hybrid: The History and Science of Plant Breeding" and "Garden Flora: The Natural and Cultural History of the Plants in Your Garden"“Zabinski not only offers a biography of the multiple species known as ‘wheat’ but presents their story in the context of the rise of civilization itself.” -- Norman C. Ellstrand, author of "Sex on the Kitchen Table: The Romance of Plants and Your Food" and "Dangerous Liaisons? When Cultivated Plants Mate with Their Wild Relatives""This book is recommended to everyone who wants to discover that wheat is much more than just the basis of regular bread." * Economic Botany *"In Amber Waves, Zabinski explores how wheat has claimed this preeminent place in farmers’ fields and in our diets. A professor of plant and soil ecology, Zabinski’s gift as a science communicator shines throughout the book. Her story goes well beyond photosynthesis, plant physiology, and genetics, as she uses insights from archeology, anthropology, and politics to unravel the long, intertwining history of wheat and the human societies that have gathered, planted, harvested, and eaten wheat seeds for millennia. . . . This book makes a fine contribution to food history. Suitable for a wide audience, it shows the promise of weaving together the natural and social sciences to engage with the full complexity of humanity’s relationship to food." * Gastronomica *"Zabinski’s book is very readable, reliable, and well-substantiated in scientific and historical terms. The author succeeds in presenting the ecological, political, social, and cultural conditions that have made wheat such an important staple food." * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (translated from German) *Table of ContentsIntroduction. A Biography of Wheat? Chapter One. The Whispering of the Grasses Chapter Two. The First Encounter Chapter Three. Intertwined Lives Chapter Four. From Villages to Cities Chapter Five. Relationships Are Hard Work Chapter Six. Nurture and Nature Chapter Seven. War and Peace and Wheat Chapter Eight. Order in Chaos Chapter Nine. A Love-Hate Relationship Epilogue. An Eternal Harvest Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDr Jacob Bronowksi's The Ascent of Man traces the development of human society through our understanding of science.First published in 1973 to accompany the groundbreaking BBC television series, it is considered one of the first works of 'popular science', illuminating the historical and social context of scientific development for a generation of readers. In his highly accessible style, Dr Bronowski discusses human invention from the flint tool to geometry, agriculture to genetics, and from alchemy to the theory of relativity, showing how they all are expressions of our ability to understand and control nature.In this new paperback edition, The Ascent of Man inspires, influences and informs as profoundly as ever.Trade ReviewThe book and television series... are a superb teaching tool and a remarkable memorial * Carl Sagan *A great book... it taught me a huge amount about mixing history and science * Simon Singh *

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Book SynopsisScience and religion have always been at each other’s throats, right?Trade Review'This book, though, is surely [Spencer's] magnum opus. It is astonishingly wide-ranging… and richly informed… So much complex history, theology and science could be heavy. What lightens the book is its clarity and the effervescent writing.' —The Sunday Times'With patience, balance and deep learning, Spencer… dismantles the myths that have accumulated around Galileo Galilei, Charles Darwin and other scientific figures… Filled with wit and wisdom.' —Philip Ball, TLS'Fascinating… prepare to read something genuinely fresh in what can be an extremely hackneyed debate.' —New Scientist'Magisterial and brilliant.' —Professor John Milbank‘Easily the best exploration of the complex relation between science and religion I have ever read. As exemplary in his even-handedness as in his patient research… I suspect it will become the classic work on its subject.' —Iain McGilchrist, author of The Master and his Emissary'Spencer knows his history of science. He recounts the set pieces of any such story – the trial of Galileo, Huxley vs Wilberforce, the Scopes monkey trial – with bravura.' —Spectator‘A must-read for anyone interested in this vital topic, and outstanding for its destruction of old myths about “the war between religion and science”, and for showing how complex, and various, and often positive relations have actually been.’ —Church Times, BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR'[Spencer] has a lot of interesting things to say about how exactly the often fraught relationship between science and faith has fared over the centuries… Mr. Spencer carefully reconstructs what actually happened. It’s interesting to read how the stories have become simplified and exaggerated over time… Mr. Spencer’s most important corrective is to show that Galileo’s theory raised scientific and theological questions that had not been answered at the time… a fascinating tour through a history of a difficult relationship, the fate of which is still unclear.' —Wall Street Journal'This page-turner of a book compellingly tracks the relation between science and religion, eternally bickering siblings, across two millennia. The ironies of the collaborations and oppositions between the two are brilliantly set out. You don’t have to have religious belief to recognise that science doesn’t always have the right answers. The real question: who has the authority to make statements about the natural world? Nicholas Spencer well shows that this authority – formerly in the hands of religious authorities, now usually scientific ones – has been effortfully constructed and disagreed over across time.' —Chris Wickham, author of The Inheritance of Rome'This sweeping and comprehensive look at the "war" between religion and science lays it bare as a nineteenth-century myth. Studying God’s Works – what we call "science" – was historically as important to Christianity as studying his Word. The battles we’ve mythologised – from the ancient mathematician Hypatia’s murder by a Christian mob, to Galileo kneeling before the Inquisition, to the 1925 Scopes “monkey” trial – were not about ideology, but authority. A compelling act of myth-busting.' —Nancy Marie Brown, author of The Abacus and the Cross'Illuminating… Even (or especially) those readers inclined to disagree with him will find his narrative refreshing… [Spencer] is one of Britain’s most astute observers of religious affairs… He offers an engaging tour of the intersection of religious and scientific history… Mr Spencer insightfully revisits the dust-ups involving Galileo, Darwin and John Scopes (prosecuted in Tennessee in 1925 for teaching evolution). He traces the interaction of the two disciplines in often fascinating detail.' —Economist'Highly readable... Spencer convincingly shows how, until the modern period, religion largely supported the sciences of the day.' —Financial Times'Tremendous… [Spencer's] survey of more than two millennia to the present day is consistently well-informed, witty and merciless to those wanting easy headlines. Every journalist would benefit from reading this substantial but very useful text, but all its readers will emerge better informed—and perhaps even saner.’ —Diarmaid Macculloch, Prospect'Books that attempt to encompass the whole history of science and religion within a single volume are rare. This is one of them, and it is a good one… clearly written, with plenty of humour... this superb volume... is likely to become the standard work on the subject for the general reader for many years to come, and deservedly so.' —Tablet'Nicholas Spencer is always worth reading. In this new book he brilliantly synthesises a mass of scholarly research to provide an authoritative, lucid and, at times, surprising account of the historical relations between Western science and religion. This is easily the most comprehensive and accessible history of these two "magisteria" presently available.' —Peter Harrison, author of The Territories of Science and Religion 'Spencer’s historical portrait is erudite and wide-ranging…[a] necessary [book].' —Literary Review

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Book SynopsisA Telegraph Book of the Year A remarkable, unprecedented account of the role of magic in cultures both ancient and modern -- from the first known horoscope to the power of tattoos.''Fascinating, original, excellent'' Simon Sebag Montefiore______________________Three great strands of practice and belief run through human history: science, religion and magic. But magic - the idea that we have a connection with the universe - has developed a bad reputation.It has been with us for millennia - from the curses and charms of ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish magic, to the shamanistic traditions of Eurasia, indigenous America and Africa, and even quantum physics today. Even today seventy-five per cent of the Western world holds some belief in magic, whether snapping wishbones, buying lottery tickets or giving names to inanimate objects.Drawing on his decades of research, with incredible breadth and authority, Professor Chris Gosden provides a timely history of human thought and the role it has played in shaping civilization, and how we might use magic to rethink our understanding of the world.______________________''This is an extraordinary work of learning, written with an exhilarating lightness of touch . . . It is essential reading.'' Francis Pryor, author of Britain BC, Britain AD and The Fens''Without an unfascinating page'' Scotsman''Chris Gosden shows how magic explores the connections between human beings and the universe in ways different from religion or science, yet deserving of respect'' Professor John Barton, author of A History of The BibleTrade ReviewWith his own magic touch, Chris Gosden brilliantly reveals the place of magic in human societies from the Ice Age to the present day in all inhabited continents, and shows how the exercise of magic was an everyday practice that joined the world of the dead to that of the living -- Professor David Abulafia, author of The Boundless SeaFascinating, original and excellent, written with both narrative flair and deep scholarship, this is a world history, from the steppes of Mongolia to the palaces of London and Paris from prehistory to today, told through the lens of magic, that has always existed alongside and within religion itself, a gripping ride of astonishing span, filled with colourful characters, shaman, witches and kings, esoteric rites and revelatory research. An important and essential read that also happens to be a highly entertaining historical treasure-trove -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem and The RomanovsThis is an extraordinary work of learning, written with an exhilarating lightness of touch. And it's flexible: you can read it from cover-to-cover, or just dip in - or both. Chris Gosden has traced the story of magical beliefs from the Old Stone Age to modern times, across all the continents of the world. But it isn't just a work of archaeology and history: it has increasing relevance for our own times, as we witness the growth of extreme cults and the seditious myths of the post-truth era. It is essential reading -- Francis Pryor, author of Britain BC, Britain AD and The FensThe History of Magic is a major contribution to an important but neglected subject. It should be read not only by archaeologists and anthropologists but by everyone interested in the human condition -- Barry Cunliffe, author of The Scythians"To be human is to be connected." Chris Gosden shows how magic explores the connections between human beings and the universe in ways different from religion or science, yet deserving of respect. A magisterial account of the central place of magic in many cultures both ancient and modern -- Professor John Barton, author of A History of The BibleAn impressive and much-needed book, Gosden masterfully presents the history of magic from a global perspective, enabling the reader to make fascinating connections between traditions in different places and eras -- Violet Moller, author of the Map of KnowledgeBreathtaking in scope... For many readers its pages will be full of fascinating discoveries -- John Carey * Sunday Times *Comprehensive and remarkable . . . his book subverts essentially everything we are meant to believe -- Clement Knox * The Telegraph *Bold, gripping and arrestingly readable ... a path-breaking study of a pervasive and strangely neglected phenomenon -- John Gray * New Statesman *Exceptional -- Simon Heffer * Telegraph, Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Top Ten BestsellerHave you ever wondered if a severed head retains consciousness long enough to see what happened to it? Or whether your dog would run to fetch help, if you fell down a disused mineshaft? And what would happen if you were to give an elephant the largest ever single dose of LSD? The chances are that someone, somewhere has conducted a scientific experiment to find out... 'Excellent accounts of some of the most important and interesting experiments in biology and psychology' Simon Singh If left to their own devices, would babies instinctively choose a well-balanced diet? Discover the secret of how to sleep on planes Which really tastes better in a blind tasting - Coke or Pepsi?

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Book SynopsisThe dramatic, globe-spanning and meticulously-researched story of two scientific rivals and their race to survey all life.In the 18th century, two men dedicated their lives to the same daunting task: identifying and describing all life on Earth. Their approaches could not have been more different. Carl Linnaeus, a pious Swedish doctor with a huckster''s flair, believed that life belonged in tidy, static categories. Georges-Louis de Buffon, an aristocratic polymath and keeper of France''s royal garden, viewed life as a dynamic, ever-changing swirl of complexities. Both began believing their work to be difficult, but not impossible--how could the planet possibly hold more than a few thousand species? Stunned by life''s diversity, both fell far short of their goal. But in the process they articulated starkly divergent views on nature, on humanity''s role in shaping the fate of our planet, and on humanity itself. The rivalry between these two unique, driven indiv

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Book SynopsisIn To Explain the World, pre-eminent theoretical physicist Steven Weinberg offers a rich and irreverent history of science from a unique perspective - that of a scientist. Moving from ancient Miletus to medieval Baghdad to Oxford, and from the Museum of Alexandria to the Royal Society of London, he shows that the scientists of the past not only did not understand what we understand about the world - they did not understand what there is to understand. Yet eventually, through the struggle to solve such mysteries as the backward movement of the planets and the rise and fall of tides, the modern discipline of science emerged.Trade ReviewA great book, a necessary book for our time * Independent *In Steven Weinberg's To Explain the World: The Discovery of Modern Science and Frank Wilczek's A Beautiful Question: Finding Nature's Deep Design, two Nobel physicists give two astonishingly different accounts of the history of science, from antiquity to their own discoveries. Weinberg takes an unapologetically hard-headed stance, where philosophy, beauty and so forth are denounced as misleading. Wilczek sketches a dreamy vision, where beauty and harmony are essential ingredients of the quest for knowledge. Who is right? Both: this is the magic of science, which coherently combines wildly diverse skills. Weinberg is a father of electroweak theory, Wilczek of strong interaction. Still unsolved is gravity: what are the skills we need to solve it? We do not know yet -- Carlo Rovelli, Financial Times 'Books of the Year'I read To Explain the World completely enthralled. It transmutes the base metal of a mere history of science into pure gold-into a magisterial celebration of a long and heroic struggle, still incomplete, to understand nature. Only a committed scientist of Steven Weinberg's brilliance, experience and breadth of insight could have accomplished this. I ended the book exhilarated * Ian McEwan *In this masterful, entertainingly 'irreverent' book, Weinberg explains the rise of science from ancient Greeks to modern geeks in terms that his students and the rest of us will understand -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *It would be putting it mildly to say that Weinberg triumphantly lives up to what it says on the Nobel tin: a true intellectual as well as a brilliant theoretical physicist -- Richard DawkinsRegarded as the pre-eminent theoretical physicist alive today... Weinberg is also a fine writer and communicator about ideas beyond his own field... Weinberg has clearly carried out extensive scholarly investigation for To Explain the World, and the book works as history. But what makes it tand out is his perspective as a top scientist working today -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Weinberg has reached the pinnacle of scientific success - the Nobel Prize - he writes clearly and with confidence, imbuing the reader with an irresistible sense that one is in the hands of a master physicist at play * Sunday Times *There have been many accounts of the historical progression of our understanding of the world around us, but few have had the unique selling point of Steven Weinberg's To Explain the World... Weinberg's chronicle of the long development of physics leading up to the role he has personally played in it is akin to Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples -- Lewis Dartnell * Telegraph *An absolute delight * Times Higher Education *A refreshing contrast to other tomes on the topic... Weinberg reminds us to be humble not only about what we know, but how we know it * The Guardian *An enlightening read that does not demand specialist knowledge to enjoy -- Robert Kingston * Sunday Times *The book is a magnificent contribution to the history and philosophy of science...Weinberg writes with great verve and clarity * Times Literary Supplement *A salacious insight into the careers and super-stardom that eventually drove both to emotional and artistic breakdown -- Julia Richardson, 'Must reads' * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisHenry Becquerel's accidental discovery, in Paris in 1896, of a faint smudge on a photographic plate sparked a chain of discoveries which would unleash the atomic age. Destroyer of Worlds is the story of how pursuit of this hidden source of nuclear power, which began innocently and collaboratively, was overwhelmed by the politics of the 1930s, and following devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki opened the way to a still more terrible possibility: a thermonuclear bomb, the so-called backyard weapon, that could destroy all life on earth from anywhere. The story spans decades and continents, moving from Becquerel to Ernest Rutherford, the Cambridge-based, New Zealand scientist who first split the atom, expands to include Enrico Fermi in Rome, Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner in Berlin and the Joliot-Curies in Paris, leading to the appearance of Robert Oppenheimer before climaxing with increasingly horrifying developments in the USA and USSR. The roles of three remarkable women Lise Meitner

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Book SynopsisA BEST BOOK OF 2023 FOR THE TELEGRAPH, FINANCIAL TIMES, NEW SCIENTIST AND STYLIST A NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB MUST READ 2023Discover the next frontier of scientific understanding: your body's electrome.Every cell in your body - bones, skin, nerves, muscle - has a voltage, like a tiny battery. This bioelectricity is why your brain can send signals to your body, why it develops and how it heals itself.In We Are Electric, award-winning science writer Sally Adee explores the colourful history of bioelectricity and journeys into the remarkable future of the discipline, through today's laboratories where real-world medical applications are being developed.Trade ReviewAn entertaining account . . . Adee's enthusiasm is infectious and she conveys well the jaw-dropping scale and complexity of the "electrome" * * The Times * *We Are Electric is Adee's thrilling scientific detective story, a rich history that brings us up to date with the latest research * * New Scientist * *Excellent . . . Sally Adee has written an absorbing and fast-paced account of a field of research that could thus herald a whole new era of paradigm-shifting medicine * * New York Times * *This year's lightbulb moment * * Telegraph * *Adee explores the chemical and electrical ferment underpinning all growth and life, highlighting the pioneers and charlatans who discovered and exploited "bioelectricity", [she] also conjures electric medicine: a future of good health, regenerated tissue and (perhaps) extended life * * New Scientist * *A revelation . . . Has rich implications for how we heal and grow * * Daily Telegraph * *Adee writes as a reporter but also as an enthusiast . . . . A lively read * * Wall Street Journal * *This book blew my mind. We Are Electric is a thrilling read, and Sally Adee explains everything from the intricacies of our electric cells to the potential for new medical treatments - and brain-hacking - with a sparkling clarity -- MICHAEL BROOKS, author of 13 THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSEThe 'ohmigod-that's-so-cool' moments come thick and fast as she brings the science up to date, investigating today's cutting edge and what the future may hold for bio-electric medicine. It's a vast and hugely exciting area of scientific research, shared with infectious enthusiasm, a real depth of knowledge and smart and funny turn of phrase. You'll never think of life in the same way again -- CAROLINE WILLIAMS, author of MOVE!: THE NEW SCIENCE OF BODY OVER MINDAs Sally Adee describes with great wit and insight, we are nothing without electricity: it's the stuff of life, and of death. This is such a thrilling, compelling and energising book - reading it I couldn't help picturing the author as Zeus, chucking lightning bolts at me. Such a timely book, too. The future is - I'm sorry, I can't help it - electrifying -- ROWAN HOOPER, author of SUPERHUMAN

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Book SynopsisWhat are things made of?What is the sun?Why is there night and day, winter and summer?Why do bad things happen?Are we alone?Throughout history people all over the world have invented stories to answer profound questions such as these. Have you heard the tale of how the sun hatched out of an emu''s egg? Or what about the great catfish that carries the world on its back? Has anyone ever told you that earthquakes are caused by a sneezing giant? These fantastical myths are fun - but what is the real answer to such questions?The Magic of Reality, with its explanations of space, time, evolution and more, will inspire and amaze readers of all ages - young adults, adults, children, octogenarians. Teaming up with the renowned illustrator Dave McKean, Richard Dawkins answers all these questions and many more. In stunning words and pictures this book presents the real story of the world around us, taking us on an enthralling journey through Trade ReviewIt's the clearest and most beautifully written introduction to science I've ever read. Again and again I found myself saying "Oh! So that's how genes work!" (or stars, or tectonic plates, or all the other things he explains). Explanations I thought I knew were clarified; things I never understood were made clear for the first time -- Philip PullmanI wanted to write this book but I wasn't clever enough. Now I've read it, I am -- Ricky GervaisThe Magic of Reality provides a beautiful, accessible and wide ranging volume that addresses the questions that all of us have about the universe...written with the masterful and eloquently literate style of perhaps the best popular expositor of science, Richard Dawkins, and delightfully illustrated by Dave McKean. What more could anyone ask for? -- Lawrence Krauss, author of Quantum Man, and A Universe from NothingFrom the first sentence it reads with the force and fluency of a classic ... a luminous, authoritative prose that transcends age differences * The Times *A charming and free-ranging history of science * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisPlacing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we’ve been and where we’re going.Features original illustrations depicting Earth history and nearly 50 figures (maps, tables, photographs, graphs).Trade Review“A fantastic distillation of Earth's history, from one of the world’s leading geologists: Andrew H. Knoll has written an engrossing, witty, and eminently readable romp through our home planet’s 4.5 billion years, from trilobites and dinosaurs to human origins and our rapidly changing modern times.” — Steve Brusatte, New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs "Having spent decades at the forefront of discovery and research, Andrew H. Knoll has been one of our planet's leading scientists. In A Brief History of Earth, Knoll treats us to a 4.6-billion-year detective story revealing the origins and inner workings of our home in the solar system. In these pages you'll discover something profound: how our past, present, and future are grounded in Planet Earth." — Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish and Some Assembly Required "Covers the arc of our planet’s history from its earliest formation to the present day in a succinct and deftly-written way." — Forbes “Charts the planet’s history in accessible style, from its beginning as ‘a small planet accreted out of rocky debris circling a modest young star’ through the development of minerals, geographical formations, atmosphere, and life forms large and small.” — Associated Press "Skillfully condenses the history of the Earth. ... An expert primer on the history of everything." — Kirkus Reviews "A sublime chronicle of our planet’s formation and beginnings, the perhaps unlikely yet awe-inspiring interactions that created life, diverse and abundant, and mass extinctions and recoveries. Knoll skillfully presents the extreme conditions, violence, and delicate fragility that mark the cycles and evolution of our home." — Booklist (starred review) "The type of book that is sorely needed at this moment in history. ... Knoll assembles facts from a wide variety of fields to tell our planet’s story in a clear and accessible narrative." — Scientific Inquirer “An eloquent call to action.” — CNN.com "In spite of its sweeping scale, the Harvard geologist and natural history professor’s primer not only makes the titular four billion years understandable – his accessible expertise makes it interesting." — Globe and Mail (Toronto)

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Book SynopsisIn "The New Science of Strong Materials" the author made plain the secrets of materials science. In this volume he explains the importance and properties of different structures.

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Book Synopsis''Everything you wanted to know about physics but were afraid to ask'' Priyamvada Natarajan, author of Mapping the Heavens__________________________When leading theoretical physicist Professor Michael Dine was asked where you could find an accessible book that would teach you about the Big Bang, Dark Matter, the Higgs boson and the cutting edge of physics now, he had nothing he could recommend. So he wrote it himself. In This Way to the Universe, Dine takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of modern physics - from Newtonian mechanics to quantum, from particle to nuclear physics - delving into the wonders of our universe at its largest, smallest, and within our daily lives. If you are looking for the one book to help you understand physics, written in language anyone can follow, this is it.__________________________''An extraordinary journey into what we know, what we hope to know, and

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Book Synopsis''A superbly written, riveting book.''MARTIN REES, Astronomer Royal''I am overcome with admiration for its range and profundity. An amazing achievement.''MICHAEL FRAYN''A wonderful book.''TOM STOPPARDA groundbreaking exploration of how the interplay of physics and mathematics has enriched our understanding of the universe - essential reading for anyone who wants to grasp how physicists are attempting, in Stephen Hawking''s words, to ''know the mind of God''.Searching for the fundamental laws of the universe, physicists have found themselves developing ambitious mathematical ideas. But without observation and experiment as their guide, are they now doing fairy-tale physics' as their detractors claim?In The Universe Speaks in Numbers, Graham Farmelo argues that today's greatest scientific minds are working in a tradition that dates back to Newton. He takes us on an adventure, from the Enlightenment

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Book SynopsisWhat is quantum mechanics? Learn from the experts in the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIESA clear, simple and entertaining introduction to the weird, mind-bending world of the very, very small.Written by physicist and broadcaster Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Quantum Mechanics explores all the key players, breakthroughs, controversies and unanswered questions of the quantum world.You''ll discover:- How the sun shines- Why light is both a wave and a particle- The certainty of the Uncertainty Principle- Schrodinger''s Cat- Einstein''s spooky action- How to build a quantum computer- Why quantum mechanics drives even its experts completely crazy''Jim Al-Khalili has done an admirable job of condensing the ideas of quantum physics from Max Planck to the possibilities of quantum computers into brisk, straightforward English'' THE TIMESTrade ReviewJim Al-Khalili has done an admirable job of condensing the ideas of quantum physics from Max Planck to the possibilities of quantum computers into brisk, straightforward English * The Times *

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Book SynopsisSteve Parker is a writer and editor of more than 300 information books specializing in science, particularly biology and medicine, and allied life sciences. He has authored titles for a range of ages and publishers, including the award-winning Kill or Cure: An Illustrated History of Medicine for DK.

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Book Synopsis'[An] insightful analysis of 19th-century futurism ... Morus's account is as much a cautionary tale as a flag-waving celebration.' - DUNCAN BELL, NEW STATESMAN'[How the Victorians Took Us to the Moon] rattles thrillingly through such developments as the Transatlantic telegraph cable, the steam locomotive and electric power and recalls the excitable predictions of the fiction of the time.' KATY GUEST, THE GUARDIAN'Excellent ... A terrific insight into why the Victorian era was a golden age of engineering.' - NICK SMITH, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINEBy the end of the Victorian era, the world had changed irrevocably. The speed of the technological development brought about between 1800 and 1900 was completely unprecedented in human history. And as the Victorians looked to the skies and beyond as the next frontier to be explored and conquered, they were inventing, shaping and moulding the very idea of the future. To get us to this future, the Victorians created a new way of ordering and transforming nature, built on grand designs and the mass-mobilisation of the resources of Empire - and they revolutionised science in the process. In this rich and absorbing book, distinguished historian of science Iwan Rhys Morus tells the story of how this future was made. From Charles Babbage's dream of mechanising mathematics to Isambard Kingdom Brunel's tunnel beneath the Thames, from George Cayley's fantasies of powered flight to Nikola Tesla's visions of an electrical world, this is a story of towering personalities, clashing ambitions, furious rivalries and conflicting cultures - a vibrant tapestry of remarkable lives that transformed the world and ultimately took us to the Moon.Trade ReviewExcellent ... A terrific insight into why the Victorian era was a golden age of engineering. -- Nick Smith * Engineering and Technology magazine *It rattles thrillingly through such developments as the Transatlantic telegraph cable, the steam locomotive and electric power and recalls the excitable predictions of the fiction of the time. -- Katy Guest * The Guardian *In his excellent new book How the Victorians Took Us to the Moon, the distinguished historian of science Iwan Rhys Morus argues that we are heirs to an ideology bequeathed by the Victorians, a broadly progressive vision that insists social improvement depends on constant technoscientific innovation ... [An] insightful analysis of 19th-century futurism ... Morus's account is as much a cautionary tale as a flag-waving celebration. -- Duncan Bell * New Statesman *The detail of How the Victorians Took Us to the Moon is truly fascinating. Morus gives a deep insight into Victorian subcultures we never knew existed and the direction that the scientific winds were blowing across 70 years of history ... Compelling. * How It Works *How the Victorians Took Us to the Moon takes us through the story of the emergence of science and technology as we know it today ... a fascinating read ... expertly woven together by Morus. * Nature Astronomy *Wonderfully written ... a brilliant history of Victorian innovation. -- Melissa Brobby * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *[Morus's] elegant and accessible writing style will appeal to a variety of audiences, including historians of science, scientists, and casual readers. His ability to synthesize recent scholarship to present a novel, coherent story is truly impressive. * Science *

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Book SynopsisChronicles how our understanding of stroke has evolved over the centuries, drawing on primary sources to place the research in its historical context. Featuring the accounts of those present at key points in the history of stroke, this book covers both the successes and blind alleys of stroke research.Table of Contents1. The ventricles(apoplexy in the 16th century); 2. The force of blood (apoplexy in the 17th century); 3. Congestion (apoplexy in the 'long 18th century'); 4. Forgotten forms of apoplexy; 5.Haemorrhage; 6.Ramollissement; 7. Thrombosis and embolism; 8. No man's land: the neck arteries; 9. Lacunes; 10. Stroke warnings; 11. Saccular aneurysms; 12. Cerebral venous thrombosis.

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Book Synopsis''A majestic story'' David Bodanis, Financial Times From the international bestselling author of Physics of the Impossible and Physics of the FutureThis is the story of a quest: to find a Theory of Everything. Einstein dedicated his life to seeking this elusive Holy Grail, a single, revolutionary ''god equation'' which would tie all the forces in the universe together, yet never found it. Some of the greatest minds in physics took up the search, from Stephen Hawking to Brian Greene. None have yet succeeded. In The God Equation, renowned theoretical physicist Michio Kaku takes the reader on a mind-bending ride through the twists and turns of this epic journey: a mystery that has fascinated him for most of his life. He guides us through the key debates in modern physics, from Newton''s law of gravity via relativity and quantum mechanics to the latest developments in string theory. It is a tale of dazzling breakthroughs and crushing dead ends, illuminated by Kaku''s clarity, storytelling flair and infectious enthusiasm. The object of the quest is now within sight: we are closer than ever to achieving the most ambitious undertaking in the history of science. If successful, the Theory of Everything could simultaneously unlock the deepest mysteries of space and time, and fulfil that most ancient and basic of human desires - to understand the meaning of our lives.Trade ReviewKaku elucidates esoteric mathematics with graspable, real-life illustrations, and explains how breakthroughs in theoretical physics have had a tangible impact on human experience ... The result is both mind-bending and surprisingly readable. -- Pippa Bailey * New Statesman *[Kaku] attempts to bring the dizzying concepts of multidimensional realms within reach of the general reader ... It's a majestic story, and Kaku tells it well. -- David Bodanis * Financial Times *A clear and accessible examination of the quest to combine Einstein's general relativity with quantum theory to create an all-encompassing "theory of everything" about the nature of the universe. -- Andrew Anthony * The Observer *

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Book Synopsis''With this marvellous book, Ruby Wax has confirmed her position as one of the most readable, inspirational and engaging writers in the field of human mental health, happiness and fulfilment.'' Stephen Fry It took us 4 billion years to evolve to where we are now - completely brilliant and yet, some might say, emotionally dwarfed. The question is: can our more empathetic side catch up in time to save us and the world? I''ve got nothing against smarts, but it''s smarts without emotional awareness that got us into this position of being able to nuke each other into oblivion and rape the earth for oil.With a little help from a monk (who tells us how our mind works) and a neuroscientist (who tells us how our brain works), Ruby Wax answers every question you''ve ever had about: evolution, thoughts, emotions, the body, addictions, relationships, sex, kids, the future and compassion. Filled with witty anecdotes from Ruby''s own life, and backed up byTrade ReviewWith this marvellous book, Ruby Wax has confirmed her position as one of the most readable, inspirational and engaging writers in the field of human mental health, happiness and fulfilment. * Stephen Fry *A three way encounter between a Monk, a neuroscientist and Ruby Wax sounds like the set up for a joke. Instead it's produced one of the most fascinating, intriguing and informative books about minds and bodies and brains and mindfulness I've ever encountered. A triangulation on what it means to be human. Utterly readable and surprisingly wise. * Neil Gaiman *Ruby has beautifully fused neurology and spirituality and given us a means to cope with operating both a mind and a brain. If this mental upgrade works then all other books will become defunct as we repose in bliss. * Russell Brand *How to Be Human is, without exaggeration, a lifeline; wise, practical and funny, it is a handbook for those in despair. It is actually for everyone alive, for the curious, or disillusioned or muddled or just plain happy. Ruby, the Monk and the Neuroscientist are today's Magi. * Joanna Lumley *Ruby Wax is a stitch. And this stitch can make you laugh while showing you some exceedingly useful things to heal and transform your life. What she is pointing to is way too serious to take too seriously. Seriously! * Jon kabat-Zinn *As I expected its funny and thoroughly readable but what I hadn't expected was that it would change the way I think about how I think. Remarkable work from Miss Wax * Jennifer Saunders *Ready to laugh and cry as you dive deeply into what it means to be human? Guiding us across evolution, from the far past into the present and even preparing us for the future, Ruby Wax and her neuroscientist and meditating monk colleagues provide us with a science-informed, practical, and humorous guide that is as hysterical as it is profound. Be prepared to feel your way into well-being with this magnificent blending of entertainment and education into the nature of our minds' thoughts, feelings, and identity as you explore and expand who really you are. * Daniel J. Siegel *Ruby Wax has spent a lifetime trying to be human.... with this book, she's so very nearly there... * Dawn French *This is a present for your head and your heart. Do yourself a favour and read it, you'll love it * Davina McCall *A guide to mindfulness that's as hilarious as it is useful -- Arianna Huffington on 'A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled'A wonderful book full of passion and verve -- Prof. Mark Williams on 'A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled'Enchanting, educational, enlightening * David Eagleman *How to Be Human reveals how to banish the devil on your shoulder and feel truly human again * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisSigmund Freud was no stranger to controversy. He shocked many with his revolutionary theories on human development, desires and sexuality, and transformed the way we think about ourselves today. Starting with a brilliant foreword from renowned psychologist Edward de Bono, the book is then divided into two parts: a biographical essay that provides a concise overview of Freud's life, achievements, theories and controversies; and a Q&A dialogue based on rigorous research and incorporating Freud's actual spoken or written words whenever possible. D.M. Thomas carefully guides us through Freud's life and theories that would lead to him become the father of psychoanalysis. In frank conversation, full of energy and spiced with cynicism and wit, he'll interpret your wildest fantasies and strangest dreams, and even let you in on a few family secrets.

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'This is about gob-smacking science at the far end of reason … Take it nice and easy and savour the experience of your mind being blown without recourse to hallucinogens' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian For most people, quantum theory is a byword for mysterious, impenetrable science. And yet for many years it was equally baffling for scientists themselves. In this magisterial book, Manjit Kumar gives a dramatic and superbly-written history of this fundamental scientific revolution, and the divisive debate at its core. Quantum theory looks at the very building blocks of our world, the particles and processes without which it could not exist. Yet for 60 years most physicists believed that quantum theory denied the very existence of reality itself. In this tour de force of science history, Manjit Kumar shows how the golden age of physics ignited the greatest intellectual debate of the twentieth century. Quantum theory is weird. In 1905, Albert Einstein suggested that light was a particle, not a wave, defying a century of experiments. Werner Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and Erwin Schrodinger's famous dead-and-alive cat are similarly strange. As Niels Bohr said, if you weren't shocked by quantum theory, you didn't really understand it. While "Quantum" sets the science in the context of the great upheavals of the modern age, Kumar's centrepiece is the conflict between Einstein and Bohr over the nature of reality and the soul of science. 'Bohr brainwashed a whole generation of physicists into believing that the problem had been solved', lamented the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann. But in "Quantum", Kumar brings Einstein back to the centre of the quantum debate. "Quantum" is the essential read for anyone fascinated by this complex and thrilling story and by the band of brilliant men at its heart.

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Book SynopsisEnergy is at the heart of physics and of huge importance to society and yet no book exists specifically to explain it, and in simple terms. In tracking the history of energy, this book is filled with the thrill of the chase, the mystery of smoke and mirrors, and presents a fascinating human-interest story. Moreover, following the history provides a crucial aid to understanding: this book explains the intellectual revolutions required to comprehend energy, revolutions as profound as those stemming from Relativity and Quantum Theory. Texts by Descartes, Leibniz, Bernoulli, d''Alembert, Lagrange, Hamilton, Boltzmann, Clausius, Carnot and others are made accessible, and the engines of Watt and Joule are explained.Many fascinating questions are covered, including:- Why just kinetic and potential energies - is one more fundamental than the other?- What are heat, temperature and action?- What is the Hamiltonian?- What have engines to do with physics?- Why did the steam-engine evolve only in England?- Why S=klogW works and why temperature is IT.Using only a minimum of mathematics, this book explains the emergence of the modern concept of energy, in all its forms: Hamilton''s mechanics and how it shaped twentieth-century physics, and the meaning of kinetic energy, potential energy, temperature, action, and entropy. It is as much an explanation of fundamental physics as a history of the fascinating discoveries that lie behind our knowledge today.Trade ReviewThe work is full of surprises, and some illuminating apercus. It makes one think about the subject in a new way - the connections made with dynamics, Hamilton and Lagrange are germane, and one never sees these in books on thermodynamics. * Sir Aaron Klug, Nobel laureate, President of the Royal Society 1995-2000 *I am pleased to heartily recommend Coopersmith's readable, enjoyable, and largely nonmathematical yet profound account of the development of an important physical concept - energy. With a vein of humor running throughout, it deals with an enormous compass of important topics seldom found elsewhere at this level. It should be of great interest and utility to students, both undergraduate and graduate, historians of science, and anyone interested in the concepts of energy and their evolution through time. * George B. Kauffman, Chemical & Engineering News *In clear and engaging prose, Coopersmith shows how the modern understanding of energy was formulated, moving from the first documented discussions of simple machines and perpetual motion in ancient Greece, to the work of Gottfried Leibniz and other 17th-century thinkers, to Einstein's theory of relativity and beyond... 'Energy, the Subtle Concept' is a fascinating read, both physicists and nonphysicists who want to learn more about the history of energy will enjoy it. * Lisa Crystal, Physics Today *Coopersmith has been on a commendable personal journey to understand energy * Colin Axon, Energy Group Newsletter *The more I read this book, the more difficult it was to put it down ... [It] has a fascinating story to tell about the development of our understanding of energy as a physical quantity... * Matt Chorley, Popular Science *beautifully-written text ... Throughout, the book is sprinkled with anecdotes and, most importantly, insightful commentary, with a plethora of figures that assist the reader in digesting the concepts detailed. * Jay Wadhawan, University of Hull *The conservation of energy is arguably the most important law in physics. But what exactly is being conserved? Are some forms of energy more fundamental than others? You will have to read the book to find out. Coopersmith sets out to answer such questions and to explain the concept of energy through the history of its discovery. This is neither a straightforward narrative nor one for the faint-hearted. Those not put off by the odd bit of mathematics, will be well-rewarded by dipping into this book. * Manjit Kumar, New Scientist *This is a work of physics in substance and history in form. 'Energy, the Subtle Concept' is as much concerned with physicists as with physics. Its scientific interest is matched by human interest. Jennifer Coopersmith deftly brings to life the people who made the science throughout its history. * Charles C. Gillispie, Professor of History of Science Emeritus, Princeton University *This book makes me proud to be a physicist, for two reasons. First it is a tale of the giants of the past who contributed to our present understanding of energy, people whose astonishing intuition took them from gossamer clues to the understanding we have today of one of the most basic explanatory concepts in physics. We've had some pretty good players in our team. More than this - and this is the second reason - this is a story as much about invention as discovery ... I am sure all physicists would enjoy this book and indeed learn from it. * Australian Physics *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Feynman's Blocks ; 2. Perpetual Motion ; 3. Vis viva, the First 'Block' of Energy ; 4. Heat in the Seventeenth Century ; 5. Heat in the Eighteenth Century ; 6. The Discovery of Latent and Specific Heats ; 7. A Hundred and One Years of Mechanics: Newton to Lagrange ; 8. A Tale of Two Countries: the Rise of the Steam Engine and the Caloric Theory of Heat ; 9. Rumford, Davy, and Young ; 10. Naked Heat: the Gas Laws and the Specific Heat of Gases ; 11. Two Contrasting Characters: Fourier and Herapath ; 12. Sadi Carnot ; 13. Hamilton and Green ; 14. The Mechanical Equivalent of Heat ; 15. Faraday and Helmholtz ; 16. The Laws of Thermodynamics: Thomson and Clausius ; 17. A Forward Look ; 18. Impossible Things, Difficult Things ; 19. Conclusions

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Book Synopsis'Enchanting to the point of escapism.' – Simon Ings, Spectator'Hugh Aldersey-Williams rescues his subject from Newton's shadow, where he was been unjustly confined for over three hundred years.' – Literary ReviewFilled with incident, discovery, and revelation, Dutch Light is a vivid account of Christiaan Huygens’s remarkable life and career, but it is also nothing less than the story of the birth of modern science as we know it. Europe’s greatest scientist during the latter half of the seventeenth century, Christiaan Huygens was a true polymath. A towering figure in the fields of astronomy, optics, mechanics, and mathematics, many of his innovations in methodology, optics and timekeeping remain in use to this day. Among his many achievements, he developed the theory of light travelling as a wave, invented the mechanism for the pendulum clock, and discovered the rings of Saturn – via a telescope that he had also invented.A man of fashion and culture, Christiaan came from a family of multi-talented individuals whose circle included not only leading figures of Dutch society, but also artists and philosophers such as Rembrandt, Locke and Descartes. The Huygens family and their contemporaries would become key actors in the Dutch Golden Age, a time of unprecedented intellectual expansion within the Netherlands. Set against a backdrop of worldwide religious and political turmoil, this febrile period was defined by danger, luxury and leisure, but also curiosity, purpose, and tremendous possibility.Following in Huygens’s footsteps as he navigates this era while shuttling opportunistically between countries and scientific disciplines, Hugh Aldersey-Williams builds a compelling case to reclaim Huygens from the margins of history and acknowledge him as one of our most important and influential scientific figures.Trade ReviewThis book, soaked like the Dutch Republic itself 'in ink and paint', is enchanting to the point of escapism . . . One of the best things about this absorbing book (and how many 500-page biographies feel too short when you finish them?) is the interest it shows in everyone else. -- Simon Ings * Spectator *Here’s early modern Europe by way of one of its most energetic minds. * Times Literary Supplement Books of the Year *Hugh Aldersey-Williams rescues his subject from Newton's shadow, where he was been unjustly confined for other three hundred years . . . a fresh and absorbing vision of 17th-century experimentation that sheds welcome light on wider European culture. * Literary Review *A clever and comprehensive portrait of a unique mind prospering on the border between Renaissance humanism and Enlightenment empiricism. -- Chris Allnutt * Financial Times *Hugh Aldersey-Williams reclaims the 17th-century polymath Christiaan Huygens from relative obscurity in an excellent biography that is also a story about the birth of modern science. Among other things, Huygens invented the mechanism for the pendulum clock and discovered the rings of Saturn through a telescope he had invented. -- Ruth Scurr * Spectator 'Books of the year' *Fascinating . . . an impressive piece of scholarship. I learned a lot -- John Gribbin, author of Six Impossible Things and In Search of Schrödinger's CatAt last – a scintillating biography of Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch mathematician, astronomer and inventor whose splendour has been unjustly eclipsed by the aura of Isaac Newton. After scouring archives, art galleries and museums in both the Netherlands and the UK, Hugh Aldersley-Williams has evocatively illuminated this brilliant polymath who laid the foundations of modern European science. -- Dr Patricia Fara, Emeritus Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge.

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Book SynopsisThis book focuses on one of the oldest and most fundamental questions in both physics and philosophy: the nature of time. It presents original theoretical physics research on the ''problem of time'' in modern physics, in parallel with a new philosophical framework for the analysis of symmetry and evolution in physical theory, as well as new work on the early modern precursors to the problem of time. Contrary to the standard wisdom, this book argues that a substantive notion of time can, and should, be retained within a consistent formalism for modern physical theory. The book marshals an array of philosophical and formal tools to justify this claim and analyses its physical implications. This book is the first of a two-volume project articulating a new approach to the analysis of time in modern physical theory. The second volume will extend and apply this approach in the context of classical and quantum gravity including quantum cosmological models.Table of Contents1: Introduction PART I - NATURAL PHILOSOPHY OF TIME 2: On Newton On Time 3: On Leibniz On Time 4: On Mach On Time PART II - SYMMETRY AND STRUCTURE 5: Structure and Possibility 6: Conservation and Geometry 7: Irregular Nomic Structure 8: Diagnosing Dynamical Redundancy 9: The New Framework PART III - THE PROBLEM OF TIME IN CLASSICAL MECHANICS 10: Spatiotemporal Structure and Theory Rearticulation 11: Local Temporal Symmetry 12: Reparametrization Invariant Dynamics 13: Temporal Structure Regained 14: Conclusion and Prospectus

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