Popular science Books

Book SynopsisRay Kurzweil, one of the world's leading AI researchers, innovators and futurists, offers a provocative exploration of the most important project in human-machine civilisation: reverse-engineering the brain to understand precisely how it works and using that knowledge to create even more intelligent machines.Trade Review'Kurzweil's vision of our super-enhanced future is completely sane and calmly reasoned, and his book should nicely smooth the path for the earth's robot overlords, who, it turns out, will be us' New York Times'Kurzweil foresees a disease-free world where no one ages and artificial brains make machines human-like - and he is not one to get things wrong' Daily Telegraph'Ray Kurzweil is the best person I know at predicting the future of artificial intelligence' Bill Gates'Kurzweil knows a lot about new technology and he knows how to make it sound fun. He is dazzling in his enthusiasm for things to come, and has a grasp of the exciting developments pulsing through the intersection of science and technology' Financial Times

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Book SynopsisNobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger's What is Life? is one of the great science classics of the twentieth century. The philosopher Karl Popper hailed it as a 'beautiful and important book' by 'a great man to whom I owe a personal debt for many exciting discussions'.Table of ContentsPreface; 1. The classical physicist's approach to the subject; 2. The hereditary mechanism; 3. Mutations; 4. The quantum-mechanical evidence; 5. Delbruck's model discussed and tested; 6. Order, disorder and entropy; 7. Is life based on the laws of physics?; Epilogue: on determinism and free will; Mind and Matter: 1. The physical basis of consciousness; 2. The future of understanding; 3. The principle of objectivation; 4. The arithmetical paradox: the oneness of mind; 5. Science and religion; 6. The mystery of the sensual qualities; Autobiographical sketches (translated from the German by Schrödinger's granddaughter Verena).

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Book SynopsisA clarion call to save humanity’s most essential fellow creatures – and our health Far beneath our skin exists an unfathomable, ancient universe – an internal ecosystem that is critical to our health. Dr Martin Blaser invites us into the wilds of the human ‘microbiome’, unfurling its inner workings and evolution. For thousands of years, bacteria and human cells have co-existed in a relationship that has ensured the health and equilibrium of our body. But now, much like the natural world outside of us, our internal environment is being irrevocably destroyed. The culprit: some of our most revered medical advances – antibiotics – which appear to be linked to the epidemics of asthma, eczema, obesity, certain forms of cancer, and other diseases plaguing modern society. In a book that stands as the Silent Spring of its day, Blaser sounds a provocative alarm that we ignore at our peril.Trade Review‘Excellent popular science’ * Independent on Sunday *'Eye-opening' * Observer *‘Very readable… frighteningly convincing’ * New Scientist *'A restless intellect... [Blaser] has devoted most of his working life to the study.' * The New Yorker *'Dr Blaser’s credibility as a world class scientist and physician makes this exploration of our body’s microbial world particularly provocative. Missing Microbes will make you rethink some fundamental ideas about infection. Blaser’s gift is to write clearly and to take the reader on a fascinating journey through the paradoxes and insights about the teeming world within us.' * Abraham Verghese MD, bestselling author of CUTTING FOR STONE *'Most bacteria are our friends even if we don't yet realize it. In this book, Martin Blaser opens a window on the unseen microbes who live with us and have made us their home. We should appreciate them for everything they do for us – including keeping many nasty pathogens at bay. I recommend Missing Microbes to everyone, whether scientist or lay reader. Let’s make peace, not war, with the bacteria who support us.' * Sir Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize-winning biologist *‘Unlike some books on medicine and microbes, Dr Blaser doesn’t stir up fears of exotic diseases or pandemic “superbugs” resistant to all known drugs. He focuses on a simpler but more profound concern: the damage that modern life inflicts on a vast number of microbes that all of us, even healthy people, carry inside us at all times.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘In a world that turns to antibiotics for every infection of the ear, sinuses, or skin, Dr Blaser makes even the most nervous parent think twice about giving her child these ubiquitous drugs… Blaser delivers a thoughtful, well-written, and compelling case for why doctors need to be more cautious about prescribing these medications and why consumers should consider alternatives before taking them.’ * Nirav R. Shah MD, MPH, Commissioner of Health, New York State *'I have often wondered why kids today seem to have such a high incidence of asthma, ear infections, allergies, reflux oesophagitis and so many other conditions that I rarely saw growing up. This mystery has been solved by the pioneering work of Dr Martin Blaser and is communicated brilliantly in Missing Microbes. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this book to your own health, to the health of your children and grandchildren and to the health of our society. Missing Microbes is truly a must read.' * Arthur Agatston, New York Times bestselling author of THE SOUTH BEACH DIET *'An engrossing examination of the relatively unheralded yet dominant form of life on Earth.' * Publishers Weekly *'A masterful work of preventive health and superb science writing.' * Booklist *'Fascinating and passionate.' * Bookseller *'We live today in a world of modern plagues, defined by the alarming rise of asthma, diabetes, obesity, food allergies and metabolic disorders. This is no accident, argues Martin Blaser, the renowned medical researcher: the common link being the destruction of vital bacteria through the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Missing Microbes is science writing at its very best—crisply argued and beautifully written, with stunning insights about the human microbiome and workable solutions to an urgent global crisis.' * David M. Oshinsky, Pulitzer prize-winning author of POLIO *‘Blaser presents a sensible plan for reclaiming our microbial balance and avoiding calamity both as a society...and on the individual level.’ * Discover *'Why are you fat, why does your son has asthma, and why is your thireen-year-old daughter six feet tall? Martin Blaser says our bodies are missing vital, beneficial bacteria, and I guarantee that after reading this book you will agree. Take a pass on the antibiotics and read Missing Microbes.' * Laurie Garrett, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer *‘In Missing Microbes, Martin Blaser sounds [an] alarm. He patiently and thoroughly builds a compelling case that the threat of antibiotic overuse goes far beyond resistant infections.’ * Nature *‘As a world leader in defining the microbiome, Dr Blaser explains how disturbing its natural balance is affecting common conditions such as obesity and diabetes, long thought of as primarily nutrition and lifestyle related problems. Blaser’s carefully and convincingly written book outlines new dimensions that need to be considered in fighting a number of common diseases and in promoting health and well-being.’ * Richard Deckelbaum, Director, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University *

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Book SynopsisIn A Brief History of Black Holes, award-winning University of Oxford researcher Dr Becky Smethurst charts five hundred years of scientific breakthroughs in astronomy and astrophysics.'A jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop-culture references' – BBC Sky At Night Magazine Right now, you are orbiting a black hole.The Earth orbits the Sun, and the Sun orbits the centre of the Milky Way: a supermassive black hole, the strangest and most misunderstood phenomenon in the galaxy.In this cosmic tale of discovery, Dr Becky Smethurst takes us from the earliest observations of the universe and the collapse of massive stars, to the iconic first photographs of a black hole and her own published findings.She explains why black holes aren’t really ‘black’, that you never ever want to be ‘spaghettified’, how black holes are more like sofa cushions than hoovers and why, beyond the event horizon, the future is a direction in space rather than in time.Told with humour and wisdom, this captivating book describes the secrets behind the most profound questions about our universe – all hidden inside black holes.Trade ReviewA jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop culture references * BBC Sky At Night Magazine *A lot of astrophysics is packed into this neat little book -- Jim Al-Khalili on Space: 10 Things You Should KnowBite-sized, cutting edge science delivered with enormous enthusiasm -- Chris Lintott on Space: 10 Things You Should KnowA fantastic read . . . there's certainly a lot to suck you in (unlike black holes, of course) * Popular Mechanics *

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Book SynopsisThere''s so much we don''t know about what lies deep beneath the ocean''s surface - and the time to find out is growing increasingly precious . . .Professor Alex Rogers is one of the world''s leading experts in marine biology and oceanology, and has spent his life studying the deep ocean - and in particular the impact of human activity on the ecosystems of the oceans. In this timely, galvanising and fascinating book - replete with stunning photography of strange and beautiful creatures - Professor Rogers offers a fundamentally optimistic view of humanity''s relationship with the oceans - and also a very personal account of his own interaction with the seas.

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Book Synopsis'An ideal introduction [to Stephen Hawking]' - Independent 'Astonishingly comprehensive - clearer than Hawking himself' - Focus Stephen Hawking was a world-famous physicist with a cameo in The Simpsons on his CV, but outside of his academic field his work was little understood. To the public he was a tragic figure - a brilliant scientist and author of the 9 million-copy-selling A Brief History of Time, and yet spent the majority of his life confined to a wheelchair and almost completely paralysed. Hawking's major contribution to science was to integrate the two great theories of 20th-century physics: Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. J.P. McEvoy and Oscar Zarate's brilliant graphic guide explores Hawking's life, the evolution of his work from his days as a student, and his breathtaking discoveries about where these fundamental laws break down or overlap, such as on the edge of a Black Hole or at the origin of the Universe itself.Trade Review'An ideal introduction' -- Independent'Astonishingly comprehensive - clearer than Hawking himself' -- Focus

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Book SynopsisWhat''s the nature of reality? Does the universe ever end? What is time and does it even exist? These are the biggest imagination-stretching, brain-staggering questions in the universe - and here are their fascinating answers.From quantum weirdness to freaky cosmology (like white holes - which spew out matter instead of sucking it in), This Book Will Blow Your Mind takes you on an epic journey to the furthest extremes of science, to the things you never thought possible. This book will explain: Why part of the universe missing (and how scientists finally found it)How time might also flow backwardsHow human head transplants might be possible (in the very near future)Whether the universe is a hologramAnd why we are all zombiesFilled with counterintuitive stories and factoids you can''t wait to share, as well as lots of did-you-knows and plenty of how-did-we-ever-not-knows, this new book from the bTrade ReviewPraise for New Scientist books - **

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Book SynopsisCheese puffs. Coffee. Sunscreen. Vapes. George Zaidan reveals what will kill you, what won't, and why-explained with high-octane hilarity, hysterical hijinks, and other things that don't begin with the letter H.Trade Review'If you crossed Bill Nye with Stephen Colbert, you'd get George Zaidan. Ingredients is a masterful piece of science writing' Daniel H. Pink, author of When and Drive'If you ever thought that chemistry might be really interesting (it is), but your eyes glazed over in high school chem class, this is the book for you. George Zaidan will keep you laughing out loud as he shares the wonders of our most useful, practical science, with brilliant analogies that even an 11-year old can understand' Daniel J. Levitin, author of Successful Aging and This is Your Brain on Music'I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that food is very important, and yet we are terrible at talking about it. Nutrition is a mess of marketing, classism, science, truth, guilt, confusion, and outright hucksterism. Ingredients lifts the film from our eyes with humour and reassurance' Hank Green, author of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing'At last, a book on nutrition that tries to make you understand how little we know instead of offering blanket prognostications. If instead of a simple solution, you want a guide to how to think about health, this is it' Zach and Kelly Weinersmith, New York Times bestselling authors of Soonish'If you are looking for a guide in understanding the everyday chemistry of our lives, you could not do better than George Zaidan. And his book, Ingredients, is everything that should lead you to expect: funny, edgy, fascinating, dismaying, reassuring, and overall, just incredibly smart' Deborah Blum, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Poison Squad'By all means, pick up George Zaidan's high-octane Ingredients if you want to know more about Cheetos, sunscreen, butter substitutes, and other fascinating bits of everyday chemistry. But above all, you should buy Ingredients because it teaches you how to think better—like a smart, informed, and wickedly funny scientist' Sam Kean, author of The Disappearing Spoon and The Bastard Brigade'Omfg this book is FABULOUS! It's hilarious, insightful, sassy, and reassuring. A delightful roller-coaster of science communication' Kallie Moore, Co-host of PBS Eons'George Zaidan’s mix of razor-sharp wit and pin-point accuracy are rarer in science than a T-Rex performing nuclear fusion. Ingredients has the answers to age-old questions—how many Oreos is too many Oreos?—and many more you never thought to ask. Like an optometrist performing stand-up, Zaidan is eye-opening and hilarious' Daniel Stone, author of The Food Explorer'Everything in our lives is made of chemicals. But unfortunately very few of us are chemists. Ingredients is a road map for navigating the confusing polysyllabic world we find in product labels and in viral news stories. Zaidan’s blend of humor and science will not only make you a better-informed consumer of all things chemical. Ingredients will also make you appreciate the chemistry that makes our world possible' Joe Hanson, creator, writer and host of It's Okay to Be Smart'Through incredibly weird and wonderful analogies (and delightfully nerdy wit), George helps you understand how scientists work toward the truth. I wish he'd rewrite all of my high school science textbooks!' Emily Calandrelli, author of the Ada Lace Adventures'Ingredients is a friendly introduction to the chemistry behind our health, but it's also a compelling portrait of how science is conducted and knowledge is built. Turns out, Cheetos and the scientific method have something in common: there's a lot going on, and not everyone knows what. George does a masterful job of showing where chemistry can answer questions about our health and environment, and where it—as well science in general—is lead by politics, culture and even *gasp* opinion' Mike Rugnetta, host of Idea Channel'When I taught a writing intensive course for nutrition and food science seniors, the main objectives were how to read scientific papers critically and how to argue effectively in print. I thought several times while reading this book that, rather than using peer-reviewed papers, I wish I could have had this book for my students. Pick any argument George makes and tell me, with references, why you agree or disagree. They probably would have learned more that way and certainly would have enjoyed their reading more' David Klurfeld, former Professor and Chair of Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University'Ingredients has all the ingredients I’m looking for in a science book: it’s chock full of interesting information, it reveals the science behind an everyday subject—and it’s written in a breezy, easy-to-understand voice—and it’s funny! I can’t recommend it enough' Brian Malow, Science comedian

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Book Synopsis'A book that couldn't be more timely, providing an accessible introduction to epidemiology.' KirkusA compelling and disquieting journey through the history and science of epidemics.For centuries mankind has waged war against the infections that, left untreated, would have the power to wipe out communities, or even entire populations. Yet for all our advanced scientific knowledge, only one human disease - smallpox - has ever been eradicated globally.In recent years, outbreaks of Ebola and Zika have provided vivid examples of how difficult it is to contain an infection once it strikes, and the panic that a rapidly spreading epidemic can ignite. But while we chase the diseases we are already aware of, new ones are constantly emerging, like the coronavirus that spread across the world in 2020. At the same time, antimicrobial resistance is harnessing infections that we once knew how to control, enabling them to thrive once more.Meera Senthilingam presents a timely look at humanity's ongoing battle against infection, examining the successes and failures of the past, along with how we are confronting the challenges of today, and our chances of eradicating disease in the future.Trade ReviewFor those panicked or puzzled by the current pandemic... [a] book that couldn't be more timely, providing an accessible introduction to epidemiology. * Kirkus *[A] compelling overview * The Spectator *The topical Outbreaks and Epidemics ... is crammed with information on the history and context of diseases we think we know about. It explains how effective track and trace, combined with a thorough vaccination programme, was crucial in the eradication of smallpox, and why climate crisis and drug resistance make future pandemics more likely. It even manages a last-minute update about Covid-19. (We could have been a lot more ready if we'd really wanted to be.) -- Katy Guest * The Guardian, Best Science Books of 2020 *

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Book SynopsisThe revealing backstory of spaceflight before the establishment of NASA.NASA''s history is a familiar story, culminating with the agency successfully landing men on the moon in 1969, but its prehistory is an important and rarely told tale. Breaking the Chains of Gravity looks at the evolving roots of America''s space program--the scientific advances, the personalities, and the rivalries between the various arms of the United States military.America''s space agency drew together some of the best minds the non-Soviet world had to offer. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the U.S. Air Force, meanwhile, brought rocket technology into the world of manned flight. The road to NASA and successful spaceflight was paved by fascinating stories and characters. At the end of World War II, Wernher von Braun escaped Nazi Germany and came to America where he began developing missiles for the United States Army. Ten years after he createdTrade ReviewTeitel explores the fascinating history of one of the most crucial space flight innovations that made the Apollo moon landings possible. * How it Works *Teitel delivers on detail, such as the exploits of supersonic-flight pioneer Chuck Yeager. * Nature *A really compulsive story, excellently and engagingly told, effortlessly carries the burden of fact and detail with as much deceptive ease as a Redstone Rocket. * Adventures in Historyland *Breaking the Chains of Gravity tells the story of how we began to explore the cosmos – the lessons we had to learn the hard way – and shows why space exploration even today remains anything but routine. * Bobak Ferdowsi, Flight Director, Mars Science Laboratory *Teitel … illuminates the foundations of American spaceflight with this exceptional and detailed ‘prehistory’ of the field … fascinating new territory, filled with a galaxy of lively characters. * Publisher's Weekly *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: Hobby Rocketeers Chapter 2: The Rocket Loophole Chapter 3: The Turning Tide of War Chapter 4: Escape and Surrender Chapter 5: Nazi Rockets in New Mexico Chapter 6: Rockets Meet Airplanes Chapter 7: A New War, a New Missile, and a New Leader Chapter 8: Higher and Faster Chapter 9: Edging into Hypersonics Chapter 10: The Floating Astronaut Chapter 11: Space Becomes an Option Chapter 12: The First Satellite Race Chapter 13: One Little Ball’s Big Impact Chapter 14: The Fight to Control Space Epilogue: America Finds Its Footing in Space Glossary of People Glossary of Places and Organizations Glossary of Rockets Selected Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Notable Book of 2020 ‘Bracing and enlightening’ Science Culture is something exclusive to human beings, isn’t it? Not so, says intrepid researcher Carl Safina. Becoming Wild reveals the rich cultures that survive in some of Earth’s remaining wild places. By showing how sperm whales, scarlet macaws and chimpanzees teach and learn, Safina offers a fresh understanding of what is constantly going on beyond humanity, and how we’re all connected. ‘Becoming Wild demands that we wake up’ TelegraphTrade Review‘[A] bracing and enlightening book… Safina’s writing on the watery depths and its denizens is sublime… [challenging] us to be more acutely aware of species whose social lives have much to teach us.’ -- SCIENCE‘In this superbly articulate cri de coeur, Safina gives us a new way of looking at the natural world that is radically different.’ -- Washington Post‘Safina, the ecologist and author of many books about animal behavior, here delves into the world of chimpanzees, sperm whales and macaws to make a convincing argument that animals learn from one another and pass down culture in a way that will feel very familiar to us.’ * New York Times, 100 NOTABLE BOOKS OF 2020 *‘A smorgasbord of compelling details . . . Becoming Wild could easily become a television series.’ * Fortean Times *‘Fascinating… [Becoming Wild] gives the reader a sense of being near these creatures and experiencing some of the most seductive environments on Earth… Safina’s prose achieves the elusive goal of being both informative and luminously evocative.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Carl Safina combines his passion for the natural world with absorbing, sometimes breathtaking prose, transporting us into the intimate, nuanced worlds of some of the planet’s most charismatic beings.’ -- Jonathan Balcombe, author of What a Fish Knows‘Eloquent… This revelatory work sheds as much light on what it means to be human as it does on the nature of other species.’ -- Publishers Weekly‘Few readers will doubt that these magnificent creatures need urgent attention. Enthralling.’ -- Kirkus, starred review‘[Safina] turns the human view of animal cultures on its head… Becoming Wild demands that we wake up and realise that we are intrinsically linked to our other-than-human neighbours.’ * Telegraph *‘Dr. Safina is a terrific writer, majestic and puckish in equal measure.’ * New York Times *‘[Safina] is a font of research, his wonder contagious.’ * Elle *‘Safina puts forward several eye-opening and previously-overlooked implications of animal culture… a pleasure to read… another jewel in the crown of Safina’s work that packs fascinating field studies, interesting theoretical ideas, soul-searching questions, and probing reflections on human and animal nature into a book that is as profound as it is moving.’ * Inquisitive Biologist *

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Book SynopsisCan psychedelic drugs help us tackle the biggest problems we face globally? Can they heal the cultural, spiritual, and political wounds we’re wrestling with?Psychedelics have hit the mainstream as powerful new mental health treatments. But as clinicians explore what these molecules can do for our individual minds, The Bigger Picture goes further to illuminate how psychedelics can help us find new ways to make sense of and come through the crises we face around the world. Drawing on the latest research, as well as his unique experience as a participant in a ground-breaking clinical trial investigating the potent psychedelic DMT, Alexander Beiner reveals:- the role of psychedelics in addressing global issues such as global warming, geopolitical instability, and political polarization- the dark side of the ‘psychedelic renaissance’ and ‘psychedelic capitalism’- what it takes to elicit huge personal and cultural transformation through psychedelicsEmbark on a journey into The Bigger Picture – a new era of science and spirituality with the potential to radically transform our perceptions of ourselves, one another, and our life on this planet.

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Book SynopsisA fun introductory guide to yoga anatomy for new and experienced yoga teachers, practitioners, and enthusiasts Knowledge of anatomy is a crucial part of every effective yoga practice, but the subject can be dry and difficult. Yoga Anatomy Made Simple provides a fun solution-it's a go-to guide to functional yoga anatomy, written for yoga practitioners looking to jump in and start applying key concepts to their work. Here, longtime yoga teacher Stuart Girling pairs his expertise with real-life examples and colorful, jaunty illustrations to create a book that serves as an easy-to-understand introduction and refresher course for yogis, teachers, and trainers. Yoga Anatomy Made Simple provides simple explanations of key yoga-anatomy concepts, like patterns, variety, breath, and strength. The illustrations are diverse, inclusive, joyful, and fun-and mirror the author's own accessible, unpretentious approach to practical yoga anatomy. Concepts are demonstrated on different body parts, as well as the following posture groups: * Forward bends * Hip rotations * Backbends * Twists * Postures involving the shoulders * Inversions * Arm balances Girling ties everything together in a holistic framework with a playful touch on every page-one that embraces each student's lifestyle, environment, and life history. Yoga teachers will learn to elevate their ability to analyze yoga postures from a physical perspective, sequence more effectively, avoid unnecessary injury, and appreciate the importance of individuality within postural yoga.Table of ContentsPart I-Key Concepts Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Yoga Postures; Making Shapes; Individuality; Gravity; Alignment; Fighting Own Restrictions; Balance Chapter 2: Movement Basics; Range of Motion; Flexibility; Multi-segmental Movement; Moving in Patterns; Compression; Fundamental Movements; Relational Movement Chapter 3: Muscles and Fascia; Neurophysiology; Open and Closed Kinetic Chains; Polyarticular Muscles; Strength; Variety Opposing Muscles Restrict; Secondary Action of Muscles; Fascial Considerations Chapter 4: Breath; Breath; Breath and Posture; Breath and Trauma Chapter 5: Other Personal Considerations; Environmental influences; Lifestyle; Personal History; Psychology; Risk Factors Part II-Body Bits Chapter 6: Ankle and Foot; Construction of the Foot and Ankle; Muscles that Move the Foot and Ankle; Arches of the Foot; Foot Alignment; So How Do We Start Working on This?; Putting Things into Context Chapter 7: Knee; Construction of the Knee Joint; Muscles that Move the Knee; Putting Things into Context Chapter 8: Hip; Construction of the Hip Joint; Muscles that Move the Hip; Putting Things into Context Chapter 9: Spine; Construction of the Spine; Muscles that Move the Spine; Putting Things into Context Chapter 10: Sacroiliac Joint; Construction of the Sacroiliac Joint; Muscles that Move the Sacrum; Putting Things into Context Chapter 11: Shoulder; Construction of the Shoulder Complex; Muscles that Move the Shoulder Complex; Putting Things into Context; A Bit About Moving the Head; Putting Things into Context Chapter 12: Elbow and Wrist; Construction of the Elbow; Muscles that Move the Elbow; Putting Things into Context; Construction of the Wrist; Muscles that Move the Wrist; Putting Things into Context Part III-Posture Groups Chapter 13:Forward Bends Chapter 14: Hip Rotations Chapter 15: Backbends Chapter 16: Twists Chapter 17: Postures Involving the Shoulders Chapter 18: Inversions Chapter 19: Arm Balances Appendix I: Anatomical Language and Movement Terminology Appendix II: Stu's Simple Model of Infinite Complexity Appendix III:Names of Poses/Postures (Asanas)

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Book SynopsisAre you wishing you knew all you need to know about how to better communicate science, without having to read several hundred academic papers and blogs and books? Luckily Dr Craig Cormick has done this for you! This highly readable and entertaining book captures the breadth of research into best practice science communications and has distilled it into accessible chapters that take you through both the how and the why of science communication, supported with case studies and examples. Dr Craig Cormick has been a science communicator for over 25 years, working with organisations such as CSIRO, Questacon and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. He has been widely published on science communication issues in key journals and the popular media, including ABC Radio National's The Science Show, the Conversation, and has twice appeared in Best Australian Science Writing. He is a popular speaker on science communication issues at conferences in Australia and overseas. In 2013 he was awarded the Unsung Hero of Science Communication by the Australian Science Communicators (ASC) and is currently the President of the ASC. He has published over 25 books, including having edited the award-winning book published with CSIRO Publications, Ned Kelly Under the Microscope (2014), and his writing awards include a Queensland Premier's Literary Award (2006), The ACT Book of the Year Award (1999), the Tasmanian Writers Prize (2016) and an ACT Writing and Publishing Award (2015).Table of Contents1: THE GROUND RULES 1: What makes good science communication? (in fewer than 280 characters) 2: Why we need to communicate science better 3: Burying the deficit model 4: Objective! Your honour! 5: What do the public really think about science? 6: There is no one public: Making sense of segmentation 2: COMMUNICATION TOOLS 7: Messages and metaphors 8: Once upon a time: Storytelling 9: Trust me, I’m a scientist 10: Media matters 11: Being a social media superstar 12: I’ve been framed! The art of framing 13: Who’s afraid of public speaking? 14: Getting engaged 15: P-values: Policy and politics 16: Evaluation: Metrics, damn metrics and statistics 3: WHEN THINGS GET HARD 17: I’m a believer! Understanding different beliefs 18: The risky business of communicating risk 19: Valuing values 20: Can you really change behaviours? 21: Communicating controversies: The good, the bad and the ugly 4: SCIENCE COMMUNICATION ISSUES 22: Debunking bunkum 23: Fantastic ethics and where to find them 24: Why we don’t actually know what we think we know 25: Last words: Sermon on the Endnote

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Book Synopsis** GUARDIAN SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 **‘Popular science at its best’Mail on Sunday‘Eminently accessible and enjoyable’ObserverWith every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds in the Roman Senate, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding. In fact, you're probably inhaling some of it now. Of the sextillions of molecules entering or leaving your lungs at this moment, some might also bear traces of Cleopatra's perfumes, German mustard gas, particles exhaled by dinosaurs or emitted by atomic bombs, even remnants of stardust from the universe's creation. In Caesar’s Last Breath, New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean takes us on a journey through the periodic table, around the globe and across time to tell the epic story of the air we breathe.Trade ReviewAbsorbing, entertaining... provocative but compelling... eminently accessible and enjoyable. A real gas - in short! -- Robin McKie * Observer *Funny, clever and altogether effervescent... Kean writes superbly about science itself... A joy for any reader -- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *There is no denying the pleasure and indeed the wealth of scientific information to be obtained from reading Caesar’s Last Breath. It will change forever the way I think about breathing. * Financial Times *Kean is the teacher you wish you'd had: genial, companionable and infectiously enthusiastic. This is an entertaining and accessible guide to the mysterious vapour of gases. Popular science at its best. -- Simon Humphreys * Mail on Sunday *It’s a helluva read. And it’s a gas. -- Tim Radford * The Guardian *An altogether excellent read, an invigorating and stylish mixture of chemistry, history and reportage that brings to light many of the untold stories of the air that surrounds and sustains us * Times Literary Supplement *This vibrant, fact-filled science book makes the chemistry of air riveting * Sunday Times Must Reads *Told with Kean’s trademark combination of goofy wisecracking and an exceptional knack for communicating the principles of science * Wall Street Journal *Fascinating stories, so insightful, informative, and disarmingly written. It gave this astronaut a new respect for the air around us all, and made me delightfully more aware of each breath I take. -- Col. Chris Hadfield, author of An Astronaut's Guide to Life on EarthBrims with such fascinating tales of chemical history that it'll change the very way you think about breathing.... Kean crams the book full of wild yarns told with humorously dramatic flair.... The effect is oddly intimate, the way all good storytelling is -- you feel like you're sharing moments of geeky amusement with a particularly hip chemistry teacher * San Francisco Chronicle *The most fun to be had from nonfiction is a good science book, with a writer of craft who can capture both the excitement and the elegance of science, the incredible fact that this is really how it works. Sam Kean is such a writer and Caesar's Last Breath is such a book. An enormous pleasure to read. -- Mark Kurlansky, author of CodSam Kean has done it again - this time clearly and entertainingly explaining the science of the air around us. He is a gifted storyteller with a knack for finding the magic hidden in the everyday. -- Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive

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Book SynopsisTHE CLASSIC GUIDE, NOW FULLY REVISED AND UPDATEDWhy do we need Statistics?What do terms like ''dispersion'', ''correlation'', ''normal distribution'' and ''significance'' actually mean?How can I learn how to think statistically?This bestselling introduction is for anyone who wants to know how statistics works and the powerful ideas behind it. Teaching through words and diagrams instead of requiring you to do complex calculations, it assumes no expert knowledge and makes the subject accessible even to readers who consider themselves non-mathematical. This clear and informative ''tutorial in print'' includes questions for you to respond to in the light of what you have read so far, ensuring your developing ability to think statistically.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a simple, non-technical introduction to cosmology, explaining what it is and what cosmologists do. Peter Coles discusses the history of the subject, the development of the Big Bang theory, and more speculative modern issues like quantum cosmology, superstrings, and dark matter.Trade ReviewThere is an embarrassment of books about the universe for the general reader, but few manage to pack so much, so elegantly, into such a compact space as this does. The book is generously illustrated. * The Guardian 09/02/02/ *Coles takes you gently through everything from Blue Shift to parallel Universe in a thoroughly entertaining read * TNT Magazine *a pleasure to read * New Scientist, 29/09/01 *Table of Contents1. A Brief History ; 2. Einstein and All That ; 3. The Big Bang ; 4. In the Beginning ; 5. Cosmology by Numbers ; 6. What's the Matter? ; 7. The Emergence of Structure ; 8. The Future

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Book SynopsisThe Third Chimpanzee was first published in 1991 and has been in print ever since. This new, illustrated edition is aimed at a young readership. In it, Jared Diamond explores what makes us human and poses fascinating questions. If we share more than 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, how is it that we can write, read, talk, build telescopes and bombs, while we put our speechless and bomb-less close relatives in cages and zoos? What can woodpeckers teach us about spacecraft? Is genocide a human invention? Why does extinction matter? Why are we destroying the natural resources on which we depend for survival? What hope is there for future generations? Not only is The Third Chimpanzee a mind-boggling survey of how we came to be, but it is also a plea to the next generation to "make better decisions than their parents and get us out of the mess we're in."Trade Review'A master storyteller of the human race.' * Daily Mail *'Informative, most fascinating, and very readable.' -- Library Journal'This is exactly the kind of book that should be a 'set text' for secondary school science: engaging, thought-provoking and bang up to the minute. if your teachers aren't recommending books like this - go out and get them anyway.' -- Guy Claxton, author of What's the Point of School?‘An important book and a valuable resource for students of the natural sciences’ * Carousel *'Thoughtful readers interested in any fields related to evolutionary science, anthropology, psychology, human history, and culture will find plenty to ponder.' * School Library Journal *Praise for the adult edition: ‘Written with great wit and a pleasure to read... forces one to reflect thoroughly on the puzzle of human evolution, on where we came from and where we may be heading.’ * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisOne bright February afternoon on a beach in Cornwall, GavinPretor-Pinney took a break from cloudspotting and started watching thewaves rolling into shore. Mesmerised, he wondered where they had comefrom, and decided to find out. He soon realised that waves don''t justappear on the ocean, they are everywhere around us, and our livesdepend on them.From the rippling beats of our hearts, to the movement of food throughour digestive tracts and of signals across our brains, waves are thetransport systems of our bodies. Everything we see and hear reaches usvia light and sound waves, and our information age is reliant on themicrowaves and infrared waves used by the telephone and internetinfrastructure. From shockwaves unleashed by explosions to torsionalwaves that cause suspension bridges to collapse, from sonar waves thatallow submarines to see'' with sound to Mexican waves that sweepthrough stadium crowds... there were waves, it seemed, wherever Gavinlooked. But what, he wondered, coTrade Review'Page after page is patient, open, rational and clear.... an eye opening experience' * Daily Mail *'Pretor-Pinney is clever, passionate, indomitable in his determination to share his knowledge.' * Daily Telegraph *‘He is an entertaining and informal teacher... a unique book' * Daily Mail *'Dotted with photos and diagrams, The Wavewatcher's Companion is a perfectly paced combination of whimsical, digressive wonder and in-depth knowledge that renders a potentially esoteric subject engaging to all' * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis''A fascinating celebration of the impact that structural engineering has on all our lives[an] eye-opening book'' The Sunday Times In BUILT, structural engineer Roma Agrawal takes a unique look at how construction has evolved from the mud huts of our ancestors to skyscrapers of steel that reach hundreds of metres into the sky. She unearths how engineers have tunnelled through kilometres of solid mountains; how they''ve bridged across the widest and deepest of rivers, and tamed Nature's precious and elusive water resources. She tells vivid tales of the visionaries who created the groundbreaking materials in the Pantheon''s record-holding concrete dome and the frame of the record-breaking Eiffel Tower. Through the lens of an engineer, Roma examines tragedies like the collapse of the Quebec Bridge, highlighting the precarious task of ensuring people''s safety they hold at every step. With colourful stories of her life-long fascination with buildings and her own hand-draTrade Review[Agrawal] weaves accessible explanations of scientific principles together with engaging historical stories and personal anecdotes…[a] timely and impassioned book * Guardian *Agrawal has a gift for rendering complex phenomena in simple terms...a real treat * Financial Times *Agrawal is a rarity: a female structural engineer in an adamantly male profession … She will inspire young women who are considering a career in engineering … [S]he shines when explaining the sorts of things people might be too shy to admit they find inherently fascinating * New York Times Book Review *Agrawal has just launched her first book, Built, the latest salvo in her crusade to get us to see the world “through different eyes, the eyes of an engineer” * i newspaper *A fascinating celebration of the impact that structural engineering has on all our lives…[an] eye-opening book * The Sunday Times *Roma makes the complex principles of structural engineering accessible to everyone with clear explanations and engaging illustrations. It has made me suddenly look at every building I pass in a new way * Ellen Stofan, former Chief Scientist at NASA *Roma Agrawal makes engineering thrilling, accessible and thoroughly enjoyable. Built is another great example of how women can write beautifully about so-called male subjects. Bring on the female engineers! -- Andrea Wulf, historian and author of The Invention of NatureA wonderfully absorbing book about an engineer and her passion for construction * Professor Mark Miodownik, materials engineer, broadcaster and author of Stuff Matters *A charming tribute to one woman’s love of engineering. Full of fascinating facts and personal stories * Angela Saini, author of Geek Nation *A necessary reminder of the wonderful human ingenuity behind the world’s greatest engineering projects, from Roman aqueducts to London’s magnificent Shard. Built will inspire readers of every stripe * Erica Wagner, author of Chief Engineer *A book about real engineering written by a real engineer who can really write * Henry Petroski, author of The Road Taken *A passionate, often personal love letter to the science of structure. Whether exploring Pompeii or assembling pineapple upside-down cake, Agrawal’s journey will change the way you look at the structures you take for granted * Jennifer Ouellette, author of The Calculus Diaries *Roma Agrawal is a much-needed role model for the next generation of engineers. Most girls never give a thought to civil engineering as a career. The book will change that * Rob Eastaway, mathematician and author of Any Ideas? Tips and Techniques for Creative Problem Solving *Roma Agrawal makes engineering thrilling, accessible and thoroughly enjoyable. Built is another great example of how women can write brilliantly about so-called male subjects. Bring on the female engineers! * Andrea Wulf, historian and author of Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens *How come we have skyscrapers, bricks, bridges and tunnels? It’s down to structural engineers, but who are these awesome makers? Men in hard hats? Not necessarily! Roma Agrawal has helped to design some iconic structures that grace our cities. Here she gives an insider’s captivating account, so rich in history and so full of verve that she is bound to make others want to follow in her footsteps. Built reveals how human ingenuity keeps us safe from the raw forces of nature, all in a style that is down-to-earth as well as funny and personal * Uta Frith, psychologist and author of Autism: Explaining the Enigma *This fascination is communicated with flair and passion in a highly engaging debut book that will appeal to the engineer and the inquisitive layperson alike * E&T Magazine *

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Book SynopsisWith over fifty patents to his name and innumerable awards and accolades, James Lovelock was a distinguished and original thinker, widely recognized by the international scientific community. In this inspiring book, republished in the year of his 100th birthday, Lovelock tells his life story, from his first steps as a scientist to his work with organisations as diverse as NASA, Shell and the Marine Biological Association. Homage to Gaia describes the years of travel and work that led to his crucial scientific breakthroughs in environmental awareness, uncovering how CFCs impact on the ozone layer and creating the concept of Gaia, the theory that the Earth is a self-regulating system. Written in a sharp and energetic style, James Lovelock's book will entertain and inspire anyone interested in science or the creative spirit beyond his legacy.Trade ReviewThere is much more than science in this book ... This is ultimately an uplifting book about the way life ought to be, both at a personal and at a global level * Sunday Times *His 'Gaia hypothesis' is certainly heroic, with all the illusion-busting potential of Gallileo's or Einstein's theories * Independent *The scientist who, more than any other alive today, has changed the way we think of the earth and our place on it -- John Gray * New Statesman *Daring, exciting, original * Scientific American *Lovelock writes beautifully ... Only a genius thinks of the obvious, and Lovelock deserves to be described as a genius * New Scientist *The breath-taking sweep of his central idea - that the earth is a living, self-regulating organism - poses the most dramatic challenge to scientists, politicians, and environmentalists. -- Jonathon PorrittLovelock will go down in history as the scientist who changed our view of the Earth -- John Graya man as inventive and ingenious as he is lively and unorthodox * Scientific American *

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding the human mind and how it relates to the world that we experience has challenged philosophers for centuries. How then do we even begin to think about ‘minds’ that are not human?Taking a uniquely broad view of minds and where they might be found – including in plants, aliens, and God – prize-winning science writer Philip Ball pulls these multidisciplinary pieces together to explore what sorts of minds we might expect to find in the universe.He offers for the first time a unified way of thinking about what minds are and what they can do, arguing that in order to understand our own minds and imagine those of others, we need to move on from considering the human mind as a standard against which all others should be measured, and to think about the ‘space of possible minds’.Ball sheds new light on a host of fascinating questions. What moral rights should we afford animals, and can we understand their thoughts? Should we worry that AI is going to take over society? If there are intelligent aliens out there, how could we communicate with them? Should we? Ball’s thrillingly ambitious The Book of Minds about the nature and existence of minds is more mind-expanding than we could imagine. In this fascinating panorama of other minds, we come to better know our own.

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Book SynopsisNew concise edition with a new introduction, abridged for the modern reader. The Principia. Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy is one of the most important scientific works ever to have been written and has had a profound impact on modern science. Consisting of three separate books, the Principia states Newton’s laws of motion and Newton’s law of universal gravitation. Understanding and acceptance of these theories was not immediate, however by the end of the seventeenth century no one could deny that Newton had far exceeded all previous works and revolutionised scientific thinking. The FLAME TREE Foundations series features core publications which together have shaped the cultural landscape of the modern world, with cutting-edge research distilled into pocket guides designed to be both accessible and informative.

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Book SynopsisA concise, uncluttered edition for the modern reader, with a new introduction. Quantum Theory contains two foundational works of quantum research from the early years of the 20th Century, representing breakthroughs in science that radically altered the landscape of modern knowledge: Quantum Theory of Line-Spectra by Niels Bohr and The Origin and Development of the Quantum Theory by Max Planck. The FLAME TREE Foundations series features core publications which together have shaped the cultural landscape of the modern world, with cutting-edge research distilled into pocket guides designed to be both accessible and informative.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2022 Marsh Book of the Year AwardA long-awaited volume in the New Naturalist series examining the trees of Britain.Trees are immensely valuable. They give shape to our lives with wood, the material that makes our homes, our books, our belongings; they nourish us with the air we breathe and the fruits we eat; and they sustain us, with their shade and the comfort of their presence. They are also fascinating they are the biggest and oldest living organisms on the planet and are essential components of many of the landscapes of Britain. Trees have been vital in determining the ecology of our planet as well as the development of human cultures and communities, yet how much do we really understand about them?How do trees live? How do they fit into their environments? Why are they so important to ecosystems on earth, and to us? And what does the future hold for trees? Can they solve the problems of climate change by absorbing enough carbon dioxide, and would we run out of oxygen if all the world's trees disappeared? Do trees really talk to each other? There is much to learn about these silent giants.Ecologist Peter Thomas explores all these questions and many more, delving into the often hidden life of trees, using examples from around the world, from common trees to the unusual and bizarre. This comprehensive introduction to all aspects of tree biology and ecology presents the latest scientific and botanical discoveries and explores the wonders and mysteries of trees.Trade Review‘Wow, what a book. Perfect or almost perfect.’ Mark Cocker ‘It was a pleasure to look through the pages and find a wide range of informative and legible photographs, diagrams and graphs, all of which scored highly in terms of conveying information and looking attractive … I recommend this book as a good read and a valuable addition to your bookshelves. It does just what New Naturalists should do and it is very clearly written.’ Mark Avery ‘It is so full of pertinent and useful information that it has taken days to get through its comprehensive, well-written and informative text. With so much emphasis now given to woods, forests and forestry, it is astonishing how little most ecologists and foresters actually know about trees as individuals – we are nearly all, I suspect, cheerfully ignorant of the biology of trees! With the publication of Peter Thomas’s excellent New Naturalist edition, however, there is no longer any excuse to remain unaware of these organisms and their complex life histories … Trees is very well illustrated, with both diagrams and photographs presented in an engaging and useful fashion … An excellent and comprehensive book, and highly recommended for all those professionally involved in trees, concerned about trees, or wishing simply to understand more about trees.’ Jonathan Spencer, British Wildlife magazine ‘Anyone with the slightest interest in trees should buy and read this book. But be warned; you will find it impossible to put down. In fact even if you think you have no interest in trees, read it anyway, and you may discover that you do.’ Ken Thompson, The Niche magazine ‘The New Naturalist Series has the stated aim “to interest the general reader in the wildlife of Britain by recapturing the inquiring spirit of the old naturalists”, and here they have produced a book of great beauty and tangible quality.’ The Linnean

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Book SynopsisA cutting-edge examination of what it means to be human and to have a ''self'' in the face of new scientific developments in genetic editing, cloning and neural downloading.After seeing his own cells used to grow clumps of new neurons essentially mini-brains Philip Ball begins to examine the concepts of identity and consciousness. Delving into humanity''s deep evolutionary past to look at how complex creatures like us emerged from single-celled life, he offers a new perspective on how humans think about ourselves.In an age when we are increasingly encouraged to regard the ''self'' as an abstract sequence of genetic information, or as a pattern of neural activity that might be ''downloaded'' to a computer, he return us to the body to flesh and blood and anchors a conception of personhood in this unique and ephemeral mortal coil. How to Build a Human brings us back to ourselves but in doing so, it challenges old preconceptions and values. It asks us to rethink how we exist in the woTrade ReviewPraise for How to Grow a Human‘This is a deeply engaging crash course. Ball’s description of cellular organelles and their functions, in particular, is an impressive feat. And his sense of wonder at biological processes is palpable: passages on the intricacies of cell plasticity had me (with my doctorate in molecular biology) exclaiming, “That is incredible!”’Nature ‘Philip Ball weaves a compelling story of bodily creation … Highly readable and impeccably informed by research, How to Grow a Human revels in scientific possibility and confronts the social and ethical implications, while intelligently acknowledging what is as yet unknown’ The Lancet ‘[This] winding romp through advances in cell biology pushes readers to ponder the boundaries of life … The book offers a provocative, meandering take on the progression of groundbreaking biotechnological capabilities … absorbing ambitious and expansive … Ball’s look at the state of human-facing cutting edge bioscience is a thought-provoking read’ Science Praise for Philip Ball'Ball's book towers above the competition with its erudition, balance, and attention to detail… This is the most accessible, comprehensive, and provocative investigation of the science of music – and its limits – yet to be written.'Globe and Mail 'Excellent, smartly written'Financial Times ‘Ball is an exceptionally talented writer who manages to combine accessibility and thoroughness in razor-sharp prose’ Physics World 'Lucid and impressive'Prospect

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Book SynopsisIf you have ever wondered why women always bite your head off or why one guy gets all the girls, if you have ever pondered why some men bring you balloons while others leave you their genitals, then Dr Tatiana''s Sex Advice to All Creation is the book for you. It explains all this and much more. It discloses the best time to have a sex change, how to have a virgin birth, when to seduce your sisters or eat your lover. Quirky and brilliant, it takes as its starting point all creatures great and small worried about their bizarre sex lives, and the letters they write to the wise Dr Tatiana, the only agony aunt in all creation with a prodigious knowledge of both natural history and evolutionary biology.Trade ReviewDarwin titillated 18th-century London with his poem 'The Loves of Plants.' He never knew the half of it. Dr. Tatiana knows how the other half loves, and it's much kinkier than anybody imagined. Never has science seemed more like daytime TV -- Matt Ridley, author of The Red QueenPerhaps the most original advice manual ever written... Judson has pulled off the rarest coup: a science book that's actually fun to read * New Republic *Funny and blissfully original... Dr. Tatiana's science is first-rate * The Economist *Captivating... An evolutionary biologist with interesting and amusing things to tell us * Wall Street Journal *Eye-popping, filthy and funny * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisA delight. Popular science doesn't come much better than this' IndependentEverything you might want to know about infinity - in history and all the way to today''s cutting-edge science.Infinity is surely the strangest idea that humans have ever had. Where did it come from and what is it telling us about our Universe? Can there actually be infinities? Can you do an infinite number of things in a finite amount of time? Is the Universe infinite?Infinity is also the place where things happen that don''t. What is it like to live in a Universe where nothing is original, where you can live forever, where anything that can be done, is done, over and over again?These are some of the deep questions that the idea of the infinite pushes us to ask. Throughout history, the infinite has been a dangerous concept. Many have lost their lives, their careers, or their freedom for talking about it. The Infinite Book will take yoTrade ReviewA delight. Popular science doesn't come much better than this * Independent *Barrow brings his charm and wit to provide an account that is highly engaging * Nature *Science writing at its best. A cutting-edge scientist and a proven writer tackles a subject of infinite fascination. As page-turning as a detective story * Good Book Guide *If you enjoy a good intellectual wrestle, this book is for you * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR''A magnificent, compelling and insightful voyage to the frontier of knowledge from a great writer with a deep understanding.'' Brian CoxWhat is the universe really made of? How do we know? Follow the map of the invisible to find out...Over the last sixty years, scientists around the world have worked together to explore the fundamental constituents of matter, and the forces that govern their behaviour. The result, so far, is the Standard Model' of elementary particles: a theoretical map of the basic building blocks of the universe. With the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, the map as we know it was completed, but also extended into strange new territory.A Map of the Invisible is an explorer's guide to the Standard Model and the extraordinary realms of particle physics. After shrinking us down to the size of a sub-atomic particle, pioneering physicist Jon Butterworth takes us on boTrade ReviewA magnificent, compelling and insightful voyage to the frontier of knowledge from a great writer with a deep understanding. -- Brian CoxYearning for a late holiday? Bosonia, the Isle of Leptons and farthest Antimatter beckon in this bracing voyage into particle physics, captained by experimental physicist Jon Butterworth. Ever an original writer, he maps the territory of the standard model and beyond, elucidating in turn wave–particle duality, the quantum field and the subatomic realm, all the way to ripples in space-time and the hunt for the Higgs boson (which, as a veteran of the Large Hadron Collider at Europe's physics lab CERN, he navigates expertly). Sea legs achieved, you're ready for wilder shores, such as the Dirac–Milne universe. * Nature *

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Book SynopsisWhy have all human cultures - today and throughout history - made music? Why does music excite such rich emotion? How do we make sense of musical sound? These are questions that have, until recently, remained mysterious. Now The Music Instinct explores how the latest research in music psychology and brain science is piecing together the puzzle of how our minds understand and respond to music. Ranging from Bach fugues to nursery rhymes to heavy rock, Philip Ball interweaves philosophy, mathematics, history and neurology to reveal why music moves us in so many ways. Without requiring any specialist knowledge, The Music Instinct will both deepen your appreciation of the music you love, and open doors to music that once seemed alien, dull or daunting, offering a passionate plea for the importance of music in education and in everyday life.''You''ll never listen to music the same way again'' - IndependentTrade ReviewWonderful account of why music matters... one of the finest and most versatile of current non-fiction writers * Sunday Times *Exemplary... In contemplating the mysteries of music we are also contemplating the mystery of ourselves... Ball, thankfully, doesn't try to provide any easy answers, but rather sends the reader back to the music a better listener * Observer *This is a truly fascinating and eye-opening account of a phenomenon so commonplace we barely think about it, yet one which is also mind-bogglingly complicated. Once you've read The Music Instinct, you'll never listed to music the same way again * Independent *A musical experience in itself...his love of the subject is abundantly evident.. His mastery of many scientific disciplines is a delight * Daily Telegraph *Impressively engaging...it will be the rare music lover that does not come away without having learned many interesting things * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisBarbara Arrowsmith-Young is the Director of Arrowsmith School and Arrowsmith Program. She holds both a B.A.Sc. in Child Studies from the University of Guelph, and a Master's degree in School Psychology from the University of Toronto (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education).Trade ReviewIn this brave, fascinating book, Barbara Arrowsmith-Young describes how she rebuilt her own damaged brain and transcended the doomful prognosis she received in childhood. This is a riveting study of both neuroscience and human determination -- Andrew Solomon, author of THE NOONDAY DEMON and FAR FROM THE TREEGroundbreaking and enthralling * Guardian *A pioneer in the treatment of learning disabilities... An inspiring, instructive life story * Kirkus *Arrowsmith-Young's poignant and uplifting book about her transformation from a child born with severe learning disabilities to a dynamic pioneer in cognitive education offers hope to anyone who has ever struggled with a learning disorder, brain trauma, ADD, or stroke. By her own fierce determination and passionate desire to learn, this remarkable woman changed her own brain and has since helped countless others to change theirs. This is an important book. -- Mira Bartók, New York Times bestselling author of The Memory PalaceThis is a poignant book about two people who connected across continents and generations-a Canadian woman with an unusual cognitive makeup, and the great Russian neuropsychologist Alexander Luria whose writings gave Barbara Arrowsmith the tools to change her own life and the lives of her many students. Moving, insightful and empowering! -- Elkhonon Goldberg, Ph.D., the author of The Wisdom Paradox and The New Executive Brain

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Book SynopsisThe full inside story of the detection of gravitational waves at LIGO, one of the most ambitious feats in scientific history*Selected as a Book of the Year 2016 in the Sunday Times*''This is empirical poetry. A fascinating tale of human curiosity beautifully told, and with black holes and lasers too'' Robin InceIn 1916 Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves: miniscule ripples in the very fabric of spacetime generated by unfathomably powerful events. If such vibrations could somehow be recorded, we could observe our universe for the first time through sound: the hissing of the Big Bang, the low tones of merging galaxies, the drumbeat of two black holes collapsing into one In 2016 a team of hundreds of scientists at work on a billion-dollar experiment made history when they announced the first ever detection of a gravitational wave, confirming Einstein's prediction a century ago. Based on complete access toTrade ReviewGripping ... very, very well written ... I reached the beautiful ending of this book with a little sob of gratitude ... heartbreaking ... brilliant -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *It is hard to imagine that a better narrative will ever be written about the behind-the-scenes heartbreak and hardship that goes with scientific discovery. Black Hole Blues is a spectacular feat – a near-perfect balance of science, storytelling and insight … It is as inevitable as gravity that this book will win a swath of awards -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman *Astonishing … superb … Ms Levin is able to tell the tale so soon, and so well, because she has had privileged access to the experiment. She has also known the experimenters for several years … Ms Levin is herself a scientist, which explains her access, but more than that she is a writer … readers feel as if they are sitting in on her interviews or watching over her shoulder as she describes two black holes colliding … A splendid book that I recommend to anyone with an interest in how science works and in the power of human imagination and ability -- John Gribbin * Wall Street Journal *A superb storyteller. This is the most vivid account I can remember of science policy in action … I’ll be surprised if anyone brings out a more readable book on gravitational waves in the near future -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *The definitive account of how we completed the hundred-year hunt for gravitational waves … Punchy, witty, timely and deeply insightful; I haven’t read a better book on the realities of doing science -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman, Books of the Year *A remarkable achievement that potentially opens up a whole new chapter in our understanding of the cosmos and, with perfect timing, Janna Levin’s elegant and lucid book is here to tell us how it was done … the human drama is compelling … The main protagonists … comprise as fascinating a triumvirate as you will find anywhere in scientific literature. Levin, a distinguished astrophysicist in her own right, writes eloquently, sometimes even poetically, about the search for what she calls gravity’s music -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *Taking on the simultaneous roles of expert scientist, journalist, historian and storyteller of uncommon enchantment, Levin delivers pure signal from cover to cover … Levin harmonizes science and life with remarkable virtuosity … exposing the invisible, incremental processes that produce the final spark we call genius … As redemptive as the story of the countless trials and unlikely triumph may be, what makes the book most rewarding is Levin’s exquisite prose -- Maria Popova * The New York Times *The most important development in astronomy since the invention of the telescope ... [Levin] excels in conveying the personalities of the scientists and their professional and personal struggles ... With the success of Ligo, we stand at the dawn of a new era in astronomy, Levin says in her excellent book -- Marcus Chown * Times Higher Education *Brilliant and timely -- James GleickExplains in clear terms the scientific heart of this achievement and the deep and personal fascination that pursuing it has held for several generations of scientists. She also captures the cost of getting to this point, both financial – this is big science in its truest sense – and, in many cases, personal … the plot is too compelling … genuinely painful to read in places … illuminating ... interesting * Nature *A beautifully written account of the quest to open the ‘gravitational-wave window’ onto our universe. As a participant in this wonderful quest, I applaud Janna Levin for capturing so well our vision, our struggles, and the ethos and spirit of our torturous route toward success -- Kip Thorne, co-founder of LIGORiveting. Janna Levin immerses us in the heady world of scientists straining to detect gravitational waves, the faintest whispers in the universe. Keenly observed and lyrically written, her account of this quest will move you -- Steven Strogatz, author of The Joy of xIf Hunter Thompson had taken a break to get a PhD in physics and then become obsessed with gravitational waves, he might have written a book like this -- Alan Lightman, author of The Accidental UniverseLevin is a master of storytelling […] this book […]keeps the reader hooked in awe page after page. Black Hole Blues is a captivating study of the process of scientific discovery. -- Brad Davies * Independent *Levin brilliant captures the immense challenges of today’s big science, from the clash of huge egos to the final triumphant proof of a century-old theory -- PD Smith * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis''Quantum mechanics is perhaps the most successful theory ever formulated. The only problem with it, argues Lee Smolin, is that it is wrong ... a fount of provocative ideas ... lucid, upbeat and, finally, optimistic'' Graham Farmelo, Nature Human beings, says Lee Smolin, author of The Trouble With Physics, have always had a problem with the boundary between reality and fantasy, confusing our representations of the world with the world itself. Nowhere is this more evident than in quantum physics, which forms the basis for our understanding of everything from elementary particles to the behaviour of materials.While quantum mechanics is currently our best theory of nature at an atomic scale, it has many puzzling qualities - qualities that preclude realism and therefore give an incomplete description of nature. Rather than question this version of quantum mechanics, however, whole groups of physicists have embraced it as correctTrade ReviewA masterful exposition on the state of quantum physics ... spellbinding * Financial Times *Quantum mechanics is perhaps the most successful theory ever formulated. The only problem with it, argues Lee Smolin, is that it is wrong. He attempts to examine other options for a theory of the atomic world ... a fount of provocative ideas ... lucid, upbeat and, finally, optimistic * Nature *An inventive and provocative thinker, as well as an engaging writer ... lucid, searingly honest, impassioned, inspiring * Physics World *Full of extraordinary ideas ... a new theory of everything ... Smolin's promised solution, when it comes, is just comprehensible enough for us to see that it's beautiful * The Times *A superb and sweeping book ... masterfulAs the latest entry into the conversation, Smolin's book feels the most immediate and personal. Here is no detached narrator, but an active participant in the fray who perceives the debate over the nature of reality in personal terms. . . While the way forward remains elusive, Smolin and others who seek to illuminate how physics got to where it is today are at least making the quest for answers a bit less costly * Globe and Mail *Smolin is an extremely creative thinker who has been a leader in theoretical physics for many years. He is also a gifted writer who manages to translate his own insights about how science works into engaging language and compelling stories . . . Smolin's description of how quantum mechanics works is both elegant and accessible * NPR *The best explanation yet of what has yet to be explained. -- George Dyson, author of Turing’s Cathedral

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Book Synopsis''The whizz-kid making maths supercool. . . A brilliant book that takes everything we know (and fear) about maths out of the equation - starting with numbers'' The Times''A cheerful, chatty, and charming trip through the world of mathematics. . . Everyone should read this delightful book'' Ian Stewart, author of Do Dice Play God?The only numbers in this book are the page numbers.The three main branches of abstract math - topology, analysis, and algebra - turn out to be surprisingly easy to grasp. Or at least, they are when our guide is a math prodigy. With forthright wit and warm charm, Milo Beckman upends the conventional approach to mathematics, inviting us to think creatively about shape and dimension, the infinite and the infinitesimal, symmetries, proofs, and all how all these concepts fit together. Why is there a million dollar prize for counting shapes? Is anything bigger than infinity? And how is the ''truth'' of mathematics actuTrade ReviewGenius: an entire book about mathematics in which the only digits are the page numbers. . . fresh, delightful and extremely accessible -- Alex Bellos * Guardian *Beckman's book is not only fascinating and enthralling but also one I actually kept my eyes open long enough to finish (in part because - and this is a massively underrated virtue in popular science books - it is short) -- Tom Whipple * The Times *This guide to the maths we didn't get taught at school is full of fascinating revelations -- Manjit Kumar * The Times *I was hooked. . . what is delightful about the book is the vivid clarity -- Tim HarfordA cheerful, chatty, and charming trip through the world of mathematics and its relation to the world of people - and not a number in sight! Everyone should read this delightful book. Even mathematicians -- Ian Stewart, author of Do Dice Play God?One of those wonderful books you'll want to tell everyone about -- Ananyo Bhattacharya, author of The Man from the FutureSo delightful! Mathematics is playful, surprising, and enchanting, but those qualities are often obscured behind intimidating equations and formalism. Milo Beckman brings them out into the open for everyone to share. -- Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply HiddenWith charm, unwavering enthusiasm, and a lot of cartoons, Math Without Numbers waltzes the reader through a garden of higher mathematics -- Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not To Be WrongMath Without Numbers explores deep mathematical topics -- and shows how mathematicians think-in completely readable prose. The puzzles and games are bonuses. Very enjoyable -- Will Shortz, crossword editor, The New York TimesA playful paean to the pleasures of studying higher math ... readers with an abundance of curiosity and the time to puzzle over Beckman's many examples, riddles, and questions, will make many fascinating discoveries * Publishers Weekly *The book's accessible language and illustrations makes understanding some of the most complex (and possibly most intimidating) math concepts feel as effortless as breathing. Beckman's approachable writing and Erazo's delightful illustration combine to tell an insightful and entertaining story about math -- Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec, co-authors of Dear DataThis is the book for you if you've ever been curious about the wonderful ideas and concepts underlying modern math, but been too frightened to make a start. Milo Beckman gives us a friendly introduction to unfamiliar concepts and ideas that show why modern math is such a fascinating and rewarding branch of human thought -- Graham Farmelo, author of The Universe Speaks in NumbersMath Without Numbers offers an accessible and whimsically illustrated glimpse of what pure mathematicians study, all while capturing the playful spirit with which they do it -- Grant Sanderson, creator of 3blue1brown

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Viruses are everywhere, and as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, cannot be ignored. From their discovery to the unravelling of their intricate structures, this Very Short Introduction provides a rounded and concise account of the nature of viruses, how they attack their hosts, and the efforts to control them.In this new edition, Dorothy H. Crawford examines the recent rise in emerging virus infections, especially coronaviruses, including the viruses behind SARS and MERS, and SARS CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19. Crawford explores why the SARS-CoV-2 was able to spread rapidly to form a pandemic while others have produced more localized epidemics, as well as looking at the revolution in vaccine production that this has caused. Looking to the future, this Very Short Introduction considers the preventative measures and management of future dangerous viruses that are expected to emerge.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewit is concise enough to read in its entirety in a relatively short period of time..The book has to capture the interest and imagination of the reader and I think that this book succeeds on both of these counts. * Dr Harry Brown, Glyscomedia *

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Book SynopsisOur senses are very limited compared to those of other species; some animals see ultraviolet light, communicate using electricity, or navigate long distances with magnetic information. Martin Stevens discusses the remarkable senses in nature and what they are used for, uncovering how they work and how they are shaped by ecology and the environment.Trade Reviewa riveting new volume that explores the extraordinary senses of animals....This volume brings the wonders of these sensory worlds to a more general audience. * Michael J. Ryan, Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol.97, no.1 *While paying its dues to those amazing abilities of animals, Secret Worlds has some very intriguing things to say about the evolution and plasticity of the sense - and above all, the cost of acquiring them. [... ] One can only hope that Stevens will return with fresh insights in a few years. * Simon Ings, New Scientist *Table of ContentsPreface 1: A Plethora of Senses 2: Singing Mice and Painting Pictures with Sound 3: For My Eyes Only 4: Electric Attraction 5: Stars of the Tactile World 6: Smelling in Stereo 7: Homing Turtles and Animal Magnetism 8: A Changing World

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringCoral reefs are among the most beautiful, and most diverse, of ecosystems. Early seafarers were wary of them, naturalists were confused by them, yet many coastal people benefited greatly from these mysterious rocky structures that grew up to the surface of the sea. They have been rich in their supply of food, and they provided a breakwater from storms and high waves to countless coastal communities that developed from their protection. Their scale is enormous and their value high. Found in countless locations around the world, from the Indo-Pacific coral reef province to the Caribbean and Australia, they support both marine and human life.But today coral reefs are in trouble, with many dying or suffering from over-exploitation, pollution, and the warming and acidification of the oceans. Understanding reefs, their conservation and management, is vital, and so is conveying this to authority if we are to preserve these remarkable ecosystems. In this Very Short Introduction Charles Sheppard describes the complex structure and interdependencies of a reef, how reefs have evolved, the diversity of marine life that they support, and their importance to the human population who live beside them. This new edition describes the latest research on the complex symbioses of coral animals with microorganisms. It also highlights the scale of the challenge facing our reefs today, following recent ocean heatwaves - part of wider climate disruption - that killed half the world''s reefs, and considers what can be done to preserve these essential and vibrant ecosystems.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1: Geology or biology? 2: Ancient reefs and islands 3: The architects of a reef 4: The resulting structure - a reef 5: Microbial and planktonic engines of the reef 6: Reef fish and other major predators 7: Regional scale pressures on reefs 8: Global scale pressures on reefs - Climate change 9: Doing something about it Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisBlood is vital to most animals. In mammals it transports oxygen and food, carries away waste, and contains the white cells that attack invading microbes. Playing a central role in life, it has had profound cultural and historical significance and plays an important role in religious ritual. Blood was one of the four humours in early Western medicine and is still probably the major diagnostic tool in the doctor''s armoury. In this Very Short Introduction, Chris Cooper analyses the components of blood, explains blood groups, and looks at transfusions, blood tests, and blood-borne diseases. He considers what the future may hold, including the possibility of making artificial blood, and producing blood from stem cells in the laboratory.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewBlood is over-flowing with such fascinating historical observations, as well as with an equally generous amount of practical information that everyone possessing blood should know. * The Well-Read Naturalist *Table of Contents1: A history of blood 2: What is blood? 3: Fighting Disease 4: Haemoglobin 5: Blood pressure and blood flow 6: Blood transfusion 7: Epilogue: the future of blood Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisMany are familiar with the beauty and ubiquity of fractal forms within nature. Unlike the study of smooth forms such as spheres, fractal geometry describes more familiar shapes and patterns, such as the complex contours of coastlines, the outlines of clouds, and the branching of trees. In this Very Short Introduction, Kenneth Falconer looks at the roots of the ''fractal revolution'' that occurred in mathematics in the 20th century, presents the ''new geometry'' of fractals, explains the basic concepts, and explores the wide range of applications in science, and in aspects of economics.This is essential introductory reading for students of mathematics and science, and those interested in popular science and mathematics.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewFractals: A Very Short Introduction is an obvious starting point for lay readers interested in fractals. It presents the key ideas and explains their context and significance, while introducing and using some very basic mathematics. * Danny Yee's Book Reviews *a most enjoyable, 'short read' * Institute of Mathematics *[A] very well-written introduction to fractals for non-specialists ... Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. The fractal concept ; 2. Self-similarity ; 3. Fractal dimension ; 4. Julia sets and the Mandelbrot set ; 5. Random walks and Brownian motion ; 6. Fractals in the real world ; 7. A little history ; Further reading

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Book SynopsisA writer, broadcaster, and photographer, Editorial Consultant Adam Hart-Davis is a popular and respected explainer of science and engineering. He presented the BBC series What the Romans Did For Us, followed by further programmes on the Victorians, Tudors and Stuarts, and Ancients. He also co-presented Tomorrow's World, Science Shack, The Cosmos: A Beginner's Guide, and Just Another Day, about the science and technology of everyday life. He is the author of more than 35 books on science, invention, and history.

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Book SynopsisLife is an enduring mystery. Yet, science tells us that living beings are merely sophisticated structures of lifeless molecules. If this view is correct, where do the seemingly purposeful motions of cells and organisms originate? In Life''s Ratchet , physicist Peter M. Hoffmann locates the answer to this age-old question at the nanoscale.Below the calm, ordered exterior of a living organism lies microscopic chaos, or what Hoffmann calls the molecular storm,specialized molecules immersed in a whirlwind of colliding water molecules. Our cells are filled with molecular machines, which, like tiny ratchets, transform random motion into ordered activity, and create the purpose that is the hallmark of life. Tiny electrical motors turn electrical voltage into motion, nanoscale factories custom-build other molecular machines, and mechanical machines twist, untwist, separate and package strands of DNA. The cell is like a city,an unfathomable, complex collection of molecular workers working togTrade ReviewPhysics Today "[A] fascinating glimpse into recent research on molecular machines, research that lies at the intersection of biology, chemistry, and physics... Life's Ratchet does an excellent job of conveying the tension between mechanical descriptions of molecular machines...and the chemical perspective... I highly recommend this book to scientists in the fields of biophysics and nanoscience as a readable introduction to a broad variety of topics in those areas." The Scientist "What distinguishes life from its nonliving ingredients? How could life arise from the lifeless? These questions have vexed philosophers sand scientists for more than 2,500 years. Bio-besotted physicist Peter Hoffmann wrote Life's Ratchet to get to the beating heart of the matter. After a lively, lucid grand tour of the controversy's history...Hoffmann arrives at modern molecular biology and the technological breakthroughs, such as atomic force microscopy, that enable us to see the very atoms of a cell... A masterwork of making the complex comprehensible, this book would make a smashing freshman biology textbook--and that's a compliment." City Book Review "Life's Ratchet is nothing short of brilliant. With wit and literary prowess, author Peter M. Hoffmann delivers a profound message about the nature of the life within our lives. He writes with a grace and careful thoughtfulness--the Shakespeare of scientific literacy." Physics World, Best Books of 2012 "[A] clearly written book about molecular motors and other nanoscale structures... It does a very good job of capturing the excitement driving current research on this increasingly important topic." Nature "Life's Ratchet engagingly tells the story of how science has begun to realize the potential for matter to spontaneously construct complex processes, such as those inherent to living systems. The book is a good mix of history and the latest concepts, straightforwardly explained... The book's important message is that there is a revolution brewing. This revolution will not tell us what matter is made of. Instead, as described in Life's Ratchet, it will tell us how matter and energy combine to make me and you." New Scientist "In Life's Ratchet, biophysicist Peter Hoffmann reveals that the secret to life isn't some mysterious force. Rather, it is chaos itself. Hoffmann provides a ringside perspective on life at its most fundamental level, gained through his work on imaging and manipulating molecules." Kirkus Reviews, starred review "A fascinating mix of cutting-edge science with philosophy and theology." Werner R. Loewenstein, author of The Touchstone of Life and Physics in Mind "Peter Hoffmann brings the universe of the very small to life. Life's Ratchet is an exciting guide to the wondrous strange nanoworld of molecules driving the machinery of life. Engaging, provocative, and profound."

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Book SynopsisAn expert palaeoarchaeologist reveals how our understanding of the evolution of our species has been transformed by momentous discoveries and technological advancements. Who are we? How do scientists define Homo sapiens, and how does our species differ from the extinct hominins that came before us? This illuminating book explores how the latest scientific advances, especially in genetics, are revolutionizing our understanding of human evolution. Paul Pettitt reveals the extraordinary story of how our ancestors adapted to unforgiving and relentlessly changing climates, leading to remarkable innovations in art, technology and society that we are only now beginning to comprehend. Drawing on twenty-five years of experience in the field, Paul Pettitt immerses readers in the caves and rockshelters that provide evidence of our African origins, dispersals to the far reaches of Eurasia, Australasia and ultimately the Americas. Popular accounts of the evolution of Homo sapiens emphasTrade Review'An astonishing tale of art and science that goes right to the root of what it means to be human' - Alice Roberts'The scope and detail here is sweeping, carrying the reader through tens of thousands of years. By grace of Pettitt’s long experience in the field and thorough immersion in the world of the Palaeolithic, there are a few stunning moments where even the most astonishing archaeology seems tangible' - Current Archaeology'An excellent book, written with Paul's signature knowledge and enthusiasm. It should be required reading for everyone interested in our origins' - Clive Gamble'Drawing on his many years of experience with Palaeolithic archaeology, Paul Pettitt’s expert account of our origins introduces the reader to the methods used to find out about the remote past and the complexities involved in interpretating this data. What comes across is a powerful message: when looking around you in awe of humanity’s cultural and technological achievements, bear in mind that, as the old saying goes, we stand on the shoulders of Ice Age giants' - João Zilhão, ICREA Research Professor, University of Barcelona'Powerful … a vivid view of where we have come from and what makes us who we are' - New Scientist'Pettitt successfully maintain[s] a convivial ‘over a cup of coffee’ tone that weights into genetics then swiftly yanks thing back to a depth a wider audience will find absorbing. … Much has changed, but as Pettitt shows, many things remain constant – we owe our distant ancestors a debt of gratitude or the hard yards they put in' - Geographical'Grand narratives about the human past are tricky to pull off. Pettitt presents the complex and fascinating story of how our species came to be, in a readable series of personal stories combined with detailed explanations and illustrations of the archaeological and human fossil record' - British Archaeology'Pettitt's easy-going narrative style of writing makes his book highly engaging and eminently readable. A notably accessible work that does not sacrifice accuracy or succumb to oversimplicity' - American Journal of Biological AnthropologyTable of ContentsPrologue Maps Introduction 1. Skin and Bones 2. The Molecular Frontier 3. When the going gets tough: climate, change, and environment 4. Dispersal: from Africa to Asia 5. Contact 6. Diversity 7. Catastrophe: the coming of Homo sapiens in Europe 8. Stress, disease, illness and inbreeding 9. In Mammoth country 10. Cold 11. Refuge 12. Hearth and home 13. Let us descend into the sightless world. Palaeolithic cave art 14. Portable landscapes 15. The mind 16. The world of the dead 17. Into the Americas 18. Domestication Epilogue Further reading

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Book SynopsisWelcome to the world of alternative medicine.Prince Charles is a staunch defender and millions of people swear by it; most UK doctors consider it to be little more than superstition and a waste of money. But how do you know which treatments really heal and which are potentially harmful?Now at last you can find out, thanks to the formidable partnership of Professor Edzard Ernst and Simon Singh. Edzard Ernst is the world''s first professor of complementary medicine, based at Exeter University, where he has spent over a decade analysing meticulously the evidence for and against alternative therapies.He is supported in his findings by Simon Singh, the well-known and highly respected science writer of several international bestsellers.Together they have written the definitive book on the subject. It is honest, impartial but hard-hitting, and provides a thorough examination and judgement of more than thirty of the most popular treatments, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, chiropractic and herbal medicine.In Trick or Treatment? the ultimate verdict on alternative medicine is delivered for the first time with clarity, scientific rigour and absolute authority.Trade ReviewFearless, intelligent and remorselessly rational * The Sunday Times *The authors' combined strengths shine through. The examination of the evidence is comprehensive [and] forensic... * Nature *A definitive - if controversial - guide to what works, and what doesn't. It makes indispensable, if sometimes alarming, reading * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisRichard Dawkins has written a string of bestselling books, including the phenomenal The God Delusion. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Literature, and has won numerous awards. He was a professor at Oxford University until 2008 and he remains a fellow of New College.Trade ReviewDawkins has a gift for making science enjoyable ... [He is] one of the greatest scientific writers/explainers of all time. * Bill Gates *From the first sentence it reads with the force and fluency of a classic ... a luminous, authoritative prose that transcends age differences * The Times *Stunning in appearance ... the book is a triumph * New Scientist *The text is persuasive whatever one's age ... the chapter on rainbows has the clearest explanation of how they appear that I've ever seen * Financial Times *I wanted to write this book but I wasn't clever enough. Now I've read it, I am -- Ricky Gervais

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Book SynopsisFifty-two inspiring and insightful profiles of history’s brightest female scientists. “Rachel Swaby’s no-nonsense and needed Headstrong dynamically profiles historically overlooked female visionaries in science, technology, engineering, and math.”—ElleIn 2013, the New York Times published an obituary for Yvonne Brill. It began: “She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job, and took eight years off from work to raise three children.” It wasn’t until the second paragraph that readers discovered why the Times had devoted several hundred words to her life: Brill was a brilliant rocket scientist who invented a propulsion system to keep communications satellites in orbit, and had recently been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Among the questions the obituary—and consequent outcry—prompted were, Who are the role models for today’s female scientists, and where can we find the stories that cast them in their true light?      Headstrong delivers a powerful, global, and engaging response. Covering Nobel Prize winners and major innovators, as well as lesser-known but hugely significant scientists who influence our every day, Rachel Swaby’s vibrant profiles span centuries of courageous thinkers and illustrate how each one’s ideas developed, from their first moment of scientific engagement through the research and discovery for which they’re best known. This fascinating tour reveals 52 women at their best—while encouraging and inspiring a new generation of girls to put on their lab coats.

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