Popular science Books
Icon Books Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium
Book Synopsis'Half Lives shines a light on the shocking history of the world's toxic love affair with a deadly substance, radium. Unnerving, fascinating, informative and truly frightening.' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five'The story of this supposed cure-all in everyday 20th century life is fascinating and well told.' Brian Maye, Irish TimesLucy Jane Santos presents the surprising history of radium in everyday life.Of all the radioactive elements discovered at the end of the 19th century, it was radium that became the focus of both public fascination and entrepreneurial zeal.Half Lives tells the fascinating, curious, sometimes macabre story of the element through its ascendance as a desirable item - a present for a queen, a prize in a treasure hunt, a glow-in- the-dark dance costume - to its role as a supposed cure-all in everyday 20th-century life, when medical practitioners and business people (reputable and otherwise) devised ingenious ways of commodifying the new wonder element, and enthusiastic customers welcomed their radioactive wares into their homes. Historian Lucy Jane Santos - herself the proud owner of a formidable collection of radium beauty treatments - delves into the stories of these products and details the gradual downfall and discredit of the radium industry through the eyes of the people who bought, sold and eventually came to fear the once-fetishized substance.She reveals a new history of radium, one in which the stories of those previously dismissed as quacks and fools are brought to life, as part of a unique examination of the interplay between science and popular culture.Trade ReviewWith verve and vivacity, Lucy Jane Santos conducts her readers on a unique tour of the twentieth century's most significant scientific discovery. Before the R-word threatened destruction, it offered hope for the future -- teeth would glow white, cocktails would shine in the dark and cancer would be vanquished. This evocative account puts people and their emotions centre-stage of science's past. -- Dr Patricia FaraHalf Lives shines a light on the shocking history of the world's toxic love affair with a deadly substance, radium. Unnerving, fascinating, informative and truly frightening. -- Hallie Rubenhold, author of The FiveIn Half Lives, Lucy Santos transports us back to a time when consumers wondered whether mixing radium into chicken feed might result in eggs that could hard-boil themselves; when diners cheerfully drank radioactive cocktails that glowed in the dark; and when people used toothpaste containing lethal thorium oxide in the pursuit of healthy gums. Santos unpicks fact from fiction and exhibits a masterful grasp of a complex area of science history that is so often mistold. Half Lives is a delightfully disturbing book that reminds us all of the age-old Latin maxim, 'caveat emptor.' -- Dr Lindsey Fitzharris, bestselling author of The Butchering ArtThere was a time when radioactivity seemed to promise the future. It was the stuff that twentieth-century dreams were made of, before those dreams turned sour. This marvellous book explores the ways radioactivity stood for a better future, worked its way into money-making schemes of all kinds and offered hope to saints and charlatans. By doing all that - and doing it so well - it also offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of putting too much faith in simple technological solutions to all our problems. -- Iwan Rhys MorusA little gem of a book -- Medical Journalists' AssociationFascinating and well told * Irish Times *Truly mind-boggling ... I became so engrossed I read most of it in one sitting * Chemistry World *An engaging and definitive history * Popular Science *With wit and empathy, Santos tells the story of the entrepreneurs and consumers in radium's history who have until now been considered quacks, or fools, or both * Inside History *
£15.29
Icon Books What Do You Think You Are?: The Science of What
Book Synopsis'Gets right to the heart of what makes us what we are. Read it!' Angela Saini, author of Inferior and Superior: The Return of Race ScienceThe popular science equivalent of Who Do You Think You Are? Popular science master Brian Clegg's new book is an entertaining tour through the science of what makes you you.From the atomic level, through life and energy to genetics and personality, it explores how the billions of particles which make up you - your DNA, your skin, your memories - have come to be.It starts with the present-day reader and follows a number of trails to discover their origins: how the atoms in your body were created and how they got to you in space and time, the sources of things you consume, how the living cells of your body developed, where your massive brain and consciousness originated, how human beings evolved and, ultimately, what your personal genetic history reveals.Trade ReviewWhat's great about the book overall is both Clegg's gift as a storyteller - it's just an excellent, pageturning read - and the way he threads together so many revelations about us as humans, the sort of thing that you want to share with someone else. * popularscience.co.uk *The most interesting part is when the book explores what consciousness is (or, rather, highlights how little we know about it but still shows how much more there is to "us" than the conscious part) and pulls apart the old nature versus nurture debate with some remarkable material on genetics and how the influence of our environment is mathematically chaotic. * Peet Morris, Times Higher Education *
£9.49
Icon Books Seven Pillars of Science: The Incredible
Book SynopsisJohn Gribbin, author of Six Impossible Things, shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, presents a tour of seven fundamental scientific truths that underpin our very existence.These 'pillars of science' also defy common sense. For example, solid things are mostly empty space, so how do they hold together? There appears to be no special 'life force', so how do we distinguish living things from inanimate objects? And why does ice float on water, when most solids don't? You might think that question hardly needs asking, and yet if ice didn't float, life on Earth would never have happened.The answers to all of these questions were sensational in their day, and some still are. Throughout history, science has been able to think the unthinkable - and Gribbin brilliantly shows the surprising secrets on which our understanding of life is based.Trade Review[In] the last couple of years we have seen a string of books that pack bags of science in a digestible form into a small space. John Gribbin has already proved himself a master of this approach with his Six Impossible Things, and he's done it again ... [Seven Pillars of Science is] light, to the point and hugely informative. ... It packs in the science, tells an intriguing story and is beautifully packaged. * Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.uk *'[Gribbin] deftly joins the dots to reveal a bigger picture that is even more awe-inspiring than the sum of its parts.' -- Laura Hiscott * Physics World *
£8.54
Icon Books Short Cuts: Science: Navigate Your Way Through
Book SynopsisA LAUNCH TITLE FOR ICON BOOKS' BRAND-NEW SHORT CUTS SERIESWhat with accelerating particles and gravitational waves, dark matter and light speed, nanoscales and exoplanets, the landscape of today's science is an amazing place to explore. But how are you expected to navigate this rapidly spinning world?Short Cuts: Science provides the map you need to start exploring seriously big ideas. Fifty quickfire questions lead to 'short cut' answers written by experts in their field, with each one the setting-off point for clear directions to help you plot your route through an essential concept.With one-stop graphics presenting a memorable image for each idea, and route-map glossaries explaining key words and their connections, Short Cuts: Science will guide you through a world of intellectual wonders.
£13.49
Icon Books The Science of Music: How Technology has Shaped
Book SynopsisMusic is shaped by the science of sound. How can music - an artform - have anything to do with science? Yet there are myriad ways in which the two are intertwined, from the basics of music theory and the design of instruments to hi-fi systems and how the brain processes music.Science writer Andrew May traces the surprising connections between science and music, from the theory of sound waves to the way musicians use mathematical algorithms to create music.The most obvious impact of science on music can be seen in the way electronic technology has revolutionised how we create, record and listen to music. Technology has also provided new insights into the effects that different music has on the brain, to the extent that some algorithms can now predict our reactions with uncanny accuracy, which raises a worrying question: how long will it be before AI can create music on a par with humans?
£10.44
Ebury Publishing Earth from Space
Book SynopsisYou don't know home until you leave it. With over 200 spectacular images, including astonishing satellite images and stills from the BBC Natural History Unit’s footage, Earth from Space reveals our planet as you’ve never seen it before.For decades we competed to be the first to reach space, but it was when we looked back at Earth that we were truly awestruck. Now, for the first time, using advanced satellite images we can show the earth’s surface, its mega structures, weather patterns and natural wonders in breathtaking detail.From the colours and patterns that make up our planet to the mass migrations and seismic changes that shape it, Earth from Space sheds new light on the planet we call home. It reveals the intimate stories behind the breathtaking images, following herds of elephants crossing the plains of Africa and turtles travelling on ocean currents that are invisible unless seen from space. The true colours of our blue planet are revealed, from the striped tulip fields of Holland to the green swirl of a plankton super bloom that attracts a marine feeding frenzy. Whether it's the world’s largest beaver dam – so remote it was only discovered through satellite imagery – or newly formed islands born from volcanic eruptions, discover a new perspective on our ever-changing planet.
£28.00
Ebury Publishing 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter
Book SynopsisDid you know that mosquitoes' mouthparts are helping to develop pain-free surgical needles? Who'd have thought that the humble mussel could inspire so many useful things, from plywood production to a 'glue' that cements the crowns on teeth and saves unborn babies in the womb? How about the fact that studying the tiny kingfisher solved engineering problems with Japan's ultra-high-speed bullet train, or that the humpback whale's flipper helped design the most efficient blades for wind power turbines? For many years, humans have been using the natural world as inspiration for everything from fashion to architecture, and medicine to transport, and it may come as a surprise to learn how many inventions have been motivated by animal design and behaviour. Dive into the depths with us as author Patrick Aryee reveals even more astonishing stories about animals' exceptional powers and the unique contributions they've made to the quality of our everyday lives. Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations accompany his revelations and bring the natural world to life.
£15.29
Oneworld Publications Weirder Maths: At the Edge of the Possible
Book SynopsisEven the most enthusiastic of maths students probably at one time wondered when exactly it would all prove useful in ‘real life’. Well, maths reaches so far and wide through our world that, love it or hate it, we’re all doing maths almost every minute of every day. David Darling and Agnijo Banerjee go in search of the perfect labyrinth, journey back to the second century in pursuit of ‘bubble maths’, reveal the weirdest mathematicians in history and transform the bewildering into the beautiful, delighting us once again. Trade Review‘The brilliant combination of an accomplished science writer and a young mathematical prodigy has resulted in page after page that oozes enthusiasm, clarity and intrigue… A weird but truly wonderful read.’ -- Bobby Seagull, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Numbers and co-presenter of Monkman & Seagull’s Genius Guide to Britain‘A grand tour of the most exotic locations in the mathematical cosmos. Weirder Maths is exhilarating and entertaining, and will leave you with a wide-eyed appreciation of the world of numbers.’ -- Michael Brooks, author of 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense and The Quantum Astrologer’s Handbook
£9.49
Oneworld Publications The Spinning Magnet: The Force That Created the
Book SynopsisMany times through deep history Earth’s magnetic poles have switched places, leaving our planet’s protective shield weaker and life vulnerable to devastating solar storms. The last time it happened was 780,000 years ago, long before humans emerged, but it won’t be long until it happens again. And when it does, will it send us back to the Stone Age? The Spinning Magnet is a fascinating insight into what may lie ahead. From the pivotal discoveries of Victorian scientists to the possibility of solar radiation wiping out power grids, and the secrets of electromagnetism, Alanna Mitchell reveals the truth behind one of the most powerful forces in the universe.Trade Review‘Stokes the reader’s curiosity about one of the most critical but invisible forces in the universe.’ * BBC Sky at Night *‘Mitchell’s portrait gallery is researched with a depth and breadth that make its protagonists’ triumphs and failures compelling. She also gives entertaining accounts of today’s working geoscientists… Her interviews provide insights into their thoughts and actions that transcend the stereotypes of inscrutable nerd or heroic explorer.’ * Nature *‘The Earth’s magnetic field…tends to be taken for granted. In reality it’s a fickle, ill-understood phenomenon. Alanna Mitchell delves into the mystery, in an engrossing book that features a new surprise on every page.’ -- Sean Carroll, author of The Big Picture‘A fascinating untold story of science that is full of mystery and intrigue, and written with a great deal of style.’ -- Mark Miodownik, New York Times bestselling author of Stuff Matters, winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize‘A compelling yarn describing our historical efforts to understand the force that created the world, and as the subtitle warns, could bring about its end…Destined to become a classic of popular science.’ * E&T Magazine *‘Captivating scientific history…an invaluable contribution to the popular science shelf.’ * Booklist *‘A compelling tale of unseen and unforeseen natural forces – and a reminder that we’ve staked our home on a planet that remains infinitely strange, dangerous – and ever full of wonder.’ -- Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner’s Handbook‘In The Spinning Magnet, Alanna Mitchell pulls off the rare trifecta in science writing: an engrossing plot of a planetary mystery, authentic character portraits of scientists and their passion for their work, and explanations of complex physics in easily understandable terms.’ -- Sabine Stanley, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Applied Physics Lab, Johns Hopkins University‘Mitchell draws us into a spellbinding scientific detective story, told over the ages, as she nimbly explains magnetism’s role in everything that matters. Each chapter is filled with exciting new revelations written in clear crisp prose. A skilled writer, Mitchell puts magnetism on the map!’ -- Timothy J. Jorgensen, author of Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation, winner of the American Institute of Physics’ Science Communication Award
£9.49
Oneworld Publications The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger,
Book SynopsisIs the future of food looking bleak – or better than ever? At a time when every day brings news of drought and famine, Amanda Little investigates what it will take to feed a hotter, hungrier, more crowded world. She explores the past along with the present and discovers startling innovations: remote-control crops, vertical farms, robot weedkillers, lab-grown meat, 3D-printed meals, water networks run by supercomputers, cloud seeding and sensors that monitor the microclimate of individual plants. She meets the creative and controversial minds changing the face of modern food production, and tackles fears over genetic modification with hard facts. The Fate of Food is a fascinating look at the threats and opportunities that lie ahead as we struggle for food security. Faced with a perilous future, it gives us reason to hope.Trade Review‘Timely, positive, thought-provoking.’ * The Times *‘A riveting adventure story about a dire topic, but yet it somehow brims with optimism. Little travels around the world in hot pursuit of solutions, hell-bent on hope.’ -- Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘What we grow and how we eat are going to change radically over the next few decades. In The Fate of Food, Amanda Little takes us on a tour of the future. The journey is scary, exciting, and, ultimately, encouraging.’ -- Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction‘The challenge we face is not just to feed a more populous world, but to do this sustainably and equitably. Amanda Little brings urgency, intrigue and crack reporting to the story of our food future. Devour this book – it’s a narrative feast!’ -- Chef José Andrés, Nobel Peace Prize nominee‘How will we feed humanity in the era of climate change? Amanda Little tackles an immense topic with grit and optimism in this fast, fascinating read. A beautifully written triumph.’ -- John Kerry, former US Secretary of State‘Probably the most basic question humans ever ask is, “what’s for dinner?” Amanda Little – a superb reporter – helps us imagine what the answer will be as this tough century wears on. The stories she tells with such brio are food for thought and action.’ -- Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy‘This is a big, important book about feeding the world – but that’s not why you’ll read it. You’ll read The Fate of Food because it’s compulsively readable. Amanda Little takes you around the world and shows you things you never thought you’d be interested in, but now you can’t get enough. Desalination! Who knew? You’ll taste fish feed with her. You’ll get airsick with her. You’ll meet the strange, fascinating people who are solving some of the planet’s most pressing problems. And, in the end, her optimism will become your optimism. We can do this.’ -- Tamar Haspel, Washington Post columnist‘Necessity is the mother of invention, observed Plato. Amanda Little investigates how environmental and population pressures are spurring innovation on a grand scale – with perhaps higher stakes and longer odds than history has ever seen. This is a big, sweeping story told with heart and rigor, as ambitious as it is accessible.’ -- Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion‘Perhaps the greatest challenge of our century will be providing nutritious diets to 10 billion people without destroying what is left of the biosphere. Can we do it? Yes. But Amanda Little shows us that success will look nothing like today’s food system. The Fate of Food is spectacular. The stories are beautifully woven together and filled with curiosity, openness to new ideas, and compelling insights. This book is funny, smart, dogma-free, incredibly educational, and I think will end up being an enormously valuable contribution to the world.’ -- Samuel Myers, professor and principal researcher, Harvard University Center for the Environment
£10.44
Oneworld Publications Weirdest Maths: At the Frontiers of Reason
Book SynopsisMaths is everywhere, in everything. It’s in the finest margins of modern sport. It’s in the electrical pulses of our hearts and the flight of every bird. It is our key to secret messages, lost languages and perhaps even the shape of the universe of itself. David Darling and Agnijo Banerjee reveal the mathematics at the farthest reaches of our world – from its role in the plots of novels to how animals employ numerical skills to survive. Along the way they explore what makes a genius, why a seemingly simple problem can confound the best and brightest for decades, and what might be the great discovery of the twenty-first century. As Bertrand Russell once said, ‘mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty’. Banerjee and Darling make sure we see it right again.Trade Review‘The brilliant combination of an accomplished science writer and a young mathematical prodigy.’ -- Bobby Seagull, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Numbers and co-presenter of Monkman & Seagull’s Genius Guide to Britain
£9.49
Cornerstone Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Book Synopsis100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come? In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, palaeontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? Bold, wide-ranging and provocative, Sapiens challenges everything we thought we knew about being human: our thoughts, our actions, our power ... and our future.'Here is a simple reason why Sapiens has risen explosively to the ranks of an international bestseller. It tackles the biggest questions of history and of the modern world, and it is written in unforgettably vivid language. You will love it!' - Jared DiamondTrade ReviewI would recommend Sapiens to anyone who’s interested in the history and future of our species * Bill Gates *Interesting and provocative… It gives you a sense of how briefly we’ve been on this Earth * Barack Obama *Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last… It may be the best book I’ve ever read * Chris Evans *Tackles the biggest questions of history and the modern world… Written in unforgettably vivid language * Jared Diamond *Startling... It changes the way you look at the world * Simon Mayo *
£24.00
Quercus Publishing The Human Body in Minutes
Book SynopsisA concise and illuminating tour of the human body - learn about how our bodies work and why they work the way they do, in minutes. From the basic unit of the cell, through the tissues and organs that make up the body's systems, to how these systems work together to form a complete human being, this book takes you on a journey through our anatomy and its intricate workings - and looks beyond to explore human evolution, inheritence and genetics, human behaviour, disease, death and medicine and how technology will transform the body of the future.With 200 cutting-edge anatomical images, cross-sections and close-ups that detail and explain the brain, eye, heart, skin, skeleton, lung, kidney, ear, blood, liver, stomach, muscles, veins, arteries, DNA, chromosomes and all of the key features of our bodies, this is the perfect, easy reference to the anatomy, physiology and science of the human body.
£10.44
Atlantic Books The Equations of Life: How Physics Shapes
Book SynopsisBritain's foremost astrobiologist offers an accessible and game-changing account of why life is like it is.The puzzles of life astound and confuse us like no other mystery. But in this revolutionary new book, Charles Cockell reveals how nature is far more understandable and predictable than we think. Refining Darwin's theory of natural selection, Cockell puts forward a remarkable and elegant account of why evolution has taken the paths it has. From animals to atoms, he shows that is it not biology, but physics, which is the true touchstone for understanding life in all its extraordinary forms._______________An intriguing and enthralling adventure into the physics of life that is all around us and inside us. Cockell provides a reminder of the seeming rarity of all this beauty but also an invitation to look up to the skies and ask 'where else might something like this be?' - Robin Ince - Presenter of BBC Radio 4's Infinite Monkey CageRiveting... Cockell is not only a fine scientist but a fine writer too. - Sir Martin Rees - Astronomer Royal and former President of the Royal SocietyTrade ReviewRiveting... Cockell is not only a fine scientist but a fine writer too. * Sir Martin Rees – Astronomer Royal and former President of the Royal Society *An intriguing and enthralling adventure into the physics of life that is all around us and inside us. Cockell provides a reminder of the seeming rarity of all this beauty but also an invitation to look up to the skies and ask 'where else might something like this be?' * Robin Ince – Presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Infinite Monkey Cage *Magisterial and collegial, this may be the biology book of the year * Booklist *Fascinating . . . Cockell offers surprising insights * Sean Carroll, author of The Particle at the End of the Universe *An invaluable guide... Life is generally described as a matter of contingency: what we find in nature is the result of countless historical accidents. In The Equations of Life, Charles Cockell provides an important counterbalance to that picture. * Philip Ball, author of Critical Mass *A lucid, provocative argument that the dazzling variety of organisms produced by 4 billion years of evolution may seem unbounded, but all follow universal laws. * Kirkus *Enlightening and entertaining... Whether on this third rock from the Sun or another planet in a far-distant galaxy, creatures should share forms and behaviours shaped by the forces of natural selection and the fundamental laws of physics that reign throughout the universe. * Lee Billings, author of Five Billion Years of Solitude *Fascinating. A profound exploration of the deep nexus between physics and biology. * Andreas Wagner, professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Zürich and author of Arrival of the Fittest *
£10.44
Atlantic Books Hollywood Wants to Kill You: The Peculiar Science
Book Synopsis'A wonderful book... Delightfully varied... As with all the best science writing, this book doesn't just give answers, it also asks interesting questions.' Daily Mail'Captivating and intelligent! Who knew death could be this much fun?' Richard OsmanAsteroids, killer sharks, nuclear bombs, viruses, deadly robots, climate change, the apocalypse - why is Hollywood so obsessed with death and the end of the world? And how seriously should we take the dystopian visions of our favourite films? With wit, intelligence and irreverence, Rick Edwards and Dr Michael Brooks explore the science of death and mass destruction through some of our best-loved Hollywood blockbusters. From Armageddon and Dr Strangelove to The Terminator and Contagion, they investigate everything from astrophysics to AI, with hilarious and captivating consequences. Packed with illustrations, fascinating facts and numerous spoilers, Hollywood Wants to Kill You is the perfect way into the science of our inevitable demise.Trade ReviewA wonderful book... Delightfully varied... As with all the best science writing, this book doesn't just give answers, it also asks interesting questions. * Daily Mail *A witty and informative look at how Hollywood kills us off. As a film buff and scientist I love this book. * Maggie Aderin-Pocock, space scientist and presenter of The Sky at Night *Great fun and makes you feel a hundred times cleverer. * Charlie Higson, actor, comedian, and bestselling author *Explores everything from the ins and outs of black holes (Interstellar) to artificial intelligence (Ex Machina)... Edwards and Brooks don't take themselves too seriously and their cartoon heads pop up throughout deconstructing the films wittily while explaining the underlying science simply. * Sunday Times on Science(ish) *Deeply funny, academically accomplished, and unfalteringly engaging. Entertaining as it may be, it's difficult to escape the fact that Edwards and Brooks have just made the world of popular science much harder work for the rest of us. * Ben Miller - comedian and author of It’s Not Rocket Science on Science(ish) *Chirpy [and] bantering. * Strong Words *Table of Contents1: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH A VIRUS! 2: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH ASTEROIDS! 3: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH PREDATORS! 4: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH ROBOTS! 5: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH INFERTILITY! 6: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH CLIMATE CHANGE! 7: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH INSOMNIA! 8: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH PLANTS! 9: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH OLD AGE! 10: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON! 11: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH DEATH!
£10.44
Verso Books Space Forces: A Critical History of Life in Outer
Book SynopsisMany societies have imagined going to live in space. What they want to do once they get up there - whether conquering the unknown, establishing space "colonies," privatising the moon's resources - reveals more than expected. In this fascinating radical history of space exploration, Fred Scharmen shows that often science and fiction have combined in the imagined dreams of life in outer space, but these visions have real implications for life back on earth.For the Russian Cosmists of the 1890s space was a place to pursue human perfection away from the Earth. For others, such as Wernher Von Braun, it was an engineering task that combined, in the Space Race, the Cold War, and during World War II, with destructive geopolitics. Arthur C Clark in his speculative books offered an alternative vision of wonder that is indifferent to human interaction. Meanwhile NASA planned and managed the space station like an earthbound corporation. Today, the market has arrived into outer space and exploration is the plaything of superrich technology billionaires, who plan to privatise the mineral wealth for themselves. Are other worlds really possible?Bringing these figures and ideas together reveals a completely different story of our relationship with outer space, as well as the dangers of our current direction of extractive capitalism and colonisation.Trade ReviewIntricately dissects seven foundational visions of humanity's future in space, from some of the most well-known and prolific engineers, thinkers, entrepreneurs, and science fiction writers in history. Scharmen's keen eye for structures and systems lets him tease out the common threads of conquest, domination, hope, and fear that drive us towards the stars. -- Erika Nesvold, Co-founder of JustSpace AllianceAn episodic history of space exploration through the eyes of an architect focusing, not in the concept of conquer and dominion, but in the flawed yet captivating desire to reinvent life anew. Fred Scharmen brilliantly navigates through stories of inventing worlds, multidimensional and a-hierarchical, lingering between reality and fiction -- Lydia Kallipoliti, Author of The Architecture of Closed WorldsAs if from a vantage point somewhere in the endangered atmosphere, Space Force reflects back a sense of what humans are so far by telling stories about their dreams of space travel. Mixed with their eccentric curiosities is their desire to make colonized property out of everything, their racist depravity, their clanking apparatus of national sovereignty, their extractivist hoarding, and their feverish dreams of capital accumulation. These are the little heroes of this little planet busy pursuing their rational plans to dominate it and those who might repair it -- Keller Easterling, author of Medium DesignIn this season of billionaires fleeing, however briefly, up the gravity well, we desperately need a knowledgeable guide to the human exploration of space, the choices it confronts us with, and what it portends for those of us left behind. Fred Scharmen is that guide. His brilliant new Space Forces makes it clear that if space is the place, it's not one that's different from Earth, and if and when we venture there for keeps, it's ourselves that we'll find there. -- Adam Greenfield, author of Radical TechnologiesWhenever I get to read something by Fred Scharmen, I know I'm in for a weird and fascinating ride. Space Forces is no exception. -- Ingrid Burrington, author of Networks of New YorkThe inhabitants of the red planet zoom around in a hyperloop and their leader is called - yes, really - The Elon. This, along with an insane amount of other brilliant nuggets, features in Scharmen's lively history of space exploration as a colonial and, ultimately, architectural project. -- Edwin Heathcote * Financial Times *Scharmen pulls off the delicate balancing act between the specific and the general with a skill that never lets the reader see the effort that goes into it. -- Rick Cousins * Science Fiction Studies *By touching on the development of contrasting views of how practical space flight was developed across seven distinct time periods, Scharmen lays the threads of how we got here out in perfect clarity. -- Jonathan Hilburg * Architect's Newspaper *
£16.14
Headline Publishing Group Contagion: Plagues, Pandemics and Cures from the
Book SynopsisAs the outbreak of a new and deadly form of coronavirus dominates headlines and triggers fear and global recession, now is a good time to reflect on the history and science of transmissible diseases. Behind every disease is a story, from the natural history of the disease and its course in the individual, to the tale of the disease's description, discovery and treatment. From the impact of tuberculosis on English dynastic history to the makeup of our DNA; from the deadliest plagues of the ancient world to twenty-first century pandemics; and from the ravages of the Black Death to the discovery of antibodies, transmissible diseases have an incredible variety of tales to tell. Contagion explores some of the most notorious, grisly, and pernicious communicable diseases in history, revealing their hidden stories. In addition to discussing their symptoms, causes, prevention, and treatment, Richard Gunderman also discusses their impact on notable figures in history, from soldiers to monarchs; the extraordinary contributions of the scientists and physicians who battled them; as well as their impacts on world history and human evolution. Here are the exploits of Edward Jenner, who invented the first vaccine; John Snow, the first person to study disease scientifically; Louis Pasteur, who established the germ theory of infection, along with a myriad other remarkable stories in the never ending struggle between humanity and disease. The narrative is brought right up to date with the desperate battle to stem the Covid-19 pandemic and discover a vaccine. Renowned medical expert Dr Richard Gunderman shows how disease has shaped the evolution of our species and, if we don't take the proper steps, may yet threaten our very existence on this planet. Table of ContentsPredictions of the Conquest of Infectious Disease Were Premature • Agents of infectious disease • Infectious Disease and Natural Selection • The Great Plague of Athens • Ancient Views of Health and Disease • Boccaccio and the Black Death • Smallpox and the Conquest of the Aztecs • Leeuwenhoek and the World of the Very Small • Edward Jenner and the Tiny Prick • Smallpox Inoculation and the American Founding • Tuberculosis, the Persistent Killer • John Snow, Founder of Epidemiology • Robert Koch and His Radical Postulates • Ignaz Semmelweis, Prophet of Handwashing • Joseph Lister, Microbe Killer • Florence Nightingale, the 'Lady with the Lamp' • Louis Pasteur, Titan of Infectious Disease • Max Pettenkofer: The Good Consequences of Erroneous Ideas • Malaria and the World's Deadliest Animal • Spanish Flu: History's Deadliest Pandemic • Diseases of the Night: STIs • Penicillin, the 'Magic Bullet' • Eradication of Infectious Diseases • HIV/AIDS and the Retroviruses • An Early Warning: SARS and Ebola • Coronavirus Castaways • Infectious Disease: The Road Ahead.
£14.24
Headline Publishing Group Deep Time: A journey through 4.5 billion years of
Book SynopsisDeep time is the timescale of the geological events that have shaped our planet. Whilst so immense as to challenge human understanding, its evidence is nonetheless visible all around us. Through explanations of the latest research and over 200 fascinating images, Deep Time explores this evidence, from the visible layers in ancient rock to the hiss of static on the radio, and from fossilized shark's teeth to underwater forests. These relics of ancient epochs, many of which we can see and touch today, connect our present to the distant past and answer broader questions about our place in the timeline of the Earth.Charting 4.5 billion years of geological history, this is the story of our world, from its birth to the dawn of civilization. Table of ContentsEarly Life • Neutrinos • Static • Baryon acoustic oscillations • The Hubble deep fields • Supernova 1997ff • Star clusters • The Wold Cottage meteorite • The missing nuclides • Moon rock • The Canyon Diablo meteorite • Zircons • Impossible lifeforms • The Allan Hills Martian meteorite • Boltwood's uraninite • Acaster gneiss • Stromatolites • Hintze Hall Pilbara iron rock • Snowball Earth • Detrital uraninite • The Grand Canyon - and more.
£21.25
Royal Society of Chemistry More Molecules of Murder
Book SynopsisHow can a plant as beautiful as the foxglove be so deadly and yet for more than a century be used to treat heart disease? The same is true of other naturally occurring molecules as will be revealed in this current book by award-winning author and chemist, John Emsley. More Molecules of Murder follows on from his highly-acclaimed earlier book Molecules of Murder, and again it deals with 14 potential poisons; seven of which are man-made and seven of which are natural. It investigates the crimes committed with them, not from the point of view of the murderers, their victims, or the detectives, but from the poison used. In so doing it throws new light on how these crimes were carried out and ultimately how the perpetrators were uncovered and brought to justice. Each chapter starts by looking at the target molecule itself, its discovery, its chemistry, its often-surprising use in medicine, its effects on the human body, and its toxicology. The rest of the chapter is devoted to murders and attempted murders in which it has been used. But, be reassured that murder by poison is not the threat it once was, thanks to laws which restrict access to such materials and to the skills of analytical chemists in detecting their presence in incredibly tiny amounts.Trade ReviewA fascinating book, which I thoroughly recommend. -- Dr Simon Cotton, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Birmingham * Chemistry & Industry, Issue 4, Reviews, More Posions *The book is aimed at the general reader and it fulfils this objective in an informative, clear and well-written style. The book will be of interest to those who enjoy crime novels, a number of which are mentioned in the text. Indeed the book could be a handbook for the crime writer. -- James Hanson * Science Progress, Volume 101, Number 2, June 2018, pp. 205-205(1) *Table of ContentsEthylene Glycol for Antifreeze and Loved Ones; Oxalic Acid and Murders in Manila and Liverpool; Acrylamide in Fried Foods and in Auckland; Difenacoum, Amitriptyline and York; Temazepam and the Man with a Murderous Plan; Potassium Chloride: Essential to Life Yet Deadly; Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine, a Mouthful Best Avoided; Gelsemine and Cat Meat Stew; Strychnine and Cream; Digitalis and a Mysterious Death in Verona in 1329; Curare and the Psychopathic Surgeon from Argentina; Aconitine and Wimbledon; Cantharidin and Spanish Fly; Hemlock at the End of it All
£17.99
Profile Books Ltd Words Fail Us: In Defence of Disfluency
Book Synopsis'TIMELY' David Mitchell 'MOVING ... REMARKABLE' SUNDAY TIMES 'ONE OF THOSE RARE BOOKS I HADN'T REASLISED I'D BEEN WAITING FOR UNTIL I READ IT.' Owen Sheers 'OPEN-MINDED, THOUGHTFUL AND WISE... A LIBERATING BOOK' Colm Toibin In an age of polished TED talks and overconfident political oratory, success seems to depend upon charismatic public speaking. But what if hyper-fluency is not only unachievable but undesirable? Jonty Claypole spent fifteen years of his life in and out of extreme speech therapy. From sessions with child psychologists to lengthy stuttering boot camps and exposure therapies, he tried everything until finally being told the words he'd always feared: 'We can't cure your stutter.' Those words started him on a journey towards not only making peace with his stammer but learning to use it to his advantage. Here, Jonty argues that our obsession with fluency could be hindering, rather than helping, our creativity, authenticity and persuasiveness. Exploring other speech conditions, such as aphasia and Tourette's, and telling the stories of the 'creatively disfluent' - from Lewis Carroll to Kendrick Lamar - Jonty explains why it's time for us to stop making sense, get tongue tied and embrace the life-changing power of inarticulacy.Trade ReviewA moving study of stuttering...remarkable -- Helen Davies * Sunday Times *Words Fail Us is a deep dive into disfluency, exploring its history, its science, its politics and its profile in a fluency-obsessed world. Jonty Claypole's book is timely, thoughtful, rich in fact and personal anecdote, and looks to a more enlightened, speech-diverse future. -- David MitchellComprehensive, open-minded, thoughtful and wise ... a liberating book. -- Colm ToibinWords Fail Us is one of those rare books - a piece of writing and thinking I hadn't realised I'd been waiting for until I read it. In this thoughtful and moving exploration of disfluency Jonty Claypole has written both a wonderfully engaging study on the history, causes and societal perceptions of speech disorders and an acutely argued call to arms, not just for the wider acceptance of communication diversity but also for an embracing of the creativity and originality of thought it can inspire. -- Owen SheersHumane, thought-provoking, and rich in experiential detail. * Guardian *I would recommend [Words Fail Us] to any fluent person trying to understand the tribulations of disfluency, and to any disfluent person who feels that he or she is enduring them alone ... Kendrick Lamar, Lewis Carroll, Somerset Maugham and Henry James are just a few of the writers whose stammers Claypole believes enriched their work. In Words Fail Us he has given us another instance of this fine tradition. * The Times *Claypole, who has a stutter, argues that pathological "disfluencies" should instead be understood and - the more radical claim - celebrated. Claypole thinks it is no coincidence that some of the greatest verbal artists - Henry James, Kendrick Lamar - have struggled with speech. The book doubles as a polemic against fluency: by unlearning our reflexive reverence for it, we can appreciate our disfluencies, and the "diversity and innovation they bring to human thought and language". * New Statesman *Incredibly valuable, and a noteworthy addition to the bookshelves of any speech-language pathologist, graduate student, researcher, or human being who would like to broaden their perspective of the power of the full spectrum of language. * Journal of Fluency Disorders *
£9.49
Profile Books Ltd Hybrid Humans: Dispatches from the Frontiers of
Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 BARBELLION PRIZE* *A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week* As seen on Sky Arts Book Club with Elizabeth Day and Andi Oliver An eye-opening account of disability, identity, and how robotics and technology are changing what it means to be human - from the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Soldier Harry Parker's life changed overnight, when he lost his legs to an IED in Afghanistan. That took him into an often surprising landscape of a very human kind of hacking, and he wondered, are all humans becoming hybrids? Parker introduces us to the exhilarating breadth of human invention - and intervention. Grappling with his own new identity and disability, he discovers the latest robotics, tech and implants that might lead us to powerful, liberating possibilities for what a body can be. 'I loved Hybrid Humans. A way of looking at the future without nostalgia for the past' - Jeanette WintersonTrade ReviewFascinating ... Parker's writing is elegant and often lyrical ... As someone who has lived as a "hybrid" for more than a decade, Parker never forgets the realities of everyday life, which encompass both pain and beauty. This may be a tour of the scientific avant garde, but the focus is always on the human heart and mind -- Book of the Day * Observer *Harry Parker has explored the cutting edge of interaction between humanity, computing and AI ... a captivating and cautionary travel guide to a new world -- Gavin Francis, author of Adventures in Human BeingI loved Hybrid Humans. It is modest, wise ... and a way of looking at the future without nostalgia for the past -- Jeanette WintersonA terrific writer -- Elizabeth DayHybrid Hymans is an argument for the work of salvage ... The cracks - the brokenness intimating precarity and mortality - create value and even beauty, as well as ways to connect with others * Times Literary Supplement *Absorbing ... Parker takes us on a tour of the weird and wonderful world where man and machine meet * Daily Mail *
£9.49
Hay House UK Ltd Bliss Brain: The Neuroscience of Remodelling Your
Book SynopsisAward Winner in the Science category of the 2020 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book FestAward-winning author and thought leader Dawson Church, Ph.D., blends cutting-edge neuroscience with intense firsthand experience to show you how you can rewire your brain for happiness-starting right now.Neural plasticity-the discovery that the brain is capable of rewiring itself-is now widely understood. But what few people have grasped yet is how quickly this is happening, how extensive brain changes can be, and how much control each of us has over the process.In Bliss Brain, famed researcher Dawson Church digs deep into leading-edge science, and finds stunning evidence of rapid and radical brain change. In just eight weeks of practice, 12 minutes a day, using the right techniques, we can produce measurable changes in our brains. These make us calmer, happier, and more resilient.When we cultivate these pleasurable states over time, they become traits. We don't just feel more blissful as a temporary state; the changes are literally hard-wired into our brains, becoming stable and enduring personality traits.The startling conclusions of Church's research show that neural remodeling goes much farther than scientists have previously understood, with stress circuits shriveling over time. Simultaneously, "The Enlightenment Circuit"-associated with happiness, compassion, productivity, creativity, and resilience-expands.During deep meditation, Church shows how "the 7 neurochemicals of ecstasy" are released in our brains. These include anandamide, a neurotransmitter that's been named "the bliss molecule" because it mimics the effects of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. It boosts serotonin and dopamine; the first is an analog of psilocybin, the second of cocaine. He shows how cultivating these elevated emotional states literally produces a self-induced high.While writing Bliss Brain, Church went through a series of disasters, including escaping seconds ahead of a California wildfire that consumed his home and office and claimed 22 lives. The fire triggered a painful medical condition and a financial disaster. Through it all, Church steadily practiced the techniques of Bliss Brain while teaching them to thousands of other people. This book weaves his story of resilience into the fabric of neuroscience, producing a fascinating picture of just how happy we can make our brains, no matter what the odds.
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC What Do Animals Think and Feel?
Book SynopsisIn What Do Animals Think and Feel?, the biologist Karsten Brensing has something astonishing to tell us about the animal kingdom: namely that animals, by any reasonable assessment, have developed the sophisticated systems of social organization and behaviour that human beings call 'culture'. Dolphins call one another by name and orcas inhabit a culture that is over 700,000 years old. Chimpanzees wage strategic warfare, while bonobos delight in dirty talk. Ravens enjoy snowboarding on snow-covered roofs, and snails like to spin on hamster exercise wheels. Humped-back whales follow the dictates of fashion and rats are dedicated party animals. Ants recognize themselves in mirrors and spruce themselves up before they return home. Ducklings can pass complicated tests in abstract thinking. Dogs punish disloyalty, though they are also capable of forgiveness if you apologize to them. Brensing draws on the latest scientific findings as well as his own experience working with animals, to reveal a world of behavioural and cognitive sophistication that is remarkably similar to our own.Trade ReviewA very exciting read * General-Anzeiger, Bonn *Brensing is [...] an idealist, committed to the coexistence of humans and animals * Mitteldeutsche Zeitung *Brensing shows impressively that there is no reason to deny animals an inner life of pain, fear, grief and joy * Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung *
£9.49
Reaktion Books Mercury
Book SynopsisThe last of the five naked-eye planets discovered in ancient times, Mercury has long been an elusive, enigmatic world. As seen from the Earth, it never emerges far from the Sun, and astronomers in the telescopic era found it challenging to work out such basic data as its rotation period, the inclination of its axis, and whether or not it possessed an atmosphere. In this up-to-date and beautifully illustrated volume, William Sheehan brings our understanding of the planet into clear focus. He deftly traces the history from the earliest observations right up to the most recent explorations using radar and spacecraft. The planet has been surveyed in great detail, revealing vast volcanic plains, water-ice deposits in craters near the poles, and a remarkable core having the highest iron content of any body of the Solar System. A fascinating world in its own right, Mercury also holds important clues for scientists attempting to better understand the origin and evolution of the Earth.
£22.50
Reaktion Books Mars
Book SynopsisMars is a small world with a big reputation. This mysterious planet - with volcanoes that dwarf Mount Everest, a canyon system that would stretch fully across the USA and curious landscapes that may support life - has fascinated us for centuries. In the most up-to-date account available of the elusive `Red Planet', Stephen James O'Meara follows our longstanding love affair with this bewildering world, from the musings of humanity's first stargazers, to the imaginings of science-fiction writers and film-makers, to the latest images and discoveries from orbiting spacecraft and robotic rovers. The book also reviews plans for piloted missions to Mars, and what it will take for those missions to succeed.Trade Review"Presenting the red planet in both fact as well as the many fictions in which it has been featured, and including some of the most up-to-date discoveries from the information collected by the Curiosity rover, this forthcoming book should be of interest to both dedicated astronomers as well as the simply martially curious alike."-- "Well-Read Naturalist"Table of Contents1 Communion with Mars 2 The `Miniature of Our Earth' 3 Romancing Mars 4 The First Emissaries to Mars 5 Lifting the Curse at Mars 6 Scouting Out Humanity's Next Home 7 Mars: Our Home Away from Home? 8 The Lilliputian Moons of Mars 9 Observing Mars Appendix I: Mars Oppositions, 2020-35 Appendix II: Mars Fact Sheet Appendix III: Mars Missions References Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index
£22.50
Reaktion Books Dragons' Teeth and Thunderstones: The Quest for
Book SynopsisFor at least half a million years, people have been doing some very strange things with fossils. Long before a few 17th-century minds started to decipher their true, organic nature, fossils had been eaten, dropped in goblets of wine, buried with the dead, adorned on bodies and even used to try and cause harm. What triggered such curious behaviour was the belief, passed down from prehistoric to Medieval times, that some fossils could cure illness, protect against being poisoned, ease the passage into the afterlife, ward off evil spirits and even kill those who were just plain annoying. But above all, to our early prehistoric ancestors living hundreds of thousands of years ago, fossils were the very stuff of artistic inspiration. Drawing on archaeology, mythology and folklore, Kenneth McNamara takes you on a journey through prehistory with these strange and curious stones, and explores humankind's unending quest for the meaning of fossils.Trade Review"McNamara opens window after window on the use and interpretation of fossils by different cultures from Ireland to Australia over the millennia and up to the present. Through the strange medieval mythologies of dragons' teeth, stone swallows, toadstones, thunderstones, snakestones, and devil's toenails, an even more ancient tradition is uncovered."--Douglas Palmer, author of A History of Earth in 100 Groundbreaking Discoveries
£18.00
Reaktion Books The Greatest Adventure: A History of Human Space
Book SynopsisThe space race was perhaps the greatest technological contest of the 20th century. It was a thrilling era of innovation, discovery and exploration, as astronauts and cosmonauts were launched on space missions of increasing length, complexity and danger. The Greatest Adventure traces the events of this extraordinary period, describing the initial string of Soviet achievements: the first satellite in orbit; the first animal, man and woman in space; the first spacewalk; as well as the ultimate US victory in the race to land on the moon. The book then takes the reader on a journey through the following decades of space exploration to the present time, detailing the many successes, tragedies, risks and rewards of space exploration.Trade Review‘A fresh, crisp, and insightful chronicle. Burgess wings the reader through humankind’s initial, sometimes faltering, journeys into outer space; and our first footprints on another world. But these were just the start. Strap in! From these beginnings mankind personally touches the Kosmos in its Greatest Adventure.’ – Charles D. Walker, engineer, corporate executive, and first commercial industry astronaut on Space Shuttle missions STS-41D, STS-51D, and STS-61B
£22.50
Reaktion Books Uranus and Neptune
Book SynopsisThe most distant planets in our solar system, Uranus and Neptune were unknown by the ancients – Uranus was discovered in the 1780s and Neptune only in the 1840s. Our discovery and observation of both planets has been hampered by their sheer distance from Earth: there has only been one close encounter, Voyager 2 in the late 1980s. The Voyager mission revealed many enticing details about the planets and their moons, but also left many more questions unanswered. This book is an informative and accessible introduction to Uranus, Neptune and their moons. It takes the reader on a journey from discovery to the most recent observations made from space- and ground-based telescopes, and will appeal to amateur and professional astronomers alike.
£22.50
Reaktion Books Jupiter
Book SynopsisNow available in paperback, this beautifully illustrated volume ranges across the entire history of Jupiter studies, from the naked-eye observations of the Babylonians and the Greeks, through the telescopic discoveries of Galileo and T.E.R. Phillips, to the explosion of information received from space probes. It brings our understanding of Jupiter right up to date and includes preliminary findings from the Juno space probe, while also providing valuable practical information for those who wish to make their own observations of the planet. Introducing planetary science in an accessible and engaging way, Jupiter will appeal to those who wish to have a better understanding of this magnificent planet and its unique place in the solar system.Trade Review'The scope of this book is very wide-ranging, including chapters on ancient observations of Jupiter, the origin and structure of the planet, features in its atmosphere, its satellites and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts. It also features results from spacecraft – including some initial results from the current Juno mission . . . well written and easy to follow. It is also well illustrated, with numerous colour and blackand-white illustrations. There are a number of spacecraft images, plus amateur images and drawings . . . I enjoyed reading the book and it provides a good overview of the Jovian system for a general reader.' – Journal of the British Astronomical Association; 'In this superbly researched and illustrated guide to the giant planet, the authors have trawled through centuries of humanity's archives for documentation of Jupiter, looking for engaging ways to explain what astronomers know about the planet, and how they found out . . . the illustrations are exceptional, reproducing one archive gem after another . . . reading this comprehensive primer on Jupiter – and on planetary astronomy itself – is as enlightening as it is thoroughly enjoyable.' – BBC Sky at Night Magazine; 'The gas giant planet Jupiter, with its red spot and ever-changing meteorology, has fascinated human curiosity since as far back as records exist thousands of years ago. William Sheehan and Thomas Hockey add to the Kosmos series of books exploring our Solar System and beyond by looking not only at the historical and cultural context of Jupiter’s continued significance but also by exploring its parts, from its atmosphere and weather patterns, to its rings and moons. They present the knowledge accumulated from the earliest observations by Galileo to the Juno mission’s latest discoveries' – Nature Astronomy; 'a glossy coffee-table title, packed with more than 100 images and illustrations. The opening chapters do a good job in tackling the birth of the solar system and all the Jovian planets; describing how they formed; before delving into Jupiter itself, layer by layer, from atmosphere to core . . . Sheehan and Hockey’s language is clear . . . the book is well-paced . . . a useful and practical planetary-science primer', – Physics World; 'For more about the largest planet in our solar system, check out the beautiful hardcover book Jupiter by William Sheehan and Thomas Hockey, from the Kosmos series. We handpick reading recommendations we think you may like' – Curiosity.com; 'This book is especially strong on a survey of amateur observations of Jupiter, and for that reason alone it is a useful addition to the literature.', Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage
£18.00
Reaktion Books Simulating the Cosmos: Why the Universe Looks the
Book SynopsisSimulating the Cosmos is a behind-the-scenes look into one of the hottest and fastest-moving areas of astrophysics today: simulations of cosmology and galaxy formation, which illustrate how everything we see in the universe arose out of the primordial soup of the Big Bang. Leading cosmologist Romeel Davé guides you through the trials and tribulations of what it takes to put the universe into a computer, the amazing new insights revealed by cosmological simulations, and the many mysteries yet to be solved. This rollicking and extraordinary journey is a rare glimpse into science in action, showing how cosmologists are using the laws of physics and supercomputers to uncover the secrets of why the universe looks the way it does."
£15.15
Reaktion Books Wind: Nature and Culture
Book SynopsisBy turns creative and destructive, wind spreads seeds, fills sails and disperses the energy of the sun. Worshipped since antiquity, wind has moulded planets, decided the outcome of innumerable battles and shaped the evolution of humans and animals – yet it remains intangible and unpredictable. In this book Louise M. Pryke explores the science behind wind, as well as how it has been imagined and portrayed in myth, religion, art and literature since ancient times. Its formative effect on the Earth’s environment is reflected in its prominent role in myths and religions of antiquity. In the modern day, wind has inspired ground-breaking scientific innovations, and appeared in artistic works as diverse as the art of Van Gogh, the poetry of Keats and the blockbuster film Twister.
£16.10
Reaktion Books Stones: A Material and Cultural History
Book SynopsisFrom small beach pebbles to huge megaliths, stones have been revered, collected, enhanced, sculpted or engraved for practical and artistic purposes throughout the ages. They have been used to delineate boundaries and to build homes and shelters, and utilized for cooking, games and competitions. This surprising and fascinating compendium of stone facts, myths and stories reveals the impact and importance of stones in our history and culture. Cally Oldershaw introduces the science in an accessible way and covers the aesthetic appeal of stones, their practical uses and metaphysical properties. With an eclectic mix of examples from the Stone Age to the present, Stones engagingly excavates the story of this essential matter.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Geology and the Science of Stones Chapter 1: Stone Tools, Weapons, Implements and Building Stones Chapter 2: Testimony in Stone Chapter 3: Stones and the Creative Mind Chapter 4: Medicinal, Health and Healing Stones Chapter 5: Collectors, Collections and Collecting Stones Appendix: Starting Your Collection References Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index
£22.50
Troubador Publishing Drowning by Accident: Why So Many People Drown
Book SynopsisDrowning By Accident explains why it is so easy to drown, where accidents happen, and how to save lives by early rescue and resuscitation. More than 600 people die by drowning in Britain every year. Swimming is promoted as a particularly safe form of exercise, so that swimmers forget or ignore the dangers of frigid lakes, swollen rivers, incoming tides or outgoing rip currents. Drowning accidents take place because we don't recognise water as a hostile environment. We overestimate the strength and endurance of our bodies and underestimate the power and deceptiveness of water. Year after year, victims lose their lives in typical drowning accidents, often sinking so quickly and silently that nearby family, friends and onlookers fail to notice the tragedy taking place close beside them. Babies drown in baths. Toddlers drown in garden ponds. School children fall off rafts. Teenagers strike too far from the shore. Pensioners wade into rivers to save their dogs. Victims often die within minutes of sinking beneath the surface. A quarter of those who reach hospital alive will also die, while others survive with severe permanent brain damage. This means that it is vitally important for parents, grandparents, teachers, lifeguards and lawmakers to recognise the risks and prevent drowning accidents before they take place.
£11.69
World Scientific Europe Ltd Man Versus Microbe: What Will It Take To Win?
Book SynopsisThe COVID-19 pandemic that swept the planet in the early 2020s killed more than six million, delivered unimaginable human suffering and $22 trillion in lost global growth. We weren't prepared and should have been.Unraveling the secrets of microbes, an invisible parallel universe of tiny life forms all around us, is central to managing the big twenty-first-century challenges of pandemics, bioterrorism, food security and climate change. Scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs and political leaders are racing to decode this biological realm with powerful new tools to extend human lifespans and make the world safer and more prosperous. Yet such technologies need to be handled with care. The price of getting this wrong will be unbearable.Man Versus Microbe is about humanity's competitive, symbiotic and precarious relationship with the microbial world. Brian Bremner (Senior Executive Editor, Bloomberg) offers a book on the exhilarating fields of synthetic biology and genetics, abundant with material on emerging technologies to deepen one's understanding of how virus hunters chase bugs or how geneticists unlock the workings of a microbe's constituent DNA. This book is for readers who want to learn more about humanity's fight to contain future pandemics and better understand the risks and opportunities of living in the world of microbes. After navigating through a disruptive pandemic, we are all amateur epidemiologists now.
£23.75
World Scientific Europe Ltd Reinvention Of Science, The: Slaying The Dragons
Book SynopsisThroughout the history of science, different thinkers, philosophers and scientists postulated the existence of entities that, in spite of their not being visible or detectable in their time, or perhaps ever, were nevertheless useful to explain the real world. We started this book by looking at a handful of these entities. These included phlogiston to account for fire; the luminiferous ether for propagation of radiation; the homunculus to provide for heredity; and crystalline spheres to carry the wandering planets around the earth. Many of these erroneous beliefs had held up progress, just as dragons drawn on the edges of a map discouraged exploration. This pattern of science evolution continued through the centuries up to the present day.The book evolved into a more extensive history of how science evolved through controversy, suppression, and the desire to maintain the status quo. Our story passes from the Babylonians and Greeks through the middle ages, the renaissance and the scientific revolution to almost current events. We discuss the evolution of our world, the controversy about the extinction of dinosaurs, and open questions in contemporary science such as dark matter, black holes and the origin of the Universe, including how we understand the subatomic world of elementary particles.Most of the chapters deal with astronomy, cosmology and physics, but there are brief ventures into geosciences (continental drift), biosciences (the homunculus), atmospheric physics (Heaviside layer), paleontology (the extinction of dinosaurs), and computer science (artificial intelligence). The authors present a sequence of how mistakes and fallacies have been purged from our quest to understand nature. The way these changes have come about are skillfully set in their relevant historical contexts.
£72.00
World Scientific Europe Ltd Reinvention Of Science, The: Slaying The Dragons
Book SynopsisThroughout the history of science, different thinkers, philosophers and scientists postulated the existence of entities that, in spite of their not being visible or detectable in their time, or perhaps ever, were nevertheless useful to explain the real world. We started this book by looking at a handful of these entities. These included phlogiston to account for fire; the luminiferous ether for propagation of radiation; the homunculus to provide for heredity; and crystalline spheres to carry the wandering planets around the earth. Many of these erroneous beliefs had held up progress, just as dragons drawn on the edges of a map discouraged exploration. This pattern of science evolution continued through the centuries up to the present day.The book evolved into a more extensive history of how science evolved through controversy, suppression, and the desire to maintain the status quo. Our story passes from the Babylonians and Greeks through the middle ages, the renaissance and the scientific revolution to almost current events. We discuss the evolution of our world, the controversy about the extinction of dinosaurs, and open questions in contemporary science such as dark matter, black holes and the origin of the Universe, including how we understand the subatomic world of elementary particles.Most of the chapters deal with astronomy, cosmology and physics, but there are brief ventures into geosciences (continental drift), biosciences (the homunculus), atmospheric physics (Heaviside layer), paleontology (the extinction of dinosaurs), and computer science (artificial intelligence). The authors present a sequence of how mistakes and fallacies have been purged from our quest to understand nature. The way these changes have come about are skillfully set in their relevant historical contexts.
£42.75
Swift Press Never Mind the B#Ll*Cks, Here's the Science: A
Book SynopsisA number one Irish bestseller, and winner of the Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the Irish Book AwardsIn this fascinating and thought-provoking book, Professor Luke O'Neill grapples with life's biggest questions and tells us what science has to say about them.Covering topics from global pandemics to gender, addiction to euthanasia, Luke O'Neill's easy wit and clever pop-culture references deconstruct the science to make complex questions accessible. Arriving at science's definitive answers to some of the most controversial topics human beings have to grapple with, Never Mind the B#ll*ocks, Here''s the Science is a celebration of science and hard facts in a time of fake news and sometimes unhelpful groupthink.''A celebration of scientific fact in an era characterised by nebulous subjectivity'' Irish Times
£9.49
Flame Tree Publishing Special & General Relativity (Concise Edition)
Book SynopsisA new, popular edition with a clear introduction, Special & General Relativity by Albert Einstein contains his core paper, 'Relativity, The Special & The General Theory: A Popular Exposition', which established his reputation as one of the greatest thinkers of our (and perhaps any) age. Also included are two of the Princeton University lectures he gave to explain his findings in more detail, on 'The Meaning of Relativity', as well as the early paper which led to his famous equation E = mc2. 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.
£9.49
Troubador Publishing How Great Thinkers Transformed Our Ideas
Book SynopsisThis book represents a slice of the history of ideas, science and philosophy and how the lives of great thinkers drove the evolution of science, mathematics and philosophy over 300 years.
£16.99
Reaktion Books The Man Who Lost His Head
Book Synopsis
£15.19
Icon Books The Alien Perspective
Book Synopsis'Often-complex ideas are explained with clarity and precision, but this is clearly a passion project for the author, and the book soars where he deploys more poetic language, as when musing on the deeper themes that arise from his central question. ... If you've ever looked up at the sky and pondered on the big questions of life in the Universe, this is essential reading.' BBC Sky at Night magazineAstronomer and science writer David Whitehouse takes us on a journey through the evolving cosmos as he considers humankind's place in the universe - and how our survival depends on otherworldly perspectives. From the Earth to the depths of outer space, this inspiring book shows how human evolution has been intertwined with the workings of the cosmos from the very beginning, and what the far-distant future may hold, both for the universe and for ourselves. Given enough time, Whitehouse contends, we must communicate with intelligent aliens whose divergent perspective will transf
£10.44
Icon Books Ten Tantalising Truths: Why the Sky is Blue, and
Book SynopsisObvious questions do not always have obvious answers. John Gribbin is known for giving us simple explanations of big concepts in science. But there is another way to probe the mysteries of the Universe and our place in it. Faced with persistent enquiries from his grandchildren, Gribbin realised that simple questions, such as 'Why is the sky blue?', sometimes require big answers, understandable in straightforward language. In answering those simple questions, he discovered that he was telling the story of our place in the Universe, from the Big Bang to the evolutionary reasons why men are, on average, bigger than women. The questions may be obvious, but the answers are sometimes surprising and highlight one of the main joys of science - discovering the unexpected. In this book, Gribbin invites the reader to join him on this voyage of discovery, where you may think you already know the answers but should be prepared to be surprised - or at least, tantalised by the truth.Trade ReviewGribbin takes each point and uses it both to bring in some history of science and to dive into a little more depth, while staying approachable * Popular Science *Gribbin's answers are knowledgeable, stimulating and sometimes entertaining * Nature *
£11.69
Icon Books Eyes in the Sky: Space Telescopes from Hubble to
Book SynopsisOver 50 years ago, astronomers launched the world's first orbiting telescope. This allowed them to gaze further into outer space and examine anything that appears in the sky above our heads, from comets and planets to galaxy clusters and stars. Since then, almost 100 space telescopes have been launched from Earth and are orbiting our planet, with 26 still active and relaying information back to us.As a result of these space-based instruments, such as NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope, we know much more about the universe than we did half a century ago. But why is Hubble, orbiting just 540 kilometres above the Earth, so much more effective than a ground-based telescope? How can a glorified camera tell us not only what distant objects look like, but their detailed chemical composition and three-dimensional structure as well? In Eyes in the Sky, science writer Andrew May takes us on a journey into space to answer these questions and more. Looking at the development of revolutionary instruments, such as Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope, May explores how such technology has helped us understand the evolution of the Universe.
£10.44
Canongate Books The Reality Bubble: Blind Spots, Hidden Truths
Book SynopsisWhat are we not seeing?Our naked eyes see only a thin sliver of reality. We are blind in comparison to the x-rays that peer through skin, the mass spectrometers that detect the dead inside the living, or the high-tech surveillance systems that see with artificial intelligence.And we are blind compared to the animals that can see in infrared, or ultraviolet, or with 360-degree vision. These animals live in the same world we do, but they see something quite different when they look around. In The Reality Bubble, Ziya Tong illuminates this hidden world and takes us on a journey to examine ten of humanity's biggest blind spots. What she reveals is not on the things we didn't evolve to see but, more dangerously, the blindness of modern society. Fast-paced, utterly fascinating and deeply humane, this vitally important new book gives voice to the sense we've all had - that there is more to the world than meets the eye.Trade ReviewStunning . . . Considering how much she gets through, the tone is light and accessible. It feels like being shown around a fascinating exhibit by an enthusiastic curator . . . It is not just a book that tells a story of humanity; it is a gentle but highly effective wake-up call * * Guardian * *In a time of mounting global crisis, the kind of radical curiosity that fills this book - a commitment to probing the unseen, unknowable and unthinkable - has become essential to our survival. In Ziya Tong's hands, we learn that it can be joyous, too, with thrilling facts, questions and juxtapositions on every page. A kaleidoscopic guide to everything we're missing -- NAOMI KLEINA brilliant, eye-opening work of wonder -- MATT HAIGThis book will tear through your preconceptions like a meteor through space. Ziya Tong is a wonderfully erudite companion on a tour of reality, from the very smallest to the size of the universe and everything in between. It's an incredibly illuminating and challenging but ultimately empowering book, and reading it delivers a shock . . . Prepare to have your bubble well and truly burst * * New Scientist * *[Tong's] point . . . is made with devastating force, her argument . . . a clever and effective way to jolt readers out of their indifference * * Herald * *A skillful weaving-together of disparate threads from many disciplines, set out in evocative language that expresses a profound love for our species and the other living things we share our only habitable world with. It's not just a wake-up call, it's a recipe for survival - alarming yet hopeful -- CORY DOCTOROWZiya Tong takes readers on an important and entertaining scientific journey, as she breaks open all the hidden ways we interact with the natural world every day. Read this book to start seeing - with new eyes - how we can transform our relationship with the extraordinary planet we live on -- JANE GOODALLFilled with entertaining, often surprising, information . . . Ziya Tong's book should be required reading for all who care about what we are doing to the planet -- DAVID SUZUKI
£13.49
Atlantic Books Headscratchers: The New Scientist Puzzle Book
Book Synopsis'A fantastic and varied collection of problems authored by some of the best puzzle setters around' - Alex Bellos'A book of delightful puzzles. It's just as good as you'd expect.' - Tim Harford'A marvellous miscellany of mysteries' - Simon Singh'Hours of arguing and puzzling. I loved it.' - Matt ParkerThis highly engaging collection of 70 puzzles comes from the popular weekly column in New Scientist magazine. You'll find puzzles that are great for sharing with friends at a pub, problems drawn from real-life situations, games with intriguing strategies, and puzzles with such creative and whimsical storylines that they need to be explained to be believed. With the solutions you'll read the untold back stories behind the puzzles, and a fascinating exploration of related puzzles and mathematical ideas. You'll learn why a particular puzzle adaptation involved talking to an expert in sheep genetics, which solution was thought up by the BBC Radio 5 Drive team, and outside-the-box solutions to apparently straightforward challenges. This book is a must for any lover of puzzles or recreational mathematics.Trade ReviewA marvellous miscellany of mysteries -- Simon SinghThe ultimate collection of modern puzzles [...] Hours of arguing and puzzling. I loved it. -- Matt ParkerThe wonderful Rob Eastaway has a book of delightful puzzles out this week. It's just as good as you'd expect if you know his work. * Tim Harford *A fantastic and varied collection of problems authored by some of the best puzzle setters around. -- Alex Bellos * Guardian *Table of Contentsi: Introduction PART I: THE PUZZLES 1: Pub Puzzles: Puzzles you could do in the pub 1: Creative Addition 2: The H Coins Problem 3: The Book of Numbers 4: Late for the Gate 5: Bus Change 6: Darts Challenge 7: Evening Out 8: Caesar Cipher 9: Symmetric-L 10: Which Door? ii: Virtual(ly) Reality: Puzzles inspired by situations that really happened 11: Bone Idle 12: Sunday Drivers 13: League of Nations 14: Fastest Fingers 15: Reshuffling the Cabinet 16: Amveriric's Boat 17: Express Coffee 18: Seventh Time Lucky? 19: The Two Ewes Day Paradox 20: The Hen Party Dorm iii: All Things Considered: Puzzles featuring everyday objects 21: Cutting the Battenberg 22: A Jigsaw Puzzle 23: The Nine Minute Egg 24: Murphy's Law of Socks 25: Rearranging Books 26: Hidden Faces 27: Birthday Candles 28: Lightbulb Moment 29: BLOXO Cubes 30: Knight Numbers iv: Figuring It Out: Problems that need some calculation 31: Sum Thing Wrong 32: Car Crash Maths 33: Soccerdoku 34: All Squares 35: Squarebot 36: Christmas Gifts 37: Tightwad's Safe 38: The Card Conundrum 39: Martian Food 40: Diffy v: A Matter of Time.: Clocks, time and dates 41: Pieces of Eight 42: Which Flipping Year 43: Six Weeks of Seconds 44: Lara's Birthday 45: The Mountain Pass 46: A Well-Timed Nap 47: Triplet Jump 48: Half Time 49: Seeing Red 50: One of These Days vi: Mind Games: Games with intriguing strategies 51: Catch Up 5 52: Taking the Biscuit 53: A Mexican Standoff 54: My Fair Ladybug 55: Dungeons and Diagrams 56: Ant on a Tetrahedron 57: Chopping Board 58: Éclair-Voyance 59: The Goblin Game 60: Weather or Not vii: Eccentric Tales: Puzzles with peculiar characters 61: The Cake and the Candles 62: Vive la Différence 63: Diamonds are Forever 64: Changing the Guard 65: Yam Tomorrow 66: Blurri-Ness 67: No Time to Try 68: Paintings by Numbers 69: A Piazza of Dominoes 70: Trouble Brewing viii: PART II: Solutions, Back Stories and Commentary ix: PART III x: Hints xi: Contributor Biographies xii: Acknowledgments xiii: Notes
£13.49
Arcturus Publishing Ltd Science: 50 Essential Ideas
Book SynopsisHow did life emerge? What are the smallest elements of matter? How are planets formed?Over the centuries, brilliant men and women have sought to develop theories to answer the most compelling questions about the world around us. Through their amazing insights and conscientious efforts they helped to create the world we know today. In this beautifully illustrated book, Anne Rooney introduces you to the fascinating world of science and its greatest practitioners.Ranging from evolutionary biology to quantum physics to chaos theory and featuring the ideas of such pivotal scientists as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Marie Curie, this essential guide will bring you up to speed on all of the world''s most important scientific discoveries.ABOUT THE SERIES: The 50 Essential Ideas series brings together entertaining, highly visual guides to different disciplines, from philosophy to physics. It explores the subject''s 50 greatest ideas, giving readers an accessible overview of its defining theories and breakthroughs.
£15.29
Verso Books Internet for the People: The Fight for Our
Book SynopsisIn Internet for the People, leading tech writer Ben Tarnoff offers an answer. The internet is broken, he argues, because it is owned by private firms and run for profit. Google annihilates your privacy and Facebook amplifies right-wing propaganda because it is profitable to do so. But the internet wasn't always like this-it had to be remade for the purposes of profit maximization, through a years-long process of privatization that turned a small research network into a powerhouse of global capitalism. Tarnoff tells the story of the privatization that made the modern internet, and which set in motion the crises that consume it today.The solution to those crises is straightforward: deprivatize the internet. Deprivatization aims at creating an internet where people, and not profit, rule. It calls for shrinking the space of the market and diminishing the power of the profit motive. It calls for abolishing the walled gardens of Google, Facebook, and the other giants that dominate our digital lives and developing publicly and cooperatively owned alternatives that encode real democratic control. To build a better internet, we need to change how it is owned and organized. Not with an eye towards making markets work better, but towards making them less dominant. Not in order to create a more competitive or more rule-bound version of privatization, but to overturn it. Otherwise, a small number of executives and investors will continue to make choices on everyone's behalf, and these choices will remain tightly bound by the demands of the market. It's time to demand an internet by, and for, the people now.Trade ReviewBen Tarnoff is the best kind of visionary: deeply knowledgeable, intensely practical, and utterly committed to the transformation of an abusive and corrupt status quo. We are profoundly fortunate to have his fine mind focussed on reimagining the tools that have remade our lives. An extraordinary and urgent book. -- Naomi Klein, author of No Is Not EnoughThe privacy-invading, throttled, and ad-filled Internet we have is not the Internet we deserve. But as Ben Tarnoff lucidly lays out, if we want to manifest the latent democratic potential of our communications infrastructure, we will have to wrest control from the privatizers and profiteers and transform the underlying political economy. Internet for the People provides an engaging and enraging account of how the online world was hijacked by corporate interests, excavating the past so we can envision and organize for a better future. Ben Tarnoff has done a public service writing this book. Now we need to get busy building the movements and popular power that can fight for an Internet in the public interest. -- Astra Taylor, author of Democracy May Not Exist But We’ll Miss it When It’s Gone and The People’s PlatformTarnoff offers not only an eloquent and essential guide to the history of our capitalist internet, he also charts the myriad ways in which alternatives are emerging. A key book for imagining a better digital future. -- Nick Srnicek, author of Platform CapitalismThroughout this easy-reading narrative history, Tarnoff weaves his thesis that the internet must be de-privatized for the good of users....Tarnoff's politically infused history and critical analysis of the privatized internet is a useful, brief primer. -- Grace O'Hanlon * Library Journal *A helpful reframing-from thinking about how to avoid a horrible internet to how to create a good one....Tarnoff wants to bring the internet back to its publicly owned, civically oriented roots, and whether or not that's the right thing to do, it's the right question to ask. -- Gabriel Nicholas * Washington Post *Strikes a happy middle ground between technical history and polemic. -- Evan Malmgren * The Nation *In this stalled conversation, Ben Tarnoff's new book, Internet for the People, makes a striking intervention....his book reveals the hidden history of the internet and expands our ideas about its possible futures. -- Sarah Leonard * New Republic *
£14.24
Little, Brown Book Group The Plastic Mind
Book SynopsisFor decades, the conventional wisdom of neuroscience held that the hardware of the brain is fixed - that we are stuck with what we were born with. But recent pioneering experiments in neuroplasticity reveal that the brain is capable not only of altering its structure but also of generating new neurons, even into old age. The brain can adapt, heal, renew itself after trauma and compensate for disability. In this groundbreaking book, highly respected science writer Sharon Begley documents how this fundamental paradigm shift is transforming both our understanding of the human mind and our approach to deep-seated emotional, cognitive and behavioural problems. These breakthroughs show that it is possible to reset our happiness meter, regain the use of limbs disabled by stroke, train the mind to break cycles of depression and OCD and reverse age-related changes in the brain.Trade ReviewThere are two great things about this book. One is that it shows us how nothing about our brains is set in stone. The other is that it is written by Sharon Begley, one of the best science writers around. This is a terrific book. -- Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don't Get UlcersIt is very seldom that a science in its infancy is so skilfully unpacked that it reads like a detective novel.Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Coming to Our Senses -- Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Coming to Our SensesBrilliant * Health Writer *
£11.69
