Popular science Books

Book SynopsisWhy is the sky blue? Parents don't know what to say when their children ask. This illustrated work answers this ancient and surprisingly complex question. It takes the reader on a historical and scientific journey to show the various ways people in different times and places have explained why the sky looks blue.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2010 Louis J. Battan Author's Award, American Meteorological Society Honorable Mention for the 2007 Atmospheric Science Librarians International Choice Award, Historical Category "As Gotz Hoeppe's excellent history of our attempts to explain the blue of the sky shows, from moments of wonder...scientific theories grow...A thorough and detailed history."--P. D. Smith, Times Literary Supplement Praise for the original German edition: "Hoeppe has succeeded in something completely special: the book combines the research of the natural sciences with philosophical and cultural reflections--all elegantly expressed."--Saarlandischer Rundfunk "Delivering far more than the title promises, Hoeppe's book describes an intellectual quest that began with the ancients. He details our growing understanding of the sky's light, and the insights and experiments that brought it about... A well-illustrated, rewarding read."--Jon Richfield, New Scientist "Hoeppe offers accessible insights into a question that extends well beyond the realm of science."--Deutsche-Welle "This book could as easily have been titled 'Is the Sky Blue?' And the answer to that is yes and no... One of the interesting things about Why the Sky is Blue is that as a German, Hoeppe spreads credit for the development of physics farther east than most popular scientific histories in English do. He also presents a number of phenomena that readers can try out in their backyards."--Harry Eagar, Maui News "Sure we all know it's blue, and most of us know why. Or, at least we think we know why. This book shows that our sky comes in as many shades of blue as a painter has in their palette. But each shade has a natural explanation, hence the size and value of this enlightening book. Hoeppe's book works through humanity's understanding of the phenomenon of the blue sky by advancing chronologically...[The] attention to detail, the thoroughness of his review and the vibrant style of writing (even though a translation) make this book worthwhile reading."--Mark Mortimer, Universe Today "This wonderful, discursive book begins with a child's common question and proceeds to provide and interdisciplinary answer with historical perspective and insight...[Hoeppe] enhances the very perception of both the immediate and farthest reaches of the universe."--N. Sadanand, Choice "Why the Sky Is Blue is popular science at its best. In fact, it is considerably more than that: in ten chapters, an epilogue, several appendices, notes, and a bibliography of further reading, the book provides a broad overview since classical antiquity of how scholars have grappled with explanations for the intriguing blue color of the sky above us all. As it turns out, the simple question, why the sky is blue, requires a veritable tour de force through western cultural history and the history of science for a complete and satisfactory answer."--Hans J. Rindisbacher, European Legacy "The subject of this book is interesting enough in its own right, but equally importantly, it is an informative case study of the ways that human thinking has progressed in our attempts to understand the world in which we live."--David Kay, Cosmos Magazine "Why the Sky Is Blue answers an ancient and surprisingly complex question in an entertaining and accessible way."--Lunar & Planetary Information Bulletin "Overall, I found the book to be very well written and translated, well illustrated, and an easy and quite enjoyable read. The author makes use of a number of stories to enhance the subject matter that will make this a very useful textbook for those teaching high school or lower-division undergraduate level courses on the subjects of optics, atmospheric science, and history of science. Noting that there are few books that are currently available on the subject that deal with this historical perspective, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book."--Jeffrey S. Gaffney, Bulletin of the American Meteorological SocietyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix List of Tables xvii Acknowledgments xix Prologue: Looking at the Sky 1 Chapter 1: Of Philosophers and the Color Blue 9 Chapter 2: A Blue Mixture: Light and Darkness 31 Chapter 3: Aerial Perspective 52 Chapter 4: A Color of the First Order 77 Chapter 5: Basic Phenomenon, or Optical Illusion? 108 Chapter 6: A Polarized Sky 131 Chapter 7: Lord Rayleigh's Scattering 169 Chapter 8: Molecular Reality 203 Chapter 9: Ozone's Blue Hour 235 Chapter 10: The Color of Life 261 Epilogue 289 Appendix A: Determining the Height of the Atmosphere from the Duration of Twilight 291 Appendix B: Blue Eyes as Turbid Media 293 Appendix C: A Simple Derivation of the Inverse Fourth Power Law 295 Appendix D: Atmospheric Extinction and Avogadro's Number 297 Notes 299 Further Reading 311 Index 325

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Book SynopsisKnoll explores the deep history of life from its origins on a young planet to the incredible Cambrian explosion, with the very latest discoveries in paleontology integrated with emerging insights from molecular biology and earth system science. 100 illustrations.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2003 Book Award in Science, Phi Beta Kappa "A fascinating book... The catastrophic surface narrative of this impressive and intriguing book would surely have pleased Stephen Jay Gould; but I think its deterministic subtext would have pleased Charles Darwin still more."--Matt Cartmill, Times Literary Supplement "In a book so well written that nonspecialists and specialists alike will find much to savor, [Knoll] captures both the excitement of scientific discovery and the intricacies of scientific interpretation... Readers interested in substance will certainly not be disappointed."--Publishers Weekly "Andrew Knoll is an ideal guide through this early phase of life's history on the Earth... [O]ne of the strengths of Knoll's book is that it presents science as the open-ended endeavor that it is... Life on a Young Planet . .. expresses better than most the bumptious vitality and sheer fun of open-minded research."--Stefan Bengtson, Nature "Life on a Young Planet stands apart from it predecessors in two fundamental respects. First, Knoll is perhaps the most qualified person to write such an epic: a renaissance man whose text is filled with insightful quotes from authors ranging from Darwin to Dickins to Dyson... Second ... this book describes the coevolution of life on Earth as an integrated biochemical system that has profoundly and irrevocably changed over time."--Guy M. Narbonne, Science "A balanced, excellent account of current theories and discussions of the origin and early evolution of life... Knoll is able to convey difficult scientific issues with a minimum of jargon, using a brisk and witty prose... He is a gifted storyteller with a knack for choosing the right anecdote... A browse through Knoll's book will enlighten both the cognoscenti and those unfamiliar with the complexities of reading a fossil record... Knoll manages to present a multidisciplinary field in an interdisciplinary volume."--Antonio Lazcano, American Scientist "Knoll is well placed to tell this amazing story, and he does so with verve."--Douglas Palmer, New Scientist "A detective story to match the best crime fiction. It is told with verve."--Paul Nettleton, The Guardian "The author weaves a beautifully written, fascinating story of life's origin and development based on his extensive field studies and research in the most remote corners of the globe... This volume ... is a most valuable asset that should be read by scientists active in the field, by teachers and students who are interested in the most recent thoughts on the subject, and, in fact, by anyone who is interested in how life might have originated and evolved on this planet or on other similar planets in our Universe."--Nathan Dubowsky, Science Books & Films "This is not a textbook but rather a story, giving one person's view of how the jigsaw pieces fit together. It is written in flowing prose with many asides, personal anecdotes and explanations of what evidence there is and how it is used... [F]or ecologists the book has much to offer in putting the early evolution of life into perspective."--Bulletin of the British Ecological Society "[Knoll's] words have a poetic flavor and his deep interest in the study of life on earth flows out of them, carrying readers along whole maintaining a rigorous discourse. Knoll's book will appeal to anyone interested in the evolution of life on Earth."--Choice "In this wonderful book ... Knoll's extensive field experience and eagerness to share data and ideas with colleagues enable him to reconstruct responsibly the broad evolutionary scenario yet to remain close to the evidence."--Lynn Margulis, Times Higher Education SupplementTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Preface to the New Paperback Edition xi Prologue 1 Chapter 1. In the Beginning? 6 Chapter 2. The Tree of Life 16 Chapter 3. Life's Signature in Ancient Rocks 32 Chapter 4. The Earliest Glimmers of Life 50 Chapter 5. The Emergence of Life 72 Chapter 6. The Oxygen Revolution 89 Chapter 7. The Cyanobacteria, Life's Microbial Heroes 108 Chapter 8. The Origins of Eukaryotic Cells 122 Chapter 9. Fossils of Early Eukaryotes 139 Chapter 10. Animals Take the Stage 161 Chapter 11. Cambrian Redux 179 Chapter 12. Dynamic Earth, Permissive Ecology 206 Chapter 13. Paleontology ad Astra 225 Epilogue 243 Further Reading 247 Index 269

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In The Cosmic Cocktail, Professor Katie Freese offers a gripping first-person account of her life as a cosmologist. The recipe? Part memoir, part tutorial, part social commentary. Shaken, not stirred."--Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, host of the television series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey "In prose as in life, Katherine Freese is never boring... Clear and accessible ... The Cosmic Cocktail is an excellent primer for the intrigued generalist, or for those who have spent too much time in particle-physics labs and want to catch up on what cosmologists are up to."--Francis Halzen, Nature "Freese ... tells a lively personal tale of her trajectory through the world of science... You end up thinking that being a physicist is certainly important and definitely difficult--but it could also be a lot of fun."--Nancy Szokan, Washington Post "This book blends two rather different flavours... First is the enormous excitement of working on a front-line problem in science... The other is the great fun Katie has had, and continues to have, being a female physicist... A number of other front-line particle physicists, cosmologists and so forth have also written up their versions of the dark matter story... But none of the other accounts I've read is more fun than The Cosmic Cocktail."--Virginia Trimble, Times Higher Education "This is an important and thought-provoking book."--Shawn Donnan, Financial Times "Freese's extensive research in this field, and her familiarity with many of the other key researchers in dark matter, helps give The Cosmic Cocktail a human touch: she sprinkles into the book anecdotes from her own career and meetings with other scientists throughout."--Jeff Foust, Space Review "Physicist Katherine Freese drinks deep of her life's adventures and cosmic mysteries alike in her captivatingly frank book The Cosmic Cocktail. Why do tales of major scientific endeavours, told from the viewpoint of a single participant, rarely make captivating reading? Frankly, because few scientists are that interesting to the general public, and fewer still possess the trick of passionate engagement. Luckily, The Cosmic Cocktail is an exception... The Cosmic Cocktail is a refreshingly honest account of a frontier field where the author's enthusiasm and sense of fun shine through every page."--Marcus Chown, New Scientist "Check out The Cosmic Cocktail to get an exciting look at the forefront of astrophysics!"--Astro Guyz blog "Freese successfully treads the line between assuming too much of her readers and missing out key aspects of the story to simplify it... [She] gives context and insight into a complex and fast-moving field."--Nicky Guttridge, BBC Sky at Night "[I]f you have some science background and want to improve your overall understanding of the Universe without reaching for a textbook, this could be just the thing."--Ruth Angus, BBC Focus Magazine "The story is fascinating, well told, and the balance, I think, is just right. This is a rapidly developing field of research."--Anthony Toole, Amazon.co.uk "Freese is not the first scientist to delve into the mysteries of cosmology with a popular science book, but she seems to have the most fun doing it. It's as if she's sitting at a bar describing the cool stuff she studies every day... Interspersed with explanations chock-full of historical figures, numbers and acronyms are valuable insights into the human side of science."--Science News "Freese's writing style interweaves anecdotes from her personal life with the scientific explanations... Especially on the topic of dark-matter detection, the book provides a valuable, nontechnical, and up-to-date overview."--Sabine Hossenfelder, Physics Today "This new book covers in clear prose the fundamental knowledge underlying the present stage of dark matter physics. Anecdotes on the history of cosmology, including also adventures of the author, turn the book into an enjoyable reading."--Claudia-Veronika Meister, Zentralblatt MATH "It's a very powerful book."--Pranav Sharma, Yash Pal Centre for Science and Technology "Freese mixes a stiff drink, but it goes down smoothly."--Lisa Messeri, Journal for the History of AstronomyTable of ContentsPreface ix 1 The Golden Era of Particle Cosmology, or How I Joined the Chicago Mafia 1 New York City; Fermilab: The Atom Smasher in the Prairie; Chicago: A New Zeitgeist in Cosmology; Dunkle Materie: The Dark Enigma; WIMPs at Harvard 2 How Do Cosmologists Know Dark Matter Exists? The Beginning of the Dark Matter Story 9 What Do Galaxies Look Like?; Observational Evidence for Dark Matter; Formation of Galaxies and Clusters; Dark Matter Dominates 3 The Big Picture of the Universe: Einstein and the Big Bang 35 Geometry of the Universe; Cosmic Microwave Background; Outer Space and the Queen of Sweden; Pie Picture of the Universe 4 Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Proves That Atomic Matter Constitutes Only 5% of the Universe 67 A Story about Big Bang Nucleosynthesis; Particles in the Early Universe: A Primordial Soup; Origins of the Elements; Atoms Make Up Only 5% of the Universe 5 What Is Dark Matter? 83 Rocks or Dust; Matter and Antimatter; Neutrinos; MACHOs; Black Holes; The Particle Zoo; The WIMP Miracle; WIMPs in the Human Body and a Tennis Match 6 The Discovery of the Higgs Boson 108 Atom Smashers: The Large Hadron Collider; CERN; Discovery of the Higgs 7 The Experimental Hunt for Dark Matter Particles 123 The Three Prongs of the Hunt for Dark Matter; Dark Matter at the Atom Smasher at CERN: Missing Energy plus Jets; What Has CERN Done for Society?; Will the LHC Bring Doomsday?; Direct Detection: Abandoned Mines, Alpine Tunnels, and Nightclubs in Jerusalem; Indirect Detection: Annihilations in Space and at the South Pole 8 Claims of Detection: Are They Real? 147 Direct Detection in Underground Laboratories; Indirect Detection of WIMP Annihilation: Positrons, Neutrinos, and Gamma Rays; The Future of Dark Matter Experiments 9 Dark Energy and the Fate of the Universe 183 Rounding Out the Universe: Type IA Supernovae and Dark Energy; The Future of the Universe; Epicycles; Epilogue Afterword: Dark Stars 215 Acknowledgments 219 Notes 221 Suggestions for Further Reading 233 Index 235

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Book SynopsisLooks at how ancient microorganisms in primordial oceans transformed the chemistry of the planet over billions of years, eventually allowing the development of more complex forms of life, and how they continue to make life on earth possible.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2015 "[Life's Engines] is full of surprises ... [I]mmensely rewarding."--Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books "Entertaining, easy-to-read and historically rich."--Adrian Wolfson, Nature "Personal stories, hard facts, and illuminative illustrations each contribute to this engaging examination of our microbial overlords ... Paul Falkowski's decades of study in various earth and life sciences fuel this excellent addition... Falkowski effectively uses analogies to convey abstract and complicated ideas."--Rachel Jagareski, Foreword Reviews "Falkowski's loving examination sets out, life on this planet is organized by and for bacteria--the rest of us are just along for the ride."--Brian Bethune, Macleans "Falkowski brings a formidable breadth of scientific understanding to the task of explaining this, having worked as a biologist, an oceanographer and an astrobiologist. He moves easily between biological and earth sciences to help us understand the steps microscopic single-celled organisms took to make the planet habitable."--Cosmos "[The] wonderful and awe-inspiring universe of the microbes, unseen creatures that have shaped the planet such that we may live in it, is engagingly presented by Paul Falkowski in a remarkable text entitled Life's Engines... The book's success is its utter simplicity. It tells the story of the history of life on our planet from a very personal perspective... I was so enthralled by this book from the get-go that I invite you to have a short taste of it."--Roberto Kolter, Cell "A pleasure to read, the book touches on virtually every topic covered in a college biology curriculum by seamlessly weaving concepts with personal anecdotes and analogies. Presenting scientific facts and the fascinating history of their discovery, Falkowski (Rutgers Univ.) intersperses evolutionary theory with biochemistry, ecology, microbiology, molecular biology, anatomy, and even anthropology and economics. He also presents a fact-based, nonpolitical vision for the future of biotechnology... This reviewer came away inspired to learn more. Easily understood by anyone with a passing knowledge of science, this volume poses innumerable questions for further investigation."--Choice "What is known about the hidden world of the microbes and their fundamental roles in sustaining planetary habitability is insightfully revealed by Paul Falkowski in this authoritative, comprehensive, and delightful book. The author is uniquely qualified, perhaps singularly so, to cover topics ranging over broad time and space scales with a scholarly, transdisciplinary perspective that ranges from fundamental physics and chemistry, to Earth and ocean sciences. I cannot think of any other scientist who would accept such a challenge... He is a gifted scientist and writer, and legendary storyteller."--David M. Karl, Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin "Not a microbial biologist, I approached this book with a bit of trepidation, imaging lengthy discussions of biochemistry. Instead, I was immediately engaged by Falkowski's conversational, fluid writing, personal anecdotes, and interesting choice of topics... Life's Engines [is] easily accessible to the lay reader but engaging for the scientist as well."--American Biology Teacher "An outstanding attempt to popularize the role of microbes, especially bacteria and archaea, in making multicellular eukaryotic life possible... A superb introduction to the broader consequences of life and its study."--Elof Axel Carlson, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Prologue 1 CHAPTER 1 The Missing Microbes 9 CHAPTER 2 Meet the Microbes 23 CHAPTER 3 The World before Time 40 CHAPTER 4 Life's Little Engines 47 CHAPTER 5 Supercharging the Engines 68 CHAPTER 6 Protecting the Core Genes 91 CHAPTER 7 Cell Mates 108 CHAPTER 8 Supersizing in Wonderland 124 CHAPTER 9 The Fragile Species 145 CHAPTER 10 The Tinkerers 161 CHAPTER 11 Microbes on Mars and Butterflies on Venus? 173 Further Readings 187 Index 191

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Glen van Brummelen has prepared a highly recommended, accessible and definitive history of the subject that will serve as a resource for scholars for decades to come."---Daniel Otero, MAA Reviews"The Doctrine of Triangles is an informative and valuable reference work."---Wallace A Ferguson, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications"A guided tour through the museum of mathematics. . . . [The Doctrine of Triangles] takes the history of trigonometry, which is a formidable subject in its scope and size, and transforms it into something readable."---Daniel Mansfield, The Mathematical Intelligencer"Very easy to read, and there are lots of helpful diagrams, especially for the spherical trigonometry . . . [The Doctrine of Triangles] is deeply enriched by extracts from contemporary texts, given first in fairly literal English translations, often accompanied by the original diagrams, and then explained in modern terms. So mathematical readers (and, I hope, their students) can experience a little of what trigonometry was actually like at each stage in its history."---John Hannah, Aestimatio

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the PROSE Award in Biomedicine, Association of American Publishers""[A] vivid tale." * New Scientist *"Humphries has woven together strands of experimental results and theoretical insights to compose a book that is engrossing, excites the imagination, beautifully encapsulates contemporary neuroscience in a light and breezy package, and points the way to future discovery."---Sean Noah, Knowing Neurons"A thorough and interesting description of what we know and don't know about neural spikes, as well as why they matter."---R. Forbes-Lorman, Choice

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[Yunger Halpern] reimagines 19th-century thermodynamics through a modern, quantum lens, playing with the aesthetics of the 1800s through trains, dirigibles and horseless carriages. It is a physics book, but one that is as likely to attract readers of science fiction as those of popular science.—Simon Ings, NewScientistAt this moment when quantum theory is being applied, nonexperts will find this guide helpful.—Harvard MagazineQuantum Steampunk is probably the best plain English explanation of quantum physics you'll find anywhere. Dr. Halpern uses illustrations, whimsical descriptions, and humor.—Quantum ZeitgeistAn entertaining book... that explains the essence and secrets of the many facets of quantum thermodynamics in layman's terms....By adding literary flair to otherwise dry technical content, Yunger Halpern masterfully conveys in simple terms the variety of complex ideas that characterize the different subfields of quantum thermodynamics.—Physics Today[Yunger Halpern] combines fragments of a yet-to-be-written steampunk novel with her personal and technical accounts of coming of age in the modern era of quantum thermodynamics.This optimistic, balanced view of modern quantum research, emphasizing fundamentals and minimizing hype, is a good introduction for the general scientific-minded reader.—Charles Clark, NIST ConnectionsTable of ContentsPrologue. Once upon a time in physicsChapter 1. Information theory: Of passwords and probabilitiesChapter 2. Quantum physics: Everything at once, or, one thing at a time?Chapter 3. Quantum computation: Everything at onceChapter 4. Thermodynamics: "May I drive?"Chapter 5. A fine merger: Thermodynamics, information theory, and quantum physicsChapter 6. The physics of yesterday's tomorrow: The landscape of quantum steampunkChapter 7. Pedal to the metal: Quantum thermal machinesChapter 8. Tick tock: Quantum clocksChapter 9. Unsteady as she goes: Fluctuation relationsChapter 10. Entropy, energy, and a tiny possibility: One-shot thermodynamicsChapter 11. Resource theories: A ha'penny of a quantum stateChapter 12. The unseen kingdom: When quantum observables don't cooperateChapter 13. All over the map: Rounding out our tourChapter 14. Stepping off the map: Quantum steampunk crosses bordersEpilogue. Where to next? The future of quantum steampunkAcknowledgmentsGlossaryReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisOver the last forty years, scientists have uncovered evidence that if the Universe had been forged with even slightly different properties, life as we know it - and life as we can imagine it - would be impossible. Join us on a journey through how we understand the Universe, from its most basic particles and forces, to planets, stars and galaxies, and back through cosmic history to the birth of the cosmos. Conflicting notions about our place in the Universe are defined, defended and critiqued from scientific, philosophical and religious viewpoints. The authors'' engaging and witty style addresses what fine-tuning might mean for the future of physics and the search for the ultimate laws of nature. Tackling difficult questions and providing thought-provoking answers, this volumes challenges us to consider our place in the cosmos, regardless of our initial convictions.Trade Review'My colleagues, Geraint and Luke, in A Fortunate Universe, take you on a tour of the Cosmos in all of its glory, and all of its mystery. You will see that humanity appears to be part of a remarkable set of circumstances involving a special time around a special planet, which orbits a special star, all within a specially constructed Universe. It is these sets of conditions that have allowed humans to ponder our place in space and time. I have no idea why we are here, but I do know the Universe is beautiful. A Fortunate Universe captures the mysterious beauty of the Cosmos in a way that all can share.' Brian Schmidt, Australian National University, Canberra, and Nobel Laureate in Physics (2011), from the Foreword'Geraint Lewis and Luke Barnes provide a breathtaking tour of contemporary physics from the subatomic to the cosmological scale. Everywhere they find the Universe to be fine-tuned for complex structure. If the quark masses, or the basic forces, or the cosmological constant had been much different, the Universe would have been a sterile wasteland. It seems that the only reactions are either to embrace a multiverse or a designer. The authors have constructed a powerful case for the specialness of our Universe.' Tim Maudlin, New York University'The Universe could have been of such a nature that no life at all could exist. The anthropic question asks why the constants of nature that enter various physical laws are such as to permit life to come into being. This engaging book is a well-written and detailed explanation of all the many ways these physical constants affect the possibility of life, considering atomic, nuclear and particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. It then discusses in an open-minded way the variety of explanations one might give for this strange fine-tuning, possible solutions ranging from pure chance, existence of multiverses, or theistic explanations. The book is the most comprehensive current discussion of this intriguing range of issues. Highly recommended.' George Ellis, University of Cape Town'Lewis and Barnes' book is the most up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive explication of the evidence that the Universe is fine-tuned for life. It is also among the two most philosophically sophisticated treatments, all the while being accessible to a non-academic audience. I strongly recommend this book.' Robin Collins, Messiah College, Pennsylvania'… charming, intelligent and exceedingly well-written … a gentle stroll through the details of the Standard Model of particle physics, as well as the Standard Model of cosmology, but [the authors] lead us with such a light hand, a streak of humour and a lack of pedantry that the information is easily absorbed … Lewis and Barnes show us how small changes lead to a variety of disasters. ('Ruining a universe is easy' Mr. Barnes quips) … Is [our universe] a happy coincidence, as the authors ask each other in an amusing mock debate modeled on one Galileo wrote 400 years earlier, or is there some deeper reason? Where does science go from here? Does what has been popularly called a theory of everything exist? Is there a multiverse? Must we be satisfied with an anthropic principle? The authors discuss these questions and more in a final dialogue.' Gino Segrè, The Wall Street Journal'A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos by Geraint Lewis and Luke Barnes, is a nice up to date book for the general (educated) public on modern physics and cosmology. If covers modern cosmology and some of the Big Questions of our times, in particular the issue of anthropomorphism how 'fine tuned' our Universe is.' Steinn Sigurðsson, ScienceBlogs (www.scienceblogs.com)'… what is truly unique about this book is that it presents the data at a popular level so that the material is accessible to anyone interested in this topic … As I read the book, I was awestruck by the finely-tuned constants and conditions that had to be just right to get a universe that would permit life … This evidence should move each one of us to ask, what is the best explanation of this incredible fine-tuning?' Tim Barnett, Stand to Reason (www.str.org)'A Fortunate Universe is basically a book of physics, written by two scientists who are fascinated by the question 'Why are we here?' The language is straightforward, the style is easy, often witty, with short digestible paragraphs, and yet the subject-matter is inevitably dense and demanding … It is pleasing to come across the line 'we do not know' so regularly in this book about the fundamentals of science, which echoes the book of Job … When science reaches its limits, we have to consider a different kind of explanation for why the laws of nature are as they are, and why they are so finely tuned for the emergence of intelligent life. … [The authors] wonder if classical arguments for the existence of God have anything to say about the fine-tuning of the universe, speculating whether God is a necessary being and whether our sense of truth and morality hint at God's inevitable existence.' Adam Ford, Church Times'In this book, the authors deal with nothing less than the question of how it is possible that we exist. In an introductory and a closing chapter, the first of which introduces the subject in a simple dialogue, and the latter, in turn, completes the dialogue in the same colloquial manner, the authors draw a detailed picture of our universe and, in particular, how peculiar our existence is. … Reading this book is a great pleasure, not only intellectual, but also entertaining. … They describe what is and what could be. They give their audience well-founded, solid scientific arguments, chat with them, and then leave their own thoughts. A highly readable, enriching, and knowledgeable book.' Matthias Bartelmann, translated from Sterne und Weltraum'The title claims that the Universe is finely tuned for the existence of life. The authors provide evidence for this, investigate various possible explanations, and rebut the most common criticisms … the book provides an opportunity to learn more at an accessible level … The case is well made that the Universe is finely tuned for life; the interesting question is why. It could be coincidence … Or could the Universe be no other way? … Was it designed? Did it evolve? Or are there many universes in a Multiverse, and we shouldn't be surprised that we live in one which allows life? … The arguments are clear; references are provided for those wishing to delve deeper; essentially all points of view are presented … This is an important topic and the book is a good summary of the field. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to those interested in the big Question.' Phillip Helbig, The Observatory'It is the vivid, direct tone and writing style of a friendly physics lecture that perhaps most sets this text apart among popular-level science books about 'big questions' … [The book] provides a big picture of the physics of fine-tuning, mostly accessible in lay terms, and gives aspiring philosophers of physics a taste of the tone and intellectual style one can find at cosmology conferences. Beyond that, it does so by showing the readers that a response from philosophers might be welcome. Because the authors make clear how their thinking is informed by works in metaphysics, philosophy of physics, epistemology, and the philosophy of religion, they tell the readers how they think philosophy does or could contribute, and where they think they do not know enough to see how it might.' Yann Benétreau-Dupin, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews'This book is for anyone who has ever wondered: 'Why is it so?' With colourful analogies and admirably accurate simplifications, Geraint and Luke have succeeded in making much of modern physics and cosmology comprehensible … They address the biggest questions of science. What is dark energy? What is dark matter? Why is there something rather than nothing? Why is there more matter than antimatter? Where did the laws physics come from? Do we live in a multiverse? Do we live in a simulation? How different could the universe have been? If God is omnipotent, why does evil exist? … Not even the popular scientist and writer Paul Davies tries to address so many important big questions in one book … I enjoyed the book a lot, but I disagreed with the main thesis. No matter what your religious beliefs are, this book will make you think.' Charley Lineweaver, The Conversation (www.theconversation.com)'What makes this part of the book different from many other works on fine-tuning is the degree to which Lewis and Barnes explain the physics of fine-tuning … they explain how the proton mass is a function of the quark masses, and these in turn of the Higgs field, and this in turn, perhaps, of supersymmetry. The reader's understanding of fine-tuning is deepened, and [they] … [come] to see that at every level fine-tuning appears. … [T]he authors discuss the philosophical issues that surround fine-tuning. The handling of these issues displays Luke Barnes's philosophical sophistication. Barnes is thoroughly familiar with the work of analytic philosophers on these issues and has interesting contributions to make to the discussion. … I highly recommend it for students of fine-tuning.' William Lane Craig, Philosophia Christi'Geraint Lewis and Luke Barnes's lucid, fast-paced, and funny new book might best be summed up in their own words: 'Our conclusion is that the fundamental properties of the Universe appear to be fine-tuned for life'. As the authors carefully explain in A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos, it doesn't matter whether other kinds of life are out there. It's enough that there is life here on Earth to raise the question of why the universe is the way it is, seemingly fine-tuned to allow for life. After all, in the vast parameter space of hypothetical universes, life is a tight fit. Change the fundamental constants, or the basic laws of physics, or the low-entropy, free-energy-rich initial state of the universe, and the story on Earth would have been radically different. Life has very little wiggle room.' Marcelo Gleiser, Physics Today'The tone is lively, and these authors are witty; their banter is appealing; and the indulgences are infrequent and always welcome. … Both authors of A Fortunate Universe are physicists and cosmologists, so they are in a position to avoid the scientific inaccuracies that weaken other attempts to explore the philosophical consequences of cosmic fine-tuning. On the other hand, it is rare to find physicists capable of avoiding even elementary errors in discussing the metaphysical implications of their work. But I can find at least no obvious misunderstandings in Lewis and Barnes's discussions of Aristotle or Boethius or Aquinas. Equally refreshing, they seem to have enough humility to recognize that philosophical investigations, like scientific investigations, do require a serious investment of time and study. … We may be approaching a new era in the relation between science and philosophy. Stranger things have happened in human history.' Tucker Landy, InterpretationTable of ContentsForeword Brian Schmidt; Preface; 1. A conversation on fine-tuning; 2. I'm only human!; 3. Can you feel the force?; 4. Energy and entropy; 5. The Universe is expanding; 6. All bets are off!; 7. A dozen (or so) reactions to fine-tuning; 8. A conversation continued; Further reading; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisMove over, Richard Hawkins and Christopher Hitchens - a highly regarded nuclear physicist enters the debate about the existence of God - and comes down on the side of the angels. Goswami''s hypothesis is that quantum physics holds the key to all the unsolved mysteries of biology - the nature and origin of life, fossil gaps of evolution, why evolution proceeds from simple to complex and why biological beings have feeling and consciousness. In GOD IS NOT DEAD, Goswami moves beyond theory and shows how a God-based science puts ethics and values where it belongs: at the centre of our lives and societies. He provides a scientific model that steers between scientific materialism and religious fundamentalism; a model that has implications for how we live both individually and collectively.GOD IS NOT DEAD is a fascinating tour of quantum physics, consciousness and the existence and experience of God."For anyone grappling with the interrelationship of mind, matter, and divinity, this book will offer much new food for thought." -Beverly Rubik, PhD, biophysicist, Institute for Frontier Science Adjunct Professor, Saybrook

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Book SynopsisWith over 150,000 copies sold since its first publication, this is one of the most popular...Trade ReviewPraise for previous editions: 'This is quite possibly the most inviting guidebook ever written to help people with binoculars and small telescopes find, view, understand, and most of all, enjoy everything in the night sky from the Moon and planets to distant star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. And if you think it's only for beginners, think again - every telescope owner should have a copy.' Dennis Di Cicco, Senior Editor, Sky & TelescopePraise for previous editions: 'Turn Left at Orion is an essential guide for both beginners and more experienced amateur astronomers who will find much inside to reinvigorate their passion for the stars. The diagrams are simple, clear and functional, and the text eloquently captures the excitement of observing. Stargazing has never been made so easy, and if you buy just one book on observational astronomy, make sure it's this one.' Keith Cooper, Editor, Astronomy NowPraise for previous editions: 'Since it first appeared in 1989, Turn Left at Orion has been an indispensable guidebook for the amateur astronomer possessing nothing more than a small backyard telescope. This is not only an essential handbook for the novice, it's a useful reference for the seasoned backyard astronomer. Simply put, whatever your level of experience, you must have this book!' Glenn Chaple, Contributing Editor, Astronomy'The book fills a gap between guides to the constellations for newcomers and detailed star atlases. I will have no hesitation in recommending it at outreach events to those who are interested enough in astronomy to buy a small telescope.' Mike Rushton, The ObservatoryTable of Contents1. How do you get to Albireo?; 2. How to use this book; 3. Using your telescope; 4. The Moon; 5. The Sun; 6. Observing planets; 7. Seasonal skies: January–March; 8. Seasonal skies: April–June 90; 9. Seasonal skies: July–September; 10. Seasonal skies: October–December; 11. Northern skies; 12. Southern skies; 13. About this fifth edition; 14. Where do you go from here?; Tables; Index.

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Book SynopsisBestselling manifesto on how to improve the lives of the "bottom billion" through revolutions in technology.Trade Review“I’d like readers to read Abundance...because if they did that, they would see that while the headlines are really bad in the world today, the trend lines are pretty good. Extreme poverty is down. [H]ealth care is improving dramatically around the world. There are developments now which make me believe we might be able to do what we did in the 90s which is use technological developments to create more jobs than we lose. For the last few months, for the first time in literally more than a decade, 40% of the new jobs have been in higher wage categories. I think people should read this and get some good ideas.” —President Bill Clinton“At a moment when our world faces multiple crises and is awash in pessimism, Abundance redirects the conversation, spotlighting scientific innovators working to improve people's lives around the world. The result is more than a portrait of brilliant minds—it's a reminder of the infinite possibilities for doing good when we tap into our own empathy and wisdom.” —Arianna Huffington, CEO, Huffington Post“This brilliant must-read book provides the key to the coming era of abundance replacing eons of scarcity, a powerful antidote to today’s malaise and pessimism.” —Ray Kurzweil, inventor, futurist, and author of The Singularity is Near"Now that human beings communicate so easily, I suspect that nothing can stop the inevitable torrent of new technologies, new ideas and new arrangements that will transform the lives of our children. Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler give us a blinding glimpse of the innovations that are coming our way — and that they are helping to create. This is a vital book." —Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist“Diamandis and Kotler challenge us all to solve humanity’s grand challenges. Innovative small teams are now empowered to accomplish what only governments and large corporations could once achieve. The result is nothing less than the most transformative and thrilling period in human history.” —Tim Ferriss, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek“Today, philanthropists, innovators and passionate entrepreneurs are more empowered than ever before to solve humanity’s grand challenges. Abundance chronicles many of these stories and the emerging tools driving us towards an age of abundance. This is an audacious and powerful read!” —Jeff Skoll“Abundance provides proof that the proper combination of technology, people and capital can meet any grand challenge.” —Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group"Our future depends on optimists like Diamandis...even the most skeptical readers will come away from Abundance feeling less gloomy." —New York Times Book Review"This engaging book is a needed corrective, a whirlwind tour of the latest developments in health care, agriculture, energy, and other fields ...The authors make a compelling case for optimism over dread as we face the exhilarating unknown." —Publisher's Weekly"A manifesto for the future that is grounded in practical solutions addressing the world's most pressing concerns: overpopulation, food, water, energy, education, health care and freedom. " —The Wall Street Journal“In Abundance: Why the Future is Better Than You Think, Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler offer a vision of the future that’s truly awesome in both the most traditional and modern understandings of the word; it’s as big as it as awe inspiring.” —The Futurist

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Book SynopsisFor space enthusiasts, science lovers, and star gazers, the newly revised edition of National Geographic's enduring guide to space, with a new introduction by American hero Buzz Aldrin, combines thoroughly updated maps, lavish photographs, and elegant illustrations to chart the solar system, the universe, and beyond.  A guided tour of the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, the universe, and beyond, with detailed maps and fascinating imagery from recent space missions partnered with clear, authoritative scientific information. Starting with the sun and moving outward into space, acclaimed science writer and physicist James Trefil illuminates each planet, the most important moons, significant asteroids, and other objects in our solar system. Moving beyond, he explains what we know about the Milky Way and other galaxies beyond--and how we know it. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of his moonwalk, astronaut and American hero Buzz Aldrin offers a special section on EaTrade Review“This second edition of what’s now become a classic off-Earth atlas runs the gamut from constellation star guides to annotated planetary maps based on the latest wave of space missions (including Messenger’s voyage to Mercury and New Horizons’ flyby of Pluto). Because it’s a National Geographic production, there are lots of magazine-quality photos and sumptuous graphics.” –GeekWire “Full of charts, maps, and stunning photographs, the Space Atlas is a deeply informative and beautiful book…Anything notable in space gets a proper treatment in this book and the depth of information is incredible, all while remaining accessible and easy to understand.” –Boingboing.net“National Geographic’s Space Atlas combines updated maps, lavish photographs, and elegant illustrations to chart the solar system, the universe, and beyond…For this new edition, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his moonwalk, astronaut and American hero Buzz Aldrin offers a new special section on Earth’s Moon and its essential role in space exploration past and future.” –Leonarddavid.com"Not only did I thoroughly enjoy reading Buzz Aldrin’s forward, I really loved losing a sense of time and space staring at the nearly sparkling images of nebulae in the book." –Scirens.com "Author James Trefil educates us and pushes the limits of the reader’s imagination. You will love this book!" -EDN Network"This new edition captures the latest discoveries and describes what they will mean to our future with beautiful images and perspectives that make this an essential book to have - on paper - in your home." -SciFi Generation"I don't often tell you to go out and get yourself a copy, but in this case, I have to stress it, and tell you that you would be missing out so much, if you didn't get a copy of this brilliant book for your own home." - Diary of a Stay at Home Mom“It is SO WORTH IT…I personally love the star charts and foreword by Buzz Aldrin.” --Instagram: @notthepathtonarnia“This book has a way of touching your soul and making you think.” –Ms. Nose in a Book“You guys...this book is gorgeous! It is coffee table eye candy!...For me, this book would be totally worth the price for the images alone.” –Jackie Reads Books“If space interests you at all, even a little, this book is a must-have.” –Literary Quicksand

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Book SynopsisNew updated and expanded edition of the groundbreaking book that ignited a firestorm in the scientific world with its radical approach to evolution • Explains how past forms and behaviors of organisms determine those of similar organisms in the present through morphic resonance • Reveals the nonmaterial connections that allow direct communication across time and space When A New Science of Life was first published the British journal Nature called it “the best candidate for burning there has been for many years.” The book called into question the prevailing mechanistic theory of life when its author, Rupert Sheldrake, a former research fellow of the Royal Society, proposed that morphogenetic fields are responsible for the characteristic form and organization of systems in biology, chemistry, and physics--and that they have measurable physical effects. Using his theory of morphic resonance, Sheldrake was able to reinterpret the regularities of nature as being more like habits than immutable laws, offering a new understanding of life and consciousness. In the years since its first publication, Sheldrake has continued his research to demonstrate that the past forms and behavior of organisms influence present organisms through direct immaterial connections across time and space. This can explain why new chemicals become easier to crystallize all over the world the more often their crystals have already formed, and why when laboratory rats have learned how to navigate a maze in one place, rats elsewhere appear to learn it more easily. With more than two decades of new research and data, Rupert Sheldrake makes an even stronger case for the validity of the theory of formative causation that can radically transform how we see our world and our future.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"New Zealand Listener's Best Book of 2019""One of FiveBooks' Best Climate Books of 2019""Oreskes joins a distinguished line of thinkers who explain why we should trust the findings of the scientific community . . . [and] clearly reminds readers that science has consistently brought home the bacon." * Kirkus Reviews *"Why Trust Science? is an optimistic analysis of the opportunities that exist for enhancing public trust in science. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone who is part of the scientific endeavor."---Elisabeth Gilmore, Science"[A] fascinating new book . . . in a field with few reasons to be cheerful, it is both enlightening and encouraging. Once we begin to understand the size of the chasm that separates science’s outsiders and insiders, as Oreskes clearly does, we can at least start to design a bridge."---Michael Brooks, New Scientist"Two features of science, [Oreskes] claims, account for its trustworthiness: its ‘sustained engagement with the world’ together with ‘its social character.’ Her emphasis on the second feature may surprise readers used to thinking of science as a tidy epistemic enterprise neatly insulated from social influence, but this view emerges clearly from her sober review of studies of science by historians, philosophers, sociologists, and anthropologists during the past half century."---Philip Kitcher, Boston Review"A compelling argument in favour of experts."---Hettie O’Brien, New Statesman"For both its evidence-based rigor and striking honesty, Why Trust Science? by Naomi Oreskes should be required reading for everyone in scholarly communications. Addressing the broadest view of science possible — from the experimental to the historical — this book offers crisp, accessible writing and draws important connections to our world of research dissemination and publishing."---Lettie Conrad, The Scholarly Kitchen"Naomi Oreskes challenges easy answers." * New Scientist *"A marvellous, up to date, thorough historical survey of science and its processes."---John R. Helliwell, Journal of Applied Crystallography"The decline of trust in science is one aspect of a much wider social issue, and the author gives a detailed survey of various perspectives from history and philosophy of science including many of the best-known names in the field."---David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer"Oreskes' definition of science provides us with the best knowledge we can philosophically hope to get."---Ed Gibney, The Philosopher"A fascinating and accessible read that considers numerous domains and issues to bring the reader to Oreskes’ ultimate point, that trustworthy science depends on consensus, diversity, and methodological openness and flexibility."---Jeff Share, Journal of Sustainability Education"Why Trust Science? is an incredibly important work, bringing the history of science into something of a thinker’s field guide to the pursuit of knowledge. It is sharply written and, beyond being merely informative, it is sage. Wherever the reader stands on the for or against science divide, Oreskes’ determined and open-minded curiosity is infectious, as is her earned belief in science. Hopefully, it will encourage more scientists and science-lovers to spread the good word."---Katherine Oktober Matthews, Riding the Dragon"Oreskes is eloquent, insightful and bold. At a time where we are still confronted by climate change deniers and the anti-vaccine movement . . . it is easy to see why a book like this is so important. . . . This thought-provoking, timely and comprehensive book is a must-read."---Joanna Florence Sparks, Chemistry World"This book is well worth the effort for anyone concerned about climate change, protection of biodiversity, and other issues that involve science advising policy. Insights from Naomi Oreskes can bolster our arguments countering the anti-science, anti-expertise, anti-intellectual forces at work in the world today."---John Miles, National Parks Traveler

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A smorgasbord of ideas." -- Kirkus Reviews "Offers a rare chance to discover big ideas before they hit the mainstream." -- New York Times Book Review "Fun and inspirational. ... This engaging collection can be read from cover to cover or browsed as interest dictates, but all inquisitive readers will enjoy it. Highly recommended..." -- Library Journal "Characteristically thought-provoking and reliably cross-disciplinary, This Explains Everything is a must-read in its entirety." -- Brain Pickings "A collection of essays by big thinkers answering big questions [should be] deeply satisfying. And This Explains Everything delivers." -- New Scientist "The most stimulating English-language reading to be had from anywhere in the world." -- The Canberra Times "Delivers an intellectual melange you can dip into and savor. ... The reader gets something new at each turn of the page." -- New York Journal of Books "A collection that reads like the best TED talks ever. It's an absolute pleasure to read." -- FAREED ZAKARIA "Rich in mental fodder. ... An indispensable way to sample thinking from many corners of the intellectual spectrum." -- Pop Matters

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Book SynopsisWhat is AI? A dominant view describes it as the quest "to solve intelligence" - a solution supposedly to be found in the secret logic of the mind or in the deep physiology of the brain, such as in its complex neural networks. The Eye of the Master argues, to the contrary, that the inner code of AI is shaped not by the imitation of biological intelligence, but the intelligence of labour and social relations, as it is found in Babbage's "calculating engines" of the industrial age as well as in the recent algorithms for image recognition and surveillance. The idea that AI may one day become autonomous (or "sentient", as someone thought of Google's LaMDA) is pure fantasy. Computer algorithms have always imitated the form of social relations and the organisation of labour in their own inner structure and their purpose remains blind automation. The Eye of the Master urges a new literacy on AI for scientists, journalists and new generations of activists, who should recognise that the "mystery" of AI is just the automation of labour at the highest degree, not intelligence per se.Trade ReviewWe are surrounded by stories about AI threatening jobs, as if it were a power haunting labor from outside and above. The Eye of the Master radically challenges such a view. What Matteo Pasquinelli demonstrates is that labor is at root of the historical development of AI. Tales of expropriation and resistance, automation and struggle crisscross the pages of this passionate book, which is at same time an amazing academic achievement and a political weapon to rethink the politics of AI. -- Sandro Mezzadra, co-author of The Politics of OperationsIn this original and extremely timely book, Matteo Pasquinelli offers nothing less than a long-range history and critical analysis of a labour theory of automation and knowledge. He uses detailed studies both of the remarkable accounts of general intellect and the extractive and exploitative organisation of the industrial workplace produced in nineteenth-century British political economy and of the challenging developments of models of machine intelligence and computational systems developed in the mid-twentieth century United States to unlock the sources and meanings of the politics of artificial intelligence. The work shows how Marx's depiction of the development of the social individual under industrial capitalism provides indispensable resources for making sense now of what artificial intelligence means, and the forms of economic and political order that its embodiment of knowledge and control express. At a moment when apostles and prophets of machine intelligence proclaim both a utopian world of effortless control and a catastrophe of extinction, Pasquinelli's patient and clever work provides a crucial insight into the past and future of AI monopolies and their consequences. -- Simon Schaffer, author of Babbage’s Intelligence (1994) and OK computer (2001)Artificial Intelligence and its impact on society is on everyone's lips, but how was AI shaped by society in the first place? This amazing account of its emergence, starting with the evolution of labor division and automatization, is a must-read. Pasquinelli's book not only shows us where we came from but also how we might escape the problematic consequences of this evolution. -- Jürgen Renn, Director at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and Founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology.Table of ContentsIntroduction: AI as Division of Labour1 The Material Tools of Algorithmic ThinkingPart ITHE INDUSTRIAL AGE2 Babbage and the Mechanisation of Mental Labour3 The Machinery Question4 The Origins of Marx's General Intellect5 The Abstraction of LabourPart IITHE INFORMATION AGE6 The Self-Organisation of the Cybernetic Mind7 The Automation of Pattern Recognition8 Hayek and the Epistemology of Connectionism9 Th e Invention of the PerceptronConclusion: The Automation of General Intelligence

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Book SynopsisHow smart machines are transforming us all — and what we should do about it. The smart-machines revolution is re-shaping our lives and our societies. Here, Nigel Shadbolt, one of Britain’s leading authorities on artificial intelligence, and Roger Hampson dispel terror, confusion, and misconception. They argue that it is human stupidity, not artificial intelligence, that should concern us. Lucid, well-informed, and deeply human, The Digital Ape offers a unique approach to some of the biggest questions about our future.Trade Review‘[W]e should be grateful to Sir Nigel Shadbolt and Roger Hampson for pausing for breath and helping us to think through the true significance of our latest technological developments.’ * Financial Times *‘Numbed by dire warnings of technological Armageddon? Computer scientist Nigel Shadbolt and economist Roger Hampson dispel the miasma with this superb survey of the landscape we “digital apes” have wrought.’ -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *'Nigel Shadbolt is one of the most fascinating and important scientists alive today.' -- Professor Jim Al-Khalili'There has never been a more important time to discuss what it means to be human, in the past, now, and in the future. This is a book for anyone interested in getting behind the headlines and understanding how technology is impacting our world. The writers are two masters in their field who are not only erudite but immensely humane and compassionate.' -- Martha Lane Fox'This is a brilliantly readable, genuinely cutting-edge book that is also often very entertaining. Of all the recent studies of automation and AI, The Digital Ape stands head and shoulders above the rest. Shadbolt and Hampson have written a landmark book.' * Andrew Keen, author of How to Fix the Future and The Internet is Not the Answer *‘Rich in ideas and insights, the book is especially strong on our growing personal relationships with Alexa and other robots … An upbeat — even reassuring — take on what will be an AI-saturated future.’ STARRED REVIEW * Kirkus Reviews *‘All explore the relationship between the human animal and what might be its most momentous creation yet: artificial intelligence … In a series of wide-ranging chapters, the authors argue that human beings are not just distinguished by their ability to use tools but also largely shaped by it.’ * Weekend Australian *‘[An] interdisciplinary approach comes over in The Digital Ape, which has arresting sentences.’ * Computer Weekly *

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Book SynopsisAs gripping as a good thriller. --The Washington PostUnpack the science of secrecy and discover the methods behind cryptography--the encoding and decoding of information--in this clear and easy-to-understand young adult adaptation of the national bestseller that's perfect for this age of WikiLeaks, the Sony hack, and other events that reveal the extent to which our technology is never quite as secure as we want to believe.Coders and codebreakers alike will be fascinated by history's most mesmerizing stories of intrigue and cunning--from Julius Caesar and his Caeser cipher to the Allies' use of the Enigma machine to decode German messages during World War II.Accessible, compelling, and timely, The Code Book is sure to make readers see the past--and the future--in a whole new way.Singh's power of explaining complex ideas is as dazzling as ever. --The Guardian

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'Truly fascinating.' Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2- Have you ever forgotten the name of someone you’ve met dozens of times?- Or discovered that your memory of an important event was completely different from everyone else’s?- Or vividly recalled being in a particular place at a particular time, only to discover later that you couldn’t possibly have been?We rely on our memories every day of our lives. They make us who we are. And yet the truth is, they are far from being the accurate record of the past we like to think they are. In The Memory Illusion, forensic psychologist and memory expert Dr Julia Shaw draws on the latest research to show why our memories so often play tricks on us – and how, if we understand their fallibility, we can actually improve their accuracy. The result is an exploration of our minds that both fascinating and unnerving, and that will make you question how much you can ever truly know about yourself. Think you have a good memory? Think again.'A spryly paced, fun, sometimes frightening exploration of how we remember – and why everyone remembers things that never truly happened.' Pacific StandardTrade ReviewTruly fascinating. -- Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2Shaw’s debut book is a spryly paced, fun, sometimes frightening exploration of how we remember – and why everyone remembers things that never truly happened … Her book is equal parts breezy guide through the recent lessons we’ve learned about memory, and a loving tribute to the sometimes eccentric researchers who toiled away in the laboratory to uncover them … Shaw's quirky charm enlivens the book throughout. * Pacific Standard *Illuminating and instructive * The Tablet *

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Book SynopsisIs conflict caused by an inherently hostile human nature? Are efforts to promote peaceful co-existence fated to fail? Is the story of human history destined to play out a clash of civilizations?These are the questions framing contemporary debate over diversity, immigration and multiculturalism. The Social Brain provides an entirely new psychological perspective on this debate. It argues that diversity is critical to our very survival as a species; that contact with different cultures was, and is, the essential element that fuels our creativity, innovation and growth. It asserts that diversity was the key to our intellectual evolution and will be integral to helping us tackle the most pressing social, political and economic concerns of our time.The Social Brain ties the origins of the modern mind to the evolution of human society, and provides an entirely new insight into how we can harness the ingenuity and invention that reside within us alTrade ReviewWritten in a thought-provoking and entertaining style, The Social Brain reviews the scientific evidence behind our natural tendency to detect and react to social difference . . a must read for anybody interested in the psychology of intergroup conflict, intercultural relations, and the design of policies to manage social diversity.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewScales's genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious. She continually entices the reader by introducing exciting aspects of fish in each chapter. * Science *A delightful book that provides a welcome invitation to enter the amazing world of fish. * New Scientist *An engaging and informative bouillabaisse. * The Economist *A sprawling, ambitious underwater journey studded with fascinating tidbits. * New York Times Book Review *This aquarium of a book is an eloquent reminder of how remarkable [fish] are. * Natural History *Enthralling and thought-provoking * Countryman *Helen Scales invites us to dive below the waterline as she reveals the hidden but glorious lives of fish going about their rather fascinating business. * Coast *Eye of the Shoal is a book brimming with wonders. Shimmering colours, otherworldly abilities, and compelling dramas flood every page, as the masterful Helen Scales brings us eye-to-eye with the world of fishes – creatures who are at once thrillingly strange and startlingly ubiquitous. Whether you snorkel or scuba, whether you meet fish in a tank or on TV, this book is new portal to see our blue planet with new eyes, one that will make you love our world and its creatures all the more. -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an OctopusEye of the Shoal is like a beautiful glass bottomed boat that reveals this mysterious realm with joyful passion and perfect clarity. You couldn't have a more knowledgable guide on board than Helen. -- Dallas Campbell, science broadcaster and authorEye of the Shoal is an absorbing account of the least understood area of our planet. Helen brings the depths to life, not only with wondrous accounts from her extensive travels, but also by introducing us to some magnificently improbable characters (both human and piscine), and by astonishing us with mind-blowing facts on every page. -- James Harkin, QI's Head Elf and presenter on the award-winning podcast 'No Such Thing as a Fish'This fantastic and timely book will change your perspective on your pet goldfish, a fishmonger's window display, a darting flash of silver glimpsed from a boat and the colourful world of a coral reef. A must-read for anyone interested in life on Earth. -- Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer and author of Storm in a TeacupIf you already love fish wherever they swim, you'll be astonished by so many new discoveries in these pages. If you don't love fish – you surely will.' -- Carl Safina, author of The View From Lazy Point, and Beyond Words: What Animals Think and FeelTable of ContentsPrologue: The wandering ichthyologist Chapter 1: Ichthyo-curiosities Sedna the sea goddess Chapter 2: A view from the deep - introducing the fish How the flounder lost its smile Chapter 3: Outrageous acts of colour The salmon of knowledge Chapter 4: Illuminations O-namazu Chapter 5: Anatomy of a shoal Osiris and the elephantfish Chapter 6: Fish food Vatnagedda Chapter 7: Toxic fish Chipfalamfula Chapter 8: How fish used to be The Doctor of the sea Chapter 9: Fish symphonies The fish and the golden shoe Chapter 10: (Re)thinking fish Epilogue Appendix: Illustration species list Glossary Select bibliography and notes Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisAn engaging and original history of the first hundred years of DNA, one of the greatest triumphs of modern science.

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Book Synopsis‘Fascinating’ – Brian Cox, Mail on Sunday Books of the Year Where are we? Who are we? Do our beliefs, hopes and dreams hold any significance out there in the void? Can human purpose and meaning ever fit into a scientific worldview? Award-winning author Sean Carroll brings his extraordinary intellect to bear on the realms of knowledge, the laws of nature and the most profound questions about life, death and our place in it all. From Darwin and Einstein to the origins of life, consciousness and the universe itself, Carroll combines cosmos-sprawling science and profound thought in a quest to explain our world. Destined to sit alongside the works of our greatest thinkers, The Big Picture demonstrates that while our lives may be forever dwarfed by the immensity of the universe, they can be redeemed by our capacity to comprehend it and give it meaning.Trade Review‘It’s very much in the tradition of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, which is one of my all-time favourite science books. Books like that are not only about science, they put science in the wider context of our society…they explain and present not only the things we’ve learned about a relatively esoteric subject, but link those discoveries to our experience. Learning about nature teaches us about ourselves and how we should behave. I think that the best science books make that connection.’ -- Professor Brian Cox, ‘science writers on the books that inspired them’, Guardian‘An extraordinarily ambitious synthesis of science and philosophy…The Big Picture impresses. Carroll is a lively and sympathetic author who writes as well about biology and philosophy as he does about his own field of physics.’ * Clive Cookson, Financial Times *‘Bold...rich in detail and absorbing.’ * Tim Radford, Guardian *‘Sean Carroll’s lucid The Big Picture reveals how the universe works and our place in it. Carroll, a philosophically sophisticated physicist, discusses consciousness without gimmicks, and deftly shows how current physics is so solid that it rules out ESP for ever.’ * Observer *‘A humane and compelling story for our increasingly secular age.’ * Manjit Kumar, Literary Review *‘A highly enjoyable and lucid tour through a wide range of topics…even if you don’t agree with what [Carroll] says, you are unlikely to be enraged by such an urbane and engaging lecturer; more likely, you will be enthralled.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Language, philosophy, quantum mechanics, general relativity – they’re all in The Big Picture. Sean Carroll is a fantastically erudite and entertaining writer.’ -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of New York Times bestseller The Sixth Extinction‘Weaving the threads of astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and philosophy into a seamless narrative tapestry, Sean Carroll enthralls us with what we’ve figured out in the universe and humbles us with what we don’t yet understand. Yet in the end, it’s the meaning of it all that feeds your soul of curiosity.’ -- Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey‘Carroll beautifully articulates the world view suggested by contemporary naturalism. Thorny issues like free will, the direction of time, and the source of morality are clarified with elegance and insight... This is a book that should be read by everybody.’ -- Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics‘A tour de force that offers a comprehensive snapshot of the human situation in our infinitely strange universe, and it does this with highly accessible language and engaging storytelling.’ * Salon.com *‘Carroll’s new book reveals how physicists’ quest to better understand the fundamental laws of nature has led to astonishing insights into life, the universe, and everything.’ -- Sabine Hossenfelder, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies‘[Carroll] sets out to show how various phenomena, including thought, choice, consciousness, and value, hang together with the scientific account of reality that has been developed in physics in the past 100 years. He attempts to do all this without relying on specialized jargon from philosophy and physics and succeeds spectacularly in achieving both aims.’ * Science *‘From the Big Bang to the meaning of human existence, The Big Picture is exactly that – a magisterial, yet deeply fascinating, grand tour through the issues that really matter. Blending science and philosophy, Sean Carroll gives us a humane perspective on the universe and our place in it. As gripping as it is important, The Big Picture can change the way you think about the world.’ -- Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish‘Instead of feeling humbled and insignificant when gazing upward on a clear starry night, Carroll takes us by the hand and shows us how fantastic the inanimate physical Universe is and how special each animate human can be. It is lucid, spirited, and penetrating.’ -- Michael Gazzaniga, author of Who's in Charge? and Tales from Both Sides of the Brain‘In this timely exploration of the universe and its mysteries – both physical and metaphysical – Sean Carroll illuminates the world around us with clarity, beauty and, ultimately, with much needed wisdom.’ -- Deborah Blum, director, Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, author of The Poisoner’s Handbook‘A nuanced inquiry into ‘how our desire to matter fits in with the nature of reality at its deepest levels,’ in which Carroll offers an assuring dose of what he calls "existential therapy" reconciling the various and often seemingly contradictory dimensions of our experience.’ -- Maria Popova, Brain Pickings‘Sean Carroll is a leading theoretical cosmologist with the added ability to write about his subject with unusual clarity, flare, and wit.’ -- Alan Lightman, author of The Accidental Universe and Einstein’s Dreams‘Carroll is the perfect guide to this wondrous journey of discovery. A brilliantly lucid exposition of profound philosophical and scientific issues...’ * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *

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Book SynopsisFor fans of pop science, How Things Work, How It's Made, maker culture, and visual information, here's an entertaining photo exploration and literal inside look at a fun range of the everyday objects around us.

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Book SynopsisA deck of cards to show you how and when to spot 40 constellations across the sky, explaining the key features to look out for as well as the myths and legends behind each one.

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Book SynopsisFrom two premier maths minds - a renowned mathematics professor and a contributing editor to Scientific American - comes an engaging, accessible guide to calculating almost anything in your head.

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Book SynopsisA compendium of sounds from this world and beyond, from the author of A New Map of Wonders and The Book of Barely Imagined Beings.

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Book SynopsisImagine standing at the center of a Roman coliseum that is 20 miles across, with walls that soar 10 miles into the sky, towering walls with cascades of ice crystals falling along its brilliantly white surface. That''s what it''s like to stand in the eye of a hurricane. In Divine Wind, Kerry Emanuel, one of the world''s leading authorities on hurricanes, gives us an engaging account of these awe-inspiring meteorological events, revealing how hurricanes and typhoons have literally altered human history, thwarting military incursions and changing the course of explorations. Offering an account of the physics of the tropical atmosphere, the author explains how such benign climates give rise to the most powerful storms in the world and tells what modern science has learned about them. Interwoven with this scientific account are descriptions of some of the most important hurricanes in history and relevant works of art and literature. For instance, he describes the 17th century hurricane that likely inspired Shakespeare''s The Tempest and that led to the British colonization of Bermuda. We also read about the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, by far the worst natural calamity in U.S. history, with a death toll between 8,000 and 12,000 that exceeded the San Francisco earthquake, the Johnstown Flood, and the Okeechobee Hurricane combined. Boasting more than one hundred color illustrations, from ultra-modern Doppler imagery to classic paintings by Winslow Homer, Divine Wind captures the profound effects that hurricanes have had on humanity. Its fascinating blend of history, science, and art will appeal to weather junkies, science buffs, and everyone who read Isaac''s Storm.Trade Review'...excellent photographs and satellite images of hurricanes and their dramatic impact. Anyone wanting to know the current state of our scientific understanding of hurricanes should get hold of this attractively produced book. 'Divine Wind' is the best introduction to hurricanes that I have come across.' * Andrew Robinson, THES *Other books have dealt with the historical accounts with more depth, but the overall effect of those in Divine Wind is unique. A pioneering hurricane researcher, Emanuel presents the science at a level that is not too technical for non-specialists, yet is sufficient to describe the basic physics with few equations. * Howard B Bluestein, Nature *

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