Popular science Books

Book SynopsisA concise guide to the wonderful world of mathematics, that makes connections with the world around usTrade ReviewAn illuminating history of mathematics that also touches on fascinating philosophical questions surrounding maths. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisAnswers the questions on everyone's mind about a diverse range of topics, abstract concepts, and popular and hard core science. Sections include: animals and agriculture, body, climate and energy, medical myths, mind and brain, research and technology, and more. Table of Contents Foreword 1 Foreword 2 Acknowledgements Animals and agriculture Body Climate and energy Ever wondered? Medical myths Mind and brain Research and technology Space, time and matter Glossary

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Book SynopsisChallenges the traditional four seasons, and encourages us to think about how we view changes in our natural world.

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Book SynopsisWitnessing a total solar eclipse is a wondrous and unforgettable event! Eclipse Chasers is a guide to past and future Australian total solar eclipses, exploring historical and cultural knowledge, as well as featuring five upcoming eclipses that will be visible in Australia.Trade Review"This is an attractive and an attractively priced thoroughly readable book, and will be enjoyed by all eclipse chasers" -- Professor Wayne Orchiston * Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage 26(1) *"There will be five total eclipses over Australia between 2023 and 2035, and this book will enable you to discuss, observe, understand, and worry about them." * Cosmos *"This fascinating book takes us behind the scenes for the solar eclipse observations by professionals, amateurs, and tourists in Australia for the last 100 years or so. It also prepares the reader for the forthcoming total eclipses visible from Australia, starting with 2023 and 2028. It explains the eclipse observations to be made and why. It even has a couple of pages of recommended activities for teachers to arrange. Everybody in Australia and those world citizens interested in solar eclipses should have a copy." -- Jay Pasachoff * Chair, International Astronomical Union Working Group on Eclipses; Field Memorial Professor of Astro *"Eclipse Chasers is an intriguing book about eclipses providing great insight to what an eclipse is as well as tips on how to become an eclipse chaser. What this book does is remind the read that there is much more to what’s happening in the skies above, it’s asking you to be aware of your surroundings, the stillness, the darkness, and the chance to see 'the diamond ring' in the sky." -- Deanne Fitzgerald * Western Australian Museum *

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Book SynopsisEntertaining, colorful, and deceptively full of facts, This Phenomenal Life tells the story of the wondrous ways that humans are always completely at one with our surrounding world. From the vast galaxies above to the miniature microbes within, humans are organically connected to the complex cycles and mysterious processes of our universe. Every single atom of our body is made of remnants of stars and massive explosions in the galaxies, and we share the same biochemical basis of life with all living beings on earth, from a single-celled amoeba to a giant blue whale. Whimsically hip illustrations elucidate wild science-based facts, from the unexpected intimacy we have with fungi on a daily basis, to the similar ways that humans and birds learn to communicate. Powerful evidence of our interconnection with nature combined with beautiful artwork will inspire the reader to look at the world in a whole new way.Trade ReviewIn these exuberant, surprising, joyous, gorgeous pages, artist and writer Misha Maynerick Blaise celebrates THIS PHENOMENAL LIFE with facts that will amaze and artwork that will delight. What a great way to reawaken our connections with the universe! -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of the Octopus, finalist for the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction“This book lies in the ever-disappearing intersection between beauty and truth. Every single person I know would love it to pieces.” —Ella Frances Sanders, author of the New York Times bestseller Lost in TranslationI have a new favorite book in the universe and it’s called This Phenomenal Life. It explodes with the wonders of creation and the beauty of being alive. -- Rainn Wilson, actor, author'Blaise’s characters are almost all adults, but older children as well as grown-ups may enjoy this lovely graphic book, which offers a sweet-spirited reminder that all human beings are more alike than different, and that the entire cosmos is interconnected in ways we’re only beginning to comprehend.' **Starred review** * Publishers Weekly *Blaise (My Wondrous Cloud Odyssey) provides illustrations for a trove of scientific facts to demonstrate how closely humans are intertwined with the natural world. Playing with both meanings of the word 'phenomenal,' Blaise depicts dark skies dotted with stars, swirling currents, riotous flowers, and creatures from microorganisms to elephants—a vibrant visual world shared with ethnically and culturally diverse humans. Gentle whimsy prevails: a bewigged avian playing a harp illustrates an aspect of birdsong that’s similar to human music, while two people shyly sitting far apart are yet connected by their 'microbial clouds.' Addressing such wide-ranging topics as the Big Bang, plant neurotransmitters, insect husbandry, hidden water footprints, and 'mitochondrial Eve,' Blaise encourages a sense of wonder at the phenomenal world. 'Even in an office with no windows,' she writes, 'every breath we take contains trillions of air molecules that cycle through the world and connect us with life on Earth.' Blaise’s characters are almost all adults, but older children as well as grown-ups may enjoy this lovely graphic book, which offers a sweet-spirited reminder that all human beings are more alike than different, and that the entire cosmos is interconnected in ways we’re only beginning to comprehend. **starred review** * Publishers Weekly *Children and adults alike will appreciate Blaise's vibrant illustrations paired with a bevy of scientific facts. Whether they be atoms or our enormous universe, these eye-catching depictions detail how closely connected we are with the natural world. * Green Living Magazine *

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Book SynopsisAs we approach a great turning point in history when technology is poised to redefine what it means to be human, The Fourth Age offers fascinating insight into AI, robotics, and their extraordinary implications for our species. “If you only read just one book about the AI revolution, make it this one” (John Mackey, cofounder and CEO, Whole Foods Market). In The Fourth Age, Byron Reese makes the case that technology has reshaped humanity just three times in history: 100,000 years ago, we harnessed fire, which led to language; 10,000 years ago, we developed agriculture, which led to cities and warfare; 5,000 years ago, we invented the wheel and writing, which lead to the nation state. We are now on the doorstep of a fourth change brought about by two technologies: AI and robotics. “Timely, highly informative, and certainly optimistic” (Booklist), The Fourth Age provides an essential background on how we got to thiTrade Review“The Fourth Age not only discusses what the rise of A.I. will mean for us, it also forces readers to challenge their preconceptions. And it manages to do all this in a way that is both entertaining and engaging.” * The New York Times *“In The Fourth Age, Byron Reese offers the reader something much more valuable than what to think about Artificial Intelligence and robotics—he focuses on HOW to think about these technologies, and the ways in which they will change the world forever. If you only read just one book about the AI revolution, make it this one.” -- John Mackey, co-founder and CEO, Whole Foods Market"Reese frames the deepest questions of our time in clear language that invites readers to make their own choices. Using 100,000 years of human history as his guide, he explores the issues around artificial general intelligence, robots, consciousness, automation, the end of work, abundance, and immortality. As he does so, Reese reveals himself to be an optimist and urges us to use technology to build a better world." -- Bob Metcalfe, UT Austin Professor of Innovation, Ethernet inventor, 3Com founder"Timely, highly informative, and certainly optimistic." * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Lion in the Living Room comes a fascinating and provocative exploration of the biology of motherhood that “is witty, reassuring, and takes motherhood out of the footnotes and places it front and center—where it belongs” (Louann Brizendine, MD, New York Times bestselling author). Everyone knows how babies are made, but scientists are only just beginning to understand the making of a mother. Mom Genes reveals the hard science behind our tenderest maternal impulses, tackling questions such as why mothers are destined to mimic their own moms (or not), how maternal aggression makes females the world’s most formidable creatures, and how a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic can make or break a mom. Weaving the latest research with Abigail Tucker’s personal experiences, Mom Genes “is an eye-opening tour through the biology and psychology of a rolTrade Review“This is a fascinating book….Her stories about her own parenting misadventures, including her emergency C-section and a bout with postpartum depression, helpfully illustrate the role context plays in our experience of parenthood.” —The Wall Street Journal“[Tucker's] ability to break down complex topics and conflicting research is formidable… Mom Genes is a book for the many mothers within—and those willing to see them in a new light.” —The Washington Post"Tucker climbed that mountain of inconclusive science about how humans succeed at the terrifying and ancient task of mothering only to find the answers closer to home… [Readers will] see that an intriguing subject — the author herself — awaits you." —New York Times Book Review“Tucker’s enthusiasm radiates on every page, and her dive in to the wacky world of motherhood is fascinating.” —Discover Magazine“Meticulously researched and well-documented, Mom Genes is one part memoir (Tucker intersperses her own experiences as a white mother of four children), and one part incredibly readable popular science… Richly entertaining, filled with humor, and deeply informative, this engaging book is recommended for mothers, potential mothers, and anyone who has ever known a mother.” —Library Journal, starred review “Using clever, colorful, figurative language and a warm, conversational tone, Tucker documents the complex challenges women who become mothers face.” —Booklist“Tucker has a knack for making complex science accessible, and she encouragingly touts the importance of mothers having a support system… Moms-to-be in search of a straightforward look at the changes ahead will find this a good place to start.” —Publisher’s Weekly“Tucker is a consistently energetic guide, and she doesn’t shy away from discussing ‘the dangerous and opaque mental problems that hound moms.’ In a particularly vibrant chapter, the author explores the countless deleterious effects of poverty and how American society continually fails to provide the support that mothers deserve. Filling in the gaps and moving the story forward are Tucker’s personal observations—she is the mother of four—and the ups and downs of her experiences, many of which will be familiar to mothers of all backgrounds.” —Kirkus Reviews “Shocking and yet somehow reassuring...Whether you're a mom, know a mom (of any species), or ever had a mom (that's pretty much everybody), you are going to want to read this surprising and rigorously-researched book.” —Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus “Mom Genes is my new favorite book on motherhood: fascinating, informative, funny, and smart as a whip. Abby Tucker is the friend you want to lean on when you’re wondering how to cope with your child, the researcher who can explain a thousand weird, wonderful aspects of parenting, and the quirky thinker who can open your mind to the strangeness and beauty of being a mother.” —Martha Beck, New York Times bestselling author of Expecting Adam“Mom Genes is witty, reassuring, and takes motherhood out of the footnotes and places it front and center—where it belongs!” —Louann Brizendine, MD, author of New York Times bestseller The Female Brain“Filled with jaw-dropping facts and findings, this brilliant, absolutely fascinating book grabbed me from page one. In Mom Genes, Abigail Tucker distills an extraordinary range of cutting-edge research into fun, accessible chapters. Written in an engaging, often hilarious voice, Mom Genes illuminates the biology of everything motherly. I couldn’t put it down.” —Amy Chua, Yale Law professor and author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations“I’m a father, but I found every page of this gripping and wonderful—not least because of the author’s rare skill at making science vividly understandable to lay readers.” —John Colapinto, New York Times bestselling author of As Nature Made Him“With thorough research, keen insight, and wry humor, Abigail Tucker shows us why moms are different from other people—even, daresay, special, with superpowers that science is just beginning to reveal. For anyone who is a mother, or who has a mother, her book is an eye-opening tour through the biology and psychology of a role that is once utterly ordinary and wondrously strange.” –Annie Murphy Paul, author of Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives“Deeply researched and compulsively readable, Mom Genes illuminates the ancient biological roots of modern motherhood. Tucker narrates vividly and often hilariously on a journey that travels from the nursery to the laboratory and back again, out into the wild and across time. I loved this book and its rich exploration of the causes—and consequences—of becoming a mother.” —K.S. Bowers, coauthor of Wildhood and Zoobiquity“An entertaining storyteller, [Tucker] weaves neuroscience with tales from all kinds of mammal moms, including her own travails and joys. If you’ve ever had a hunch that motherhood changed your brain forever, Mom Genes not only confirms your suspicions, but shows you how and why.” —Randi Hutter Epstein, MD, author of Aroused: The History of Hormones and How They Control Just About Everything

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Book SynopsisFossils are the fragments from which, piece by laborious piece, the great mosaic of the history of life has been constructed. Here and there, we can supplement these meager scraps by the use of biochemical markers or geochemical signatures that add useful information, but, even with such additional help, our reconstructions and our models of descent are often tentative. For the fossil record is, as we have seen, as biased as it is incomplete. But fragmentary, selective, and biased though it is, the fossil record, with all its imperfections, is still a treasure. Though whole chapters are missing, many pages lost, and the earliest pages so damaged as to be, as yet, virtually unreadable, thisthe greatest biography of allis one in whose closing pages we find ourselves.from OriginsIn Origins, Frank H. T. Rhodes explores the origin and evolution of living things, the changing environments in which they have developed, and the challenges we now face on an increasingly Trade Review"In Origins, an overview of the history of life on Earth for the nonspecialist reader, Frank H. T. Rhodes starts with origins and traces a winding path to human evolution. This book is a highly readable treatment of an important and interesting topic." -- Michael Foote, University of Chicago"In this compact and elegant volume, Frank H. T. Rhodes does far more than beautifully updating his classic 1962 book The Evolution of Life. He provides a new narrative of the history of life on Earth for a new set of generations. He covers familiar territory with a fresh and lyrical prose that reveals new insights into both species past and present and the people who have studied them. This is a perfect introduction by a virtuoso." -- Warren D. Allmon, Director, Paleontological Research InstitutionTable of Contents1. Defrosting the Mammoth 2. Terrestrial Timepieces 3. "From So Simple a Beginning" 4. Classification: The Diversity of Life 5. Spineless Wonders 6. Bone, Scales, and Fins: The Early Vertebrates 7. The Greening of the Land 8. The Amphibian Foothold 9. The Reign of the Reptiles 10. The Air 11. The Blossoming Earth 12. The Rise of the Mammals 13. The Mammalian Explosion 14. The Leakeys' Legacy 15. "Endless Forms, Most Beautiful and Most Wonderful" 16. On Extinction 17. "Have Been and Are Being Evolved": The Development of Life Epilogue

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as Careful!The modern world can be a dangerous place, filled with fast cars, smart phones, drugs and extreme sports. Meanwhile, we humans are as fragile as ever. In fact, after a century of decline in injuries and accidental deaths they are on the rise again. The question is – why? Steve Casner has devoted his career to studying the psychology of safety, and he knows that there’s not a safety warning we won't ignore, or a fool-proof device we can't turn into an implement of disaster. Based on years of research and understanding of human behavior learnt as a research psychologist, Risk is the definitive user-guide to avoiding everyday calamity. It will help us understand why we behave in such contradictory ways – insisting on fat-free salad dressing but then texting while driving – and explain the psychological traps that can lead us to the scene of an accident. By showing us how and when injuries happen, we learn what we should really be worrying about.Helping to keep our fingers attached in the kitchen, our children afloat at the pool and teenagers safe behind the wheel, Casner shows us all the ways we can take control of our own safety and get through the day in one piece.Trade ReviewCasner convincingly argues that we all need to make a habit of being more careful. A scientist and a natural storyteller, he takes the studies, data, and safety advice we usually tune out and turns it into gripping, page-turning material. This is a how-to-guide for a new way of thinking about survival in a world filled with hazards and distractions. -- Charles Duhigg, author of Smarter Faster Better and The Power of HabitSteve Casner is an authority on human behaviour, especially in the interaction with the ever-increasing automated systems of the modern world. He works at NASA where he is an expert in aviation safety, but he has extended his range of expertise far beyond that of airplanes...An excellent writer. * Don Norman, author of The Design of Everyday Things *We can all relate to Steve’s blooper reel of everyday ways we hurt ourselves. Careful provides enough science and data to blow you away, but the real-life stories will have you laughing. This helpful book just might save your life. -- Deborah Hersman, president of the U.S. National Safety Council and former chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety BoardA terrifying primer on the absurd and humiliating dangers of daily life * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisBy the end of the astonishing E=mc2, a dedicated reader will have achieved, if only by osmosis, an understanding of Einstein's theory of relativity and feel quite at ease dining with Nobel Prize winners. It's a lucid, even thrilling study: the very best kind of science journalism. I didn't know I could know so much.' Fay Weldon, Books of the Year, Washington Post In 1905, Albert Einstein produced five historic papers that shattered many cherished scientific beliefs. One of those papers introduced the theory of special relativity and his legendary equation, E=mc2. Generations have grown up knowing that equation changed the shape of our world, but without understanding what it really means and why it is so significant. In this fascinating biography David Bodanis tells the story of one of the greatest scientific discoveries in history. He looks at the elements 'e', 'm' and 'c'; and honours the scientists whose landmark discoveries paved the way for Einstein. He plots the course of the equation through the twentieth century, showing how our lives have been revolutionized by its applications; and looks far ahead to the future. But as with any biography, it is the human stories that really ignite the subject - stories of love, courage and tragedy, of near misses, disappointments and disasters that, brought together by Bodanis in this remarkable book, turn Einstein's seemingly impenetrable theory into a dramatic and accessible human achievement. 'Both informative and highly readable...E=mc2 is a wonderful romp through Einstein's famous formula.. this is everything a popular science book should be' DAILY EXPRESS 'Bodanis himself seems like an intellectual thermonuclear explosion, a kind of Jonathan Miller on speed...This is an outstanding introduction to relativity by a gifted practitioner of popular science' INDEPENDENT 'With skill and plenty of colourful anecdotes Bodanis traces the intellectual ancestry of E=mc2...fast moving and entertaining' THE TIMES 'E=mc2 reveals, amongst other wonders, how many women physicists were involved in the story. Which makes this morally improving, as well as fascinating reading' George Walden, Books of the Year, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'The book fizzes in the readers imagination' TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

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Book Synopsis'A must-read for all athletes, from the professional to the weekend warrior.'Wall Street JournalThe NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING account of the new frontier of sports recovery science, which shows what we should and shouldn't be doing between exercising to achieve maximum performance.All athletes, from Olympians to weekend warriors, must find the balance between training and recovery to maximize the benefits of workouts and reach optimal performance. For the longest time, coaches and training manuals have emphasized training above all else. However, science shows that recovery is a crucial component of exercise training and it may even be the most important one.Good to Go is the first definitive account of this new frontier in sports and exercise science. Christie Ashwanden takes you on a first-person tour through the science of exercise recovery, from ice baths and cryogenic freezing chambers to the science behind Usain Bolt’s love of chicken nuggets and Tom Brady’s recovery pyjamas.Full of eye-opening revelations, Aschwanden takes us on an invigorating journey through the science and potions of sports recovery and debunks the junk to give a clear picture of what we should actually be doing to achieve peak performance.Trade ReviewChristie Aschwanden is simply one of the best science writers in the world. Whether you’re striving for a personal best or simply wondering about that post-workout beer, Good to Go is the definitive tour through a bewildering jungle of scientific (and pseudo-scientific) claims that comprise a multi-billion dollar recovery industry. -- David Epstein, bestselling author of The Sports GeneRecovery is the great athletic obsession of our time. But how much do we really understand about it? Christie Aschwanden cuts through the hype to explore the topic with nuance, humor, and – most important – scientific rigor. The result is a much-needed reappraisal of how we should think about recovery, making Good to Go the most important book about training you’ll read this year. -- Alex Hutchinson, bestselling author of EndureThis authoritative, delightful, and much-needed book slices through the hype around athletic recovery, and will surely cement Christie Aschwanden’s status as one of the world’s top science writers. Even if you’ve never run a race in your life, you’ll sprint through it. I laughed a lot, and learned even more. -- Ed Yong, bestselling author of I Contain Multitudes'A fascinating, whirlwind investigation into recovery techniques. The book offers a useful introduction to how scientific research works - and why, in sports science, it often doesn’t. Such insights make Good to Go appealing to more than just gym rats and weekend warriors. It’s for anyone who wonders how scientific studies happen, and how they influence the claims on products found in grocery stores and athletic stores alike.' * Science News *Deeply researched and artfully written. . . a must-read for all athletes, from the professional to the weekend warrior. * The Wall Street Journal *As buzzy as recovery is among athletes right now, the question of how to best adapt to and benefit from training is still fraught with confusion…Christie Aschwanden offers much-needed clarity on the subject in Good to Go. * Runner's World *Table of ContentsIntroduction - Introduction: Introduction Chapter - 1: Just-So Science Chapter - 2: Be Like Mike Chapter - 3: The Perfect Fuel Chapter - 4: The Cold War Chapter - 5: Flushing the Blood Chapter - 6: Calming the Senses Chapter - 7: The Rest Cure Chapter - 8: Selling Snake Oil Chapter - 9: Losing Your Zoom Chapter - 10: The Magic Metric Chapter - 11: Hurts So Good Section - Conclusion: Conclusion Acknowledgements - Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements Section - Notes: Notes Index - Index: Index

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Book Synopsis'Bored and Brilliant is full of easy steps to make each day more effective' Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of HabitIt’s time to move ‘doing nothing’ to the top of your to-do list Have you ever noticed how you have your best ideas when doing the dishes or staring out the window? It's because when your body goes on autopilot, your brain gets busy connecting ideas and solving problems.However in the modern world it often feels as though we have completely removed boredom from our lives; we are addicted to our phones, we reply to our emails twenty-four hours a day, tweet as we watch TV, watch TV as we commute, check Facebook as we walk and Instagram while we eat. Constant stimulation has become our default mode. In this easy to follow, practical book, award-winning journalist Manoush Zomorodi explores the connection between boredom and original thinking, and will show you how to ditch your screens and start embracing time spent doing nothing. Bored and Brilliant will help you unlock the way to becoming your most productive and creative self.Trade ReviewA timely, political and liberating book exploring the neurological reasons why tech might be getting in the way of your creativity and problem-solving...Zomorodi explores why we need to step away from social, streaming and snapping in order to daydream, and how to do it in practical steps * Emerald Street *A breezy and engaging book that is a little philosophy and a lot of self-help. This could do for unplugging what Marie Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up did for decluttering * Booklist *Bored and Brilliant is full of easy steps to make each day more effective and every life more intentional. Manoush’s mix of personal stories, neuroscience, and data will convince you that boredom is actually a gift -- Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of HabitBored and Brilliant shows the fascinating side of boredom. Manoush Zomorodi investigates cutting-edge research as well as compelling (and often funny) real-life examples to demonstrate that boredom is actually a crucial tool for making our lives happier, more productive, and more creative. What’s more, the book is crammed with practical exercises for anyone who wants to reclaim the power of spacing out – deleting the Two Dots app, for instance, or having a photo-free day, or taking a '"fakecation." -- Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness ProjectIn this age of information, Zomorodi’s book seems revolutionary, almost subversive. Sprinkled liberally with research and insights from some of the leading minds in technology and futurism, Bored and Brilliant is an important reminder that we are not beholden to our devises * Bookpage *If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the technology in your life, Manoush Zomorodi totally gets you. * Tech Times *Rarely has a conversation about boredom been less boring. I found it more thrilling than ‘Serial’ because, frankly, it was of more universal import * Newsweek on the Bored and Brilliant Podcast *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of Elephant's on Acid comes a collection of the wackiest theories from science and history.What if we’re living inside a black hole? What if we’ve already found extraterrestrial life? What if the dinosaurs died in a nuclear war? What if Jesus Christ was actually a mushroom?In Psychedelic Apes, bestselling author Alex Boese delves into the curious scientific subculture of weird theories. Thoroughly bizarre and contrary to the established norm, these ideas are often vehemently rejected by the intellectual community.From the creation of the universe to the evolution of humans, the birth of civilization right through to our more recent past, Psychedelic Apes explores some of the craziest ideas from science and history and shows that, sometimes, even the weirdest theories may be proved true . . .Trade ReviewEye-popping -- Daily Mail on Electrified SheepVery well researched and engaging . . . this will likely be enjoyed equally by science buffs and casual aficionados of the curious. One of the finest science/history bathroom books of all time. -- Kirkus Reviews on Elephants on Acid

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Book Synopsis The geeks will inherit the earth.With well over two hundred episodes and a dozen seasons, The Big Bang Theory is one of America’s favorite television series, bringing a new class of character to mainstream television: the science nerd.In spite of its evident popularity and influence in shaping public attitudes to science and scientists, there are relatively few books that explore the show’s culture and social dimension. The Science of The Big Bang Theory looks behind the comedy scenes and scripts of this long-running and successful TV show to explore topics such as:The Bachelor Party Corrosion and ArchimedesThe Valentino Submergence: Fun with FlagsThe Dumpling Decoupling: Sheldon and Doctor Who The Mystery Date Observation: The Unlikely Dating Habits of EggheadsAnd More!This book is a light-hearted science companion to TV's The Big Bang Theory, providing you with just the kind of dissection of the science and culture you’d need to understand “math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries, that all started with the big bang! Hey!”

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Book SynopsisSpy-Fi Culture with a License to KillFrom Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, James Bond is the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time. Out-grossing Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the world’s most iconic and international secret agent has a shelf life of almost six decades, from Dr. No to Spectre. As nuclear missile threats are replaced by a series of subtler threats in a globalized and digital world, Bond is with us still.In The Science of James Bond, we recognize the Bond franchise as a unique genre: spy-fi. A genre of film and fiction that fuses spy fiction with science fiction. We look at Bond’s obsessions with super-villains, the future, and world domination or destruction. And we take a peek under the hood of trends in science and tech, often in the form of gadgets and spy devices in chapters such as: Goldfinger: Man Has Achieved Miracles in All Fields but Crime! You Only Live Twice: The Race to Conquer Space Live and Let Die: Full Throttle: Bond and the Car Skyfall: The Science of Cyberterrorism And more! This is the only James Bond companion that looks at the film and fiction in such a spy-fi way, taking in weapon wizards, the chemistry of death, threads of nuclear paranoia, and Bond baddies’ obsession with the master race!Trade Review“A scholar and authority on how science fiction can influence the course of science and define our popular perceptions.” —Booklist Online "It is rare to find someone of Mark's universal talents in science." —Roy Davies, BAFTA-nominated editor of BBC's Timewatch "Entertaining and insightful. A joy for fans of both science and fiction." —Gareth L. Powell, award-winning author of Ack-Ack Macaque

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Book SynopsisDiscover the real science behind 2001, ET, Signs, and all your favorite fictional alien civilizations.As space telescopes continue to search for life in this unearthly Universe, the crucial questions remain unanswered. Are we awake to the revolutionary effects on human society and science that alien contact will bring? And how is it possible to imagine the unknown? The Science of Aliens tells the compelling story of how the portrayal of alien life has evolved over time.Taking examples from science, film, and fiction, this book showcases how scholars, filmmakers, and authors have devoted their energies to imagining life beyond this Earth. From Copernicus to Kubrick, The Science of Aliens is a fascinating account for anyone interested in extraterrestrials.Otherworldly topics include: What Xenomorphs from Alien and Na’vi from Avatar have in common Darwin among aliens Extraterrestrials in Einstein’s sky Aliens in our space age And so much more Visualize the unknown and redefine your place in a changing cosmos with The Science of Aliens.

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Book SynopsisTake a trip beyond this Earth to explore the myths of The Mandalorian and uncover the anatomy of the newest space western in the Star Wars Universe.Star Wars dominates the film world. The combined box office revenue of the Star Wars movies equates to over $10 billion, making it the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time. But this franchise is no blaster from the past. Its fantastically successful films have now been followed by multiple television series set in that same galaxy far, far away. The franchise’s flagship television series, and likely the firmest fan favorite for some time to come, is The Mandalorian. Tracing the tale of the titular bounty hunter, traveling across the furthest reaches of that mythic galaxy, The Mandalorian has been greatly praised and highly acclaimed for creating characters with gravitas and originality, worlds with depth and impact, resulting in some of the best Star Wars content ever. Even though it’s set in deep space, The Mandalorian has as much in common with Western movies as it does with science fiction. Saloons. Bandits. “Gun” duels. Bounty hunters. Outlaws with a price on their heads. Space exploration as a “final frontier.” And a wild hero who doesn’t quite belong in a lawless part of the Galaxy after the fall of the Empire.The Science of The Mandalorian takes you on a badass journey with a mysterious, lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, where your beskar armor will protect you from many things, but not the sight of a small, green, carnivorous humanoid with big black eyes and mysterious powers. This is the way.

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Book SynopsisThis book is open access under a CC BY license.This is the first account of Britain’s plans for industrial development in its Caribbean colonies – something that historians have usually said Britain never contemplated. It shows that Britain’s remedy to the poor economic conditions in the Caribbean gave a key role to laboratory research to re-invent sugarcane as the raw material for making fuels, plastics and drugs. Science at the end of empire explores the practical and also political functions of scientific research and economic advisors for Britain at a moment in which Caribbean governments operated with increasing autonomy and the US was intent on expanding its influence in the region. Britain’s preferred path to industrial development was threatened by an alternative promoted through the Caribbean Commission. The provision of knowledge and expertise became key routes by which Britain and America competed to shape the future of the region, and their place in it.Trade Review'Sabine Clarke’s Science at the End of Empire is a case in point—and a welcome contribution asthe first book to focus on British colonial science policy in the Caribbean during the waning decades ofempire. [...] Clarke’s book should be of interest not only to Caribbeanists and historians of science in the BritishEmpire, but also to anyone involved with questions of economic development, decolonization, and sciencepolicy. Those concerned more broadly with the interplay of state and business interests in shapingresearch and development should also take note. Conveniently, it is available as an open-access publication,which should aid it in reaching historians of science in the Caribbean and beyond.Isis Journal -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1. New uses for sugar2. Scientific research and colonial development after 19403. ‘Men, money and advice’ for Caribbean development4. Laboratory science, laissez-faire economics and modernity5. An industrialisation programme for Trinidad6. Bringing research ‘down from the skies’7. Conclusion: Science and industrial development: lessons from Britain's imperial pastBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE FORTNUM & MASON FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2022 WINNER OF THE GUILD OF FOOD WRITERS SPECIALIST SUBJECT AWARD 2022 FINALIST IN THE IACP AWARDS 2022 _________ 'I have nothing against gluten, but this book is just full of recipes I long to make' Nigella Lawson The only gluten-free baking book you'll ever need, with delicious recipes that work perfectly every single time. From proper crusty bread, pillowy soft cinnamon rolls and glorious layered cakes to fudgy brownies, incredibly flaky rough puff pastry and delicate patisserie – everything that once seemed impossible to make gluten-free can now be baked by you. Baked to Perfection begins with a thorough look at the gluten-free baking basics: how different gluten-free flours behave, which store-bought blends work best, and how to mix your own to suit your needs. Covering cakes, brownies, cookies, pastry and bread in turn, Katarina shares the best techniques for the recipes in that chapter, and each recipe is accompanied by expert tips, useful scientific explanations and occasional step-by-step photography to help you achieve gluten-free perfection. Recipes include classic bakes like super-moist chocolate cake, caramel apple pie and chocolate chip cookies, the softest, chewiest bread, including crusty artisan loaves, baguettes, brioche burger buns and soda bread, and mouth-watering showstoppers like toasted marshmallow brownies, coffee cream puffs and strawberries + cream tart.Trade ReviewI have nothing against gluten, but this book is just full of recipes I long to make -- Nigella LawsonGluten-free baking just got a whole lot easier! The knowledge that Katarina shares is indispensable -- Julie Jones, author of The Pastry SchoolBaked to Perfection contains all the recipes and scientific understanding you need to bake anything gluten-free, and for it to work perfectly every time. Katarina has produced a beautiful and inspiring book that makes me want to head for the kitchen and switch on the oven! A magnificent achievement -- Juliet Sear, author of The Cake Decorating BiblePart science lesson (the fun kind, honest) and part home economics, making the process of getting to grips with baking sans gluten approachable to home cooks who don’t have a science degree in their back pockets * independent.co.uk *Katarina Cermelj effortlessly combines her knowledge of both science and baking to demystify gluten-free baking once and for all -- Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of The Fearless Baker Put what you know about wheat-based baking aside, and let Katarina teach you the wonders of decadent cookies, flaky tartlets, and tender cakes that all happen to be baked without gluten -- Tessa Huff, author of LayeredA winning guide . . . Bakers who want to expand their gluten-free baking repertoire and really get into what's happening in the baking process won't want to miss this. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisWhat’s the best book ever written? What would happen if we all stopped eating meat? What's the secret to living past 110? And what actually is the best thing since sliced bread? In An Answer For Everything, 200 of the world’s most intriguing questions are settled once and for all through beautiful and brilliant infographics. The results will leave you shocked, informed and thoroughly entertained. Created by the team behind the award-winning Delayed Gratification magazine, these compelling, darkly funny data visualisations will change the way you think about ... everythingTrade ReviewFresh, fascinating, and fun – a visual and verbal treat * Ian Hislop *A chunky, colourful book packed with fascinating facts and figures in infographic form * Daily Mirror, Books of the Year *Data just got a lot more fun * It's Nice That *Achieves the ultimate factual book goal; makes you cleverer, with minimal effort on your part. You’ll learn from it but somehow it makes that pleasurable * Rachel Parris, The Mash Report *A fabulous compendium of a thousand new things you didn’t know you didn’t know. And it looks very nice too * Andrew Hunter Murray, No Such Thing as a Fish, QI *Delayed Gratification is one of my favourite magazines, and one of the best things about it is the infographics. They've now published a book of them and it's glorious! * Alex Bellos *

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Book SynopsisThis lucid and entertaining book presents compelling scientific evidence that proves what many of us have perhaps long suspected: nature is really good for us. I found it revelatory' Richard Deverell, Director of Kew A revolutionary, science-based look at the ways nature can help make us healthier.Fifteen years ago, University of Oxford Professor Kathy Willis read a study that radically changed her view of our relationship to the natural world. The study revealed that hospital patients recovering from surgery improved three times faster when they looked out of their windows at trees rather than seeing walls.Since then, she has dedicated her research to proving this link between the amount of green space in our lives and our better health, mood and longevity. For the first time ever, Good Nature brings together these recent scientific findings and shares the simple changes we can all make in our lives. The book is full of sur

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Book SynopsisGood Nature is a groundbreaking exploration from Dr Kathy Willis exposing the causal relationship between nature and our health - making you experience the world in a new light.

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Book Synopsis'Jackie Higgins’s lyrical, literate style will charm you while her book stuns your imagination with strange, other-worldly truths' Richard DawkinsSentient assembles a menagerie of zoological creatures – from land, air, sea and all four corners of the globe – to understand what it means to be human. Through their eyes, ears, skins, tongues and noses, the furred, finned and feathered reveal how we sense and make sense of the world, as well as the untold scientific revolution stirring in the field of human perception. The harlequin mantis shrimp can throw a punch that can fracture aquarium walls but, more importantly, it has the ability to see a vast range of colours. The ears of the great grey owl have such unparalleled range and sensitivity that they can hear twenty decibels lower than the human ear. The star-nosed mole barely fills a human hand, seldom ventures above ground and poses little threat unless you are an earthworm, but its miraculous nose allows it to catch those worms at astonishing speed – as little as one hundred and twenty milliseconds. Here, too, we meet the four-eyed spookfish and its dark vision; the vampire bat and its remarkable powers of touch; the bloodhound and its hundreds of millions of scent receptors, as well as the bar-tailed godwit, the common octopus, giant peacocks, cheetahs and golden orb-weaving spiders. Each of these extraordinary creatures illustrates the sensory powers that lie dormant within us. In this captivating book, Jackie Higgins explores this evolutionary heritage and, in doing so, enables us to subconsciously engage with the world in ways we never knew possible.Trade ReviewThe first rule of popular science is to reveal the wonder and mystery of the world. For that reason, Sentient, written by photographer and wildlife film-maker Jackie Higgins, is my personal pick of the year. -- Simon Ings * New Scientist Best Books of the Year *Spellbinding . . . More than any other book, [Sentient] has made me think differently about the world this year. -- Alec Russell * Financial Times Best Books of the Year *Higgins makes popular science accessible – Sentient is a dizzying display of the evolutionary ingenuity not only of lifeforms, but also of zoologists, neuroscientists and biologists who have mapped new frontiers of knowledge. You may finish reading it and wish that humans could use that intelligence to stop the destruction of the habitats all of us live in. -- Saskia Baron * Observer *Jackie Higgins’s eye-opening account of the often bizarre or superhuman sensory systems of other animals, from Hades-dwellers to Arctic owls. -- Steven Poole * Telegraph Best New Science Books *Gripping . . . Thanks to Higgins' flair for storytelling, Sentient successfully informs us about our own senses by exploring those of animals. -- Barbara J. King * TLS *[An] epic account of how the senses make sense . . . Higgins’s argument, although colourful, is rigorous and focused. She leads us to adopt an entirely unfamiliar way of thinking about the senses. -- Simon Ings * The Times *How would the First Encounter with an extraterrestrial alien change our view of ourselves? Great science fiction explores the question. But we don’t need science fiction. The aliens are all around us – the octopus with its mysterious body-image, the electric scanner of the platypus’s bill, the magnetic compass of a migrating bird, the moth antenna that can detect the scent of a female in quadrillion-fold dilution. Jackie Higgins’s lyrical, literate style will charm you while her book stuns your imagination with strange, other-worldly truths. -- Richard DawkinsJackie Higgins puts a mirror up to the natural world so we can sense ourselves through our animal relatives. I love this book because it reminds me of our wildness, it reminds me how powerful our senses are, and it celebrates animals and humans in a way that binds us together. The stories are so interesting and well researched, and the language speaks of an author with a deep sense of biological wisdom and wonder -- Craig Foster, filmmaker and subject of the Oscar-winning documentary, My Octopus TeacherSentient is a tour de force of popular science, leading the reader on a whistle-stop tour of the natural world, to show the fascinating parallels between animal and human senses. -- Stephen Moss, naturalist and authorIf we are sentient, how do we know the world? Why presume other species might know it less? In her fantastic new book, Jackie Higgins digs deep to show us star-nosed moles that see what they touch, discovers how great grey owls fly silently in search of their prey, and how sightless humans can see with their faces. You will never see in the same way again. With potentially endless reverberations for our creative and perceptive states, Higgins delivers a series of delicious lessons in what it is to be sensate, and shows how our own brains can emulate the miraculous feat of the animals with whom we share this fragile planet. -- Philip Hoare, Samuel Johnson Prize-winning author of Leviathan and Albert and the WhaleIn Sentient, Jackie Higgins deftly explores the sensory world of animals — the exquisite touch-sense of a mole’s bizarre nose, the magnetic sense of migratory birds, the electric sense of the platypus — as a window onto our human senses, which echo and some cases even exceed their wild counterparts. Extraordinarily rich in detail; there is a miracle on every page. -- Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the WingI loved Sentient, it's filled with the wonder of knowing and the infinite surprises of nature. -- Stephen Rutt, author of The Seafarers and Wintering Educational, ground-breaking and meticulously well-researched. * Reaction Life Book Digest *Brimming with fascinating, frequently delightful and occasionally freaky trivia this is an entertaining, gentle and easily digestible read with some important and intriguing ideas at its core. -- Louder Than War

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Book SynopsisIn Sentient, Jackie Higgins assembles a menagerie of zoological creatures – from land, air, sea and all four corners of the globe – to understand what it means to be human.'Spellbinding . . . More than any other book, [Sentient] has made me think differently about the world this year.' – Financial Times Best Books of the YearThe peacock mantis shrimp can throw a punch that can fracture aquarium walls.The great grey owl can hear many decibels lower than the human ear.The star-nosed mole’s miraculous nose allows it to catch worms in as little as 120 milliseconds.In Sentient we also meet the four-eyed spookfish and its dark vision, the vampire bat and its remarkable powers of touch, as well as the common octopus, the Goliath catfish and the duck-billed platypus. Each zoological marvel illustrates the surprising sensory powers that lie within us and enables us to engage with the world in ways we never knew possible.'Lyrical and lucid . . . Higgins makes popular science accessible.' – ObserverTrade ReviewThe first rule of popular science is to reveal the wonder and mystery of the world. For that reason, Sentient, written by photographer and wildlife film-maker Jackie Higgins, is my personal pick of the year -- Simon Ings * New Scientist Best Books of the Year *Spellbinding . . . More than any other book, [Sentient] has made me think differently about the world this year. -- Alec Russell * Financial Times Best Books of the Year *Higgins makes popular science accessible. -- Saskia Baron * Observer *Jackie Higgins’s eye-opening account of the often bizarre or superhuman sensory systems of other animals, from Hades-dwellers to Arctic owls. -- Steven Poole * Telegraph Best New Science Books *Gripping . . . Thanks to Higgins' flair for storytelling, Sentient successfully informs us about our own senses by exploring those of animals. -- Barbara J. King * TLS *[An] epic account of how the senses make sense . . . Higgins’s argument, although colourful, is rigorous and focused. She leads us to adopt an entirely unfamiliar way of thinking about the senses. -- Simon Ings * The Times *Jackie Higgins’s lyrical, literate style will charm you while her book stuns your imagination with strange, other-worldly truths. -- Richard DawkinsSentient is a tour de force of popular science, leading the reader on a whistle-stop tour of the natural world, to show the fascinating parallels between animal and human senses. -- Stephen Moss, naturalist and authorJackie Higgins puts a mirror up to the natural world so we can sense ourselves through our animal relatives. I love this book because it reminds me of our wildness. -- Craig Foster, filmmaker and subject of the Oscar-winning documentary, My Octopus TeacherExtraordinarily rich in detail; there is a miracle on every page. -- Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the WingHiggins delivers a series of delicious lessons in what it is to be sensate, and shows how our own brains can emulate the miraculous feat of the animals with whom we share this fragile planet. -- Philip Hoare, Samuel Johnson Prize-winning author of Leviathan and Albert and the WhaleI loved Sentient, it's filled with the wonder of knowing and the infinite surprises of nature. -- Stephen Rutt, author of The Seafarers and Wintering Educational, ground-breaking and meticulously well-researched. * Reaction Life Book Digest *Brimming with fascinating, frequently delightful and occasionally freaky trivia this is an entertaining, gentle and easily digestible read with some important and intriguing ideas at its core. * Louder Than War *

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Book Synopsis‘Combining neurology, philosophy, computer science and artificial intelligence. . . a fascinating and illuminating account’ - The GuardianUnderstanding the human mind and how it relates to the world of experience has challenged scientists and philosophers for centuries. How do we even begin to think about ‘minds’ that are not human? That is the question explored in this ground-breaking book. In The Book of Minds, Award-winning science writer Philip Ball argues that in order to understand our own minds and imagine those of others, we need to move on from considering the human mind as a standard against which all others should be measured.Science has begun to have something to say about the properties of mind; the more we learn about the minds of other creatures, from octopuses to chimpanzees, to imagine the potential minds of computers and alien intelligences, the more we can begin to see our own, and the more we can understand the diversity of the human mind, in the widest of contexts. By understanding how minds differ, we can also best understand our own.

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Book Synopsis‘This book is not just about life, but about discovery itself. It is about error and hubris, but also about wonder and the reach of science. And it is bookended with the ultimate question: How do we define the thing that defines us?’ – Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Gene We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the living world – from protocells to brains, from zygotes to pandemic viruses – the harder they find it to locate the edges of life, where it begins and ends. What exactly does it mean to be alive? Is a virus alive? Is a foetus? Carl Zimmer investigates one of the biggest questions of all: What is life? The answer seems obvious until you try to seriously answer it. Is the apple sitting on your kitchen counter alive, or is only the apple tree it came from deserving of the word? If we can’t answer that question here on earth, how will we know when and if we discover alien life on other worlds? The question hangs over some of society’s most charged conflicts – whether a fertilized egg is a living person, for example, and when we ought to declare a person legally dead. Life’s Edge is an utterly fascinating investigation by one of the most celebrated science writers of our time. Zimmer journeys through the strange experiments that have attempted to recreate life. Literally hundreds of definitions of what that should look like now exist, but none has yet emerged as an obvious winner. Lists of what living things have in common do not add up to a theory of life. It’s never clear why some items on the list are essential and others not. Coronaviruses have altered the course of history, and yet many scientists maintain they are not alive. Chemists are creating droplets that can swarm, sense their environment, and multiply – have they made life in the lab? Whether he is handling pythons in Alabama or searching for hibernating bats in the Adirondacks, Zimmer revels in astounding examples of life at its most bizarre. He tries his own hand at evolving life in a test tube with unnerving results. Charting the obsession with Dr Frankenstein’s monster and how Coleridge came to believe the whole universe was alive, Zimmer leads us all the way into the labs and minds of researchers working on engineering life from the ground up.Trade ReviewThis book is not just about life, but about discovery itself. It is about error and hubris, but also about wonder and the reach of science. And it is bookended with the ultimate question: How do we define the thing that defines us? -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Gene * New York Times *Profound, lyrical, and fascinating, Life’s Edge will give you a newfound appreciation for life itself. It is the work of a master science writer at the height of his skills – a welcome gift at a time when life seems more precious than ever. -- Ed Yong, author of I Contain MultitudesA fascinating and well-written mapping of the edges of biology, which will have broad appeal to nonscientists. * Library Journal (starred review) *Diligently tackles the true definition of life . . . Zimmer invites us to observe, ponder, and celebrate life's exquisite diversity, nuances, and ultimate unity. * Booklist (starred review) *A master science writer explores the definition of life . . . An ingenious case that the answers to life's secrets are on the horizon. * Kirkus Reviews *A pop science tour de force. * Publisher’s Weekly *Carl Zimmer shows what a great suspense novel science can be. Life's Edge is a timely exploration in an age when modern Dr. Frankensteins are hard at work, but Carl’s artful, vivid, irresistible writing transcends the moment in these twisting chapters of intellectual revelation. Prepare to be enthralled. -- Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate, co-author of A Crack in Creation

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Book SynopsisWe don't know what we've got until it's gone...This brief, lucid book by the Director of Science at Royal Botanical Gardens takes you on an unforgettable tour of the natural world, showing how biodiversity - the rich variety of life in the world and in our own backyards - provides both the source and the salvation of our existence. Combining inspiration stories and the latest scientific research, Alex Antonelli reveals the wonders of biodiversity at a genetic, species and ecosystem level - what it is, how it works, and why it's the most important tool in our battle against climate change.A deeper understanding of biodiversity has never been more important, as the slow violence of habitat loss has put the fate of almost one-fifth of all species on Earth at risk of extinction in the coming decades. These building blocks of life form a network that underpins almost every aspect of our lives, providing invaluable sources of food, medicine, fibre, clothing, building material and more. With simplicity and clarity, The Hidden Universe shows you not only what's at stake, but what can be done (and is already being done) to protect and restore biodiversity around the world. It marks the arrival of a bold new voice in popular science.Trade Review'Engaging and urgent' * Nature *'The Hidden Universe is a smooth read ... biological facts are leavened by personal stories Antonelli tells of his "adventures" as a botanist traveling the world in search of plants.' * NewCity Lit *'For anyone who still needs winning around to our planet's beauty - and wants to know how we can save it - this is the book they should read.' * The Guardian *

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Book Synopsis'Required reading for everyone' Adam RutherfordShortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2021 Medicine, education, psychology, economics - wherever it really matters, we look to science for guidance. But what if science itself can't always be relied on?In this vital investigation, Stuart Ritchie reveals the disturbing flaws in today's science that undermine our understanding of the world and threaten human lives. With bias, careless mistakes and even outright forgery influencing everything from austerity economics to the anti-vaccination movement, he proposes vital remedies to save and protect science - this most valuable of human endeavours - from itself.* With a new afterword by the author *'Thrilling... Reminds us that another world is possible' The Times, Books of the Year'Excellent... We need better science. That's why books like this are so important' Evening StandardTrade ReviewThrilling ... Ritchie reminds us that another world is possible * The Times *Fascinating and often shocking * Sunday Times, Best Paperbacks of 2021 *The most important science story of our times ... evocative and engaging ... sometimes funny, sometimes shocking * Unherd *Excellent ... we need better science. That's why books like this are so important * Evening Standard *Entertaining ... revelatory ... brilliantly highlights the problems in current practices and sets out a path towards new ones * Daily Mail *A desperately important book, Science Fictions brilliantly exposes the fragility of the science on which lives, livelihoods and our whole society depend ... Required reading for everyone -- ADAM RUTHERFORD, author of How to Argue With a RacistRitchie's engaging tour of the dark side of research [...] has rumbled science's guilty secret ... the tragedy is that the current system does not just overlook our foibles, it amplifies them ... he's entertaining company ... an illuminating and thoughtful guide. Ultimately, he comes to praise science, not to bury it -- ROGER HIGHFIELD * Literary Review *An engagingly accessible set of cautionary tales to show how science and scientists can be led astray, in some instances with fatal consequences ... clear-eyed and chillingly accurate ... should be compulsory reading for anyone involved in the communication of science to policy makers and to the public -- GINA RIPPON, author of The Gendered BrainGripping tales of increasing recent villainy and bias in the laboratory, which should worry those of us who love science -- MATT RIDLEY, author of How Innovation WorksAll the replication-failure and scientific-misconduct stories you've ever heard are here - along with more that you haven't ... This comprehensive collection of mishaps, misdeeds and tales of caution is the great strength of Ritchie's offering ... Ritchie's four themes carve complex, interconnected issues at natural joints, and allow his case studies to shine -- Fiona Fidler * Nature *He has come to praise science, not to bury it; nevertheless, his analyses of science's current ethical ills - fraud, hype, negligence and so on - are devastating -- Simon Ings * Telegraph *Science Fictions... is a useful account of ten years or more of debate, mostly in specialist circles, about reproducibility -- John Whitfield * London Review of Books *

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Book Synopsis**Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2023**A NEW YORK TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, ECONOMIST, MAIL ON SUNDAY and GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEARFrom the dawn of life itself, every being that has ever lived owes its existence to the cell.'Will leave you in awe' GuardianThe discovery of this vital form led to a transformation in medicine but also in our understanding of ourselves - not as bodies or machines but as ecosystems. It has also given us the power to treat a vast array of mortal maladies...and even to create new kinds of human altogether.Rich with stories of scientists, doctors and the patients whose lives may be saved by their work, The Song of the Cell is a stunning ode to the building blocks of life and the cutting-edge science harnessing their power for the better.'Profound...As big a topic as life itself' The Times'Medical magic' Daily Telegraph'Vast...important...optimistic' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewBrilliant ... medical magic ... written with compassionate warmth and humour * Daily Telegraph *Wonderfully ambitious... Cell biology is complex and as big a topic as life itself; I'm not sure a writer could cover it better * The Times *If you are not already in awe of biology, The Song of the Cell might get you there. It is a masterclass * Guardian *Vast, important ... optimistic * Mail on Sunday *Some of the writing in The Song of the Cell is so lovely that you can get caught up in its music * New York Times *A confident, timely - and most importantly, biologically precise - exploration of what it means to be human * Observer *Part mystery, part adventure story, The Song of the Cell is an irresistible foray into the frontiers of medical science [and] a reminder of the power of human ingenuity that is likely to leave readers both enlightened and hopeful. * Jennifer Egan, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning A Visit from the Goon Squad *A passionate, expert guide ... Mukherjee's ambition has once again paid off, creating an encyclopaedic exploration of how we got to this point - and sketching out the questions we must ask about the future * Financial Times *A remarkable achievement - a fascinating and highly readable crash course on the complexities of cellular physiology and of life itself * New Statesman *For anyone who wants to understand the building blocks of their own bodies - which everyone surely should - this is an informative and entertaining introduction * Economist *All of us will get sick at some point. All of us will have loved ones who get sick. To understand what's happening in those moments - and to feel optimistic that things will get better - it helps to know something about cells, the building blocks of life. Mukherjee's latest book will give you that knowledge ... Mukherjee, who's both an oncologist and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, brings all of his skills to bear in this fantastic book * Bill Gates *Deeply researched, The Song of the Cell is an extraordinary journey through the history of discovery to the most innovative cellular medicine practiced today and the promise of what lies ahead. -- Paul Nurse, Nobel Laureate Physiology or Medicine 2001Audacious...mesmerizing...reliably engaging... Mukherjee enthusiastically instructs and... delights - all the while hustling us across a preposterously vast and intricate landscape * Wall Street Journal *An extraordinarily gifted storyteller... The author's ideas about the near future of medicine are both convincing and inspiring. This is another winner from Mukherjee. * Publishers Weekly, *Starred Review* *A lively, personal, detailed, often moving account of the cell in medical history and its promise in the present * Heromag *A lively, thought-provoking book... Mukherjee comes across not only as a brilliant researcher but also as a deeply empathetic human being * Literary Review *A masterclass in cell function that will leave you in awe of biology -- Suzanne O'Sullivan * Guardian *This complex portrait illuminates cells' roles in immunity, reproduction, sentience, cognition, repair and rejuvenation * Nature *One of the most admired doctors in the world * The Times *A tour d'horizon of cell theory... part history lesson, part biology lesson and part reminder of how science itself actually proceeds * Economist, *Books of the Year* *Brilliant * The Times *This complex portrait illuminates cells' roles in immunity, reproduction, sentience, cognition, repair and rejuvination, malfunctions such as cancer, and treatments such as blood transfusions, drawing on author Siddhartha Mukherjee's varied experience as an immunologist, stem-cell scientist, cancer biologist and medical oncologist * Nature *The book is, at root, a call for a more integrated biology ... What gives The Song of the Cell its persuasiveness in calling for that new vision is precisely that it comes from a clinician steeped in the traditions of genomic and cell biology, and who has seen both the power and limitations of those approaches to produce actual cures * Lancet *What truly elevates the book are Mukherjee's accounts of his experiences as a clinician and the stories of the patients he has encountered. Some are moving, and all are reflective and insightful * Philip Ball, Lancet *

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Book Synopsis'A phenomenally important book' Lewis Dartnell, author of OriginsWhy do we live in families?Why do we help complete strangers?Why do we compare ourselves to others?Why do we cooperate?The science of cooperation tells us not only how we got here, but also where we might end up. In The Social Instinct Nichola Raihani introduces us to other species who, like us, live and work together. From the pied babblers of the Kalahari to the cleaner fish of the Great Barrier Reef, they happen to be some of the most fascinating and extraordinarily successful species on this planet. What do we have in common with these animals, and what can we learn from them? The Social Instinct is an exhilarating, far-reaching and thought-provoking journey through all life on Earth, with profound insights into what makes us human and how our societies work.'A pleasing juxtaposition of insightful scientific theory with illuminating anecdotes' Richard Dawkins'Surprising, thoughtful and, best of all, endlessly entertaining' Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling'A superb book about how important cooperation is' Alice Roberts, author of AncestorsTrade ReviewA phenomenally important book. The story of why we humans evolved to become such a wonderfully cooperative, social species, and what that means for the world today. Nichola Raihani will change the way we think about ourselves. -- Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human HistoryThis is a superb book about how important cooperation is in biology, from molecules and cells to families and whole societies. -- Alice RobertsThe Social Instinct is surprising, thoughtful and, best of all, endlessly entertaining, examining the puzzle and power of co-operation from the decks of the HMS Bounty to the babbling birds of the Kalahari. Absolutely loved it. -- Will Storr, author of The Science of StorytellingExcellent and illuminating * Wall Street Journal *A well-written book, easy to read - a pleasing juxtaposition of insightful scientific theory with illuminating anecdotes -- Richard Dawkins

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Book Synopsis''Inspirational'' - ObserverA transformational quest for the secrets of happy, healthy, whole-life running that will change the way you think about growing older.Colourful, informative and inspiring, The Race Against Time is a story of cold science and heart-warming resilience; of champions and also-rans; of sprinting centenarians and forty-something super-athletes barely touched by age. Its heroes are experts and enthusiasts - scientists, coaches, runners - from many countries, each with a different story to tell.This is a book for anyone who has ever felt the healing power of running or simply wondered about the effects of ageing. It is both a very personal account of one man''s journey from despair to hope, and an exhilarating guide, explaining how timely adjustments to lifestyle and training can slow the progress of physiological decay, while sheer human spirit can, if you are lucky, keep you running happily and healthily, all the wa

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Book Synopsis'An electric, warm, comforting and funny handbook on panic and how to cope and live alongside it' Laura Dockrill, author of What Have I Done?Award-winning blogger and author Claire Eastham is an expert on panic. She's not a doctor or an academic, but over a seven-year period, she has experienced 371 panic attacks (and counting), and learnt a thing or two along the way. Part memoir, part guide, How I Learned to Live with Panic is an intimate, honest and ultimately uplifting exploration into panic attacks. In practical thematic chapters Claire covers the crisis points where panic can hit and interviews a host of people - scientists, professors, dieticians, psychologists and people who struggle with panic - to anatomise how it can be managed. Frank, funny and blazing, Claire's story will speak to all those seeking to reclaim their lives.'I wish I had this book when I was 18... It's smart, witty, informative and, importantly, it lets you know that if you have panic attacks too...you are not alone' Dr Sophie Mort, author of A Manual For Being HumanTrade ReviewAn electric, warm, comforting and funny handbook on panic and how to cope and live alongside it. Accessible, reassuring, practical and relieving. -- Laura DockrillI wish I had this book when I was 18 and having panic attacks. It's smart, witty, informative and importantly, it lets you know that if you have panic attacks too... you are not alone. -- Dr Sophie MortIt made me laugh, cry and warmed my heart. Filled with nuggets of wisdom. -- Ruth Cooper Dickson

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