Popular science Books
The New Press The Self Beyond Itself
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£22.99
The New Press Losing Our Cool
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£17.77
The New Press Our Daily Poison
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£20.99
Island Press Science Magazine State of the Planet 20082009
Book SynopsisContains extracts from the pages of Science and is supplemented by contributions from the magazine's editors. This book has the articles arranged thematically and each section is introduced by a scientist or science writer. It also contains several news pieces that highlight particular issues and cases relevant to the main scientific findings.
£28.50
Red Wheel/Weiser Dark Matters: Unifying Matter, Dark Matter, Dark
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£12.34
Red Wheel/Weiser Resonance Key: Exploring the Links Between
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£11.99
Red Wheel/Weiser This Book is from the Future: A Journey Through
Book SynopsisThe idea of time travel has tantalised humans for millennia. We can send humans into space, but roaming through time has eluded us. Do the laws of physics demand that we stay forever trapped in the present?THIS BOOK IS FROM THE FUTURE examines the past, present and future states of time-travel research, but, also, looks at the bizarre anomalies of time itself. In this fascinating new work, you''ll explore:Time travel theories and machines of the past, present and futureTime and the multiverse: why wormholes, parallel universes and extra dimensions might allow for time travelThe paranormal aspects of time: might we already be "mentally" time travelling?Mysterious time shifts, slips and warps that people are reporting all over the world. Are we experiencing coexisting timelines?Time travel conspiracy theories: Are we already walking among real time travellers? Has a real time machine already been created in a top-secret government facility?THIS BOOK IS FROM THE FUTURE is a mesmerising journey through the entire landscape of time and time-travel evolution, where we started, where we now stand and what the future holds for us to discover, out there ...somewhere...in time.
£11.39
University of Alaska Press Finding Mars
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£18.86
Nova Science Publishers Inc Latent Order of Complexity
Book SynopsisThe scope of public ignorance concerning how things work inevitably grows explosively. It is unreasonable to expect widespread or detailed understanding even of the many major support systems that make urban life possible (clean water, electrical supply, groceries in markets at all seasons, trash and sewage disposal....). What we don''t understand seems ''complex'' to us, at least until, with study or practice, we may achieve an occasional ''Ah-Ha!'' moment when complexity suddenly reduces to simplicity, and part of our world view changes forever. In this welcome and appealing book the authors, who have achieved stature in both experimental and theoretical sciences, address the grandest ''how things work'' issue of them all, viz., the methods and limitations of science itself. They do so in a conversational style accessible to any interested reader.
£44.24
Workman Publishing The Field Guide to Citizen Science: How You Can
Book SynopsisLearn how monitoring the night sky, mapping trees, photographing dragonflies, and identifying mushrooms can help save the world. Citizen science is the public involvement in the discovery of new scientific knowledge. A citizen science project can involve one person or millions of people collaborating towards a common goal. It is an excellent option for anyone looking for ways to get involved and make a difference. The Field Guide to Citizen Science, from the expert team at SciStarter, provides everything you need to get started. You’ll learn what citizen science is, how to succeed and stay motivated when you’re participating in a project, and how the data is used. The fifty included projects, ranging from climate change to Alzheimer’s disease, endangered species to space exploration, mean sure-fire matches for your interests and time. Join the citizen science brigade now and start making a real difference!
£13.29
Pegasus Books Murderous Minds
Book SynopsisHow many times have you seen a murder on the news or on a TV show like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and said to yourself, "How could someone do something like that?"Today, neuroscientists are imaging, mapping, testing and dissecting the source of the worst behavior imaginable in the brains of the people who lack a conscience: psychopaths. Neuroscientist Dean Haycock examines the behavior of real life psychopaths and discusses how their actions can be explained in scientific terms, from research that literally looks inside their brains to understanding how psychopaths, without empathy but very goal-oriented, think and act the way they do. Some don’t commit crimes at all, but rather make use of their skills in the boardroom.But what does this mean for lawyers, judges, psychiatrists, victims and readers--for anyone who has ever wondered how some people can be so bad. Could your nine-year-old be a psychopath? What about your co-worker? The ability to recognize psychopaths using the scientific method has vast implications for society, and yet is still loaded with consequences.Trade Review"Murderous Minds is a gem. I became completely immersed in it and lost myself in the world Haycock created at the nexus of science, story, history, complete with downright wondrous narrative yarns to boot." -- James Fallon, Ph.D., author of The Psychopath Inside "In this fascinating page-turner, neurobiologist Haycock tries to uncover the correlation between brain abnormalities and violent behavior, and whether one guarantees the other ... Haycock concludes "that the neurological profile of the criminal psychopath is consistent with key features of psychopathy: a lack of moral sense and a lack of empathy." In the end, though, he admits that criminal responsibility cannot be traced unequivocally to a neurological basis but that such research can certainly begin an important conversation in the legal world." -- Publishers Weekly "Can the tendency for criminally psychopathic behaviors be identified by analyzing neurological images? If so, what consequence does this have for science and society? Psychopaths are everywhere-an estimated 1 in 100 adults qualify. Most are nonviolent but not all: One subset of this group, criminal psychopaths, have aggressive and sometimes-violent tendencies and often fail to exhibit empathy or remorse despite knowing the difference between right and wrong. But Is it moral or legal to use this information to try to predict violent crimes or to influence a jury deciding a verdict? The author explores these tricky issues in accessible and insightful chapters that break down the science behind the data while using narratives of high-profile criminals-e.g., Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, Mafia contract killer Richard "The Ice Man" Kuklinski, rapist and murderer Brian Dugan-to provide chilling real-lifeexamples of criminally psychopathic behaviors. Part true crime, part neuroscience and a page-turner from start to finish." -- Kirkus Reviews
£11.68
University Press of Colorado Lousy Sex
Book SynopsisGerald Callahan explores the science of self, illustrating the immune systems role in forming individual identity. Blending the scientific essay with deeply personal narratives, these poignant and enlightening stories use microbiology and immunology to explore a new way to answer the question, who am I? "Self" has many definitions. Science has demonstrated that 90 percent of the cells in our bodies are bacteria -- we are in many respects more non-self than self. In "Lousy Sex", Callahan considers this microbio-neuro perspective on human identity together with the soulful, social perception of self, drawing on both art and science to fully illuminate this relationship. In his stories about where we came from and who we are, Callahan uses autobiographical episodes to illustrate his scientific points. Through stories about the sex lives of wood lice, the biological advantages of eating dirt, the question of immortality, the relationship between syphilis and the musical genius of Beethoven, and more, this book creates another way, a chimeric way, of seeing ourselves. The general reader with an interest in science will find "Lousy Sex" fascinating.
£22.78
Seven Stories Press,U.S. Love And Science: A Memoir
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£17.09
Berrett-Koehler Learning from Leonardo; Decoding the Notebooks of
Book SynopsisLeonardo da Vinci is celebrated as the archetypal Renaissance man. He made extraordinary discoveries in numerous fields and pioneered entire disciplines, among them fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, theoretical botany, and embryology. Leonardo's unique synthesis of art, science, and technology is not only fascinating intellectually but also very relevant to our timeâit prefigures modern systems theory.Our sciences and technologies have become increasingly narrow in their focus, unable to understand our multi-faceted problems from an interdisciplinary perspective; and our business and political leaders are often incapable of "connecting the dots." This is exactly what we can learn from Leonardo. As the author shows throughout the book, Da Vinci practiced a science and technology that honored and respected the unity of all life, recognized the fundamental interdependence of all natural phenomena, and connected the microcosm (the human being) with the macrocosm (the living Earth). That is exactly the kind of science and technology we need today.
£22.95
PublicAffairs,U.S. Radical Abundance: How a Revolution in
Book SynopsisK. Eric Drexler is the founding father of nanotechnology,the science of engineering on a molecular level. In Radical Abundance , he shows how rapid scientific progress is about to change our world. Thanks to atomically precise manufacturing, we will soon have the power to produce radically more of what people want, and at a lower cost. The result will shake the very foundations of our economy and environment.Already, scientists have constructed prototypes for circuit boards built of millions of precisely arranged atoms. The advent of this kind of atomic precision promises to change the way we make things,cleanly, inexpensively, and on a global scale. It allows us to imagine a world where solar arrays cost no more than cardboard and aluminum foil, and laptops cost about the same.A provocative tour of cutting edge science and its implications by the field's founder and master, Radical Abundance offers a mind-expanding vision of a world hurtling toward an unexpected future.Trade ReviewKirkus"A stimulating tour through current thinking about and future possibilities for nanotechnology, from one of its creators... A crackerjack piece of science and technology writing." Albany Times Union"K. Eric Drexler writes in his accessible new book "Radical Abundance" that the digital revolution is about to give way to a form of production that will radically transform the world economy and that could also save the environment: nanotechnology, or more specifically, atomically precise manufacturing." Nature Magazine"Nanotechnology pioneer Eric Drexler bids us to leap in at the technological deep end. We can transform the way we make everything from bridges to circuit boards, he argues, by harnessing molecular machines that operate on digital principles. The result? Desktop or garage facilities that use less fuel, land and energy than today's vast factories and supply chains. The technical and political challenges of unleashing 'atomically precise manufacturing' are substantial, but Drexler cuts deftly through the complexities."
£31.37
PublicAffairs,U.S. The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men:
Book SynopsisA small cadre of scientists- collabourators and competitors- are determined to develop a vaccine for malaria, a feat most tropical disease experts have long considered impossible. Skepticism, doubt, and a host of logistical and financial obstacles dog their quest. Success may ultimately elude them. Why, and how, do they persist?The kind of person who decides to combat malaria must have a very rare combination of attributes: dogged enough to keep going when results are slow independent enough to continue, often alone, when other, more popular, causes distract attention from their work self-confident enough in the importance of the work to persist when the beneficiaries may reside thousands of miles distant. Above all, taking on a challenge of this scale requires a fearlessly bold moral imagination that defies reason. Bill Shore tells the story of man's attempt to combat malaria through the drama of the handful of scientists and organizations currently seeking to curb, and in one case, at least, cure, the world of this most ancient and persistent scourge. It is a drama to the death.The story of these uncompromising scientists serves as a springboard for Shore's passionate inquiry into the character and moral fabric of those who devote their lives to solving the world's most pressing and perplexing problems. During his career as a social entrepreneur Shore has persistently wrestled with this fundamental question: What does it take to make a truly transformational difference? To achieve not just incremental progress but a game changer or, in the case of malaria, a life saver? In this moving and inspiring book, he offers compelling answers.Trade ReviewRichard Russo,Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls "Bill Shore's The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men is all about links, often invisible, between science and compassion, imagination and reason, philanthropy and markets, competition and cooperation. It's also about solving some of the world's most intractable problems-intractable, Shore argues passionately and convincingly, because all but a few of us too readily accept the conventional wisdom that they are unsolvable. It is, in other words, a necessary book." David Gergen, director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government "Bill Shore provides fascinating insights into the journeys of two wonderful men trying to change the world-one a scientist and the other the author himself. Both lives show that character, ambition, imagination, and the stubborn conviction that good is not good enough are indispensable to every leader seeking higher ground." Wall Street Journal, November 20, 2010 "An upbeat account of several American scientists researching malaria prevention. Mr. Shore tells his story well."
£16.14
Island Press Chasing Molecules: Poisonous Products, Human
Book SynopsisEach day, headlines warn that baby bottles are leaching dangerous chemicals, nonstick pans are causing infertility, and plastic containers are making us fat. What if green chemistry could change all that? What if rather than toxics, our economy ran on harmless, environmentally-friendly materials? Elizabeth Grossman, an acclaimed journalist who brought national attention to the contaminants hidden in computers and other high tech electronics, now tackles the hazards of ordinary consumer products. She shows that for the sake of convenience, efficiency, and short-term safety, we have created synthetic chemicals that fundamentally change, at a molecular level, the way our bodies work. The consequences range from diabetes to cancer, reproductive and neurological disorders. Yet it's hard to imagine life without the creature comforts current materials provide - and Grossman argues we do not have to. A scientific revolution is introducing products that are "benign by design", developing manufacturing processes that consider health impacts at every stage, and is creating new compounds that mimic rather than disrupt natural systems. Through interviews with leading researchers, Grossman gives us a first look at this radical transformation. Green chemistry is just getting underway, but it offers hope that we can indeed create products that benefit health, the environment, and industry.
£22.76
Island Press Natural Defense: Enlisting Bugs and Germs to
Book SynopsisFor more than a century, we have relied on chemical cures to keep our bodies free from disease and our farms free from bugs and weeds. We rarely consider human and agricultural health together, but both are based on the same ecology, and both are being threatened by organisms that have evolved to resist our antibiotics and pesticides. Patients suffer from C.diff, a painful, potentially lethal gut infection associated with multiple rounds of antibiotics; orange groves rot from insect- borne bacteria; and the blight responsible for the Irish potato famine outmanoeuvres fungicides. Chemical warfare is failing us. Fortunately, scientists are finding new solutions that work with, rather than against, nature. Emily Monosson explores science's most innovative strategies, from high-tech gene editing to the ancient practice of faecal transplants. There are viruses that infect and bust apart bacteria; vaccines engineered to better provoke our natural defences; and insect pheromones that throw crop-destroying moths into a misguided sexual frenzy.Some technologies will ultimately fizzle; others may hold the key to abundant food and unprecedented health. Each represents a growing understanding of how to employ ecology for our own protection. Monosson gives readers a peek into the fascinating and hopeful world of natural defences. Her book is full of optimism, not simply for particular cures, but for a sustainable approach to human welfare that will benefit generations to come.
£32.85
University of South Carolina Press Introducing Science Through Images: Cases of
Book SynopsisAn examination of how images can serve as communication tools to popularize science in the public eyeAs funding for basic scientific research becomes increasingly difficult to secure, public support becomes essential. Because of its promise for captivating nonexpert publics, the practice of merging art and imagery with science has been gaining traction in the scientific community. While images have been used with greater frequency in recent years, their value is often viewed as largely superficial. To the contrary, Maria E. Gigante posits in Introducing Science through Images, the value of imagery goes far beyond mere aesthetics—visual elements are powerful communication vehicles.The images examined in this volume, drawn from a wide range of historical periods, serve an introductory function—that is, they appear in a position of primacy relative to text and, like the introduction to a speech, have the potential to make audiences attentive and receptive to the forthcoming content. Gigante calls them “portal” images and explicates their utility in science communication, both to popularize and mystify science in the public eye.Gigante analyzes how science has been represented by various types of portal images: frontispieces, portraits of scientists, popular-science magazine covers, and award-winning scientific images from Internet visualization competitions. Using theories of rhetoric and visual communication, she addresses the weak connection between scientific communities and the public and explores how visual elements can best be employed to garner public support for research.
£32.36
The Experiment LLC A Pocket History of Human Evolution
Book SynopsisA concise, illustrated update on our earliest ancestors, the first sapiens - and on how (and when) we distinguished ourselves Prehistory is changing quickly: Thanks to progress in genetics and dating methods, we now know more than ever about our ancient relatives. A Pocket History of Human Evolution will bring us up to date on the exploits of Homo erectus and ergaster, the Neanderthals, Denisovans, and others. (Hint: There was a lot more crossbreeding than previously supposed.) These latest discoveries have only spurred more questions. Lauded paleoanthropologist Silvana Condemi and science journalist François Savatier consider: What accelerated Homo sapiens evolution - and left us the sole surviving species among many ancient bipedal “humans”? Was it tools, our “large” brain, language, or empathy? Their conclusions are likely to startle (and inspire a new appreciation for the human foot). Condemi and Savatier also look to the future of our strange species - migratory, social animals with a rapidly expanding population, who have transformed our world forever. By taking stock of our ancestors, we can better understand ourselves.
£11.99
The Experiment LLC Blue: The Science and Secrets of Nature's Rarest
Book SynopsisBlue is the most widely beloved color — but in nature, it’s the rarest hue of all. True, physics paints the sea and sky blue, but we can’t bottle this trick of the light. And blue pigment requires such complex chemistry that blue creatures, plants, and minerals are few indeed. Artists and kings have treasured blue dye like precious gold since the time of the pharoahs — and who today can help but marvel at a morpho butterfly in the rain forest or a blue jay at the window? Science journalist Kai Kupferschmidt has been enraptured by blue since childhood. In his quest to understand the mysteries of his favorite color, he takes readers on a vivid journey — from a biotech lab in Japan and a volcanic lake in Oregon to his native Germany, home of the last blue-feathered Spix’s macaws. Deep underground where blue crystals grow, and miles overhead where astronauts gaze at our “blue marble” planet — wherever he finds this alluring color, it always has a story to tell.
£12.59
Prometheus Books The Genesis of Science: The Story of Greek Imagination
Book SynopsisHistorians often look to ancient Greece as the wellspring of Western civilization. Perhaps the most ingenious achievement of the Hellenic mind was the early development of the sciences. What was it about the Greeks, as opposed to the far older civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China, that gave rise to the uniquely Western, scientific mindset? Bertman explores this intriguing question in this authoritative yet accessible and eloquently told story about the origins of science. Going beyond individual Greek discoveries in the various branches of science, he emphasizes why these early investigators were able to achieve what they did. Among the exceptional characteristics of Greek culture that created the seedbed for early science were: · the Greek emphasis on rationalism-a conviction that human reason could successfully unravel the mysteries of nature and make sense of the cosmos · an early form of humanism-a pride and confidence in human potential despite the frailty and brief tenure of individual lives · the drive to excel in every arena from the battlefield to the Olympic games and arts competitions · an insatiable curiosity that sought understanding of both human nature and the world · a fierce love of freedom and individualism that promoted freedom of thought-the prelude to science. Focusing on ten different branches of science, the author shows why the Greeks gravitated to each specialty and explains the fascinating theories they developed, the brilliant experiments they performed, and the practical applications of their discoveries. He concludes by recounting how these early insights and achievements-transmitted over the course of two thousand years-have shaped the scientific attitude that is the hallmark of today's world. This lively narrative captures the Greek genius and demonstrates the indelible influence of their discoveries on modern science and technology.
£16.99
Penguin Putnam Inc Creation: How Science Is Reinventing Life Itself
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£15.30
North Atlantic Books,U.S. Guide to the Geology of Mount Desert Island and
Book SynopsisThis richly-illustrated, full-color guide to the geology of Mount Desert Island, Maine, the home of Acadia National Park, makes the spectacular scenery and rich geological history accessible to outdoor explorers, geology enthusiasts, and armchair travelers alike. The Guide grounds readers in basic geologic concepts before chronicling the unique history of the area from 550 million years ago to the present. Including information-packed self-guided trips with stops at 31 points of interest, this book is lavishly illustrated with 100 full color photos, maps, and illustrations that enhance appreciation of this national treasure.Duane and Ruth Braun relate the fascinating story of the region’s formation, explaining how a slice of South America with Mount Desert Island bordering its southern side landed on the edge of North America to form Maine. Another piece of South America collided with this landing, causing Mount Desert Island to erupt violently in a ten mile wide volcanic caldera. The Island then underwent a long period of stream erosion culminating in a period of glacial erosion to form the present landscape. The exceptional scenery that resulted has attracted visitors from around the world. This book unlocks the many secrets of the formations, offering a deeper understanding of the land and its origins.
£16.19
Page Street Publishing Co. Urban Legends from Space: The Biggest Myths About
Book SynopsisWhether or not you’re into sci-fi or SpaceX, you’ve probably called a meteor a “falling star” and think astronauts float around in space stations because there’s no gravity. Bob King, author of Wonders of the Night Sky and writer for Sky & Telescope magazine, explains the truth behind myths of navigation and landmarks, celestial bodies and government conspiracies. Compasses don’t always point north; the sun isn’t yellow and Galileo didn’t invent the telescope. King explains why some people believed they found Bigfoot on Mars and many other myths - and provides us with concrete evidence to put those misconceptions to bed. No matter what you think you know, there’s something new King can teach you about our universe.
£12.34
Feral House The Real Story of Dinosaurs and Dragons
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£20.39
Shelter Harbor Press Biology: An Illustrated History of Life Science
Book SynopsisHere is the essential guide to biology, an authoritative reference book and timeline that examines how we have uncovered the secrets of life-the most complex process in the Universe. From the workings of molecules to the way entire oceans or continents of lifeforms interact, biology seeks to understand how it is that something can be alive, how it fends off death and how it leaves more life in its wake. We follow the journey through the history of life science to find out why the dolphin got its name (it is the 'womb fish'), how a seven-foot strand of DNA is able to build your body, and what gives a lobster its blue blood. The great names, such as Darwin and Linnaeus, are joined by lesser known discoverers, such as Karl von Frisch who discovered that bees dance, and Jan Baptist van Helmont who found a plant uses air and water to grow. Biology today is still very much a live science, finding a purpose in robot design and helping us to understand non-living complex systems like the Internet. Biology has changed the way we understand ourselves. What will it tell us next? - Contains 100 chronological articles that tell the story of biology from the dawn of history to the present day - Authoritative text, exciting imagery and helpful diagrams accompany each of the steps along the way - Biographies of great life scientists and a chart of the tree of life - A simple guide to biology draws together current understanding to set out the basics of the science - The Imponderables looks at what questions biology still needs to answer. Also contains a 24-page removable foldout concertina neatly housed at the back of the book. This fold-out concertina includes a 12-page Timeline History of Biology and 12 full pages of amazing electron micrographs called Our Hidden World.
£23.61
WW Norton & Co The Tides of Mind: Uncovering the Spectrum of
Book SynopsisThe holy grail of scientists and psychologists since the beginning of artificial intelligence has been to replicate thought patterns of the human mind. Challenging the notion that this can ever be achieved through state-of-the-art research, legendary AI authority David Gelernter—a "rock star" (New York Times) of the computing world—surprisingly turns to literature, hoping that the works of introspective geniuses like Shakespeare, J. M. Coetzee, and Karen Blixen can help answer the same fundamental questions that neuroscientists have been struggling with for generations. Indeed, Gelernter’s landmark "spectrum of consciousness" decodes some of the deepest, most mysterious aspects of the human mind, such as the numinous light of early childhood, why sadism and masochism underpin some of our greatest artistic achievements, and why dreams often do predict the future. With "penetrating insight and a graceful, inviting presentation" (National Review), The Tides of Mind revolutionizes our very understanding of what it means to be a human being.Trade Review"The problem of consciousness sits at the heart of neuroscience, and it is into this question that Yale computer-science professor David Gelernter steps with his fascinating The Tides of Mind…[A] rich portrait of different modes of thinking, something like Proust’s masterly descriptions of the workings of memory." -- David Eagleman - Wall Street Journal"Sometimes it takes an expert to recognize when expertise is not enough…Gelernter employs not algorithms but introspection, personal reflection, and an engagement with a broad range of literary sources." -- Kathryn Tabb - American Scholar"Dazzling." -- Moshe Koppel - Mosaic"Fascinating…Gelernter marshals evidence from psychological and scientific research as well as the works of Marcel Proust, Franz Kafka, Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Ernest Hemingway, J.M. Coetzee and many others to advance a new paradigm for the study of human consciousness. It’s an astonishingly ambitious book, beautifully written and ultimately persuasive." -- Nick Romeo - Chicago Tribune
£13.99
WW Norton & Co The Warped Side of Our Universe: An Odyssey
Book SynopsisNearly two decades in the making, The Warped Side of Our Universe marks the historic collaboration of Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne and award-winning artist Lia Halloran. It brings to vivid life the wonders and wildness of our universe’s “Warped Side”—objects and phenomena made from warped space and time, from colliding black holes and collapsing wormholes to twisting space vortices and down-cascading time. Through poetic verse and otherworldly paintings, the authors explicate Thorne’s and colleagues’ astrophysical discoveries and speculations, with an epic narrative that asks: How did the universe begin? Can anything travel backwards in time? And what weird and marvellous phenomena inhabit the Warped Side? Featuring more than 100 paintings, including a soaring Stephen Hawking, this one-of-a-kind volume, with its multiple gatefolds, takes us on an Odyssean voyage into and through The Warped Side of Our Universe.Trade Review"A fascinating account of our universe's most bewildering phenomena written entirely in verse... Dimension-defying paintings decorate every page. The textual and visual narrative that emerges is something akin to an epic poem about the nature of spacetime.... The enigmatic concepts discussed in ‘The Warped Side of Our Universe’ are some of the most difficult for humans to understand, but Mr. Thorne’s verse and Ms. Halloran’s art bring these far-out concepts down to earth. Even what the eye can’t see can be beautiful." -- Angelina Torre - The Wall Street Journal"Evocative... an ambitious art-science artifact.. grounded in cutting-edge research" -- David Kaiser - Science Magazine"Physicist Kip Thorne and artist Lia Halloran find a novel approach to exploring these topics in startling detail. The collaboration between the two is just as fascinating as the book itself...Written in verse form, Thorne’s writing is perfectly complemented by Halloran’s vivid illustrations in explaining how that research has pierced a universe that is ‘varied and vast.’ The paintings portray a swirling universe of wonders, explaining a black hole’s characteristics with images of Halloran’s wife being bent by its warped spacetime." -- Andrew DeMillo - Associated Press
£35.99
Skyhorse Publishing The Science of Superheroes
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£10.44
Skyhorse Publishing The Quantum Rules: How the Laws of Physics
Book SynopsisNow a New York Times Bestseller!Here is a book to lead you through the fascinating intersections of life and physics with humor and intelligence.Find out how the laws of physics define every aspect of our lives and society, from human nature and relationships to geopolitical issues like financial markets, globalization and immigration. The Quantum Rules is a different kind of physics book, as easy to read as a novel and directly relevant for everyday life issues that affect us all. It is not meant to dazzle you with unproven speculations that have no bearing on your life. Rather, The Quantum Rules will familiarize you with the important and established laws at the heart of physics, in a way never done before by showing how the defining patterns of our lives, our behavior and our society already follow similar rules.Never took an interest in science before? No problem! you will still understand everything and find plenty to relate to. A scientist or a science junkie? You will find a different perspective on things you may already know. Best of all, you will discover how to have meaningful conversations about physics in a way that won’t make eyes glaze over, and in which all can gladly participate.The Quantum Rules also does something you would never expect from a book on physics it makes you laugh, often. Its new and original take on established natural laws injects plenty of dry humor into this serious subject, by using life to explain physics and in turn using physics to understand life.
£12.34
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and
Book SynopsisOne of Bill Gates''s Favorite Books of 2016A revelatory look at our national power grid--how it developed, its current flaws, and how it must be completely reimagined for our fast-approaching energy future.America''s electrical grid, an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, is turning out to be a poor fit for the present. It's not just that the grid has grown old and is now in dire need of basic repair. Today, as we invest great hope in new energy sources--solar, wind, and other alternatives--the grid is what stands most firmly in the way of a brighter energy future. If we hope to realize this future, we need to reimagine the grid according to twenty-first-century values. It's a project which forces visionaries to work with bureaucrats, legislators with storm-flattened communities, moneymen with hippies, and the left with the right. And though it might not yet be obvious, this revolution is already well under way. Cultural anthropologist Gretchen Bakke unveils the many facets of America's energy infrastructure, its most dynamic moments and its most stable ones, and its essential role in personal and national life. The grid, she argues, is an essentially American artifact, one which developed with us: a product of bold expansion, the occasional foolhardy vision, some genius technologies, and constant improvisation. Most of all, her focus is on how Americans are changing the grid right now, sometimes with gumption and big dreams and sometimes with legislation or the brandishing of guns.The Grid tells--entertainingly, perceptively--the story of what has been called "the largest machine in the world": its fascinating history, its problematic present, and its potential role in a brighter, cleaner future.
£11.69
Prometheus Books On Solid Ground: Why the Earth Isn’t as
Book SynopsisOn Solid Ground is intended to inform a general audience about what geologists know about the earth. It will do so by telling the stories of the people who made the discoveries. It will also chronicle the doubters and nay-sayers who have worked so hard to undermine our understanding of the earth. We know, for example, that the earth is old, in part because William Smith created our modern system of dating fossils to win a bar bet. The warming properties of atmospheric carbon dioxide were first discovered by Eunice Newton Foote, when she wasn’t pursuing her other passion –fighting for women’s rights at Seneca Falls. We are sure the earth is round despite the efforts of Samuel Birley Rowbotham, a conman who convinced thousands of people that it was flat before moving on from science to sell bogus health tonics .Each of its nine chapters will contain three things: the human story of a geologic controversy, an explanation of why geologists are so sure about the right answer to that controversy, and a short discussion of the logical fallacies being used by those still unwilling to accept geologic expertise
£18.99
BenBella Books Stories, Dice, and Rocks That Think: How Humans
Book SynopsisLook around. Clearly, we humans are radically different from the other creatures on this planet. But why? Where are the Bronze Age beavers? The Iron Age iguanas? In Stories, Dice, and Rocks That Think, Byron Reese argues that we owe our special status to our ability to imagine the future and recall the past, escaping the perpetual present that all other living creatures are trapped in. Envisioning human history as the development of a societal superorganism he names Agora, Reese shows us how this escape enabled us to share knowledge on an unprecedented scale, and predict - and eventually master - the future. Thoughtful, witty, and compulsively readable, Reese unravels our history as an intelligent species in three acts: Act I: Ancient humans undergo “the awakening,” developing the cognitive ability to mentally time-travel using language Act II: In 17th century France, the mathematical framework known as 'probability theory' is born - a science for seeing into the future that we used to build the modern world Act III: Beginning with the invention of the computer chip, humanity creates machines to gaze into the future with even more precision, overcoming the limits of our brains A fresh new look at the history and destiny of humanity, readers will come away from Stories, Dice, and Rocks that Think with a new understanding of what they are—not just another animal, but a creature with a mastery of time itself.
£21.59
Mango Media Future Rising: A Journey from the Past to the
Book SynopsisA Compelling Vision of the Future“Maynard has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking response to the moment we’re in, chronicling how we got here, where we’re going, and what role we have in that journey” ―Ramona Pringle, Director of Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor, Ryerson University#1 New Release in Science & Math and Physics of TimeHuman beings can―and do―change the future. Humanity has gained the ability not only to imagine the future, but to design and engineer it. At times entertaining, and at others profound, Future Rising provides an original perspective on our relationship with the future.We have a responsibility to change the future for the better. As a species, we have become talented architects of our future. And yet, we so often struggle to come to terms with what this means. As innovation and rapidly shifting norms and expectations drive our world at breakneck speed, we sometimes need to find a still, quiet place to pause and think. Future Rising sets out to create such a quiet place, where we can take advantage of our species' knowledge of world history, and the importance of science to piece together a positive future.To create a good future, rediscover the past. Our relationship with the future is inextricably intertwined with where we've come from, who we are, and what we aspire to. Written to be easy to pick up and hard to put down, Future Rising starts at the beginning of all things with the Big Bang and traces a pathway along the emergence of intelligent life, through what makes humans uniquely capable of imagining and creating different futures.If you enjoy nonfiction science and history books like Life 3.0, The Future of Humanity, or Superintelligence, then you'll love Future Rising. In a series of sixty short reflections, Future Rising will take you on a journey into: What "the future" actually is How it molds and guides our lives How we can use the history of the world to change our future
£15.26
Workman Publishing The Age of Melt
Book SynopsisAn entertaining pop-sci narrative investigating ice patch archaeology and the role of glaciers in the development of human culture.Glaciers figure prominently in both ancient and contemporary narratives around the world. They inspire art and literature. They spark both fear and awe. And they give and take life. In The Age of Melt, environmental journalist Lisa Baril explores the deep-rooted cultural connection between humans and ice through time. Thousands of organic artifacts are emerging from patches of melting ice in mountain ranges around the world. Archaeologists are in a race against time to find them before they disappear forever. In entertaining and enlightening prose, Baril travels from the Alps to the Andes, investigating what these artifacts teach us about climate and culture. But this is not a chronicle of loss. The Age of Melt explores what these artifacts reveal about culture, wilderness, and what we gain when we rethink our relationsh
£22.50
No Starch Press,US The From Arsenic to Zirconium: Poems and
Book SynopsisThe Periodic Table of Poems is a unique collection of 93 short poems that explores the properties and nuances of each element in the periodic table. Davern discusses the science, history, and quirks of each element--things like why potassium reacts explosively with water, what about arsenic makes it both a deadly poison and a cure for syphilis, and how mercury inspired the term "mad as a hatter". For example- Li, small and light, the soft metal with mettle! Keeps much of our mobile-power'd world in good fettle; In sea and in soil, Floats on water and oil, Has helped many's the troubled mind settle.Trade Review"Delightful poems about the chemical elements that inhabit the periodic table" -- Dr. Eric Scerri, UCLA and author of The Periodic Table: Its Story and its Significance "An extraordinary book" -- Sir Martyn Poliakoff, University of Nottingham and Co-Presenter of The Periodic Table of Videos
£15.29
Adams Media Corporation DNAIs You
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£10.99
Adams Media Corporation Everyday Amazing
Book SynopsisLike fan mail addressed to the natural world, Everyday Amazing is filled with uplifting and interesting musings on science from Beatrice the Biologist. Beatrice the Biologist is an easily amused former high school biology teacher with a soft spot for the mind-blowing science we encounter daily that we often take for granted. In Everyday Amazing, she shines the spotlight on ten different types of amazing everyday scientific facts in short chapters full of fun and fascinating titbits bound to both entertain you and expand your horizons! Learn the basics of atomic science, sound waves, bioscience, microbiology and more in accessible chapters offering a fresh perspective on concepts you may have learned about, but aren’t totally clear on. Quirky illustrations throughout add to the fun!Fall in love with science with Beatrice the Biologist in Everyday Amazing! * Science has enj
£15.18
WTM Publishing & Communications Pty Ltd A Species in Denial
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£17.99
NewSouth Publishing Flying Dinosaurs: How fearsome reptiles became
Book SynopsisDinosaurs didn’t die out when an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago. Get ready to unthink what you thought you knew and journey into the deep, dark depths of the Jurassic.The discovery of the first feathered dinosaur in China in 1996 sent shockwaves through the world of palaeontology. Were the feathers part of a complex mating ritual? A stepping-stone in the evolution of flight? And just how closely related is T. Rex to a chicken? In Flying Dinosaurs award-winning journalist John Pickrell reveals how dinosaurs developed flight and became the birds in our backyards. He delves into the latest discoveries in China, the US, Europe and Australia and goes beyond the science to uncover a thriving black market in fossils, infighting between ego-driven dinosaur hunters, and the controversial plan to use a chicken to bring dinosaurs back from the dead.
£15.26
NewSouth Publishing The Best Australian Science Writing 2018
Book SynopsisForeword by UNSW Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons. This popular yearly anthology gives a snapshot of the very best science writing Australia has to offer, including everything from the most esoteric philosophical questions about ourselves and the universe, through to practical questions about the environment in which we live. Now in its eighth year, The Best Australian Science Writing 2018 draws on the knowledge and insight of Australia’s brightest authors, journalists and scientists to challenge perceptions of the world we think we know. This year’s selection includes the best of Australia’s science writing talent: Jo Chandler, Andrew Leigh, Michael Slezak, Elizabeth Finkel, Bianca Nogrady, Ashley Hay, Joel Werner, Margaret Wertheim and many more.
£16.11
NewSouth Publishing Future Superhuman: Our transhuman lives in a
Book SynopsisIt's humanity's make-or-break-century.In breathtakingly original prose, Elise Bohan argues that we're hurtling towards a superhuman future — or, if we blunder, extinction. The only way out of our existential crises, from global warming to the risks posed by nuclear weapons, novel and bioengineered pathogens and unaligned AI, is up. We'll need more technology to safeguard our future — and we're going to invent (and perhaps even merge with) some of that technology.What does that mean for our 20th century life-scripts? Are the robots coming for our jobs? How will human relationships change when AI knows us inside out? Will we still be having human babies by the century's end? Bohan unflinchingly explores possibilities most of us are afraid to imagine: the impacts of automation on our jobs, livelihoods and dating and mating careers, the stretching out of 'the-circle-of-life' as life-extension technologies mature, the rise of AI friends and lovers, the liberation of women from pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, and the impending global baby-bust – and attendant proliferation of digital minds.Strap in for an exhilarating, and starkly honest, take on the promise and peril of life in the 21st century.
£16.11
NewSouth Publishing The Best Australian Science Writing 2020
Book SynopsisCan fish feel pain? Does it matter if a dingo is different from a dog? Is there life in a glob of subterranean snot? Science tackles some unexpected questions. At a time when the world is buffeted by the effects of a pandemic, climate change and accelerating technology, the fruits of scientific labour and enquiry have never been more in demand. Who better to navigate us through these unprecedented days than Australia’s best science writers. Now in its tenth year, this much-loved anthology selects the most riveting, entertaining, poignant and fascinating science stories and essays from Australian writers, poets and scientists. In their expert hands such ordinary objects as milk and sticky tape become imbued with new meaning, while the furthest reaches of our universe are made more familiar and comprehensible. With a foreword from Nobel laureate and immunologist Peter C Doherty, this collection brings fresh perspective to the world you thought you knew.
£17.81
NewSouth Publishing The Best Australian Science Writing 2021
Book SynopsisThis much-loved anthology showcases the nation's best science writing. New voices join prominent science writers and journalists, taking us to the depths of the ocean, the fuels of the future, and to the Ryugu asteroid and back. The anthology also takes us straight the heart of complex ethical dilemmas and the calamitous crises frustrating scientists and writers alike.
£17.81
NewSouth Publishing The Best Australian Science Writing 2022
Book SynopsisWhat can a microbial gravesite on a moon teach us? Why are scientists risking their lives to safeguard a seed bank? How does a virus detective story show us why we need to be vigilant about the next disease outbreak? Great science writing compels us to pay attention to parts of the world often unseen, from a dusty gold mine which could help answer one of the biggest questions in astrophysics to a delightful date with the misunderstood blobfish. This acclaimed anthology—now in its twelfth year—selects the most riveting, entertaining, poignant, and fascinating science stories and essays from Australian writers, poets, and scientists. With a foreword by health broadcaster and commentator Dr. Norman Swan, this collection covers another remarkable year, not only filled with seismic moments in science, but also shining a light on important work that would otherwise be overlooked.Table of ContentsForeword Norman SwanIntroduction Ivy ShihThe hunt for alien life on Phobos, one of Mars’ mystifying moons Jackson RyanSpillover in suburbia Olivia WillisEarth is getting a black box to record our climate change actions, and it’ s already started listening Nick KilvertDeep down and Dark: Stawell’ s genius lair Jacinta BowlerThe curious case of the hidden ancestor Elizabeth Finkel 2029 Headlines Amanda AnastasiApes, robots and men: the life and death of the first space chimp Alice GormanLove and fear Kate Cole-AdamsChecking in on the fugly fish that broke the internet Angus DaltonThe chemical question Bianca NogradyArtificial intelligence is misreading human emotion Kate Crawford A Syrian seed bank’ s fight to survive Helen SullivanProfessor Amnon Neeman doesn’ t really mind whether you read this story or not Tabitha Carvan Rise of the preprint: how rapid data sharing during COVID-19 changed science forever Clare Watson Jenner, sure, but here’ s to the real pioneers of immunisation Jane McCredieWhen cats are not as cute John Pickrell Anticipation of light Alice SometimesTime travel and tipping points Lauren FugeRising in the yeast Kelly WongCOVID-19 rarely spreads through surfaces. So why are we still deep cleaning? Dyani LewisMy Father’ s beautiful brain Suzannah LyonsThe scientific genius that eschewed fame Robyn ArianrhodEel Odyssey Louise Wakeling Why discovering ‘ nothing’ in science can be so incredibly important Michelle StarrSwamp Sentinels Kate EvansCulture shock: how loss of animals’ shared knowledge threatens their survival Zoe Kean Mind machines Christine KenneallyWombat dental gags and monster whale needles Angela HeathcoteCould biobanking offer Australian animals a last hope against extinction? Lydia HalesFish out of mortar Drew Rooke
£17.81
Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd Aliens and Other Worlds: True Tales from Our
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£14.99
Penguin Random House Australia Explain That: 31 Intriguing Reasons Why from The
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£13.59
