Popular science Books
Icon Books Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium
Book Synopsis'Half Lives shines a light on the shocking history of the world's toxic love affair with a deadly substance, radium. Unnerving, fascinating, informative and truly frightening.' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five'The story of this supposed cure-all in everyday 20th century life is fascinating and well told.' Brian Maye, Irish TimesLucy Jane Santos presents the surprising history of radium in everyday life.Of all the radioactive elements discovered at the end of the 19th century, it was radium that became the focus of both public fascination and entrepreneurial zeal.Half Lives tells the fascinating, curious, sometimes macabre story of the element through its ascendance as a desirable item - a present for a queen, a prize in a treasure hunt, a glow-in- the-dark dance costume - to its role as a supposed cure-all in everyday 20th-century life, when medical practitioners and business people (reputable and otherwise) devised ingenious ways of commodifying the new wonder element, and enthusiastic customers welcomed their radioactive wares into their homes. Historian Lucy Jane Santos - herself the proud owner of a formidable collection of radium beauty treatments - delves into the stories of these products and details the gradual downfall and discredit of the radium industry through the eyes of the people who bought, sold and eventually came to fear the once-fetishized substance.She reveals a new history of radium, one in which the stories of those previously dismissed as quacks and fools are brought to life, as part of a unique examination of the interplay between science and popular culture.Trade ReviewWith verve and vivacity, Lucy Jane Santos conducts her readers on a unique tour of the twentieth century's most significant scientific discovery. Before the R-word threatened destruction, it offered hope for the future -- teeth would glow white, cocktails would shine in the dark and cancer would be vanquished. This evocative account puts people and their emotions centre-stage of science's past. -- Dr Patricia FaraHalf Lives shines a light on the shocking history of the world's toxic love affair with a deadly substance, radium. Unnerving, fascinating, informative and truly frightening. -- Hallie Rubenhold, author of The FiveIn Half Lives, Lucy Santos transports us back to a time when consumers wondered whether mixing radium into chicken feed might result in eggs that could hard-boil themselves; when diners cheerfully drank radioactive cocktails that glowed in the dark; and when people used toothpaste containing lethal thorium oxide in the pursuit of healthy gums. Santos unpicks fact from fiction and exhibits a masterful grasp of a complex area of science history that is so often mistold. Half Lives is a delightfully disturbing book that reminds us all of the age-old Latin maxim, 'caveat emptor.' -- Dr Lindsey Fitzharris, bestselling author of The Butchering ArtThere was a time when radioactivity seemed to promise the future. It was the stuff that twentieth-century dreams were made of, before those dreams turned sour. This marvellous book explores the ways radioactivity stood for a better future, worked its way into money-making schemes of all kinds and offered hope to saints and charlatans. By doing all that - and doing it so well - it also offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of putting too much faith in simple technological solutions to all our problems. -- Iwan Rhys MorusA little gem of a book -- Medical Journalists' AssociationFascinating and well told * Irish Times *Truly mind-boggling ... I became so engrossed I read most of it in one sitting * Chemistry World *An engaging and definitive history * Popular Science *With wit and empathy, Santos tells the story of the entrepreneurs and consumers in radium's history who have until now been considered quacks, or fools, or both * Inside History *
£15.29
Icon Books Nikola Tesla and the Electrical Future
Book Synopsis'[This] crisply succinct, beautifully synthesized study brings to life Tesla, his achievements and failures...and the hopeful thrum of an era before world wars.' - NatureNikola Tesla is one of the most enigmatic, curious and controversial figures in the history of science. An electrical pioneer as influential in his own way as Thomas Edison, he embodied the aspirations and paradoxes of an age of innovation that seemed to have the future firmly in its grasp. In an era that saw the spread of power networks and wireless telegraphy, the discovery of X-rays, and the birth of powered flight, Tesla made himself synonymous with the electrical future under construction but opinion was often divided as to whether he was a visionary, a charlatan, or a fool. Iwan Rhys Morus examines Tesla's life in the context of the extraordinary times in which he lived and worked, colourfully evoking an age in which anything seemed possible, from capturing the full energy of Niagara to communicating with Mars.Shattering the myth of the 'man out of time', Morus demonstrates that Tesla was in all ways a product of his era, and shows how the popular image of the inventor-as-maverick-outsider was deliberately crafted by Tesla - establishing an archetype that still resonates today.Trade ReviewSuperb * Nick Smith, Engineering and Technology magazine *[This] crisply succinct, beautifully synthesized study brings to life Tesla, his achievements and failures...and the hopeful thrum of an era before world wars. -- NatureThere have been other Tesla biographies, but this is the one I have been waiting for ... Tesla, he shows us, was - like his one-time boss and rival Thomas Edison - inventing nothing less than the electrified future. -- Philip Ball, author of Invisible: The Dangerous Allure of the UnseenClear and engaging ... a pleasure to read * Physics Today *
£8.49
Icon Books Apollo 11: The Inside Story
Book Synopsis'Terrific and enthralling' New Scientist'An authoritative account of Apollo 11 and the end of the space race, shedding light on the true drama behind the mission.' ObserverFifty years ago, in July 1969, Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong the first man to step on to its surface. He and his crewmates, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, were the latest men to risk their lives in this extraordinary scientific, engineering and human venture that would come to define the era.In Apollo 11: The Inside Story, David Whitehouse reveals the true drama behind the mission, putting it in the context of the wider space race and telling the story in the words of those who took part - based around exclusive interviews with the key players.This enthralling book takes us from the early rocket pioneers to the shock America received from the Soviets' launch of the first satellite, Sputnik; from the race to put the first person into space to the iconic Apollo 11 landing and beyond, to the agonising drama of the Apollo 13 disaster and the eventual winding-up of the Apollo program.Here is the story as told by the crew of Apollo 11 and the many others who shared in their monumental endeavour. Astronauts, engineers, politicians, NASA officials, Soviet rivals - all tell their own story of a great moment of human achievement.Trade ReviewTerrific and enthralling -- New ScientistAn authoritative account of Apollo 11 and the end of the space race, shedding light on the true drama behind the mission. -- The ObserverFascinating * The Herald *'Fast-paced and tremendously readable ... What makes this book really stand out from other Apollo based books is the inclusion of long quotes from interviews with astronauts such as John Glenn (the first American to orbit Earth), Eugene Cernan (the last man to walk on the Moon) and, of course, Neil Armstrong himself.' ***** Book of the Month * BBC Sky at Night magazine *[T]he book is at its most successful when Whitehouse gets out of the way of its protagonists, letting the astronauts and cosmonauts offer their own verbatim accounts of their often perilous - and occasionally fatal - missions. The real strength of this book is its tribute to the human qualities of these men -and they are all men, with the exception of the brief but gripping story of one female cosmonaut - who were willing to sacrifice so much. * The Irish News *In the most authoritative book ever written about Apollo, David Whitehouse reveals the true drama behind the mission, telling the story in the words of those who took part based around exclusive interviews with the key players ... [An] enthralling book * All About Space *David Whitehouse's masterly narration of what he calls 'the inside story' is profoundly gratifying. -- The SpectatorWhitehouse has a reporter's gift for uncomplicated storytelling -- Financial TimesOne of the best books ever written about the lunar landing ... absolutely brilliant -- Engineering and Technology Magazine
£9.49
Icon Books What Do You Think You Are?: The Science of What
Book Synopsis'Gets right to the heart of what makes us what we are. Read it!' Angela Saini, author of Inferior and Superior: The Return of Race ScienceThe popular science equivalent of Who Do You Think You Are? Popular science master Brian Clegg's new book is an entertaining tour through the science of what makes you you.From the atomic level, through life and energy to genetics and personality, it explores how the billions of particles which make up you - your DNA, your skin, your memories - have come to be.It starts with the present-day reader and follows a number of trails to discover their origins: how the atoms in your body were created and how they got to you in space and time, the sources of things you consume, how the living cells of your body developed, where your massive brain and consciousness originated, how human beings evolved and, ultimately, what your personal genetic history reveals.Trade ReviewWhat's great about the book overall is both Clegg's gift as a storyteller - it's just an excellent, pageturning read - and the way he threads together so many revelations about us as humans, the sort of thing that you want to share with someone else. * popularscience.co.uk *The most interesting part is when the book explores what consciousness is (or, rather, highlights how little we know about it but still shows how much more there is to "us" than the conscious part) and pulls apart the old nature versus nurture debate with some remarkable material on genetics and how the influence of our environment is mathematically chaotic. * Peet Morris, Times Higher Education *
£11.69
Icon Books Seven Pillars of Science: The Incredible
Book SynopsisJohn Gribbin, author of Six Impossible Things, shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, presents a tour of seven fundamental scientific truths that underpin our very existence.These 'pillars of science' also defy common sense. For example, solid things are mostly empty space, so how do they hold together? There appears to be no special 'life force', so how do we distinguish living things from inanimate objects? And why does ice float on water, when most solids don't? You might think that question hardly needs asking, and yet if ice didn't float, life on Earth would never have happened.The answers to all of these questions were sensational in their day, and some still are. Throughout history, science has been able to think the unthinkable - and Gribbin brilliantly shows the surprising secrets on which our understanding of life is based.Trade Review[In] the last couple of years we have seen a string of books that pack bags of science in a digestible form into a small space. John Gribbin has already proved himself a master of this approach with his Six Impossible Things, and he's done it again ... [Seven Pillars of Science is] light, to the point and hugely informative. ... It packs in the science, tells an intriguing story and is beautifully packaged. * Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.uk *
£9.49
Icon Books What Do You Think You Are?: The Science of What
Book Synopsis'Gets right to the heart of what makes us what we are. Read it!' Angela Saini, author of Inferior and Superior: The Return of Race ScienceThe popular science equivalent of Who Do You Think You Are? Popular science master Brian Clegg's new book is an entertaining tour through the science of what makes you you.From the atomic level, through life and energy to genetics and personality, it explores how the billions of particles which make up you - your DNA, your skin, your memories - have come to be.It starts with the present-day reader and follows a number of trails to discover their origins: how the atoms in your body were created and how they got to you in space and time, the sources of things you consume, how the living cells of your body developed, where your massive brain and consciousness originated, how human beings evolved and, ultimately, what your personal genetic history reveals.Trade ReviewWhat's great about the book overall is both Clegg's gift as a storyteller - it's just an excellent, pageturning read - and the way he threads together so many revelations about us as humans, the sort of thing that you want to share with someone else. * popularscience.co.uk *The most interesting part is when the book explores what consciousness is (or, rather, highlights how little we know about it but still shows how much more there is to "us" than the conscious part) and pulls apart the old nature versus nurture debate with some remarkable material on genetics and how the influence of our environment is mathematically chaotic. * Peet Morris, Times Higher Education *
£9.49
Icon Books Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium
Book Synopsis'Half Lives shines a light on the shocking history of the world's toxic love affair with a deadly substance, radium. Unnerving, fascinating, informative and truly frightening.' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five'The story of this supposed cure-all in everyday 20th century life is fascinating and well told.' Brian Maye, Irish TimesLucy Jane Santos presents the surprising history of radium in everyday life.Of all the radioactive elements discovered at the end of the 19th century, it was radium that became the focus of both public fascination and entrepreneurial zeal.Half Lives tells the fascinating, curious, sometimes macabre story of the element through its ascendance as a desirable item - a present for a queen, a prize in a treasure hunt, a glow-in- the-dark dance costume - to its role as a supposed cure-all in everyday 20th-century life, when medical practitioners and business people (reputable and otherwise) devised ingenious ways of commodifying the new wonder element, and enthusiastic customers welcomed their radioactive wares into their homes. Historian Lucy Jane Santos - herself the proud owner of a formidable collection of radium beauty treatments - delves into the stories of these products and details the gradual downfall and discredit of the radium industry through the eyes of the people who bought, sold and eventually came to fear the once-fetishized substance.She reveals a new history of radium, one in which the stories of those previously dismissed as quacks and fools are brought to life, as part of a unique examination of the interplay between science and popular culture.Trade ReviewWith verve and vivacity, Lucy Jane Santos conducts her readers on a unique tour of the twentieth century's most significant scientific discovery. Before the R-word threatened destruction, it offered hope for the future -- teeth would glow white, cocktails would shine in the dark and cancer would be vanquished. This evocative account puts people and their emotions centre-stage of science's past. -- Dr Patricia FaraHalf Lives shines a light on the shocking history of the world's toxic love affair with a deadly substance, radium. Unnerving, fascinating, informative and truly frightening. -- Hallie Rubenhold, author of The FiveIn Half Lives, Lucy Santos transports us back to a time when consumers wondered whether mixing radium into chicken feed might result in eggs that could hard-boil themselves; when diners cheerfully drank radioactive cocktails that glowed in the dark; and when people used toothpaste containing lethal thorium oxide in the pursuit of healthy gums. Santos unpicks fact from fiction and exhibits a masterful grasp of a complex area of science history that is so often mistold. Half Lives is a delightfully disturbing book that reminds us all of the age-old Latin maxim, 'caveat emptor.' -- Dr Lindsey Fitzharris, bestselling author of The Butchering ArtThere was a time when radioactivity seemed to promise the future. It was the stuff that twentieth-century dreams were made of, before those dreams turned sour. This marvellous book explores the ways radioactivity stood for a better future, worked its way into money-making schemes of all kinds and offered hope to saints and charlatans. By doing all that - and doing it so well - it also offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of putting too much faith in simple technological solutions to all our problems. -- Iwan Rhys MorusA little gem of a book -- Medical Journalists' AssociationFascinating and well told * Irish Times *Truly mind-boggling ... I became so engrossed I read most of it in one sitting * Chemistry World *An engaging and definitive history * Popular Science *With wit and empathy, Santos tells the story of the entrepreneurs and consumers in radium's history who have until now been considered quacks, or fools, or both * Inside History *
£9.49
Icon Books The Space Business: From Hotels in Orbit to
Book SynopsisDreams, schemes and opportunity as space opens for tourism and commerce.Twentieth century space exploration may have belonged to state-funded giants such as NASA, but there is a parallel history which has set the template for the future.Even before Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, private companies were exploiting space via communication satellites - a sector that is seeing exponential growth in the internet age. In human spaceflight, too, commercialisation is making itself felt. Billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson have long trumpeted plans to make space travel a possibility for ordinary people and those ideas are inching ever closer to reality. At the same time, other companies plan to mine the Moon for helium-3, or asteroids for precious metals.Science writer Andrew May takes an entertaining, in-depth look at the triumphs and heroic failures of our quixotic quest to commercialise the final frontier.Trade ReviewWe enjoyed this book, and it is a thought provoking read as we move into an exciting new phase of space activity. * Irish Tech News *Easy to read, detailed and extremely well-researched - and fascinating to boot. * How it Works *
£8.54
Icon Books The Alien Perspective: A New View of Humanity and
Book Synopsis'Often-complex ideas are explained with clarity and precision, but this is clearly a passion project for the author, and the book soars where he deploys more poetic language, as when musing on the deeper themes that arise from his central question. ... If you've ever looked up at the sky and pondered on the big questions of life in the Universe, this is essential reading.' BBC Sky at Night magazineAstronomer and science writer David Whitehouse takes us on a journey through the evolving cosmos as he considers humankind's place in the universe - and how our survival depends on otherworldly perspectives.From the Earth to the depths of outer space, this inspiring book shows how human evolution has been intertwined with the workings of the cosmos from the very beginning, and what the far-distant future may hold, both for the universe and for ourselves.Given enough time, Whitehouse contends, we must communicate with intelligent aliens whose divergent perspective will transform our understanding of the universe. First contact may even come sooner than we think. We have already transmitted signals towards promising exoplanets. If, say, Gliese 581d harbours life, the return signal could reach us in 2051.Drawing the thread of human consciousness from the cave to the cosmos, the acclaimed author of Apollo 11: The Inside Story charts our future journey to the end of space and time and considers whether something of humanity could remain at the end of it all.Trade ReviewOften-complex ideas are explained with clarity and precision, but this is clearly a passion project for the author, and the book soars where he deploys more poetic language, as when musing on the deeper themes that arise from his central question. ... If you've ever looked up at the sky and pondered on the big questions of life in the Universe, this is essential reading. * BBC Sky at Night magazine *Absolutely brilliant ... a real gem. It's written in a very engaging way, and offers plenty of scope for the reader to make up their own minds as to the existence (or not) of extra-terrestrial life. It's not often that a non-fiction book has me uttering so many oohs and ahhs, but this one did ... It also left me with an unexpected feeling: hope. * Dawn's Book Reviews *
£16.19
Icon Books Astroquizzical – The Illustrated Edition: Solving
Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated, enlightening edition of astronomer Jillan Scudder's exploration of our universe.Looking up at the night sky, it is almost impossible to imagine that we can trace our common ancestry with the distant stars and galaxies back over 13.8 billion years.Astroquizzical explores this connection by travelling back through the generations of the cosmic family tree, from Earth (parent) to the stars (grandparents), galaxies (great grandparents) and first atoms of the Big Bang (great-great grandparents). On the journey, the reader is invited to become 'astroquizzical' by asking the questions and investigating the many scientific mysteries of how the universe was formed and how it works.This updated and illustrated edition combines beautifully curated space images with ten sketchbook 'thought experiments' to create a uniquely accessible guide to the science of Earth's place among the planets, stars, and galaxies.
£17.99
Icon Books Ten Days in Physics that Shook the World: How
Book Synopsis'[A]n engaging exploration, ending with interesting speculation on the nature of a future 11th day.'Peet Morris, Times Higher EducationDevelopments in physics and physics-based engineering have led to some of the biggest transformations in the way we live out lives. Here, we journey back to ten separate days in history for a closer look at the breakthroughs that have shaped the modern world. From Isaac Newton's law of motion, to Michael Faraday's electrical field theory, as well as Maxwell's equations that make TV, radio and cellphones possible.Comprising perfectly pitched science writing enlivened with a wealth of fascinating biographical detail, this eye-opening book is a celebration of power of physicists to bring about far-reaching, life-transforming change.Trade Review'Those in search of a well-written account of the world of science should look no further ... Ten Days in Physics That Shook the World succeeds where much of science writing fails, by creating a clear path between pivotal moments in scientific history and the world as we know it today.' * Reaction *'[I]nformative and accessible ... a really good potential entry point for younger readers looking to have a big picture view on what physics is.' * Irish Tech News *'[N]icely written and highly illuminating ... an engaging read not just for engineers and scientists, but for a broad "general" audience.' * Engineering & Technology *'Clegg is a skilled wordsmith and this is a light, easy read, filled with intriguing details' -- Peet Morris * popularscience.co.uk *[A]n engaging exploration, ending with interesting speculation on the nature of a future 11th day. -- Peet Morris * Times Higher Education *[A] solid primer ... Those new to the field will find this a fine overview of touchstone moments. * Publishers Weekly *Appealing accounts of scientific breakthroughs by the veteran popularizer [Brian Clegg] ... A painless education on great milestones in physics. * Kirkus *[A] good addition to popular science collections. * Booklist *
£10.44
Icon Books Seven Pillars of Science: The Incredible
Book SynopsisJohn Gribbin, author of Six Impossible Things, shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, presents a tour of seven fundamental scientific truths that underpin our very existence.These 'pillars of science' also defy common sense. For example, solid things are mostly empty space, so how do they hold together? There appears to be no special 'life force', so how do we distinguish living things from inanimate objects? And why does ice float on water, when most solids don't? You might think that question hardly needs asking, and yet if ice didn't float, life on Earth would never have happened.The answers to all of these questions were sensational in their day, and some still are. Throughout history, science has been able to think the unthinkable - and Gribbin brilliantly shows the surprising secrets on which our understanding of life is based.Trade Review[In] the last couple of years we have seen a string of books that pack bags of science in a digestible form into a small space. John Gribbin has already proved himself a master of this approach with his Six Impossible Things, and he's done it again ... [Seven Pillars of Science is] light, to the point and hugely informative. ... It packs in the science, tells an intriguing story and is beautifully packaged. * Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.uk *'[Gribbin] deftly joins the dots to reveal a bigger picture that is even more awe-inspiring than the sum of its parts.' -- Laura Hiscott * Physics World *
£8.54
Icon Books The Curious World of Science: A visual
Book SynopsisTo some, science is simply a means to an end; to others it is an almost spiritual meditation on theoriesand formulae.The Curious World of Science embraces both views and much more besides. Focusing on the human endeavours at the heart of science, it presents a miscellany of essential classifications, intriguing biographies, amusing curiosities, and irresistible trivia. Bite-size morsels of text explore the worlds of physics, chemistry, biology, and maths, while also venturing into those magical areas where science meets art.This illustrated edition is brimming with graphics and illustrations, and includes a system of icons to signpost different paths through the miscellany. From the Large Hadron Collider rap to the sins of Isaac Newton, it offers a dizzying flight through the wonderfully human world of scientific knowledge.
£18.00
Icon Books Impossible, Possible, and Improbable: Science
Book Synopsis'Gribbin has inspired generations with his popular science writing' Jim Al-KhaliliA scintillating collection of short essays that really does cover 'life, the Universe, and everything'.From the mysteries of the subatomic world to the curious property of water that makes our planet inhabitable, master of popular science John Gribbin delves into the astonishing facts that underlie our existence.Some aspects of the quantum world really do seem impossible to 'common sense', but have been proved correct by experiments. Other features of the Universe appear obvious, such as the fact that atoms are mostly empty space. But this familiarity hides the truly amazing truths underpinning these observations. And some things merely seem improbable but are also hiding a Deep Truth, such as the fact that the Moon and Sun look the same size as viewed from Earth.This book will change forever the way you view the world.This volume brings together three of John Gribbin's successful science books: Six Impossible Things (which was Shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Books Prize in 2019), Seven Pillars of Science and Eight Improbable Possibilities.Trade ReviewGribbin has inspired generations with his popular science writing * Jim Al-Khalili *
£21.25
Icon Books Impossible, Possible, and Improbable: Science
Book Synopsis'Gribbin has inspired generations with his popular science writing' Jim Al-KhaliliA scintillating collection of short essays that really does cover 'life, the Universe, and everything'.From the mysteries of the subatomic world to the curious property of water that makes our planet inhabitable, master of popular science John Gribbin delves into the astonishing facts that underlie our existence.Some aspects of the quantum world really do seem impossible to 'common sense', but have been proved correct by experiments. Other features of the Universe appear obvious, such as the fact that atoms are mostly empty space. But this familiarity hides the truly amazing truths underpinning these observations. And some things merely seem improbable but are also hiding a Deep Truth, such as the fact that the Moon and Sun look the same size as viewed from Earth.This book will change forever the way you view the world.This volume brings together three of John Gribbin's successful science books: Six Impossible Things (which was Shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Books Prize in 2019), Seven Pillars of Science and Eight Improbable Possibilities.
£11.39
Icon Books Nine Musings on Time: Science Fiction, Science
Book SynopsisTime travel is a familiar theme of science fiction, but is it really possible?Surprisingly, time travel is not forbidden by the laws of physics - and John Gribbin argues that if it is not impossible then it must be possible.Gribbin brilliantly illustrates the possibilities of time travel by comparing familiar themes from science fiction with their real-world scientific counterparts, including Einstein's theories of relativity, black holes, quantum physics, and the multiverse, illuminated by examples from the fictional tales of Robert Heinlein, Larry Niven, Carl Sagan and others.The result is an entertaining guide to some deep mysteries of the Universe which may leave you wondering whether time actually passes at all, and if it does, whether we are moving forwards or backwards. A must-read for science fiction fans and anyone intrigued by deep science.Trade ReviewThe yarn of time ravels into a rich tapestry of both science and speculation, under John Gribbin's deft hand. * David Brin, Hugo Award-winning science fiction writer, author of The Postman, the book that inspired the Kevin Costner movie *
£10.44
Icon Books Nuclear Fusion: The Race to Build a Mini-Sun on
Book Synopsis'Holgate guides us expertly and with a deft touch along the journey towards the holy grail of unlimited energy for all.' - JIM AL-KHALILI'What is nuclear fusion? In clear and accessible language, this book explains the basics and the hope for the future. A valuable addition to the Hot Science series.' - JOHN GRIBBINCould the Sun hold the key to a future of clean energy? Since the 1950s, scientists have attempted to harness nuclear fusion - the process that creates the Sun's energy - to generate near-limitless amounts of electricity. But the fact that we still have no fusion power plants is testament to the complexities of the challenge. Now, the deepening climate crisis means that researchers around the world are in a race to create a mini-Sun here on Earth. The glittering prize is an energy source that emits no greenhouse gases and could solve energy equity and supply issues at a stroke. Sharon Ann Holgate, a former Young Professional Physicist of the Year, tells the compelling story of the ongoing scientific quest for a revolutionary new era of green energy production.Trade ReviewIf we are to prevent a climate catastrophe and provide a "civilised" standard of living for the population of our planet, renewable energy will not be sufficient to replace fossil fuels. The contribution of clean, safe nuclear fusion power is essential. But what is nuclear fusion? In clear and accessible language, this book explains the basics and the hope for the future. A valuable addition to the Hot Science series. -- John GribbinCreating a miniature star here on earth must surely rank as the greatest challenge yet for humanity. A working fusion reactor may still be a couple of decades away, but the journey to get us this far is a fascinating one. Holgate guides us expertly and with a deft touch along the journey towards the holy grail of unlimited energy for all. If you enjoy geeking out on giant machines that can heat a gas up to five times the temperature of the Sun's core or 200 lasers so large they have to be housed in a ten-storey building and yet still be focussed onto a something the size of a peppercorn, then you'll love this book. -- Jim Al-Khalili
£9.49
Icon Books Short Cuts: Science: Navigate Your Way Through
Book SynopsisA LAUNCH TITLE FOR ICON BOOKS' BRAND-NEW SHORT CUTS SERIESWhat with accelerating particles and gravitational waves, dark matter and light speed, nanoscales and exoplanets, the landscape of today's science is an amazing place to explore. But how are you expected to navigate this rapidly spinning world?Short Cuts: Science provides the map you need to start exploring seriously big ideas. Fifty quickfire questions lead to 'short cut' answers written by experts in their field, with each one the setting-off point for clear directions to help you plot your route through an essential concept.With one-stop graphics presenting a memorable image for each idea, and route-map glossaries explaining key words and their connections, Short Cuts: Science will guide you through a world of intellectual wonders.
£13.49
Icon Books Biomimetics: How Lessons from Nature can
Book SynopsisAn exploration of the transformative ways in which nature has inspired the technological advancement of humankind.Biomimetics literally means emulating biology - and in a broader sense the term covers technological advances where the original inspiration came from nature. The Earth is a vast laboratory where the mechanisms of natural selection have enabled evolutionary solutions to be developed to a wide range of problems. In this new title in the Hot Science series, science writer Brian Clegg looks at how humans have piggybacked on natural experimentation, redeploying a solution to create things that make our lives easier. He looks at how the hooks on burdock seeds inspired the creation of Velcro, how the stickiness of the feet of geckos and frogs has been used to create gripping surfaces, such as tyre treads, and how even the most basic optical enhancement in the form of spectacles is itself a form of biomimetics.
£10.44
Icon Books The Science of Music: How Technology has Shaped
Book SynopsisMusic is shaped by the science of sound. How can music - an artform - have anything to do with science? Yet there are myriad ways in which the two are intertwined, from the basics of music theory and the design of instruments to hi-fi systems and how the brain processes music.Science writer Andrew May traces the surprising connections between science and music, from the theory of sound waves to the way musicians use mathematical algorithms to create music.The most obvious impact of science on music can be seen in the way electronic technology has revolutionised how we create, record and listen to music. Technology has also provided new insights into the effects that different music has on the brain, to the extent that some algorithms can now predict our reactions with uncanny accuracy, which raises a worrying question: how long will it be before AI can create music on a par with humans?
£10.44
Icon Books Artificial Intelligence: The Illustrated Edition
Book SynopsisAN INTRIGUING AND BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF YORICK WILKS' INSIDERS GUIDE TO AIThe benefits and potential nightmares of artificial intelligence have long inspired science-fiction writers, but in a world where most of us carry a portable device that knows infinitely more than we do, these are increasingly real concerns.Artificial Intelligence is the essential companion to this unsettling science. It surveys the history, philosophies, and current state of AI, and asks key questions such as how should robots think, and can machines really learn? With subjects ranging from the World Wide Web to artificial companions, the book considers such ethical issues as automated warfare, internet surveillance, and fake news, speculating on just how far robots will infiltrate our future.This illustrated edition combines compelling photographs with 'circuit-board' infographics to lift the curtain on the hidden world of AI.
£18.00
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Defining Autism: A Guide to Brain, Biology, and
Book SynopsisOffering a summary of the current state of knowledge in autism research, Defining Autism looks at the different genetic, neurological and environmental causes of, and contributory factors to autism. It takes a wide-ranging view of developmental and genetic factors, and considers autism's relationship with other conditions such as epilepsy. Shedding light on the vast number of autism-related syndromes which are all too often denied adequate attention, it shows how, whilst autism refers to a single syndrome, it can be understood as many different conditions, with the common factors being biological, rather than behavioral.Table of Contents1. Kanner's Conundrum & Bernie's Biology. 2. The Brain in Autism. 3. The Genetics of Autism. 4. The Roles Environment Plays in Autism Susceptibility. 5. Regression in Autism. 6. Autism & Epilepsy. 7. The Neurodevelopmental Spectrum - Mental Health for the 21st Century. 8. The Broader Autism Phenotype. 9. Autism, Intellectual Disability & Genius. 10. Defining Autism.
£20.89
Ebury Publishing Earth from Space
Book SynopsisYou don't know home until you leave it. With over 200 spectacular images, including astonishing satellite images and stills from the BBC Natural History Unit’s footage, Earth from Space reveals our planet as you’ve never seen it before.For decades we competed to be the first to reach space, but it was when we looked back at Earth that we were truly awestruck. Now, for the first time, using advanced satellite images we can show the earth’s surface, its mega structures, weather patterns and natural wonders in breathtaking detail.From the colours and patterns that make up our planet to the mass migrations and seismic changes that shape it, Earth from Space sheds new light on the planet we call home. It reveals the intimate stories behind the breathtaking images, following herds of elephants crossing the plains of Africa and turtles travelling on ocean currents that are invisible unless seen from space. The true colours of our blue planet are revealed, from the striped tulip fields of Holland to the green swirl of a plankton super bloom that attracts a marine feeding frenzy. Whether it's the world’s largest beaver dam – so remote it was only discovered through satellite imagery – or newly formed islands born from volcanic eruptions, discover a new perspective on our ever-changing planet.
£29.75
Ebury Publishing 39 Ways to Save the Planet
Book SynopsisWe got ourselves into this. Here's how we can get ourselves out.We know the problem: the amount of biodiversity loss, the scale of waste and pollution, the amount of greenhouse gas we pump into the air... it's unsustainable. We have to do something. And we are resourceful, adaptable and smart. We have already devised many ways to reduce climate change - some now proven, others encouraging and craving uptake. Each one is a solution to get behind.In 39 Ways to Save the Planet, Tom Heap reveals some of the real-world solutions to climate change that are happening around the world, right now. From tiny rice seeds and fossil fuel free steel to grazing elk and carbon-capturing seagrass meadows, each chapter reveals the energy and optimism in those tackling the fundamental problem of our age. Accompanying a major BBC Radio 4 series in collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society, 39 Ways to Save the Planet is a fascinating exploration of our attempt to build a better future, one solution at a time. A roadmap to global action on climate change, it will encourage you to add your own solutions to the list.
£11.69
Ebury Publishing 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter
Book SynopsisDid you know that mosquitoes' mouthparts are helping to develop pain-free surgical needles? Who'd have thought that the humble mussel could inspire so many useful things, from plywood production to a 'glue' that cements the crowns on teeth and saves unborn babies in the womb? How about the fact that studying the tiny kingfisher solved engineering problems with Japan's ultra-high-speed bullet train, or that the humpback whale's flipper helped design the most efficient blades for wind power turbines? For many years, humans have been using the natural world as inspiration for everything from fashion to architecture, and medicine to transport, and it may come as a surprise to learn how many inventions have been motivated by animal design and behaviour. Dive into the depths with us as author Patrick Aryee reveals even more astonishing stories about animals' exceptional powers and the unique contributions they've made to the quality of our everyday lives. Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations accompany his revelations and bring the natural world to life.
£15.29
Oneworld Publications Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War
Book SynopsisA finalist for the Los Angeles Times Science & Technology Book Prize ‘The most entertaining writer in science’ – The Times, Books of the Year War. Mention it and most of us think of history, of conflicts on foreign soil, of heroism and compromise, of strategy and weapons. But there’s a whole other side to the gruesome business of the battlefield. In Grunt, the inimitable Mary Roach explores the science of keeping human beings intact, awake, sane, uninfected and uninfested in the bizarre and extreme circumstances of war. Setting about her task with infectious enthusiasm, she sniffs World War II stink bombs, tests earplugs in a simulated war zone and burns the midnight oil with the crew of a nuclear submarine. Speaking to the scientists and the soldiers, she learns about everything from life-changing medical procedures to innovations as esoteric as firing dead chickens at fighter jets. Engrossing, insightful and laugh-out-loud funny, this is an irresistible ride to the wilder shores of modern military life.Trade Review‘An absorbing tale that blends compassion and a bracing realpolitik into a fascinating account of one woman’s unquenchable will to not only survive but thrive.’ * Irish Times *‘Roach [is] a gentle, highly original and exceptionally funny science writer…Grunt is an extraordinary piece of reporting…alive with stories and gobbets of trivia, many of them told for the first time.’ * The Times *‘Sometimes you simply have to marvel at her ability to get behind the press release and into the laboratory…Completely fascinating.’ * Marcus Berkmann, Daily Mail *‘Takes a subject that we think we know a fair bit about…and hones in…where our knowledge is probably nil.’ * Independent *‘Mary Roach is the Hunter S Thompson of science writing…[Grunt] proves again she is the most entertaining writer in science’. * The Times, Books of the Year *'Roach has a strong stomach...but also a wicked wit'. * Sunday Herald *‘[A] quick-fire exploration of the extraordinary world of military science’. * Sunday Express *‘Hilarious and informative’. * Soldier Magazine *‘Fascinating...The book is a treasure trove of unorthodox thinking and experimentation when faced with the challenge of war...Roach gives a memorable starting point into the topic that leaves readers wanting more.’ * New York Journal of Books *‘Roach’s prose is a triumph…A master of synthesis and scene, she unpacks subjects that on their surface might seem boring, disgusting, outrageous, emotionally charged, or morally suspect and infuses them with insight, humor, and humanity.’ * Boston Globe *‘The unflagging enthusiasm in her books, the raw happiness that bounces off the pages, isn’t the sort of thing that can be faked.’ * Seattle Review of Books *‘Mostly…she plays things for laughs, and the raw material is irresistible. Take the guys who fire grocery-store chickens at jets on a runway (to study bird strikes). Or the astonishing World War II-era research into disseminating horrible stinks on a massive scale, as a way to demoralize enemy troops. Not to mention the blast-proof underwear.’ * Seattle Times *‘[Roach] approaches her craft with a curious mind and a humorous bent, translating high science into a highly enjoyable read.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘A must read for fans of Roach and for those who relish learning about the secret histories of everyday things.’ * Library Journal, starred review *‘Roach joins Malcolm Gladwell and Steven Levitt in making a career of turning serious research on oddball subjects into bestsellers.’ * Kirkus *‘Roach lightens the scene with her snarky sense of humour and sharp interviewing skills to make uptight military personnel loosen up and share entertaining anecdotes.’ * Dallas News *‘Our most consistently entertaining science journalist wanders into the ‘corners and crannies’ of military technology. Roach goes where other writers wouldn’t dare (witness her classic take on cadavers, STIFF), here eyeing ‘the parts no one makes movies about—not the killing but the keeping alive.” And her search produces images-a kind of technopoetry-that are hard to forget; a cannon firing chickens into airplanes, urethra replacement surgery, a “brief history of stink bombs.”’ * O Magazine *‘A mirthful, informative peek behind the curtain of military science.’ * Washington Post *‘From the ever-illuminating author of Bonk and Stiff comes an examination of the science behind war. Even the tiniest minutiae count on the battlefield, and Roach leads us through her discoveries in her inimitable style.’ * Elle *‘A rare literary bird, a bestselling science writer...Roach avidly and impishly infiltrates the world of military science...[she] is exuberantly and imaginatively informative and irreverently funny, but she is also in awe of the accomplished and committed military people she meets.’ * Booklist, starred review *‘She writes exquisitely about the excruciating while also displaying supreme attunement to the oddness of the subculture she’s writing about.’ * Chicago Tribune *‘Mary Roach is one of the best in the business of science writing...She takes readers on a tour of the scientists who attempt to conquer the panic, exhaustion, heat, and noise that plague modern soldiers.’ * Brooklyn Magazine *‘Nobody does weird science quite like [Roach], and this time, she takes on war. Though all her books look at the human body in extreme situations (sex! space! death!), this isn’t simply a blood-drenched affair. Instead, Roach looks at the unexpected things that take place behind the scenes.’ * Wired *‘Tremendously entertaining, wildly informative and vividly written.’ * LA Times *‘Extremely likeable…and quick with a quip….[Roach’s] skill is to draw out the good humour and honesty of both the subjects and practitioners of these white arts among the dark arts of war.’ * San Francisco Chronicle *‘Brilliant.’ * Science *‘Covering these topics and more, Roach has done a fascinating job of portraying unexpected, creative sides of military science.’ * New York Post *
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Hormonal: How Hormones Drive Desire, Shape
Book SynopsisProvocative, ground-breaking and entertaining, the world’s leading expert on sexuality and the ovulation cycle reveals the hidden intelligence of hormones. In this paradigm-shifting book, Martie Haselton explains how hormonal intelligence works - both its strengths and its weaknesses - and shows women how to track and understand their desires, fears and perceptions with a radical new understanding of the biological processes that profoundly influence our behaviour. Rigorously researched, entertaining and empowering, Hormonal offers women deep new insights into their bodies, brains and relationships, and will encourage women everywhere to embrace the genius of female biology.Trade Review‘Such common sense is, sadly, remarkable.’ * Evening Standard *'Haselton is part of a new conversation that is emerging; she is a pioneering researcher pushing the politics of hormones in a new direction.' * Observer *'In her book she shows that there are no simple answers, but lots of fascinating possibilities, when we start to think about the biological aspects of our sexual lives.' * The Sunday Times *‘What a refreshing book. Finally, a feminist with the courage to discuss women not as victims of their hormones but as elegantly built captains of their minds and lives.’ * Helen Fisher, author of The First Sex and Why Him? Why Her? *'A very detailed and fascinating book which explores hormones to different level. Many women (and men) should read this to understand how women’s hormones can have both negative and positive effects on our lives.' * Dr Louise Newson, the Menopause Doctor *'Anchored in deep science, Haselton takes the reader on a mesmerizing tour from the stirrings of puberty to the aftermath of menopause, from sexual fantasies to the ways in which women often call the shots in the game of mating.' * David M. Buss, author of The Evolution of Desire *'Haselton shows there are no simple answers - but lots of fascinating possibilities - when we start to think about the biological aspects of our sexual lives.’ * Alice Dreger, author of Galileo's Middle Finger *'In Hormonal, Martie Haselton gives us a brave and fascinating tour of what we know we know about sex differences, but are often afraid to discuss. Read it, whether or not you have a uterus.' * am Harris, author of five New York Times bestsellers and host of the Waking Up podcast *'This book is essential reading for both women and men...Hormonal is engaging, clever, very funny at times, and always scientifically impeccable.' * Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, author of New York Times bestseller Zoobiquity *‘Your hormones have a lot to answer for, and you'll struggle to find someone to give you a better schooling than UCLA professor Martie Haselton.’ * Women's Health *'Deep, thoughtful, and eye-opening, this book teaches us that the more we know about hormones, the more we can manage our lives.' * Maria Shriver, author of I've Been Thinking... *'A smart and engaging scientific story about the amazing molecules that drive our behaviour.' * Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness *'Written with passion and wit, Hormonal provides important insights about the female experience.' * Joan Silk, professor, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, and co-author of How Humans Evolved *
£11.69
Oneworld Publications The Angry Chef: Bad Science and the Truth About
Book SynopsisNever before have we had so much information available to us about food and health. There’s GAPS, paleo, detox, gluten-free, alkaline, the sugar conspiracy, clean eating... Unfortunately, a lot of it is not only wrong but actually harmful. So why do so many of us believe this bad science? Assembling a crack team of psychiatrists, behavioural economists, food scientists and dietitians, the Angry Chef unravels the mystery of why sensible, intelligent people are so easily taken in by the latest food fads, making brief detours for an expletive-laden rant. At the end of it all you’ll have the tools to spot pseudoscience for yourself and the Angry Chef will be off for a nice cup of tea – and it will have two sugars in it, thank you very much.Trade Review‘An entertaining exposé of the ‘bad science’ behind food fads.’ * Sainsbury’s Magazine *‘A terrific and…much-needed book: both heartfelt and thoughtful, often funny and, above all, utterly convincing.’ * James Walton, Daily Telegraph *‘One by one Warner demolishes popular food myths…this [is] a book that will allow you to enjoy food with less guilt; it might even save lives.’ * Guardian *‘If you’ve ever wondered why kale, avocado toast and sweet potatoes are ubiquitous, or if you tear your hair out over the “clean-eating” fad, then the Angry Chef is your man.’ * The Sunday Times *‘Funny and forensic.’ * Financial Times Summer Books 2017 *‘The Angry Chef deserves to be widely read. It covers all the bases with aplomb. The world needs a popular science book to help people tell the difference between science and opinion.’ * Spectator *‘Warner’s dismantling of the faddists’ fads, their gullibility and idiocy is precise, witty and more humane than I can find it in myself to be.’ * Michael Bywater, Literary Review *'As a restaurant critic, qualified chef and greedy person, I found the book fascinating...this is a thoughtful, forensically researched and referenced work on healthy eating and, more importantly, it's entertaining.' -- Lisa Markwell * Evening Standard *‘This is an important book, and a good one. It’s ambitious and well-researched and timely…Food science can be a dry topic, but Warner manages to make it an entertaining one.’ * Spectator *'Pragmatic, funny and most important of all, true.' -- Tom Parker Bowles * Mail on Sunday *‘Warner has simply and emphatically decided that the time has come to expose and question the false assertions and bogus science propounded by nutrition experts, dieticians and public-health gurus who, given half a chance, would force-feed us exclusively on kale smoothies, quinoa bowls, lemon water, green juices and coconut oil.’ * The Times *‘A tonic for those who’ve had their fill of the ‘clean-eating’ brigade.’ * Irish Independent *‘Paleo, GAPS, alkaline, detox… so many diets, but do any of them actually work? With scientific rigour and a generous helping of expletives, Warner takes on the food fads one by one, and asks why we’re so easily taken in by pseudoscience in the first place.’ * BBC Science Focus, 70 best science books you need to read in 2021 *‘The health food industry has gone mad, but finally there has been an awakening. The Angry Chef is at the forefront, spewing out facts and exploding the wellness bloggers’ “theories” with rock solid science.’ -- Gizzi Erskine‘The popular understanding of nutrition is clouded by superstitions, primitive intuitions, conspiracy theories, and old spouses’ tales. This irreverent and intelligent exposé brings sanity and good sense to one of life’s great pleasures.’ -- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works‘If it wasn’t for the fact that there is no God, I’d thank him for bringing us the Angry Chef. In this brilliant book he systematically demolishes every single piece of food-related faddery, hack science, nutritional fakery and clean-eating cobblers in a manner that should make every so-called “wellness” and “nutrition” guru hang their heads in shame.’ -- Jay Rayner, journalist and broadcaster‘A wonderfully bracing and funny tirade against the harm and nonsense of food fads. If you’ve ever been tempted to go on “a detox” or try clean eating, you need this book. Yes, Angry Chef is angry, but he is also trying to get us back to the point beyond the crazy “superfoods” and guilt where eating is actually a joy.’ * Bee Wilson, author of This Is Not A Diet Book and First Bite *‘Thank God for the outspoken, intelligent, well-informed Anthony Warner. Someone had to say it (the Clean Gut cult is tosh) and he does – forcefully, amusingly and, convincingly.’ -- Prue Leith‘The Angry Chef provides a refreshing insight into the importance of academic and scientific rigour in the interpretation and communication of nutrition. I will reference examples from this text when teaching both students and practitioners of nutrition and dietetics about the fickle, unquestioning nonsense appearing online and in the media.’ -- Kevin Whelan, professor of dietetics, King’s College London
£9.49
Oneworld Publications The Spinning Magnet: The Force That Created the
Book SynopsisMany times through deep history Earth’s magnetic poles have switched places, leaving our planet’s protective shield weaker and life vulnerable to devastating solar storms. The last time it happened was 780,000 years ago, long before humans emerged, but it won’t be long until it happens again. And when it does, will it send us back to the Stone Age? The Spinning Magnet is a fascinating insight into what may lie ahead. From the pivotal discoveries of Victorian scientists to the possibility of solar radiation wiping out power grids, and the secrets of electromagnetism, Alanna Mitchell reveals the truth behind one of the most powerful forces in the universe.Trade Review‘Stokes the reader’s curiosity about one of the most critical but invisible forces in the universe.’ * BBC Sky at Night *‘Mitchell’s portrait gallery is researched with a depth and breadth that make its protagonists’ triumphs and failures compelling. She also gives entertaining accounts of today’s working geoscientists… Her interviews provide insights into their thoughts and actions that transcend the stereotypes of inscrutable nerd or heroic explorer.’ * Nature *‘The Earth’s magnetic field…tends to be taken for granted. In reality it’s a fickle, ill-understood phenomenon. Alanna Mitchell delves into the mystery, in an engrossing book that features a new surprise on every page.’ -- Sean Carroll, author of The Big Picture‘A fascinating untold story of science that is full of mystery and intrigue, and written with a great deal of style.’ -- Mark Miodownik, New York Times bestselling author of Stuff Matters, winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize‘A compelling yarn describing our historical efforts to understand the force that created the world, and as the subtitle warns, could bring about its end…Destined to become a classic of popular science.’ * E&T Magazine *‘Captivating scientific history…an invaluable contribution to the popular science shelf.’ * Booklist *‘A compelling tale of unseen and unforeseen natural forces – and a reminder that we’ve staked our home on a planet that remains infinitely strange, dangerous – and ever full of wonder.’ -- Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner’s Handbook‘In The Spinning Magnet, Alanna Mitchell pulls off the rare trifecta in science writing: an engrossing plot of a planetary mystery, authentic character portraits of scientists and their passion for their work, and explanations of complex physics in easily understandable terms.’ -- Sabine Stanley, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Applied Physics Lab, Johns Hopkins University‘Mitchell draws us into a spellbinding scientific detective story, told over the ages, as she nimbly explains magnetism’s role in everything that matters. Each chapter is filled with exciting new revelations written in clear crisp prose. A skilled writer, Mitchell puts magnetism on the map!’ -- Timothy J. Jorgensen, author of Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation, winner of the American Institute of Physics’ Science Communication Award
£15.29
Oneworld Publications Weird Maths: At the Edge of Infinity and Beyond
Book SynopsisIs anything truly random? Does infinity actually exist? Could we ever see into other dimensions? In this delightful journey of discovery, David Darling and extraordinary child prodigy Agnijo Banerjee draw connections between the cutting edge of modern maths and life as we understand it, delving into the strange – would we like alien music? – and venturing out on quests to consider the existence of free will and the fantastical future of quantum computers. Packed with puzzles and paradoxes, mind-bending concepts and surprising solutions, this is for anyone who wants life’s questions answered – even those you never thought to ask.Trade Review‘Remarkable.’ * TLS *‘A glorious trip through some of the wilder regions of the mathematical landscape, explaining why they are important and useful, but mostly revelling in the sheer joy of the unexpected. Highly recommended!’ -- Ian Stewart, author of Significant Figures‘Darling and Banerjee take us on a captivating ride through a vast landscape of mathematics, touching on mesmerising topics that include randomness, higher dimensions, alien music, chess, chaos, prime numbers, cicadas, infinity, and more. Read this book and soar.’ -- Clifford A. Pickover, author of The Math Book: From Pythagoras to the 57th Dimension‘In this inspired collaboration, a young maths prodigy teams up with a popular science writer to present a fresh view of the world of mathematics. Together they fearlessly tackle some of the most weird and wonderful topics in mathematics today, rightly believing that “if you can’t explain something in plain language then you don’t properly understand it”. Clearly, they understand it.’ -- John Stillwell, Professor of Mathematics, University of San Francisco, and author of Elements of Mathematics
£10.44
Oneworld Publications What It's Like to Be a Dog: And Other Adventures
Book SynopsisWhat does your dog really think about you? To find out, Gregory Berns became the first neuroscientist to persuade dogs to lie in an MRI machine wide awake. Now we know more about our best friends than ever before – how varying capacities for self-control and different value systems set them apart as individuals, and how deeply they understand the words we speak to them. Berns’ discoveries have profound implications for how we communicate with and treat these beloved animals. But he didn’t stop there. Berns also delves into the inner lives of sea lions, bats, dolphins, and even the extinct Tasmanian tiger. His revolutionary explorations are essential reading for animal lovers of all stripes.Trade Review‘A fascinating overview of a fledgling field, which could lead to seismic shifts in the ways animals are treated.’ * Mail on Sunday *‘Groundbreaking research that shows that dog emotions are similar to people’s… Dog lovers and neuroscientists should both read this important book.’ -- Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make us Human‘An informed and humane exploration at the frontiers of animal sentience.’ * The Times *‘Berns…is boldly going where no one has gone before, offering a lively, eye-opening peek into his neuroscience kitchen.’ -- Frans de Waal, author of Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?‘Berns has done it again; woven a compelling story with a scientific revolution. From building an MRI simulator in his living room to tracking down one of the four remaining brains of the extinct Tasmanian tiger, Berns takes us on an incredible journey of exploration and discovery. Marvellously written and intellectually engaging, What It’s Like to Be a Dog will establish Berns as one of the most skilled neuroscientists of our day, as well as someone with the intuition that understanding other animals will lead to greater insight and knowledge about ourselves.’ -- Dr. Brian Hare, bestselling author of The Genius of Dogs‘Have you ever wanted to peek inside the mind of a dog? Gregory Berns’ brain scanner does precisely that. But this book also contains many remarkable insights into the inner lives of other animals. Dolphins, sea lions, raccoons, Tasmanian devils – even the long-extinct Tasmanian tiger – they’re all here. A fascinating journey towards an understanding of what dogs – and their mammalian cousins – might be thinking about us.’ -- John Bradshaw, author of the New York Times bestsellers Dog Sense and Cat Sense‘Berns mixes personal stories of dogs and dog lovers with elegant scientific experiments that show the surprising complexity behind many canine daily behaviours: a fun, fascinating and illuminating read.’ * New Scientist *‘One of the most delightful things about What It’s Like to Be a Dog is the attention Berns pays to each dog’s individual quirks.’ * New Yorker *‘Gregory Berns is a remarkable scientist, whose pioneering MRI studies of the brain across a range of species have opened up a pathway to deeper understanding of animals’ internal awareness and perspectives. He’s also an exceptional thinker, whose grasp of the ethical and practical significance of his findings for the status and treatment of animals is pervasive in this absorbing work.’ -- Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO, the Humane Society of the United States‘A fascinating read. Packed with personal stories, What It’s Like to Be a Dog clearly lays out just who these amazing beings are, from the inside out. We can now learn what each individual animal wants and needs to have the best life possible in a human-centred world, and what we must do to make sure they do.’ -- Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado, author of The Animals’ Agenda and Canine Confidential‘It’s the rare neuroscientist who has the patience and curiosity to train dogs to hop into an MRI machine, tails wagging. Or delve into the mysteries of the dolphin brain. Or venture to the far side of the globe to find the brain of an extinct, yet still fascinating species: the thylacine. Thankfully, Gregory Berns did all of these things. In this big-hearted book, he applies cutting-edge science to questions that have never been so timely: How do other animals perceive their worlds? How do they experience emotions? How does their language work? What It’s Like to Be a Dog is a delightful, illuminating look at the minds and lives of our fellow creatures.’ -- Susan Casey, author of Voices in the Ocean‘The author explains that his purpose in writing this book is “to raise awareness of the mental lives of the animals with whom we share the planet”. In that, he succeeds. An impressive overview of modern neurology and the still-unanswered issues raised by our treatment of our fellow living creatures.’ * Kirkus *
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Weirder Maths: At the Edge of the Possible
Book SynopsisEven the most enthusiastic of maths students probably at one time wondered when exactly it would all prove useful in ‘real life’. Well, maths reaches so far and wide through our world that, love it or hate it, we’re all doing maths almost every minute of every day. David Darling and Agnijo Banerjee go in search of the perfect labyrinth, journey back to the second century in pursuit of ‘bubble maths’, reveal the weirdest mathematicians in history and transform the bewildering into the beautiful, delighting us once again. Trade Review‘The brilliant combination of an accomplished science writer and a young mathematical prodigy has resulted in page after page that oozes enthusiasm, clarity and intrigue… A weird but truly wonderful read.’ -- Bobby Seagull, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Numbers and co-presenter of Monkman & Seagull’s Genius Guide to Britain‘A grand tour of the most exotic locations in the mathematical cosmos. Weirder Maths is exhilarating and entertaining, and will leave you with a wide-eyed appreciation of the world of numbers.’ -- Michael Brooks, author of 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense and The Quantum Astrologer’s Handbook
£9.49
Oneworld Publications The Spinning Magnet: The Force That Created the
Book SynopsisMany times through deep history Earth’s magnetic poles have switched places, leaving our planet’s protective shield weaker and life vulnerable to devastating solar storms. The last time it happened was 780,000 years ago, long before humans emerged, but it won’t be long until it happens again. And when it does, will it send us back to the Stone Age? The Spinning Magnet is a fascinating insight into what may lie ahead. From the pivotal discoveries of Victorian scientists to the possibility of solar radiation wiping out power grids, and the secrets of electromagnetism, Alanna Mitchell reveals the truth behind one of the most powerful forces in the universe.Trade Review‘Stokes the reader’s curiosity about one of the most critical but invisible forces in the universe.’ * BBC Sky at Night *‘Mitchell’s portrait gallery is researched with a depth and breadth that make its protagonists’ triumphs and failures compelling. She also gives entertaining accounts of today’s working geoscientists… Her interviews provide insights into their thoughts and actions that transcend the stereotypes of inscrutable nerd or heroic explorer.’ * Nature *‘The Earth’s magnetic field…tends to be taken for granted. In reality it’s a fickle, ill-understood phenomenon. Alanna Mitchell delves into the mystery, in an engrossing book that features a new surprise on every page.’ -- Sean Carroll, author of The Big Picture‘A fascinating untold story of science that is full of mystery and intrigue, and written with a great deal of style.’ -- Mark Miodownik, New York Times bestselling author of Stuff Matters, winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize‘A compelling yarn describing our historical efforts to understand the force that created the world, and as the subtitle warns, could bring about its end…Destined to become a classic of popular science.’ * E&T Magazine *‘Captivating scientific history…an invaluable contribution to the popular science shelf.’ * Booklist *‘A compelling tale of unseen and unforeseen natural forces – and a reminder that we’ve staked our home on a planet that remains infinitely strange, dangerous – and ever full of wonder.’ -- Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner’s Handbook‘In The Spinning Magnet, Alanna Mitchell pulls off the rare trifecta in science writing: an engrossing plot of a planetary mystery, authentic character portraits of scientists and their passion for their work, and explanations of complex physics in easily understandable terms.’ -- Sabine Stanley, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Applied Physics Lab, Johns Hopkins University‘Mitchell draws us into a spellbinding scientific detective story, told over the ages, as she nimbly explains magnetism’s role in everything that matters. Each chapter is filled with exciting new revelations written in clear crisp prose. A skilled writer, Mitchell puts magnetism on the map!’ -- Timothy J. Jorgensen, author of Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation, winner of the American Institute of Physics’ Science Communication Award
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Boom!: The Violent Supernovas, Galactic
Book SynopsisLooking at the night sky, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s all quiet up there in space. But you’d be wrong. Extreme events are forever unfolding: galaxies explode, cosmic debris hurtles through the heavens and our own Milky Way is on a collision course with the giant Andromeda galaxy. Mayhem moulded the cosmos, shaped life on Earth and at times threatened to end it. With an enduring sense of wonder, through cataclysms great and small, Bob Berman presents a destructive history of our universe.Trade Review‘Blithely engaging, a glittering planetarium that is…a stage for astonishing and unnerving spectacles… I greatly admire [Berman’s] ability to lucidly explain astrophysics to the nonscientist. The brio that he brings to cosmic havoc makes much of Boom! a delicious guilty pleasure.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Fascinating, terrifying and entertaining in equal measure, this is an expert guide to the deadliest hazards in the universe, on Earth and beyond.’ -- Paul Parsons, science journalist and author‘This lively menagerie of astrophysical oddities will entertain any reader who’s ever wondered what the biggest, most dangerous “bangs” in the universe might be.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Berman writes with verve and vigour…a pleasing excursion into the hows and whys of how the universe – our universe, anyway – took shape and how it works – except when it doesn’t.’ * Kirkus *
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Gene Machine: The Race to Decipher the Secrets of
Book SynopsisFrom Nobel Prize winner Venki Ramakrishnan ‘Beyond superb’ Bill Bryson ‘A wonderful book’ Ian McEwan Everyone knows about DNA, the essence of our being, the molecule where our genes reside. But DNA by itself is useless without a machine to decode the genetic information it contains. The ribosome is that machine. Venki Ramakrishnan tells the story of the race to uncover its enormously complex structure, a fundamental breakthrough that resolves an ancient mystery of life itself.Trade Review'Invitingly witty' * Nature *‘A must-read for anyone interested in a glimpse of the messy business – rivalries, failed experiments, the frustration of mistakes – of how science happens.’ * The Times *‘If someone had told me that one of the most witty and enthralling books I’d read this year would be on the quest to understand ribosomes, I believe I would have laughed in his face, but I would have been quite wrong. Gene Machine is beyond superb.’ -- Bill Bryson, author of A Short History of Nearly Everything‘An engaging and witty memoir…that highlights how science actually works… This profoundly human story is written with honesty and humility… Anyone who is captivated by an absorbing story well told will find much to appreciate in this fascinating book.’ * Forbes *‘This is not an objective history of the field, but a highly personal account. As such, anyone who wants to know how modern science really works should read it. It’s all here: the ambition, jealousy and factionalism — as well as the heroic late nights, crippling anxiety and disastrous mistakes — that underlie the apparently serene and objective surface represented by the published record.’ * Nature *‘Discovering the structure of the ribosome was a truly incredible moment in the history of humankind… For students of how science actually happens, this is a book to be treasured and pored over.’ -- Matt Ridley, author of Genome‘It is [Ramakrishnan’s] full embrace of the role of the antihero that makes Gene Machine so much fun to read and also serves as a reminder to us all of the beating human heart that lies at the center of every advance in science.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘The ribosome, a structure of astonishing complexity, “lies at the crossroads of life” and Venki Ramakrishnan played a key role in revealing its biological mysteries. His superb account lays out the science with great lucidity, but he also grants us the human face of science – the hard work and brilliant insights, of course, but also the role of luck, of personalities, jealousy, money, the roulette of major awards, and the further rewards heaped upon the fortunate. Science, in his glorious telling, becomes “a play, with good and bad characters”. Competition and collaboration can appear inseparable, crucial figures get overlooked. It’s a wonderful book and a great corrective to the notion of science as dispassionate, untainted objectivity.’ -- Ian McEwan‘[Ramakrishnan's] meticulously detailed and generous memoir has the same disarming frankness as The Double Helix. His personal honesty about the competitive ambition that drove him is tempered by his deeply thoughtful reflections on the potentially corrupting effect of big prizes. Gene Machine will be read and re-read as an important document in the history of science.’ -- Richard Dawkins‘An enchanting and invigorating work, Gene Machine casts a many-angled light on the world of science, the nature of discovery, and on one of the deepest mysteries of twentieth-century biology. Ramakrishnan, one of the key players in deciphering the molecular basis of protein translation, gives us both a rollicking scientific story and a profoundly human tale. In the tradition of The Double Helix, Gene Machine does not hesitate to highlight the process by which science advances: moving through fits and starts, often underscored by deep rivalries and contests, occasionally pitching towards error and misconception, but ultimately advancing towards profound and powerful truths. An outsider to the world of ribosome biology – an Indian immigrant, a physicist by training – Ramakrishnan retains his “outsider’s” vision throughout the text, reminding us about the corrosive nature of scientific prizes, and the intensity of competition that drives researchers (both ideas, I suspect, will have a munificent effect on our current scientific culture). Ramakrishnan’s writing is so honest, lucid and engaging that I could not put this book down until I had read to the very end.’ -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene‘Quite a ride. This is a riveting personal account of the race to decipher the structure of the ribosome, one of the most complex and fundamental machines in the cell… Ramakrishnan’s telling is laced with wisdom spun from a remarkable life story and the sharp lab anecdotes that are the lifeblood of everyday science.’ -- Nick Lane, author of The Vital Question‘This book is dynamite. Like no science book ever before, this is an honest, frank and simply jaw-dropping account of how a relative outsider ended up winning a Nobel Prize.’ -- Daniel M. Davis, author of The Beautiful Cure‘This exhilarating account of the race to understand the molecular machine that turns genes into flesh and blood is remarkable for its candid insights into the way science is really done, by human beings with all their talents and foibles. Venki Ramakrishnan, an outsider in the race, gives an insider’s view of the decades-long quest to map the million atoms in the machine to fathom the fundamentals of life, pave the way for new antibiotics, and share the glory of the Nobel Prize.’ -- Roger Highfield, Director of External Affairs, Science Museum Group‘In Gene Machine one of the world’s leading scientists reveals the reality of scientific discovery and the rivalry, collaboration and thrills that are involved. The result is a brilliant under-the-hood account of what it takes to win the Nobel Prize. Exciting and brutally honest, Venki’s book explains the dramatic turns in the race to describe the structure of the ribosome – an essential component of every cell that has ever lived. I laughed out loud, I shouted in disbelief, and I learned so much from reading this book.’ -- Matthew Cobb, author of Life’s Greatest Secret
£10.44
Oneworld Publications Underbug: An Obsessive Tale of Termites and
Book SynopsisWho has the answer to the world's fuel problems? How can we bring ruined land back to life? Where do roboticists turn when they try to engineer a hive mind? Termites. Strange though it seems, scientists look to tiny termites for answers to some big ideas. Lisa Margonelli tracks them, deep into their mounds to find out how termites can change the world. Underbug: An Obsessive Tale of Termites and Technology touches on everything from meditation, innovation and the psychology of obsession to good old-fashioned biology.Trade Review‘Turns cutting-edge science into rich narrative by plunging deep into the termite’s world...Margonelli’s masterly book is a timely, thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human, as much as what it means to be termite, and a penetrating look at the moral challenges of our ongoing technological revolution.’ * The New York Times *‘…one of the finest writers and most original thinkers we have. A surprising, swirling, fantastically unpredictable, thought-provoking, funny, and (depending on your species) delicious book.’ -- Mary Roach, author of Grunt and Gulp‘An eminently readable melange of the termite microcosm.’ * BBC Wildlife *‘A book about termites landed on my desk and, dear reader, it is so good that it came within a whisker of achieving the full weight of a maximum 9.8 Newtons…Governments and businesses (and the military) have invested a lot of money into termite investigations. And this excellent book follows the twists and turns of the eccentric scientists involved.’ * BA Business Life *‘In a unique voice that’s wry, inventive, and acrobatic, Margonelli takes us on a termite-guided exploration of subterranean tracts of nature, science, and robotics. The book is brimming with flair. Prepare to find yourself absorbed.’ -- Peter Godfrey-Smith, author of Other Minds‘Termites are not just the destructive force that homeowners know and hate―“architects of negative space,” as environmental writer Lisa Margonelli wittily puts it. They also comprise a kind of entomological three-ring circus, and this round-up of research on the eusocial insects is a ticket to the show… This is a wild ride through a hidden microcosmos stretching from Australia to Namibia.’ * Barbara Kiser, Nature *‘A revealing exploration of one of the most inscrutable insects ever to dominate our planet.’ -- Jonathan Balcombe, author of What a Fish Knows‘Unlikely but fascinating...[this] far-ranging work touches on the nature of individuality, the use of drones by the military, the applicability of concepts of good and evil to science, and the creation of biofuels created using the termite gut, among other topics. Margonelli brings all of this to light by making complex, cutting-edge science understandable to the general reader, while also conveying the excitement, frustration, and plain drudgery inherent in the scientific endeavor... Margonelli has written a book as entertaining as it is informative.’ * Publishers Weekly *
£9.49
Oneworld Publications Life Finds a Way: What Evolution Teaches Us About
Book SynopsisHow can new insights into evolution help us solve problems in life, art, business and science? ‘A wonderful, mind-expanding book. Prepare to be surprised, enlightened and awed.’ Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors In Darwin’s survival of the fittest, each step must be uphill as life progresses towards an evolutionary peak. There is no turning back. So what happens when life needs to cross a valley in the wilds of an adaptive landscape to reach the highest summit? World-renowned biologist Andreas Wagner reveals that life does not only walk – it also leaps. Drawing on pioneering research, Wagner explores life’s creative process and how it bears a striking resemblance to how we humans work. A beguiling symmetry links Picasso struggling through forty versions of Guernica and the way evolution transformed a dinosaur’s claw into a condor’s wing. This new understanding is already revolutionising our approach to problem-solving across the sciences. In the near future, applied in spheres as diverse as the economy and education, it will enable us to do so much more. Life Finds a Way is a thought-provoking and deeply hopeful look at the force that shapes our world.Trade Review‘An impressively brisk intellectual tour through the glory days of early 20th century evolutionary biology.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Wagner has done it again. This is a wonderful, mind-expanding book. Prepare to be surprised, enlightened and awed as Wagner reveals the sources of human and natural creativity.’ -- Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement with Science, University of Birmingham‘In this remarkably wide-ranging book, Andreas Wagner shows what nature can teach us about creativity, and his answers hold an important message for the way we educate our children and run our institutions and societies.’ -- Philip Ball, author of Beyond Weird‘Andreas Wagner has again cut through to the heart of a vital question. The notion that genomes are set up to explore, through trial and error, in the hope of leaping across the adaptive landscape to new peaks is a fresh concept. Wagner draws out fascinating parallels with the way innovation works in human society.’ -- Matt Ridley, author of The Evolution of Everything‘Finding surprising convergences between evolving species and an active imagination, Wagner persuasively argues that human inventiveness is a reflection not just of human nature but of nature itself.’ -- Anthony Brandt, composer and co-author of The Runaway Species‘Life Finds a Way weaves a coherent and compelling narrative about how nature achieves creativity. Not only that, we also learn how to cultivate creativity in our own lives.’ -- George Dyson, author of Turing’s Cathedral
£10.44
Oneworld Publications The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger,
Book SynopsisIs the future of food looking bleak – or better than ever? At a time when every day brings news of drought and famine, Amanda Little investigates what it will take to feed a hotter, hungrier, more crowded world. She explores the past along with the present and discovers startling innovations: remote-control crops, vertical farms, robot weedkillers, lab-grown meat, 3D-printed meals, water networks run by supercomputers, cloud seeding and sensors that monitor the microclimate of individual plants. She meets the creative and controversial minds changing the face of modern food production, and tackles fears over genetic modification with hard facts. The Fate of Food is a fascinating look at the threats and opportunities that lie ahead as we struggle for food security. Faced with a perilous future, it gives us reason to hope.Trade Review‘Timely, positive, thought-provoking.’ * The Times *‘A riveting adventure story about a dire topic, but yet it somehow brims with optimism. Little travels around the world in hot pursuit of solutions, hell-bent on hope.’ -- Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘What we grow and how we eat are going to change radically over the next few decades. In The Fate of Food, Amanda Little takes us on a tour of the future. The journey is scary, exciting, and, ultimately, encouraging.’ -- Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction‘The challenge we face is not just to feed a more populous world, but to do this sustainably and equitably. Amanda Little brings urgency, intrigue and crack reporting to the story of our food future. Devour this book – it’s a narrative feast!’ -- Chef José Andrés, Nobel Peace Prize nominee‘How will we feed humanity in the era of climate change? Amanda Little tackles an immense topic with grit and optimism in this fast, fascinating read. A beautifully written triumph.’ -- John Kerry, former US Secretary of State‘Probably the most basic question humans ever ask is, “what’s for dinner?” Amanda Little – a superb reporter – helps us imagine what the answer will be as this tough century wears on. The stories she tells with such brio are food for thought and action.’ -- Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy‘This is a big, important book about feeding the world – but that’s not why you’ll read it. You’ll read The Fate of Food because it’s compulsively readable. Amanda Little takes you around the world and shows you things you never thought you’d be interested in, but now you can’t get enough. Desalination! Who knew? You’ll taste fish feed with her. You’ll get airsick with her. You’ll meet the strange, fascinating people who are solving some of the planet’s most pressing problems. And, in the end, her optimism will become your optimism. We can do this.’ -- Tamar Haspel, Washington Post columnist‘Necessity is the mother of invention, observed Plato. Amanda Little investigates how environmental and population pressures are spurring innovation on a grand scale – with perhaps higher stakes and longer odds than history has ever seen. This is a big, sweeping story told with heart and rigor, as ambitious as it is accessible.’ -- Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion‘Perhaps the greatest challenge of our century will be providing nutritious diets to 10 billion people without destroying what is left of the biosphere. Can we do it? Yes. But Amanda Little shows us that success will look nothing like today’s food system. The Fate of Food is spectacular. The stories are beautifully woven together and filled with curiosity, openness to new ideas, and compelling insights. This book is funny, smart, dogma-free, incredibly educational, and I think will end up being an enormously valuable contribution to the world.’ -- Samuel Myers, professor and principal researcher, Harvard University Center for the Environment
£10.44
Oneworld Publications Weirdest Maths: At the Frontiers of Reason
Book SynopsisMaths is everywhere, in everything. It’s in the finest margins of modern sport. It’s in the electrical pulses of our hearts and the flight of every bird. It is our key to secret messages, lost languages and perhaps even the shape of the universe of itself. David Darling and Agnijo Banerjee reveal the mathematics at the farthest reaches of our world – from its role in the plots of novels to how animals employ numerical skills to survive. Along the way they explore what makes a genius, why a seemingly simple problem can confound the best and brightest for decades, and what might be the great discovery of the twenty-first century. As Bertrand Russell once said, ‘mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty’. Banerjee and Darling make sure we see it right again.Trade Review‘The brilliant combination of an accomplished science writer and a young mathematical prodigy.’ -- Bobby Seagull, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Numbers and co-presenter of Monkman & Seagull’s Genius Guide to Britain
£9.49
Oneworld Publications We Know It When We See It: What the Neurobiology
Book SynopsisMore than meets the eye – the science of how we see and the secrets it reveals about how the brain works. Spotting a familiar face in a crowd is so easy, you take it for granted. But how you do it is one of science's great mysteries. Vision is involved in nearly a third of everything a brain does and explaining the ways it works reveals more than just how we see. It also tells us how the brain deals with information – how it perceives, learns and remembers. In We Know It When We See It, pioneering neuroscientist Richard Masland covers everything from what happens when light hits your retina, to the increasingly sophisticated nerve nets that turn that light into knowledge, to what a computer algorithm must be able to do before it can truly be called ‘intelligent’. It is a profound yet accessible investigation into how our bodies make sense of the world.Trade Review'A masterful page-turner that braids science and the stories behind the science. Wise, insightful, and written with the approachability and wisdom that only a veteran of the field can achieve.' -- David Eagleman, neuroscientist at Stanford, New York Times bestselling author'We Know It When We See It is the definitive description of the neuroscience of perception. Using language anyone can understand [...] Anyone interested in perception, machines that can learn, or how the brain works should read it.' -- Andrew D. Huberman, Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine'How do we recognize a face in a crowd? Starting with this question, Masland teaches us not only how we see but how we think and remember. Step by step, he paints a picture of the brain as a dynamic, wide-ranging coalition of nerve nets. This picture provides striking parallels with artificial intelligence and highlights the remarkable adaptability, creativity, and resilience of the brain.' -- Susan R. Barry, Author of Fixing My Gaze and Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience and Behavior, Mount Holyoke College
£15.29
Oneworld Publications Animal Vegetable Criminal: When Nature Breaks the
Book SynopsisWhat’s to be done about a drunken elephant? A monkey caught mugging passers-by? A trespassing squirrel? Mary Roach delves into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet. ‘Delightful’ Ed Yong, author of An Immense World Follow Mary Roach as she investigates laser scarecrows, robo-hawks, human-elephant conflict specialists and monkey impersonators. Travel to the bear-busy back alleys of Aspen, the gull-vandalized floral displays at the Vatican and leopard-terrorized hamlets in the Himalayas. In this fresh, funny and thoroughly researched book, dive into the weird and wonderful moments when humanity and wildlife bump up against one another. *** AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF 2021 ‘A provocative and engaging exploration of our evolving relationship with the rest of nature.’ Guardian ‘Combining diligently researched scientific reporting with the sniggering wit of a stand-up comic… Animal Vegetable Criminal loves an eyebrow-raising anecdote.’ The Times ‘An idiosyncratic tour with Roach as the wisecracking, ever-probing guide… My favorite moments, ultimately, weren’t the funny ones, but those that reveal a bit of scientific poetry.’ New York Times Trade Review‘A provocative and engaging exploration of our evolving relationship with the rest of nature.’ -- Guardian‘Combining diligently researched scientific reporting with the sniggering wit of a stand-up comic… Animal Vegetable Criminal loves an eyebrow-raising anecdote.’ -- The Times‘Bestseller Roach sheds light on nature’s malefactors in this often funny, always provocative survey…Roach’s writing is wry, full of heart, and loaded with intriguing facts… This eminently entertaining outing is another winner.’ -- Publishers Weekly, starred review‘Reading a Mary Roach book is like spending a luxurious and joyful evening with the perfect dinner guest. Delightful facts become indelibly etched in your brain, and only later do you realise that hours have passed and your face slightly hurts from smiling too hard. In Animal Vegetable Criminal, Roach’s peerless storytelling skills are paired with a sense of moral urgency, as she recounts stories of humans and other animals, uneasily and clumsily learning to co-exist in a world that they must now share.’ -- Ed Yong, science journalist and author of I Contain Multitudes‘Hilarious! With Animal Vegetable Criminal, Mary Roach again takes us into an unfamiliar scientific realm, in this case the science of managing the conflicts between humans and the natural world – lethal leopards, rampaging elephants, jet-downing birds, even killer trees. It’s an ever-widening conflict zone, but one that Ms. Roach gleefully mines for a multitude of bizarre facts that’ll make you snort coffee through your nose.’ -- Erik Larson, author of The Splendid and the Vile‘An idiosyncratic tour with Roach as the wisecracking, ever-probing guide… My favorite moments, ultimately, weren’t the funny ones, but those that reveal a bit of scientific poetry.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘With her characteristic dry wit, [Roach] brings an intense fascination to the seldom discussed details and the at times absurd miscellany in the unexplored corners of unappreciated research… It is impossible not to smirk, chortle and sometimes outright belly laugh as you read her many wry asides and funny but fascinating footnotes… But the real trick Roach pulls off is to keep you laughing while at the same time making sure the earnest points come across.’ * New Scientist *‘A hugely enjoyable exploration of what happens when the nature we’ve decided to love doesn’t love us back. By turns hilarious and horrifying – and often profound – Roach’s entertaining journeys are full of delightful curios and I was swept up in her joyful writing.’ -- Gaia Vince, author of Transcendence‘Each chapter is packed with the results of [Roach’s] detailed investigations. Roach uses footnotes to add both depth and lightness to the topic at hand by capturing misfit studies, asides, and hilarious tangents… Refreshing.’ -- Science‘Full of kernels of fascinating information… Her approach is informative and unpretentious, and she’s always armed with a dry sense of humor. Roach will change the way you think about the great outdoors. What more could you ask for?’ * BuzzFeed *‘The book brims with Roach’s irreverent humor, which particularly shines when she experiences human-animal conflict firsthand… A blend of modern science and history, with Roach’s flair for spotting hidden absurdities… As another entry in Roach’s canon of books, Animal Vegetable Criminal stands tall (and hairy), educating as much as it entertains.’ * Science News *‘[Animal Vegetable Criminal is] powerfully propelled by the force of Roach’s unflinching fascination with the weird, the gross and the downright improbable… There’s a wacky genius to [her] interjections… [Her] curious and generous engagement with her subjects makes for world-expanding reading.’ -- Washington Post‘Traveling from a bear seminar in Reno to a bird-infested island in the Pacific that plagued the American military during World War II, among many other venues, Roach joyfully explores how human culture and wildlife, including plant life, have either found ways to coexist or are constantly at odds. Throughout, Roach highlights people who are genuinely passionate about the work, and she also includes suggestions for readers on how to deal ethically (and effectively) with their own wildlife issues, wherever they live. From the terrifying to the frustrating, a great starting point for understanding the animal world.’ -- Kirkus, starred review‘A witty and thought-provoking look at the darker side of animal behaviour through the ages. Highly entertaining and informative – excellent popular science writing.’ -- Stephen Moss, naturalist and author‘As hilarious as it is thought-provoking, Animal Vegetable Criminal is a brilliant read. Only Mary Roach can make such an obscure subject so intriguing. From battles with birds to marauding macaques, Roach reveals what happens when nature breaks human laws, with fascinating results.’ -- Monty Lyman, author of The Remarkable Life of the Skin‘Mary Roach has been writing brilliant, funny and illuminating popular science books for years. Unfortunately – at least for those of us with ambitions to step into her shoes – she has gone and done it again! Animal Vegetable Criminal is as good as anything this wonderful author has ever written, and that is saying something.’ -- Graham Lawton, author of Mustn’t Grumble: The surprising science of everyday ailments‘I sometimes wonder what animals have done wrong to deserve humans and what we do to them. But I know that humanity has done something right to deserve Mary Roach, the best guide possible to the fascinating but sometimes fraught interactions between human, animal and nature. She prowls through this intersection of worlds with the sleek grace of a leopard, diving into garbage cans, Indian elephant politics and mass murders of murders of crows, with her usual wit and wisdom. There’s only one downside to this delightful and brilliant book, and that’s that the animals can’t read it too.’ -- Rose George, journalist and author of Nine Pints‘Animal Vegetable Criminal is as funny as it is immersive. It is littered with colourful details of characters… The book is sympathetic to the complex problem of our coexistence with nature, and maintains that the dilemma of animals disturbing the peacefulness of our existence is only increasing in urgency.’ -- New Statesman‘This book is such a rich stew of anecdotes and lore that it’s best savored slowly, bit by bit… No matter the situation, Roach approaches it with contagious enthusiasm.’ -- BookPage, starred review‘[A] splendid study of all things alimentary…’ -- Bill Bryson on Gulp‘The most entertaining writer in science.’ * The Times *'Mary Roach has a knack for finding quirky corners of science to explore and does so with unfailingly good nature and charm.' -- Fortean Times
£16.14
Oneworld Publications Spite: and the Upside of Your Dark Side
Book SynopsisHave you ever done something stupid, dangerous or self-sabotaging just to get one over someone else? Most of us have. Simon McCarthy-Jones draws on psychology, current affairs, literature and genetics to illuminate – whether we admit it or not – our spiteful side. What is that part of us that secretly wants our friends to fail? Did Americans put Trump in the White House just to stick it to Hillary Clinton? And then there are the legion of stories about toxic behaviour in supermarkets and over the privet hedge, ramping up to incendiary divorces, vicious business practices, backbiting politics and scorched-earth terrorism. There’s a hopeful message too – the upside of our dark side. Spite can drive us forward, and Simon provides a fresh perspective on the concept by showing the evolutionary benefits of spite as a social leveller, an enabler of defiance, a wellspring of freedom and a vital weapon in our everyday armoury.Trade Review‘[A] thorough and entertaining book, which poses a provocative thesis… McCarthy-Jones is a funny, playful writer, especially for a psychologist… an illuminating examination of an under-discussed topic.’ -- New York Times‘An informative, evidence-based page-turner. A rare pleasure.’ -- Richard Stephens, author of Black Sheep, winner of the Wellcome Prize 2014'Spite is a fascinating insight into how we all behave in a world of big egos and thin skins.' -- Michael Cockerell, award-winning political documentary-maker‘With rigorous science, penetrating analyses, colourful and enjoyable prose, and an astonishing breadth of knowledge – Simon McCarthy-Jones has delivered a book that will undeniably be appreciated by many.’ -- Frank Larøi. University of Bergen'Spite is an eye-opening examination of humanity’s nastier impulses - from Achilles to Trump. An erudite and eloquent guide, McCarthy-Jones deftly examines cutting-edge psychological research and evolutionary theory, with some truly startling insights for our personal relationships, business and politics. You will never look at your human nature in quite the same way again.' * David Robson, author of The Intelligence Trap *‘An interesting and at times provocative exploration of an emotion that has to this point been underexplored and, if McCarthy-Jones is right, significantly underappreciated.’ -- Independent
£15.29
Cornerstone Tamed: Ten Species that Changed our World
Book Synopsis**'A masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling.' BRIAN COX****'Will appeal to fans of Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens'. Mail on Sunday **The extraordinary story of the species that became our allies.Dogs became our companionsWheat fed a booming populationCattle gave us meat and milkMaize fuelled the growth of empiresPotatoes brought us feast and famineChickens led us to wonder about tomorrowRice promised us a golden futureHorses gave us strength and speedApples travelled with usHUMANS TAMED THEM ALLFor hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors depended on wild plants and animals to stay alive – until they began to tame them.Combining archaeology and cutting-edge genetics, Tamed tells the story of the greatest revolution in human history and reveals the fascinating origins of ten crucial domesticated species; and how they, in turn, transformed us. In a world creaking under the strain of human activity, Alice Roberts urges us to look again at our relationship with the natural world – and our huge influence upon it.AN ECONOMIST AND MAIL ON SUNDAY 'BOOK OF THE YEAR' 2017 Trade ReviewA masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling. -- BRIAN COXEpic and joyous, a landmark in the story of us. -- Adam RutherfordTwo recent pioneers of the history of humanity are Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel, and Yuval Noah Harari, in his book Sapiens. It is a teeming subject, about which Roberts is multiply qualified to write, as an anatomist, archaeologist, anthropologist, paleopathologist and professor of public engagement in science. Roberts remains composed, engaging and undogmatic throughout… Tamed is an excellent point of entry for anyone who wants to understand the new deep human history and what it portends. -- Peter Forbes * Guardian *[A] lively work of popular scientific history, in which [Roberts] looks at 10 species that have become part of our everyday existence ... illuminating facts, Roberts is an informed guide to the oddities that have made the world what it is today. * Observer *Tamed may be the title of Alice Roberts' latest book, but the writing is anything but tame. Lyrical storytelling untangles the current thinking on how we've entwined our lives with those of plants and animals. From dogs to apples to potatoes to chickens, Roberts provides fascinating insights into domestication, offering anecdotes from past and present that link genetic and archaeological findings. -- Liz Kalaugher * 'Book of the Month', BBC Wildlife Magazine *
£10.44
Cornerstone Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Book Synopsis100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come? In Sapiens, Dr Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, palaeontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behaviour from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? Bold, wide-ranging and provocative, Sapiens challenges everything we thought we knew about being human: our thoughts, our actions, our power ... and our future.'Here is a simple reason why Sapiens has risen explosively to the ranks of an international bestseller. It tackles the biggest questions of history and of the modern world, and it is written in unforgettably vivid language. You will love it!' - Jared DiamondTrade ReviewI would recommend Sapiens to anyone who’s interested in the history and future of our species * Bill Gates *Interesting and provocative… It gives you a sense of how briefly we’ve been on this Earth * Barack Obama *Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last… It may be the best book I’ve ever read * Chris Evans *Tackles the biggest questions of history and the modern world… Written in unforgettably vivid language * Jared Diamond *Startling... It changes the way you look at the world * Simon Mayo *
£24.00
World Scientific Europe Ltd As The World Turns: The History Of Proving The
Book Synopsis'This book offers an excellent explanation of the scientific method and its use, through case studies from astronomy, physics, and philosophy. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. General readers.'CHOICE'In summary this is a lovely, elegant book which reminds us that physics is not an exercise in mathematics but a self-consistent system of thought based on measurement and informed observation which depends on interpretation by the human mind in the context of the science of the day. It is a valuable reminder of the underlying human quality in physics that gets lost in the 'shut up and calculate' methodology of the more esoteric branches of the science.'The ObservatoryWe know the Earth rotates, but how do we know? When and how did it become reasonable to believe that the Earth rotates?This book offers a historical account, from ancient Greek science to the theory of relativity and ultimately to videos taken from outer space, of how this widely known truth came to be. Using an accessible and entertaining narrative suitable for anyone interested in astronomy, physics, or the history of either, Kosso clarifies the use of evidence to prove that the Earth rotates, and deals with the tension between the claims that the Earth is absolutely in motion, yet all motion is relative. The book also explores the general nature of scientific evidence and method, and confronts challenges to science from outside the discipline.Trade Review"This book offers an excellent explanation of the scientific method and its use, through case studies from astronomy, physics, and philosophy.; Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. General readers."; CHOICE;
£52.25
World Scientific Europe Ltd Brain Fever: How Vaccines Prevent Meningitis And
Book SynopsisIn Brain Fever, the internationally renowned medical scientist, Richard Moxon FRS, shares his experiences of bacterial meningitis, a fearful and devastating infection of the brain. In a clear, non-technical style, he explains what meningitis is, what causes it, who gets it and how research has come up with vaccines that can prevent it.A paediatrician, Moxon engages the reader in a compelling story of how chance, opportunity and passion drew him into researching the bacteria that are the dangerous assassins of unsuspecting, previously healthy people, especially young children. Moxon traces the story of his involvement as one of the extraordinary and inspiring group of scientists who pioneered a milestone in medical history: the development of vaccines to prevent bacterial meningitis.In this must-read book, Brain Fever provides expert insight into what it takes to develop a vaccine. As we are learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vaccines that we rely on to fight and overcome the devastation caused by virulent pathogens. His message is clear and challenging: no other intervention in the history of medicine confers a greater public health benefit than immunisation.This book is a 2022 Nautilus Book Awards winner.This book is a 2021 Best Book Award-Winning Finalist (sponsored by American Book Fest).Related Link(s)Table of ContentsPrologue; A Bacterial World; Bacterial Assassins; The Making of a Physician Scientist; The Legacy of the Rockefeller Institute; Baltimore and the Johns Hopkins Hospital; The Devil Lies in the Details: Researching a Bacterial Assassin; A Needle in a Haystack; Reverse Culture Shock and the Dreaming Spires of Oxford; Vaccine Research and the Oxford Institute of Molecular Medicine; A Milestone in Immunisation; Sabbatical in the Mid-West; The Genomics Era, a Milestone in Biology; The Last Frontier: A Vaccine against MenB; Science, Politics and Societal Benefits; Epilogue;
£52.25
Quercus Publishing Quantum Physics in Minutes
Book SynopsisThe fastest way to understanding quantum physics - learn about how our universe works, in minutes. Quantum physics is the most fundamental, but also the most bewildering, of sciences. Allowing for simultaneously dead-and-alive cats, teleportation, antimatter and parallel universes, it also underpins all digital technology and even life itself. But at last it's possible through this clear and compact book, illuminated with 200 simple diagrams for anyone to understand the strange and beautiful subatomic world, and hence the nature of reality itself. Contents include: inside the atom, the Higgs boson, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Schrödinger's cat, relativity, dark energy and matter, black holes, God playing dice, the Theory of Everything, the birth and fate of the Universe, string theory, quantum computing, superconductivity, quantum biology and consciousness, and much more.
£10.44
Quercus Publishing The Human Body in Minutes
Book SynopsisA concise and illuminating tour of the human body - learn about how our bodies work and why they work the way they do, in minutes. From the basic unit of the cell, through the tissues and organs that make up the body's systems, to how these systems work together to form a complete human being, this book takes you on a journey through our anatomy and its intricate workings - and looks beyond to explore human evolution, inheritence and genetics, human behaviour, disease, death and medicine and how technology will transform the body of the future.With 200 cutting-edge anatomical images, cross-sections and close-ups that detail and explain the brain, eye, heart, skin, skeleton, lung, kidney, ear, blood, liver, stomach, muscles, veins, arteries, DNA, chromosomes and all of the key features of our bodies, this is the perfect, easy reference to the anatomy, physiology and science of the human body.
£10.44
