Popular science Books

Book Synopsis''Attachment theory is everywhere, but is everything you''ve heard about it right? Laura Mucha explains it all. Learn how to better understand yourself and your relationships, and how to improve them.'' - Fearne CottonDo you over-analyse relationships? Or do you avoid thinking about them altogether? How do you think your childhood impacts you and your relationships?In Please Find Attached seven people talk candidly about their upbringings, loves and losses. Delving deep into their lives, Laura Mucha explains everything you need to know about attachment theory, the most well-researched relationship science, and how it can make sense of our lives.Please Find Attached explores why you think, feel and behave the way you do with loved ones, and helps you have better relationships as a result.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I can say with certainty that this man saved my life. He made life worth living. But most importantly, he empowered me to find and reclaim myself again' Lady GagaDo the work to heal yourself and find a path through trauma.Trauma is everywhere and so many of us are silently affected by it. Stressful, challenging and frightening events can happen to anyone, at any age, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted. Left unchecked, difficult experiences can have a lasting psychological effect on our wellbeing.In Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic, leading psychiatrist Dr Paul Conti sets out a unique set of tools anyone can access to help recognise the signs of trauma, heal from past hurt and find the road to recovery.Drawing on the most recent scientific research, Dr Conti breaks down the topic into clear sections, looking at why trauma happens, how it manifests in the body and what we can do to move past it. In the book, you'll discover the three different types of trauma you might face, as well as practical exercises and solutions for getting to the root of the problem.This is an important, life-affirming book, one that invites you to empower yourself against trauma, own your life experiences and learn to thrive, not just survive, in the wake of life's difficulties.Trade ReviewDr Conti is a physician and psychiatrist, and a person who has been through a lot, too. This gives him a unique perspective on how people function and how traumas can change us, specifically how traumas lead us to think and act differently without understanding why. * Kim Kardashian *Trauma affects countless individuals and families, and Paul's book is carefully thought out and explained in ways that are understandable to everyone. Wisdom and patience prevail in his unique outlook on a subject that has been largely ignored by doctors for years. It's a must-read for professionals as well as anyone who has experienced trauma or other psychological stressors. * Tommy Hilfiger *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize Bias affects us all, every day of our lives. It shapes how we see each other, and how we are seen in turn. It fuels discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, age, class and appearance. It robs organizations of talent, science of breakthroughs, politics of insight, individuals of their future and communities of justice. But what if bias is a habit that we can overcome? "Despite revolutions in our understanding of bias, we're still much better at documenting the problem than solving it. When it comes to prevention and cure, Jessica Nordell's powerful book is a breakthrough. With state-of-the-art science and gripping narratives, she reveals steps what individuals, groups, and institutions can take to fight prejudice" - Adam Grant, author of Think AgainTrade ReviewDespite revolutions in our understanding of bias, we're still much better at documenting the problem than solving it. When it comes to prevention and cure, Jessica Nordell's powerful book is a breakthrough. With state-of-the-art science and gripping narratives, she reveals steps what individuals, groups, and institutions can take to fight prejudice -- Adam Grant, author of Think AgainIn an age of snap judgements and empty moralizing, The End of Bias is a lifeboat. Jessica Nordell accompanies her incredible depth of research with the kind of attention to nuance, self-examination, and genuine compassion that marks the difference between information and wisdom. This book will not just want to make you be a better person - it will convince you that others can be too -- Jenny Odell, author of How To Do NothingFull of evidence-based interventions, The End of Bias demonstrates that change is possible. In need of some hope? Start here! -- Beverly Daniel Tatum, bestselling author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About RaceAn exhaustively researched, illuminating book on what leads to bias and how to avoid those pitfalls * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis Ben Goldacre’s wise and witty bestseller, shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, lifts the lid on quack doctors, flaky statistics, scaremongering journalists and evil pharmaceutical corporations. Trade Review‘From an expert with a mail-order PhD to debunking the myths of homeopathy, Ben Goldacre talking the reader through some notable cases and shows how to you don’t need a science degree to spot “bad science” yourself.’ Independent (Book of the Year) ‘His book aims to teach us better, in the hope that one day we write less nonsense.’ Daily Telegraph (Book of the Year) ‘For sheer savagery, the illusion-destroying, joyous attack on the self-regarding, know-nothing orthodoxies of the modern middle classes, “Bad Science” can not be beaten. You’ll laugh your head off, then throw all those expensive health foods in the bin.’ Trevor Philips, Observer (Book of the Year) ‘Unmissable…laying about himself in a froth of entirely justified indignation, Goldacre slams the mountebanks and bullshitters who misuse science. Few escape: drug companies, self-styled nutritionists, deluded researchers and journalists all get thoroughly duffed up. It is enormously enjoyable.’ The Times (Book of the Year)

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the Royal Society Science Book.'Exhilaratingly whizzes through billions of years . . . Gee is a marvellously engaging writer' - The TimesFor billions of years, Earth was an inhospitably alien place – covered with churning seas, slowly crafting its landscape through volcanic eruptions, the atmosphere in a constant state of chemical flux. And yet, despite facing literally every conceivable setback that living organisms could encounter, life has been extinguished and picked itself up to evolve again.From that first foray to the spread of early hominids who later became Homo sapiens, life has persisted, undaunted. A (Very) Short History of Life: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Chapters is an enlightening story of survival, of persistence, illuminating the delicate balance within which life has always existed, and continues to exist today. It is our planet like you’ve never seen it before.Dr Henry Gee presents creatures from ‘gregarious’ bacteria populating the seas to duelling dinosaurs in the Triassic period, to magnificent mammals with the future in their grasp. Life’s evolutionary steps – from the development of a digestive system to the awe of creatures taking to the skies in flight – are conveyed with an up-close intimacy.'Henry Gee makes the kaleidoscopically changing canvas of life understandable and exciting.' – Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and SteelTrade ReviewA scintillating, fast-paced waltz through four billion years of evolution, from one of our leading science writers . . . His poetic prose animates the history of life, from the first bacteria to trilobites to dinosaurs to us. -- Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh paleontologist and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the DinosaursExhilaratingly whizzes through billions of years . . . Gee is a marvellously engaging writer, juggling humour, precision, polemic and poetry to enrich his impossibly telescoped account . . . [making] clear sense out of very complex narratives * The Times *This is now the best book available about the huge changes in our planet and its living creatures, over the billions of years of the Earth’s existence . . . Henry Gee makes this kaleidoscopically changing canvas of life understandable and exciting. Who will enjoy reading this book? Everybody! -- Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and SteelHenry Gee’s whistle-stop account of the story of life (and death — lots of death) on Earth is both fun and informative. Even better, it goes beyond the natural human inclination to see ourselves as special and puts us in our proper place in the cosmic scheme of things -- John GribbinDon’t miss this delightful, concise, sweeping masterpiece! Gee brilliantly condenses the entire, improbable, astonishing history of life on earth — all 5 billion years - into a charming, zippy and scientifically accurate yarn. -- Daniel E. Lieberman, Professor of Biological Sciences, Harvard University'Gee's prose is so infectiously enthusiastic, and his tone so accessible, that you'll find yourself racing through as if you were reading a novel - and you'll never find yourself scrambling for a good fact to wheel out at an awkward pause in conversation again.' * Reader's Digest *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe ultimate non-technical guide to the fast-developing world of quantum computing Computer technology has improved exponentially over the last 50 years. But the headroom for bigger and better electronic solutions is running out. Our best hope is to engage the power of quantum physics. 'Quantum algorithms' had already been written long before hardware was built. These would enable, for example, a quantum computer to exponentially speed up an information search, or to crack the mathematical trick behind internet security. However, making a quantum computer is incredibly difficult. Despite hundreds of laboratories around the world working on them, we are only just seeing them come close to 'supremacy' where they can outperform a traditional computer. In this approachable introduction, Brian Clegg explains algorithms and their quantum counterparts, explores the physical building blocks and quantum weirdness necessary to make a quantum computer, and uncovers the capabilities of the current generation of machines.Trade ReviewEssential reading for anyone concerned about cyber attacks, specifically ransomware, or simply interested in the next evolution of computing. The big question - what is a Quantum Machine - is answered perfectly. ... [E]xcellently profiles the different quantum approaches ... and readers are made aware of the extreme potential of the Qubit Revolution to support the next evolution of humanity and civilisation. -- Nick Ayton * Irish Tech News *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''In this masterpiece, Jamil Zaki weaves together the very latest science with stories that will stay in your heart forever'' - Angela Duckworth, author of Grit ''Scientific, gripping, groundbreaking and hopeful. The War for Kindness is the message for our times'' - Carol Dweck, author of Mindset Empathy has been on people''s mind a lot lately. Philosophers, evolutionary scientists and indeed former President Obama agree that an increase in empathy could advance us beyond the hatred, violence and polarization in which the world seems caught. Others disagree, arguing it is easiest to empathize with people who look, talk or think like us. As a result, empathy can inspire nepotism, racism and worse. Having studied the neuroscience and psychology of empathy for over a decade, Jamil Zaki thinks both sides of this debate have a point. Empathy is sometimes an engine for moral progress, and other times for moral failure. But Zaki aTrade Review'In this landmark book, Jamil Zaki gives us a revolutionary perspective on empathy: Empathy can be developed, and, when it is, people, relationships, organisations and cultures are changed' - Carol Dweck, author of Mindset'In this masterpiece, Jamil Zaki weaves together the very latest science with stories that will stay in your heart forever' - Angela Duckworth, author of Grit'Zaki is a compelling writer, and even an android could not help but respond to his prose. . . . Zaki's goals go beyond sharing the science of empathy with the masses. He hopes to inspire people to actually practice more kindness in their lives' - Science'Jamil Zaki is one of the brightest lights in psychology, and in this gripping book he shows that kindness is not a sign of weakness but a source of strength' - Adam Grant, author of Give and Take and Originals'Beautifully written and deeply felt, The War for Kindness is an outstanding scientific analysis of our species' best and last hope for survival - our unique ability to care about each other' - Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness'With alarming evidence of our society's rapidly diminishing empathy, Zaki draws on decades of clinical research, along with experiments conducted at his lab, to consider the forces that impact our modern condition... an urgent message' - Kirkus Reviews'Zaki's heart-of-the-matter writing style relates complex emotion in clear, direct language. He walks his own fine line, between significant research findings and his personal emotional and empathic responses. His research and his book are worthy' - Booklist'Seamlessly stitching together his own experiences with fascinating stories and research from around the globe, Jamil lays out the irrefutable evidence for what we may already instinctively be sensing . . . that in these uncertain times, our ability to cultivate empathy for one another is not only possible, it's necessary. A must read for anyone willing to peek under the hood of the human heart' - Amanda Palmer'A wide-ranging practical guide to making the world better' - NPR'Relating anecdotes and test cases from his fellow researchers, news events and the imaginary world of literature and entertainment, Zaki makes a vital case for "fighting for kindness." . . . If he's right-and after reading The War for Kindness, you'll probably think so-Zaki's work is right on time" - San Francisco Chronicle'Lucid, stimulating . . . [The War for Kindness aims] to challenge antiquated views of the brain and human behaviour. . . . Zaki issues a call for concerted action to build empathy in a world he sees as fractured and threatened by escalating tribalism, cruelty, and isolation' - The American Scholar

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people ever to set foot on the Moon, their iconic "small steps" captured forever by the camera the astronauts carried with them: the Hasselblad 500EL. This book looks at the history of the Apollo 11 mission through the lens of the Hasselblad, while narrating the parallel challenge to create a camera that could work on the Moon. It considers the cameras used, and the photographs captured, during the Space Race between Russia and America; looks at the experience of taking photographs on the Moon for the first time; and reflects on the legacy of those images, and their part in the enduring Moon Landing conspiracy theories. The second half of the book presents a commemorative album of photographs taken in space using the Hasselblad 500EL. While the Apollo 11 astronauts left two of the three cameras behind on the Moon, where they remain to this day, they brought back film magazines containing 1,400 photographs. A selection of the finest of these is shown alongside the mission timeline and transcripts of the conversations between the astronauts and mission control at Houston.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow easy is it to fall off a log? Where is the middle of nowhere? Do we really have no bananas? The readers of OLD GIT magazine are a batty, befuddled, potty-mouthed bunch, who seem to spend a significant chunk of their spare time corresponding with the publication''s popular letters page. DO ANTS HAVE ARSEHOLES? is a very funny, very silly collection of questions and answers taken from this column, none of which has any basis whatsoever in fact. A must for all those who relish a heady mixture of shaggy-dog stories, toilet humour and utter lack of insight.Trade ReviewA very funny spoof of pop-science collections * Telegraph *The finest example of man-friendly Q&A bog books out there * Zoo *Every year, one funny book seems to stand out from all the others. This year, it's Do Ants Have Arseholes?... a rip-roaring parody... * The Spectator *The book being touted as this year's can't-miss, downstairs-loo-fixture of a dead-cert publishing-phenomenon-cum-stocking-filler sensation... * The Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis________________WINNER OF THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE FOR GENERAL NON-FICTION________________''An invaluable contribution to our understanding of present circumstances, just as the paradigm shift she calls for is sorely needed'' - Al Gore, New York Times''Compelling ... It is a disquieting tale, related with rigour and restraint by Kolbert'' - Observer''Passionate ... This is the big story of our age'' - Sunday Times________________A major book about the future of the world, blending natural history, field reporting and the history of ideas and into a powerful account of the mass extinction happening todayOver the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions of life on earth.Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.Elizabeth Kolbert combines brilliant field reportiTrade ReviewA distinctive and eloquent voice of conscience ... In her timely, meticulously researched and well-written book, Kolbert combines scientific analysis and personal narratives to explain it to us. The result is a clear and comprehensive history of earth’s previous mass extinctions ... “People change the world,” Kolbert writes, and vividly presents the science and history of the current crisis. Her extensive travels in researching this book, and her insightful treatment of both the history and the science all combine to make The Sixth Extinction an invaluable contribution to our understanding of present circumstances, just as the paradigm shift she calls for is sorely needed * Al Gore, New York Times *I tore through Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction with a mix of awe and terror. Her long view of extinction excited my joy in life's diversity – even as she made me aware how many species are currently at risk * Dava Sobel, author of Longitude and A More Perfect Heaven *Elizabeth Kolbert writes with an aching beauty of the impact of our species on all the other forms of life known in this cold universe. The perspective is at once awe-inspiring, humbling and deeply necessary * T.C. Boyle *Well-composed snapshots of history, theory and observation that will fascinate, enlighten and appal many readers * Guardian *Compelling ... It is a disquieting tale, related with rigour and restraint by Kolbert * Observer *Passionate ... This is the big story of our age. We are living through the historically rare elimination of vast numbers of species. And for the first time, it is our fault ... Uplifting prose about the wonders of nature. But the overwhelming message of this book is as clear as that of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in 1962. We humans have become a geological force in our own right – and, unless we act, the consequences will be devastating * Sunday Times *It is oddly pleasurable to read Elizabeth’s Kolbert’s new book, which offers a ramble through mass extinctions, present and past ... A wonderful chapter covers the North Atlantic’s once-abundant, flightless great auks ... Wisely, Ms Kolbert refuses to end on an optimistic note * Economist *While plants and animals can evolve to cope with a hotter world, that will take far too long for humans ... That is ultimately what makes this engaging study scary * Scotland on Sunday *The scariest paperback of the year * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA fully updated edition of one of the most original accounts of evolution ever writtenTrade ReviewIn this extraordinary book, Dawkins turns chronicler. He does so with a clever twist that avoids the perennial problem of evolutionary history-telling ... As a contribution to the history of ideas this book is well worthy of Britain's top public intellectual. The arguments are as sharply honed as we have come to expect from Dawkins -- Matt Ridley * Guardian *THE ANCESTOR'S TALE achieves the almost impossible: it makes biology interesting again -- Steve JonesOne of the richest accounts of evolution ever written * Financial Times *Should be given to all young persons starting out on their exploration of the world. It will excite their curiosity and awe and prove to them that the world is inexhaustible in its fascination * Sunday Telegraph *No other book I have read has given me such a dizzyingly immediate sense of the vastness and strangeness of the changes brought about by evolution over the eons, or how intimately all life is bound together ... THE ANCESTOR'S TALE makes you feel you have seen the world in a fresh, exhilarating way -- Robert Hanks * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWalter Mischel holds the Robert Johnston Niven chair as professor of humane letters in psychology at Columbia University. He is the author of more than two hundred scientific papers as well as the coauthor of Introduction to Personality, now in its eighth edition. He has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has won the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award of APA and the Grawemeyer Award for Psychology. He lives in New York.Trade ReviewThe Marshmallow Test is a tour de force. Despite its serious academic content, it wears its learning lightly ... this book will make [Mischel] as much of a household name as his marshmallows are. -- Natalie Gold * The Times *This is a complex book that explores human nature, neuroscience and genetics, enlivened by a sprinkling of anecdotes. It's also a book that can show you how to change your behaviour: whether it's finally setting up that pension, cutting your alcohol intake or shunning the marshmallows for good. -- Rosamund Urwin * Evening Standard *This is a genial, optimistic book and a rather soothing read ... it provides an important and largely painless insight into a profound transformation in psychology * The Sunday Times *Walter Mischel is one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, and The Marshmallow Test will make him one of the most influential in this century, too. * Steven Pinker *A top five psychology title * Independent on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisUncover the mind-blowing complexities of the brain and how it affects our personalities, behaviours and more.Written by Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL, Sophie Scott, and composed of ten mind-blowing yet accessible essays, The Brain guides you through the astounding complexities of the organ that makes you, you. From diving into the networks of neurons that are vital to our functioning, to the way our brains differ from one another and how neuroscience is shaping up for the future; this book is a guide to our most powerful and awe-inspiring body part.If you have ever wondered what''s going on inside your head (or someone else''s), this book will be a fascinating and enthralling read.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy the author of The Science Delusion a detailed account of how science can authenticate spiritualityTrade ReviewI thought I was undergoing a mild mid-life crisis, but after reading Rupert Sheldrake's book I realise that - despite being a lifelong non-believer - I was actually embracing various rituals employed by followers of all major world religions to bring themselves closer to their particular deity...it's fascinating to learn that the pursuits that I, and many of my peers, are embracing aren't simply badges of incipient middle-age, but proven mood-enhancers employed by all cultures throughout history. * Mail on Sunday *I have personally adopted many of the practices Rupert describes in his book and experienced more love, joy, empathy, gratitude and equanimity as a result. We are all indebted to Rupert who has tirelessly brought us deep insights from both science and spirituality. * Deepak Chopra *Urgent, vital, gently devastating, and an exhilarating read. Buy it, read it, and give it to all your friends and all acolytes of scientism. Sheldrake will help us stay alive and be more alive. We all need his help. * Charles Foster, Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, and author of Being a Beast *I love this book! Few living scientists have the courage and the verve to ask the questions Rupert does, research them, and deliver answers in language all can understand. Be prepared as you read this book for an exciting and free-ranging ride, a sort of scientific pilgrimage journeying into spiritual practices and how they have benefited and can benefit humanity. * Matthew Fox, spiritual theologian and author of Original Blessing, The Reinvention of Work, and Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our TImes *Praise for the Science Delusion * : *Sheldrake will be seen as a prophet. * The Sunday Times *Rupert Sheldrake does science, humanity and the world at large a considerable favour. * The Independent *Certainly we need to accept the limitations of much current dogma and keep our minds open as we reasonably can. Sheldrake may help us do so through this well-written, challenging and always interesting book. * Financial Times *There is something rather odd about the current state of science. For Rupert Sheldrake, [it is] facing a 'credibility crunch' on many fronts. He presents this challenging argument by identifying 'ten core beliefs that most scientists take for granted.' He then interrogates each in turn by reformulating it, in the spirit of radical scepticism, as a question. This Socratic method of inquiry proves surprisingly illuminating. A serious mind-expanding book. * Spectator *

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur systems are failing. Old models - for education, healthcare and government, food production, energy supply - are creaking under the weight of modern challenges. As the world's population heads towards 10 billion, it's clear we need new approaches. Futurologist Mark Stevenson sets out to find them, across four continents. From Brazilian favelas to high tech Boston, from rural India to a shed inventor in England's home counties, We Do Things Differently travels the world to find the advance guard re-imagining our future. At each stop, he meets innovators who have already succeeded in challenging the status quo, pioneering new ways to make our world more sustainable, equitable and humane. Populated by extraordinary characters, We Do Things Differently paints an enthralling picture of what can be done to address the world's most pressing dilemmas, offering a much needed dose of down-to-earth optimism. It is a window on (and a roadmap to) a different and better future.Trade ReviewStevenson is an excellent storyteller ... fascinating. * The Times *Inspirational. The book works so well because Stevenson gets out there to see things for himself. * Daily Mail *An ability to express even the most complex scientific problems in terms easily understood by a layperson. * Sydney Morning Herald *Stevenson wears no blindfold. His tools are curiosity, open-mindedness, clarity and reason. That makes his journey intriguing... and ultimately exhilarating. * TED.com *Stevenson's engaging commentary has the ability to restore your faith in human ingenuity in the face of adversity * Geographical magazine *Not just a great read, but a really important one too. * Atlas of the Future *Stevenson is one of those rare visionaries who fascinates and entertains in equal measure. Do not be surprised if he becomes a household name in the not-too-distant future. * London Literature Festival *Stevenson writes with enormous warmth and humour. * Cory Doctorow *By the end of this exhilarating page-turner my faith had been restored. * EcoHustler *From the reviews of An Optimist's Tour of the Future: 'A rollicking roller-coaster ride around the cutting edge of science with dozens of laugh-out-loud moments * Scotsman *Stevenson puts the trends of tomorrow's world into perspective with a quizzical, fast-paced, quick-witted tour of the scientific horizon * The Times *Certainly one of the most interesting science books I've read for a long time * New Statesman *A grand tour of charismatic technologies and their prophets ... Stevenson bags an impressive list of interviewees * Financial Times *Essential ... illuminating and refreshingly hopeful ... an auspicious yet grounded vision * The Atlantic *

Read more less

Book SynopsisStarre Vartan is an independent freelance science writer with a focus on health-related biotech, mental health, disease and women's bodies, as well as animals and environment. She writes on health for CNN; regularly on biotechnology and health for Scientific American; and frequently about animals for National Geographic, as well as contributing science- and heath stories to the Washington Post, Dame magazine, Slate, Gizmodo, Hakai, Digital Trends, The Daily Beast and New York magazine. She has a BS in Geology, a BA in English, and, a minor in Biology and worked as a geologist specializing in hydrology in Connecticut before turning to writing about science and health.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisProfessor Brian Cox is back with another insightful and mind-blowing exploration of space. This time he shows us our universe as we've never seen it before.Trade ReviewPraise for Professor Brian Cox’s previous books: ‘If you didn’t utter a wow watching the TV, you will while reading the book.’The Times ‘Engaging, ambitious and creative’Guardian ‘In this book of the acclaimed BBC2 TV series, Professor Cox shows us the cosmos as we have never seen it before – a place full of the most bizarre and powerful natural phenomena.’Sunday Express ‘Will entertain and delight … what a priceless gift that would be.’Independent on Sunday

Read more less

Book SynopsisNational BestsellerCNBC and Strategy + Business Best Business Book of the YearIt’s the biggest revolution you’ve never heard of, and it’s hiding in plain sight. Over the past decade, Silicon Valley executives like Eric Schmidt and Elon Musk, Special Operators like the Navy SEALs and the Green Berets, and maverick scientists like Sasha Shulgin and Amy Cuddy have turned everything we thought we knew about high performance upside down. Instead of grit, better habits, or 10,000 hours, these trailblazers have found a surprising short cut. They''re harnessing rare and controversial states of consciousness to solve critical challenges and outperform the competition. New York Times bestselling author Steven Kotler and high performance expert Jamie Wheal spent four years investigating the leading edges of this revolution—from the home of SEAL Team Six to the Googleplex, the Burning Man festival, Richard Branson’s Necker Island, Red Bull’s training center, Nike’s innovation team, and the United Nations’ Headquarters. And what they learned was stunning: In their own ways, with differing languages, techniques, and applications, every one of these groups has been quietly seeking the same thing: the boost in information and inspiration that altered states provide. Today, this revolution is spreading to the mainstream, fueling a trillion dollar underground economy and forcing us to rethink how we can all lead richer, more productive, more satisfying lives. Driven by four accelerating forces—psychology, neurobiology, technology and pharmacology—we are gaining access to and insights about some of the most contested and misunderstood terrain in history. Stealing Fire is a provocative examination of what’s actually possible; a guidebook for anyone who wants to radically upgrade their life.Trade Review“Reading Stealing Fire, Mr. Lang-Willar said, he became convinced that nothing less than a ‘cultural awakening’ was underway.” — The New York Times “A mind-blowing tour along the path from sex and drugs to R&D.” — Financial Times “Stealing Fire is a beautifully written, must-read for anyone interested in living up to their full potential. Kotler and Wheal have produced a user-manual for your hacking your brain to drive high performance.” — Peter Diamandis, founder of the X Prize, co-chairman of Singularity University, bestselling author “Stealing Fire cracks the secret code of peak performance so that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results.” — Cdr. Mark Divine (USN Ret.), New York Times best selling author, founder SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind “Meticulously researched and innovatively conceptualized, Stealing Fire is not just a bible for the second psychedelic revolution (drugs not required), but a manual to getting more: out of your body, your mind, and your happiness.” — Neil Strauss, New York Times best-selling author of The Game “An electrifying, fast-paced journey into the deep potential of the human brain.” — David Eagleman, Stanford University neuroscientist, bestselling author, presenter of PBS's The Brain “Our linear lives and brains need to be thrown a curve on occasion and this is a masterpiece literary curveball.” — Chip Conley, bestselling author of Peak and Emotional Equations and former Head of Strategy for AirBnB “Captures the unspoken essence of what men and women on the frontier of human experience, think and do to excel in creativity and performance.” — Michael Gervais, High Performance Psychologist to Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks “Stealing Fire lays out exactly how to hack the brain...Kotler and Wheal have taken a major bite out of the unknown. If you’re at all interested in knowing how your mind works, this is imperative reading!” — Salim Ismail, founding executive director of Singularity University and bestselling author of Exponential Organizations “Stealing Fire is a fantastic book about the future of humanity and everything that we can become. Based on incredible stories and cutting edge data, it reveals how our brain and body can be optimized to its greatest potential.” — Andrew Newberg, MD., director of research Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine and author of How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain “The North Star we’ve been waiting for--finally a distillation of the upper reaches of the human experience unveiled! I am so excited for this book to reach the world!” — Jason Silva, artist, futurist, host of National Geographic's Brain Games “[Stealing Fire is] well-written, well-documented, and significant work.” — Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins crystallized the gene''s eye view of evolution developed by W.D. Hamilton and others. The book provoked widespread and heated debate. Written in part as a response, The Extended Phenotype gave a deeper clarification of the central concept of the gene as the unit of selection; but it did much more besides. In it, Dawkins extended the gene''s eye view to argue that the genes that sit within an organism have an influence that reaches out beyond the visible traits in that body - the phenotype - to the wider environment, which can include other individuals. So, for instance, the genes of the beaver drive it to gather twigs to produce the substantial physical structure of a dam; and the genes of the cuckoo chick produce effects that manipulate the behaviour of the host bird, making it nurture the intruder as one of its own. This notion of the extended phenotype has proved to be highly influential in the way we understand evolution and the natural world. It represents a key scientific contribution to evolutionary biology, and it continues to play an important role in research in the life sciences.The Extended Phenotype is a conceptually deep book that forms important reading for biologists and students. But Dawkins'' clear exposition is accessible to all who are prepared to put in a little effort.Oxford Landmark Science books are ''must-read'' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.Trade ReviewThe Extended Phenotype is a sequel to The Selfish Gene ... he writes so clearly it could be understood by anyone prepared to make the effort * John Maynard Smith, LRB *This entertaining and thought-provoking book is an excellent illustration of why the study of evolution is in such an exciting ferment these days. * Science *Table of ContentsAFTERWORD BY DANIEL DENNETT; GLOSSARY; AUTHOR INDEX; SUBJECT INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisModern perfumery is a blend of art, science and technology, with chemistry being the central science involved. The Chemistry of Fragrances aims to educate and entertain, and inform the audience of the very latest chemistry, techniques and tools applied to fragrance creativity. Beginning with the history of perfumes, which goes back over fifty thousand years, the book goes on to discuss the structure of the Perfume Industry today. The focus then turns to an imaginary brief to create a perfume, and the response to it, including that of the chemist and the creative perfumer. Consumer research, toxicological concerns, and the use of the electronic nose are some of the topics discussed on this journey of discovery. Written by respected experts in their fields, this unique book gives an insider view of mixing molecules from behind the portals of modern-day alchemy. It will be enjoyed by chemists and marketeers at all levels.Trade ReviewA concise approach to cover the multi-facets of the science of fragrance...as a useful introduction to the chemistry of fragrance. -- Chemistry and Industry, 9 July 2007 (Thomas McGee) Chemistry and Industry The authors are able to demonstrate that the chemistry of such tiny fragrant molecules can be very fascinating...the book is a must for anyone with an interest in fragrances. It is simply fascinating!! -- Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 2008, 23:66 (Gerhard Buchbauer) Flavour and Fragrance JournalTable of ContentsA Home Full of Fragrance; The History of Aroma Chemistry and Perfume; Perfumery Materials of Natural Origin; Ingredients for the Modern Perfumery Industry; The Structure of an International Fragrance Company; The Fragrance Brief; Perfume Creation - The Role of the Perfumer; Measurement of Fragrance Perception; Application of Fragrances; The Safety and Toxicology of Fragrances; Volatility and Substantivity; Natural Product Analysis in the Fragrance Industry; Chemoreception; Electronic Odour Sensing; The Quest for Novel Aroma Chemicals; Brief Submission; Epilogue; Glossary of Terms; Bibliography; Index; Useful Addresses; Djinn's Lamp.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCovering subjects ranging from the personal to the scientific, this is a collection of Stephen Hawking's essays and other pieces. They reveal him as scientist, man, concerned world citizen and imaginative thinker. A transcript of his conversation on "Desert Island Discs" is included.Trade ReviewIs the universe going to expand into eternity or will everything collapse in one Big Crunch in which physical laws become meaningless? Stephen Hawking, author of the phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time, sheds light on the darkest regions of space and time and considers an extraordinary array of possibilities for our future? * The Times *Stephen Hawking has done it again. In A Brief History of Time he succeeded in interesting the widest possible audiences in the most abstract of theoretical astrophysics. Now he has once more broken out of the scientific ghetto to claim the intellectual and cultural high ground for science... Black Holes and Baby Universes takes us still further, almost over the limit...Turn to Stephen Hawking if you would look outward, to the ends of the universe * Independent on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCan horses feel shame? Do deer grieve? Why do roosters deceive hens? We tend to assume that we are the only living things able to experience feelings but have you ever wondered what’s going on in an animal’s head? From the leafy forest floor to the inside of a bee hive, The Inner Life of Animals opens up the animal kingdom like never before. We hear the stories of a grateful humpback whale, of a hedgehog who has nightmares, and of a magpie who commits adultery; we meet bees that plan for the future, pigs who learn their own names and crows that go tobogganing for fun. And at last we find out why wasps exist.Trade ReviewAlways fascinating… Wry, avuncular, careful and kind, Wohlleben guides us from one creature to the next -- Richard Kerridge * Guardian *Wohlleben presents short chapter in bite-sized portions, so the reader has a constant sense of learning something new almost with every page ... The formula is provably winning. I still felt I was on a robust learning curve as subjects as diverse as motherly love, gratitude, deception, desire, shame and knowledge of good and evil were explored one by one ... fascinating -- Katharine Norbury * Observer *Wohlleben is connecting with something big here… He truffles up some wonderful animal facts, too… Wohlleben’s empathy with animals can be touching and illuminating -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Entertaining and enthusiastic -- Tim Smith-Laing * Daily Telegraph *The Inner Life of Animals will rock your world. Surprising, humbling, and filled with delight, this book shows us that animals think, feel, and know in much the same way as we do -- and that their lives are, to them, as precious as ours are to us. -- Sy Montgomery, author of THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS

Read more less

Book SynopsisLearn the art of growing old from the supercentenarians living life to the fullest.It's said that life begins at 40 - but that number is constantly revised upwards as we live longer and longer. With the number of centenarians having quadrupled in the last thirty years, more of us can now hope to reach the 100-year mark than ever before. But how can we navigate this journey with grace, dignity and style? In this charming and informative book, Daniela Mari - the Italian doctor caring for some of the oldest people on the planet - draws on her experiences as a renowned gerontologist to reveal the science behind a healthy, happy old age. It turns out that the world's centenarians can teach us a thing or two about ageing well. And the secrets are not always what you'd think. Informed by the latest medical studies and incredible stories of individual longevity, Mari shows how our lifestyles can far surpass the influence of our genetics and why a daily glass of liquor isn't the end of the world. From our sleeping habits and diet to the crucial importance of our passions and interests, Breakfast with the Centenarians is the essential handbook for a fruitful and fulfilling old age.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRECOMMENDED AS ONE OF THE TIMES' BEST SCIENCE BOOKS OF 2021'With all the talk about testosterone in sex, sports and politics, we need a good explanation of the science and its implications, and this one is outstanding.' STEVEN PINKER, bestselling author of The Blank Slate'There are whole books written about the idea that behavioural sex differences are a societal construct and how a male hormone we know influences animal behaviour somehow doesn't influence us. Hooven's book is a riposte to that silliness - and also a defence of a hormone that isn't just about aggression.' TOM WHIPPLE, THE TIMES, BEST SCIENCE BOOKS OF 2021'Fascinating, vital, unputdownable.' JULIE BINDEL'The definitive book on testosterone . . . A brave and significant book . . . simply fascinating and filled with extraordinary facts.' EVENING STANDARD'Testosterone does what all superb popular science must do: it entertains as it educates.' THE WALL STREET JOURNALThrough riveting personal stories and the latest research, Harvard evolutionary biologist Carole Hooven shows how testosterone drives the behaviour of the sexes apart and how understanding the science behind this hormone is empowering for all.The biological source of masculinity has inspired fascination, investigation and controversy since antiquity. From the eunuchs in the royal courts of ancient China to the booming market for 'elixirs' of youth in nineteenth-century Europe, humans have been obsessed with identifying and manipulating what we now know as testosterone. And the trend shows no signs of slowing down. Thanks to this history and the methods of modern science, today we have a rich body of research about testosterone's effects in both men and women.The science is clear: testosterone is a major, invisible player in our relationships, sex lives, athletic abilities, childhood play, gender transitions, parenting roles, violent crime, and so much more. But there is still a lot of pushback to the idea that it does, in fact, contribute to sex differences and significantly influence behaviour.Hooven argues that acknowledging testosterone as a potent force in society doesn't reinforce stifling gender norms or patriarchal values. Testosterone and evolution work together to produce a huge variety of human behaviour, and that includes a multitude of ways to be masculine and feminine.Understanding the science sheds light on how we work and relate to one another, how we express anger and love, and how we fight bias and problematic behaviour to build a fairer society.'One of the most compelling books on human behaviour I've ever read. Testosterone is a scientific mystery story told with insight, intelligence and panache.' DANIEL GILBERT, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of Stumbling on Happiness'Science writing at its best: intriguing, personal, bold, persuasive, and most importantly, transparent. Her gripping account will fascinate, whether you're a teenager in the throes of puberty or are just curious about the nature of sex and gender - one of the most important debates of our time.' RICHARD WRANGHAM, author of The Goodness Paradox'A fascinating, brave, and brilliant book - the best I've read on the topic.' STEVE STEWART-WILLIAMS, author of The Ape that Understood the Universe'A superb and engaging book that delivers the unfiltered truth about testosterone, sex and sex differences, told with clarity and compassion.' DANIEL E. LIEBERMAN, author of Exercised'With wit and warmth, Hooven lucidly lays out a formidable scientific case for how and why the sexes are different. Boldly confronting contemporary gender issues, Testosterone speaks directly to why getting human nature right matters for making the world a better place.' JOE HENRICH, professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and author of The Secret of Our Success'An approachable introduction to an often misunderstood aspect of human biology.' Publishers Weekly'Carole Hooven's account ... is subtle, nuanced, and written with the sure touch of a natural storyteller ...Her commitment to science - to good science - is resolute.' LUKE SLATTERY, WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN'It is a book I couldn't put down. Beautifully written and goes into excellent but largely understandable detail regarding scientific information.' Steph Richards, co-founder of Steph's Place UK, a trans-led human rights organisation

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Clear and compact ... It's hard to fault as a brief, easily digestible introduction to some of the biggest questions in the Universe' Giles Sparrow, BBC Four's The Sky at Night, Best astronomy and space books of 2019: 5/5All the matter and light we can see in the universe makes up a trivial 5 per cent of everything. The rest is hidden. This could be the biggest puzzle that science has ever faced.Since the 1970s, astronomers have been aware that galaxies have far too little matter in them to account for the way they spin around: they should fly apart, but something concealed holds them together. That 'something' is dark matter - invisible material in five times the quantity of the familiar stuff of stars and planets.By the 1990s we also knew that the expansion of the universe was accelerating. Something, named dark energy, is pushing it to expand faster and faster. Across the universe, this requires enough energy that the equivalent mass would be nearly fourteen times greater than all the visible material in existence.Brian Clegg explains this major conundrum in modern science and looks at how scientists are beginning to find solutions to it.Trade ReviewClear and compact ... It's hard to fault as a brief, easily digestible introduction to some of the biggest questions in the Universe -- Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night * Best astronomy and space books of 2019: 5/5 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLearn about quantum physics, cloning, exoplanets, the number 137 and all of modern science's biggest questions through the crazy adventures of Rick and Morty, the international Netflix success, now airing on Channel 4.What is concentrated Dark Matter?Can we hack memory?Are you living in a simulation operating at 5% capacity?Rick and Morty may seem like the most idiotic show on TV today, but a lot of its crazy adventures are actually based on real-life scientific theories and cutting-edge academic research.Using the biology, chemistry and physics of the series, expert science writer Matt Brady explains the biggest questions occupying the greatest minds today, including: can we have cool cybernetic implants, will we ever be able to alter our basic intelligence, how far will we be able to go with cloning, could we travel to parallel universes, what energy could you get from a microverse battery and can you control a cockroach's nervous system with your tongue?So, become more Rick and less Morty with this wander through the portal of modern-day science. Or just go back to laughing at the stupid jokes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor all the selfishness of genes, they team up to survive. Is the history of life in fact a story of cooperation?Amid the violence and brutality that dominates the news, it''s hard to think of ourselves as team players. But cooperation, Jonathan Silvertown argues, is a fundamental part of our make-up, and deeply woven into the whole four-billion-year history of life. Starting with human society, Silvertown digs deeper, to show how cooperation is key to the cells forming our organs, to symbiosis between organisms, to genes that band together, to the dawn of life itself. Cooperation has enabled life to thrive and become complex. Without it, life would never have begun.

Read more less

Book SynopsisVilayanur S. Ramachandran is widely held to be the most exciting neuroscientist alive. Director of the Centre for the Brain at the University of California, San Diego, he has received many honours and awards. His previous book, the critically acclaimed Phantoms in the Brain, was the basis for a Channel Four TV series.Trade ReviewRamachandran is a latter-day Marco Polo -- Richard DawkinsA profoundly intriguing and compelling guide to the intricacies of the human brain. -- Oliver SachsExcellent ... I cannot imagine a better account of the sweep of contemporary neuroscience * Financial Times *A leader in his field and an ingenious and tireless researcher. This is the best book of its kind that I have come across * New York Review of Books *A masterpiece. The best of its kind and beautifully crafted. -- Allan Snyder, FRS, Director of the Centre for the Mind

Read more less

Book Synopsis***30th Anniversary Edition***Acclaimed as the most influential work on evolution written in the last hundred years, The Blind Watchmaker offers an inspiring and accessible introduction to one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time. A brilliant and controversial book which demonstrates that evolution by natural selection - the unconscious, automatic, blind yet essentially non-random process discovered by Darwin - is the only answer to the biggest question of all: why do we exist?Trade ReviewRichard Dawkins has updated evolution ... His subject is nothing less than the meaning of life, and he attacks it with the evangelical fervour of a clergyman and the mind of a scientist * The Times *Beautiful ... he seizes happy analogies, bright metaphors and shining images to light up his passion and our darkness * Guardian *Good writing, tight argument and unpulled punches ... a satisfying book * Economist *One of the best science books - one of the best of any books - I have ever read * Los Angeles Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious'' Observer''Enthralling'' Spectator What is human consciousness and how is it possible? These questions fascinate thinking people from poets and painters to physicists, psychologists, and philosophers. This is Daniel C. Dennett''s brilliant answer, extending perspectives from his earlier work in surprising directions, exploring the deep interactions of evolution, brains and human culture. Part philosophical whodunnit, part bold scientific conjecture, this landmark work enlarges themes that have sustained Dennett''s career at the forefront of philosophical thought. In his inimitable style, laced with wit and thought experiments, Dennett shows how culture enables reflection by installing a profusion of thinking tools, or memes, in our brains, and how language turbocharges this process. The result: a mind that can comprehend the questions itTrade ReviewIntelligence, insight and flair ... They don't come much bigger than Daniel Dennett -- Julian Baggini * Guardian *Lucid ... A brave and bracing book ... There should be more like it * The Times *Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious * Observer *A lively and cogent account of how human beings, uniquely among species, have evolved to possess a conscious mind ... An excellent exploration of the concept of cultural evolution, and the origins and consequences of human creativity * Sunday Times *Beguiling and enthralling * Spectator *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Thrilling'' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall''Authoritative and furious, urgent and persuasive'' Sunday Times''Compelling ... Roberts is that precious pearl: a practising scientist who not only knows his field inside out, but also understands how to write'' Guardian Oceans are the most mysterious places on earth. Their depths remain largely unexplored, yet ninety-five percent of the planet''s habitable space lies within them. And now the life they support is in the balance.Callum Roberts uses his lifetime''s experience working with the oceans to take us on a panoramic tour beneath the seas, exploring the richness of life in the deep and how it has altered over the centuries. He shows the catastrophic impact of humanity on the oceans, but also how we can restore them to life.''For anyone who loves the sea, Ocean of Life is a wake-up call, an urgent alert'' Daily Mail''At the heart of this book is a deep loTrade ReviewThose of us who worry about the future of our oceans could do a lot worse than take up this single refrain, "Listen to Callum Roberts!". Shouted in the ears of the world's leaders, it might just make a difference. Meanwhile we should all read Ocean of Life, a thrilling narrative of oceanic natural history and a vital call to action -- Hugh Fearnley-WhittingstallAuthoritative and furious ... a grand survey ... impossible to ignore ... Ocean of Life is the sort of book that inspires you to get in touch with your MP. It is elegantly written, at times overwhelming and depressing, but generally urgent and persuasive. Informed citizens of our watery planet should read it -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times *At the heart of this book is a deep love of the ocean and a profound concern for its viability as a resource for us all ... A story told with both scientific accuracy and narrative skill ... Roberts's clear, well-written accounts give us access to vast amounts of scientific information ... each chapter is edged with fascinating details about the life of the sea -- Stephen R Palumbi * Nature *The urgency of Callum Roberts' message - that we have very little time to save the oceanic environment on which our existence depends - is in no way undermined by the entertaining and brilliantly-written nature of his writing. This is simply a fascinating book, taking in everything from the elemental formations of the oceans to the denizens that inhabit them; from minute plankton to the great whales - and everything that threatens them, and us. Roberts imparts his vast knowledge with a consummate talent for colourful narrative and devastating facts. His book will be required reading for anyone who cares about the oceans - not least because, as well as underlining the scale of the problems, he offers us the hope of real solutions -- Philip Hoare, author of 'Leviathan or, The Whale'Ocean of Life is an excellent and engrossing work. Mr. Roberts, a British professor of marine conservation, has corralled an astonishing collection of scientific discovery ... I hope a great many people-particularly those in that undecided middle-read this book -- G. Bruce Knecht * Wall Street Journal *Callum Roberts has done it again. From showing us the past with the wisdom of a Dickens character in his earlier book, he now leads us toward the future in The Ocean of Life. It's a book so fine, I wish I'd written it! -- Carl Safina, author of 'Song for the Blue Ocean' and 'The View From Lazy Point' * - *An engrossing survey of the relationship between man and the sea for readers living through the greatest environmental changes in 65 million years ... Roberts's meditation will have readers gasping aloud with wonder, even as the sobering truth of humans' profound interdependence with the sea provokes concern -- Starred review * Publisher's Weekly *An impressive history of the oceans ... one of this book's strengths is the many solutions Roberts outlines to reverse the dismal state of the seas -- Pilita Clark * Financial Times *There is a dearth of good and comprehensive books on a subject that can seem too complicated and depressing for any single tome. Callum Roberts has now provided one ... there is no quibbling with the evidence of marine horrors that Mr Roberts presents * The Economist *It's probably a bit too soon to start talking about candidates for books of the year. But Callum Roberts' latest offering should already be considered a strong contender. Roberts is that precious pearl: a practising scientist who not only knows his field inside out, but also understands how to write compelling, persuasive non-fiction -- Leo Hickman * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK*Chosen as a Book of the Year by the Financial Times, Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Prospect, Guardian and The Times*This is the story of a race - not against other vaccines or other scientists, but against a deadly and devastating virus.On 1 January 2020, Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at Oxford University, read an article about four people in China with a strange pneumonia. Within two weeks, she and her team had designed a vaccine against a pathogen that no one had ever seen before. Less than 12 months later, vaccination was rolled out across the world to save millions of lives from Covid-19.In Vaxxers, we hear directly from Professor Gilbert and her colleague Dr Catherine Green as they reveal the inside story of making the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and the cutting-edge science and sheer hard work behind it. This is their story of fighting a pandemic as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Sarah and Cath share the heart-stopping moments in the eye of the storm; they separate fact from fiction; they explain how they made a highly effective vaccine in record time with the eyes of the world watching; and they give us hope for the future.Vaxxers invites us into the lab to find out how science will save us from this pandemic, and how we can prepare for the inevitable next one.Trade ReviewThis book is a profound success. I have read few that have given me such an immediate, eye-level view of working science - of brilliant, committed, heroic science. * Sunday Times *What an enthralling tale of toil, tenacity and triumph this is. The authors' intelligence, idealism and sheer, bloody-minded grit shine through. The world needs all the Sarah Gilberts and Catherine Greens it can get. Just brilliant. -- Rachel ClarkeMoving and awe-inspiring... The story of the decade * Mail on Sunday *Excellent and readable ... Vaccine production has never been explained more clearly... Green writes movingly about the difficult intersection between work and home life... Vaxxers is so good that the book will be read for long after the pandemic is over, as a vivid account of research in action and the way individuals respond in the face of a scientific emergency. * Financial Times *Vaxxers can be read as much as a manifesto for the importance of good science communication and an antidote to anti-vax conspiracy theories as a biomedical thriller. * Observer *Urgent and fascinating ... A tale of hard work and victory against steep odds, a unique insight into vaccines generally ... A gripping yarn ... I especially loved the book's personal moments ... I dare anyone to read this and not come away impressed. * Guardian *A most accessible read... A personal story of one of the most epic moments in human history, perfectly capturing how scientific discovery on this scale is rarely a Eureka moment for a lone genius. As a grateful recipient of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, I take my hat off in thanks to these remarkable women. * Irish Times *This is one of the most epic and pioneering moments in human history, comparable to the race to put a man on the moon, the discovery of DNA, or the first ascent of Everest. The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is a triumph and its creators are life savers. Science is the exit strategy, as long as we make that science equitably available to the world - as all the incredible people behind the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine always intended - truly the "People's Vaccine". -- Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome TrustAn extraordinary story with a remarkable beginning and an astonishing denouement * Observer *One of the most extraordinary stories in the history of medicine -- Matt D'Ancona[Sarah Gilbert] has been the adult in the room and the accidental leadership figure the moment demands, embodying the competence, command of the detail, vision and, crucially, hope, that people have needed to see. * New Statesman *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'If you feel you are in a black hole, don't give up. There's a way out'What is inside a black hole?Is time travel possible?Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. In What Is Inside a Black Hole? Hawking takes us on a journey to the outer reaches of our imaginations, exploring the science of time travel and black holes.'The best most mind-bending sort of physics' The TimesBrief Answers, Big Questions: this stunning paperback series offers electrifying essays from one of the greatest minds of our age, taken from the original text of the No. 1 bestselling Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

Read more less

Book Synopsis***A Waterstones Best Paperback of 2022 pick***Perfect for fans of Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage and Professor Brian Cox.'A delightful and scintillating hymn to science.' Professor Carlo RovelliComedian Robin Ince quickly abandoned science at school, bored by a fog of dull lessons and intimidated by the barrage of equations. But, twenty years later, he fell in love and he now presents one of the world's most popular science podcasts. Every year he meets hundreds of the world's greatest thinkers.In this erudite and witty book, Robin reveals why scientific wonder isn't just for the professionals. Filled with interviews featuring astronauts, comedians, teachers, quantum physicists, neuroscientists and more - as well as charting Robin's own journey with science - The Importance of Being Interested explores why many wrongly think of the discipline as distant and difficult. From the glorious appeal of the stars above to why scientific curiosity can encourage much needed intellectual humility, this optimistic and profound book will leave you filled with a thirst for intellectual adventure.Trade ReviewInce makes profound - and funny - reflections on our tiny lives in a massive universe. * Observer *A delightful and scintillating hymn to science. Resolutely a non-scientist, Robin Ince discovers with awe that when science addresses the "big problems" and destroys familiar beliefs, it does not leave us in a cold, meaningless and de-humanized world, but in a one which is colourful, human, full of intensity and wonder. * Professor Carlo Rovelli, bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics *Wonderful! A beautifully written elegy to science, combining wonder, mystery and humour. Curiosity dances across the pages. Robin's take on science is human, funny but also deeply enthralling. * Professor Alice Roberts, TV presenter, academic and bestselling author of Ancestors *Robin is the most engaging of science communicators. As someone who also struggled with science as a child, still finds physics an impossible foreign tongue, and came late to the fulfilment of a curious mind, I found this book by turns challenging, entertaining and moving. * Steve Backshall, BAFTA-winning British explorer, naturalist, presenter and writer *With razor-sharp wit and insight, Robin slices into the biggest questions of our time. The Importance of Being Interested left me smiling and thinking more deeply * Commander Chris Hadfield, astronaut and bestselling author *Brilliant and entertaining. Science is done by humans, and humans are the only reason that science matters: curiosity is part of human nature, but sometimes we need reminding just how much is out there to explore and enjoy. * Dr Helen Czerski, Physicist and bestselling author of Storm in a Teacup *Will gladden the heart and stimulate the mind... Sparkling. * Independent *Table of Contents1: Scepticism - From the Maelstrom of Knowledge into the Labyrinth of Doubt 2: Is God on Holiday? - Are There Still Enough Gaps for a God? 3: Armchair Time-Travel - Putting Out Your Beach Blanket on the Sands of Time 4: Big, Isn't It? - On Coping with the Size of the Universe 5: Escape Velocity - On Looking Back at the Planet from a Height 6: Why Aren't They Here? Or Are They.? - On Waiting for Our Alien Saviours 7: Swinging from the Family Tree - Inviting Yeast to the Family Reunion 8: The Mind Is a Chaos of Delight - On the Matter of Grey Matter 9: Reality, What a Concept - Can Anything Be What It Seems? 10: Imagining There's No Heaven - On Being Finite 11: More Important than Knowledge - On the Necessity of Imagination 12: So It Goes - Facing Up to the End of Everything

Read more less

'Often poetic ... highly-researched and thought-provoking' New Scientist'Gently and thoughtfully enquiring' The SpectatorCan you remember the first time you encountered true darkness? The kind that remains as black and inky whether your eyes are open or closed? Where you can't see your hand in front of your face?Jacqueline Yallop can. It was in an unfamiliar bedroom while holidaying in Yorkshire as a child, and ever since then she has been fascinated by the dark, by our efforts to capture or avoid it, by the meanings we give to it and the way our brains process it. Taking a journey into the dark secrets of place, body and mind, she documents a series of night-time walks, exploring both the physical realities of darkness and the psychological dark that helps shape our sense of self. Exploring our enduring love-hate relationship with states of darkness, she considers how we attempt to understand and contain the dark, and, as she comes to terms with her father's deteriorating Alzheimer's, she reflects on how our relationship with the dark can change with time and circumstance.Darkness captivates, baffles and appals us. It's a shifty thing of many textures and many moods. It can be an absence and a presence, a solace and a threat, a beginning and an end. Into the Dark is the story of the many darks that fascinate and assail us. It faces the darkness in all its guises and mysteries, celebrating it as a thing of beauty while peering into the void.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONShe Has Her Mother’s Laugh presents a profoundly original perspective on what we pass along from generation to generation. Charles Darwin played a crucial part in turning heredity into a scientific question, and yet he failed spectacularly to answer it. The birth of genetics in the early 1900s seemed to do precisely that. Gradually, people translated their old notions about heredity into a language of genes. As the technology for studying genes became cheaper, millions of people ordered genetic tests to link themselves to missing parents, to distant ancestors, to ethnic identities . . .But, award-winning science writer Carl Zimmer argues, heredity isn’t just about genes that pass from parent to child. Heredity continues within our own bodies, as a single cell gives rise to trillions of cells that make up our bodies. We say we inherit genes from our ancestors but we inherit other things that matter as much or more to our lives, from microbes to technologies we use to make life more comfortable. We need a new definition of what heredity is and, through Carl Zimmer’s lucid exposition and storytelling, this resounding tour de force delivers it.Weaving together historical and current scientific research, his own experience with his two daughters, and the kind of original reporting expected of one of the world’s best science journalists, Zimmer ultimately unpacks urgent bioethical quandaries arising from new biomedical technologies, but also long-standing presumptions about who we really are and what we can pass on to future generations.Trade ReviewBeautifully written . . . [A] grand and sweeping book. * The Times *Nuanced, entertaining and balances eloquent story-telling with well-researched science . . . Anyone interested in their path through history, and what they may hand on, will find much to excite them. -- Book of the Week * New Scientist *Fascinating . . . Absorbing . . . Deftly persuasive. * Observer *She Has Her Mother’s Laugh is packed full of learning, and years of work . . . The book offers clear insights into a fast-moving area, and asks big questions. Scientists can eradicate diseases, alter DNA and change human heredity. Should they? What could be at stake if they get it wrong? * Guardian *This is cutting-edge stuff that could be heavy-going except that it is written by Carl Zimmer, one of our best science journalists . . . He makes complex topics accessible with his sparkling storytelling and beautiful writing . . . If you want to . . . know where the DNA revolution is headed, you can’t do better than this book, which is a joy to read. * Evening Standard *She Has Her Mother's Laugh is a masterpiece – a career-best work from one of the world's premier science writers, on a topic that literally touches every person on the planet. -- Ed Yong, author of I Contain MultitudesZimmer is a born story-teller. Or is he an inherited story-teller? The inspiring and heartbreaking stories in She Has Her Mother's Laugh build a fundamentally new perspective on what previous generations have delivered to us, and what we can pass along. An outstanding book and great accomplishment. -- Daniel Levitin, author of This is Your Brain on Music and The Organized MindExtraordinary . . . This book is Zimmer at his best: obliterating misconceptions about science with gentle prose. * New York Review of Books *Expansive, engrossing, and often enlightening. * Wired *Why do children look like their parents and siblings, but still differ from one another? . . . Engrossing . . . Zimmer’s book is an excellent way to get up to speed. * Washington Post *She Has Her Mother’s Laugh is at once far-ranging, imaginative, and totally relevant. Carl Zimmer makes the complex science of heredity read like a novel, and explains why the subject has been–and always will be–so vexed. -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of Pulitzer Prize winner The Sixth ExtinctionShe Has Her Mother’s Laugh is a superb guide to a subject that is only becoming more important. Along the way, it explains some remarkably complicated science with equally remarkable clarity–a totally impressive job all around. -- Charles C. Mann, author of New York Times bestseller 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before ColumbusNo one unravels the mysteries of science as brilliantly and compellingly as Carl Zimmer, and he has proven it again with She Has Her Mother’s Laugh—a sweeping, magisterial book that illuminates the very nature of who we are. -- David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author, award-winning staff writer at The New Yorker, and author of The Lost City of ZA thoroughly enchanting tour of big questions, oddball ideas, and dazzling accomplishments of researchers searching to explain, manipulate, and alter inheritance. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *A magnificent work . . . Journalist Zimmer masterfully blends exciting storytelling with first-rate science reporting. His book is as engrossing as it is enlightening. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *11 Fantastic Science Books to Binge Over the Holidays -- The Year in Review, 2018 * Wired *Table of ContentsUnit - Part I: A Stroke on the Cheek Chapter - 1: The Light Trifle of His Substance Chapter - 2: Traveling Across the Face of Time Chapter - 3: This Race Should End with Them Chapter - 4: Attagirl Unit - Part II: Wayward DNA Chapter - 5: An Evening’s Revelry Chapter - 6: The Sleeping Branches Chapter - 7: Individual Z Chapter - 8: Mongrels Chapter - 9: Nine Foot High Complete Chapter - 10: Ed and Fred Unit - Part III: Other Channels Chapter - 11: Ex Ovo Omnia Chapter - 12: Witches’- Broom Chapter - 13: Chimeras Unit - Part IV: Other Channels Chapter - 14: You, My Friend, Are a Wonderland Chapter - 15: Flowering Monsters Chapter - 16: The Teachable Ape Unit - Part V: The Sun Chariot Chapter - 17: Yet Did He Greatly Dare Chapter - 18: Orphaned at Conception Chapter - 19: The Planet’s Heirs

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo Groundbreaking Scientists and Their Conflicting Visions of the Future of Our Planet'Does the earth’s finite carrying capacity mean economic growth has to stop? That momentous question is the subject of Charles Mann’s brilliant book.' Wall Street JournalIn forty years, the population of the Earth will reach ten billion. Can our world support so many people? What kind of world will it be? In this unique, original and important book, Charles C. Mann illuminates the four great challenges we face – food, water, energy, climate change – through an exploration of the crucial work and wide-ranging influence of two little-known twentieth-century scientists, Norman Borlaug and William Vogt.Vogt (the Prophet) was the intellectual forefather of the environmental movement, and believed that in our using more than the planet has to give, our prosperity will bring us to ruin. Borlaug’s research in the 1950s led to the development of modern high-yield crops that have saved millions from starvation. The Wizard of Mann’s title, he believed that science will continue to rise to the challenges we face.Mann tells the stories of these scientists and their crucial influence on today’s debates as his story ranges from Mexico to India, across continents and oceans and from the past and the present to the future. Brilliantly original in concept, wryly observant and deeply researched, The Wizard and the Prophet is essential reading for readers of Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens or Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel, for anyone interested in how we got here and in the future of our species.Trade ReviewMann’s storytelling skills are unmatched . . . [He] provides detail enough, and simplicity enough, that anyone who is struggling with these puzzles will be enlightened and informed. And entertained, which, given the subject matter, is no small feat. * New York Times *Does the earth’s finite carrying capacity mean economic growth has to stop? That momentous question is the subject of Charles Mann’s brilliant book . . . A treasure house of knowledge . . . Indispensable. * Wall Street Journal *Prophets say we must reduce consumption, Wizards say we must find more efficient means of production. This intense and carefully-researched book presents a balanced, scholarly and calm exploration of society’s most pressing problems. -- Ten Of The Best Books About Climate Change, Conservation And The Environment of 2018 * Forbes *Masterful . . . Mann’s most spectacular accomplishment is to take no sides . . . An insightful, highly significant account that makes no predictions but lays out the critical environmental problems already us. * Kirkus starred review *This unique, encompassing, clarifying, engrossing, inquisitive, and caring work of multifaceted research, synthesis and analysis humanizes the challenges and contradictions of modern environmentalism and and our struggle towards a viable future. * Booklist starred review *Fascinating . . . Mann offers a sympathetic, nuanced way to understand one of the fundamental debates of our time: How will 10 billion humans live sustainably on Earth, when our demands for energy and food are growing? -- Annalee Newitz, editor, Ars Technica11 Fantastic Science Books to Binge Over the Holidays. -- The Year in Review, 2018 * Wired *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOxygen has had extraordinary effects on life. Three hundred million years ago, in Carboniferous times, dragonflies grew as big as seagulls, with wingspans ofnearly a metre. Researchers claim they could have flown only if the air had contained more oxygen than today -probably as much as 35 per cent. Giant spiders, tree-ferns, marine rock formations and fossil charcoalsall tell the same story. High oxygen levels may also explain the global firestorm that contributed to thedemise of the dinosaurs after the asteroid impact. The strange and profound effects that oxygen has had on the evolution of life pose a riddle, which this booksets out to answer. Oxygen is a toxic gas. Divers breathing pure oxygen at depth suffer from convulsionsand lung injury. Fruit flies raised at twice normal atmospheric levels of oxygen live half as long as theirsiblings. Reactive forms of oxygen, known as free radicals, are thought to cause ageing in people. Yet ifatmospheric oxygen reached 35 per cent in the Carboniferous, why did it promote exuberant growth,instead of rapid ageing and death? Oxygen takes the reader on an enthralling journey, as gripping as a thriller, as it unravels the unexpectedways in which oxygen spurred the evolution of life and death. The book explains far more than the size ofancient insects: it shows how oxygen underpins the origin of biological complexity, the birth of photosynthesis, the sudden evolution of animals, the need for two sexes, the accelerated ageing of cloned animals like Dolly the sheep, and the surprisingly long lives of bats and birds. Drawing on this grand evolutionary canvas, Oxygen offers fresh perspectives on our own lives and deaths,explaining modern killer diseases, why we age, and what we can do about it. Advancing revelatory new ideas,following chains of evidence, the book ranges through many disciplines, from environmental sciences tomolecular medicine. The result is a captivating vision of contemporary science and a humane synthesis of ourplace in nature. This remarkable book might just redefine the way we think about the world.Oxford Landmark Science books are ''must-read'' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.Trade Review'. . . popular science writing at its very best - clear yet challenging, speculative yet rigorous. The book is a tour de force which orchestrates a seamless story out of both venerable ideas and very recent discoveries in several disparate fields.' * Bernard Dixon *'. . . a breathtaking, broad vision of the role of a single gas in our life, from the origin of organisms, through the emergence of creatures, and to their deaths . . . packed full of interesting life-and-death stories...A wonderful read.' * Peter Atkins *'. . . one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read.' * John Emsley *Nick Lane's chapters are dispatches from the frontiers of research into Earth and life history, but they contain nothing that will lose the patient reader and much that will reward. * The Guardian Review *a brisk revelatory study * Christopher Hirst, The Independent *. . . Nick Lane marshals an impressive array of evidence - [an] ambitious narrative . . . This is science writing at its best. * Jerome Burne, The Financial Times *Table of Contents1: Introduction: Elixir of Life - and Death 2: In the Beginning: The Origins and Importance of Oxygen 3: Silence of the Aeons: Three Billion Years of Microbial Evolution 4: Fuse to the Cambrian Explosion: Snowball Earth, Environmental Change and the First Animals 5: The Bolsover Dragonfly: Oxygen and the Rise of the Giants 6: Treachery in the Air: Oxygen Poisoning and X-Irradiation: A Mechanism in Common 7: Green Planet: Radiation and the Beginnings of Photosynthesis 8: Looking for LUCA: Last Ancestor in the Age Before Oxygen 9: Portrait of a Paradox: Vitamin C and the Many Faces of an Antioxidant 10: The Antioxidant Machine: A Hundred and One Ways of Living with Oxygen 11: Sex and the Art of Bodily Maintenance: Trade-offs in the Evolution of Ageing 12: Eat! Or You'll Live Forever: The Triangle of Food, Sex, and Longevity 13: Gender Bender: The Rate of Living and the Need for Sexes 14: Beyond Genes and Destiny: The Double Agent Theory of Ageing and Disease 15: Life, Death and Oxygen: Lessons From Evolution on the Future of Ageing Further Reading Glossary Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost of us believe that we possess a self - an internal individual who resides inside our bodies, making decisions, authoring actions and possessing free will. The feeling that a single, unified, enduring self inhabits the body - the 'me' inside me - is compelling and inescapable. This is how we interact as a social animal and judge each other's actions and deeds. But that sovereignty of the self is increasingly under threat from science as our understanding of the brain advances. Rather than a single entity, the self is really a constellation of mechanisms and experiences that create the illusion of the internal you. We only emerge as a product of those around us as part of the different storylines we inhabit from the cot to the grave. It is an ever changing character, created by the brain to provide a coherent interface between the multitude of internal processes and the external world demands that require different selves.Trade ReviewFascinating, timely and important ... Hood's presentation of the science behind our supersense is crystal clear and utterly engaging. New Scientist Wonderful. Illuminating. Full of insight, beauty, and humor. Get to know thyself. -- David Eagleman, author of Sum Startling and engrossing... -- Robin Ince Hood has amassed a mountain of support for his argument, covering brain development through social interaction such as attachment, the importance of social mimicry, the illogicality of free will, on-line and off-line selves and much, much more. Nature a fascinating and beautifully written book. The Biologist

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2017 ROYAL SOCIETY INSIGHT INVESTMENT SCIENCE BOOK PRIZEWhat the judges said: 'Every man and woman should read this book on gender bias ... an important, yet wickedly witty, book.' 'Fine's entertaining and thoughtful book is a valuable addition to the discussion about gender.' Ian Critchley, Sunday Times 'In addition to being hopeful, Fine is also angry. We should all be angry. Testosterone Rex is a debunking rumble that ought to inspire a roar.' Guardian'A densely packed, spirited book, with an unusual combination of academic rigour and readability ... The expression "essential reading for everyone" is usually untrue as well as a cliché, but if there were a book deserving of that description this might just be it.' Antonia Macaro, Financial TimesTestosterone Rex is the powerful myth that squashes hopes of sex equality by telling us that men and women have evolved different natures. Fixed in an ancestral past that rewarded competitive men and caring women, these differences are supposedly re-created in each generation by sex hormones and male and female brains.Testosterone, so we're told, is the very essence of masculinity, and biological sex is a fundamental force in our development. Not so, says psychologist Cordelia Fine, who shows, with wit and panache, that sex doesn't create male and female natures. Instead, sex, hormones, culture and evolution work together in ways that make past and present gender dynamics only a serving suggestion for the future - not a recipe.Testosterone Rex brings together evolutionary science, psychology, neuroscience and social history to move beyond old 'nature versus nurture' debates, and to explain why it's time to unmake the tyrannical myth of Testosterone Rex.For fans of Fine - whose Delusions of Gender 'could have far-reaching consequences as significant as The Female Eunuch' (Viv Groskop, Guardian) - and thousands of new readers, this is an upbeat, timely and important contribution to the debate about gender in society.Trade ReviewEvery man and woman should read this book on gender bias. Testosterone Rex is an important, yet wickedly witty, book about the 21st century which touches on the current debates around identity and turns everything on its head. Pressingly contemporary, it's the ideal companion read to sit alongside The Handmaid's Tale and The Power. -- Judges, 2017 Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book PrizeFine's gift for rendering complex neurological concepts comprehensible is one of the many reasons why her book is so brilliant. She writes like a dream, not just by the lifelessly humble standards of most scientific prose, but by any literary measure, and her book sparkles with pithy wit. -- Decca Aitkenhead, GuardianIf you've ever thought that men are from Mars and women arefrom Venus, or that men don't listen and women can't read maps, this book isfor you. The expression "essential reading for everyone" is usually untrue aswell as a cliché, but if there were a book deserving of that description thismight just be it. -- Antonia Macaro, Financial TimesA cracking critique of the "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" hypothesis, Cordelia Fine takes to pieces much of the science on which "fundamental" gender differences are predicated. Graced with precisely focused humour, the author makes a good case that men and women are far more alike than many would claim. Feminist? Possibly. Humanist? Certainly. A compellingly good read. -- Professor Richard ForteyFine leavens the hard science with personal anecdote, and her entertaining and thoughtful book is a valuable addition to the discussion about gender. -- Ian Critchley, The Sunday TimesTestosterone Rex is packed with convincing evidence and astonishing facts, all of which seem so important that everybody should be made to read all of it immediately, or at least before typing another word on Twitter about political correctness gone mad. -- Katy Guest, The PoolFine dissects as she goes, bringing a probing intelligence not only to what we believe about gender, and why it's often wrong, but also to the history of how we came to think it was so ... Beliefs about men and women are as old as humanity itself, but Fine's funny, spiky book gives reason to hope that we've heard Testosterone Rex's last roar. -- Annie Murphy Paul, New York Times Book ReviewTestosterone Rex is one of those rare books that manages to effortlessly mix science, social commentary and a call to arms. It is witty, robust and angry but provides a new take - and new evidence - that helps us answer the age old question of where women stand in the world. -- Kit de WaalTestosterone Rex is a debunking rumble that ought to inspire a roar. -- Sarah Ditum * The Guardian *Fine does it again. The mistress of "I think you'll find it's more complicated than that" delivers a brilliant and witty riposte to the "boys will be boys" bores. Fascinating. -- Caroline Criado-PerezA fascinating, greatly contemplative discussion of sex and gender and the embedded societal expectations of both. -- Kirkus ReviewsIt is extraordinary how so much is attributed to such a minute quantity of hormone. Cordelia Fine combines formidable intellect, forensic analysis and devastating wit to expose those myths of sex, gender and human behaviour that might just reflect testosterone-fuelled, wishful thinking. This engaging, accessible and hopefully influential book doesn't disappoint, and makes crucial reading for those with an interest, from any perspective, in human behaviour. -- Professor Mark Elgar * School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne *The delusion that there are distinct and unique male and female natures, put in place by an unholy alliance of genes, hormones and neurones, remains alive and well. Cordelia Fine dismantles this myth with style, wit and scientific precision. This combination of scientific responsibility and general accessibility is desperately needed if we are to escape the serious social damage caused by such widely disseminated pseudoscience. -- Professor John Dupré * Director, Egenis, Centre for the Study of Life Sciences, University of Exeter *Goodbye beliefs in sex differences disguised as evolutionary facts. Welcome the dragon slayer: Cordelia Fine wittily but meticulously lays bare the irrational arguments that we use to justify gender politics. -- Professor Uta Frith * Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development, University College, London *This is an important, well researched book that presents biological, psychological and social science research to explain why men and women are far less different than many would have you believe. If that sounds dry, it ain't. Fine lives up to her name - she is an extremely talented writer. -- Professor Michael Jennions * Evolutionary Ecology, Australian National University *Cordelia Fine has done it again: she debunked the idea of a female brain in Delusions of Gender and has now slain Testosterone Rex. This is obligatory reading for anyone interested in gender equality at work or home - your views on sex differences will never be the same. -- Catherine Fox * journalist and author of Seven Myths About Women at Work *This book is brilliant * New Scientist *Ms Fine's is a provocative and often fascinating book. * The Economist *Fine knocks it out of the park with her smart and eye-opening Testosterone Rex ... After reading it, my new resolution is to never say "Boys will be boys" again. Because while boys are, of course, boys, we owe it to them-and to girls-to understand that they are not defined by this single hormone. -- Adrian Laing, The Amazon Book Review EditorFilled with interesting facts, studies and arguments, it's an impressive work, sure to be useful when faced with gender essentialists who argue that asking for progressive change such as fair representation, or less sexist adverts, is a futile fight against nature. -- Let Toys Be ToysTestosterone Rex is an important book. It helps us think about the kind of society we expect to see or hope to build. It questions whether we have to accept existing gendered norms about male and female behaviour. -- Sian Norris, Open DemocracyWatching Fine take these gendered claims painstakingly, methodically, devastatingly to pieces should rank among the great works of art that humanity has ever produced. Buy a box set of this and Delusions of Gender. Buy twelve. Distribute them to your loved ones. Absolutely everyone in the world should read it. You'll thank me later. -- Reading the EndEndless books claim that the brains of men and women are wired differently. They set out to convince us that women are somehow biologically suited to getting the creases out of clothes while men peruse maps. This brilliant book proves our attitudes to men and women are cultural, not natural. Fine makes the neuroscience clear and provides a wealth of ammunition to debunk the myth that sex inequality is just something we're born with. * The Observer *

Read more less