|
Nature and Science February 2020
|
|
|
|
| Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time by Gaia VinceWhat it does: Examines human evolution through four key "drivers": Fire, Language, Beauty and Time, while arguing that it is collective culture, not individual intelligence, that sets humans apart.
About the author: Journalist Gaia Vince won the Royal Society Insight Investment Prize for her debut, Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet We Made.
For fans of: Diane Ackerman's The Human Age. |
|
|
My Penguin year : Life Among the Emperorsby Lindsay McCraeWhat it is: The award-winning photographer documents his extended observance of a colony of emperor penguins in Antarctica and the species' effort to survive and procreate in one of the planet's harshest environments Reviewers say: “A touching story of courage, survival and persistence, My Penguin Year is a must-read for nature lovers and those who enjoy a stirring memoir.” -Booklist
|
|
|
Exploding stars and invisible planets : the science of what's out there
by Fred Watson
Ever wonder? What happens to space and matter near a black hole? Where did the moon come from? How do we know what stars are made of? Are we alone in the universe?
What is it? Fred Watson, an award-winning astronomer, presents the most up-to-date knowledge on hot topics in astronomy and space science, providing a fascinating and entertaining account of the latest research.
|
|
| SAM: One Robot, a Dozen Engineers, and the Race to Revolutionize the Way We Build by Jonathan WaldmanIntroducing: SAM (short for "semi-automated mason") and the team of engineers who built this innovative brick-laying machine.
Why you might like it: Recounting SAM's journey from rough concept to prototype (after prototype after prototype...), this richly detailed book offers both an illuminating look at the technological aspects of construction and an absorbing account of a family-run start up. |
|
|
Reviewers say: “A mellow, meditative book for nature lovers and those who want to reconnect with the world around them.”—Kirkus
|
|
| DNA is Not Destiny: the Remarkable, Completely Misunderstood Relationship... by Steven J. HeineWhat it's about: Cultural psychologist Steven Heine discusses the genomics revolution, reflecting on how ill-equipped we are to handle its revelations.
Read it for: the author's insightful discussion of the cognitive biases that make us susceptible to essentialist thinking, the oversimplification of complex concepts, and the lofty promises of direct-to-consumer genetic testing services.
Food for thought: "Yet we persist in this belief that our genes control our lives. We are genetic fatalists." |
|
| The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha MukherjeeWhat it's about: Describing the concept of heredity as a form of information transmission, physician and science writer Siddhartha Mukherjee considers the gene, its long and winding road to discovery, and its future as bioengineering becomes more common.
Why you might like it: From Mendel and Darwin to the Human Genome Project, this sweeping, thought-provoking book by the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author of The Emperor of Maladies artfully explores both the scientific and cultural significance of genes. |
|
|
Ever wonder? Why are you attracted to a certain "type?" Why are you a morning person? Why do you vote the way you do? From a witty new voice in popular science comes a clever, life-changing look at what makes you you. What is it: A professor of pharmacology and microbiology uses cutting-edge research and humor to describe how genetics, microbiology and psychology combine to influence our personality and actions, including why we like certain foods, prefer certain personalities and hold the beliefs we do.
|
|
| A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold through Our Genes by Adam Rutherford; foreword by Siddhartha MukherjeeWhat it's about: "Geneticists have suddenly become historians," observes author Adam Rutherford, citing discoveries that have transformed our understanding of human evolution.
Contains: the (roughly) 2 million year history of the Homo genus, an accessible primer on genomics, and a discussion of what DNA can (and can't) tell us about ourselves.
About the author: Geneticist and journalist Adam Rutherford is the author of Humanimal: How Homo Sapiens Became Nature's Most Paradoxical Creature. |
|
| She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity by Carl ZimmerWhat it is: a comprehensive yet accessible examination of heredity that "masterfully blends exciting storytelling with first-rate science reporting" (Publishers Weekly).
Why it's important: In addition to exploding common myths and misconceptions about the science of biological inheritance, science writer Carl Zimmer also discusses its (often unsavory) cultural history.
Did you know? It wasn't until the 1830s that the word "heredity" acquired its present meaning of a biological inheritance (as opposed to a material one). |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|