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Nature and Science December 2019
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| The Hidden World of the Fox by Adele BrandWhat it is: a mammal ecologist's lyrical mediation on the red fox and its place in an increasingly urbanized world.
Want a taste? "flame-orange on a white canvas, black paws and thick brush, pointed muzzle and diamond-sharp eyes."
Don't miss: an informative chapter on fox vocalizations actually titled "What Does the Fox Say?" |
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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.
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Do dice play god? : the mathematics of uncertainty by Ian StewartWhat it's about: Professor Ian Stewart explores the history and mathematics of uncertainty. Touching on gambling, probability, statistics, financial and weather forecasts, censuses, medical studies, chaos, quantum physics, and climate, he makes one thing clear: a reasonable probability is the only certainty. Reviewers say: "[A] fascinating look at chaos theory and the uncertainties of the quantum universe.... Readers interested in whether Schrödinger's famous cat is actually dead or alive, or how uncertain Heisenberg's uncertainty principle really is, will find in Stewart's survey a challenging but rewarding trip through a quantum world of uncertainties."―Publishers Weekly
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| Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes that Stick by Wendy WoodWhat it's about: Drawing on current research, a psychology professor examines the science behind habit formation and offers pointers on how we can use this information to improve our own lives.
The takeaway: Conscious decision-making is overrated; most of what we do (positive or negative) is the result of unconscious habitual behaviors that can be changed and reinforced through repetition.
Who it's for: everyone interested in making a big change (especially anyone who's ever been criticized for "lacking willpower"). |
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| The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Steve BrusatteWhat it is: A captivating look at what current research says about the rise, reign, and (so-called) extinction of dinosaurs.
Did you know? If the dinosaurs discussed here seem different than the ones you remember from childhood, that's because they are: paleontologists discover, on average, one new species a week(!).
About the author: American paleontologist Steve Brusatte served as the scientific consultant for the 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs. |
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| The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy by Paige WilliamsWhat it does: delves into the international fossil trade, both legal and illicit, by recounting a Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton smuggled out of the Gobi Desert, as well as paleontologists' efforts to have the specimen returned to Mongolia.
Why you might like it: This thoroughly researched account leaves no stone unturned as it explores a world unfamiliar to many.
For fans of: Kirk W. Johnson's The Feather Thief and other books that blend natural history and true crime. |
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| Why Dinosaurs Matter by Kenneth Lacovara; illustrated by Mike LemanskiWhat it's about: a paleontologist debunks misconceptions about dinosaurs (e.g. that their extinction resulted from an inability to adapt to changing circumstances) and discusses what we can learn from them.
Food for thought: "Dinosaurs reigned unchallenged for 165 million years. But that's only if you exclude birds, which are truly dinosaurs. If you include the birds, now known as 'avian dinosaurs'...their incredible run spans the past 231 million years."
Don't miss: the author's entertaining list of "crackpot theories" purporting to explain the dinosaurs' demise ("they all perished of constipation") |
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| The Tyrannosaur Chronicles: The Biology of the Tyrant Dinosaurs by David Hone; illustrated by Scott HartmanIncludes: Everything you ever wanted to know about Tyrannosaurus rex and its relatives.
Is it for you? This comprehensive guide to tyrannosaurids takes a deep dive into taxonomy, morphology, and cladistics while examining evidence suggesting that these large carnivores were warm-blooded, surprisingly nimble, and possibly feathered.
About the author: Paleontologist David Hone is a Tyrannosaurus expert who created the popular Lost Worlds and Lost Worlds Revisited blogs. |
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Chapters include: "How Dragons Became Dinosaurs", "From the Crystal Palace to Jurassic Park", and "Extinction".
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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