Nature and Science December 2016 "Like all words, time has boundaries, by which I don’t mean hard and impenetrable shells but porous edges." ~ from James Gleick's Time Travel: A History Recent Releases A Brief History of Creation: Science and the Search for the Origin of Life by Bill Mesler and H. James Cleaves II From spontaneous generation to evolution, humans have always based their theories about the origins of life on their observations of the natural world. Sometimes, these observations were wrong -- for example, geese are not fish, nor are they created by mixing pine resin and sea salt (as medieval English naturalist Alexander Neckham believed). Others were ahead of their time, like Renaissance man Jan Baptist van Helmont's coining of the word "gas" when he identified carbon dioxide's role in plant growth. This sweeping, yet accessible, history of science shows how human curiosity has contributed to our understanding of how life began. Time Travel: A History by James Gleick As he did in The Information, popular science writer James Gleick weaves together literature, science, and philosophy in this fascinating exploration of time travel in popular culture. Beginning with H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel The Time Machine, which Gleick describes as an attempt to "gin up a plausible-sounding plot device for a piece of fantastic storytelling," the book examines fictional time travel in the context of its scientific underpinnings. From going back in time to prevent one’s own birth to creating alternate timelines, no plot device or paradox goes unexamined in this concise and accessible, yet intellectually wide-ranging discussion. Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape by Jill Jonnes From the stately specimens that grace the National Mall to the scrappy sapling of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, trees have always played an important role in American life. "Critical to public and individual health," according to author Jill Jonnes, urban trees improve air quality, absorb excess rainwater and surface runoff, and save energy as well as inspiring and uplifting a city's human inhabitants. Spotlighting notable tree enthusiasts, such as Philadelphian William Hamilton (who introduced the gingko to the U.S.), Jonnes also examines threats, past and present, to urban canopies. Readers who enjoy this book may also like Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees or Eric Rutkow's American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation. The Pope of Physics: Enrico Fermi and the Birth of the Atomic Age by Gino Segrè and Bettina Hoerlin This biography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi, the first such account in English, recounts the Italian-born Fermi's life from his upbringing in Rome to his flight to the U.S. in the 1930s (spurred by the rise of Fascism) and subsequent involvement in the Manhattan Project. Emphasizing his unusual facility in both theoretical and experimental physics, the book also explores his scientific contributions to areas such as statistical mechanics, nuclear physics, and quantum theory. For an examination of Fermi's wartime work, try Richard Rhodes' sweeping history The Making of the Atomic Bomb or Brian VanDeMark's group biography Pandora's Keepers.  Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott Three astrophysicists join forces to present this accessible introduction to the cosmos, based on an introductory astronomy course they co-taught at Princeton University. Aimed at general readers, this book begins with an overview of the universe, examining its composition and structure, before tackling the physics of multiverses, superstring theory, M-theory, and more. For big ideas in a compact and digestible format, look no further than Welcome to the Universe. Eating This Is What You Just Put in Your Mouth? From Eggnog to Beef Jerky, the Surprising Secrets... by Patrick Di Justo Have you ever wondered what's in eggnog? Steak sauce? Chewing gum? For journalist Patrick Di Justo, it was a can of Easy Cheese that sent him a nearly decade-long quest to find out exactly what ingredients comprise the food products we eat. Based on Wired's popular column "What's Inside," this eye-opening book is the result of in-depth research and interviews with CEOs and PR departments as well as scientists, government officials, and lawyers. As a bonus, it also examines the composition of everyday products that we don't (or at least shouldn't) consume, including household cleaners and illegal drugs.  Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat by John McQuaid The tongue has one job: "to distinguish food from everything else." However, the process though which we determine what's edible is complicated, requiring an understanding of, among other areas, microbiology, genetics, and neuroscience. It also requires cleansing one's mental palate by, for example, discarding that diagram of the tongue depicting four distinct regions dedicated to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors (which has no scientific basis) and accepting that, to a large extent, taste is hereditary. If you've ever wondered why and how we eat what we eat, check out Tasty.  Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach Can your stomach really burst? And why doesn't it digest itself? As she's proven in previous books, including Stiff and Bonk, science writer Mary Roach isn't squeamish when it comes to the physiology or functions of the human body. In addition to exploring the science of the digestive system, she also debunks myths and misconceptions including flammable farts and the possibility of surviving being swallowed by a whale. And as a bonus, you'll be able to impress your friends with all kinds of trivia ranging from explosive colonoscopies (France, 1977) to slang terms describing the act of concealing contraband in one's rectum ("keistering," "hooped," and "prison wallet" are but a few examples). Contact your librarian for more great books! Kitchener Public Library 85 Queen St. North Kitchener, Ontario N2H2H1 519-743-0271 http://www.kpl.org/