Yolo County Library
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Nature and Science February 2018
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| Where the Wild Coffee Grows: The Untold Story of Coffee from the Cloud Forests of Ethiopia... by Jeff KoehlerWhat it's about: Having tackled tea in Darjeeling, science writer Jeff Koehler traces the origins of Arabica coffee from the Kafa region of Ethiopia to the large-scale farms of Latin America.
Why you should read it: Between the ravages of disease, deforestation, and climate change, coffee could one day disappear. If you can't imagine life without this magical elixir, pick up this book. |
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Gastrophysics : the New Science of Eating
by Charles Spence
An award-winning Oxford researcher profiles the emerging sensory science of gastrophysics to reveal the subtler influences of environment, sense enhancement and psychology on food and appetite, counseling readers on how to perceive their food differently for greater satisfaction and awareness.
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| The Last Man Who Knew Everything: The Life and Times of Enrico Fermi... by David N. SchwartzWhat it is: the first English-language biography of Italian-born physicist Enrico Fermi to be published in nearly 50 years.
Why you should read it: Despite impressive accomplishments in experimental and theoretical physics, Fermi hasn't received nearly as much attention as some of his Manhattan Project peers.
Reviewers say: In a starred review, Publishers Weekly praises this "scrupulously researched and lovingly crafted portrait" of a brilliant scientist. |
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Virus
by Marilyn J Roossinck
This stunningly illustrated book provides a rare window into the amazing, varied, and often beautiful world of viruses. Contrary to popular belief, not all viruses are bad for you. In fact, several are beneficial to their hosts, and many are crucial to the health of our planet. Virus offers an unprecedented look at 101 incredible microbes that infect all branches of life on Earth-- from humans and other animals to insects, plants, fungi, and bacteria.
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| This is Your Brain on Parasites: How Tiny Creatures Manipulate Our Behavior... by Kathleen McAuliffeWhat it's about: Could microparasites influence our behavior? Science writer Kathleen McAuliffe seeks to discover whether we're in control of our bodies or just some protozoa's unwitting puppet.
Book Buzz: Expanding on the author's viral Atlantic article, "How Your Cat is Making You Crazy," this book offers intriguing ideas about the possible effects of microorganisms on human health.
Further reading: Rosemary Disdelle's Parasites: Tales of Humanity's Most Unwelcome Guests. |
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| Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology by Johnjoe McFadden and Jim Al-KhaliliWhat it's about: the nascent field of quantum biology, which applies principles of quantum mechanics to biological processes, ranging from our sense of smell (olfaction) to bird migration, which relies on the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field (magnetoreception).
Read it for: the way the authors -- a theoretical physicist and a molecular biologist -- make a complex and challenging topic accessible to non-scientists. |
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| I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed YongIntroducing: the microbiome, a complex ecosystem of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microscopic organisms living in and on our bodies.
Why you should read it: Science writer Ed Yong's accessible field guide to microorganisms reveals that they're more than just germs to be wiped out -- they form communities that help our bodies function, making them a promising subject for medical research.
You might also like: Rob Dunn's The Wildlife of Our Bodies or Rodney Dietert's The Human Super-Organism. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Yolo County Library
226 Buckeye St. Woodland, California 95695 530-666-8005
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