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Nature and Science February 2018
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| The Telescope in the Ice: Inventing a New Astronomy at the South Pole by Mark BowenWhat it is: A physicist's book-length tour of the South Pole's IceCube Observatory, which contains a telescope that searches not for stars but for high-energy neutrinos -- sub-atomic particles that originate in places like supernovae and black holes.
Try this next: Interested in cutting-edge astronomy? You might like Govert Schilling's Ripples in Spacetime: Einstein, Gravitational Waves, and the Future of Astronomy. |
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The Planet Factory: Exoplanets and the Search for a Second Earth
by Elizabeth Tasker
Tasker, a British astrophysicist working at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), delves into “the greatest construction process in the universe” in this well-researched and superbly organized debut. Split into three parts, the book offers a finessed, granular rundown of basic astrophysics and exoplanet science, including star types, detection methods, and solar system formation. Tasker entertains as she engagingly expounds on the menagerie of exoplanets, both basic and bizarre.
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Edison vs. Tesla: The Battle over Their Last Invention
by Joel Martin
Drawing on both Edison’s and Tesla’s journals, as well as contemporary articles and interviews with inventors to confirm that tests were actually done with this strange invention, the authors shed light on both men’s paranormal work and their race to create a device that picked up the frequencies of discarnate spirits.
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The Physics of Star Wars: The Science Behind a Galaxy Far, Far Away
by Patrick Johnson
Explore the mystical power of the Force using quantum mechanics, find out how much energy it would take for the Death Star or Starkiller Base to destroy a planet, and discover how we can potentially create our very own lightsabers. Explore the physics behind the world of Star Wars, with engaging topics and accessible information that shows how we're closer than ever before to creating technology from the galaxy far, far away--perfect for every Star Wars fan!
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The Aliens Among Us: How Invasive Species Are Transforming the Planet - and Ourselves
by Leslie Anthony
From an award-winning adventure and science journalist comes an eye-opening exploration of a burgeoning environmental phenomenon and the science coalescing around it. Leslie Anthony leads readers on adventures physical and philosophical as he explores how and why invasive species are hijacking ecosystems around the globe. Weaving science, travel, history, and humor with diverse examples to chart and describe the phases of species invasion and human response, Anthony introduces field researchers and managers who seek to understand the biological, social, and economic aspects of this complex issue, and whose work collectively suggests the emergence of a global shadow economy centered on invasives.
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Nature, Love, Medicine: Essays on Wildness and Wellness
by Thomas Lowe Fleischner
A diverse array of peoplepsychologists and poets, biologists and artists, a Buddhist teacher and a rock musicianshare personal stories that reveal a common theme: when we pay conscious, careful attention to our wider world, we strengthen our core humanity. This practice of natural history leads to greater physical, psychological, and social health for individuals and communities.
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Florida Weather and Climate: More Than Just Sunshine
by Jennifer M Collins
In this work, Collins, Rohli, and Paxton cover topics including geographical setting, weather fronts, the sun, thundershowers, hurricanes, tropical breezes, and tornadoes. The work also looks to the future of Florida's climate, examining the long-term implications of issues such as global warmings and natural disasters.
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The Planets: Photographs from the Archives of NASA
by Nirmala Nataraj
More than 200 breathtaking photographs from the archives of NASA are paired with extended captions detailing the science behind some of our cosmic neighborhood's most extraordinary phenomena. Images of newly discovered areas of Jupiter, fiery volcanoes on Venus, and many more reveal the astronomical marvels of space in engrossing detail. Anyone with an interest in science, astronomy, and the mysteries of the universe will delight in this awe-inspiring guide to the wonders of the solar system.
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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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| Reading the Rocks: How Victorian Geologists Discovered the Secret of Life by Brenda MaddoxWhat it is: In brief but informative vignettes, biographer and science writer Brenda Maddox profiles the Victorian geologists who revolutionized our understanding of Earth's history and human evolution.
Contains: biographical portraits of notable figures such as Charles Lyell, Mary Anning, James Hutton, and Louis Agassiz, as well as historical context that puts their discoveries in perspective. |
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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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| The Remedy: Robert Koch, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Quest to Cure Tuberculosis by Thomas GoetzStarring: German physician Robert Koch, who isolated the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who applied his own medical training (and innate skepticism) to investigating the "cure" Koch subsequently claimed to have found.
For fans of: Medical histories with a dash of mystery, such as Steven Johnson's The Ghost Map, about a deadly cholera epidemic in Victorian London. |
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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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| The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health by David R. Montgomery and Anne BikléWhat it is: An engaging blend of science writing and memoir, written by a geologist and a biologist as they explore the roles played by complex microbial communities in everything from agriculture to human health.
Why you might like it: From vivid descriptions of the authors' quest to turn their barren Seattle backyard into a lush garden to reflections on Biklé's cancer diagnosis, The Hidden Half of Nature illuminates the intimate connections between humans and their environment. |
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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.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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