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Nature and Science April 2020
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| Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental... by Lydia DenworthWhat it is: a cross-disciplinary survey of the science of social bonds -- and a powerful argument for friendship as the standard by which all relationships should be measured.
What it does: examines a growing body of research that suggests friendship is a biological necessity for humans and animals.
Want a taste? "Friendship...is a matter of life and death. It is carried in our DNA, in how we're wired. Social bonds have the power to shape the trajectories of our lives." |
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| Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe by Brian GreeneWhat it is: an accessible survey of some big ideas in physics, from the Big Bang to the end of time, which also addresses the role of science in humanity's ongoing search for the meaning of existence.
For fans of: the engaging blend of hard science and philosophical reflection in Carl Sagan's Cosmos.
About the author: Brian Greene is the director of Columbia University’s Center for Theoretical Physics. |
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| Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, From Ancient Fossils to... by Neil ShubinThe big idea: "Massive [evolutionary] change came about by repurposing ancient structures for new uses." For example, fish didn't abruptly grow lungs and transform into land-dwellers; rather, the function of swim bladders changed, allowing fish to breathe on land.
What sets it apart: Without downplaying the importance of fossil evidence, paleontologist Neil Shubin (Your Inner Fish) describes how the advent of DNA technology has transformed his field. |
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Lifespan : the revolutionary science of why we age--and why we don't have to
by David Sinclair
"From an acclaimed Harvard professor and one of Time's most influential people, this paradigm-shifting book shows how almost everything we think we know about aging is wrong, offers a front-row seat to the amazing global effort to slow, stop, and reverseaging, and calls readers to consider a future where aging can be treated. For decades, experts have believed that we are at the mercy of our genes, and that natural damage to our genes--the kind that inevitably happens as we get older--makes us become sick and grow old. But what if everything you think you know about aging is wrong? What if aging is a disease--and that disease is treatable? In Lifespan, one of the world's foremost experts on aging and genetics reveals a groundbreaking new theory thatwill forever change the way we think about why we age and what we can do about it. Aging isn't immutable; we can have far more control over it than we realize. This eye-opening and provocative work takes us to the frontlines of research that is pushing the boundaries on our perceived scientific limitations, revealing incredible breakthroughs--many from Dr. David Sinclair's own lab--that demonstrate how we can slow down, or even reverse, the genetic clock. The key is activating newly discovered vitality genes--the decedents of an ancient survival circuit that is both the cause of aging and the key to reversing it. Dr. Sinclair shares the emerging technologies and simple lifestyle changes--such as intermittent fasting, cold exposure, and exercising with the right intensity--that have been shown to help lead to longer lives. Lifespan provides a roadmap for taking charge of our own health destiny and a bold new vision for the future when humankind is able to live to be 100 years young"
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The Number of the Heavens: A History of the Multiverse and the Quest to Understand the....
by Tom Siegfried
What it is: an exploration of a hotly debated idea that "refuses to stay dead," namely, is there one universe or many?
Is it for you? Coming down firmly on the side of string theory and focusing more on history than physics, The Number of the Heavens is an accessible survey of the multiverse concept from antiquity to the present.
Further reading: Brian Greene's The Hidden Reality or Sean M. Carroll's Something Deeply Hidden.
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| Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O'NeilWhat it's about: Big Data's capacity for reinforcing and exacerbating existing social inequalities, due to its scale and lack of transparency.
About the author: Mathematician Cathy O'Neil was a professor and a Wall Street quantitative analyst before becoming a blogger and activist.
You might also like: Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Virginia Eubanks' Automating Inequality, or John Cheney-Lippold's We Are Data. |
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| Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-PerezIntroducing: the "default male," a construct that sets the standards in everything from automobile safety to medical research to urban planning.
Why it matters: Journalist Caroline Criado-Perez argues that an emphasis on male data creates a gender data gap that renders women doubly invisible: their absence from research data is compounded by their occasional inclusion in research data that isn't dis-aggregated by sex.
The takeaway: "the consequences of living in a world built around male data can be deadly." |
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| Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really... by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz; foreword by Steven PinkerThe big idea: "The everyday act of typing a word into a compact, rectangular white box leaves a small trace of truth that, when multiplied by millions, eventually reveals profound realities."
In other words: our online behavior, in aggregate, reveals things about us that we would never admit -- and may not even be aware of!
You might also like: Christian Rudder's Dataclysm, another eye-opening examination of what our data can teach us about ourselves. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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