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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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Snow : A Scientific and Cultural Exploration
by Giles Whittell
An anecdotal history of snow traces the migrations of prehistoric humans through the multibillion-dollar snowmaking industry of today, sharing compelling facts on such subjects as avalanches, the legend of the yeti and the 1960 winter Olympics. 40,000 first printing.
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Europe: A Natural History
by Tim Flannery
Welcome to: Europe, the tropical archipelago that formed 100 million years ago and, following floods, ice ages, and other events, transformed into the geographically and biologically diverse region we know today.
Look for: the "hell pigs" of the Oligocene period, the two-foot long proto-hedgehog Deinogalerix, and Europe's first hominids -- the human-Neanderthal hybrids that colonized the continent 38,000 years ago.
What's next? Confronting the existential threats of climate change, according to Australian author and paleontologist Tim Flannery.
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A Song for the River
by Philip Connors
The person: veteran fire lookout Philip Connors, author of the National Outdoor Book Award-winning Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout.
The place: New Mexico's Gila National Forest.
The prose: "To watch a mountain you love murmur and chirp and howl and green up from rain and bloom with flowers, then see it succumb to flame and be blackened by heat only to live once more from the ashes, was to absorb an object lesson in transience and renewal."
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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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Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military
by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang
What it is: a thought-provoking examination of the long-standing relationship between science and the military-industrial complex, with a special focus on astrophysics and the aerospace industry.
Who it's for: readers interested in the intersection of science, industry, and politics; anyone who wonders what the proposed U.S. Space Force might look like.
Author alert: Well-known astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson teams up with longtime editor and frequent collaborator Avis Lang for this eye-opening book.
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Horizon
by Barry Lopez
What it is: a lyrical, elegaic autobiographical account of travels on six continents by the National Book Award-winning author of Arctic Dreams.
Reviewers say: "a contemporary epic, at once pained and urgent, personal and oracular" (The Guardian).
Want a taste? "To go in search of what once was is to postpone the difficulty of living with what is."
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| Dinosaurs Without Bones: Dinosaur Lives Revealed by Their Trace Fossils by Anthony J. MartinWhat it's about: ichnology, the study of "trace fossils" -- i.e. fossils that are neither tooth nor bone, including tracks and trails, burrows and nests, tooth and claw marks, skin, and coprolites (fecal fossils).
Why you should read it: Although they may not make an awe-inspiring museum display, trace fossils are essential to understanding the biology and behavior of prehistoric organisms.
For fans of: the enthusiasm of Brian Switek's My Beloved Brontosaurus. |
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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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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Daviess County Public Library 2020 Frederica Street Owensboro, Kentucky 42301 (270) 684-0211
www.dcplibrary.org
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