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Nature and Science June 2020
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Biography of Resistance: The Epic Battle Between People and Pathogens
by Muhammad H. Zaman, Ph.D.
What it's about: the emergence of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs," a problem that humans created but may not be able to solve.
Did you know? Some 35,000 people in the U.S. die every year from multi-drug-resistant infections; worldwide, such infections claim more lives than breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, or complications from diabetes.
Further reading: Matt McCarthy's Superbugs: The Race to Stop an Epidemic.
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Ingredients : the strange chemistry of what we put in us and on us
by George Zaidan
Cheese puffs. Coffee. Sunscreen. Vapes. George Zaidan reveals what will kill you, what won't, and why-explained with high-octane hilarity, hysterical hijinks, and other things that don't begin with the letter H. Ingredients offers the perspective of a chemist on the stuff we eat, drink, inhale, and smear on ourselves. Apart from the burning question of whether you should eat that Cheeto, Zaidan explores a range of topics.
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The hot hand : the mystery and science of streaks
by Ben Cohen
A rising star at the Wall Street Journal, Cohen, by studying the science of streaks to determine whether the ‘hot hand’ exists, takes us around the world and introduces us to a variety of people who recognized patterns that can be fruitful or disastrous.
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The catalyst : how to change anyone's mind
by Jonah Berger
A best-selling marketing professor discusses techniques that can be used to change minds and catalyze change by examining the reasons behind why people resist change and how to help them move forward.
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The future we choose : surviving the climate crisis
by Christiana Figueres
A cautionary but hopeful report by the cofounders of Global Optimism and architects of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement outlines urgent measures that must be taken to adapt to or reverse climate change.
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Cosmos : possible worlds
by Ann Druyan
Based on National Geographic’s internationally renowned series, a long-awaited sequel to Carl Sagan’s best-seller explores the parallel evolutions of science and civilization, discussing such topics as the Big Bang, the Voyager missions and Cassini-Huygen’s remarkable findings. Illustrations.
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Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe
by Brian Greene
What 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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The physics book : Big Ideas Simply Explained
by John Farndon
This ultimate guide to physics, using a bold, graphics-led approach, covers more than 80 of the key concepts and discoveries that have defined the subject and influenced our technology since the beginning of time. Illustrations.
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Footprints : in search of future fossils
by David Farrier
An award-winning author combines literature, art and science as he travels from the Baltic Sea and the Great Barrier Reef to Tasmania and Shanghai to explore what objects and landscapes will endure through time to become future fossils and relics.
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The lost family : how DNA testing is upending who we are
by Libby Copeland
A journalist investigates the business practices of companies like Ancestry and 23andMe and explores the stories of individuals who participated in home genetic testing and had their lives turned upside down by the results.
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Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, From Ancient Fossils to...
by Neil Shubin
The 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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Into the Abyss : A Neuropsychiatrist's Notes on Troubled Minds
by Anthony David
A cognitive neuropsychiatrist offers case studies and surprising insights from his 40-year career combining different fields, including social and cognitive psychology and neurology in his quest to treat patients suffering from schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, trauma and chemical imbalances.
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| Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees by Thor HansonWhat it is: a conservation biologist's celebration of bees.
What sets it apart: While most bee-themed books focus on honeybees, this one includes species ranging "from leafcutters and bumbles, to masons, miners, diggers, carpenters, wool-carders, and more."
Try this next: armchair entomologists may also enjoy Paige Embry's Our Native Bees, which examines North America's insect pollinators. |
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| Bugged: The Insects Who Rule the World and the People Obsessed with Them by David MacNealStarring: insects, the overlooked, underappreciated 75 percent of the animal kingdom that for over 400 million years has been profoundly shaping life on Earth.
Did you know? Insects outnumber humans 1.4 billion to one, pollinate 80 percent of the plants that feed us, and recycle our organic waste.
Further reading: Scott Richard Shaw's Planet of the Bugs. |
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| Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson; translated by Lucy Moffatt; illustrated by Tuva Sverdrup-ThygesonWhat it is: an entomologist's engaging, ultimately hopeful meditation on the importance of insects, enhanced with delicate pencil illustrations.
So why DO we need them? Without them, the planet would die (and, with it, us.)
Food for thought: "We have a moral duty to take the best possible care of our planet's myriad creatures, including those that do not engage in visible value creation..." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Iredell County Public Library 201 North Tradd Street Statesville, North Carolina 28677 704-878-3090www.iredell.lib.nc.us/ |
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