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Nature and Science December 2019
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Hivemind : the new science of tribalism in our divided world
by Sarah Rose Cavanagh
Leading a narrative journey from the Charlottesville riots to Facebook—and considering such diverse topics as zombies, neuroscience and honeybees—a psychologist and emotion-regulation specialist explains how social technology is reshaping the way we socialize.
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A human algorithm : how artificial intelligence is redefining who we are
by Flynn Coleman
An international human rights attorney examines the vast impact of artificial intelligence and its potential to transform health, alleviate suffering and challenge beliefs and socio-economic world order and advocates for the use of empathy and equity in designing these machines.
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How to : absurd scientific advice for common real-world problems
by Randall Munroe
The creator of the web comic xkcd and best-selling author of What If? and Thing Explainer shares inadvisable advice for responding to today’s problems, from using social-media for weather forecasts to powering a home by destroying the fabric of space-time. Illustrations.
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The math book : Big Ideas Simply Explained
by Janet Dangerfield
This latest entry in the Big Ideas Simply Explained looks at the most important mathematical ideas, theorems and inventions, utilizing an approach that uses creative typography, colorful graphics and accessible language to make these concepts easier to understand. Illustrations.
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Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime
by Sean Carroll
What it's about: quantum mechanics, "the heart and soul of modern physics." Although we all appreciate the technologies it has brought us (smartphones, lasers), no one really understands it.
What sets it apart: While many books on this topic emphasize the magic and mystery of quantum mechanics, this one attempts to demystify a complex topic for general readers without oversimplifying.
About the author: Caltech theoretical physicist Sean Carroll is the author of the bestselling The Big Picture.
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Lifespan : why we age--and why we don't have to
by David A. Sinclair
The acclaimed Harvard professor and one of Time’s “Most Influential People” identifies common misconceptions about aging, sharing provocative insights into the cutting-edge, global effort to slow, stop and reverse aging.
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The first cell : and the human costs of pursuing cancer to the last
by Azra Raza
A world-class oncologist and coeditor of the 3QuarksDaily website explores the medical, scientific, cultural and personal impact of cancer while outlining more beneficial alternatives to today’s high-cost, largely ineffective treatments. 50,000 first printing.
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Rewild yourself : making nature more visible in our lives
by Simon Barnes
Perfect for readers who want to bring nature back into focus within their lives, this ideal companion features numerous ways to bring the magic of nature much closer to home, helping you become wilder in your mind and in your heart. Illustrations.
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Wildhood: The Epic Journey from Adolescence to Adulthood in Humans and Other Animals
by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers
What it's about: An evolutionary biologist and a science journalist explore adolescence across species. Despite varying lifespans -- days for a fruit fly, decades for a human, centuries for a Greenland shark -- most species must achieve similar milestones of safety, status, sex, and self-reliance before they're considered adults.
Why you should read it: Whether you're in the throes of adolescence yourself, or know someone who is, you'll be reassured by the authors' conclusion that this stage of life "make[s] exquisite evolutionary sense."
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Unravelling the Double Helix: The Story of DNA
by Gareth Williams
What it's about: the quest to determine the nature and structure of DNA.
What sets it apart: Book-ended by the discoveries of nuclein (1868) and the double helix (1953), this well-researched history reveals the crucial contributions made by lesser-known scientists along the way.
Supplementary materials: a timeline of significant milestones and a "Who's Who" containing biographical profiles of the scientists involved.
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How the brain lost its mind : sex, hysteria, and the riddle of mental illness
by Allan H Ropper
A neurology professor at Harvard describes how syphilis and hysteria confounded doctors throughout the centuries, affecting infamous people like Vincent van Gogh and Friedrich Nietzsche, and led to the proliferation of mental institutions, lobotomies, electroshock therapy and psychotropic drugs.
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Gender and Our Brains: How New Neuroscience Explodes the Myths of...
by Gina Rippon
What it is: a neuroscientist's evidence-based debunking of sex- and gender-based myths about the human brain, many of which emerged centuries before scientists were actually able to study the brain.
Why you might like it: Incorporating terms such as "neurosexism" and "neurotrash" into thought-provoking discussions of neuroplasticity and socialization, author Gina Rippon takes both researcher bias and media misrepresentation to task.
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Diagnosis : Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries
by Lisa Sanders
A Yale physician and best-selling author presents 50 difficult medical cases that served as inspiration for an upcoming Netflix original series, including a vacationer who was poisoned after eating barracuda and a middle-aged woman with a purple streaked rash. Original.
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The photo ark vanishing : the world's most vulnerable animals
by Joel Sartore
Published to mark the 15th anniversary of Photo Ark, a continuation of the National Geographic contributor’s efforts to photograph species on the brink of extinction combines vibrant, diverse photography with quotes by leading scientists and conservationists. Illustrations.
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The Rise of Wolf 8 : Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog
by Rick McIntyre
A renowned wolf researcher and gifted storyteller, in this first book in a bold new trilogy, presents the extraordinary account of Wolf 8, who was brought to Yellowstone National Park from Canada in 1995, and how he adjusted to his fellow wolves and new surroundings. Illustrations. Maps.
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The Hidden World of the Fox
by Adele Brand
What 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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| 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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| Why Dinosaurs Matter by Kenneth Lacovara; illustrated by Mike LemanskiWhat it's about: a paleontologist debunks misconceptions about dinosaurs (e.g. that their extinction resulted from an inability to adapt to changing circumstances) and discusses what we can learn from them.
Food for thought: "Dinosaurs reigned unchallenged for 165 million years. But that's only if you exclude birds, which are truly dinosaurs. If you include the birds, now known as 'avian dinosaurs'...their incredible run spans the past 231 million years."
Don't miss: the author's entertaining list of "crackpot theories" purporting to explain the dinosaurs' demise ("they all perished of constipation") |
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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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Iredell County Public Library 201 North Tradd Street Statesville, North Carolina 28677 704-878-3090 Connect With Us: |
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