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Alien oceans: The search for life in the depths of space by Kevin Peter HandRecent scientific missions have revealed that some of the most habitable real estate may actually lie farther away. Beneath the frozen crusts of several of the small, ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn lurk vast oceans that may have been in existence for as long as Earth, and together may contain more than fifty times its total volume of liquid water. Could there be organisms living in their depths?
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| Nerve: Adventures in the science of fear by Eva HollandWhat it's about: When the thing she dreads most comes to pass, journalist Eva Holland embarks on a quest to understand the nature of fear by examining current scientific research, interviewing experts, and confronting some of her personal phobias.
What you'll learn: why we feel fear, what it does to the brain, and strategies for living with it ("overcoming" fear isn't really an option).
For fans of: the immersive, first-person reporting of Mary Roach. |
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| Galileo and the Science Deniers by Mario LivioWhat it is: a biography of Renaissance scientist Galileo Galilei.
What sets it apart: Astrophysicist Mario Livio offers a scientist's perspective on Galileo's achievements while drawing parallels between Galileo's era and our own.
Did you know? Despite his dedication to understanding the world through the collection of empirical data, Galileo had a keen interest in astrology, regularly casting horoscopes. |
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The primate family tree: The amazing diversity of our closest relatives by Ian RedmondThe Primate Family Tree is a beautiful and comprehensive resource on the subject of our animal relatives: apes, monkeys and lemurs. Readers will learn an abundance of facts, review recent research and conservation efforts and discover the remarkable characteristics shared by all primates, including humans.
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| Becoming wild: How animal cultures raise families, create beauty, and achieve peace by Carl SafinaThe premise: Animals learn how to be animals from other members of their social groups, suggesting that culture isn't exclusively a human invention.
Contains: observations of sperm whales ("Raising Families"), scarlet macaws ("Creating Beauty"), and chimpanzees ("Achieving Peace")
Reviewers say: Biologist Carl Safina's latest combines "the knowledge of a seasoned scientist with the skills of a good storyteller" (NPR). |
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How to see birds: An enthusiast's guide by Matthew StadlenFrom the giants of our skies to the sweetest singing garden warbler, from Matthew Stadlen's London street to the Indian jungle and taking in countries as far afield as Albania and Australia, this book is, in a way, also a story of his life. Starting with the smallest bird in each chapter and building towards the biggest, and using his photographs as a guide, How To See Birds takes us on a very personal birdwatching journey and in the process, helps us to see birds - to really see birds!
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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." |
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| Underbug: An obsessive tale of termites and technology by Lisa MargonelliWhat it's about: termites, our "underappreciated overlords" whose activities keep the planet running.
Want a taste? "Termites have made the world by unmaking parts of it. They are the architects of negative space. The engineers of not."
Feeling brave? Try Rob Dunn's Never Home Alone (surveying some 200,000 common household species). |
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| Extraodinary insects: Weird, wonderful, indispensable, the ones who run our world 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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