Book
PRIMATE CHANGE is a wide-ranging, polemical look at how and why the human body has changed since humankind first got up on two feet. Spanning the entirety of human history - from primate to transhuman - Vybarr Cregan-Reid's book investigates where we...
Sensuous and fluid yet powerful, raging and unforgiving - from Styx to bottled water, from great lake to babbling brook, from poetic vessel to trade route, water exists in a myriad of states and is characterised by its many forms and expressions, its...
We're not just losing the wild world. We're forgetting it. We're no longer noticing it. We've lost the habit of looking and seeing and listening and hearing. But we can make hidden things visible, and this book features 23 spells that will bring the magic...
How many snowflakes does it take to build a snowman? Why does it feel so good to watch snow fall? Why is snow so quiet? Will it survive global warming and what was the greatest snowstorm in history? Snow has a lot in common with religion. It comes from...
"Rice, himself a scientist, posits that that science is essentially organized common sense. While the brain is hardwired for common sense, unfortunately it also relies on a number of misleading tendencies. Instead of reasoning objectively it tends to...
"30-Second Biology tackles the vital science of life, dissecting the 50 most thought-provoking theories of our ecosystem and ourselves. At a time when discoveries in DNA allow us to feel more connected than ever to the natural world, this is the fastest...
"Why do anthropologists study teeth? Teeth contain detailed records of growth, health, and diet, as well as our evolutionary history. So what are the tales teeth tell? The French naturalist George Cuvier famously remarked, "Show me your teeth and I will...
Eagles hold a unique allure among birds for their combination of power, grace, and predatory prowess. Captivating the human imagination, these raptors have symbolized pride, freedom, and independence of spirit since humankind's earliest times. This b...
"Does the void exist? Are space and time just an illusion? Are our minds capable of conceiving space at all? And why are we even on earth? 21st-century physics changes our perspective of the world and ourselves. Stefan Klein relates this in his gripping...
"Botanical encounters in the rainforest: trees that walk, a leaf as big as an awning, a plant that dances. This Atlas invites the reader to tour the farthest reaches of the rainforest in search of exotic―poetic―plant life. Guided in these botanical ...
"An ornithological quiz book packed with challenging questions for birders, based on the popular `Bird Brain of Britain' contest at the annual BirdFair. The British Birdwatching Fair, held every August at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, attracts over 3...
Noticing and appreciating the awesome nature of birdlife is a spiritually affirming activity-reconnecting us to the natural world each and every day. Mindful Thoughts for Birdwatchers presents a meaningful flock of enriching thoughts on the interconn...
"In the last 25 years, planetary science experienced a revolution, as vast oceans of liquid water have been discovered within the heart of the icy moons of our Solar System. These subsurface oceans lie hidden under thick layers of ice. We call them o...
"Created for map lovers by map lovers, this rich book explores the intriguing stories behind maps across history and illuminates how the art of cartography thrives today. In this visually stunning book, award-winning journalists Betsy Mason and Greg....
"Scotland's mountains and glens retain the secrets of the long and frequently violent geological history that has gone into their making. Volcanoes have played a major role in the creation of Scotland and while the youngest, a mere sixty million years...
"Most mountains on Earth occur within relatively well-defined, narrow belts separated by wide expanses of much lower-lying ground. Their distribution is not random but is caused by the now well-understood geological processes of plate tectonics. Some...
"A great many theorists have argued that the defining feature of modernity is that people no longer believe in spirits, myths, or magic. Jason Ā. Josephson-Storm argues that as broad cultural history goes, this narrative is wrong, as attempts to suppress...
"Our world is made of rock. Those who live in a landscape where rock outcrops are obvious will have wondered about the kind of rock they are looking at and how they came to be where they are now. Graham Park explains in simple terms what geology can tell...
Bestselling author Marcus Chown explores some of the most profound and important science about us, our world and the universe with fifty fascinating and mind-boggling facts.Did you know that you could fit the whole human race in the volume of a sugar...
Today we are blessed with two extraordinarily successful theories of physics. The first is Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which describes the large-scale behaviour of matter in a curved spacetime. This theory is the basis for the sta...
Ever since Darwin, we have used the metaphor of the 'tree of life' to explain evolution, but this metaphor no longer holds up. Genes don't just move vertically, they can also pass laterally across species boundaries, known as 'horizontal gene transfer'...
"The astonishing science of black holes and their role in understanding the history and future of our universe. Black holes are the most extreme objects in the universe, and yet they are ubiquitous. Every massive star leaves behind a black hole when it...
"The fascinating lives and puzzling demise of some of the largest animals on earth. Until a few thousand years ago, creatures that could have been from a sci-fi thriller--including gorilla-sized lemurs, 800-pound birds, crocodiles that weighed a ton ...
"Wellington was only a fledgling settlement of some 3000 people when it was struck by a cluster of devastating earthquakes in 1848. The fearful violence of the shocks, the destruction of property, and the frequency and continuance of the danger caus...
Mitochondria are tiny structures within all our cells, believed to have once evolved from bacteria living independent lives. Drawing on cutting edge research, this book explores the fundamental role they play in some of the biggest themes in biology:...
"Most people enjoy maths - the problem is they don't know that they do. This revolutionary and accessible exploration of the role of mathematics as an historical aide to human activity will change the general public's relationship to numbers for the ...
"As historian James Belich put it: ̀There is little doubt that Cook has been emphasised to the unfair exclusion of the massive French contribution to European knowledge of New Zealand.' This book seeks to redress this balance, drawing in the main on ...
"How do magnets work? What is the theory of relativity all about? Is light made of waves or particles? And how on earth can a levitating goat teach us about atomic structure? In this age of smartphones, artificial intelligence, supercolliders, superc...
"Why is a rainbow curved? Why aren't left-handers extinct? How is a sunflower like a synchronised swimmer? Why is 'e' a magic number? The answer to these questions is contained within one simple word: MATHS. Because maths is all about patterns, and...
"Most of us think of Darwin at work on The Beagle, taking inspiration for his theory of evolution from his travels in the Galapagos. But Darwin published his Origin of Species nearly thirty years after his voyages and most of his labours in that time...
"Mathematics stories from Quanta Magazine."--Publisher's description.
Pebble hunting is a pleasant and health-giving hobby, whether pursued on a beach, the lake-side, or the river-bank, and all but those who are nearing the last stages of decrepitude can enjoy it. With a new introduction by Robert MacFarlane. First published...
"A rollicking yet rigorous inquiry that follows the science of germs into the kitchen, restaurant, and everywhere else you eat and drink. Have you ever dropped a chip on the ground, picked it up after five seconds--then eaten it? Or debated which spreads...
"The Brief Life of Flowers is an ode to the flowers that fill our countrysides, our woodlands and our homes. Part nature writing, part memoir, Fiona Stafford explores Britain's flora, as well as the literature and lore that surrounds it. From snowdrops...
The genetic history of the dog is a sensational example of the co-evolution of two species, man and wolf, to each other's mutual benefit. But how did this ancient partnership begin? To answer this question, Professor Bryan Sykes identifies tantalising...
When invading a host cell, viruses seize cell machinery to make copies of their own genes. The immune system recognizes the invasion. In contrast, retroviruses colonize host cells through the process of reverse transcriptase. Retroviruses open host cell...
"The unique Haynes insight into Mars, providing a sister title to Earth Manual and Moon Manual. The recent Ridley Scott/Matt Damon film The Martian, the discovery of water (ice) on the planets surface and NASAs plans for manned Mars exploration have all...
A field guide to the rainforest tree and shrubs of Victoria, New South Wales and Victoria using vegetative characters. A second edition of the book published in 2006, which was an update of the "Red Book", first published in 1984.
A natural history of the wilderness in our homes, from the microbes in our showers to the crickets in our basements.
A bedside book for nature lovers, this gathers science and lore, natural history and wit and wisdom, into a day-by-day wander through the year.
"Native New Zealand Flowering Plants is a comprehensive guide to New Zealand's richly diverse and exceptionally beautiful array of flowing plants. Over 600 species are included - from well-known and often cultivated trees and shrubs such as pohutukawas...
"Definitive field guide to all of New Zealand's tuatara, geckos, skinks, frogs, marine turtles and marine snakes"--Publisher information.
"An appreciation of the 'fascial' network in health and disease has been an integral part of osteopathic practice for more than a century, but it is only recently that the details of its structure have been recognized. Tom Myers described a system of...
"Since its foundation in 1860, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History's world-renowned collections have become a key centre for scientific study and its much-loved building an important icon for visitors from around the world.0The museum now...
Charles Darwin's famous theory of natural selection shook the world of science to its core, challenging centuries of orthodox beliefs about life itself. Darwin's boundary-shattering treatise was captured in On the Origin of Species, originally published...
"Exciting physics doesn't just shwo up in billion-dollar experiments like the Large Hadron Collider or in extreme astrophysical environments like black holes. It's to be found all around us, just beneath the surface of our normal everyday lives. ... ...
"From the mating grounds of Ecuador's cock-of-the-rock to the phoebe nest outside his suburban back door, Eli J. Knapp explores the roller-coaster ride of sharing Nature with the next generation. Along the way, he laughs at misfortune, marvels at Nat...
"Polly Pullar saw her first pine marten during her childhood in Ardnamurchan - a remote, wild area of the Scottish Highlands. Then exceedingly rare, this ... member of the weasel family had been persecuted to near extinction. Years later, as the mart...
"Kiwi, kākāpō, takahē, moa, tūī – these birds, and many others, are unique to Aotearoa New Zealand, and famous throughout the world. It was the 1873 publication of Walter Buller’s A History of the Birds of New Zealand that introduced overseas readers...
A new, beautifully illustrated edition of David Attenborough's groundbreaking Life on Earth. David Attenborough's meeting with gorillas was one of the most unforgettable moments for millions of television viewers. With Life on Earth, Attenborough created...
Traces the efforts of an elite scientific team who tested Einstein's theory of relativity during a historic mission to photograph a black hole, addressing key questions about time, space, and the nature of the universe.
"Largely shell-less relatives of clams and snails, the marine mollusks in the class Cephalopoda--Greek for head-foot --are colorful creatures of many-armed dexterity, often inky self-defense, and highly evolved cognition. They are capable of learning,...
"Bats have been misunderstood and maligned in the West for centuries. Unfair associations with demons have seen their leathery wings adorn numerous evil characters, from the Devil to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But these amazing animals are ecological sup...
"Written by experts with extensive local knowledge, each volume features 100 -280 species that the amateur naturalist might expect to see in the field, with high quality photographs accompanied by detailed species descriptions that include common nam...
"Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. A Short History of Nearly Everything is his quest to understand everything that has happened from...
"From the barely-visible wings of the flightless kiwi to the immense wingspan of the wandering albatross, New Zealand's fragile island ecosystem is home to a diverse array of spectacular birds. Delve into the fascinating world of our feathered friends...
"Darkness divides opinion. Some are frightened of the dark, or at least prefer to avoid it, and there are many who dislike what it appears to stand for. Others are drawn to its strange domain, delighting in its uncertainties, lured by all the associations...
How well do you know our closest neighbour? The moon has fascinated humankind since the beginning of history. But far from being just a big rock out in space, the moon has a phenomenal power over the earth, with it's ability to create great waves, dictate...
"The true story of the explosion of the Mount Toba supervolcano, the largest eruption in the past 28 million years, and its lasting impact on Earth and human evolution."--
"For the first time, this extraordinary compilation showcases weird, mysterious and bizarre plants from around the world. Plants trick, kill, steal and kidnap, and this unique book explores a fascinating world in which plants have turned the tables on...
"At once reptilian and avian, dinosaurs enable us to imagine a world far beyond the usual boundaries of time, culture and physiology. We have envisioned them in diverse and contradictory ways, reflecting, in part, our changing conceptions of ourselves....
From the bestselling author of Acquainted with the Night comes a brilliant and witty look at weather. We live at the bottom of an ocean of air - 5,200 million million tons, to be exact. It sounds like a lot, but Earth's atmosphere is smeared onto its...
"Immersed in a world of sprawling concrete and hyper-advancing technology, we can begin to see the natural landscape as a thing of the past. All the more reason, suggests Bob Collier, a self-professed nature lover, to set out on the often- unrecognized...
"Human beings are important, especially to themselves! But as science advances, it has become increasingly clear that we are less special and more natural than many people have long believed. This book shows how, as we finally look at ourselves honestly...
"Almost 4,000 clear and concise entries; Defines terms used in physics as well as terms from the related fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and physical chemistry; Over 200 new entries, including Feshbach resonance, mean field theory, nanomechanics, and...
It is hard to overstate just how unusual Europe was towards the end of the age of the dinosaurs. It was a dynamic island arc whose individual landmasses were made up of diverse geological types, including ancient continental fragments, raised segments...
"Are we more like termites than we ever imagined? In Underbug, the award-winning journalist Lisa Margonelli introduces us to the enigmatic creatures that collectively outweigh human beings ten to one and consume $40 billion worth of valuable stuff an...
"In this tie-in to their popular 'The Skeptics Guide to the Universe' podcast, Steven Novella, along with 'Skeptical Rogues' Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Jay Novella and Evan Bernstein explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the...
"The illegal killing of Cecil – a famous and magnificent black-maned Zimbabwean lion – by an American big-game hunter in 2015 sparked international outrage. More significantly, it drew the world's attention to the devastating plight of Africa's lions....
"Sharks are exquisite creatures refined and honed by competitive forces that have lived in balance with ocean prey for millions of years. They live in every ocean habitat on Earth, from shallow tide pools to the deep abyss, and from the open ocean to...
"The wild boar appears to us as something straight out of a myth. But as Jeffrey Greene learned, these creatures are very real, living by night and, despite shrinking habitats and hordes of hunters, thriving on six continents. Greene purchased an...
In 'Blueprint', behavioral geneticist Robert Plomin describes how the DNA revolution has made DNA personal by giving us the power to predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses from birth. A century of genetic research shows that DNA differenc...
"Metamorphic rocks are one of the three main types of rock. Originally comprising either igneous or sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks are the products of change by heat and pressure, often at great depths in the earth’s crust, into a completely new...
"First bilingual, easy to use bird guide for Terengganu. Highlighting the best birdwatching locations in the state. Complete and up to date checklist of the 463 birds found in Terengganu."--Publisher description.
Traces the migrations of thousands of monarch butterflies who fly from as far north as Canada to fifty forested acres in Mexico each year.
"A hiking trail through majestic mountains. A raw, unpeopled wilderness stretching as far as the eye can see. These are the settings we associate with our most famous books about nature. But Gavin Van Horn isn't most nature writers. He lives and works...
"Tim Radford takes us from the launch of the Voyager spacecraft [in 1977] and how it furthered our undesrtanding of planets, stars and galaxies, to the planet composed entirely of diamond and graphite and the sound of a blacksmith's anvil; from the hole...
"In the mysterious and pristine forests of the tropics, a wealth of ethnobotanical panaceas and shamanic knowledge promises cures for everything from cancer and AIDS to the common cold. To access such miracles, we need only to discover and protect th...
"Perhaps nothing about nature calls to us as deeply as wild animals. To see an enormous whale leaping out of the water, the eerily human eyes of a gorilla, or the comical waddle of a penguin; to hear the ethereal howl of a wolf or majestic roar of a ...
"National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery reflects on the personalities and quirks of 13 animals--her friends--who have profoundly affected her in this stunning, poetic, and life-affirming memoir featuring illustrations by Rebecca Green. Understand...
"A humorous, lighthearted account of a father and son's Big Year traveling across the country and abroad on a birdwatching quest"--
Discover the extraordinary diversity of the plant world - and how plants work - with this photographic celebration of the trees, flowers, and foliage plants that share our planet. From tiny mosses and delicate ferns to vibrant blooms and stately palms,...
"Zombification isn't just the stuff of movies and TV shows like The Walking Dead. It's real, and it's happening all around us, from wasps and crickets to dogs and moose--and even humans. In Plight of the Living Dead, science journalist Matt Simon documents...
"Until now, popular science has relegated the atom to a supporting role in defining the different chemical elements of the periodic table. This bold new title places its subject centre stage, shining the spotlight directly onto the structure and properties...
"The world-famous cosmologist and #1 bestselling author of A Brief History of Time leaves us with his final thoughts on the universe's biggest questions in this brilliant posthumous work. How did the universe begin? Will humanity survive on Earth? Is...
"Michael Quetting shares the heartwarming true story of how he became a father to seven rambunctious goslings--and the surprising things he learned along the way. Starting at the beginning, with the eggs, the journey takes the geese from the comfort of...
"Marine biologist Micheline Jenner discovered humpback breeding grounds off the Kimberley coast, uncovered pygmy blue whale feeding spots and, with her husband Curt, is one of very few people to witness a humpback whale giving birth. In 'The secret life...
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and writer-researcher Avis Lang examine how the methods and tools of astrophysics have been enlisted in the service of war. "The overlap is strong, and the knowledge flows in both directions," say the authors, becau...
What Shape is Space?" is a question with surprisingly far-reaching implications for our understanding of the very nature of reality and our place within it. The concepts involved may be sophisticated, but Giles Sparrow's effortless prose style easily...
"The Golden Ratio examines the presence of this divine number in art and architecture throughout history, as well as its ubiquity among plants, animals, and even the cosmos. This gorgeous book—with layflat dimensions that closely approximate the gold...
"In this new edition Samir Ikasha reviews the main themes of contemporary philosophy of science. Beginning with a brief account of the history of modern science, he asks whether there is a discernible pattern to the way scientific ideas change over time....
"Formed from the debris of the Big Bang and long-dead stars, Earth has been both a hellish modern blob and a giant snowball. For a billion years it nurtured strange lifeforms before committing a global genocide. In doing so, it created the conditions...
"In 2012, a New York City auction made an unusual offering: `a superb Tyrannosaurus skeleton'. In fact, Lot 49135 consisted of a nearly complete T. bataar, a close cousin to T. rex, the most famous animal that ever lived. The fossils now on display i...
"Put your mathematical muscle to the test with this entertaining and essential guide to 50 of the world's greatest problems. Can you explain Fermat's Last Theorem? What is the shape of the Universe? And how do you add up to infinity? Challenge yourself...
Did you know that trees can influence the rotation of the earth? Or that wolves can alter the course of a river? Or that earthworms control wild boar populations? The natural world is a web of intricate connections, many of which go unnoticed by humans....
"The story of the Universe is written in the light that travels through it – light that we can capture. Nearly everything we know about how the Universe works on its grandest scale comes from the analysis of the light – photons – that may have travelled...
"A hilarious reeducation in mathematics -- full of joy, jokes, and stick figures -- that sheds light on the countless practical and wonderful ways that math structures and shapes our world. [Here], Ben Orlin reveals to us what math actually is; its m...
"Sometimes explosive, often delightful, occasionally poisonous, but always fascinating: the secret lives of liquids, from one of our best-known scientistsA series of glasses of transparent liquids is in front of you: but which will quench your thirst...
Was this page useful?
How can we improve this page?