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Nature and Science April 2026 |
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| 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them by Ashely Alker, MDAs a physician specializing in emergency services, Ashely Alker knows a thing or two about the myriad ways that humans can perish. Including pithy advice about how to avoid premature death and job-related anecdotes that are unsettling, funny, and flat-out scary, Alker’s book is “enormously informative and exceedingly entertaining” (Library Journal). For another witty read about dark topics, try The Chick and the Dead: Life and Death Behind Mortuary Doors by Carla Valentine. |
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Under a Metal Sky: A Journey Through Minerals, Greed, and Wonder
by Philip Marsden
Discover the wonders and perils of the earth's precious metals--what they have offered us as humans, and how they've forever changed our relationship with the world around us The ground beneath our feet is full of riches: the ocher that allowed prehistoric humans to paint on cave walls; the tin that drove the early Industrial Revolution; radium, the source of Marie Curie's wonder; and lithium, the essential mineral of modern life found in our mobile phones and laptops. Each of these minerals has a story to tell, and each has its place in the broader story of human history. Under a Metal Sky takes us on a journey across the peat-rich Dutch lowlands, through Prague and Bohemia, and on to the gold-rich mountains of Georgia. Along the way, Philip Marsden uncovers the strange and colorful histories of alchemy, scientific revolution, industrialization, and technological innovation, peopled by figures like the Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II, Goethe, Marie Curie, and William Blake. But alongside wonder and inspiration, there has also been plunder and heedless exploitation, the consequences of which have set us on a path toward our own extinction. Beautifully written and wildly mind-expanding, Under a Metal Sky seamlessly blends travel writing, cultural history, and geology. Who knew the history of rocks could be such a page-turner?
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Crush: Close Encounters with Gravity
by James Riordon
The story of the mysterious force that shapes our lives, from Newton's apple and our bathroom scale to black holes, dark matter, and beyond-- Provided by publisher.
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What Did Dinosaurs Think About?
by Jean Le Loeuff
Reveals the fascinating behaviors and social lives of dinosaurs.What do we truly know about the intelligence of dinosaurs? In What Did Dinosaurs Think About? paleontologist Jean Le Loeuff takes us beyond these captivating animals' cinematic portrayals in Jurassic Park to illustrate how these creatures truly lived, hunted, socialized, and survived.Based on the latest paleontological discoveries, Le Loeuff examines dinosaur intelligence, social behaviors, and sensory experiences, offering a fresh view of their world. Could T. rex truly smell its prey from miles away? How did Triceratops and Velociraptors interact with each other and their environments? And could some dinosaurs communicate with sounds--or even colors? With advancements like CT scans and 3D imaging, scientists are uncovering new insights into dinosaur brains, senses, and vocalizations. Le Loeuff explores topics like the intricate structure of the dinosaur brain, the colors and patterns of their skin, and what their fossilized footprints reveal about their social lives. Readers will also learn how today's birds and reptiles provide clues to the habits and behaviors of their ancient relatives. From the scaly giants that roamed prehistoric landscapes to the swift predators that stalked their prey under moonlight, this fascinating book offers a captivating glimpse into the lives of these extraordinary animals.
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| Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad: The Biology and Conservation of North America's Favorite... by Zackary A. GrahamThey may be creepy and crawly, but there are plenty of reasons to be fascinated by crayfish, or crawfish, or crawdads -- take your pick. With species scattered across North America’s freshwater habitats, these clever critters are essential for ecosystem development and as vital food chain links. Biology professor Zackary A. Graham enthusiastically relates efforts to save them from endangerment caused by climate change and habitat destruction in his impassioned debut book. |
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The Scale of the Universe
by Jeffrey Bennett
Have you ever wondered how big the universe really is, or how we fit into it? These questions have been asked throughout history by people of virtually every race, religion, culture, and nationality. Indeed, they seem integral to the human experience, which probably explains why children everywhere love to learn about our planet and space. This book is designed to help you understand the evidence-based answers that modern science now gives us to these ancient questions, along with the implications that these answers may hold for us as a species. The book opens with a remarkable image from the James Webb Space Telescope that encapsulates thousands of galaxies spread over more than 13 billion years of time. Two chapters then focus on the structure and scale of space as we work our way outward from Earth to the solar system, galaxy, and the universe as a whole. The book then follows with a chapter that covers our cosmic origins from the Big Bang to the present, along with ways of making sense of the scale of time. A final chapter summarize the key lessons learned. The book uses a Q&A format with two levels of questions: a first level that covers the key ideas of scale, and a second level that provides a deeper level of insight. It also incorporates an extensive set of endnotes, designated as Teacher Notes because they are designed to help K-12 teachers (and other readers looking for greater depth) understand background information that will be helpful when discussing the topics in this book with students. No matter whether you are a teacher, student, parent, or general reader, The Scale of the Universe will leave you constantly amazed as you learn the true meaning of the word astronomical. You'll also come away with a new cosmic perspective that will permanently change how you view our planet, our species, and yourself. Rarely has such a short book offered such life-changing new perspectives.
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| Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture by Dr. Charles KnowlesIn his accessible debut, British medical professor Charles Knowles breaks down the science behind humans’ enduring fascination with drinking alcohol and explains why the urge to over-consume is all too common. Far from a sobriety diatribe, Knowles instead presents a straightforward summary of alcohol’s effects alongside the chilling story of how it nearly destroyed his own life, urging drinkers to retain perspective on their habit. Try this next: Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction by Judith Grisel. |
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When Worlds Quake: The Quest to Understand the Interior of Earth and Beyond
by Hrvoje Tkalčic
How earthquakes can reveal the subsurface secrets of our planet and other worlds When Worlds Quake is a fascinating account of how scientists around the globe seek to use quakes to answer tantalizing questions about the structure and inner dynamics of our planet and to discover the deepest secrets of our nearest neighbors in the solar system. Briefly traversing the history of seismology, Hrvoje Tkalic describes the women and men who sought to understand major seismic events--from the catastrophic 1556 Shaanxi earthquake and the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906 to more recent events such as the 2020 earthquakes in Tkalic's native Croatia--and thus shaped the field. Modern global seismologists now not only study the behavior of earthquakes but also use seismic waves as tools to image Earth's deep interior. To do this work, they need seismographs positioned around the globe, including in remote, challenging regions. Tkalic takes the reader along on his own daring expeditions to install seismographs and collect seismic wave data from the wilds of the Australian Outback to the rough depths of the Southern Ocean, and even farther afield--to the Moon and Mars, where quakes can be used to image the interiors of these worlds. A riveting and often personal narrative about the cutting-edge science of global and planetary seismology, When Worlds Quake reveals how quakes can help scientists to understand the mysterious inner architecture and ongoing evolution of our planet, as well as worlds beyond our own.
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Ocean: From the Shore to the Abyss
by Asha De Vos
A stunning visual journey from the shoreline to the ocean's depths--celebrating the sheer diversity of life beneath the waves.
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Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age
by Lori Garver
Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver recounts how she took on the greed and corrupt politics of the US space program, inciting the expansion of space exploration into the private sector and paving the way for space pirates like Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk
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Back to the Moon: The Next Giant Leap for Humankind
by Joseph Silk
A scientist's inspiring vision of our return to the Moon as humanity's next thrilling step in space exploration Just over half a century since Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the lunar surface, a new space race to the Moon is well underway and rapidly gaining momentum. Laying out a vision for the next fifty years, Back to the Moon is astrophysicist Joseph Silk's persuasive and impassioned case for putting scientific discovery at the forefront of lunar exploration. The Moon offers opportunities beyond our wildest imaginings, and plans to return are rapidly gaining momentum around the world. NASA aims to build a habitable orbiting space station to coordinate lunar development and exploration, while European and Chinese space agencies are planning lunar villages and the mining of precious resources dwindling here on Earth. Powerful international and commercial interests are driving the race to revisit the Moon, but lunar infrastructures could also open breathtaking vistas onto the cosmos. Silk describes how the colonization of the Moon could usher in a thrilling new age of scientific exploration, and lays out what the next fifty years of lunar science might look like. With lunar telescopes of unprecedented size situated in permanently dark polar craters and on the far side of the Moon, we could finally be poised to answer some of the most profound questions confronting humankind, including whether we are alone in the Universe and what our cosmic origins are. Addressing both the daunting challenges and the immense promise of lunar exploration and exploitation, Back to the Moon reveals how prioritizing science, and in particular lunar astronomy, will enable us to address the deepest cosmic mysteries.
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The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
by Loren Grush
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots--a group then made up exclusively of men--had the right stuff. ... Eventually, though, NASA realized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000, six elite women were selected in 1978: Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. In [this book], ... journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic--and sometimes deeply sexist--media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit--
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Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change
by Cady Coleman
An inspiring, insightful read about how to overcome insecurities, build bonds, and break barriers. There's no bigger childhood dream than becoming an astronaut, and there's no bigger adult aspiration than becoming more like Cady Coleman. This is an inside look at what it's like to be in outer space--and a guide to leading a meaningful life.--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again In 2010, Cady Coleman boarded a rocket and blasted off into space for her third NASA mission, a six-month expedition to the International Space Station where she was the only woman on her six-person crew. After years spent overcoming obstacles in competitive, high-performance environments, including grappling with her own doubts and training in a spacesuit that was too big, Coleman became a success story in a role that wasn't built with her in mind--an astronaut who is also a mother, Air Force colonel, scientist, and leader. Her determination and amazing experiences give her a unique perspective on how to set yourself up for success, in space and here on Earth. In Sharing Space, Cady shares counterintuitive insights integral to her success, such as how to know when to adapt and when to press for change instead, how to leverage insecurities to beat expectations, and how to be the glue that holds a disparate team together, shaping it to thrive. Illustrated with stories from her life and training, Cady takes readers from meteorite hunting in Antarctica to launching a $1.6 billion telescope into space to the wonder of spending six months living and working in zero gravity. This book will inspire anyone eager to escape a box in which they have been (wrongly) placed and to develop the confidence to succeed, even when they're not an obvious fit.
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Rochester Hills Public Library
500 Olde Towne Rd
Rochester, Michigan 48307
248-656-2900www.rhpl.org/ |
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