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Nature and Science April 2019
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| Europe: A Natural History by Tim FlanneryWelcome to: Europe, the tropical archipelago that formed 100 million years ago and, following floods, ice ages, and other events, transformed into the geographically and biologically diverse region we know today.
Look for: the "hell pigs" of the Oligocene period, the two-foot long proto-hedgehog Deinogalerix, and Europe's first hominids -- the human-Neanderthal hybrids that colonized the continent 38,000 years ago.
What's next? Confronting the existential threats of climate change, according to Australian author and paleontologist Tim Flannery. |
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| Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction by Judith GriselWhat it's about: a behavioral neuroscientist with a history of substance abuse examines addiction from a scientific and personal perspective.
Media buzz: Author Judith Grisel appeared on NPR's Fresh Air to discuss both the book and her experiences with addiction.
Food for thought: Grisel notes, "The opposite of addiction, I have learned, is not sobriety but choice." |
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| No Beast So Fierce: The Terrifying True Story of the Champawat Tiger, The Deadliest Animal... by Dane HuckelbridgeWhat it's about: the notorious Champawat Tiger, which killed more than 400 people in Nepal in the early 1900s -- and the intrepid hunter that tracked her down and killed her.
Read it for: a suspenseful account of the hunt, evocative descriptions of the tiger's territory, and reflections on environmental issues.
For fans of: John Vaillant's The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival. |
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| Figuring by Maria PopovaWhat it is: a lyrical exploration of the connections between great minds throughout history.
Why you might like it: Starting with Johannes Kepler and concluding with Rachel Carson, Figuring's discursive narrative follows an idiosyncratic, erudite path that blends science and art.
About the author: Maria Popova is the creator of the popular and expansively multidisciplinary Brain Pickings blog. |
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| Humanimal: How Homo Sapiens Became Nature's Most Paradoxical Creature... by Adam RutherfordWhat it is: a thought-provoking look at human evolution that examines similarities and differences between humans and other species.
Reviewers say: "a refreshing and perspective-altering view of the complex history of life on Earth" (Publishers Weekly).
About the author: Geneticist and science journalist Adam Rutherford is the author of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived. |
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Focus on: Artificial Intelligence
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The master algorithm : how the quest for the ultimate learning machine will remake our world
by Pedro Domingos
What it is: describes the quest to find the Master Algorithm, which will take machine learning to the next level, allowing computers to learn how to solve not just particular problems but any problem.
Reviewers say: "The subject is meaty and the author....has a knack for introducing concepts at the right time." (The Economist)
About the author: A Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. Main interests: machine learning and data mining.
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Team human
by Douglas Rushkoff
What it's about: argues that we are essentially social creatures and that we achieve our greatest aspirations when we work together—not as individuals.
Why you might like it: "Being social may be the whole point. We achieve our greatest aspirations when we work together."
About the author: A media theorist and Professor of Media Studies at the City University of New York's Queens College. His books include: Present Shock, Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus, and Life Inc.
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Genius weapons : artificial intelligence, autonomous weaponry, and the future of warfare
by Louis A. Del Monte
What it is: describes the ever-increasing role of artificial intelligence in weapons development, the ethical dilemmas these weapons pose, and the potential threat to humanity.
What sets it apart: Uses vivid scenarios that immerse the reader in the ethical dilemmas and existential threats posed by lethal autonomous weapon systems.
About the author: An award winning physicist and inventor. His books include: Unraveling the Universe's Mysteries, How to Time Travel, and Artificial Intelligence Revolution.
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