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Nature and Science February 2020
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| Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time by Gaia VinceWhat it does: Examines human evolution through four key "drivers": Fire, Language, Beauty and Time, while arguing that it is collective culture, not individual intelligence, that sets humans apart.
About the author: Journalist Gaia Vince won the Royal Society Insight Investment Prize for her debut, Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet We Made.
For fans of: Diane Ackerman's The Human Age. |
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| SAM: One Robot, a Dozen Engineers, and the Race to Revolutionize the Way We Build by Jonathan WaldmanIntroducing: SAM (short for "semi-automated mason") and the team of engineers who built this innovative brick-laying machine.
Why you might like it: Recounting SAM's journey from rough concept to prototype (after prototype after prototype...), this richly detailed book offers both an illuminating look at the technological aspects of construction and an absorbing account of a family-run start up. |
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| Snow: A Scientific and Cultural Exploration by Giles WhittellWhat it is: a wide-ranging, trivia-rich guide to the white stuff by a self-proclaimed "snow addict."
What you'll learn about: the number of snowflakes that fall each year, the science of avalanches, the history of snow in art, the filming of the opening scene of The Spy Who Loved Me, and the estimated date that climate change will finally put an end to snow.
Reviewers say: This book is "downright giddy with enthusiasm for its subject" (The Boston Globe). |
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Imagination : the science of your mind's greatest power
by Jim Davies
A psychology professor whose previous works examined the science of emotions and religion investigates the complex science of imagination by discussing the inner-workings of the human mind offering ways in which imagination can make us both happier and more productive.
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Moths : a complete guide to biology and behavior
by David Conway Lees
An illustrated guide to the biology, evolution and history of the common, winged insect that explores its life cycle, color and wing patterns and the surprisingly ruthless tactics some species used to survive, like cannibalism and blood-sucking.
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The Seine : the river that made Paris
by Elaine Sciolino
The former New York Times Paris bureau chief and author of the best-selling The Only Street in Paris presents a vibrant tour of the Seine that traces its rich history and the stories of contributors from all walks of life.
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How charts lie : getting smarter about visual information
by Alberto Cairo
A visualization expert explains how charts and graphs can mislead and deceive by showing incomplete or inaccurate data and suggesting patterns that don’t exist to help support and promote a person or entity’s agenda.
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Cat Tale : The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther
by Craig Pittman
The award-winning journalist and author of the best-selling Oh, Florida! traces the story of the unlikely rescue of the Florida panther from extinction while revealing the political factors and colorful personalities that are impacting the species today.
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And many more! Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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