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Nature and Science December 2018
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| Hello World: Being Human in the Age of Algorithms by Hannah FryWhat it's about: Mathematician Hannah Fry explains what algorithms are, how they work, and why they matter.
For fans of: Virginia Eubanks' Automating Inequality, John Cheney-Lippold's We Are Data.
Book buzz: Hello World was shortlisted for the 2018 Royal Society Investment Science Book Prize. |
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| The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London by Christopher SkaifeIntroducing: Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London.
What does he do? Straife is the Tower of London's Ravenmaster, responsible for the care of the Tower's seven resident ravens, who all have names and distinctive personalities.
Did you know? One of the Tower's seven ravens, Merlina, has become a celebrity, thanks to her intelligence and love of pranks (including a convincing ability to play dead). |
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| Chilled: How Refrigeration Changed the World, and Might Do So Again by Tom JacksonWhat it's about: Science writer Tom Jackson traces the multi-millennial history of artificial refrigeration from the ice pits of the ancient Persian Empire to today's "cold chain," the food industry's "temperature-controlled transport corridor" that links farms, fishing boats, supermarkets, and consumers.
Did you know? Refrigeration is responsible for more than midnight snacks! It has also made possible such scientific breakthroughs as in vitro fertilization, superconductors, and penicillin. |
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| Heat: Adventures in the World's Fiery Places by Bill StreeverWhat it's about: Biologist Bill Streever, author of the bestselling Cold, embarks on a wide-ranging discussion of heat in all its forms.
Why you might like it: Whether hiking through Death Valley, California, or cooking popcorn on lava in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Streever leaves no stone unturned in his quest to understand heat.
Want a taste? "After an hour, our gallon of water has become a half gallon. The breeze has died. I begin to wish that we had told someone where we were going." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Richmond Public Library 101 E. Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219 (804)646-7223
rvalibrary.org
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