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Nature and Science February 2026 |
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Cells: The Illustrated Story of Life
by Christian Sardet
For fans of The Song of the Cell--a profusely, creatively illustrated journey through the origins and evolution of the building blocks of life, from an award-winning biologist and illustrator
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Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth
by Karen G. Lloyd
Microbial biogeochemist Karen G. Lloyd introduces us to a mind-bending branch of science in her debut. It turns out that most life on Earth is composed of microbes living beneath the Earth’s crust or the ocean floors, derives energy from chemicals rather than light, and might have the ability to survive for eons. Science readers will be enthralled by these ideas that “defy assumptions about the laws of nature” (Publishers Weekly).
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Is Anyone Listening? What Animals Are Saying to Each Other and to Us
by Denise L. Herzing
Denise L. Herzing, a marine biologist involved in the Wild Dolphin Project, details her fascinating work analyzing dolphin sounds, the patterns of which suggest that these animals might have developed a primitive form of grammar. The use of AI promises further insight into this behavior, as well as the possibility of inter-species communication. Looking for other surprising stories about animal intelligence? Try Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal.
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Lost Animals, Disappearing Worlds: Stories of Extinction
by Barbara Allen
This book presents thirty-one extinct species through personal portraits. The intimate approach not only highlights each particular species but also explores the broader implications of losing a species forever. How do we honor such a loss? Can we grieve for species we never knew? These animals range from the well-known passenger pigeon, thylacine, and great auk, to lesser-known creatures like the Arabian ostrich, Saint Helena earwig, and Bramble Cay melomys. Through her poignant portraits, Barbara Allen not only tugs on the heartstrings but also aims to inspire readers to protect vulnerable and endangered species today, motivating us to play a positive role in conserving our planet s biodiversity.--
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Math Cats: Scratching the Surface of Mathematical Concepts
by Daniel M. Look
Math + cats = an infinitely more entertaining exploration of the concepts and principles that are the foundation of our understanding of mathematics. In Math Cats, mathematician and professor Daniel Look, along with a clowder of his feline friends, reveals the charming connections between mathematics and cats with 22 fun and fur-filled lessons. We know all cats are cute, but only some are acute. Others are obtuse (no offense) and more are always right (and never let you forget it), as you'll learn by exploring how kitties represent different types of angles. When they curl out for a mid-day catnap, they perfectly represent the concept of a golden spiral. And when they squeeze into too small boxes or balls, they're providing a geometric lesson in topological equivalence. Packed with illustrations, this collection of proofs, theorems, and formulas is equal parts delightful and educational, and perfectly sized for your own cat to knock off our bookshelf.
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Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness
by David Attenborough
Award-winning broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough and longtime collaborator Colin Butfield present a ... call to action focused on our planet's oceans, exploring how critical this habitat is for the survival of humanity and the earth's future--Provided by publisher.
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The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us About the Power of the Female Body
by Starre Vartan
Science writer Starre Vartan, like many women, grew up believing what she had always been told: that women were weaker than men. Not so, according to her book and a decade’s worth of research, which shows that women tend to outperform men in several areas, including endurance, flexibility, and longevity. The Stronger Sex is a valuable, corrective study that asks “why testosterone is considered an unfair advantage” (Publishers Weekly). For fans of: The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women by Sharon Moalem.
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A Year with the Seals: Unlocking the Secrets of the Sea's Most Charismatic and Controversial Creatures
by Alix Morris
It might be their large, strangely human eyes or their dog-like playfulness, but seals have long captured people's interest and affection, making them the perfect candidate for an environmental cause, as well as the subject of decades of study. Alix Morris spends a year with these magnetic creatures and brings them to life on the page, season by season, as she learns about their intelligence, their relationships with each other, their ecosystems, and the changing climate. Morris also gets to know all of the competing interests in the intense debate about the newly recovered seal populations in our coastal waters, from local fishermen whose catch is often diminished by savvy seals, to tribes who once relied on seal-hunting for food, clothing, and medicine, to seal rescue workers and biologists, to surfers and swimmers now encountering seal-hunting sharks in coastal waters. A Year with the Seals is a rare look at what happens when conservation efforts actually work, and how human tampering with ecosystems continues to have unexpected consequences--
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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