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Nature and Science August 2026 |
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| Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air by Ann CarlsonWhen Ann Carlson moved to Los Angeles as a child, the smog was so thick that her mother was unaware of L.A.’s surrounding mountains until an exceptionally windy day revealed them. Carlson, a UCLA environmental law professor, explains how her hometown has dramatically improved its air quality since the ‘70s through persistent collaborative efforts to curb pollution sources. For more solution-centered ideas about climate and the environment, try Purified: How Recycled Sewage Is Transforming Our Water by Peter Annin. |
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| Nightfaring: In Search of the Disappearing Darkness by Megan Eaves-EgenesThere is nothing much simpler, more beautiful, or more terrifying in nature than darkness, yet Earth is increasingly bathed in 24-hour artificial light, disrupting circadian rhythms, invading habitats, and obscuring our view of the stars. Travel writer Megan Eaves-Egenes, following a year marked by personal trauma, journeys to dark-sky locations around the globe, sees the Milky Way in all its glory, learns about Indigenous astronomy, and discovers the healing power of the dark, expressed with “sumptuous, confessional storytelling” (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Madness Pill: One Doctor's Quest to Understand Schizophrenia by Justin GarsonPhilosopher Justin Garson’s biography of Dr. Solomon Snyder, a pharmacology professor at Johns Hopkins University, examines Snyder’s research in the 1970s and '80s to isolate the cause of schizophrenia. Although Snyder’s research ultimately failed, he instead discovered the brain’s dopamine receptors, which would in turn lead to the development of a range of useful psychoactive drugs and forever change the practice of psychopharmacology. Read-alike: Lithium: A Doctor, a Drug, and a Breakthrough by Walter A. Brown. |
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| In Defense of Sunlight: The Surprising Science of Sun Exposure by Rowan JacobsenThe inherited wisdom concerning sunlight on skin these days is the less the better. Not so, according to science writer Rowan Jacobsen. He argues that while sun exposure has been linked to some skin cancers, the most recent studies indicate that UV rays are less harmful to skin than we thought and, furthermore, moderate daily sun exposure is good for you, triggering production of vitamin D, increasing alertness, and improving mood. The big takeaway: just try not to burn! |
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| A Pox on Fools: The True Believers, Grifters, and Cynics Who Convinced Us to Reject... by Thomas LevensonEven a glance at the data on vaccines -- increasing life expectancy by 30 years since 1900; an estimated 150+ million lives saved in the last 50 years -- would seem to negate any argument against their use. And yet… Science writer and MIT professor Thomas Levenson’s diatribe against modern-day antivaxxers reveals that the playbook hasn’t changed much since vaccines were introduced, except that today’s influencers often cynically accept payouts from powerful interests. Read-alike: Virus: Vaccinations, The CDC, and the Hijacking of America’s Response to the Pandemic by Nina Burleigh. |
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| The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, Deepmind, and the Quest for Superintelligence by Sebastian MallabyJournalist and author Sebastian Mallaby’s latest is both a rich examination of the innovations in artificial intelligence being created at Google’s DeepMind project and the story of its enigmatic genius co-founder, Demis Hassabis. Mallaby takes readers inside AI laboratories, filled with relentlessly ambitious researchers and investors chasing the exciting (and for some, terrifying) achievement of artificial general intelligence, or machine “superintelligence.” For fans of: Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race That Will Change the World by Parmy Olson. |
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| The Book of Cannabis: The History and Future of the Plant and the Drug by Jeremy NarbyCannabis, a versatile member of the plant kingdom known for its many uses -- recreational and otherwise -- is enjoying a renaissance after more than a century being stigmatized as a social evil. In addition to covering its applications in medicine, agriculture, and as a natural fiber, anthropologist Jeremy Narby discusses cannabis’ intersection with disciplines including religion, sociology, psychology, and geology in a comprehensive and well-researched microhistory. |
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| Trail Work: Restoring the Paths and Stories of America's Public Lands by Dillon OslegerMany people don’t know that there were once thousands of miles of trails connecting public lands throughout the American West. Unfortunately, more than two-thirds of them have disappeared over the centuries. Geologist, naturalist, and mountain biker Dillon Osleger’s “thoughtful and passionate” (Library Journal) debut discusses his work to rediscover, repair, and foster awareness of these trails that were once considered a public investment that has been gradually eroded by both resource extraction and neglect. |
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| Entangled States: A Life According to Quantum Physics by Karmela Padavic-CallaghanKarmela Padavic-Callaghan is a queer nonbinary science writer who immigrated to New York City from Croatia as a child. Their memoir discusses the barriers they faced upon entering the cishet world of science, when their own identity -- both gender and nationality -- resisted binary expectations. The author finds an inspiring metaphor in quantum physics, where a similar flux between particle and wave makes it easier to imagine various versions of a self. For another thoughtful science selection from an LGBTQIA+ perspective, try My Child, the Algorithm by Hannah Silva. |
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| In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage by Michael J. TougiasNonfiction author Michael J. Tougias (Fatal Forecast) tells a terrifying cautionary tale of survival on the open ocean. In 2022, three friends in coastal Louisiana embark on a fishing trip on the Gulf of Mexico in a recently purchased boat that suddenly proves un-seaworthy. The vessel sinks so quickly that the fishermen barely have time to don life vests and cling to a cooler for dear life. They spend the next 28 hours facing down stinging jellyfish, circling sharks, and their own exhaustion before being rescued. For fans of: harrowing ocean rescue stories like A Speck in the Sea by John Aldridge. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Stickney-Forest View Public Library District
6800 43rd St., Stickney, Illinois 60402
(708) 749-1050https://www.sfvpld.org/ |
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