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Nature and Science August 2016
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"When he set out, Christopher Columbus wrote his royal backers that he would accomplish 'the conversion to our holy faith of a great number of peoples.' But he did not forget to mention gold. He mentioned it 114 times, versus 26 for God." ~ from Matthew Hart's Gold: The Race for the World's Most Seductive Metal
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| Cyberspies: The Secret History of Surveillance, Hacking, and Digital Espionage by Gordon Corera"The computer was born to spy," asserts BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera. Created as a machine of military intelligence, the same qualities that make it useful as a tool of espionage also make it an ideal target of espionage. Indeed, as Corera describes how the role of computers evolved from World War II to the present day, it becomes clear that cyber-espionage will one day be called, simply, espionage. From encryption and code-breaking to data-driven surveillance, this eye-opening, occasionally chilling, book may cause you to reconsider your relationship with technology. |
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| The Next Pandemic: On The Front Lines Against Humankind's Gravest Dangers by Ali S. KhanDr. Ali Khan is the former director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHPR) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So when he talks about communicable diseases, it's worth listening to what he has to say. Khan draws on 25 years in the field of public health to cut through the hysteria surrounding the headlines while pointing out policy and infrastructure issues that make global pandemics inevitable. For more on infectious diseases and how they get around, check out Sonia Shah's Pandemic or David Quammen's Spillover. |
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| Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary RoachChicken guns are pretty much what you'd expect, but what about HRVs? That stands for "human research volunteers," by the way, and they're an essential part of keeping soldiers alive, what with testing shark-repellent, flying fighter jets while blindfolded, and injecting themselves with snake venom (among other heroic actions). Steering clear of the battlefield, bestselling science writer Mary Roach instead focuses on the unsung heroes of military science while tackling, in her signature witty and irreverent style, the quirkier aspects of feeding, clothing, cleaning, and healing members of the armed forces. |
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| The Dragon Behind the Glass: A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most... by Emily VoigtImagine being murdered for the contents of your aquarium. As implausible as it might sound, homicide is a genuine risk when your tank contains the Asian arowana. Known as the "dragon fish," a single specimen can cost more than $150,000, and in this eye-opening look at the exotic animal trade, author Emily Voigt investigates how this "mass-produced endangered species" became a hot commodity within a thriving aquatic black market. Whether following detectives from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as they investigate a fish-running ring or attempting to locate dwindling arowana populations in the wild, Voigt takes readers on a fascinating journey through the murky depths of an unseen and unexpected world. |
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Focus on: Precious Metals
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| Boom, Bust, Boom: A Story About Copper, the Metal That Runs the World by Bill CarterAfter planting a garden in his backyard and consuming food from it, Arizona-based author Bill Carter almost died. Soil tests revealed heavy metal contamination, and he began to wonder about the environmental effects of a century of copper mining on his town. Once he recovered from his accidental poisoning, Carter delved into the history of the mining industry in the American Southwest, which in turn, led to a quest to learn all about copper, the "eternal" metal that does not rust or decay, serves as a potent pesticide, and possesses antimicrobial properties. Boom, Bust, Boom reveals the surprising extent of our society's dependence on copper, while also exploring the heavy toll it takes on human health and the environment. |
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| Bottled Lightning: Superbatteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithium Economy by Seth FletcherAlthough batteries have been in existence (in one form or another) since the 1800s, it's only in the last few decades that their lives have been extended to the point where we can power our gadgets all day long. The key to this transformation? Lithium. Popular Science editor Seth Fletcher examines this element and its potential to make the gasoline-powered car a relic, while highlighting some of the geopolitical issues that surround the business of extracting, refining, and utilizing lithium. You might also like Tom Zoellner's Uranium, which also explores the role of a single element in the development of new energy resources and technologies. |
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| Gold: The Race for the World's Most Seductive Metal by Matthew HartThe first gold currency was introduced in Asia Minor in 635 BCE. However, gold has proven irresistible to humans ever since...well, as long as humans have been around. Following gold's journey from the mines of South Africa (home to 40 percent of all gold ever extracted) to the shadowy markets and exchanges of London and Switzerland, author Matthew Hart spins a compelling narrative that blends science, history, culture, politics, and economics. Interested in the geopolitics of precious metals? You may enjoy Kwasi Kwarteng's War and Gold. |
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| Rare: The High-Stakes Race to Satisfy Our Need for the Scarcest Metals on Earth by Keith VeroneseCould you survive without your phone? You might have to if the world ever runs out of Tantalum, one of the 17 elements known as "rare earth metals." Despite their obscurity, these elements make modern life possible and, as demand for them grows, they have the potential to redraw the geopolitical map. In Rare, journalist Keith Veronese describes the composition and unique properties of rare earth metals, discusses their uses in technologies ranging from hybrid car batteries to medical devices, and examines the industries that have sprouted up around the extraction, trade, use, and reclamation of these valuable commodities. |
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| Uranium: War, Energy, and the Rock that Shaped the World by Tom ZoellnerIn the words of science writer Tom Zoeller, uranium represents "the best and worst of mankind." This mildly radioactive element has been the catalyst for both great scientific discoveries (nuclear fission) and terrible acts of violence (atomic bombs). As he did with diamonds in The Heartless Stone, Zoeller tells the story of another mineral element whose history is rife with corruption, exploitation, and bloodshed. As a source of energy that does not produce greenhouse gases and as the means of creating some of the most powerful weapons of mass destruction ever, uranium could be humanity's salvation -- or the author of its downfall. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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