Nature and Science December 2025 |
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The Science of Pets
by Jay Ingram
More than one billion pets live in homes around the world, sleeping on dog beds, clawing at cat trees, swimming in bowls, crawling around in aquariums. Canada, the United States, Brazil, the EU, and China make up half of those households, with half of the world's population owning a pet of some sort. Yet despite the ubiquitous animals that lick our faces and steal food off the counter, we really don't know a lot about the scientific side of their existence: why do dogs spin around when excited, do our cats really love us, do lizards make good pets, can single-celled organisms be considered pets (you can cut the hydra in two and have two pets!), what are parrots thinking, and can a horse be considered a pet? Or pigs (even those sent to market)? Or praying mantises? Or how about robot pets in Japan, caring for the elderly? Veteran science broadcaster and journalist Jay Ingram, author of twenty popular science titles, including the bestselling Science of Why series, has researched the latest science behind our beloved furry, and not-so-furry, creatures that sleep on our sofas and eat our pizza crusts. Along the way, he discusses the myths and misconceptions about our companions: do dogs always do their business facing north? Why are we seeing a rise in exotic pets such as tigers and bears? Are the deer and foxes we see rescued on Instagram considered pets and could they be domesticated? Did dogs entirely evolve from wolves, and why? Can you communicate with a turtle? Do highly intelligent octopi make good pets? And why are baby animals, like baby humans, so darned cute: have they evolved to be born cute as a survival mechanism, and would that cuteness matter to others of their own kind who might consider them their next lunch? Full of fabulous insights, humorous asides, and the wisdom of decades in science reporting, The Science of Pets will elucidate as it entertains. You will never look at your pets the same way again (but be sure they're watching you closely).
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Smartphone Nation: Building Digital Boundaries When Offline Isn't an Option
by Kaitlyn Regehr
A transformative guide to outsmarting your screen and establishing healthier tech habits that will help you and your family live better--for anyone who read The Anxious Generation and wants to know what to do next. Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr--a celebrated researcher and professor of digital humanities--explains how we can hold on to the myriad benefits of technology while evading their hidden dangers. We are all using (and parenting around) a technology we didn't grow up with; it makes sense that we feel overwhelmed. In Smartphone Nation, Regehr explains how these technologies work, giving you the power to change the way you (and your family) use your devices. Regehr proposes a new, food pyramid-like framework for understanding and improving our digital consumption. Some tech, like nutrient-dense food, is good for us; it is vital in our lives. But so much of what we consume via algorithms is like candy that rots our teeth: it's disastrous for our wellbeing. Regehr's groundbreaking research reveals how we can reclaim control and maintain a healthy digital diet. Essential reading anyone who knows there's more to life than staring at a screen--or who wants to raise children who believe that, too--Smartphone Nation shows how to: - Navigate the attention economy, which prioritizes engagement at all costs- Improve your digital nutrition for better mental health- Spring clean your viewing experience- Game the algorithm- Catch misinformation- Parent your children in the digital age Thoughtful, clearsighted, and empowering, Smartphone Nation is essential reading for anyone who owns a phone.
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Under a Metal Sky: A Journey Through Minerals, Greed, and Wonder
by Philip Marsden
Discover the wonders and perils of the earth's precious metals--what they have offered us as humans, and how they've forever changed our relationship with the world around us The ground beneath our feet is full of riches: the ocher that allowed prehistoric humans to paint on cave walls; the tin that drove the early Industrial Revolution; radium, the source of Marie Curie's wonder; and lithium, the essential mineral of modern life found in our mobile phones and laptops. Each of these minerals has a story to tell, and each has its place in the broader story of human history. Under a Metal Sky takes us on a journey across the peat-rich Dutch lowlands, through Prague and Bohemia, and on to the gold-rich mountains of Georgia. Along the way, Philip Marsden uncovers the strange and colorful histories of alchemy, scientific revolution, industrialization, and technological innovation, peopled by figures like the Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II, Goethe, Marie Curie, and William Blake. But alongside wonder and inspiration, there has also been plunder and heedless exploitation, the consequences of which have set us on a path toward our own extinction. Beautifully written and wildly mind-expanding, Under a Metal Sky seamlessly blends travel writing, cultural history, and geology. Who knew the history of rocks could be such a page-turner?
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The Plant Book: The Ultimate Guide to Thriving Houseplants
by Tammy Huynh
Award-winning horticulturist Tammy Huynh covers the essentials of indoor plant care in this stunning book featuring an abundance of colorful photos and illustrations.Many plant parents are frustrated by conflicting advice online, or simply don't know why they keep ending up with plant casualties. With this book, you can finally discover what each plant needs to thrive, the common problems they face and their remedies.The Plant Book cuts through the noise with clear information that will help you grow and nurture healthy, resilient indoor plants. Tammy has selected the 50 most-loved houseplants and for each profile she offers: A detailed descriptionIcons to indicate ideal care conditionsA list of cultivarsA list of common problems for that specific plant with photos to help you visually recognize and diagnose plant issuesIn addition, the Houseplants 101 chapter covers general tips on lighting, potting mix, watering, fertilizer, humidity, pests and diseases, buying plants, hydroponics, and pots and planters. There's a heavy focus on troubleshooting with diagnostic flow charts, allowing you to identify and resolve plant problems, even for species not covered in the book.The Plant Book will empower you to confidently spot and solve your plant problems, so we can all become super plant parents and avoid further plant casualties.
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The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind
by Simon Winchester
What is going on with our atmosphere? The headlines are filled with news of devastating hurricanes, murderous tornadoes, and cataclysmic fires affecting large swaths of America. Gale force advisories are issued on a regular basis by the National Weather Service.In 2022, a report was released by atmospheric scientists at the University of Northern Illinois, warning that winds--the force at the center of all these dangerous natural events--are expected to steadily increase in the years ahead, strengthening in power, speed, and frequency. While this prediction worried the insurance industry, governmental leaders, scientists, and conscientious citizens, one particular segment of society received it with unbridled enthusiasm. To the energy industry, rising wind strength and speeds as an unalloyed boon for humankind--a vital source of clean and safe power.Between these two poles--wind as a malevolent force, and wind as savior of our planet--lies a world of fascination, history, literature, science, poetry, and engineering which Simon Winchester explores with the curiosity and vigor that are the hallmarks of his bestselling works. In The Breath of the Gods, he explains how wind plays a part in our everyday lives, from airplane or car travel to the natural disasters that are becoming more frequent and regular. The Breath of the Gods is an urgently-needed portrait across time of that unseen force--unseen but not unfelt--that respects no national borders and no vessel or structure in its path. Wind, the movement of the air, is seen by so many as a heavenly creation and generally a thing of essential goodness. But when it flexes its invisible muscles, all should take care and be very afraid.
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Why Do I Keep Doing This?: Unlearn the Habits Keeping You Stuck and Unhappy
by Kati Morton
We were taught that that our emotional reactions and responses should be controlled so we didn't embarrass or upset our parents and those around us. However, if that control oozes over into our relationships it's considered a bad thing. Controlling our friends or romantic partners is seen as toxic. Control is a precarious thing. Some sides of control are meant to keep us safe, while others harm connections. So, what are we supposed to do? In Why Do I Keep Doing This? licensed family and marriage therapist, Kati Morton, explores this common struggle and contradiction with control. Kati shows how our upbringing and anxiety are often connected to our struggle to take up space. We can feel like we are too much by just existing in the same place as someone else, or that we are less deserving of their time and care. This struggle with asserting ourselves, or taking what we require can harm our development. We sometimes think the only way to feel okay and get what we need is to please everyone else first. Why Do I Keep Doing This? is a vital tool in helping us understand why control can be so attractive, but if left unmonitored can become detrimental to our lives. We all go through tough times and face uncertain futures, and we do what we can to cope, but as we get older and in an attempt to get wiser, we have to notice what behaviors are holding us back and change them. Why Do I Keep Doing This? will shed light on shared struggles as readers follow Kati through some key points of growth in her own life while incorporating what she has learned as a therapist and content creator who knows how to create lasting healthy change. This book gives readers the ability to not only ask themselves why do I keep doing this? but also have the insight to find a real answer.
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How Not to Die: Revised and Updated: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
by Michael Greger
In this revised and updated edition of the bestselling classic, Dr. Michael Greger shares groundbreaking scientific discoveries in nutrition and longevity. With updates from all of the most recent studies, HOW NOT TO DIE is a guide to the methods proven to keep the reaper off our backs, detailing the foods we should eat and the lifestyle changes we can make to live longer. Internationally-renowned as a nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, Dr. Greger examines the fifteen diseases that are the leading causes of death in America--heart disease, various cancers, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, and more--and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can often surpass the modern medical approach, freeing us to live longer, healthier lives. Full of practical, actionable advice and surprising, cutting edge nutritional science, these doctor's orders offer the best chance for living healthy well-beyond our expiration dates.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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