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Nature and Science October 2025 |
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The Genius Bat : The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal by Yossi YovelFrom Publishers' Weekly: "Ecologist and neurobiologist Yovel shares the fruits of his decades of field and lab research on bats in this standout work of popular science. The almost 1,500 species of bats around the world, he explains, account for 20% of all mammalian species. Bats come in all shapes and sizes and have varying behaviors. Africa’s male hammer-headed bats make sounds akin to the beeping of truck horns to attract females for example. Yovel chronicles the “arms race” between bats and the insects they eat, noting some prey have evolved to detect and “jam” bats’ echolocation calls. Yovel’s passion and curiosity will leave readers with a greater appreciation for the wonders and mysteries of the bat world."
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Bird School : a Beginner in the Wood by Adam NicolsonFrom Publishers' Weekly: "After realizing he 'had never paid much attention to birds,' Nicolson set out to educate himself on the creatures and built a shed in the countryside from which he could study them. In vivid and poetic prose, Nicolson describes the wonders he encountered (“The blackbird’s song is like the sound of someone enjoying a lovely dinner, rolling around in his mouth the deliciousness of everything life has given him”) and highlights a wide range of avian behaviors. He also draws attention to the ways human activity, like intensive farming, has caused bird populations to plummet in recent decades. This is a beautiful love letter to the avian world."
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| Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth by Karen G. LloydMicrobial 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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Why Rats Laugh and Jellyfish Sleep : Why Rats Laugh, Jellyfish Sleep, Earthworms Socialize, and Other Enchanting Stories of Evolution by David StippFrom Publishers' Weekly: "Journalist Stipp attempts to answer nine “naive/brilliant” questions about why certain life forms are the way they are, and details the impacts various scientific discoveries have had on human life. Elsewhere, Stipp explains how ducks sleep (often with one eye open), how octopuses dream (they have nightmares, which scientists previously thought only happened in warm-blooded creatures), and what happens when a spider on drugs spins a web (caffeine makes for seriously deformed webs). With wit and flair, Stipp proves that 'familiar things we tend to ignore in our daily haste are often more interesting than they seem.' This has charm to spare."
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| Strata: Stories from Deep Time by Laura PoppickGeologist Laura Poppick debuts with a detailed yet energetic trip down the geologic timeline, offering an intriguing window onto her work and showing readers just how much information about Earth’s natural history and ecosystems has been revealed through examining its sedimentary layers. For further sweeping geological insights, try: A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters by Andrew H. Knoll. |
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| The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us About the Power of the Female Body by Starre VartanScience 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 Natural History of Empty Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and... by Christopher BrownNovelist Christopher Brown, after purchasing an urban land parcel in hopes of building a house, took notice of the abundance of foxes, snakes, owls, herons, and other forms of wildlife that were encroaching into his Austin, Texas neighborhood. His observations are a hopeful reminder of nature’s resilience in the face of human development in this “appealing mix of nature writing, memoir, and self-reflection” (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Everyday Wild : An Illustrated Guide for Mindfulness in Nature by Kathryn HunterAn illustrated and immersive guide encouraging readers to explore the natural world found just outside their doors, blending mindfulness prompts and scientific insights to discover the interconnected beauty of our planet. Illustrations.
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| Phytopolis: The Living City by Stefano Mancuso; translated by Gregory ContiStefano Mancuso, a neurobiologist specializing in plants, presents an original perspective on civilization, observing that humans have evolved from a generalist species (thriving in any environment) to a specialist one (only able to thrive in urban settings). Mancuso ideally imagines cities evolving along with their denizens to be more plant-based and sustainable in this thought-provoking translation. Try this next: Ashley Dawson’s Extreme Cities: The Peril and Promise of Urban Life in the Age of Climate Change. |
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| Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto by Kōhei Saitō; translated by Brian BergstromUniversity of Tokyo philosopher Kōhei Saitō tackles climate change from both scientific and political angles. According to Saitō, any capitalistic model for combatting climate change is inherently flawed, and he calls instead for a halt to urban development, scaling back industrial manufacturing to focus on quality rather than quantity, and an emphasis on local economies to curb greenhouse emissions and allow nature to heal itself. It’s an unusual yet persuasive idea that Saitō supports with a “conversational, gentle, yet urgent tone” (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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