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Remarkable birds by Mark AveryWe share the Earth with more than 10,000 species of birds and we have always been enchanted by them. Here, over 60 birds, organized thematically into eight sections, cover all aspects of our relationship with birds. 'Songbirds' celebrates the greatest bird virtuosi, such as the Nightingale, while 'Birds of Prey' include majestic hunters such as the Harpy Eagle, which catches prey as large as monkeys and sloths. 'Feathered Travellers' describes astounding journeys made by birds - even some tiny Hummingbirds migrate huge distances. 'The Love Life of Birds' can rival any soap opera and involves the most brilliant displays, notably the Birds of Paradise, with their extravagant feathers and dances.
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Venom doc: The edgiest, darkest, strangest natural history memoir ever by Bryan FryWelcome to the strange and dangerous world of the Venom doc. Imagine a three-week-long first date in Siberia catching venomous water shrews, and later a wedding attended by Eastern European prime ministers and their bodyguards wielding machine guns. Then a life spent living and working with snakes. Lots of very, very poisonous snakes and other venomous creatures ...everything from the Malaysian king cobra to deadly scorpions. Welcome to Bryan Grieg Fry's world.
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| The great derangement: Climate change and The unthinkable by Amitav GhoshFor acclaimed writer Amitav Ghosh, who describes his ancestors (hailing from what is now Bangladesh) as "ecological refugees long before the term was invented," climate change is personal. In this passionate, issue-oriented account, Ghosh characterises our collective response to the crisis as a failure of imagination. He also makes a case for art, particularly literature, as a means of addressing the subject in a world that largely lacks the political will to acknowledge or act on the threat that climate change poses to humanity. |
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| Time travel: A history by James GleickAs he did in The Information, popular science writer James Gleick weaves together literature, science, and philosophy in this fascinating exploration of time travel in popular culture. Beginning with H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel The Time Machine, which Gleick describes as an attempt to "gin up a plausible-sounding plot device for a piece of fantastic storytelling," the book examines fictional time travel in the context of its scientific underpinnings. From going back in time to prevent one’s own birth to creating alternate timelines, no plot device or paradox goes unexamined in this concise and accessible, yet intellectually wide-ranging discussion. |
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| The Pope of physics: Enrico Fermi and the birth of the Atomic Age by Gino Segrè and Bettina HoerlinThis biography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi, the first such account in English, recounts the Italian-born Fermi's life from his upbringing in Rome to his flight to the U.S. in the 1930s (spurred by the rise of Fascism) and subsequent involvement in the Manhattan Project. Emphasising his unusual facility in both theoretical and experimental physics, the book also explores his scientific contributions to areas such as statistical mechanics, nuclear physics, and quantum theory. |
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The long, long life of trees by Fiona J Stafford"Since the beginnings of history trees have served humankind in countless useful ways, but our relationship with trees has many dimensions beyond mere practicality. Trees are so entwined with human experience that diverse species have inspired their own stories, myths, songs, poems, paintings, and spiritual meanings. Some have achieved status as religious, cultural, or national symbols. In this beautifully illustrated volume Fiona Stafford offers intimate, detailed explorations of seventeen common trees, from ash and apple to pine, oak, cypress, and willow. Brimming with unusual topics and intriguing facts, this book celebrates trees and their long, long lives as our inspiring and beloved natural companions"
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| Welcome to the Universe: An astrophysical tour by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard GottThree astrophysicists join forces to present this accessible introduction to the cosmos, based on an introductory astronomy course they co-taught at Princeton University. Aimed at general readers, this book begins with an overview of the universe, examining its composition and structure, before tackling the physics of multiverses, superstring theory, M-theory, and more. For big ideas in a compact and digestible format, look no further than Welcome to the Universe. |
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Cakes, custard + category theory: Easy recipes for understanding complex mathematics
by Eugenia Cheng
If you dread maths, this book might just change your mind. Armed with a seemingly infinite supply of logic, enthusiasm, and baking tips, math professor Eugenia Cheng explains how mathematicians think by focusing on category theory, which she dubs "the mathematics of mathematics." Employing a blend of accessible lessons, personal anecdotes, and tasty recipes to introduce concepts such as abstraction and axiomatization, Cheng also emphasises the underlying mathematical mindset that uses logic to discover truth.
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| Tasty: The art and science of what we eat by John McQuaidThe tongue has one job: "to distinguish food from everything else." However, the process though which we determine what's edible is complicated, requiring an understanding of, among other areas, microbiology, genetics, and neuroscience. It also requires cleansing one's mental palate by, for example, discarding that diagram of the tongue depicting four distinct regions dedicated to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors (which has no scientific basis) and accepting that, to a large extent, taste is hereditary. If you've ever wondered why and how we eat what we eat, check out Tasty. |
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| Gulp: Adventures on the alimentary canal by Mary RoachCan your stomach really burst? And why doesn't it digest itself? As she's proven in previous books, including Stiff and Bonk, science writer Mary Roach isn't squeamish when it comes to the physiology or functions of the human body. In addition to exploring the science of the digestive system, she also debunks myths and misconceptions including flammable farts and the possibility of surviving being swallowed by a whale. And as a bonus, you'll be able to impress your friends with all kinds of trivia ranging from explosive colonoscopies (France, 1977) to slang terms describing the act of concealing contraband in one's rectum ("keistering," "hooped," and "prison wallet" are but a few examples). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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