Matariki - Māori New Year Kia ora. Join us in a month of celebrating Matariki. Take part in our community art project, learn about the tradition of Matariki via a range of library resources, or take a child to a Matariki themed storytime session. Learn more about our Matariki celebrations.
|
|
"People are like plants: they grow toward the light. I chose science because science gave me what I needed -- a home as defined in the most literal sense: a safe place to be." ~ from Hope Jahren's Lab Girl
|
|
| Are we smart enough to know how smart animals are? by Frans de WaalDo animals plan for the future? Reflect on the past? Regret their decisions? Say goodbye to friends and loved ones? Primatologist Frans de Waal has dedicated his life and career to understanding the inner lives of animals. In this book, he presents an accessible overview of the field of evolutionary cognition, complete with anecdotes and essential concepts (such as Umwelt, German for "surrounding world" and referring to an animal's subjective experience). He also traces the progression of human (mis)understanding of animal intelligence, which, he concludes, is neither superior nor inferior to human intelligence, but rather profoundly different. |
|
| Rise of the rocket girls: The women who propelled us, from missiles to the Moon to Mars by Nathalia HoltBarby Canright, Macie Roberts, Helen Yee Chow, Barbara Lewis, Janez Lawson, Susan Finley...these are just some of the names science enthusiasts ought to know (but probably don't). Beginning in the 1940s, an era when the word "computer" referred to a skilled mathematician, this talented group of women calculated rocket trajectories, designed satellites, and analysed massive amounts of experimental data. Despite their relative obscurity, their contributions played a crucial role in launching the United States' space program. Drawing from interviews with many of the "Rocket Girls" and their families, this collective biography of the women of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory finally offers readers a glimpse into the professional and personal lives of these extraordinary scientists. |
|
| Lab girl by Hope JahrenIn this moving, lyrical account that "transcends both memoir and science writing" (Kirkus Reviews), paleobiologist Hope Jahren vividly portrays her life as a scientist, beginning with her childhood in rural Minnesota, where she became fascinated by the natural world, and continuing through her student days and subsequent field work. In addition to offering glimpses into the daily life of a research scientist, Lab Girl also documents some personal challenges, such as living with bipolar disorder, while celebrating professional milestones, such as building three laboratories from scratch and a decades-long collaboration with her lab partner, Bill, who's, um, quite a character. |
|
| The gene: An intimate history by Siddhartha MukherjeeAs the atom is to physics, so is the gene the fundamental unit of genetics. Describing the concept of heredity as a form of information transmission, physician and science writer Siddhartha Mukherjee considers the gene, its long and winding road to discovery, and its future in a world where bioengineering is becoming commonplace. From Mendel and Darwin to the Human Genome Project, this sweeping, thought-provoking book by the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author of The Emperor of Maladies artfully explores both the scientific and cultural significance of genes. |
|
|
How to solve physics problems
by Daniel M Oman
Provides practice problems with step-by-step solutions, covering topics presented in typical physic course, including Newtonian mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and quantum physics, with a review of math concepts
|
|
|
The imitation game: Alan Turing decoded by Jim OttavianiA graphic novel biography paints a historically accurate picture of the English mathematician and scientist whose groundbreaking work on cryptography and artificial intelligence led to the cracking of the German Enigma code during World War II.
|
|
|
The Madame Curie complex: The hidden history of women in science
by Julie Des Jardins
Although the topic of women in science is a complex one, feminist historian Julie Des Jardins tackles it with aplomb in this scholarly yet accessible book. Beginning with Marie Curie's career, she discusses the discrimination faced by female scientists of the late-19th and early-20th centuries as universities and government laboratories became the centre of the scientific community. She goes on to examine the invisibility of the women of the Manhattan project, while shining a light on the (initially undervalued) contributions of Rosalind Franklin and Maria Goeppert Mayer. Finally, she surveys the latter half of the 20th century, spotlighting both household names (such as Rachel Carson and Jane Goodall) and lesser-known individuals as she assesses their legacy and influence.
|
|
| Marie Curie and her daughters: The private lives of science's first family by Shelley EmlingThe first person to win two Nobel Prizes (and in two different fields, physics and chemistry), Marie Skłodowska Curie also founded a dynasty of female scientists -- beginning with her older daughter, chemist Irene. Drawing on archival material as well as interviews with members of the Curie-Joliot family, this book examines the influence of Curie's private life on her research. With a special emphasis on the Curie family in the post-World War I era, this biography presents a well-rounded portrait of an iconic and inspiring scientist. |
|
|
The only woman in the room: Why science is still a boys' club
by Eileen Pollack
"Eileen Pollack had grown up in the 1960s and 70s dreaming of a career as a theoretical astrophysicist. Denied the chance to take advanced courses in science and math, she nonetheless made her way to Yale, where, despite finding herself far behind the men in her classes, she went on to graduate, summa cum laude, with honours, as one of the university's first two women to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. And yet, isolated, lacking in confidence, starved for encouragement, she abandoned her ambition to become a physicist. Years later, Pollack revisited her reasons for walking away from the career she once had coveted. She spent six years interviewing her former teachers and classmates and dozens of other women who had dropped out before completing their degrees in science. In addition, Pollack talked to experts in the field of gender studies and reviewed the most up-to-date research that seeks to document why women and minorities underperform in STEM fields. Girls who study science and math are still belittled and teased by their male peers and teachers, even by other girls. They are led to think that any interest or achievement in science or math will diminish their popularity. They are still being steered away from advanced courses in technical fields, while deeply entrenched stereotypes lead them to see themselves as less talented than their male classmates, a condition that causes them to fulfill such expectations and perform more poorly than the boys sitting beside them. "
|
|
| Sally Ride: America's first woman in space by Lynn SherrPhysicist Sally Ride joined NASA in 1978 when the organisation at last relaxed their ban on women and minorities. Beating out some 8,000 other applicants to become an astronaut candidate, Ride ultimately gained international fame as the first American woman to travel to space. It was a milestone that attracted a predictably intense level of media scrutiny, especially for a person who worked hard to keep her personal life separate from her professional identity. Indeed, it wasn't until her death in 2012 that the world learned -- via her obituary -- that Ride was survived by her female partner of some 30 years. In addition to recounting the extraordinary life of an individual who broke barriers, this biography also describes the challenges faced by Ride and others on account of their gender and sexual orientation. |
|
|
Headstrong: 52 women who changed science--and the world
by Rachel Swaby
As these 52 concise, yet informative, biographical profiles demonstrate, women have always changed the world through science -- from the invention of the aquarium (Jeanne Villepreux-Power) to the development of protein crystallography (Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin) to the discovery of the Earth's inner core (Inge Lehmann). Recounting their (often overlooked) achievements in a wide variety of disciplines -- including astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, genetics, mathematics, medicine, and physics -- Headstrong also describes how each woman overcame significant obstacles to pursue her passion for knowledge.
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|