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Nature and Science December 2023 |
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| Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions that Changed the World in a Big Way by Roma AgrawalStructural engineer Roma Agrawal (Built) examines seven inventions -- the nail, the wheel, the spring, the magnet, the lens, the string, and the pump -- that made civilization possible. This richly detailed history was shortlisted for the 2023 Royal Society Science Book Prize. For fans of: The Evolution of Useful Things by Henry Petroski; How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson. |
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| How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape Our World by Deb ChachraIn this "welcome new entry in the how-stuff-works genre" (Kirkus Reviews), engineer and materials scientist Deb Chachra examines infrastructural networks and makes a case for their importance. You might also like: The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt; Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets We Use Every Day by Dan Nott. |
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| The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works by Helen CzerskiPhysicist and BBC presenter Helen Czerski conceptualizes the ocean as a vast engine powered by sunlight, describing how water temperature, salinity, gravity, and the movement of Earth's tectonic plates interact to make ocean life possible. Read-alike: The Oceans: A Deep History by Eelco J. Rohling. |
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| Your Face Belongs To Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy As We Know It by Kashmir HillNew York Times technology reporter Kashmir Hill investigates controversial startup Clearview AI, which created powerful facial recognition software and made it available to law enforcement agencies and corporate clients. Further reading: Pegasus: How a Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy by Richard Laurent and Sandrine Rigaud; "I Have Nothing to Hide": And 20 Other Myths About Surveillance and Privacy by Heidi Boghosian. |
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| Breaking Through: My Life in Science by Katalin KarikóIn this memoir, biochemist Katalin Karikó recounts her upbringing in post-WWII Hungary, her scientific education, and her work on messenger RNA (mRNA), which would prove essential to the development of the Covid-19 vaccine. You might also like: Longshot: The Inside Story of the Race for a Covid-19 Vaccine; The Plant Hunter: A Scientist's Quest for Nature's Next Medicines by Cassandra Leah Quave. |
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| Mountains of Fire: The Menace, Meaning, and Magic of Volcanoes by Clive OppenheimerVolcanologist Clive Oppenheimer (Eruptions that Shook the World) follows in the footsteps of historical scientists as he takes readers on a tour of volcanic sites around the world, including Italy's Mount Stromboli, Ethiopia's Erta Ale, Kinahrejo in Indonesia, and Antarctica's Mount Erebus. Further reading: Super Volcanoes by Robin George Andrews; Ms. Adventure by Jess Phoenix. |
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| Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades by Rebecca RennerNational Geographic contributor Rebecca Renner follows U.S. Fish and Wildlife officer Jeff Babauta as he becomes Florida gator farmer "Curtis Blackledge" during an undercover operation to infiltrate the world of alligator egg poaching. Read-alikes: The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean; Tree Thieves by Lyndsie Bourgon. |
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| Alfie & Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe by Carl SafinaWhen ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, rescue and rehabilitate Alfie, an injured baby screech owl, they form a bond that endures even after Alfie's return to the wild in this reflective blend of memoir and nature writing. Read-alikes: Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien; An Eagle Named Freedom by Jeff Guidry; Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery |
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| A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, And Have We Really... by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith; In this "wickedly irreverent" (Publishers Weekly) book, the authors of Soonish examine the practical and logistical challenges of space settlement, including (but not limited to) infrastructure, food and energy production, astropolitics, and human biology. You might also like: How to Live in Space by Colin Stuart; Off-Earth by Erika Nesvold; Mary Roach's Packing for Mars. |
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| The End of Eden: Wild Nature in the Age of Climate Breakdown by Adam WelzIn this sobering account, environmental journalist Adam Welz conveys the profound and widespread impact of climate breakdown by zooming in on the "smaller stories" of the crisis, such as Puerto Rico's wild parrots, California's Joshua trees, or the hornbills of the Kalahari. Read-alikes: Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid by Thor Hansen; Nowhere Left to Go by Benjamin von Brackel. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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