Nature and Science
December 2018
Recent Releases
Einstein's Shadow: A Black Hole, a Band of Astronomers, and the Quest to See...
by Seth Fletcher

The plan: to create a virtual telescope (the Event Horizon Telescope) the size of Earth by linking observatories throughout the world.

The goal: to observe supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, which is thought to sit at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Further reading: Chris Impey's Einstein's Monsters, which offers an accessible introduction to the science of black holes.
Nine Pints: A Journey through the Money, Medicine, and Mysteries of Blood
by Rose George

What it is: a deep dive into the subject of human blood that encompasses history, science, politics, culture, and commerce.

About the author: From The Big Necessity (about human waste) to Ninety Percent of Everything (about the freight shipping industry), journalist Rose George specializes in the unseen aspects of everyday life.

Reviewers say: Nine Pints is an "absorbing, vital book by one of the best non-fiction writers working today" (The Guardian).
The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial...
by Roger D. Launius

What it is: A lavishly illustrated history of space exploration, covering everything from the astronomers of the ancient world to today's satellites.

You might also like: Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space by Gary Kitmacher and Ron Miller.
Plight of the Living Dead: What the Animal Kingdom's Real-Life Zombies Reveal...
by Matt Simon

Guess what? Zombies are real. But in this case, they're not the enemy -- they're the victims of parasites that have hijacked their brains.

Starring: a variety of microbes, fungi, worms, wasps, and other organisms who invade the bodies of their unsuspecting hosts.

Is it for you? While squeamish readers might want to pass on this book, fans of body horror may get a kick out of its detailed descriptions of zombification.
The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London
by Christopher Skaife

Introducing: Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London.

What does he do? Straife is
the Tower of London's Ravenmaster, responsible for the care of the Tower's seven resident ravens, who all have names and distinctive personalities.

Did you know? One of the Tower's seven ravens, Merlina, has become a celebrity, thanks to her intelligence and love of pranks (including a convincing ability to play dead).
How to love the universe : a scientist's odes to the hidden beauty behind the visible world
by Stefan Klein

An illuminating reconsideration of the marvels of space, time and physics is presented in the form of 10 short chapters that lyrically meditate on the beauty of the universe's awe-inspiring science. By the best-selling author of The Science of Happiness
Gods and Robots : Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology
by Adrienne Mayor

Traces the story of how ancient cultures envisioned artificial life, automata, self-moving devices and human enhancements, sharing insights into how the mythologies of the past related to and shaped ancient machine innovations.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
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