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Merlin's tour of the universe : a traveler's guide to blue moons and black holes, Mars, stars and everything far by Neil deGrasse TysonNeil deGrasse Tyson introduces Merlin, a timeless visitor from Planet Omniscia in the Andromeda Galaxy, who has observed firsthand many of the major scientific events of Earth's history. Merlin's friends include the most important scientific figures and explorers of all time--da Vinci, Magellan, Newton, Einstein, and Hubble. Merlin clarifies the details of familiar phenomena like gravity, light, space, and time, and travels to distant stars and galaxies.
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| Living on Earth: Forests, Corals, Consciousness, and the Making of the World by Peter Godfrey-SmithPeter Godfrey-Smith’s book on natural history and ecology takes the intriguing perspective of viewing the world’s organisms as causes, as well as effects, of evolutionary progress, with living creatures (humans especially) giving shape to their environment through their actions. Other thought-provoking ecological reads include Becoming Earth by Ferris Jabr and Never Home Alone by Rob Dunn. |
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The forgotten sense : the new science of smell--and the extraordinary power of the nose by Jonas OlofssonExplores the human sense of smell through the lens of neuroscience and psychology, revealing its extraordinary sensitivity and how it engages the brain, affects our perceptions, and shapes our experiences, while examining historical perspectives, the role of smell in evolution, and the potential for smell rehabilitation after illness. Fans of Breath by James Nestor and Gulp by Mary Roach will find much to enjoy.
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Doctored : fraud, arrogance, and tragedy in the quest to cure Alzheimer's by Charles PillerThis investigative account reveals how falsified data, corporate greed and institutional corruption have derailed Alzheimer's research, exposing a vast network of deceit while highlighting the efforts of whistleblowers and renegade scientists to challenge the flawed system and seek real solutions. Also try Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe and Dopesick by Beth Macy for more on the pharmaceutical industry.
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| Math Mind: The Simple Path to Loving Math by Shalinee SharmaNonprofit founder Shalinee Sharma is enthusiastic about math, and insists in her debut book that “numeracy,” like literacy, should be accessible to all learners with proper instruction, and points out ways in which math skills are surprisingly similar to artistic and creative pursuits. Other fascinating books for math-phobic readers include Thinking Better by Marcus du Sautoy and How Not to Be Wrong by Jordan Ellenberg. |
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| The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with Al by Ray KurzweilIn this follow-up to his 2005 work The Singularity Is Near, futurist Ray Kurzweil provides updates on the mounting evidence to support his claim that artificial intelligence will allow human brains and computers to interface directly by 2040! Intrigued? Look for more mind-blowing predictions in these books: The Future of Humanity by Michio Kaku; Brave New Words by Salman Khan. |
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| Benny the Blue Whale: A Descent into Story, Language and the Madness of ChatGPT by Andy StantonThis offbeat book by children’s author Andy Stanton details his experiments using ChatGPT as a co-author in fiction writing. While it’s no match against human creativity, the program’s surprising (and often hilarious) ideas are sure to delight in this “thoughtful exploration” (Publishers Weekly) of where art and technology come together. Try this next: Literary Theory for Robots by Dennis Yi Tenen. |
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| The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the 21st Century's Greatest Dilemma by Mustafa Suleyman with Michael BhaskarIn his sobering analysis of the sweeping societal changes that AI will bring, expert Mustafa Suleyman stresses the importance of careful regulation of any autonomous technologies, including built-in kill switches and other safeguards. Those interested in exploring the potential downsides of AI should also read A World Without Work by Daniel Susskind or The AI Dilemma by Juliette Powell and Art Kleiner. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Cumberland County Library System
System Headquarters Office400 Bent Creek Blvd, Suite 150
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17050
(888) 697-0371, ext. 6175www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/ |
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