Nature and Science April 2026 |
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| 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them by Ashely Alker, MDAs a physician specializing in emergency services, Ashely Alker knows a thing or two about the myriad ways that humans can perish. Including pithy advice about how to avoid premature death and job-related anecdotes that are unsettling, funny, and flat-out scary, Alker’s book is “enormously informative and exceedingly entertaining” (Library Journal). For another witty read about dark topics, try The Chick and the Dead: Life and Death Behind Mortuary Doors by Carla Valentine. |
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In Trees: An Exploration
by Robert Moor
One day, on a whim, Robert Moor set out to climb a tree near his home--unwittingly embarking on what would become a decade-long, globe-spanning adventure of intellectual and spiritual transformation. Pursuing the hidden wisdom of trees, he scales to the very top of a giant sequoia while filming a nature documentary with David Attenborough; he treks through swamps in Papua to reach a treehouse-dwelling tribe of hunter-gatherers; and he journeys to a remote research camp in Tanzania, where he spends a memorable night sleeping in a chimpanzee nest, seeking to understand our deep evolutionary history. Eventually, having gained a radical new outlook on both our gnarled past and our ever-branching future, he joins an intrepid clan of climate activists risking everything to halt construction of a new oil pipeline and save an ancient forest. Along the way, Moor learns the art of tree-thinking, which, he discovers, has the power to break open some of humanity's oldest questions: What is the secret to truly growing old? How do we set down deeper roots in an increasingly chaotic world? Most importantly, how should we--as individuals, as communities, as stewards of the earth--live? A witty and relentlessly curious excursion through philosophy, history, and science, what begins as an ode to the miracle of trees blossoms into a joyous, daring, fiercely hopeful endeavor to arborize humanity.
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How to Grow Food: Your Crop-By-Crop Guide to Growing, Cooking, & Preserving
by Huw Richards
Gardener Huw Richards and chef Sam Cooper bridge the gap between the garden and kitchen, profiling the growing and cooking of 70 crops. In this super-practical companion for all kitchen gardeners, each crop has no-nonsense growing information on spacing, sowing, and harvesting, accompanied by delicious and simple recipes for food made well. Whether you have containers on a balcony or acres of land, easy guides show the number of plants you can grow per square meter and the approximate harvest per plant so you can easily work out how many plants to grow and expected yield. There are also suggestions for the best varieties to grow for resilience and flavor. Recipes are easily adapted depending on how much you harvest and range from dishes to eat right away, such as a root vegetable tartiflette, and preserves to enjoy later, like a tomato sauce to add to pastas and stews.
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| The Feather Wars and the Great Crusade to Save America's Birds by James H. McCommonsIn the late 19th century, America’s bird populations were under serious threat, with many species hunted to near extinction for sport, biological research, and (wait for it...) the ladies’ hat industry. Luckily for the birds, a concerted conservation effort took hold, led by an unlikely alliance between academics, wardens, hunters, docents, artists, and politicians. James H. McCommons’ book serves as a happy example of what is achievable when concerned parties come together. Read alike: The Birds That Audubon Missed by Kenn Kaufman. |
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When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World
by Suzanne Simard
Raised in a family of loggers committed to sensible forest stewardship, trailblazing ecologist Suzanne Simard has watched as timber companies leave forests at higher risk for wildfires, water crises, and plant and animal extinction. But her research has the potential to chart a new course. The forest, she reveals, is a symphony of finely honed cycles of regeneration--from mushrooms breaking down logs to dying elder trees passing their genetic knowledge to younger ones--that hold the key to protecting our forests. Working closely with local Indigenous communities, whose models of responsible forestry have been largely dismissed, Simard examines how human interventions--particularly destruction of the overstory's mother trees--endanger new growth and longevity. If we can honor the tools that trees have honed for sharing intergenerational wisdom, she argues, we can protect these sacred places for many years to come. As she considers how older living things facilitate the conditions for new growth to flourish, Simard faces parallel rhythms of loss and regeneration in her own life, watching her two daughters grow into adults and savoring her final days with her ailing mother. Animated by wonder for our forests and the intricate practices of caretaking that have long sustained them, When the Forest Breathes is a vital reminder of all the natural world has to teach us about adaptability, resilience, and community.
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The Invincible Brain: The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life
by Majid Fotuhi
Dr. Majid Fotuhi, MD, PhD, world-renowned neurologist and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins, is leading the charge in revolutionizing how we understand human intelligence, brain health, and age-related cognitive decline. In this pioneering book, he reveals the true wonder of how the brain works and its infinite potential for growth and change. Supported by over 35 years of original research, The Invincible Brain demonstrates how targeted lifestyle changes can prevent, treat, and even reverse mild cognitive impairment, early Alzheimer's disease, dementia, ADHD, and concussion symptoms. Dr. Fotuhi's 12-week program is backed by extraordinary clinical results, published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, showing that more than 80% of patients achieve exceptional improvements in memory, focus, and other cognitive functions. In elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment, MRIs show a 3% increase in the volume of the hippocampus, the key brain region for learning and memory.This actionable guide provides a step-by-step formula for unlocking your brain's hidden potential, building resilience, and maximizing mental acuity at any age.
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Everyday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem-Solving, and Much More
by Nelson Dellis
Written by Remember It author Nelson Dellis with a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Barbara Oakley, Everyday Genius teaches you the skills that make genius-level thinking accessible to anyone. Better memory. Sharper focus. Faster learning. Creative problem-solving. No natural talent required, just the right methods.In 2009, after watching his grandmother struggle with Alzheimer's, Nelson Dellis sets out to strengthen his own mind. That mission led to six USA Memory Championships, two Guinness World Records, and a career dedicated to proving that anyone can develop genius-level cognitive abilities.Everyday Genius teaches you to memorize names and faces instantly, speed-read with deep comprehension, calculate mentally with surprising accuracy, and focus intensely when it matters most. You'll learn strategies for chess and strategic games, techniques for acing exams and public speaking, and methods for creative problem-solving that help you see connections others miss.From mastering a Rubik's Cube to holding complex ideas in your head, from reading a room to thinking on your feet - this book gives you the mental toolkit for a sharper, more engaged life. At a time when outsourcing our thinking has never been easier, Everyday Genius shows you how to reclaim and strengthen your most valuable asset: your brain.You have far more potential than you realize - an inner genius waiting to be awakened. This book unlocks it.
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A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness
by Michael Pollan
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Change Your Mind, a panoptic exploration of consciousness--what it is, who has it, and why--and a meditation on the essence of our humanity When it comes to the phenomenon that is consciousness, there is one point on which scientists, philosophers, and artists all agree: it feels like something to be us. Yet the fact that we have subjective experience of the world remains one of nature's greatest mysteries. How is it that our mental operations are accompanied by feelings, thoughts, and a sense of self? What would a scientific investigation of our inner life look like, when we have as little distance and perspective on it as fish do of the sea? In A World Appears, Michael Pollan traces the unmapped continent that is consciousness, bringing radically different perspectives--scientific, philosophical, literary, spiritual and psychedelic--to see what each can teach us about this central fact of life. When neuroscientists began studying consciousness in the early 1990s, they sought to explain how and why three pounds of spongy gray matter could generate a subjective point of view--assuming that the brain is the source of our perceived reality. Pollan takes us to the cutting edge of the field, where scientists are entertaining more radical (and less materialist) theories of consciousness. He introduces us to plant neurobiologists searching for the first flicker of consciousness in plants, scientists striving to engineer feelings into AI, and psychologists and novelists seeking to capture the felt experience of our slippery stream of consciousness. In Pollan's dazzling exploration of consciousness, he discovers a world far deeper and stranger than our everyday reality. Eye-opening and mind-expanding, A World Appears takes us into the laboratories of our own minds, ultimately showing us how we might make better use of the gift of awareness to more meaningfully connect with the world and our deepest selves.
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All about Allergies: Everything You Need to Know about Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More
by MD Rubin, Zachary
From viral social media sensation Dr. Zachary Rubin, an in-depth look at both common and surprising allergies, spotlighting patient stories, the history and science behind allergies, common myths, treatment options, and more Millions of people suffer from various allergic diseases. They're some of the most common but widely misunderstood afflictions today, and Dr. Rubin has made it his mission to pull back the curtain and help everyday people understand their allergies and find ways to feel better. In All About Allergies, Dr. Rubin explores and explains dozens of allergies and diseases and provides actionable treatment options and information. Sections on the history of allergies, asthma, contact dermatitis, sinusitis, food allergies, anaphylaxis, medication allergies, and more pair with treatment info on medications, immunotherapy, and biologics to equip people with the tools they need to tackle their allergies. Grounded by expert research and propelled by patient stories, science, history, and, of course, Dr. Rubin's engaging voice, All About Allergies is the ultimate resource for anyone who's ever felt in the dark about their health.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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