Science + Psychology
PLANET OF VIRUSES: THIRD EDITION
Written by Zimmer, Carl
In 2020, an invisible germ--a virus--wholly upended our lives. We're most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or Covid-19. But viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branch-like growths as if they were trees.
STEPHEN HAWKING: A MEMOIR OF FRIENDSHIP AND PHYSICS
Written by Mlodinow, Leonard
An intimate and inspirational exploration of Stephen Hawking--the man, the friend, and the physicist. A BEST SCIENCE BOOK OF 2020 (The Telegraph, The Guardian) A BEST BOOK OF 2020 (New Statesmen)
SECRET LIFE OF STARS: ASTROPHYSICS FOR EVERYONE
Written by Harvey-Smith, Lisa
We all know the Sun, the powerhouse of our solar system, but what about Luyten's Flare, the Rosino-Zwicky Object, or Chanal's variable star? For those whose curiosity takes them far beyond Earth's atmosphere, The Secret Life of Stars offers a personal and readily understood introduction to some of the Galaxy's most remarkable stars.
RAVENOUS: OTTO WARBURG, THE NAZIS, AND THE SEARCH FOR THE CANCER-DIET CONNECTION
Written by Apple, Sam
The Nobel laureate Otto Warburg--a cousin of the famous finance Warburgs--was widely regarded in his day as one of the most important biochemists of the twentieth century, a man whose research was integral to humanity's understanding of cancer. He was also among the most despised figures in Nazi Germany.
IN PRAISE OF WALKING: A NEW SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION
Written by O'Mara, Shane
In this "wonderful" (John Brandon, Forbes) book, neuroscientist Shane O'Mara invites us to marvel at the benefits walking confers on our bodies and brains, and to appreciate the advantages of this uniquely human skill.
JOURNEY TO THE EDGE OF REASON: THE LIFE OF KURT GÖDEL
Written by Budiansky, Stephen
Nearly a hundred years after its publication, Kurt Gödel's famous proof that every mathematical system must contain propositions that are true--yet never provable--continues to unsettle mathematics, philosophy, and computer science. Yet unlike Einstein, with whom he formed a warm and abiding friendship, Gödel has long escaped all but the most casual scrutiny of his life.
LETTER TO A YOUNG FEMALE PHYSICIAN: NOTES FROM A MEDICAL LIFE
Written by Koven Suzanne
In 2017, Dr. Suzanne Koven published an essay describing the challenges faced by female physicians, including her own personal struggle with "imposter syndrome"--a long-held secret belief that she was not smart enough or good enough to be a "real" doctor.
TYRANNY OF ALGORITHMS: AI'S CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRACY
Written by Benasayag, Miguel
A clear-eyed, timely investigation of the threat posed by Artificial Intelligence to individual freedom, social cohesion, and the democratic process--and a radical proposal on how to fight back.
MYTH OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: WHY COMPUTERS CAN'T THINK THE WAY WE DO
Written by Larson, Erik J
"If you want to know about AI, read this book...it shows how a supposedly futuristic reverence for Artificial Intelligence retards progress when it denigrates our most irreplaceable resource for any future progress: our own human intelligence."--Peter Thiel A cutting-edge AI researcher and tech entrepreneur debunks the fantasy that superintelligence is just a few clicks away--and
FULL SPECTRUM: HOW THE SCIENCE OF COLOR MADE US MODERN
Written by Rogers, Adam
A lively account of our age-old quest for brighter colors, which changed the way we see the world, from the best-selling author of Proof: The Science of Booze From kelly green to millennial pink, our world is graced with a richness of colors. But our human-made colors haven't always matched nature's kaleidoscopic array.