Science + Psychology
WHAT ALGORITHMS WANT: IMAGINATION IN THE AGE OF COMPUTING
Written by Ed Finn
The gap between theoretical ideas and messy reality, as seen in Neal Stephenson, Adam Smith, and Star Trek. We depend on--we believe in--algorithms to help us get a ride, choose which book to buy, execute a mathematical proof. It's as if we think of code as a magic spell, an incantation to reveal what we need to know and even what we want.
IS THE UNIVERSE A HOLOGRAM?: SCIENTISTS ANSWER THE MOST PROVOCATIVE QUESTIONS
Written by Adolfo Plasencia
Science today is more a process of collaboration than moments of individual "eurekas." This book recreates that kind of synergy by offering a series of interconnected dialogues with leading scientists who are asked to reflect on key questions and concepts about the physical world, technology, and the mind.
GRAVITY'S KISS: THE DETECTION OF GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
Written by Harry Collins
A fascinating account, written in real time, of the unfolding of a scientific discovery: the first detection of gravitational waves.
SINGLE DIGITS: IN PRAISE OF SMALL NUMBERS
Written by Marc Chamberland
In Single Digits, Marc Chamberland takes readers on a fascinating exploration of small numbers, from one to nine, looking at their history, applications, and connections to various areas of mathematics, including number theory, geometry, chaos theory, numerical analysis, and mathematical physics. For instance, why do eight perfect card shuffles leave a standard deck of cards unchanged?
BEST WRITING ON MATHEMATICS 2016
Written by Mircea Pitici
This annual anthology brings together the year's finest mathematics writing from around the world. Featuring promising new voices alongside some of the foremost names in the field, The Best Writing on Mathematics 2016 makes available to a wide audience many articles not easily found anywhere else--and you don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy them.
SURVIVAL GUIDE TO THE MISINFORMATION AGE: SCIENTIFIC HABITS OF MIND
We live in the Information Age, with billions of bytes of data just two swipes away. Yet how much of this is mis- or even disinformation? A lot of it is, and your search engine can't tell the difference.
SEEDS OF LIFE: FROM ARISTOTLE TO DA VINCI, FROM SHARK'S TEETH TO FROG'S PANTS, THE LONG AND STRANGE QUEST TO DISCOVER WHERE BABIES CO
Written by Edward Dolnick
Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery.
HEAD IN THE CLOUD: WHY KNOWING THINGS STILL MATTERS WHEN FACTS ARE SO EASY TO LOOK UP
The real-world value of knowledge in the mobile-device age. More people know who Khloe Kardashian is than who Rene Descartes was. Most can't find Delaware on a map, correctly spell the word occurrence, or name the largest ocean on the planet. But how important is it to fill our heads with facts? A few keystrokes can summon almost any information in seconds.
BIG PICTURE : ON THE ORIGINS OF LIFE, MEANING, AND THE UNIVERSE ITSELF
*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*"Vivid . . . impressive. . . . Splendidly informative."--The New York Times"Succeeds spectacularly."--Science"A tour de force."--Salon
PLANETS
Dava Sobel's The Glass Universe will be available from Viking in December 2016 With her bestsellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative.
New Arrivals
