Science News Books
Fourth Quarter, 2007

A selection of new and notable books of scientific interest. To search this page, please use your browser's "Find" function. In Internet Explorer, go to the "Edit" menu and select "Find (on This Page)". To order any of these books online from Amazon.com, please click on the book's title. Sales generated through these links contribute to Science Service's programs to build interest in and understanding of science.

December 15, 2007

Beyond Human: Living with Robots and Cyborgs — Gregory Benford and Elisabeth Malartre

In the future, robotic assistants will be as pervasive as personal computers are today. The technological augmentation of humans that began with pacemakers and hearing aids will continue with smarter prosthetics and implants, eventually becoming voluntary enhancements that people seek out to give themselves an edge. Gradually, the line between man and machine will blur, and people will become acclimated to these new roles of technology just as they've adjusted to carrying a mobile phone. In this book, University of California physicist and author Gregory Benford and a biologist who writes under the pen name Elisabeth Malartre offer an in-depth exploration of this imagined future filled with robots and cyborgs. Beyond speculation, the book cites numerous present-day examples of this trend toward everyday robotics and technology-enhanced humans. This brave new world is already here, the authors argue. Forge, 2007, 272 p., hardcover, $24.95.

ISBN: 0765310821

The Archimedes Codex: How a Medieval Prayer Book Is Revealing the True Genius of Antiquity's Greatest Scientist — Reviel Netz and William Noel

Some of the works of Archimedes—the Greek thinker and tinkerer who lived in 3rd-century B.C. Sicily and discovered the principle of buoyancy—survive only in a single 8th-century copy. As Netz and Noel recount, the manuscript was lost and found multiple times, erased and recycled into a prayer book by a 13th-century monk, and lived through fire, mold, and forgers who covered some of its pages with fake medieval paintings. In 1998, a collector bought the manuscript for $2 million and entrusted it to Noel, a curator at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Using pioneering technology, researchers have managed to read most of the book's content, allowing historians—including Netz—new glimpses into Archimedes' genius. Da Capo, 2007, 320 p., color photos and b&w; illus., hardcover, $27.50.

ISBN: 030681580X

Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships — David Levy.

Today, some people form fervent attachments to their Blackberry devices, electronic pets, and even laptops. Could true love be that far off? And what about relations more amorous? In a book aimed at a popular audience, David Levy foresees a time when humans' intimacy with artificially intelligent machines will grow even deeper, entering the realms of romance and the erotic. These machines, Levy argues, would be much more sophisticated than today's most advanced robots. The author describes the latest research in artificial intelligence and its implications for the developing human-robot relationship. Looking first at emotional bonds, he discusses research on the human drive for connection with other humans. He goes on to explore the close bonds people form with pets, inanimate objects, and, increasingly, electronic gadgets. The second half of the book looks at the past, present, and possible future of humans' intimate relations with objects, machines, and robots. HarperCollins, 2007, 352 p., hardcover, $24.95.

ISBN: 0061359750

Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy — Jay Inslee and Bracken Hendricks

The authors present a manifesto for the Apollo Alliance, a clean-energy advocacy organization that Inslee, a congressman from Washington state, helped found and where Hendricks is a senior fellow. Greening the U.S. economy is not only necessary to save the environment and wean us off Middle Eastern oil, the authors write. It will also create millions of "green-collar" jobs, which will be held by everyone from engineers developing better solar panels to the workers who will install them. The book evokes the national focus on reaching the moon in the 1960s to advocate a comprehensive array of policy and technological solutions. It also aims to allay fears of losing jobs to new regulations and to defuse tensions between trade unions and environmentalists, two traditionally Democratic constituencies. Island Press, 2007, 416 p., b&w; photos, hardcover, $25.95.

ISBN: 1597261750

Crime Scene Chemistry for the Armchair Sleuth — Cathy Cobb, Monty L. Fetterolf, and Jack G. Goldsmith

From finding and collecting trace evidence to measuring blood alcohol levels and analyzing other bodily fluids, law enforcement depends on chemistry. In this book, chemists Cathy Cobb and Monty L. Fetterolf, along with chemist and reserve police officer Jack G. Goldsmith, take readers through the fascinating field of forensic chemistry. Requiring no prior knowledge of chemistry, the chapters are arranged in a logical progression that showcases the depth and breadth of this burgeoning scientific discipline. Become an amateur sleuth by following the instructions for 25 hands-on demonstrations you can perform using ordinary household items and products. A fictional minicase after each demonstration illustrates how its techniques are used to solve crime. Techniques reviewed include testing for the presence of drugs, collecting latent fingerprints, identifying body fluids, and analyzing soil, trace fibers, and gunshot residue. This comprehensive source provides insights into the painstaking work—rarely shown in most TV crime dramas—that goes into police investigations. Prometheus Books, 2007, 394 p., b&w; illus., hardcover, $26.00.

ISBN: 1591025052

December 8, 2007

Trying Leviathan: The Nineteenth-Century New York Court Case That Put the Whale on Trial and Challenged the Order of Nature — D. Graham Burnett

As readers of Moby Dick will recall, early whalers tended to describe their prey as "big fish." But when threatened with a tax on the cetacean's oil as a fish product, whalers and others enthusiastically endorsed the new taxonomists' view that these animals were definitely not fish. Debate over the whale's status ultimately played out dramatically in the 1818 court case, Maurice v. Judd. A Princeton historian of science profiles this case, which was set in motion when a New York City fish inspector fined a local merchant who had not submitted three casks of whale oil for inspection and grading. During the trial, whalers, philosophers, attorneys, and others argued anatomy, animal behavior, and scripture. What makes this case so important, the author argues, is that it serves as a vehicle for investigating whales as "problems of knowledge," offers a window on the often contentious world of taxonomy, and reveals how the 19th-century public viewed natural history. For the record, the court decided in favor of science. Princeton Univ. Press, 2007, 304 p., b&w; illus., hardcover, $29.95.

ISBN: 0691129509

Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway: An Epoch Tale of a Scientist and an Artist on the Ultimate 5,000-Mile Paleo Road Trip — Kirk Johnson

This lavishly illustrated travelogue describes the adventures of paleontologist Johnson—the chief curator of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science—and artist Ray Troll as they drive across the American West in pursuit of fossils. Their rollicking trek proved fruitful. "The truth is," Johnson concedes, "I ... read road cuts the way you read billboards." Johnson makes geology a sport, and Troll's art is irreverent and sure to bring plenty of smiles. Like when they discovered a fossil resembling cannabis and hops. "[T]hat the last dinosaurs might have been browsing on an extinct missing link between hops and marijuana led to some fertile conversations about the real cause of their extinction," Johnson quips. Fulcrum, 2007, 204 p., color illus., paperback, $29.95.

ISBN: 1555914519

The Story of Measurement — Andrew Robinson.

It's hard to imagine civilization without measurement. In addition to length, weight, height, and other obvious units, time and language require standards. Current quantification includes concepts inconceivable to the earliest humans—eyeglass prescriptions, time zones, air-quality indexes, radioactivity, IQ, and even the polygraph. In this illustrated compilation marking the march of measurement, the reader gets a page or two on each of these and more. It's a walk through time, appropriately enough. Predictably, there are barometers, microscopes, and Geiger counters. But Robinson also offers the first compass (China, A.D. 1115), the first ordered military rank (Egypt, 2nd millennium B.C.), and the first public clock that struck the hours. Language itself is loaded with measurements, including some colorful plurals. As a result, geese come in gaggles, fish in schools, and chickens in broods. "Man is the measure of all things," said the philosopher Protagoras 2,500 years ago. By then, the science of measurement was already well under way. Thames & Hudson, 2007, 224 p., b&w; and color illus., hardcover, $34.95.

ISBN: 0500513678

The Ends of the Earth: An Anthology of the Finest Writing on the Arctic and the Antarctic — Elizabeth Kolbert and Francis Spufford, Eds.

The polar regions have been imagined as much as explored. This compilation of essays and stories takes the reader into the ice from the earliest days of Western exploration in the 1800s to today's well-financed ventures. The book contains some essential writings, penned by familiar names such as Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen. But story tellers Jack London and Jules Verne lighten the load. In addition to explorers, novelists, and scientists, the reader gets a modern-day report from Nicolas Johnson, representing people at the bottom of the status pyramid in Antarctica—contract workers. Some entries come from unusual places—a West African passing a winter in Greenland, or an Australian surviving a harrowing trek a century ago in Antarctica. This compendium attempts to capture the deprivation, beauty, darkness, wonder, and terrible cold of it all. Bloomsbury, 2007, 440 p., hardcover, $29.95.

ISBN: 1596914432

Birder's Conservation Handbook: 100 North American Birds at Risk — Jeffery V. Wells

Avian ecologist Wells, senior scientist for the International Boreal Conservation Campaign, chose his list of the continent's top 100 troubled birds by paring down an original list of 500. Still, he argues against gloom. New initiatives for saving wetlands or curbing energy benefit birds, and Wells calls for greener living as a vital act of bird conservation. He supports the theme by working through his list in a format that echoes a field guide. Each species gets an account packed with details of what's known about its problems and what conservationists are doing. Unlike the range maps in the usual field guide, Wells doesn't send birds flying into blank space at the Mexican border. Instead, he shows the whole geography of winter and summer homes, with enough shaded blobs oozing over borders to make the point that saving birds will take some global thinking. Princeton University Press, 2007, 464 p., b&w; illus., paperback, $35.00.

ISBN: 0691123233

December 1, 2007

Four Laws That Drive the Universe — Peter Atkins

Although it deals with seemingly familiar concepts such as temperature, thermodynamics ranks among the most conceptually treacherous branches of physics. Many students, for example, have puzzled over the definition of entropy, a measure of disorder. Atkins, a chemistry professor at the University of Oxford in England, guides the reader through the basics of thermodynamics in just over 120 pages by keeping a steady focus on the subject's four fundamental laws. The book contains a modicum of formulas. And although it's tersely written and titled like a popular-science book, Four Laws is a textbook both in essence and in structure. Atkins' elegant exposition will appeal to the lay reader with a serious interest in physics. Oxford Univ. Press, 2007, 128 p., b&w; illus., hardcover, $19.95.

ISBN: 0199232369

What Are You Optimistic About?: Today's Leading Thinkers on Why Things Are Good and Getting Better — John Brockman, Ed.

In an ode to the proposition that sometimes the glass is half full, scientists and cultural observers serve up more than 150 brief essays discussing what they are hopeful about for the future. Their reasons for optimism often run against conventional wisdom and provide plenty of fodder for debate. For instance, Steven Pinker argues that violence has declined throughout human history and prehistory and will continue to diminish, even if it doesn't disappear. Diane F. Halpern predicts that technology will increasingly bring people from diverse backgrounds into contact with one another and create allegiances that extend beyond national borders. William Calvin ups the ante with his conviction that technological and political innovations will allow us to stabilize the climate and solve global warming. Edited by the publisher of the online intellectual site Edge, this book operates on the assumption that science is optimistic at its core. HarperCollins, 2007, 400 p., paperback, $14.95.

ISBN: 0061436933

The Great Naturalists — Robert Huxley, Ed..

Throughout history, naturalists have described the richness of the world around them, collected innumerable specimens, and expanded the stockpile of knowledge. In the process, they changed the course of science, says Robert Huxley, head of the botanical collections of London's Natural History Museum. This collection of biographies profiles 39 noteworthy naturalists, from the Greek philosopher Aristotle to 19th-century polymaths such as John James Audubon and Charles Darwin. Among the book's better-known subjects are Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish doctor and naturalist who invented the system by which scientists name new species, and Joseph Banks, best remembered for his 3-year voyage to the South Seas with Captain James Cook. Lesser-known naturalists chronicled here include Ulisse Aldrovandi, a Renaissance innovator who stressed the need for direct observations and the value of accurate illustrations in natural history books. Many great naturalists were talented artists as well, Huxley notes. Accordingly, the book is richly illustrated with many of the naturalists' own paintings and drawings. Thames & Hudson, 2007, 304 p., b&w; and color illus., hardcover, $39.95.

ISBN: 0500251398

Food: The History of Taste — Paul Freedman, Ed.

Climate, trade, fashion, economics, geography, and technology all shape our tastes in foods. Paul Freeman, a Yale historian, has gathered 10 experts to explore how these factors have influenced cuisines around the globe. The authors trace gastronomic trends from antiquity to the present, focusing not just on preferences of wealthy gourmands but also on features that determine the menus of common folk. For instance, one chapter points to the risks of eating fruits and vegetables in much of 19th-century Europe and why porridges and gruels evolved as dietary staples, despite their nutritional shortcomings. Another chapter explains how restaurants changed culinary expectations. And despite the disdain convenience foods evoke today, one chapter points to why their entry into European society around 1800 actually helped raise the quality of the working-class diet. Univ. of Calif. Press, 2007, 368 p., color photos, hardcover, $39.95.

ISBN: 0520254767

The Science of Stephen King: From Carrie to Cell, The Terrifying Truth Behind the Horror Masters Fiction — Lois H. Gresh and Robert Weinberg

Stephen King's continued success at churning out tales of spine-chilling horror relies on his ability to begin with everyday characters and ordinary situations. The terror is implied, which makes the ensuing tale all the scarier. Gresh and Weinberg plumb King's greatest works, looking for the ways in which science could be used to explain some of the bizarre circumstances in which his characters eventually find themselves. Starting with Carrie, a story about a misfit teenage girl who goes on a rampage at her school prom, the authors explain research into paranormal phenomena, including the heroine's power of telekinesis. The authors also look at the possibility of alien invasions, such as those in King's Tommyknockers and Tracks stories, biological warfare, artificial intelligence, and time travel. Referring not only to King's works but also to those of other masters of suspense and horror, the authors provide a unique look at the scientific side of what scares us most. Wiley, 2007, 272 p., paperback, $15.95.

ISBN: 0471782475

November 24, 2007

The Old Way: A Story of the First People — Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

During the 1950s, anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas lived among the San, also known as Bushmen, in a remote part of southern Africa's Kalahari Desert. Drawing on her field experiences, Thomas argues that the San were among the last modern people to live according to the Old Way—a system of prudent, simple practices and beliefs that sustained untold generations of hunter-gatherers. Thomas describes the San approach to finding water holes, hunting game, and foraging for roots and berries. She explains marriage customs aimed at expanding family social ties. She also writes of the many gods in the San belief system and the tradition of trance dancing. Thomas portrays the Old Way as a template that still has plenty to teach us. Yet Bushmen no longer live in the Old Way, and their traditions are nearly lost. Thomas offers suggestions as to how to revive some of those practices. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006, 368 p., b&w; illus., hardcover, $27.00.

ISBN: 0374225524

The Voyage of the Beetle — Anne H. Weaver

Darwin scholars may reel at anthropologist Weaver's revelation that a large part of the theory of evolution derived from hints provided by a friendly rose chafer beetle. The younger readers (fourth grade and up) that this generously illustrated book targets may prove more open-minded. Weaver lets Rosie the beetle tell the story. Darwin is still a student when he takes Rosie home. She accompanies him on the H.M.S. Beagle as he ponders what he calls the mystery of mysteries: Why are there so many species on Earth, each fitted to its environment? He and Rosie discuss the wonders they see, illustrating how observations of insects, sea slugs, and such led to the idea of natural selection. Rosie feeds Darwin clues in gentle bits, predicting that readers will understand evolution before he does. Univ. of New Mexico Press, 2007, 80 p., b&w; and color illus., hardcover, $16.95.

ISBN: 082634304X

No Way Home: The Decline of the World's Great Animal Migrations — David S. Wilcove.

Salamander fanciers may thrill to the sight of a spotted species in Maine on the move to breeding ponds, making perilous treks of up to 150 yards. Migration is far easier on spectators than on the Arctic terns' trip to their nesting sites—a journey that takes them from the Antarctic Ocean to the Bering Sea. There's a migration for nature fans of just about any taste: Tens of thousands of species make back-and-forth seasonal movements. Ecologist Wilcove, a professor at Princeton University, celebrates these journeys with vignettes of species and the scientists who study them. Organized into migrations by air, land, or water, the survey reveals human threats to these natural marvels. Habitat destruction, overexploitation, and climate change are taking their toll, as are roads and other human creations. Wilcove concludes with ruminations on the challenges of protecting migrants, such as the difficulties of coaxing jurisdictions to cooperate when animals migrate on a tern's scale instead of a salamander's. Island Press, 2007, 256 p., b&w; illus., hardcover, $24.95.

ISBN: 1559639857

Auto Mania: Cars, Consumers, and the Environment — Tom McCarthy

As crude oil approaches $100 per barrel, wallet pain, more than any fears of global warming, may eventually lead Americans to reconsider their thirst for ever-heavier and ever-faster cars and trucks. Since Henry Ford's invention of the mass-produced car, consumers have chosen what to drive based less on the environmental consequences—which include not just tailpipe emissions but the full product cycle, from mining to disposal—than on the allure of the car as a status symbol, McCarthy argues. He tells the story of a nation's affair with four wheels and of how the car's role as cultural icon has influenced its evolution. When considering the car's impact on the environment, it is simplistic to blame it all on Detroit's "big three" or the inadequacy of government regulations. One case in point, McCarthy writes, is the astonishing rise of the SUV, which took even car manufacturers by surprise. Yale Univ. Press, 2007, 368 p., b&w; illus. and photos, hardcover, $32.50.

ISBN: 0300110383

Why There's Antifreeze in Your Toothpaste: The Chemistry of Household Ingredients — Simon Quellen Field

Ever scan the ingredients listed on a product label and wonder what those chemicals are and what they do? While reading his shampoo bottle one morning, chemist Simon Quellen Field discovered a seemingly inappropriate ingredient: salt. Turns out that this common substance isn't just a table seasoning: It's a shampoo thickener too. In this in-depth reference, Field explains the purposes of some of the thousands of chemicals in products we use every day. Each entry provides the chemical formula of the ingredient and a drawing of its molecular structure. Capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers hot, also dilates blood vessels and relieves pain from arthritis, muscle aches, and sprains. Xanthan gum, a slimy gel produced by a particular species of bacteria, thickens many sauces, prevents ice crystals from forming in ice cream, and provides the "mouth feel" of fat without the calories. Learn about the surprising, and sometimes alarming, chemicals used in household products. You'll be amazed at what's in hairspray! Chicago Review Press, 2007, 288 p., paperback, $16.95.

ISBN: 1556526970

November 17, 2007

Good Germs, Bad Germs: Health and Survival in a Bacterial World — Jessica Snyder Sachs

Increased attention to public sanitation, as well as the advent of antibiotic drugs, significantly extended the human life span during the past century. But can a case be made for oversanitation? And can germs sometimes be good for us? It turns out they can, says science writer Sachs. Antibiotic resistance has emerged as one of the most serious health threats of our age—the result of what Sachs terms "a good war gone bad." The author explores our deepening understanding of the symbiotic relationship between the human body and its resident microbes, using case histories of people with antibiotic-resistant diseases. Turning to sanitation, she takes on the "hygiene hypothesis," which posits a connection between modern civilization's concern with cleanliness and recent increases in immune disorders and other disorders. Working with, not against, bacteria may revolutionize medicine in this century, the author suggests. Hill and Wang, 2007, 304 p., hardcover, $25.00.

ISBN: 0809050633

Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body — Jennifer Ackerman

In an informative book, Ackerman brings new understanding to the term circadian rhythm. In five chapters—Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Evening, and Night—she details the events occurring in the human body within a typical 24-hour span. Informed by recent advances in genetics and medical imaging, the book confirms that humans are rhythmic creatures. It emphasizes the importance of synchronizing our actions with our biological rhythms and warns of the dangers getting out of sync. Each individual, Ackerman also cautions, is different. While research suggests that humans are genetically more alike than different, we are marked by millions of distinctions in anatomy, physiology, and behavior. As a result, she writes, "One man's night is another's dawn." Ackerman's book is a unique attempt to describe the science of who we are. Houghton Mifflin, 2007, 272 p., hardcover, $25.00.

ISBN: 0618187588

Hard Road West: History and Geology along the Gold Rush Trail — Keith Heyer Meldahl.

Lewis and Clark set out on their epic journey to the Northwest in 1803—full of confidence yet knowing little of the challenges that lay before them. Less than a half-century later, thousands of settlers undertook a journey that was likewise replete with uncertainty and risk. They headed West in search of a very different goal: gold. Meldahl, a professor of geology and oceanography, draws on the diaries and letters of the emigrants, as well as his own experience trekking the 2,000-mile California Trail, to bring to life the settlers' experience in the harsh western landscape. He draws on his professional knowledge to explain the geology of the West, showing how centuries of geological activity had a direct effect on the routes taken by the travelers. He guides the reader through mountains, forests, and streams to California, where tectonic plates collided to plant the gold that lured the travelers west. Meldahl provides a novel account of the largest overland migration since the Crusades. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2007, 352 p., hardcover, b&w; illus. and photos, $25.00.

ISBN: 0226519600

Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness — Christopher Lane

Beginning in the 1970s, Lane recounts, a small group of well-known psychiatrists literally rewrote the book on mental illness. They expanded the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) from a thin, spiral-bound publication to a weighty manual. The number of psychiatric diagnoses skyrocketed. One consequence is that shyness, as well as a large number of other conditions, says Lane, became classifiable as anxiety and personality disorders. The manual was a windfall for the pharmaceutical industry. In a work based partly on previously classified memos, Lane reveals the poor evidence base on which many of the decisions that were codified in the DSM were based. The changes were born, Lane contends, in part of ongoing disagreements among psychiatrists—disagreements that continue today. DSM, Lane asserts, has transformed how the world thinks about mental health. Yale Univ. Press, 2007, 272 p., hardcover, b&w; photos and illus., $27.50.

ISBN: 0300124465

The Genetic Strand: Exploring a Family History Through DNA — Edward Ball

In 2000, Edward Ball, author of the National Book Award–winning Slaves in the Family, returned to live in Charleston, S.C., where he'd spent his boyhood. He furnished his new home with some family heirlooms that included an old desk. Inside a hidden drawer in the desk, Ball found an assortment of envelopes bearing names and dates and enclosing strands of human hair. The discovery prompted Ball to see what DNA analysis of those locks could reveal about his ancestry, and this book recounts that search. By its end, he'd gained an understanding of modern forensics and DNA science, which he shares with readers. He'd also gained an appreciation of not only his ancestors but also of his living relatives, some of whom gave cheek swabs to help the scientists in their DNA-sampling tasks. Ball describes the experiment as an investigation into "forensics of the self"—a field of little use to crime-scene investigators but gratifying to anyone who wonders about their own identity. Simon & Schuster, 2007, 288 p., hardcover, b&w; photos and illus., $25.00.

ISBN: 0743266587

November 10, 2007

Life in the Soil: A Guide for Naturalists and Gardeners — James B. Nardi

Soil is more than just a planting medium. The ground beneath our feet is teeming with life, forming an ecosystem that provides the elements necessary for plant growth. Soil's underappreciated biological niche gets an in-depth look in this informative illustrated guide. Biologist Nardi profiles the organisms living in the soil, ranging from bacteria to 10,000-year-old fungi to predatory beetles, and describes how each organism contributes to soil chemistry. Part one of the book explains how soil is formed and describes the relationship between specific plant roots and their bacterial and animal partners. Part two describes each organism in a soil ecosystem. Each entry includes the organism's scientific name, place in the food web, impact on gardens, size, and number of species. Nardi ends with suggestions on how people can work as partners with creatures in the soil. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2007, 336 p., color plates and b&w; illus., paperback, $25.00.

ISBN: 0226568520

Natural Selections: Selfish Altruists, Honest Liars, and Other Realities of Evolution — David P. Barash

As the debate between proponents of intelligent design and of evolution rages on, Barash demonstrates how natural selection can explain various aspects of the human experience. He tackles some of the harder questions, such as whether or not we have free will. He debunks the notion that humans are exceptions in the process of evolution. He takes on common arguments against evolution, such as the assertion that it's only a theory and that natural selection cannot create anything new. He addresses the fallacy behind the belief that all natural phenomena are good. Many attributes of human behavior, such as infanticide and racism, he proposes, may be wired into our genes. He muses on the relationship between culture and biology, considering, for example, why people keep pets. Bellevue Literary Press, 2007, 192 p., hardcover, $25.00.

ISBN: 1934137057

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain — Oliver Sacks.

A piece of music can compel us to move our bodies or move us to tears. How can a series of notes, strung together, have such a profound effect? And what can that experience tell us about the human brain? Author and physician Sacks explores the experience of music from the point of view of musicians, everyday people, and patients struggling with strange, music-related maladies. For instance, he describes a man who developed an overwhelming desire to compose music after being struck by lightning. Another patient developed a fear of music after certain pieces triggered seizures. A third patient lost memory for everything except music. Sacks describes a condition known as Williams' syndrome, whose sufferers are often endowed with extraordinary musical talent. In addition to focusing on pathologies, he explores everyday phenomena, such as music's ability to conjure up images and the annoying tendency for a musical phrase to sometimes stick in one's mind. Knopf, 2007, 400 p., hardcover, $26.00.

ISBN: 1400040817

How to Build an Igloo: And Other Snow Shelters — Norbert E. Yankielun

Forget snowmen. To really impress the neighbors after the next snowstorm, build an igloo. Igloos are marvels of engineering—warm, solid structures composed of a cold, soft material. In this whimsical illustrated guide, Yankielun explains how to construct an igloo and other snow shelters step-by-step. After covering safety concerns such as dealing with windchill and frostbite and space constraints, Yankielun launches into the details of construction. He offers advice for selecting the appropriate site and snow, sizing the igloo, and cutting and arranging snow blocks. Igloos can be customized by adding windows, and adjoining igloos can be connected with snow tunnels, he notes. Yankielun explains how to construct lesser-known snow structures such as quinzees, hollowed-out, dome-shaped mounds of snow; and spruce traps, shelters formed under the base of evergreen trees. Finally, he offers instructions for forming emergency snow shelters and surviving under harsh cold conditions. W.W. Norton, 2007, 208 p., b&w; illus., paperback, $17.95.

ISBN: 0393732150

Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get It Back — Ann Vileisis

Most people today are far removed from their foods' natural sources: They have no idea of how food gets to supermarket shelves. Historian Vileisis describes how centuries' worth of food knowledge has been lost as we increasingly rely on advertising and nutritional guidelines as a basis for choosing our daily menus. Two centuries ago, many of the vegetables eaten in a typical household were grown in the family garden. As food-manufacturing technology advanced, less and less of the work associated with agriculture and food processing was done at home. Vileisis describes how some people eventually began to regard factory-produced foods as unnatural and traces marketers' subsequent attempts to connect their products with natural goodness. She describes the resurgence of local and organic food and touts the advantages of this trend. Island Press, 2007, 332 p., b&w; photos, hardcover, $26.95.

ISBN: 1597261440

November 3, 2007

Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited — Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein

Imagine being told at age 35 that you had an identical twin—a person whom you'd never met. This is what happened to Elyse Schein after she decided to search for her birth mother. Participants in a study comparing the effects of nature versus nurture, Schein and her twin sister, Paula Bernstein, had been separated at birth, adopted by two families, and given no knowledge of the other's existence. Once reunited, the sisters discovered that they shared much more than DNA. They had a common love for film and writing. Both battled depression during their teen years, a legacy of mental illness, they would find, passed on from their mother. The authors recount their outrage at their separation and describe attempts to hold the adoption agency legally accountable. Together at last, they detail their attempt to locate their birth mother. Random House, 2007, 288 p., color plates, hardcover, $25.95.

ISBN: 1400064961

American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree — Susan Freinkel

From Georgia to Maine, the American chestnut tree once reigned as a symbol of the country's rugged wilderness. A fungal blight imported from Asia, however, would eventually lay waste to some 4 billion chestnut trees and bring the proud tree to near extinction. Freinkel chronicles the history of the tree, the people who drew their livelihood from its high-quality wood, and the conservationists who are working with a near-obsessive passion to revitalize the chestnut population. Freinkel notes the close connection between rural people and the chestnut tree, which thrives mainly in the countryside. As early as 1880, scientists embarked on a crusade to save the American chestnut by cross-breeding hardier, blight-resistant varieties. Today, scientists are trying to genetically modify the deadly fungus to protect the few remaining American chestnut trees against future threats. Univ. of Calif. Press, 2007, 294 p., hardcover, $27.50.

ISBN: 0520247302

Citrus: A History — Pierre Lazlo.

With orange juice a staple at the breakfast table and lemonade stands a childhood summer tradition, it is easy to forget that citrus used to be reserved for the wealthy, its scarcity making it a delicacy available only on special occasions. How did citrus arrive in the Western world and so quickly become a dietary staple? Citrus was brought to Europe from Asia, Lazlo explains, and introduced to the new world by the Spanish conquistadors, among others. Easily acclimating to the warm weather of Florida and California, the fruit soon changed the face of agriculture in the United States. In Florida alone, oranges are a $9 billion annual industry. Lazlo details steps that have been taken to domesticate citrus fruit and to protect it from catastrophic drops in temperature and insect infestation. The health benefits of citrus are legion: It not only protects against scurvy but provides a variety of vitamins. It adds zest to many foods, and Lazlo incorporates recipes using citrus throughout the book. Finally, Lazlo illuminates citrus' cultural role as a symbol in religion, art, and writing. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2007, 262 p., color plates, hardcover, $25.00.

ISBN: 0226470261

The Mathematician's Brain: A Personal Tour Through the Essentials of Mathematics and Some of the Great Minds Behind Them — David Ruelle

British mathematician, logician, and cryptographer Alan Turing gained fame for breaking the Enigma cipher used by the German military during World War II. He was also a homosexual. During a period when being gay was against the law, he was arrested and convicted of "a gross act of indecency." Turing committed suicide in 1954. Ruelle includes Turing's tragic story among a diverse set of portraits of some of the most brilliant mathematical minds of all time. Among his other subjects is John von Neumann, co-creator of game theory who compared the digital computer to the human brain. The author, a mathematical physicist, reflects on how the mathematician works and how mathematics sheds light on the nature of knowledge. Ruelle also examines the anatomy of mathematical texts, looks at the process by which mathematical concepts are developed, and explores ideas such as infinity, the circle theorem, and algebraic geometry. Princeton Univ. Press, 2007, 172 p., hardcover, $22.95.

ISBN: 0691129827

Microcosmos: Discovering the World Through Microscopic Images from 20 X to Over 22 Million X Magnification — Brandon Broll

The scanning-electron microscope (SEM) is a marvelous tool. Magnified 20 million to 22 million times, ordinary objects assume an other-worldly quality. The images, Broll explains, are examples of science "crossing over into art." This visually arresting collection, provided by the Science Photo Library of London, provides examples of SEM images from a wide variety of sources and arranged in six sections: microorganisms, botanics, the human body, zoology, minerals, and technology. Examples include the kiwi fruitlike appearance of the cell wall of plankton, the flowerlike folds of the fallopian tubes, and the colorful waves of butterfly scales. Broll's informative text highlights the noteworthy features of each image. Firefly, 2007, 432 p., hardcover, color photos, $29.95.

ISBN: 1554072379

October 27, 2007

A Ball, a Dog, and a Monkey: 1957—The Space Race Begins — Michael D'Antonio

This year's commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik brings back memories of the enthusiasm and adventure, as well as the paranoia, surrounding the birth of the space race. D'Antonio paints a detailed portrait of efforts by U.S. government and military experts, along with scientists, to catch up with the Russians. The earliest efforts were shrouded in secrecy, but as test rocket after test rocket exploded on the launch pad at the newly established Cape Canaveral, word got out. Soon, the entire country was riveted by the unfolding contest between Russia and the United States to put the first person in space. D'Antonio describes the key players in this drama, including former Nazi rocket chief Wernher von Braun, who had an essential role in the production of a viable American rocket. He also gives due credit to President Dwight Eisenhower, who attempted to temper some of the military hype surrounding the conquering of space, and to the scientists, journalists, and astronauts whose work would forever change how we look at space and at our place in the universe. Simon and Schuster, 2007, 320 p., hardcover, $26.00.

ISBN: 0743294319

Good Calories, Bad Calories — Gary Taubes

These days, many people steer clear of high-fat-content foods in an attempt to maintain weight and heart health. But where did this dietary dictum come from, and, more important, is it correct? As obesity and heart disease reach record levels, could what we've learned about what constitutes a healthy diet be partially to blame? In a revolutionary look at evidence gathered since the 1960s, science writer Taubes reveals that the ever-rising consumption of carbohydrates may be behind the increased prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Obese individuals, he contends, may be better served by carbohydrate-restricted diets. He also posits that the benefits of fiber consumption are overblown. He presents research documenting that the source, rather than the quantity, of calories, has the greater effect on weight. Taubes also challenges the assumption that diet and exercise alone can prevent obesity. In the epilogue, he addresses the need for research into the effects of carbohydrates on health and the elimination of the persistent but unproved beliefs about diet and health. Knopf, 2007, 640 p., hardcover, $27.95.

ISBN: 1400040787

October 20, 2007

Quirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things — Richard Wiseman

A student of human behavior for decades, Wiseman has discovered interesting facts about lying, decision making, and humor. Among the behaviors he has investigated in small but ingenious experiments is many people's belief that birth date affects personality. Despite the inaccuracy of horoscopes, many people swear that their astrological signs fairly accurately describe their lives. This is so, the author explains, because horoscope writers make their predictions believable by keeping them general and flattering. Wiseman also examines people's relatively poor ability to recognize a lie, the superstitious worry surrounding the number 13, and the fact that good-looking criminals often get off with lighter prison sentences than their less attractive counterparts do. In his quest to unlock the secrets of what makes a joke funny, Wiseman set up a Web site asking for joke submissions and ratings—and made some interesting and disturbing findings about the darker side of humor. He explains these and other strange aspects of human behavior, revealing just how quirky the human mind is. Basic, 2007, 323 p., hardcover, $26.00.

ISBN: 0465090796

Inside the Body: Fantastic Images from Beneath the Skin — Susan Greenfield

Modern medical technology allows physicians and scientists to see the inner workings of the human body with unprecedented detail. Light micrographs enable scientists to view individual cells and many of the structures within them. Electron microscopes go deeper and give three-dimensional views. Angiograms can produce real-time images of blood vessels. These methods and others are used to create the bold images in this book. Starting at the cellular level, human tissues and organs are magnified thousands of times to reveal hidden and often bizarre structures. Striking images include the fingerlike projections of intestinal cells, flexible but tough tendons within the heart, the spiderlike arms of nerve cells, a sperm and egg at the moment of fertilization, and a simple whole-body X ray. In total, these images reveal the complexity and beauty of the human body. Firefly, 2007, 287 p., color images, paperback, $29.95.

ISBN: 1554073170

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2007 (The Best American Series) — Richard Preston, Ed..

A newly emerging field called molecular gastronomy is shaking things up in the cultivated culinary world in Paris. Male bighorn sheep may reveal secrets about the evolution of homosexuality. And obtaining a nuclear bomb may not be as difficult as one would hope. These are among the fascinating topics covered in the 28 essays in this informative and eye-opening anthology. Editor Richard Preston, author of such books as The Hot Zone and The Wild Trees, selected articles that exemplify the best in American science and nature writing for the year 2007. His choices represent the latest and greatest in emerging research and exploration. The essays were culled from such well-respected publications as National Geographic, The Atlantic Monthly, Scientific American, Discover, and The New Yorker. Authors include Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Paul Bennett, Meredith Small, and others. From the hype surrounding bird flu to the future of video games, readers will find here a diverse collection of cutting-edge science journalism. Houghton Mifflin, 2007, 336 p., paperback, $14.00.

ISBN: 0618722319

Vital Signs 2007–2008: The Trends that Are Shaping Our Future — The Worldwatch Institute

Produced annually by the Worldwatch Institute, the Vital Signs series highlights critical developments affecting the present and future of Planet Earth. This year's guide focuses on 44 trends that are having enormous impact on the world's resources, people, and environment. Some of the trends, such as the rapid consumption of natural resources, climate change, and the continued prevalence of HIV/AIDS, are broad in impact. Others, such as increases in child labor, apply primarily to certain groups. Among the newer findings is a disturbing drop in male reproductive health. Rates of testicular cancer are up, and sperm production is down. The news is not all bad, however. Nuclear-weapons production is on the decline, and the use of alternative fuels is rising. Literacy rates are rising. The book provides a thought-provoking look at the state of the world and the actions needed to sustain it. W.W. Norton & Co., 2007, 176 p., b&w; photos, paperback, $18.95.

ISBN: 0393331296

The Jesuit and the Skull: Teilhard de Chardin, Evolution, and the Search for Peking Man — Amir D. Aczel

As the battle between the proponents of evolution and of intelligent design rages on, Aczel examines the earliest days of the controversy. The 1929 discovery of a skull of Homo erectus in a cave in China provided a much-sought link between humanity's ancient ancestor and modern Homo sapiens. The fossil, which became known as the Peking Man, could well have produced an internal conflict for Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, one of the paleontologists who discovered the skull, who was a Jesuit priest. Teilhard, however, did not believe that his religious beliefs should preclude the scientific study of human evolution. Aczel covers Teilhard's writings on science and religion, the Catholic Church's attempt to suppress his work, and the disappearance of the Peking Man fossils during the Japanese occupation of China. Finally, Aczel examines the proliferation of the fossil record and what post–Peking Man fossil discoveries can tell us about human origins. Riverhead, 2007, 304 p., hardcover, $24.95.

ISBN: 1594489564

October 13, 2007

Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science — James D. Watson

More than a half-century ago, James Watson and his research partner, Francis Crick, discovered the structure of DNA, opening the door to modern-day advances in molecular biology and genetics. Now in his eighties, Watson offers, in this autobiography, his perspective on his work and the world. He frames his story as a self-help book, listing at the end of each chapter the lessons he learned during that phase of his life. For example, Watson, a puny boy growing up, suggests avoiding picking fights with bigger kids. Cognizant of mortality, he advises graduate students to choose a young thesis adviser. He describes in detail his frustration with academia and a variety of struggles in his personal life, including the search for a date. Watson probably will meet his self-set goal: never boring readers with his life story. Knopf, 2007, 368 p., b&w; photos, hardcover, $26.95.

ISBN: 0375412840

Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and the Hidden Rivalries that Ignited the Space Age — Matthew Brzezinski

Following the end of World War II, the United States and Russia, erstwhile allies, began to vie for technological and military supremacy. The Russians saw in the United States a great force that threatened to take down Communism. Russian President Nikita Khrushchev wanted a tangible symbol that would demonstrate to the world his country's ability to defend itself. Brzezinski, a former Moscow correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, describes the tense political climate that characterized this period. With the launch of a tiny Russian satellite named Sputnik in 1957, the United States knew that it had vastly underestimated the Russians' technical prowess. Brzezinski captures the panic that ensued, recounting the Soviets' escalating advances in space technology and the pressures confronting both governments at the dawn of the space age. Times Books, 2007, 336 p., b&w; plates, hardcover, $26.00.

ISBN: 080508147X

Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain — Maryanne Wolf.

The ability to read represents one of the most remarkable adaptations of the human brain. Reading is not a preprogrammed function like speech, yet most children are able to pick up the ability with relative ease. In doing so, they open their minds to new worlds and experiences. Wolf examines how the ability to read emerged in people, starting about 2,000 B.C. with the Sumerians. The book goes on to examine how learning to read and the act of reading change a person's brain over a lifetime. Though Socrates deemed the written word inferior to the spoken word, Wolf notes, alphabets and written words permit an expansion of knowledge and a remodeling of the human brain. Wolf, a professor of child development, pays particular attention to how children learn to read. She examines the effects of poverty on that process and how a brain's emotional centers are affected by what a person reads. Finally, she looks at the devastating effects of dyslexia and ponders whether modern information technology will erode people's ability to comprehend and appreciate nuances of the written word. HarperCollins, 2007, 320 p., hardcover, $25.95.

ISBN: 0060186399

Amazing Ben Franklin Inventions You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series) — Carmella Van Vleet

What do bifocals, paper money, and lightning rods have in common? All were invented or influenced by scientist and politician Ben Franklin. A brilliant man, Franklin not only helped found America, but by following his keen intellectual curiosity, he opened the door to many inventions that people still find useful. Van Vleet combines an easy-to-read biography of Franklin with step-by-step instructions for building some of his inventions. Examples include the armonica, a musical instrument made of glasses containing water, a rudimentary printing press based on the one used by Ben Franklin to print his popular newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette, and a piggy bank, representing Franklin's maxim that "a penny saved is a penny earned." Readers also learn about Franklin's famous experiments with electricity, his standardization of the United States Postal Service, and his role in establishing U.S. independence. For ages 9 and up. Nomad Press, 2007, 128 p., b&w; illus., paperback, $14.95.

ISBN: 0977129470

Earth under Fire: How Global Warming Is Changing the World — Gary Braasch

Eight years ago, photojournalist Braasch began documenting the effects of global warming. His travels took him across Arctic glaciers, into an Australian cloud forest, and onto the Great Barrier Reef. In all these places and more, the author found unmistakable signs of a warming planet. Braasch delivers his eyewitness accounts of the detrimental effects of global warming through a combination of stark photography and detailed text. He also notes the various ways in which people are documenting and attempting to address these changes. For example, the Inuit in the Arctic and the people of the island nation of Tuvalu are already experiencing thawing ice and rising Pacific waters, respectively, and are adapting to their changing environments. Complementing the main text are sidebars on how climate change is affecting disease risk, the water supply, and other phenomena. The book ends on a hopeful note, describing how many countries and cities are choosing greener ways of living. Univ. Calif. Press, 2007, 295 p., color photos, hardcover, $34.95.

ISBN: 0520244389

October 6, 2007

Earth Then and Now: Amazing Images of Our Changing World — Fred Pearce

This collection of images proves, perhaps once and for all, that a picture's worth a thousand words. Paired images, taken at different points in time, reveal the ways in which human-made and natural forces have altered Earth's landscape. Pearce, an environmental writer, arranges the images to accentuate how such factors as urbanization, land transformation, war, and culture are evidenced by changes in various locations worldwide. From a restaurant hanging on the edge of a retreating glacier to a sandstorm in China's Tiananmen Square to the aftermath of floodwaters in New Orleans, the images attest to Earth's ever-changing landscape. The intervals between the paired images range from minutes to centuries. Each before-and-after image is accompanied by a caption detailing the when, how, and why of its salient features. Firefly, 2007, 288 p., b&w; and color photos, hardcover, $39.95.

ISBN: 1554072980

The Survival Imperative: Using Space to Protect Earth — William E. Burrows

The possibility that an asteroid may crash into Earth ranks near the bottom of most people's worry lists. However, Burrows points out, such a collision is possible, and its impact could be catastrophic. What, if anything, can be done to prevent such a disaster? Burrows, a veteran science journalist, sets forth the necessary elements for a planetary-defense program and gauges the threat posed not only by asteroids and other near-Earth objects but also by natural disasters and by people's own destructive technologies. Burrows' ideas extend to using space to protect Earth against all manner of threats. The suggested defense mechanisms range from using spacecraft to track the movement of weapons of mass destruction to monitoring weather patterns and climate change. He points out that spaceflight may be imperative to the survival of humanity, as the need to create remote settlements becomes more pressing. Forge, 2007, 317 p., paperback, $15.95.

ISBN: 0765311151

The Red Volcanoes: Face to Face with the Mountains of Fire — G. Brad Lewis and Paul-Edouard Bernard de Lajartre.

Hidden beneath our feet lies the molten heart of Earth, composed of a fire that reveals itself in furious, erupting volcanoes. All Earth's elements were once a part of this furnace. Hawaii's Kilauea, the most active volcano on Earth, and Furnace Peak (Piton de la Fournaise) on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, with their dramatic lava flows and geologic formations, are living displays of Earth's subterranean force. The two volcanoes are the focus of this book, which contains more than 100 full-color images that convey a wondrous combination of heat, fiery light, and smoke. The images, taken by renowned volcanologists and photographers Lewis and de Lajartre, offer close-up details of two otherwise unapproachable subjects. The book also includes a glossary of volcano-related terms. Thames & Hudson, 2007, 144 p., color photos, hardcover, $34.95.

ISBN: 0500543402

Mind, Life and Universe: Conversations with Great Scientists of Our Time — Lynn Margulis and Eduardo Punset, Eds.

Based on interviews conducted by Spanish science-television personality Punset and American microbiologist Lynn Margulis, this book seeks to bring to life the passion and enthusiasm, as well as the vast knowledge, of 36 leading scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Among the luminaries featured are sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson, biologist Richard Dawkins, theoretical physicist Lisa Randall, and primatologist Jane Goodall. Each interviewee provides insight into the most interesting questions being pursued within his or her respective field. Topics range from the consequences of nanotechnology to the similarities between warring people and aggressive chimpanzees to the human brain's hidden powers of perception. Each interview is edited so as to let the flavor of the scientist's personality shine through. The book ends with brief biographical notes about all the interviewees. Chelsea Green, 2007, 358 p., hardcover, $35.00.

ISBN: 1933392614

Space Art: How to Draw and Paint Planets, Moons, and Landscapes of Alien Worlds — Michael Carroll

Despite the availability of telescopes and cameras mounted on space rovers, there is still room for the artistic touch in portraying the landscapes of other planets and moons. Carroll, who has had a 25-year career as an astronomical artist, provides instructions for composing such images, emphasizing the art of combining traditional principles of landscape painting with the images provided by space cameras. He explains how to use shading and coloring techniques to paint water and ice, rocks and geological formations, craters, and alien skies. He offers a list of basic artists' materials and tips for drawing spheres, mountains, mesas, and craters as well as other suggestions. He describes each step in the creation of 14 paintings, of varying degrees of difficulty, including the Earth as seen from the moon, a Jupiter cloudscape, ancient Mars, and a world with two suns. Carroll includes scientific background, including NASA photos, on the major formations and physical features of each image. Watson-Guptill, 2007, 144 p., b&w; and color images, paperback, $24.95.

ISBN: 0823048764

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