Thursday, April 8, 2021

iTunes Store: Top 25 Books in Science & Nature 2021-04-08

Loren Eiseley & William Cronon - The Invisible Pyramid artwork The Invisible Pyramid
A Library of America eBook Classic
Loren Eiseley & William Cronon
Genre: Nature
Price: $12.99
Publish Date: November 15, 2016
Publisher: Library of America
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

A revered ecologist and conservationist examines the origins and possible futures of humankind within the context of the Space Age, masterfully “[communicating] the awesome spectacle of our environmental crisis” ( New York Times Book Review ) To read Loren Eiseley is to renew a sense of wonder at the miracles and paradoxes of evolution and the ever-changing diversity of life. In this brilliant collection, he considers the cosmological significance and ultimate meanings of our evolutionary history, offering a series of profound, lyrical meditations on the origins and possible futures of humankind against the backdrop of the Apollo landings. As Western civilization attains new heights of scientific awareness and technological skill, he asks, is it also blind to its own limits and destructive capacities? Always a fond observer of the natural world, Eiseley makes a newly urgent, environmentalist plea in  The Invisible Pyramid : we must protect the fragile “world island” against our unchecked power to pollute and consume it.  “A relentless, haunting, and haunted figure devils the man [Eiseley] and twists from him some of the best prose we have. . . . Eiseley is a master of significant anecdote. There is an unstated but real gothic terror prowling behind his vision.” — New York Times Book Review



Robin Wall Kimmerer - Braiding Sweetgrass artwork Braiding Sweetgrass
Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Genre: Nature
Price: $12.99
Publish Date: September 16, 2013
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Seller: Perseus Books, LLC

As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass , Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise” (Elizabeth Gilbert). Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings—asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass—offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.



Michio Kaku - The God Equation artwork The God Equation
The Quest for a Theory of Everything
Michio Kaku
Genre: Physics
Price: $13.99
Publish Date: April 06, 2021
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

Michio Kaku, renowned theoretical physicist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of  The Future of the Mind  and The Future of Humanity , tells the story of the greatest quest in all of science. When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories—relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang? What lies on the other side of a black hole? Are there other universes and dimensions? Is time travel possible? Why are we here? Kaku also explains the intense controversy swirling around this theory, with Nobel laureates taking opposite sides on this vital question. It is a captivating, gripping story; what’s at stake is nothing less than our conception of the universe. Written with Kaku’s trademark enthusiasm and clarity, this epic and engaging journey is the story of The God Equation .



Bill Gates - How to Avoid a Climate Disaster artwork How to Avoid a Climate Disaster
The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
Bill Gates
Genre: Science & Nature
Price: $16.99
Publish Date: February 16, 2021
Publisher: Knopf Canada
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

NEW YORK TIMES  BESTSELLER NATIONAL BESTSELLER In this urgent, singularly authoritative book, Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical--and accessible--plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid an irreversible climate catastrophe. Bill Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help and guidance of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science and finance, he has focused on exactly what must be done in order to stop the planet's slide toward certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only gathers together all the information we need to fully grasp how important it is that we work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases but also details exactly what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal. He gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. He describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce emissions; where and how the current technology can be made to function more effectively; where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on these essential innovations. Finally, he lays out a concrete plan for achieving the goal of zero emissions--suggesting not only policies that governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our government, our employers and ourselves accountable in this crucial enterprise. As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be simple or easy to do, but by following the guidelines he sets out here, it is a goal firmly within our reach.



DK - AMNH Birds of North America Western artwork AMNH Birds of North America Western
DK
Genre: Nature
Price: $11.99
Publish Date: February 02, 2021
Publisher: DK Publishing
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

This comprehensive e-guide to North American birds uses a fully integrated photographic approach for quick and easy identification in the field. This is the only photographic field e-guide you need to enjoy bird-watching in Western North America. It uses a photographic approach to profile the extraordinary range of birds found in Western North America. The highest-quality photography brings nearly 575 species to life on the page, capturing their beauty and making identification quick and effortless. The 367 species most commonly seen west of the Great Plains are featured in full-page profiles that emphasize all the information needed to identify them. All photographs are clearly labeled and annotated. Detailed similar species boxes make it easy to distinguish between birds that are similar in appearance. Schematic drawings show the shape and posture of the bird in flight as well as its coloration, and a diagram of its flight pattern is also included. A separate section profiles 128 species that are particularly uncommon or local in their distribution, and there is a short list of vagrants and accidentals--those that are, on occasion, pushed off course on migration to find themselves in North America. Written by experts and produced in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History, Birds of North America Western Region is an essential field guide for identifying birds in North America.



Dan Egan - The Death and Life of the Great Lakes artwork The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
Dan Egan
Genre: Environment
Price: $20.99
Publish Date: March 07, 2017
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Seller: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

New York Times Bestseller Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Award "Nimbly splices together history, science, reporting and personal experiences into a taut and cautiously hopeful narrative.… Egan’s book is bursting with life (and yes, death)." —Robert Moor, New York Times Book Review The Great Lakes—Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior—hold 20 percent of the world’s supply of surface fresh water and provide sustenance, work, and recreation for tens of millions of Americans. But they are under threat as never before, and their problems are spreading across the continent. The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is prize-winning reporter Dan Egan’s compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come.



Carl Weston - Quantum Physics artwork Quantum Physics
A Beginners Guide to How Quantum Physics Affects Everything around Us
Carl Weston
Genre: Physics
Price: $3.99
Publish Date: December 07, 2018
Publisher: Shockwave Publishing
Seller: PublishDrive Inc.

When we hear the term quantum physics, the first thought that comes to our mind is Einstein and his theory of relativity. Of course, it goes without saying that there is much more to quantum physics than that. Physics is an excellent medium of explaining a million different things starting from heating a cup of coffee to gravitational pull. There is no real limit in the discipline of physics. It involves matters that are as huge as the galaxy to things as small as neutrons. This book deals with the smallest side of it, which is the branch of quantum physics. Throughout the course of this book, you will get a much better understanding of quantum physics starting from the basic concepts to some in-depth information. You will also see a lot of math and calculus in the book since quantum physics uses many concepts from those subjects. Don’t dread reading through even though it might sound dreary and difficult. I don’t intend to scare you with big equations and calculations, as this book will not make you a physicist. The sole aim of this book is to simplify quantum physics for the common man, who has no idea what it entails and how it affects our everyday life. I have put the text together in a way that should make the subject matter much simpler to understand and maybe interesting to someone who normally hates science. I assure you that by the end you will have learnt more than you normally do by just staring blankly ahead in a classroom. And if you are a curious student, you will definitely know more about quantum physics than before. In this book you will learn: What Quantum Physics is Theories of Matter Wave-Particle Duality The Einstein-Podolsky paradox Applications of Quantum Physics And much much more!



Matthew Walker - Why We Sleep artwork Why We Sleep
Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Matthew Walker
Genre: Life Sciences
Price: $12.99
Publish Date: October 03, 2017
Publisher: Scribner
Seller: Simon & Schuster Canada

“ Why We Sleep is an important and fascinating book…Walker taught me a lot about this basic activity that every person on Earth needs. I suspect his book will do the same for you.” —Bill Gates A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this “stimulating and important book” ( Financial Times ) is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber. With two appearances on CBS This Morning and Fresh Air 's most popular interview of 2017, Matthew Walker has made abundantly clear that sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when it is absent. Compared to the other basic drives in life—eating, drinking, and reproducing—the purpose of sleep remains more elusive. Within the brain, sleep enriches a diversity of functions, including our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. It recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. Dreaming creates a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge, inspiring creativity. In this “compelling and utterly convincing” ( The Sunday Times ) book, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Charting the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and marshalling his decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood and energy levels, regulate hormones, prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity. He also provides actionable steps towards getting a better night’s sleep every night. Clear-eyed, fascinating, and accessible, Why We Sleep is a crucial and illuminating book. Written with the precision of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Sherwin Nuland, it is “recommended for night-table reading in the most pragmatic sense” ( The New York Times Book Review ).



Lawrence M. Krauss - Fear of Physics artwork Fear of Physics
A Guide for the Perplexed
Lawrence M. Krauss
Genre: Physics
Price: $2.99
Publish Date: July 30, 2007
Publisher: Basic Books
Seller: Hachette Digital, Inc.

"Assume the cow is a sphere." So begins this lively, irreverent, and informative look at everything from the physics of boiling water to cutting-edge research at the observable limits of the universe. Rich with anecdotes and accessible examples, Fear of Physics nimbly ranges over the tools and thought behind the world of modern physics, taking the mystery out of what is essentially a very human intellectual endeavour.



James Nestor - Breath artwork Breath
The New Science of a Lost Art
James Nestor
Genre: Life Sciences
Price: $16.99
Publish Date: May 26, 2020
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

A New York Times Bestseller A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2020 Named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR   “A fascinating scientific, cultural, spiritual and evolutionary history of the way humans breathe—and how we’ve all been doing it wrong for a long, long time.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic and Eat Pray Love No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly. There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers aren’t found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of São Paulo. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe. Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance; rejuvenate internal organs; halt snoring, asthma, and autoimmune disease; and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is. Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head. You will never breathe the same again.



Moore, Patrick - Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom artwork Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom
Moore, Patrick
Genre: Environment
Price: $10.99
Publish Date: January 06, 2021
Publisher: Ecosense Environmental Inc.
Seller: Patrick MOORE

Here is Dr. Patrick Moore's description of his unique thesis as presented in "Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom". "It dawned on me one day that most of the scare stories in the media today are based on things that are either invisible, like CO2 and radiation, or very remote, like polar bears and coral reefs. Thus, the average person cannot observe and verify the truth of these claims for themselves. They must rely on activists, the media, politicians, and scientists - all of whom have a huge financial and/or political interest in the subject - to tell them the truth. This is my effort, after 50 years as a scientist and environmental activist, to expose the misinformation and outright lies used to scare us and our children about the future of the Earth. Direct observation is the very basis of science. Without verified observation it is not possible to know the truth. That is the sharp focus of this book." The book contains 98 color photographs, illustrations, and charts. A key target audience is parents who do not approve of the "progressive" school curriculum and its alarmism about the future of civilization and the natural world. Dr. Moore hopes these parents will read his book and pass it on to their high-school and older children to give them an alternative to the bleak future predicted by the prophets of doom. Many other audiences will also find the book informative and convincing. In 11 chapters the reader is clearly shown that citizens are being misinformed by many environmental doomsday prophesies, ones they cannot verify for themselves. We are told that nuclear energy is very dangerous when the numbers prove it is one of the safest technologies. We are told polar bears will go extinct soon when their population has been growing steadily for nearly 50 years. We are told that there is something harmful in genetically modified food crops when it is invisible, has no name and no chemical formula. We are told severe forest fires are caused by climate change when they are actually caused by poor management of fuel load (dead wood) in the forest. We are told that all the coral reefs will die by 2100 when in fact the most diverse coral reefs are found in the warmest oceans in the world. And of course, we are told that invisible CO2 from using fossil fuels, accounting for more than 80 percent of our energy supply, will make the Earth too hot for life. All of these scare stories, and many more, are simply not true. And this book will convince you, your family, and your colleagues of that. There is no substitute for the truth. Dr. Patrick Moore was one of the co-founders of Greenpeace and sailed on the first Greenpeace campaign against US H-bomb tests in Alaska. Upon receiving his PhD in ecology, he spent 15 years in the top committee of Greenpeace and led many of its environmental campaigns. Greenpeace began as a group of volunteers with noble intentions. Over the years it became very successful with campaigns to save the whales, stop the mass slaughter of baby seals, prevent toxic dumping into the air, water and earth, and many more. Greenpeace found itself in the early 1980s with more than $100 million coming in annually and close to 1,000 people on the payroll. It had become a business and fundraising moved to the top of the priority list. New campaigns were more about using sensationalism, misinformation and fear to attract donations. Dr. Moore said good-bye in 1986 as Greenpeace was turning into a racket peddling junk science. Since then he has strived to be a sensible environmentalist, basing his beliefs on sound science and logical thinking. This book is the culmination of 50 years of learning during Dr. Moore's multi-faceted quest for the truth about environmental issues (an historical account of Dr. Moore's 15 years with Greenpeace and his analysis of environmental subjects are in his previous book, "Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout - The Making of a Sensible Environmentalist".



Dan Falk - Universe on a T-Shirt artwork Universe on a T-Shirt
The Quest for the Theory of Everything
Dan Falk
Genre: Physics
Price: $1.99
Publish Date: May 01, 2013
Publisher: Skyhorse
Seller: Simon & Schuster Canada

No scientific quest is as compelling as the search for the key to understand the universe—the elusive unified “Theory of Everything”—a theory so concise it could fit on a T-shirt. Lively and thought-provoking, Universe on a T-Shirt tells the fascinating story of the search for the Holy Grail of physics. Dan Falk places this intriguing story in its historical context, tracing the quest from ancient Greece to the breakthroughs of Newton, Maxwell, and Einstein, to the excitement over string theory and today’s efforts to merge quantum theory with general relativity. With as much emphasis on history as on science, Falk’s accessible approach is ideal for anyone intrigued by the advances in modern physics but still wondering what theoretical physicists are searching for, and why. Today’s physicists use sophisticated methods, but their goal—the search for simplicity—has not changed since the time of the ancient Greeks. Universe on a T-Shirt is filled with quirky personalities, brilliant minds, and bold ideas—high science and high drama. "An admirably concise and comprehensive overview of cosmology . . . [that] offers intriguing insights into the philosophic and personal outlooks motivating the scientists involved, from the ancient Greeks through Newton and Einstein . . . [and] Stephen Hawking and Ed Witten.”— Booklist



Eric Berger - Liftoff artwork Liftoff
Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX
Eric Berger
Genre: History
Price: $17.99
Publish Date: March 02, 2021
Publisher: William Morrow
Seller: Harper Collins Canada Limited

"This is as important a book on space as has ever been written and it's a riveting page-turner, too." —Homer Hickam, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Rocket Boys The dramatic inside story of the historic flights that launched SpaceX—and Elon Musk—from a shaky startup into the world's leading-edge rocket company SpaceX has enjoyed a miraculous decade. Less than 20 years after its founding, it boasts the largest constellation of commercial satellites in orbit, has pioneered reusable rockets, and in 2020 became the first private company to launch human beings into orbit. Half a century after the space race it is private companies, led by SpaceX, standing alongside NASA pushing forward into the cosmos, and laying the foundation for our exploration of other worlds. But before it became one of the most powerful players in the aerospace industry, SpaceX was a fledgling startup, scrambling to develop a single workable rocket before the money ran dry. The engineering challenge was immense; numerous other private companies had failed similar attempts. And even if SpaceX succeeded, they would then have to compete for government contracts with titans such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, who had tens of thousands of employees and tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue. SpaceX had fewer than 200 employees and the relative pittance of $100 million in the bank. In Liftoff, Eric Berger, senior space editor at Ars Technica, takes readers inside the wild early days that made SpaceX. Focusing on the company’s first four launches of the Falcon 1 rocket, he charts the bumpy journey from scrappy underdog to aerospace pioneer. We travel from company headquarters in El Segundo, to the isolated Texas ranchland where they performed engine tests, to Kwajalein, the tiny atoll in the Pacific where SpaceX launched the Falcon 1. Berger has reported on SpaceX for more than a decade, enjoying unparalleled journalistic access to the company’s inner workings. Liftoff is the culmination of these efforts, drawing upon exclusive interviews with dozens of former and current engineers, designers, mechanics, and executives, including Elon Musk. The enigmatic Musk, who founded the company with the dream of one day settling Mars, is the fuel that propels the book, with his daring vision for the future of space. Filled with never-before-told stories of SpaceX’s turbulent beginning, Liftoff is a saga of cosmic proportions.



David Deutsch - The Beginning of Infinity artwork The Beginning of Infinity
Explanations that Transform The World
David Deutsch
Genre: Science & Nature
Price: $10.99
Publish Date: March 31, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Seller: Penguin Books Limited

A bold and all-embracing exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge from one of today's great thinkers. Throughout history, mankind has struggled to understand life's mysteries, from the mundane to the seemingly miraculous. In this important new book, David Deutsch, an award-winning pioneer in the field of quantum computation, argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe. They have unlimited scope and power to cause change, and the quest to improve them is the basic regulating principle not only of science but of all successful human endeavor. This stream of ever improving explanations has infinite reach, according to Deutsch: we are subject only to the laws of physics, and they impose no upper boundary to what we can eventually understand, control, and achieve. In his previous book, The Fabric of Reality , Deutsch describe the four deepest strands of existing knowledge-the theories of evolution, quantum physics, knowledge, and computation-arguing jointly they reveal a unified fabric of reality. In this new book, he applies that worldview to a wide range of issues and unsolved problems, from creativity and free will to the origin and future of the human species. Filled with startling new conclusions about human choice, optimism, scientific explanation, and the evolution of culture, The Beginning of Infinity is a groundbreaking book that will become a classic of its kind.



Thomas S. Cowan & Sally Fallon Morell - The Contagion Myth artwork The Contagion Myth
Why Viruses (including "Coronavirus") Are Not the Cause of Disease
Thomas S. Cowan & Sally Fallon Morell
Genre: Life Sciences
Price: $20.99
Publish Date: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Skyhorse
Seller: Simon & Schuster Canada

For readers of Plague of Corruption , Thomas S. Cowan, MD, and Sally Fallon Morell ask the question: are there really such things as "viruses"? Or are electro smog, toxic living conditions, and 5G actually to blame for COVID-19? The official explanation for today’s COVID-19 pandemic is a “dangerous, infectious virus.” This is the rationale for isolating a large portion of the world’s population in their homes so as to curb its spread.  From face masks to social distancing, from antivirals to vaccines, these measures are predicated on the assumption that tiny viruses can cause serious illness and that such illness is transmissible person-to-person. It was Louis Pasteur who convinced a skeptical medical community that contagious germs cause disease; his “germ theory” now serves as the official explanation for most illness. However, in his private diaries he states unequivocally that in his entire career he was not once able to transfer disease with a pure culture of bacteria (he obviously wasn’t able to purify viruses at that time). He admitted that the whole effort to prove contagion was a failure, leading to his famous death bed confession that “the germ is nothing, the terrain is everything.”  While the incidence and death statistics for COVID-19 may not be reliable, there is no question that many people have taken sick with a strange new disease—with odd symptoms like gasping for air and “fizzing” feelings—and hundreds of thousands have died. Many suspect that the cause is not viral but a kind of pollution unique to the modern age—electromagnetic pollution. Today we are surrounded by a jangle of overlapping and jarring frequencies—from power lines to the fridge to the cell phone. It started with the telegraph and progressed to worldwide electricity, then radar, then satellites that disrupt the ionosphere, then ubiquitous Wi-Fi. The most recent addition to this disturbing racket is fifth generation wireless—5G. In The Contagion Myth: Why Viruses (including Coronavirus) are Not the Cause of Disease, bestselling authors Thomas S. Cowan, MD, and Sally Fallon Morell tackle the true causes of COVID-19. On September 26, 2019, 5G wireless was turned on in Wuhan, China (and officially launched November 1) with a grid of about ten thousand antennas—more antennas than exist in the whole United States, all concentrated in one city. A spike in cases occurred on February 13, the same week that Wuhan turned on its 5G network for monitoring traffic. Illness has subsequently followed 5G installation in all the major cities in America. Since the dawn of the human race, medicine men and physicians have wondered about the cause of disease, especially what we call “contagions,” numerous people ill with similar symptoms, all at the same time. Does humankind suffer these outbreaks at the hands of an angry god or evil spirit? A disturbance in the atmosphere, a miasma? Do we catch the illness from others or from some outside influence? As the restriction of our freedoms continues, more and more people are wondering whether this is true. Could a packet of RNA fragments, which cannot even be defined as a living organism, cause such havoc? Perhaps something else is involved—something that has upset the balance of nature and made us more susceptible to disease? Perhaps there is no “coronavirus” at all; perhaps, as Pasteur said, “the germ is nothing, the terrain is everything.” 



Lisa Feldman Barrett - Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain artwork Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain
Lisa Feldman Barrett
Genre: Science & Nature
Price: $14.99
Publish Date: November 17, 2020
Publisher: HMH Books
Seller: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

From the author of How Emotions Are Made,  a myth-busting primer on the brain in the tradition of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.   Have you ever wondered why you have a brain? Let renowned neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett demystify that big gray blob between your ears. In seven short essays (plus a bite-sized story about how brains evolved), this slim, entertaining, and accessible collection reveals mind-expanding lessons from the front lines of neuroscience research. You’ll learn where brains came from, how they’re structured (and why it matters), and how yours works in tandem with other brains to create everything you experience. Along the way, you’ll also learn to dismiss popular myths such as the idea of a “lizard brain” and the alleged battle between thoughts and emotions, or even between nature and nurture, to determine your behavior.   Sure to intrigue casual readers and scientific veterans alike, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain is full of surprises, humor, and important implications for human nature—a gift of a book that you will want to savor again and again.  



Bjørn Lomborg - False Alarm artwork False Alarm
How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet
Bjørn Lomborg
Genre: Science & Nature
Price: $21.99
Publish Date: July 14, 2020
Publisher: Basic Books
Seller: Hachette Digital, Inc.

The New York Times -bestselling "skeptical environmentalist" argues that panic over climate change is causing more harm than good Hurricanes batter our coasts. Wildfires rage across the American West. Glaciers collapse in the Artic. Politicians, activists, and the media espouse a common message: climate change is destroying the planet, and we must take drastic action immediately to stop it. Children panic about their future, and adults wonder if it is even ethical to bring new life into the world. Enough, argues bestselling author Bjorn Lomborg. Climate change is real, but it's not the apocalyptic threat that we've been told it is. Projections of Earth's imminent demise are based on bad science and even worse economics. In panic, world leaders have committed to wildly expensive but largely ineffective policies that hamper growth and crowd out more pressing investments in human capital, from immunization to education. False Alarm will convince you that everything you think about climate change is wrong -- and points the way toward making the world a vastly better, if slightly warmer, place for us all.



Manly P. Hall - The Secret Teachings Of All Ages artwork The Secret Teachings Of All Ages
Manly P. Hall
Genre: Science & Nature
Price: $0.99
Publish Date: April 21, 2016
Publisher: Books Pub
Seller: KONSTANTIN FAMARSKII

A classic since 1928, this masterly encyclopedia of ancient mythology, ritual, symbolism, and the arcane mysteries of the ages is available for the first time in a compact "reader's edition." Like no other book of the twentieth century, Manly P. Hall's legendary The Secret Teachings of All Ages is a codex to the ancient occult and esoteric traditions of the world. Students of hidden wisdom, ancient symbols, and arcane practices treasure Hall's magnum opus above all other works. While many thousands of copies have sold since its initial publication in 1928, The Secret Teachings of All Ages has previously been available only in oversized, expensive editions. For the first time, Hall's celebrated classic is now published in an affordable trade paperback volume. Literally hundreds of entries shine a rare light on some of the most fascinating and closely held aspects of myth, religion, and philosophy from throughout the centuries. More than one hundred line drawings and a sixteen-page color insert reproduce some of the finest illustrations of the original book, while reset and reformatted text makes this edition of The Secret Teachings of All Ages newly accessible to readers everywhere.



John Marzluff - Gifts of the Crow artwork Gifts of the Crow
How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans
John Marzluff
Genre: Nature
Price: $13.99
Publish Date: June 05, 2012
Publisher: Free Press
Seller: Simon & Schuster Canada

CROWS ARE MISCHIEVOUS, playful, social, and passionate. They have brains that are huge for their body size and exhibit an avian kind of eloquence. They mate for life and associate with relatives and neighbors for years. And because they often live near people—in our gardens, parks, and cities—they are also keenly aware of our peculiarities, staying away from and even scolding anyone who threatens or harms them and quickly learning to recognize and approach those who care for and feed them, even giving them numerous, oddly touching gifts in return. With his extraordinary research on the intelligence and startling abilities of corvids—crows, ravens, and jays—scientist John Marzluff teams up with artist-naturalist Tony Angell to tell amazing stories of these brilliant birds in Gifts of the Crow. With narrative, diagrams, and gorgeous line drawings, they offer an in-depth look at these complex creatures and our shared behaviors. The ongoing connection between humans and crows—a cultural coevolution—has shaped both species for millions of years. And the characteristics of crows that allow this symbiotic relationship are language, delinquency, frolic, passion, wrath, risk-taking, and awareness—seven traits that humans find strangely familiar. Crows gather around their dead, warn of impending doom, recognize people, commit murder of other crows, lure fish and birds to their death, swill coffee, drink beer, turn on lights to stay warm, design and use tools, use cars as nutcrackers, windsurf and sled to play, and work in tandem to spray soft cheese out of a can. Their marvelous brains allow them to think, plan, and reconsider their actions. With its abundance of funny, awe-inspiring, and poignant stories, Gifts of the Crow portrays creatures who are nothing short of amazing. A testament to years of painstaking research and careful observation, this fully illustrated, riveting work is a thrilling look at one of nature’s most wondrous creatures.



John T. Moore - Chemistry For Dummies artwork Chemistry For Dummies
John T. Moore
Genre: Chemistry
Price: $15.99
Publish Date: May 26, 2016
Publisher: Wiley
Seller: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

Chemistry For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781119293460) was previously published as Chemistry For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781118007303). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. See how chemistry works in everything from soaps to medicines to petroleum We're all natural born chemists. Every time we cook, clean, take a shower, drive a car, use a solvent (such as nail polish remover), or perform any of the countless everyday activities that involve complex chemical reactions we're doing chemistry! So why do so many of us desperately resist learning chemistry when we're young? Now there's a fun, easy way to learn basic chemistry. Whether you're studying chemistry in school and you're looking for a little help making sense of what's being taught in class, or you're just into learning new things, Chemistry For Dummies gets you rolling with all the basics of matter and energy, atoms and molecules, acids and bases, and much more! Tracks a typical chemistry course, giving you step-by-step lessons you can easily grasp Packed with basic chemistry principles and time-saving tips from chemistry professors Real-world examples provide everyday context for complicated topics Full of modern, relevant examples and updated to mirror current teaching methods and classroom protocols, Chemistry For Dummies puts you on the fast-track to mastering the basics of chemistry.



Cheryl K. Smith - Raising Goats For Dummies artwork Raising Goats For Dummies
Cheryl K. Smith
Genre: Agriculture
Price: $15.99
Publish Date: January 28, 2010
Publisher: Wiley
Seller: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

Learn to raise goats and start reaping the benefits of owning these fun and useful animals Raising goats is a major part of human life (and survival) around the world. The movement has increased in popularity in recent years as consumers embrace a more sustainable lifestyle, reject commercialism, move to organic food options, and raise concerns about industrial agriculture practices. Raising Goats For Dummies provides you with an introduction to all aspects of owning, caring for, and the day-to-day benefits of raising goats. Breaks down the complicated process of choosing and purchasing the right goat breed to meet your needs and getting facilities for your goat set up. Provides in-depth information on proper grooming, handling, feeding, and milking Covers the basics of goat health and nutrition Offers tips and advice for using your goat to produce milk, meat, fiber, and more You'll quickly understand what makes these useful and delightful creatures so popular and gain the knowledge and skills to properly care for and utilize their many offerings with help from Raising Goats For Dummies .



Джо Диспенза & Анна Петренко - Сила подсознания, или Как изменить жизнь за 4 недели artwork Сила подсознания, или Как изменить жизнь за 4 недели
Джо Диспенза & Анна Петренко
Genre: Science & Nature
Price: $6.99
Publish Date: November 11, 2013
Publisher: LitRes
Seller: LitRes

Книга-сенсация ‒ №1 среди книг по самопомощи. Нет необходимости смиряться с реальностью и постоянно подстраиваться, ведь в любой момент мы можем изменить свою жизнь. Автор мировых бестселлеров по развитию мозга, профессор нейрохимии и нейробиологии, доктор Джо Диспенза предлагает научный подход к изменению жизни. Его уникальная программа рассчитана на 4 недели, за это время она научит вас работать со своим подсознанием, чтобы достичь желаемого ‒ вам остается только решить, что конкретно вы хотите изменить в своей жизни. Эта умная, содержательная и насыщенная практическим материалом книга поможет вам освободиться из плена эмоций, наполнить жизнь здоровьем, счастьем и изобилием. Каждый, кто прочтет эту книгу и воспользуется методикой доктора Диспензы, не пожалеет о затраченных усилиях. Эта книга: доступно объяснит работу подсознания;изменит ваше представление о том, как устроен ваш мозг;научит вас проникать в сферу подсознания и перепрограммировать его;раскроет эффективные техники медитации. Обратите внимание на полезное дополнение к книге: практические медитации от доктора Диспензы теперь доступны в удобном аудиоформате! «Медитации к Силе подсознания»



DK - How the Brain Works artwork How the Brain Works
The Facts Visually Explained
DK
Genre: Life Sciences
Price: $9.99
Publish Date: March 10, 2020
Publisher: DK Publishing
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

Are men's and women's brains really different? Why are teenagers impulsive and rebellious? And will it soon be possible to link our brains together via the Cloud? Drawing on the latest neuroscience research, this visual guide makes the hidden workings of the human brain simple to understand. How the Brain Works begins with an introduction to the brain's anatomy, showing you how to tell your motor cortex from your mirror neurons. Moving on to function, it explains how the brain works constantly and unnoticed to regulate heartbeat and breathing, and how it collects information to produce the experiences of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The chapters that follow cover memory and learning, consciousness and personality, and emotions and communication. There's also a guide to the brain's disorders, including physical problems, such as tumors and strokes, and psychological and functional disorders, ranging from autism to schizophrenia. Illustrated with bold graphics and step-by-step artworks, and sprinkled with bite-sized factoids and question-and-answer features, this is the perfect introduction to the fascinating world of the human brain.



Kirk Wallace Johnson - The Feather Thief artwork The Feather Thief
Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
Kirk Wallace Johnson
Genre: Nature
Price: $13.99
Publish Date: April 24, 2018
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Seller: Penguin Random House Canada

As heard on NPR's This American Life “Absorbing . . . Though it's non-fiction,  The Feather Thief  contains many of the elements of a classic thriller.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air “One of the most peculiar and memorable true-crime books ever.” — Christian Science Monitor A rollicking true-crime adventure and a captivating journey into an underground world of fanatical fly-tiers and plume peddlers, for readers of  The Stranger in the Woods ,  The Lost City of Z , and  The Orchid Thief . On a cool June evening in 2009, after performing a concert at London's Royal Academy of Music, twenty-year-old American flautist Edwin Rist boarded a train for a suburban outpost of the British Museum of Natural History. Home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world, the Tring museum was full of rare bird specimens whose gorgeous feathers were worth staggering amounts of money to the men who shared Edwin's obsession: the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Once inside the museum, the champion fly-tier grabbed hundreds of bird skins—some collected 150 years earlier by a contemporary of Darwin's, Alfred Russel Wallace, who'd risked everything to gather them—and escaped into the darkness. Two years later, Kirk Wallace Johnson was waist high in a river in northern New Mexico when his fly-fishing guide told him about the heist. He was soon consumed by the strange case of the feather thief. What would possess a person to steal dead birds? Had Edwin paid the price for his crime? What became of the missing skins? In his search for answers, Johnson was catapulted into a years-long, worldwide investigation. The gripping story of a bizarre and shocking crime, and one man's relentless pursuit of justice, The Feather Thief is also a fascinating exploration of obsession, and man's destructive instinct to harvest the beauty of nature.



Sam Kean - The Disappearing Spoon artwork The Disappearing Spoon
And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
Sam Kean
Genre: History
Price: $3.99
Publish Date: July 12, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Seller: Hachette Digital, Inc.

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, finance, mythology, the arts, medicine, and more, as told by the Periodic Table. Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery -- from the Big Bang through the end of time. Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear.