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[[Category:New Reviews|Popular Science]]__NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{adsense2}}Frontpage__NOTOC__{{newreview|isbn=1787333175|title=Paralysed with FearYou Don't Have to be Mad to Work Here|author=Gareth WilliamsBenji Waterhouse|rating=4.5

|summary=Gareth Williams, author of I was tempted to read ''You Don't Have to be Mad to Work Here'Angel of Death'after enjoying Adam Kay's first book {{amazonurl|isbn=1509858636|title=This is Going to Hurt}}, turns his focus from a glorious mixture of insight into the history workings of the plague to that of polio in NHS, humour and autobiography. ''You Don'Paralysed with Feart Have to be Mad...''. From promised the same elements but moved from physical problems to mental illness and the first report work of a case in 1700-Strasbourg, right through psychiatrist. I did wonder whether it was acceptable to polio be looking for humour in this setting but the present day, he traces polio’s progression past age limits, socioeconomic boundaries laughter is directed at a situation rather than a person and geographical borders. Almost more intriguing, though, it is the insight we receive to the cut-throat competition between scientists who sought to use polio as a means for making historyalways delivered with empathy and understanding.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1137299754</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John D Barrow1788360702|title=MathleticsCharles, The Alternative Prince: An Unauthorised Biography|author=Edzard Ernst|rating=3.54|genre=SportBiography|summary=As a sports fan For over forty years, Prince Charles has been an ardent supporter of alternative medicine and a maths teachercomplementary therapies. ''Charles, I was thrilled to get The Alternative Prince'' critically assesses the chance to read a book which claims to give us Prince'surprising s opinions, beliefs and enlightening insights into aims against the world background of sports'. This is rather a frustrating read because it seems to have got the balance wrong in many casesscientific evidence. There are some chapters few instances of his beliefs being vindicated and his relentless promotion of treatments which are so short as have no scientific support has done considerable damage to be barely worth reading – one merely points out that while humans can’t run as fast as cheetahs or perform gymnastics as amazing as that the reputation of a monkeyman who is proud of his refusal to apply evidence-based, we’re better alllogical reasoning to his ambitions.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=0192779230|title=Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of Germs|author=Isabel Thomas|rating=5|genre=Children's Non-rounders than any other animal. This is true, but hardly Fiction|summary='Germs' seems worth wasting to have become a page on, it’s so obviouscatch-all word to cover anything unpleasant which has the potential to make you ill. Then there are other chapters, like In the interesting one detailing the points scoring system first book in the decathlonwhat looks to be a very promising new series, which are good but could OUP and Isabel Thomas have been much better given more spaceprovided a clear and accessible introduction to the world of germs. We get an informed look at how people originally thought about diseases and what they thought caused them and how the thinking has developed over time. The decathlon one is vocabulary can be confusing but Thomas gives a regular box headed 'speak like a prime example scientist' which explains some of this – it’s five pagesthe trickiest concepts and you'll soon be familiar with bacteria, so one of the book’s longer sectionsfungi, protists and viruses – and how we should protect ourselves.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=gareth_steel|title=Never Work With Animals|author=Gareth Steel|rating=4|genre=Animals and Wildlife|summary=I don't often begin my reviews with a warning but could surely have been excellent if with ''Never Work With Animals'' it had gone into more detailseems to be appropriate. I can’t help thinking that dropping half Stories of a vet's life have proved popular since ''All Creatures Great and Small'' but ''Never Work With Animals'' is definitely not the sections and doubling companion volume you've been looking for. As a TV show the author would argue that ''All Creatures'' lacked realism, as do other half in length might have been similar programmes. Gareth Steel says that the way book is not suitable for younger readers and - after reading - I agree with him. He says that he's written it to go hereinform and provoke thought, particularly amongst aspiring vets. It deals with some uncomfortable and distressing issues but it doesn't lack sensitivity, although there are occasions when you would be best choosing between reading and eating.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099584239</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dr David Lewis0241480442|title=ImpulseHealthy Vegan The Cookbook: Why We Do What We Do Without Knowing Why We Do ItVegan Cooking Meets Nutrition Science|author=Niko Rittenau and Sebastian Copien

|genre=Popular ScienceCookery|summary=How many times have we asked ourselves the question: ''Why did Emotionally, I do that?'' Most of the timeam a vegan. Mentally, the question is I am a response vegan. I read [[How to Love Animals in a sudden inexplicable impulse or urge on Human-Shaped World by Henry Mance]] and was appalled by the way in which we treat animals in our partsearch for (preferably cheap) food. That extra helping of chocolate cake Practically, that flirtation I am not a vegan. It worked for a while apart from the odd blip with the guy regard to cheese but then a perfect storm of those events which you hope don't occur too often in your lifetime tempted me back to animal-based protein. It wasn't the office, or taste - I know that I can get plant-based food that musttastes just as good as anything plundered from the animal kingdom -have item in it was the supermarket trolley may all be causes for regret once our rational brain kicks ease of being able to get sufficient protein when meals were often snatched ina few spare moments. But why is it that we humans are often slaves to our base instinct?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847946852</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael Blastland and David Spiegelhalter|title=The Norm Chronicles: Stories and numbers about danger|rating=5|genre=Politics and Society|summary=I'd like you to meet Norm. He's an absolutely average kind of guy, thirty one years old, 5'9”, a touch over thirteen stone and he works a thirty-nine hour week Daniel Gibbs with the occasional treat of a bar of milk chocolate. Oh, and he's ambivalent about Marmite - couldn't care one way or the other - can take it or leave it. In ''The Norm Chronicles'' we hear the story of his life and the lives of his friends Prudence (the name tells you what you need to know) and Kelvin, who's a dare-devil, hard-living kind of guy. It's the story of the hazards they face - some real and some imagined - in every aspect of their lives. And along with these stories are the ''real'' facts about the reality of the risks they take.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846686202</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Kristine BarnettTeresa H Barker|title=The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius Tattoo on my Brain|rating=3.5

|summary=The tutor stands at the front Alzheimer's is a disease that slowly wears away your identity and sense of the university classself. I have been directly affected by this cruel disease, frantically scribbling equations on as have many. Your memories and personality worn away like a statue over time affected the large whiteboard in front of himelements. It seems as if nature wants that final victory over you and your dignity. He This is well respected by his students; an expert in several fields, including general relativity, string theory, quantum field theory and biophysicswhat makes Daniel Gibbs' memoir so admirable. In fact, he recently unveiled Daniel Gibbs is a brand new theory that may put him neurologist who was diagnosed with Alzheimers and has documented his journey in line for a Nobel Prize''A Tattoo on my Brain''. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he is just 14 years old?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241145627</amazonuk>1108838936

{{newreview|author=Ian Stewart|title=The Great Mathematical Problems|rating=3.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=I joked with a friend when I first got Until the book events of 6 January 2021 that ''The Great Problems'' may be a step too far for memight have surprised, and perhaps I should wait for Stewart to release a book called even shocked many readers: now they''The Fairly Good Mathematical Problems'' as re probably convinced that they knew it would be closer to my levelall along. While I originally said The statement has lost a little of its shock value but it in jest, by chapter four or so I was starting does help us to think I'd been closer to the truth than I'd realised - Stewart seems, somewhat surprisingly given his past success with books like understand more about the brilliant [[Professor Stewart's Hoard nature of Mathematical Treasures by Ian Stewart|Professor Stewartpsychopathy. It's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures]], too easy to have pitched this book about associate psychopathy with the 'really big questions in mathematics' at an extremely high level. With just a degree in mathematics and nearly ten years worth of experience teaching the subjectYorkshire Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, I found it something of a slog to get throughSaddam Hussein or Robert Maudsley, with many concepts being difficult to graspthe real-life Hannibal Lecter, in particular but the Mordell conjecturetruth is that having psychopathic traits can sometimes be a good thing.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846681995</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Steven Strogatz1849767343|title=The Joy of XCount on Me|author=Miguel Tanco

|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Steven Strogatz, award-winning professor, takes us on a tour The title and format of mathematics, and how it relates to our everyday life, in this fascinating book. Split into six sections, might lead you to think that it'Numberss either about responsibility - or it', s a basic 1-2-3 book for those just starting out on the numbers journey. It isn'Relationshipst: it', 'Shapes', 'Change', 'Data' and 'Frontiers', its a hymn of praise to maths. It's an engaging about why maths is so wonderful and well-presented read, with short chapters which make how you meet it easy to dip intoin everyday life.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848878435</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richard Restak and Scott KimB08B39QNRH|title=How Puzzles Improve Your Brain: The Surprising Science Curious History of the Playful BrainWriter's Cramp: Solving an age-old problem|author=Michael Pritchard

|summary=Many people in ''Society is based on speech but civilisation requires the first flush of youth will read this book written word''. I came to find ways Michael Pritchard's ''The Curious History of increasing their brain powerWriter's Cramp'' by a rather strange route. Others - like me - at I have problems with my hands which orthopaedic surgeons refer to as 'interesting': I prefer the other end of word 'painful' but I have an interest in the age continuum will read because they're looking for ways to restrict or even reverse what they see as deteriorationway that hands work. Both groups might initially be disappointed as An exploration of the title suggests that history of a problem which has defeated some of the book is about puzzlesbest medical minds for some three-hundred-years seemed liked excellent background reading and so it proved, but don't give up as with the reality is far more useful. This is a book being as much about how our brains ''work'', how the different parts interact or come into play in certain circumstances - doctors treating the sufferers and then there are some puzzles directed at improving performance in those areasthe changing medical attitudes as the problem itself.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0285641751</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Thomas Wright1776572858|title=Circulation: William Harvey's Revolutionary IdeaHow Do You Make a Baby?|author=Anna Fiske and Don Bartlett (translator)

|genre=BiographyHome and Family|summary=It'Circulations more than sixty years since I asked how babies were made. My mother was deeply embarrassed and told me that she' by Thomas Wright is d get me a biography of English physician William Harvey’s life, and the story of the 'birth book about it. A couple of days later I was handed a theory'. It takes pamphlet (which delivered nothing more than the reader through time basics, in clinical language which had never been used in our house before, during ) and after the creation and completion of I was told that it wouldn't be discussed any further as it 'De Motu Cordis'wasn', in t something which Harvey famously outlines the most comprehensive antecedent of the mechanism of blood circulation as we know it todaynice people talked about''. The combination of the writer I ''knew''s aptitude for storytelling and the intriguing life of the individual about whom he writes makes for a fascinating readmore, allowing one to course through chronologically arranged chapters on Harvey’s life and worksbut was little ''wiser''. Thankfully, mixed with briefer essays on subject matters ranging from the history of vivisection to the philosophical underpinnings of Harvey’s worktimes have changed.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099552698</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Richard MabeyDanny Dorling|title=Turned Out Nice Again: On Living With the WeatherSlowdown

|summary=Twenge We are living in a time of rapid change, and Campbell have been studying we're worried about it. Dorling tells us that the rise in narcissism as a social trendlatter is normal, natural and probably good for us. They We are well-qualified designed to comment, having worked since 1998 worry and with social psychologist Roy Baumeister, who pioneered research the current state of what we're doing in this fieldthe world we have much to be worried about. At more than However, over the next three -hundred -and-some pages it's rather weighty for , if you can follow the popular market at which arguments, itsets out in scientific detail why either we shouldn's aimedt be as worried as we are, but even if you only dip into this bookor in some cases that we're worrying about the wrong things. Mostly. Because mostly, I things are not changing as rapidly as we think you'll take home their messagethey are. In fact, the rate of change in many things is slowing down and the direction of change will in some cases go into reverse.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1416575987</amazonuk>0300243405

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Langford_Emily|title=Damian OEmily'Briens Numbers|titleauthor=If Houses Why Not Mouses?Joss Langford|rating=3.54|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=I once dedicated an entire linguistics essay Emily found words ''useful'', but counting was what she loved best. Obviously, you can count anything and there's no limit to the plural of sheephow far you can go, but then Emily moved a step further and began counting in particular my older sister’s youthful fascination with it twos. She knew allabout odd and even numbers. Then she began counting in threes: half of the list were even numbers, but the other half was odd and it was this list of odd numbers which occurred when you counted in threes which she called ''One sheep, two sheep. No two sheeps. That sillythreeven'' etc etc. So when this book arrived I thought it perfectly plausible that the author had written an extended investigation into house/houses, mouse/mice. (No two mouses? That silly.) What I discovered on making my way through the pagesActually, however, is that there is this confused me a little bit at first as they're a lot more subset of the odd numbers but sound as though they ought to this book that irregular plurals be a subset of the 3-year-old-befuddling kindeven numbers, but it all worked out well when I really thought about it.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1909395595</amazonuk>)

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Daniel J Barrett1910593508|title=MediaWiki (Wikipedia Apollo|author=Matt Fitch, Chris Baker and Beyond)Mike Collins

|genre=ReferenceHistory|summary=I don't usually open reviews This incredible graphic novel is a love letter to the Moon landings and the passion for the subject drips off every Apollo by explaining how I came to read a particular bookMatt Fitch, but on this occasion it will help you to judge whether or not this book Chris Baker and Mike Collins. This is suitable for you if you a story we know where I'm coming from. Back in 2006 three people got together well and between them they built because of this, the authors take a site - let's call it [http://wwwfew narrative shortcuts knowing that we can fill in the blanks.thebookbag.co.uk The Bookbag]. In These shortcuts are the only downside to the early days Bookbag was for fun: it was rather like Everestbook. We did it because it ''could'If you' ve ever read a comic book adaptation of a film you will be familiar with the slight feeling that there are scenes missing and we wanted to see if what we (loosely) had in mind could be donethat dialogue has been trimmed. It was This is a simple HTML site graphic novel that could easily have been three times as long and I had no problems in mastering the technicalitiesstill felt too short. I'd built the site under instruction and I knew it inside out.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0596519796</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joel Levy1999308719|title=Why?Live Forever Manual: Science, ethics and companies behind the new anti-aging treatments|author=Adrian Cull|rating=4.5|genre=TriviaLifestyle|summary=Why does the Titanic float but a brick sink? And For many years now I've (half) joked that I intended to live forever and that water they’re sinking or floating inso far, why is it wet? And what colour is it, ‘cos it ain’t clear? These questions was working out OK. Time has passed though and although I'm a great deal fitter and many more are answered in this book healthier than most people of my age there were a few nagging health problems which may not be were tipping my life out of balance. It was time to look for a new concept but which is executed extremely wellapproach and as so often happens, the reviewing gods brought me the book I needed. ''Live Forever Manual: Science, ethics and companies behind the new anti-ageing treatments'' seemed like the answer to my problems - only you get so much more than just 101 tips.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1847941834|title=Atomic Habits|author=James Clear|rating=4.5|amazonukgenre=<amazonuk>1843179512</amazonuk>Lifestyle|summary=I've said this before but there are some books that you seek out, some books that you stumble across and some books that drop into your life because you really MUST read them, like, right now! ''Atomic Habits'' is in the last category.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mick O'HareHoneyborne BlueII|title=Will We Ever Speak Dolphin?Blue Planet II|author=James Honeyborne and Mark Brownlow

|summary=The annual New Scientist book is becoming 'Speaking Up' has a bit fascinating subject matter - how language reflects and shapes our notions of a ritual for megender. It looks at our use of language in media, education, and I hope it is for you too. Each yearreligion, they collate the best questions workplace and answers personal relationships. Author Allyson Jule calls on an encyclopedic body of research from their Last Word column, and each year I heartily recommend that you pick it up, or give it the mid-twentieth century to someone as a Christmas the presentday. This year is no exceptionReading it, as we find out whether we'll feel that she has studied everything that has ever speak dolphin, all been said on gendered linguistics; she references Foucault and the ins and outs of James Bond's vodka martini, and - most importantly - detailed information from a dishwasher expert about how to deal Kardashians with tinned spinachequal rigour.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178125026X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Chris WaringCampbell_Astra|title=From 0 Ad Astra: An illustrated guide to Infinity in 26 Centuriesleaving the planet|author=Dallas Campbell|rating=45

|summary=I quite like Maths and ISo… you want to leave the planet? Before you do you'm not bad at it at d better study the whole history of human space flight to get up to speed. That could take a basic level, which is useful as I have while… if only there was a financial based jobhandy guide that could condense it all down for you. But I recall the point at which Maths went from being easy Enter Dallas Campbell with this book: An illustrated guide to incomprehensible for me; sometime over leaving the Summer that feel between GSCE and A-Level standard. Then, as now, I never really wondered where Maths had come from; I just worried why I suddenly couldn't understand it any moreplanet.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1843178737</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David KaiserAdrian_Sock|title=How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum RevivalSock (Object Lessons)|author=Kim Adrian

|summary=In his introduction Professor Kaiser states that there are three ways in The subject of this book has been around for several millennia, and yet my partner's daughter has been employed for several years designing it, or them. It's something I use for about 200 days of every year, at a guess (well, I have my self-diagnosed over-active eccrine glands and other people to think about) – which clearly puts me at the west coast hippies have benefited opposite end of the development scale to well-known mass-murderer of Physics; they opened up deeper speculation women, Ted Bundy, who was into the fundamental philosophy behind quantum theory, they latched on stealing credit cards to a crucial theorem fund his desire of Bell, about what Einstein termed ''spooky'' interactions between particles at having a distancefresh pair every single day. This might otherwise have been totally neglectedOn which subject, the amount of them we create every year could stack to the freaking moon and more. Thirdly they propounded Some idiots buy more than six pairs a key idea year, apparently, which has become known is plain stupid. I'm talking, as you can tell, of the humble sock.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Germano_Eye|title=Eye Chart (Object Lessons)|author=William Germano|rating=4.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=It'no-cloning theorem's happened to me, and like as not it has or will happen to you, too. Kaiser tells I mean the receipt of certain little numerical results, with a lucid account as might be expected from positive or negative before them to prove the correction needed to my vision to make me see with the intended clarity and normality. I've had that gizmo that photos the Germeshausen Professor back of my eye to check for diabetes and other problems, I've had different tests to check the History pressure inside my eye, and I've come away with glasses I don't need to wear all the time, but certainly benefit from on holiday, or when watching TV or a cinema or theatre production. And above and beyond that I've stared at – and got wrong – the simple, seemingly ageless test, of Science and department chief various letters in various configurations that diminish in size, to prove to the Massachusetts Institute of Technologyrelevant scientist at what stage things get blurry for me. Of course, it's program. Incidentally he also provides an engaging insight into not ageless, but the scientific progress that led to it, the American industrial-military complex changes other people made to it, and associated institutions like the Californian University at Berkleycultural impact it's had are all on these eye-opening small pages.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>039334231X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David CrystalBall_Wonders|title=Spell It OutWonders Beyond Numbers: The Singular Story A Brief History of English SpellingAll Things Mathematical|author=Johnny Ball

|summary=Are you Like many people of a speller? I must confess I'm not much of one myself'certain age, so the main thing '' I was after from this book was an insight into have fond memories of tuning in to watch Johnny Ball enthusiastically extolling the peculiarities virtues of English spelling, maths and some hints science; succeeding where our schoolteachers had failed and tips for remembering the rulesactually making these subjects ''fun. Oh'' Although decades have passed since those classic TV shows, his latest book proves that he has lost none of his passion and a fun, entertaining read at the same time (this is Crystal, after all). I was not disappointedenthusiasm for his subject. (Even if I can still only spell disappointed with the help of my spellchecker)|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846685672</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jim HoltYong_Contain|title=Why Does I Contain Multitudes: the World Exist? An Existential Detective Storymicrobes within us and a grander view of life|author=Ed Yong|rating=45

|summary=In ''The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'' Douglas Adam’s famously suggested that the ultimate answer world you know is a lie. There is no such thing as good or bad microbes. Sickness and health are all far more complex than we thought. Things designed to life, the universe save us may kill us and everything was forty-two, although it quickly turns out nobody knows what the ultimate question is, rendering the answer meaninglessthings we think would kill us may save us. In ''Why Does the World Exist?'', Jim Holt explores potential answers Welcome to what could be considered the ultimate question modern study of life, the universe and everything – why is there something, rather than nothing? And the answer’s certainly not forty-twomicrobes.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846682444</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Charles Fernyhough|title=Pieces of Light: the New Science of Memory|rating=4.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=Over the years, I've seen the human memory at its best and worst. I watched my Nan suffer with Alzheimer's Move on to the point she couldn't remember who anyone was, but also had a colleague who won a silver medal at the Memory Olympics for his ability to remember long strings of items. I also studied memory as part of a psychology degree but, perhaps ironically, I can no longer remember much of what I learned.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184668448X</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Reference Reviews]]