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[[Category:New Reviews|Popular Science]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alexandra Witze and Jeff Kanipe1788360702|title=Island on FireCharles, The Alternative Prince: The extraordinary story of Laki, the volcano that turned eighteenth-century Europe darkAn Unauthorised Biography|author=Edzard Ernst

|genre=Popular ScienceBiography|summary=I'm fascinated by volcanoesFor over forty years, by their uncontrollability Prince Charles has been an ardent supporter of alternative medicine and potential to disrupt way beyond their immediate environment and for years to comecomplementary therapies. ''Charles, but IThe Alternative Prince've always struggled to find books which were accessible to someone without specialist knowledge - or at least more behind them than my very basic qualifications. Like many people my attention was drawn to Iceland when Eyjafjallajokull erupted in ' critically assesses the spring of 2010Prince's opinions, not because beliefs and aims against the background of the plight scientific evidence. There are few instances of the Icelanders his beliefs being vindicated and their livestock, but because his relentless promotion of treatments which have no scientific support has done considerable damage to the disruption it caused over much reputation of a man who is proud of Europe, I'm afraid. I began his refusal to look at other volcanoes in Iceland apply evidence- particularly Katlabased, reputed historically to erupt in conjunction with Eyjafjallajokull. It's likely that a full-scale eruption of Katla would cause even more disruption than its little sister - and then I started logical reasoning to look back at other eruptions in Icelandhis ambitions. The one which few people seem to know about is Laki - which might have been one of the triggers of the French Revolution.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781250049</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0192779230|title=Jake's BonesVery Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of Germs|author=Jake McGowan-LoweIsabel Thomas

|summary=My oldest son 'Germs' seems to have become a catch-all word to cover anything unpleasant which has wanted the potential to make you ill. In the first book in what looks to be a palaeontologist since he was three very promising new series, OUP and Isabel Thomas have provided 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 both boys are fascinated by how things workthe thinking has developed over time. Last year my youngest saw The vocabulary can be confusing but Thomas gives a regular box headed 'speak like a scientist' which explains some scientific anatomy drawings of the trickiest concepts and begged for moreyou'll soon be familiar with bacteria, so I began looking for children's books on skeletonsfungi, protists and anatomy. There are very few available viruses – and this looked the best by far, I spent two days searching not only British but American booksellers before noticing that the book had not been released yet - so sadly how we were forced to wait. It was worth waiting for though, this book is truly one of a kindshould protect ourselves.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783250259</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=gareth_steel|title=My Age of AnxietyNever Work With Animals|author=Scott StosselGareth Steel|rating=4.5|genre=Popular ScienceAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Scott Stossel is anxious. There are no two ways about I don't often begin my reviews with a warning but with ''Never Work With Animals'' itseems to be appropriate. He has been anxious for as long as he can remember, with dark recollections Stories of his turbulent childhood, much of which seems to a vet's life have proved popular since ''All Creatures Great and Small'' but ''Never Work With Animals'' is definitely not the companion volume you've been spent nervously gazing out of the window wondering whether his parents were coming home or if they had died in looking for. As a terrible accident. Then of course, there was TV show the sister who was very possibly an author would argue that ''All Creatures''adult midget who had been trained to play lacked realism, as do other similar programmes. Gareth Steel says that the part of a fivebook is not suitable for younger readers and -yearafter reading -old girlI agree with him. He says that he' helping her colleagues (his parents) perform experiments on him before abandoning hims written it to inform and provoke thought, particularly amongst aspiring vets. Clearly Stossel’s anxiety has been fuelled by a rather active imagination over the yearsIt 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>0434019143</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0241480442|title=Knowing, Doing, and BeingHealthy Vegan The Cookbook: New Foundations for Consciousness StudiesVegan Cooking Meets Nutrition Science|author=Chris ClarkeNiko Rittenau and Sebastian Copien

|genre=Popular ScienceCookery|summary=Man suffers from Emotionally, I am a regrettable lack of vegan. Mentally, I am a ’hotline vegan. I read [[How to reality’Love Animals in a Human-Shaped World by Henry Mance]] and was appalled by the way in which we treat animals in our search for (preferably cheap) food. Practically, or to ''noumenon''I am not a vegan. In order It worked for a while apart from the odd blip with regard to give cheese but then a relatively faithful rendition perfect storm of reality, however, people use two aspects of consciousnessthose events which you hope don't occur too often in your lifetime tempted me back to animal-based protein. By researchers, they It wasn've been termed t the relational and the propositional. A number of thinkers taste - I know that I can get plant-based food that tastes just as good as anything plundered from a number of fields propose that the structure of consciousness may be unveiled using animal kingdom - it was the tool ease of quantum physicsbeing able to get sufficient protein when meals were often snatched in a few spare moments.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845404556</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Empire Antarctica: Ice, Silence and Emperor PenguinsDaniel Gibbs with Teresa H Barker|authortitle=Gavin FrancisA Tattoo on my Brain|rating=3.5|genre=TravelAutobiography|summary=I know two books donAlzheimer't make s is a genre, but twice in recent years disease that slowly wears away your identity and sense of self. I have read autobiographical travelogues of men who felt too much was going on in their lives and their surroundingsbeen directly affected by this cruel disease, and took themselves off to remote, isolated, extremely cold and inhospitable placesas have many. One went to the shores of Lake Baikal, Your memories and shared his days hunting, fishing, drinking and reading with only personality worn away like a few very distant neighbours. Gavin Francis took himself south, to statue over time affected the edge of the Antarctic ice, to spend a year as a scientific doctorelements. He wasn't able to be completely as alone It seems as some have been in the past – even if he hid himself away in isolation before the week-long annual changeover of staff was throughnature wants that final victory over you and your dignity. Francis ends up with a bakerThis is what makes Daniel Gibbs's dozen of companions, in memoir so admirable. Daniel Gibbs is a place where – apart from the ice, sealing things up – only two lockable doors exist. You might think this neurologist who was a large group of people for someone wanting to be alone, but the very tenuous diagnosed with Alzheimers and isolated feel of the place has documented his journey in the huge emptiness of the landscape is the main point of this book – that, and communing with emperor penguins…''A Tattoo on my Brain''.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>009956596X</amazonuk>1108838936

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0099551063|title=What If Einstein Was Wrong?The Wisdom of Psychopaths: Asking the Big Questions About PhysicsLessons in life from Saints, Spies and Serial Killers|author=Brian CleggDr Kevin Dutton|rating=3.54

|summary=''What if Einstein Was Wrong?'Donald Trump outscores Hitler on psychopathic traits' is a beautifully presented book written by a team of scientific experts attempting to answer some of the most intriguing ''What If?'' questions about physics, cosmology, technology and relativityclaims Oxford University researcher. The result is an accessible storehouse of information, written in user-friendly format, which can be dipped into from time to time whether it be to impress friends at dinner parties, or simply to find out the answers to long-burning questions like: ''What if You Could Journey Into the Past?''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782400451</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|title=Inside The CentreUntil the events of 6 January 2021 that might have surprised, even shocked many readers: now they're probably convinced that they knew it all along. The Life statement has lost a little of J Robert Oppenheimer|author=Ray Monk|rating=5|genre=Biography|summary=Thinking back its shock value but it does help us to understand more about the early 1960s, Bertrand Russell, the subject nature of another prize winning biography by Ray Monk, was frequently seen on black and white television declaring his concerns over Nuclear Weaponspsychopathy. He stated, It'Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or s too easy to think sanely under associate psychopathy with the influence of a great fear.' For nearly seventy yearsYorkshire Ripper, mankind has wondered in the words of StingJeffrey Dahmer, 'How can I save my boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy?' As concerns about nuclear proliferation in relation to IraqSaddam Hussein or Robert Maudsley, Pakistan and North Korea escalate it is salutary to return to a thorough biography of the manreal-life Hannibal Lecter, known as but the father of the bomb, truth is that felt having psychopathic traits can sometimes be a deep and urgent need to be at the centre and to belong, J Robert Oppenheimergood thing.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099433532</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1849767343|title=The End of Plagues: The Global Battle Against Infectious DiseaseCount on Me|author=John RhodesMiguel Tanco

|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=In ''The End title and format of Plaguesthis book might lead you to think that it's either about responsibility - or it', the remarkably clear voice of immunologist John Rhodes takes one through significant moments in man’s battle against infectious diseases. The artillery on which Rhodes focuses is that of the vaccine, which has taken us further away from the extreme grip infections once had on the course of history. The s a basic 1-2-3 book starts with the example of smallpox, for which Edward Jenner first made a vaccine, having been in a world where variolation was those just starting out on the risenumbers journey. Between Jenner’s first serum transfer – from an immune milkmaid to It isn't: it's a servant’s son – and the present day, several vaccines have been developed against ailments such as measles, various influenzas, and polio.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1137278528</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=What a Wonderful World|author=Marcus Chown|rating=4.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=We all wonder about the Big Stuff at one time or another. How does the brain work? How does electricity actually get into our homes and power stuff? Who thought it was sensible hymn of praise to have a soft cheese, a Ferengi and an elementary particle all share the same name? Because that’s not at all confusingmaths. Rather than just think It's about these things, Marcus Chown has decided to examine why maths is so wonderful and explore them, and share his research. Or, as the subtitle puts how you meet it, this is 'One man’s attempt to explain the big stuff'in everyday life. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571278396</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=B08B39QNRH|title=The Machines Curious History of Sex ResearchWriter's Cramp: Technology and the Politics of Identity, 1945Solving an age-1985old problem|author=Donna J DruckerMichael Pritchard

|summary=I'll start bluntly – this 'Society is a very academic, specialised tome, and is not really for the curious reader to flick through. Given that, you probably can work out exactly what this book is like, and therefore move based on from this review, speech but should you stay with me youcivilisation requires the written word'll find that if you didn't know much about sex research equipment then the subject might actually manage to fire a curious synapse and leave you with some interest. It is, after all, not a topic to be ignored easily – as I read and write about this book in September 2013 I'm weeks away from Channel 4 making one of the featured scientists a historical figure in a drama, which is only part of a season that controversially includes something like the science of fifty years ago – namely filming copulating couples. Conversely, if you did know something on the topic, this book will be on your shelves quite imminently.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>9400770634</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|title=Inventing the Enemy: Essays on Everything|author=Umberto Eco|rating=4|genre=I came to Michael Pritchard's ''The Curious History|summary=Imagine of Writer's Cramp'' by a sumptuous Italian feast in the sunlit-bathed ancient countryside near Milanrather strange route. Next I have problems with my hands which orthopaedic surgeons refer to you a gentleman talks and eats with furious energy. He tells of Dante, Cicero, and St Augustine and quotes a multitude of obscure troubadours from as 'interesting': I prefer the Middle Ages. He repeats himself, gestures flamboyantly, nudges you sharply word 'painful' but I have an interest in the ribs, belches and even breaks windway that hands work. His conversation contains nuggets An exploration of information but in the flow history of his discourse there is a fondness problem which has defeated some of the best medical minds for iteration some three-hundred-years seemed liked excellent background reading and reiteration. He throws bones over his shoulder and when he reaches so it proved, with the cheese course - definitely too book being as much information on about the mouldy bacteria! When you finally get up things doctors treating the elderly gentleman has said prompt your imagination. You are better informed, intrigued and prodded to examine his discourse again sufferers and again, even if only to challenge what you have heard. Such are the effects of reading Eco’s essays in ''Inventing changing medical attitudes as the Enemy''problem itself.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099553945</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1776572858|title=Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human PandemicHow Do You Make a Baby?|author=David QuammenAnna Fiske and Don Bartlett (translator)

|genre=Popular ScienceHome and Family|summary=It's more than sixty years since I asked how babies were made. My mother was deeply embarrassed and told me that she'We provide an irresistible opportunity for enterprising microbes by d get me a book about it. A couple of days later I was handed a pamphlet (which delivered nothing more than the ubiquity basics, in clinical language which had never been used in our house before) and abundance of our human bodies.'I was told that it wouldn' This is a salient fact taken away from David Quamment be discussed any further as it 's 'wasn'Spillovert something which nice people talked about''. The entire book is a most trenchant eye-opener to just how much of an impact animal infections have on people; approximately 60% of human infectious diseases are I ''zoonosesknew''more, but was little 'animal [infections] transmissible to humans'wiser''. Thankfully, times have changed.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099522853</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Against Their Will: The Secret History of Medical Experimentation on Children in Cold War AmericaDanny Dorling|authortitle=Allen M Hornblum, Judith L Newman and Gregory J DoberSlowdown|rating=54

|summary=If I told you that doctors had been using human beings We are living in the most horrible a time of medical experimentsrapid change, and we're worried about it. Dorling tells us that they had done things like tie toddlers the latter is normal, natural and probably good for us. We are designed to beds worry and with the current state of what we're doing in the world we have much to insert live pathogens into their eyesbe worried about. However, over the next three-hundred-and-some pages, injected children with radiationif you can follow the arguments, sterilised those thought to it sets out in scientific detail why either we shouldn't be subhuman and even castrated a child just to as worried as we are, or in some cases that we're worrying about the wrong things. get a Mostly. supply of tissue for a lab experimentBecause mostly, you might very reasonably assume I am talking abut Nazi Germanythings are not changing as rapidly as we think they are. I am not 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>0230341713</amazonuk>0300243405

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Langford_Emily|title=God Versus Particle Physics: A No-Score DrawEmily's Numbers|author=John DaviesJoss Langford

|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Emily found words ''useful'God Versus Particle Physics: A No Score Draw', but counting was what she loved best. Obviously, you can count anything and there' is s no limit to how far you can go, but then Emily moved a boldstep further and began counting in twos. She knew all about odd and even numbers. Then she began counting in threes: half of the list were even numbers, witty but the other half was odd and undoubtedly controversial book that questions our blind faith it was this list of odd numbers which occurred when you counted in sciencethrees which she called ''threeven''. Davies (Actually, this confused me a little bit at first as they're a subset of the odd numbers but sound as though they ought to be a psychologistsubset of the even numbers, but it all worked out well when I really thought about it.)}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1910593508|title=Apollo|author=Matt Fitch, analyses Chris Baker and Mike Collins|rating=5|genre=History|summary=This incredible graphic novel is a love letter to the Moon landings and the passion for the subject in detaildrips off every Apollo by Matt Fitch, creating some interesting Chris Baker and Mike Collins. This is a story we know well and convincing arguments concluding that some because of this, the latest theories authors take a few narrative shortcuts knowing that we can fill in the realm of physics seem blanks. These shortcuts are the only downside to border on the metaphysical, lacking any kind of demonstrable proofbook. He reasons that many If you've ever read a comic book adaptation of a film you will be familiar with the arguments used by prominent atheists, demanding evidence slight feeling that there are scenes missing and that dialogue has been trimmed. This is a graphic novel that God exists, can also be applied to ideas such could easily have been three times as the Big Bang, parallel universes, dark matter long and the Higgs Boson, ironically known as the ''God particle''still felt too short.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845405587</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1999308719|title=Sea MonstersLive Forever Manual: The Lore Science, ethics and Legacy of Olaus Magnus's Marine Mapcompanies behind the new anti-aging treatments|author=Joseph NiggAdrian Cull

|genre=Popular ScienceLifestyle|summary=A confession. When reading hardbacks For many years now I've (half) joked that I take the paper coverintended to live forever and that so far, if there is one, off, to keep it pristinewas working out OK. Sometimes Time has passed though and although I'm a great deal fitter and healthier than most people of my age there's were a second benefit, with [[Longbourn by Jo Baker]] as an example few nagging health problems which were tipping my life out of having an embossed illustration underneath, or suchlikebalance. But with this It was time to look for a new approach and as so often happens, the reviewing gods brought me the book I won't be alone, for the cover folds out into an amazing artwork, such as has only two extant original copiesneeded. It's a coloured replica of a large map of the northern seas and Scandinavia, dating from 1539'Live Forever Manual: Science, ethics and is in a category of three major artful scientific papers from where companies behind the whole new anti-ageing treatments'here be dragons' cliché about maps comes from. Its creator, Olaus Magnus, followed it up years later with a commentary of all seemed like the sea creatures he drew on it, but Magnus has waited centuries for this delicious volume answer to commentate on both together, in such a lovely fashionmy problems - only you get so much more than just 101 tips.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782400435</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Peter Roberts and Shelley Evans1847941834|title=The Book of Fungi: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around The WorldAtomic Habits|author=James Clear|rating=4.5|genre=Popular ScienceLifestyle|summary=Fungi I've said this before but there are the fifth order of the natural kingdom and it’s estimated some books that there are approximately one and a half million speciesyou seek out, found throughout the world. ‘’The Book of Fungi’’ looks at six hundred of the known fungi some books that you stumble across and each is pictured at its actual size in full colour and there’s a scientific explanation of its distributionsome books that drop into your life because you really MUST read them, habitatlike, form, spore colour and edibility. right now! ''Atomic Habits'' The tone of the book is academic but don’t let this put you off - before I began reading my knowledge was broadly restricted to knowing that it was better to discover fungus growing outside your house than attached to in the structure inside - and I found it interesting, entertaining (which I didn’t expect) and accessiblelast category.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908005858</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Honeyborne BlueII|title=Paralysed with FearBlue Planet II|author=Gareth WilliamsJames Honeyborne and Mark Brownlow

|genre=Popular ScienceAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Gareth Williams, author You may well remember when the sticking of a number '2'Angel after a film title was suggesting something of Death'', turns his focus from prestige - that the history of the plague first film had been so good it was fully justified to that of polio in ''Paralysed with Fear''have something more. From That has hardly been proven correct, but it has until recently almost been confined to the first report cinema - you barely got a TV series worthy of a case in 1700-Strasbourgnumbered sequel, right through to polio and never in the present dayworld of non-fiction. If someone has made a nature series about, he traces polio’s progression past age limitssay, socioeconomic boundaries Alaska (and boy aren't there are a lot of those these days) and geographical borderswants to make another, why she just makes another - nothing would justify the numeral. Almost more intriguingBut some nature programmes do have the prestige, though, is the insight we receive energy and the heft to demand follow-ups. And after five years in the making, the cut-throat competition between scientists who sought to use polio as BBC's Blue Planet series has delivered a means for making historysecond helping.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1137299754</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John D Barrow1783099593|title=Mathletics|rating=3.5|genre=Sport|summary=As a sports fan and a maths teacher, I was thrilled to get the chance to read a book which claims to give us 'surprising and enlightening insights into the world of sports'. This is rather a frustrating read because it seems to have got the balance wrong in many cases. There are some chapters which are so short as 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 of a monkey, we’re better all-rounders than any other animal. This is true, but hardly seems worth wasting a page on, it’s so obvious. Then there are other chapters, like the interesting one detailing the points scoring system in the decathlon, which are good but could have been much better given more space. The decathlon one is a prime example of this – it’s five pages, so one of the book’s longer sections, but could surely have been excellent if it had gone into more detail. I can’t help thinking that dropping half of the sections and doubling the other half in length might have been the way to go here.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099584239</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewSpeaking Up|author=Dr David Lewis|title=Impulse: Why We Do What We Do Without Knowing Why We Do ItAllyson Jule|rating=4.5

|summary=How many times have we asked ourselves the question: ''Why did I do that?'Speaking Up' Most of the time, the question is has a response to a sudden inexplicable impulse or urge on fascinating subject matter - how language reflects and shapes our partnotions of gender. That extra helping It looks at our use of chocolate cakelanguage in media, education, religion, that flirtation with the guy in workplace and personal relationships. Author Allyson Jule calls on an encyclopedic body of research from the office, or that mustmid-have item in twentieth century to the supermarket trolley may all be causes for regret once our rational brain kicks inpresent day. But why is Reading it , we feel that we humans are often slaves to our base instinct?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847946852</amazonuk>she has studied everything that has ever been said on gendered linguistics; she references Foucault and the Kardashians with equal rigour.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Blastland and David SpiegelhalterCampbell_Astra|title=The Norm ChroniclesAd Astra: Stories and numbers about dangerAn illustrated guide to leaving the planet|author=Dallas Campbell

|genre=Politics and SocietyPopular Science|summary=I'd like So… you want to meet Norm. Heleave the planet? Before you do you'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 with d better study the occasional treat whole history of a bar of milk chocolatehuman space flight to get up to speed. Oh, and he's ambivalent about Marmite - couldn't care one way or the other - can That could take a while… if only there was a handy guide that could condense 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 all down for 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 Enter Dallas Campbell with these stories are the ''real'' facts about the reality of this book: An illustrated guide to leaving the risks they takeplanet.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846686202</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Kristine BarnettAdrian_Sock|title=The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius |rating=5|genre=Autobiography|summary=The tutor stands at the front of the university class, frantically scribbling equations on the large whiteboard in front of him. He is well respected by his students; an expert in several fields, including general relativity, string theory, quantum field theory and biophysics. In fact, he recently unveiled a brand new theory that may put him in line for a Nobel Prize. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he is just 14 years old?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241145627</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewSock (Object Lessons)|author=Ian Stewart|title=The Great Mathematical ProblemsKim Adrian

|summary=I joked with a friend when I first got the The subject of this book that ''The Great Problems'' may be a step too far has been around for meseveral millennia, and perhaps I should wait yet my partner's daughter has been employed for Stewart to release a book called ''The Fairly Good Mathematical Problems'' as several years designing it would be closer to my level, or them. While It's something I originally said it in jestuse for about 200 days of every year, at a guess (well, by chapter four or so I was starting have my self-diagnosed over-active eccrine glands and other people to think I'd been closer about) – which clearly puts me at the opposite end of the scale to the truth than I'd realised well-known mass- Stewart seemsmurderer of women, somewhat surprisingly given Ted Bundy, who was into stealing credit cards to fund his past success with books like desire of having a fresh pair every single day. On which subject, the brilliant [[Professor Stewart's Hoard amount of Mathematical Treasures by Ian Stewart|Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures]], them we create every year could stack to have pitched this book about the 'really big questions in mathematics' at an extremely high levelfreaking moon and more. With just Some idiots buy more than six pairs a degree in mathematics and nearly ten years worth of experience teaching the subjectyear, apparently, which is plain stupid. I found it something of a slog to get through'm talking, with many concepts being difficult to graspas you can tell, in particular of the Mordell conjecturehumble sock.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846681995</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Steven StrogatzGermano_Eye|title=The Joy of XEye Chart (Object Lessons)|author=William Germano

|summary=Steven Strogatz, award-winning professor, takes us on a tour of mathematicsIt's happened to me, and how like as not it relates has or will happen to our everyday lifeyou, in this fascinating booktoo. Split into six sectionsI mean the receipt of certain little numerical results, with a positive or negative before them to prove the correction needed to my vision to make me see with the intended clarity and normality. I'Numbers've had that gizmo that photos the back of my eye to check for diabetes and other problems, I'Relationships've had different tests to check the pressure inside my eye, and I'Shapesve come away with glasses I don't need to wear all the time, 'Change'but certainly benefit from on holiday, or when watching TV or a cinema or theatre production. And above and beyond that I'Data' ve stared at – and 'Frontiers'got wrong – the simple, seemingly ageless test, of various letters in various configurations that diminish in size, to prove to the relevant scientist at what stage things get blurry for me. Of course, it's an engaging and well-presented readnot ageless, with short chapters which make but the scientific progress that led to it easy , the changes other people made to dip intoit, and the cultural impact it's had are all on these eye-opening small pages.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848878435</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richard Restak and Scott KimBall_Wonders|title=How Puzzles Improve Your BrainWonders Beyond Numbers: The Surprising Science A Brief History of the Playful BrainAll Things Mathematical|author=Johnny Ball|rating=45

|summary=Many Like many people in the first flush of youth will read this book to find ways of increasing their brain power. Others - like me - at the other end of the a ''certain age continuum will read because they,'re looking for ways ' I have fond memories of tuning in to restrict or even reverse what they see as deterioration. Both groups might initially be disappointed as watch Johnny Ball enthusiastically extolling the title suggests that the book is about puzzles, but don't give up as the reality is far more useful. This is a book about how virtues of maths and science; succeeding where our brains schoolteachers had failed and actually making these subjects ''workfun.''Although decades have passed since those classic TV shows, how the different parts interact or come into play in certain circumstances - his latest book proves that he has lost none of his passion and then there are some puzzles directed at improving performance in those areasenthusiasm for his subject.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0285641751</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Thomas WrightYong_Contain|title=CirculationI Contain Multitudes: William Harvey's Revolutionary Ideathe microbes within us and a grander view of life|author=Ed Yong

|summary=After many years of discussion of climate change it's easy to assume that this The world you know is a book about ''climate'' but it's not - lie. There is no such thing as good or only indirectlybad microbes. It's about how Sickness and health are all far more complex than we live with ''weather'' and our reactions to it and climate comes into the discussion only as an examination of our reaction to the changes. You might have heard the essays which were broadcast in a five part BBC Radio 3 series ''Changing Climates'' which ran in February 2013, but as always with Richard Mabey, his words warrant thought and examination which can't be accommodated by the spoken word.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781250529</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jean M Twenge Things designed to save us may kill us and W Keith Campbell|title=The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement|rating=4things we think would kill us may save us.5|genre=Politics and Society|summary=Twenge and Campbell have been studying the rise in narcissism as a social trend. They are well-qualified Welcome to comment, having worked since 1998 with social psychologist Roy Baumeister, who pioneered research in this field. At more than three hundred pages it's rather weighty for the popular market at which it's aimed, but even if you only dip into this book, I think you'll take home their messagemodern study of microbes.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1416575987</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Damian O'Brien|title=If Houses Why Not Mouses?|rating=3.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=I once dedicated an entire linguistics essay to the plural of sheep, in particular my older sister’s youthful fascination with it all. ''One sheep, two sheep. No two sheeps. That silly'' 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 Move on making my way through the pages, however, is that there is a lot more to this book that irregular plurals of the 3-year-old-befuddling kind.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1909395595</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Reference Reviews]]