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[[Category:New Reviews|Popular Science]]==Popular science==__NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sean Carroll1787333175|title=From Eternity You Don't Have to be Mad to Work Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time|author=Benji Waterhouse|rating=4.5

|summary=The Prologue sets out what this book is about. ItI was tempted to read ''You Don's about t Have to be Mad to Work Here' ... the nature of time, the beginning of the universe, and the underlying structure of physical reality.' OK? Bring on those questions. Yes, itafter enjoying Adam Kay's first book {{amazonurl|isbn=1509858636|title=This is Going to Hurt}}, a weighty tome in terms glorious mixture of size and subject matter, but I would certainly describe insight into the front cover as reader-friendly, so therefore should have broad appeal. I love workings of the title of this bookNHS, lots of thought has been put into it and it certainly grabbed my attention - humour and I'm no scientistautobiography. The classic movie from the classic book ''You Don't Have to be Mad... I also loved Carroll's language - 'The Elegant Universe' promised the same elements but moved from physical problems to mental illness and 'the work of a preposterous universe' These are phrases to make you stop and thinkpsychiatrist. And I certainly didwonder whether it was acceptable to be looking for humour in this setting but the laughter is directed at a situation rather than a person and it is always delivered with empathy and understanding.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1851687955</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Robert Rowland Smith1788360702|title=Driving with PlatoCharles, The Alternative Prince: The Meaning of Life's MilestonesAn Unauthorised Biography|author=Edzard Ernst|rating=4.5|genre=Popular ScienceBiography|summary=For over forty years, Prince Charles has been an ardent supporter of alternative medicine and complementary therapies. ''Driving with PlatoCharles, The Alternative Prince'' is a companion book to [[Breakfast with Socrates by Robert Rowland Smith|Breakfast with Socrates]]critically assesses the Prince's opinions, in which former Oxford Fellow Robert Roland Smith took various elements beliefs and aims against the background of the scientific evidence. There are few instances of a 'typical' day his beliefs being vindicated and provided insight into what a collection his relentless promotion of thinkers might treatments which have no scientific support has done considerable damage to offer to make these mundane routines more interesting. Here, in the company reputation of a similarly eclectic range man who is proud of writers and thinkers, he considers the key aspects of a life, from birth, through school and riding a bike, his refusal to your first kiss, losing your virginity, having a family before a midapply evidence-life crisis, leading to divorce, old age and death. Montaigne said that to philosophise was to learn how to diebased, and here Roland Smith ensures that we think about each stage leading up logical reasoning to that momenthis ambitions.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184668305X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mark Stevenson0192779230|title=An Optimist's Tour Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Invisible World of the FutureGerms|author=Isabel Thomas|rating=4.5|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=In 1968, the film '2001 A Space OdysseyGerms' had an optimistic view of seems to have become a catch-all word to cover anything unpleasant which has the future we would soon be living inpotential to make you ill. In terms of technological advancement we're not quite there yet, even though that date has a decade since passed, so maybe it's time for a revised view of the first book in what is looks to come. Enter Mark Stevenson, be a stand up comic slash scientist. It's perhaps not the most familiar of combinations, but take the best bits of each and the result is this wonderful book that combines humour and fun with proper nittyvery promising new series, gritty, science stuff.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683564</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Stephen Macknik OUP and Susana Martinez-Conde|title=Sleights of Mind|rating=3.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=I Isabel Thomas have provided a passing interest in both magic clear and neuroscience. Not only am I ''quite'' the hit with the ladies, but I was also very keen accessible introduction to read ''Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience world of Magic Reveals About Our Brains''germs. Husband We get an informed look at how people originally thought about diseases and wife team Stephen Macknik what they thought caused them and Susana Martinez-Conde work at how the Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona, and as a way of promoting their field of visual neuroscience, thinking has developed the [http://illusioncontestover time.neuralcorrelate.com/ Illusion The vocabulary can be confusing but Thomas gives a regular box headed 'speak like a scientist' which explains some of the Year contest]. From this, they slipped into the world of magic, investigating, discussing trickiest concepts and researching the neuroscience of magic you'll soon be familiar with James Randibacteria, Mac Kingfungi, Teller (of Penn protists and...) viruses – and Johnny Thompsonhow we should protect ourselves.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683890</amazonuk>

 {{newreview|author=Sam Kean|title=The Disappearing Spoon|rating=4.5Frontpage|genreisbn=Popular Sciencegareth_steel|summary=If the disappearing spoon of the title doesn't pique your interest, the subtitle is bound to get your juices flowing: ''and Other True Tales of Madness, Love and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements''. As far as popular science books goes, it's got all the umm... right elements (sorry, sorry, sorry). We're taken on a tour through the periodic table, hearing exciting tales of scientific discovery and marvel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857520261</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewNever Work With Animals|author=Martin Cohen|title=Mind Games: 31 Days to Rediscover Your BrainGareth Steel

|genre=Popular ScienceAnimals and Wildlife|summary=The sub-title I don't often begin my reviews with a warning but with ''Never Work With Animals'' it seems to be appropriate. Stories of Martin Cohena vet's latest book, Mind Games, promises, rather optimistically in my case I felt, life have proved popular since ''All Creatures Great and Small'' but ''Never Work With Animals''31 days to rediscover your brainis definitely not the companion volume you've been looking for. It is rather presumptuous of him to assume As a TV show the author would argue that I had ''discoveredAll Creatures'' lacked realism, as do other similar programmes. Gareth Steel says that the book is not suitable for younger readers and - after reading - I agree with him. He says that he's written it in the first placeto inform and provoke thought, particularly amongst aspiring vets. It deals with some uncomfortable and distressing issues but I appreciate his confidenceit doesn't lack sensitivity, although there are occasions when you would be best choosing between reading and eating.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444337092</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Marcus Chown0241480442|title=We Need To Talk About KelvinHealthy Vegan The Cookbook: Vegan Cooking Meets Nutrition Science|author=Niko Rittenau and Sebastian Copien

|genre=Popular ScienceCookery|summary=Sporting the best title for Emotionally, I am a vegan. Mentally, I am a popular science book this side of vegan. I read [[:Category:Alex Bellos|Alex Bellos'How to Love Animals in a Human-Shaped World by Henry Mance]] ''Here's Looking At Euclid''and was appalled by the way in which we treat animals in our search for (preferably cheap) food. Practically, Marcus Chown shows us what everyday things tell us about I am not a vegan. It worked for a while apart from the universeodd blip with 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. You It wasn'll find out how your reflection in a window shows t the randomness of taste - I know that I can get plant-based food that tastes just as good as anything plundered from the universe, how animal kingdom - it was the abundance ease of iron shows being able to get sufficient protein when meals were often snatched in a 4few spare moments.5bn degree furnace exists in space, and how most of the world's astronomers are wrong about what the darkness of night shows us.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571244033</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mick O'HareDaniel Gibbs with Teresa H Barker|title=Why Can't Elephants Jump?A Tattoo on my Brain|rating=43.5|genre=Popular ScienceAutobiography|summary=Well? Why canAlzheimer't elephants jump? And while you're pondering s is a disease thatslowly wears away your identity and sense of self. I have been directly affected by this cruel disease, think about why James Bond wanted his martini shaken, not stirredas have many. Why is frozen milk yellow? Does eating bogeys do you any harm? What's Your memories and personality worn away like a statue over time affected the hole for in a ballpoint pen? How long a line could elements. It seems as if nature wants that final victory over you draw with a single pencil? For answers to all these questions, and your dignity. This is what makes Daniel Gibbs' memoir so many more, then do yourself admirable. Daniel Gibbs is a favour neurologist who was diagnosed with Alzheimers and pick up the latest collection from the New Scientisthas documented his journey in ''s [http://www.last-word.com/ Last Word column]. Mick OA Tattoo on my Brain'Hare was also kind enough to be [[The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Mick O'Hare|interviewed by Bookbag]].|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184668398X</amazonuk>1108838936

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Henry Nicholls0099551063|title=The Way Wisdom of the PandaPsychopaths: The Curious History of China's Political AnimalLessons in life from Saints, Spies and Serial Killers|author=Dr Kevin Dutton

|summary=The book cover alone, with its panda hugging a tree, says 'buy me', 'read me.' A good start. The sections are divided into no-nonsense headings: Extraction, Abstraction and Protection. Maps and Prologue give a flavour of whatDonald Trump outscores Hitler on psychopathic traits's to comeclaims Oxford University researcher. The inside front cover states boldly that 'Giant pandas have been causing a stir ever since their formal scientific discovery just over 140 years ago.' I think it safe to say that many of us would probably say automatically, without thinking, that the panda has immense appeal. But is it only because of the beautifully marked eyes which give the animal a cuddly, teddy bear look?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683688</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Cindy M Meston and David Buss|title=Why Women Have SexUntil the events of 6 January 2021 that might have surprised, even shocked many readers: Understanding Sexual Motivation from Adventure to Revenge (and Everything in Between)|rating=4now they're probably convinced that they knew it all along.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=Many many years ago, The statement has lost a man who was far too young little of its shock value but it does help us to be understand more about the fusty, dusty RE teacher he was shaping nature of psychopathy. It's too easy to be, asked my best friend and I why we were each having sex associate psychopathy with our girlfriends. Even aged fifteen I thought something along the lines of 'wellYorkshire Ripper, if he doesn't know by nowJeffrey Dahmer, he never will'Saddam Hussein or Robert Maudsley, and listed that it was great funthe real-life Hannibal Lecter, a very enjoyable sensation, showed an appetite for but the relationship, and truth is that sex proved the ultimate in bonding - how much closer, to having psychopathic traits can sometimes be blunt, could you be to someone than actually inside them? I'll come clean now and admit said girlfriend was not real, but several have been since, and I have had heaps of fun finding out how - and perhaps why - women have sex. I was never to know, until now, there are 237 reasons for ita good thing.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099546639</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mary Roach1849767343|title=Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in SpaceCount on Me|author=Miguel Tanco

|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Space is big. Really big. And The title and format of this book might lead you to think that it's a long way away, too. I mean, I'm having enough trouble deciding what to pack for a year in Africa. I'd be hopeless if I were off to Mars. But then, noeither about responsibility -oneor it's written a basic 1-2-3 book for those just starting out on what to stick in your suitcase for Sierra Leonethe numbers journey. And Mary Roach It isn't: it'has'' written s a book on what to take hymn of praise to the red planet..maths. Except, this It's about why maths is so much more than a shopping list. This is the definitive inside scoop for anyone who has ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes wonderful and how you meet it in a world that is, well, out of this worldeveryday life.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1851687807</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richard ConniffB08B39QNRH|title=Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding TimeThe Curious History of Writer's Cramp: My Life Doing Dumb Stuff with AnimalsSolving an age-old problem|author=Michael Pritchard

|summary=This isn't quite the book it seems. From the subtitle, I inferred a memoir or autobiography. Instead Richard Conniff has chosen twenty-three of his journal articles to reprint from a clutch of prestigious magazines, including ''National Geographic'' and ''Smithsonian''. Taken together, they illustrate his wide range of interests in the animal world. While this glimpse of some of the most peculiar creatures Society is based on speech but civilisation requires the planet makes for fascinating reading, itwritten word''s definitely not a book to be galloped through in a single sitting.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0393304574</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Russell Foster and Leon Kreitzman|title=Seasons I came to Michael Pritchard's ''The Curious History of Life: The Biological Rhythms That Living Things Need to Thrive and Survive|rating=3Writer's Cramp'' by a rather strange route.5|genre=Popular Science|summary="Seasons of Life" aims I have problems with my hands which orthopaedic surgeons refer to present a rounded picture of as 'interesting': I prefer the word 'painful' but I have an interest in the way seasonality affects human life as well as that hands work. An exploration of the rest history of a problem which has defeated some of nature. Covering everything from Seasonal Affective Disorder to the potential best medical minds for animals to adapt to climate changesome three-hundred-years seemed liked excellent background reading and so it proved, this with the book would be an interesting read for anyone with an enquiring mind being as much about the doctors treating the sufferers and an interest in the natural worldchanging medical attitudes as the problem itself.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>186197969X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mark van Vugt and Anjana Ahuja1776572858|title=Selected: Why some people lead, why others follow, How Do You Make a Baby?|author=Anna Fiske and why it mattersDon Bartlett (translator)|rating=45|genre=Business Home and FinanceFamily|summary=It''Selected'' is based on the psychology of leaderships more than sixty years since I asked how babies were made. Some of us may ask the perfectly reasonable question 'Does it matter who leads My mother was deeply embarrassed and who follows?told me that she' Well, apparently it not only matters but d get me a book about it matters greatly. And A couple of days later I was handed a pamphlet (which delivered nothing more than the co-authors go to great lengths to tell us why. The useful prologue informs us that the whole area of leadership can be traced back basics, in clinical language which had never been used in time, by no less than several million years. our house before) Vugt and Ahuja explain I was told that the rather innocent (and even a bit airy-fairy to some) word it wouldn't be discussed any further as it ''wasn't something which nice people talked about'leader' is evolved from various academic disciplines. Including the I ''knew'' more obvious psychology, there is also biology and anthropology in the mixbut was little ''wiser''. Heady stuff. And yesThankfully, I did want to read ontimes have changed.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683270</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Adam PhillipsDanny Dorling|title=On BalanceSlowdown

|summary=Essential for We are living in a tightrope walkertime of rapid change, prized as an intellectual objectiveand we're worried about it. Dorling tells us that the latter is normal, balance is generally considered something natural and probably good for us. We are designed to which worry and with the current state of what we can aspire're doing in the world we have much to be worried about. We praise someone who makes a balanced decisionHowever, over the next three-hundred-and-some pages, if you can follow the arguments, it sets out in scientific detail why either we envy people who have a 'good work/life balanceshouldn' t be as worried as we are, or in some cases that we offer an opinion 'on balance' to demonstrate that re worrying about the wrong things. Mostly. Because mostly, things are not changing as rapidly as we have considered various arguments think they are. In fact, the rate of change in many things is slowing down and optionsthe direction of change will in some cases go into reverse.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241143888</amazonuk>0300243405

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Geoffrey MillerLangford_Emily|title=Must-Have: The Hidden Instincts Behind Everything We BuyEmily's Numbers|author=Joss Langford

|genre=Popular ScienceChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=If Emily found words ''useful'', but counting was what she loved best. Obviously, you can count anything and there's no one limit to how far you can tell go, but then Emily moved a step further and began counting in twos. She knew all about odd and even numbers. Then she began counting in threes: half of the differencelist were even numbers, why shell out $30 000 for a real Rolex but the other half was odd and it was this list of odd numbers which occurred when a you counted in threes which she called ''threeven'mere' $1200 will get you . (Actually, this confused me a virtually identical replica? Why do luxury manufacturers such little bit at first as BMW spend money advertising in mass media whose typical readership most likely wonthey't ever re a subset of the odd numbers but sound as though they ought to be able to afford their products? And just why is a subset of the ''i'' in iPod so important?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099437929</amazonuk>even numbers, but it all worked out well when I really thought about it.)

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Bruce Bueno de Mesquita1910593508|title=Prediction: How to See Apollo|author=Matt Fitch, Chris Baker and Shape the Future with Game TheoryMike Collins|rating=3.5|genre=Popular ScienceHistory|summary=As This incredible graphic novel is a rather mediocre recreational poker player I've often been intrigued love letter to the Moon landings and the passion for the subject drips off every Apollo by game theoryMatt Fitch, Chris Baker and Mike Collins. The academic discipline used by politicos during the chilliest days This is a story we know well and because of this, the Cold War has been utilised by authors take a few narrative shortcuts knowing that we can fill in the more mathematically minded players on blanks. These shortcuts are the professional circuit only downside to improve profitabilitythe book. Rather than poker, author 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 politics professor Bruce Bueno de Mesquita uses game theory models to forecast political, economic that dialogue has been trimmed. This is a graphic novel that could easily have been three times as long and international security scenarios and in Prediction he shares some of his secretsstill felt too short.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099531844</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Tim Dee1999308719|title=The Running SkyLive Forever Manual: A BirdScience, ethics and companies behind the new anti-Watching Lifeaging treatments|author=Adrian Cull|rating=4.5|genre=Popular ScienceLifestyle|summary=Tim Dee may already be known For many years now I've (half) joked that I intended to you as a distinguished critic live forever and adjudicator of contemporary poetrythat so far, or for producing BBC Radio 4's 'Poetry Please'. So it's hardly surprising that my first impression of his birdwatching memoir, ''The Running Sky'' is of poetic exactitude transferred to another genrewas working out OK. But Time has passed though and although I remain dazzled by the sustained quality 'm a great deal fitter and healthier than most people of my age there were a few nagging health problems which were tipping my life out of his writing over 80,000 wordsbalance. Opened at any pageIt was time to look for a new approach and as so often happens, paragraphs of graceful prose enclose figurative language capturing the very essence of flight (hence reviewing gods brought me the title, from a Philip Larkin poem)book I needed. To Dee''Live Forever Manual: Science, flight is ethics and companies behind the nub of a birdnew anti-ageing treatments''s independence. He describes and wonders poetically – be it seemed like the collective sweep of flock formations, the mysteries of migration, or individual observations of nightjars, carrion crows or peregrinesanswer to my problems - only you get so much more than just 101 tips.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099516497</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Paul Bloom1847941834|title=How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We LikeAtomic Habits|author=James Clear|rating=4.5|genre=Popular ScienceLifestyle|summary=How much would you pay for a jumper I've said this before but there are some books that used to belong to Brad Pitt? What about if I had it dry cleaned for you first? Chances areseek out, if some books that you were considering the first offer, stumble across and some books that drop into your life because you've just been put off somewhat. But why? The jumper hasn't changedreally MUST read them, after all. Do you honestly and rationallylike, believe that dry cleaning would destroy some of Bradright now! ''s Atomic Habits'essence', thus making is in the item less valuable?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847921434</amazonuk>last category.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John FarndonHoneyborne BlueII|title=Do You Think You're Clever?: The Oxbridge QuestionsBlue Planet II|author=James Honeyborne and Mark Brownlow|rating=34.5|genre=Popular ScienceAnimals and Wildlife|summary=My history You may well remember when the sticking of interviews with Oxbridge colleges forms a very short dialoguenumber '2' after a film title was suggesting something of prestige - that the first film had been so good it was fully justified to have something more. MeThat has hardly been proven correct, but it has until recently almost been confined to university admissions representative, ''You don’t actually do media studies per se, do the cinema - you?'' He, ''No – our graduates run the media.'' Had I barely got a lot furtherTV series worthy of a numbered sequel, and sat never in front the world of non-fiction. If someone has made a potential tutornature series about, I would have faced say, Alaska (and boy aren't there are a question designed lot of those these days) and wants to bafflemake another, provokewhy she just makes another - nothing would justify the numeral. But some nature programmes do have the prestige, bewilder – or to inspire a flight of intuitive intelligence. Thus is the media-running wheat separated from energy and the mediaheft to demand follow-consuming chaffups. And thus is this book given its basis – sixty of after five years in the more remarkable questionsmaking, answered as our erudite author might have wished to answer themthe BBC's Blue Planet series has delivered a second helping. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>184831132X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lisa Sanders1783099593|title=Diagnosis: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Medical MysteriesSpeaking Up|author=Allyson Jule

|summary=Fans 'Speaking Up' has a fascinating subject matter - how language reflects and shapes our notions of ‘’House, Mgender.D.’’ may recognise the name of Lisa Sanders. She’s the technical advisor to the TV show as well as being the writer It looks at our use of the ‘’Diagnosis’’ column language in the New York Times. Many of the stories which appear in the column are recounted in this bookmedia, education, religion, which is a look at the way in which doctors reach a diagnosis workplace and how the method has changed (or not) over the yearspersonal relationships. I’m not a fan Author Allyson Jule calls on an encyclopedic body of research from the hospital dramas which seem mid-twentieth century to be a major feature of the TV schedulespresent day. Reading it, but I was fascinated by what is, essentially, a series of medical detective storieswe feel that she has studied everything that has ever been said on gendered linguistics; she references Foucault and the Kardashians with equal rigour.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848311338</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Stefan KleinCampbell_Astra|title=Leonardo's LegacyAd Astra: How Da Vinci Reinvented An illustrated guide to leaving the Worldplanet|author=Dallas Campbell

|summary=Take fifty So… you want to leave the planet? Before you do you'd better study the whole history of science's most thought-provoking theories, and try human space flight to get up to explain each in thirty seconds or one pagespeed. It's That could take a while… if only there was a handy guide that could condense it all here, from Schrodinger's cat, down for you. Enter Dallas Campbell with this book: An illustrated guide to cosmic topology, via leaving the Gaia hypothesis and chaos theoryplanet.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184831129X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mark GriffithsAdrian_Sock|title=The Lotus Quest|rating=4|genre=Travel|summary=Mark Griffiths is one of Britain's leading plant experts. I know this because his brief biog in the front of The Lotus Quest tells me so; just as it tells me that he is the editor of The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening 'the largest work on horticulture ever published'. His prior works list includes five other plant book credits, three of them for the RHS. I shall take all of this on trust, since attempts to find out more about the author and his background through the usual internet search mechanisms has failed miserably. He remains as elusive as the sacred flower that is the subject of this latest work: the lotus.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184595100X</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewSock (Object Lessons)|author=Glenn Murphy|title=Science: Sorted! Evolution, Nature and StuffKim Adrian|rating=5|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Ever wanted to know about evolution, nature and stuff? Unsurprisingly, this is the book for you3. If you're interested in [http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0330508938?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0330508938 space, black holes and stuff], then Glenn Murphy has also written a sister book in the ''Science: Sorted!'' series packed full of all the information you'd want to know. It's all written with the fabulous quality that made [[Why is Snot Green? by Glenn Murphy|Why is Snot Green?]] such a must-read.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330508946</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Alex Bellos|title=Alex's Adventures In Numberland|rating=5

|summary=Maths is a wonderful thing. ...WaitThe subject of this book has been around for several millennia, donand yet my partner't run aways daughter has been employed for several years designing it, or them. It really is. The way numbers interact with each '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 otherpeople to think about) – which clearly puts me at the opposite end of the scale to well-known mass-murderer of women, the way counting systems developedTed Bundy, how mathematical breakthroughs are coming from the world who was into stealing credit cards to fund his desire of crochethaving a fresh pair every single day. On which subject, and how people can mentally calculate the 13th root amount of them we create every year could stack to the freaking moon and more. Some idiots buy more than six pairs a 200 digit number in almost less time than it takes to read it out loudyear, apparently, which is plain stupid. ThereI's all sorts m talking, as you can tell, of weird and wonderful stuff going on in Numberlandthe humble sock.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747597162</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richard ForteyGermano_Eye|title=The Hidden LandscapeEye Chart (Object Lessons)|author=William Germano|rating=4.5

|summary=The purpose It's happened to me, and like as not it has or will happen to you, too. I mean the receipt of this book is certain little numerical results, with a positive or negative before them to explore prove the connection between correction needed to my vision to make me see with the landscape intended clarity and normality. I've had that gizmo that photos the geology underlying itback of my eye to check for diabetes and other problems, which in one of his many vivid similes Fortey compares I've had different tests to check the surface personality pressure inside my eye, and I've come away with glasses I don't need to wear all the workings of the unconscious mind beneath. He starts by describing a journey he once made time, but certainly benefit from Paddington Station to Haverford Weston holiday, or when watching TV or a market town in Pembrokeshire cinema or theatre production. And above and beyond that I've stared at – and with it a passage back into got wrong – the plutonic depths simple, seemingly ageless test, of geological aeons, indicated by the large 60cm monster trilobites various letters in various configurations that have been found diminish in size, to prove to the Cambrian rocks near St Davidrelevant scientist at what stage things get blurry for me. Of course, it's. Fortey describes not ageless, but the magnificence of scientific progress that led to it, the Cathedral constructed from the local purple sandstone changes other people made to it, and mottled with moisture-loving lichens. He contrasts this with the anonymous character of a nearby brightlycultural impact it's had are all on these eye-coloured service station, anonymous and synthetic, an invader cheaply built and out of contextopening small pages.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847920713</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alexandra HorowitzBall_Wonders|title=Inside Wonders Beyond Numbers: A Brief History of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and KnowAll Things Mathematical|author=Johnny Ball

|summary=How warm is Like many people of a warm day? Or rather, given the weather at the moment''certain age, how chilly is a chilly day? Is it better to know '' I want a small helping have fond memories of peas, or tuning in to know that I want 82 peas? There are times when vagueness is more useful than being specificwatch Johnny Ball enthusiastically extolling the virtues of maths and science; succeeding where our schoolteachers had failed and actually making these subjects ''fun. Kees van Deemter makes this point'' Although decades have passed since those classic TV shows, sharing many examples from a number his latest book proves that he has lost none of fields, including maths, philosophy, linguistics his passion and AIenthusiasm for his subject.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0199545901</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Druin BurchYong_Contain|title=Taking I Contain Multitudes: the Medicinemicrobes within us and a grander view of life|author=Ed Yong

|summary=In 1898, Burch points out that The world you know is a new drug was developed and marketed for the treatment of tuberculosis by Bayer & Colie. TB There is no such an ancient enemy of man that there is apparently evidence of an earlier strain to be found in Egyptian mummiesthing as good or bad microbes. Sickness and health are all far more complex than we thought. The German firm had discovered a chemical that seemed Things designed to work well, save us may kill us and patients and indeed their own staff, who were tested seemed things we think would kill us may save us. Welcome to respond well - it was named Heroin - and its addictive effects were at first missedthe modern study of microbes.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845951506</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Roger Scruton|title=I Drink Therefore I Am|rating=3.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=Roger Scruton is a conservative philosopher and composer, best known for his work Move on philosophy and music, but who shares Plato's belief that 'nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was ever granted by the gods to man' and in this book seeks to combine his two interests of philosophy and the fruits of the vine.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847065082</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Keith Laidler|title=Animals|rating=4.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=''Animals'' is described as a visual guide to the animal kingdom, but please don't think of it as a picture book as it's far more than that. Don't think of it as a coffee table book either – despite the fact that its size – midway between A2 and A3 – might tempt you to think that way. It's a journey through the complex diversity of the animal kingdom based on sound scientific principles.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184916004X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Bill Butterworth|title=Reversing Global Warming For Profit |rating=3.5|genre=Politics and Society|summary=There aren't many climate change deniers left, are there? We all know it's there. We all know, too, that the world's population growth is on a collision course with the dwindling of its resources. The world's going to get hotter, its weather more extreme. Fossil fuels are going to run out. More and more people will compete for fewer and fewer of civilisation's luxuries. We're all worried. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904312810</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Richard Wrangham |title=Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human |rating=4.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=Humans are cooking apes. According to Richard Wrangham, mastery of fire and cooking of the food that resulted from it was at the root of human evolutionary development and ultimate success. Various factors have been proposed as the crucial stimulus which led to the appearance of the first recognisably human creatures: leaving aside divine intervention (be it from God, extra-terrestrials or future humans travelling in time), the candidates for what made our ancestral apes stand straighter and start growing brains range from socialised hunting to chattering about kinship to eating seafood.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846682851</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Reference Reviews]]