Reviews
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Learning From the Octopus: How Secrets from Nature Can Help Us Fight Terrorist Attacks, Natural Disasters, and Disease by Rafe Sagarin
Octopus defenses, marmot lie detection, salmon suicide and other natural phenomena provide inspiration for ways to improve national security. Basic Books, 2012, 320 p., $26.99
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Transit of Venus: 1631 to the Present by Nick Lomb
This illustrated history recounts the scientific contributions and adventures of the 18th and 19th century astronomers who traveled the world to observe Venus passing in front of the sun. The Experiment, 2011, 228 p., $24.95
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Dolphin Confidential: Confessions of a Field Biologist by Maddalena Bearzi
A marine biologist chronicles her life in the field and offers an insider’s view of how scientists study marine mammals in the wild. Univ. of Chicago, 2012, 216 p., $26
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Evolution in a Toxic World by Emily Monosson
A toxicologist traces how life evolved to deal with toxic substances and how this plays into chemical exposures today. Island Press, 2012, 232 p., $35
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BOOK REVIEW: Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet by Andrew Blum
Review by Sid Perkins.
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The Practical Einstein: Experiments, Patents, Inventions by József Illy
Einstein’s papers reveal a down-to-earth side. Learn about his inventions and ideas, including waterproof breathable clothes and an explanation for rivers’ meanderings. Johns Hopkins Univ., 2012, 202 p., $60
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A World of Insects by Ring T. Cardé and Vincent H. Resh, eds.
Two entomologists present insect essays that explore everything from insect sex to crime scene investigation. Harvard Univ., 2012, 404 p., $19.95
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EarthFlight: Breathtaking Photographs from a Bird’s-Eye View of the World by John Downer
30Cameras carried by hand, by gliders and by the creatures themselves give readers a literal bird’s-eye view of the world. Firefly Books, 2012, 240 p., $49.95
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In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World by Ian Stewart
The author tells the stories of 17 equations, from Maxwell’s equations that led to modern TV and radio to algorithms that rattled the stock market. Basic Books, 2012, 342 p., $26.99
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Tutankhamen: The Search for an Egyptian King by Joyce Tyldesley
An archaeologist explores myths surrounding the boy king and updates Tut fans on what experts have learned about his life and times. Basic Books, 2012, 316 p., $29.99
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BOOK REVIEW: Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens by Andrea Wulf
Review by Alexandra Witze.
