Reviews
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Science & Society
‘Gory Details’ dives into the morbid, the taboo — and our minds
Erika Engelhaupt explores creepy insects, fecal transplants, cannibalism and more in her new book.
By Kate Travis -
Science & Society
‘Under a White Sky’ explores whether we must tinker with nature to save it
In ‘Under a White Sky’, Elizabeth Kolbert examines the technological innovations we might need to save a planet we are actively destroying.
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Physics
‘Fundamentals’ shows how reality is built from a few basic ingredients
In ‘Fundamentals,’ physics Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek shares essential lessons from physics.
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Climate
‘The New Climate War’ exposes tactics of climate change ‘inactivists’
In his new book, climate scientist Michael Mann draws the battle lines for a new phase of the struggle against climate change denialism.
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Science & Society
‘The Light Ages’ illuminates the science of the so-called Dark Ages
In telling the story of a monk who contributed to astronomy, a new book shows that science didn’t take a break during the Middle Ages.
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Science & Society
Our favorite books of 2020 covered climate change, Mars, the end of the universe and more
In a year when the coronavirus pandemic dominated the news, these books were a welcomed distraction.
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Science & Society
A COVID-19 time capsule captures pandemic moments for future researchers
Social scientists chose photos, charts and even a tweet to help future researchers understand the pandemic.
By Sujata Gupta -
Anthropology
Ardi and her discoverers shake up hominid evolution in ‘Fossil Men’
A new book covers the big personalities, field exploits and scientific clashes behind the discovery of the hominid skeleton nicknamed Ardi.
By Bruce Bower -
Animals
‘Phallacy’ deflates myths about the penises of the animal kingdom
By touring nature’s many penises, Phallacy author Emily Willingham puts the human organ in its place.
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Math
A documentary and a Bollywood film highlight two disparate paths in mathematics
An unlikely pair of films recount tales of two very different mathematical women, Maryam Mirzakhani and Shakuntala Devi.
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Science & Society
‘Great Adaptations’ unravels mysteries of amazing animal abilities
Kenneth Catania has resorted to some unusual experiments to understand the lives of star-nosed moles, electric eels and other remarkable animals.
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Science & Society
‘Schrödinger’s Web’ offers a sneak peek at the quantum internet
For an entertaining overview of the physics and technological advances paving the way for the quantum internet, read ‘Schrödinger’s Web.’
By Dan Garisto