In Daniel Tammet's world, numbers are beautiful and mathematics illuminates our lives and minds. Using anecdotes and everyday examples, Tammet allows us to share his unique insights and delight in the way numbers, fractions and equations underpin all our lives.

The Art of Science is not a book about great scientific theories, complicated equations or grand old men and women in their laboratories; instead, it's about the places we draw our inspiration from; about daily routines and sudden flashes of insight; about dedication, and - sometimes - desperation; and the small moments, questions, quests, clashes, doubts and delights that ultimately make us human. From Galileo to Lewis Carroll, from Humphry Davy to Charles Darwin, from Marie Curie to Stephen Jay Gould, from rust to snowflakes, from the first use of the word 'scientist' to the first computer, from why the sea is salty to Newtonian physics 'for the ladies', The Art of Science is a book about people, which is to say it's a book about passion, politics, and poetry. Above all, though, it's a book about the good that science, and scientific thinking, can -- and does -- do.

From the structure of the atom to the jet engine, from the world's fossil record to the theory of relativity: here are the critical breakthroughs in technology, the paradigm shifts that led to modern science, and the discoveries and accomplishments that shape our world today and our future tomorrow. Organized by realm of science and tracing key concepts from origins to the most exciting ideas and advances on the horizon, this book documents the interconnectedness among the crucial milestones of our time. Written in clear, authoritative prose, illustrated with essential photography and diagrams, and laid out in an entertaining and browsable way, this is the go-to book for answers about the way the world works.

When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless. In Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, Sedaris delights with twists of humour and intelligence, remembering his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants) his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant) and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered pygmy. By turns hilarious and moving, David Sedaris masterfully looks at life's absurdities as he takes us on adventures that are not to be forgotten.

What connects Paleolithic bone flutes to the invention of computer software? Or the Murex sea snail to the death of the great American city? How does the bag of crisps you hold in your hand help tell the story of humanity itself? In his brilliant new work on the history of
innovation, international bestseller Steven Johnson argues that the pursuit of novelty and wonder has always been a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change.

Why is snot green? Do rabbits fart? What is space made of? Where does all the water go at low tide? Can animals talk? What are scabs for? Willcomputers ever be cleverer than people? Discover the answers to these and an awful lot of other brilliant questions frequently asked at the Science Museum in this wonderfully funny and informative book.

Understand how and why we got where we are today with Big History.
From the formation of our universe to the present day, countless major events have changed the course of life on Earth. Big History brings together an incredible range of perspectives, using multiple disciplines including physics and sociology to bring us the story of 13.8 billion years of remarkable history. With a foreword by TED speaker Professor David Christian, Big History is a truly unique look at the history of the world.

The media reports on the latest scientific discoveries and breakthroughs can seem like a foreign language, from black holes, to dark matter and exoplanets to leap seconds. Finally get to grips with these difficult concepts by reading Ben Gilliland's unique take on them.Science But Not As We Know It takes complex scientific ideas and breaks them down for the non-scientist, from explaining the size of the Universe, to how black holes work, Schroedinger's cat and the Higgs boson.

When Albert Einstein formulated his theory of relativity it brought about a revolution in our understanding of time, yet also presented a new set of mysteries. Einstein's time can be warped, leading to bizarre possibilities such as black holes and time travel, while making a nonsense of our perception of a 'now' or a division of time into past, present and future. In About Time Paul Davies tackles the tough questions about time, including the strange relationship between physical time and our psychological perception of it. He gives straightforward descriptions of topics such as the theory of relativity, the relation between time dilation and the speed of light and Hawking's 'imaginary time'. He concludes that, despite decades of progress in unravelling the mysteries of time, the revolution is still underway...

‘I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.’ Richard Feynman wrote this in 1965 – the year he was awarded the Nobel prize in physics for his work on quantum mechanics. Over the past decade, the enigma of quantum mechanics has come into sharper focus. We now realise that quantum mechanics is less about particles and waves, uncertainty and fuzziness, than a theory about information: about what can be known and how. The quantum world isn’t a different world: it is our world, and if anything deserves to be called ‘weird’, it’s us. This exhilarating book is about what quantum maths really means – and what it doesn’t mean.

Describes the features and functions of different types of texts and shows how to incorporate them into language teaching. Examines what makes spoken and written text coherent and shows how an understanding of this can help students with work, study and exam language needs. Also provides practical activities for use in the classroom

In 1916 Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves: miniscule ripples in the very fabric of spacetime generated by unfathomably powerful events. If such vibrations could somehow be recorded, we could observe our universe for the first time through sound: the hissing of the Big Bang, the low tones of merging galaxies, the drumbeat of two black holes collapsing into one…In 2016 a team of hundreds of scientists at work on a billion-dollar experiment made history when they announced the first ever detection of a gravitational wave, confirming Einstein’s prediction a century ago. Based on complete access to LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and the scientists who created it, Black Hole Blues offers a first-hand account of this astonishing achievement: an intimate story of cutting-edge science at its most awe-inspiring and ambitious.

Google and Facebook receive 90% of the world's news advertising spend. Amazon takes half of all e-commerce in the US. Google and Apple operating systems run on all but 1% of cell phones globally. And 80% of corporate wealth is now held by 10% of companies - the digital titans. How did these once-idealistic and innovative companies come to manipulate
elections, violate our privacy and pose a threat to the fabric of our democracy? Through her skilled reporting and unparalleled access, Rana Foroohar reveals the true extent to which the 'FAANG's (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) crush or absorb competitors, hijack our personal data and mental space and offshore their exorbitant profits. What's more, she shows how these threats to our democracies, livelihoods and minds are all intertwined. Yet Foroohar also lays out a plan for how we can resist, creating a framework that fosters innovation while protecting us from the dark side of digital technology.

In this international bestseller, Columbia University professor Brian Greene provides, in layman’s terms, a comprehensive demystification of string theory. Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away layers of the unknown, through introducing concepts from quantum mechanics to general relativity, to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions. Accessible and enlightening, Greene's inimitable blend of expert scientific insight and literary ingenuity makes The Elegant Universe an exhilarating read that brings us closer to understanding how our magnificent universe works.

Things aren't as bad as we think. Fact. At last, a book that puts all the bad news in perspective- and brings us surprisingly positive data that show the state of the world has in fact improved over the last 50-200 years. Acclaimed by Bill Gates and Barack Obama, named an Observer 'best brainy book of the decade' - destined to be a perennial bestseller and non-fiction classic. (let's make that a fact!)

Factfulness: The stress-reducing habit of only carrying opinions for which you have strong supporting facts. When asked simple questions about global trends―what percentage of the world’s population live in poverty; why the world’s population is increasing; how many girls finish school―we systematically get the answers wrong. So wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will consistently outguess teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers.

From tuberculosis to bird flu and HIV to coronavirus, these infectious diseases share a common origin story: human interaction with animals. Otherwise known as zoonotic diseases for their passage from animals to humans, these pathogens - both pre-existing ones and those newly identified – emerge and re-emerge throughout history, sparking epidemics and pandemics that have resulted in millions of deaths around the world.

How did these diseases come about? And what – if anything – can we do to stop them and their fatal march into our countries, our homes, and our bodies? In How to Survive a Pandemic, Dr Michael Greger, physician and internationally-recognized expert on public health issues, delves into the origins of some of the deadliest pathogens the world has ever seen. Tracing their evolution from the past until today, Dr Greger spotlights emerging flu and coronaviruses as he examines where these pathogens originated, as well as the underlying conditions and significant human role that have exacerbated their lethal influence to large, and even global, levels.

Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is unquestionably one of the chief landmarks in biology. The Origin (as it is widely known) was literally only an abstract of the manuscript Darwin had originally intended to complete and publish as the formal presentation of his views on evolution. Compared with the Origin, his original long manuscript work on Natural Selection, which is presented here and made available for the first time in printed form, has more abundant examples and illustrations of Darwin's argument, plus an extensive citation of sources.

Writing with characteristic bracing intelligence and clarity, Gould sheds new light on a dilemma that has plagued thinking people since the Renaissance. Instead of having to choose between science and religion, Gould asks, why not opt for the golden resolution that accords dignity and distinction to both? In elaborating and exploring his thought-provoking concept, Gould delves into the history of science with stories of figures as Galileo and Darwin, and concludes that science defines the natural world, and religion our moral world.

From the discovery of the wheel to the worldwide web our thirst for innovation is what makes us human. Science Year by Year takes a fascinating look at our heritage of invention and explores how science has shaped the past and how it may shape the future.Science Year by Year has a new discovery for everyone in the family, with global coverage of all major scientific advances. Groundbreaking thinkers such as Marie Curie, Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin are covered, with their discoveries clearly explained and situated in scientific history with illustrated timelines.

What if we could have babies without having to bear children,
eat meat without killing animals, have the perfect sexual relationship
without compromise or choose the time of our painless death?
To find out, Jenny Kleeman has interviewed a sex robot, eaten a priceless
lab-grown chicken nugget, watched foetuses growing in plastic bags and
attended members-only meetings where people learn how to kill
themselves. Many of the people Kleeman has met say they are
finding solutions to problems that have always defined and constricted
humankind. But what truly motivates them? What kind of person devotes
their life to building a death machine? What kind of customer is
desperate to buy an artificially intelligent sex doll - and why? Who is
campaigning against these advances, and how are they trying to stop
them? And what about the many unintended consequences such inventions
will inevitably unleash? Sex Robots & Vegan Meat is not
science fiction. It's not about what might happen one day - it's about
what is happening right now, and who is making it happen. In the end, it
asks a simple question: are we about to change what it means to be
human . . . for ever?

Collecting the fifty most iconic illustrations from the book Women in Science, this box of 100 postcards is the perfect gift for fans of Rachel's work, budding scientists and anyone who wishes to champion the great contribution women have made to all branches of science. From well known figures like Marie Curie to unsung heroes, these cards are perfect to send as greetings or hang as mini artistic masterworks.

A Nobel Prize-winning physicist argues that beauty is the fundamental organizing principle for the entire universe this scientific tour de force, world-class physicist Frank Wilczek argues that beauty is at the heart of the logic of the universe. As the quest to find the beauty embodied in the universe has connected all scientific pursuit, from Pythagoras to Einstein, Wilczek shows us just how deeply intertwined our ideas about beauty and art are with our understanding of the cosmos. A Beautiful Question is a mind-expanding book combining the age-old human quest for beauty with the age-old human quest for truth.

WARNING: This book will blow your mind.Matthew Santoro is a fact-filled YouTube sensation. Now comes his first ever book packed full of trivia, laughs and facts that seem too mind-melting to be true. From videogame characters that were based on real people to myths you still believe about space, Santoro brings together the world's most amazing facts in mind-boggling Top Ten lists and myth-busting revelations.Did you know that it's illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament? Or that under extreme pressure peanut butter can be turned into diamonds?

Can you make yourself smarter?Scientists have always believed that the one thing that couldn't improve was intelligence.But now science journalist Dan Hurley investigates the new field of 'intelligence training', showing that intelligence can be flexible and trainable. With vivid stories of lives transformed, insight into the latest groundbreaking scientific discoveries and narrating his experiences as a human guinea pig, Hurley delivers practical findings for people of every age and ability.

In To Explain the World, pre-eminent theoretical physicist Steven Weinberg offers a rich and irreverent history of science from a unique perspective - that of a scientist. Moving from ancient Miletus to medieval Baghdad to Oxford, and from the Museum of Alexandria to the Royal Society of London, he shows that the scientists of the past not only did not understand what we understand about the world - they did not understand what there is to understand.

Alan Turing was the mathematician whose cipher-cracking transformed the Second World War. Taken on by British Intelligence in 1938, as a shy young Cambridge don, he combined brilliant logic with a flair for engineering. In 1940 his machines were breaking the Enigma-enciphered messages of Nazi Germany's air force. He then headed the penetration of the super-secure U-boat communications.
But his vision went far beyond this achievement. Before the war he had invented the concept of the universal machine, and in 1945 he turned this into the first design for a digital computer.

Human beings can be so compassionate. They can also be shockingly cruel. What if there was a master control for human behaviour? Switch it on and people are loving and generous. Switch it off and they revert to violence and greed. Pioneering neuroeconomist Paul J. Zak has discovered just such a master switch: a molecule in the human brain.

Millions visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. Fans ask him a lot of strange questions: How fast can you hit a speed bump, driving, and live? When (if ever) did the sun go down on the British Empire? When will Facebook contain more profiles of dead people than living? How many humans would a T Rex rampaging through New York need to eat a day?
In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations and consults nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by comics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion.

The rapid developments in technologies -- especially computing and the advent of many 'smart' devices, as well as rapid and perpetual communication via the Internet -- has led to a frequently voiced view which Nicholas Agar describes as 'radical optimism'. Radical optimists claim that accelerating technical progress will soon end poverty, disease, and ignorance, and improve our happiness and well-being. Agar disputes the claim that technological progress will automatically produce great improvements in subjective well-being. He argues that radical optimism 'assigns to technological progress an undeserved pre-eminence among all the goals pursued by our civilization'.Instead, Agar uses the most recent psychological studies about human perceptions of well-being to create a realistic model of the impact technology will have. Although he accepts that technological advance does produce benefits, he insists that these are significantly less than those proposed by the radical optimists, and aspects of such progress can also pose a threat to values such as social justice and our relationship with nature, while problems such as poverty cannot be understood in technological terms. He concludes by arguing that a more realistic assessment of the benefits that technological advance can bring will allow us to better manage its risks in future.