The Book of Humans - The Story of How We Became Us by Adam Rutherford

$34.99 NZD

Category: Science | Reading Level: very good

'Charming, compelling and packed with information. I learned more about biology from this short book than I did from years of science lessons. A weird and wonderful read' PETER FRANKOPAN We like to think of ourselves as exceptional beings, but is there really anything special about us that sets us apar t from other animals? Humans are the slightest of twigs on a single family tree that encompasses four billion years, a lot of twists and turns, and a billion species. All of those organisms are rooted in a single origin, with a common code that underwrites our existence. This paradox - that our biology is indistinct from all life, yet we consider ourselves to be special - lies at the heart of who we are. In this original and entertaining tour of life on Earth, Adam Rutherford explores how many of the things once considered to be exclusively human are not: we are not the only species that communicates, makes tools, utilises fire, or has sex for reasons other than to make new versions of ourselves. Evolution has, however, allowed us to develop our culture to a level of complexity that outstrips any other observed in nature. THE BOOK OF HUMANS tells the story of how we became the creatures we are today, bestowed with the unique ability to investigate what makes us who we are. Illuminated by the latest scientific discoveries, it is a thrilling compendium of what unequivocally fixes us as animals, and reveals how we are extraordinary among them. With illustrations by Alice Roberts ...Show more

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

$38.00 NZD

Category: Science

The Number One Bestseller Sapiens showed us where we came from. Homo Deus looked to the future. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century explores the present. How can we protect ourselves from nuclear war, ecological cataclysms and technological disruptions? What can we do about the epidemic of fake news or the threat of terrorism? What should we teach our children? Yuval Noah Harari takes us on a thrilling journey through today?s most urgent issues. The golden thread running through his exhilarating new book is the challenge of maintaining our collective and individual focus in the face of constant and disorienting change. Are we still capable of understanding the world we have created? ...Show more

Astronomy: A Visual Guide by Ian Ridpath; Dorling Kindersley Travel Staff

$48.00 NZD

Category: Science

Take a tour of the Universe, from the 150km impact craters on the Moon to Jupiter's Great Red Spot - a 643kmph swirling storm that started in the 1600s. This stunningly illustrated slipcase is lavishly designed to cover every aspect of astronomy. Learn about the history of discoveries in the field, fro m the earliest human civilizations to the present day. Discover more about astronomical phenomena, from the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy, and what happens when a star runs out of energy, to theories about the fate of the Universe - including the Big Crunch and the Big Rip, and take a visual tour of the Solar System, complete with the very latest photographs of the planets. A definitive month-by-month guide to the night sky, with profiles of all 88 constellations, over 100 star charts, and an Almanac of astronomical events over the next decade, will help you to navigate your way around the night sky, and locate stars, galaxies, and other objects. Featuring no-nonsense advice on how to observe the skies using the naked eye, binoculars, and telescopes, Astronomyis the perfect guide for keen amateur astronomers, as well as a great reference book for the whole family. ...Show more

50 Must-See Wonders of the Night Sky by Bob King

$37.99 NZD

Category: Science

Take your night watching to the next level with Bob King's bucket list collection of 57 remarkable night sky wonders and dark sky destinations. Fill your nights with adventure and the ability to see some of the incredible phenomenon of the sky with this must-have book. Learn all about the brightest and best stars, planets, meteors, comets and constellations using the naked eye, binoculars, telescopes and apps. Each curiosity is complete with sight-seeing activities to help you see the deep-sky marvels, whether it's as simple as using your hands as a guide or tracking night sky conditions on an app; Bob is your guide to make sure you're able to find each and every phenomenon. Complete with practical background information, technological resources, equipment guides, astro travel suggestions and a comprehensive checklist to keep track of what you've seen, this is the ultimate resource for any sky watcher. Book jacket. ...Show more

Science Hacks by Colin Barras

$12.99 NZD

Category: Science | Series: Hacks

With Science Hacks, you no longer need a PhD to understand the fascinating ideas behind science's greatest theories and discoveries. This latest addition to the ingenious new Hacks series will show you a technique for understanding and, crucially, remembering 100 of the most important and most interesti ng scientific theories from throughout the ages.On each topic, you'll start with a helicopter overview of the subject, which will give you an introduction to the idea and some context surrounding it. Next, you'll zoom in on the core elements of the theory, with clear explanation of each point to make sure you really understand the concept before finally, you'll be given a one-liner hack to really make the theory stick in your mind.Includes such topics and fields as:Particle PhysicsEvolutionary BiologyGeneticsMedicineChemistryEcology ...Show more

The NeuroGeneration by Tan Le

$36.99 NZD

Category: Science

Flight Lines: Across the globe on a journey with the astonishing ultramarathon birds by Andrew Darby

$36.99 NZD

Category: Science

Andrew Darby follows the extraordinary migratory shorebirds from Australia's southern ocean to the Arctic and back. On these travels he explores the power of science to reveal the mysteries of these birds, and to heal both their endangered world - and unexpectedly - himself. As the sun lowered and turne d Gulf St Vincent fiery, they each called a high-pitched 'peeooowiii!', flashed their black wing-pits, spread their tail skirts and took flight. Andrew Darby follows the odysseys of two Grey Plovers, little-known migratory shorebirds, as they take previously uncharted ultramarathon flights from the southern coast of Australia to Arctic breeding grounds. On these extraordinary flights they chance predators, typhoon weather and exhaustion before they can breed, and maybe return to familiar southern feeding grounds. But the greatest threat to these, and other long-distance migrants on the flyway, is China's dragon economy, engulfing their vital Yellow Sea staging spots. The author meets the dedicated people working to save these intrepid birds, from Russia to Alaska, and the rim of the Arctic Sea to the coasts of the Southern Ocean. Out of their hard-won science he finds hope for the birds - a bright light for our times. But his journey to understand this work and these birds almost ends when he is suddenly diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Then he finds science coming to his rescue too. ...Show more

Origins - How the Earth Made Us by Lewis Dartnell

$28.00 NZD

Category: Science

The Sunday Timesbestseller that reveals the Earth's awesome impact on the shape of human civilizations. 'Stands comparison with Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens... A thrilling piece of Big History' Sunday Times 'A sweeping, brilliant overview of the history not only of our species but of the world' Peter F rankopan, author of The Silk Roads When we talk about human history, we focus on great leaders, mass migration and decisive wars. But how has the Earth itself determined our destiny? How has our planet made us? As a species we are shaped by our environment. Geological forces drove our evolution in East Africa; mountainous terrain led to the development of democracy in Greece; and today voting behaviour in the United States follows the bed of an ancient sea. The human story is the story of these forces, from plate tectonics and climate change, to atmospheric circulation and ocean currents. How are the Himalayas linked to the orbit of the Earth, and to the formation of the British Isles? By taking us billions of years into our planet's past, Professor Lewis Dartnell tells us the ultimate origin story. When we reach the point where history becomes science we see a vast web of connections that underwrites our modern world and helps us face the challenges of the future. From the cultivation of the first crops to the founding of modern states, Origins reveals the Earth's awesome impact on the shape of human civilisations. ...Show more

How the Brain Lost its Mind by Allan Ropper; Brian David Burrell

$32.99 NZD

Category: Science

In 1882, Jean-Martin Charcot was the premiere physician in Paris, having just established a neurology clinic at the infamous Salpetriere Hospital, a place that was called a 'grand asylum of huma misery'. Assessing the dismal conditions, he quickly set up to upgrade the facilities, and in doing so, revol utionised the treatment of mental illness. Many of Carcot's patients had neurosyphilis (the advanced form of syphilis), a disease of mad poets, novelists, painters, and musicians, and a driving force behind the overflow of patients in Europe's asylums. A sexually transmitted disease, it is known as 'the great imitator' since its symptoms resemble those of almost any biological disease or mental illness. it is also the perfect lens through which to peel back the layers to better understand the brain and the mind. Yet, Charcot's work took a bizarre turn when he brought mesmerism - hypnotism - into his clinic, abandoning his pursuit of the biological basis of illness in favour of the far sexier and theatrical treatment of female 'hysterics', whose symptoms mimic those seen in brain disease, but were elusive in origin. This and a general fear of contagion set the stage for Sigmund Freud, whose seductive theory, Freudian analysis, brought sex and hysteria onto the psychiatrist couch, leaving the brain behind. How The Brain Lost Its Mind tells this rich and compelling story, and raises a host of philosophical and practical questions. Are we any closer to understanding the difference between a sick mind and a sick brain? The real issue remains: where should neurology and psychiatry converge to explore not just the brain, but the nature of the human psyche? ...Show more

Gene Machine - The Race to Decipher the Secrets of the Ribosome by Venki Ramakrishnan

$24.99 NZD

Category: Science

From Nobel Prize winner Venki Ramakrishnan 'Beyond superb' Bill Bryson 'A wonderful book' Ian McEwan Everyone knows about DNA, the essence of our being, the molecule where our genes reside. But DNA by itself is useless without a machine to decode the genetic information it contains. The ribosome is that machine. Venki Ramakrishnan tells the story of the race to uncover its enormously complex structure, a fundamental breakthrough that resolves an ancient mystery of life itself. ...Show more

The Secret World of Sleep - The Search for Salvation During the Night by Guy Leschziner

$26.99 NZD

Category: Science

'With my job on Today, I have become obsessed with sleep. The Secret World of Sleep interweaves bizarre real life stories with cutting edge neurological science in the true tradition of Oliver Sacks. A fascinating read.' Martha Kearney, BBC Radio 4 'Casebooks of neurological disorders are ofte n strange and wonderful, but this one is special.' Sunday Times 'The Secret World of Sleep will not promise to cure your insomnia, but it does make for an entertaining and thought-provoking bedtime read.' The Guardian For Guy Leschziner's patients, there is no rest for the weary in mind and body. Insomnia, narcolepsy, night terrors, apnoea and sleepwalking are just a sample of the conditions afflicting sufferers who cannot sleep - and their experiences in trying to are the stuff of nightmares. Demonic hallucinations frighten people into paralysis. Restless legs rock both the sleepless and their sleeping partners with unpredictable and uncontrollable kicking. Out-of-sync circadian rhythms confuse the natural body clock's days and nights. Then there are the extreme cases. A woman in a state of deep sleep who gets dressed, unlocks her car and drives for several miles before returning to bed. The man who has spent decades cleaning out kitchens while 'sleep-eating'. The teenager prone to the serious, yet unfortunately nicknamed, Sleeping Beauty Syndrome, stuck in a cycle of excessive unconsciousness, binge-eating and uncharacteristic displays of aggression and hypersexuality while awake. With compassionate stories of his patients and their conditions, Leschziner illustrates the neuroscience behind our sleeping minds, revealing the many biological and psychological factors necessary in getting the rest that will not only maintain our physical and mental health, but also improve our cognitive abilities and overall happiness. ...Show more

You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters by Kate Murphy

$40.00 NZD

Category: Science

"How well we listen determines how we love, learn, and connect with one another, and in this moment when we need to hear and be heard more than ever, this thought-provoking and engaging book shows us how."- Lori Gottlieb,New York Times bestselling author ofMaybe You Should Talk to Someone At work, we'r e taught to lead the conversation. On social media, we shape our personal narratives. At parties, we talk over one another. So do our politicians. We're not listening. And no one is listening to us. Despite living in a world where technology allows constant digital communication and opportunities to connect, it seems no one is really listening or even knows how. And it's making us lonelier, more isolated, and less tolerant than ever before. A listener by trade, New York Times contributor Kate Murphy wanted to know how we got here. In this always illuminating and often humorous deep dive, Murphy explains why we're not listening, what it's doing to us, and how we can reverse the trend. She makes accessible the psychology, neuroscience, and sociology of listening while also introducing us to some of the best listeners out there (including a CIA agent, focus group moderator, bartender, radio producer, and top furniture salesman). Equal parts cultural observation, scientific exploration, and rousing call to action that's full of practical advice,You're Not Listeningis to listening what Susan Cain'sQuiet was to introversion. It's time to stop talking and start listening. ...Show more