In this potent book, three eminent scientists—an astrophysicist, an organic chemist, and an anthropologist—ponder and discuss some of the basic questions that have obsessed humankind through the ages, and offer thoughtful, enlightening answers in terms the layperson can easily understand. Until now, most of these questions were addressed by religion and philosophy. But science has reached a point where it, too, can voice an opinion. Beginning with the Big Bang roughly fifteen billion years...

When on a summer evening, astrophysicist Hubert Reeves went for a walk with his granddaughter, he was immediately assaulted by her questions: 'How big is the Universe? How far are the stars? Are there other universes like ours?'. This little book is the result of their discussion - a very clear and fulfilling explanation on where we come from and our place in the Universe. Here is a perfect occasion for everybody, and not only children, to revise their conceptions about the cosmos.

After spending many years gazing up at the stars, Hubert Reeves has turned his attention to the future of our planet. The world's friendliest and most enthusiastic astrophysicist takes us on a surprising journey, which will make us all realize how important it is to protect our environment.

Forests were home to our most distant ancestors. They show us our history and link us to our past. When we enter a forest, we step back in time and rediscover life on Earth as it once was. Thanks to recent scientific discoveries, we now know that the animal world and the plant world are more alike than we thought, and that, in their own way, trees can sense, feel, and communicate. It is up to us to ensure that forests are sustainably managed, and that all the plants and animals that live i...

Training a powerful lens on the microscopic wonders of the universe, hundreds of photos, both exquisite and strange, accompany this startling exposé of a secret world invisibly evolving around us for billions of years.Silver Winner of the 2021 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Nature & EnvironmentMicrofossils—the most abundant, ancient, and easily accessible of Earth's fossils—are also the most important. Their ubiquity is such that every person on the plane...

In a voyage of discovery that takes us to the bottom of the sea, Hubert Reeves explains how the oceans formed, what makes them salty, and what causes currents and tides. He reveals the wonders of life below the waves and shows us how the oceans can determine the very future of our precious planet. This is why they need our protection.

For readers of Michio Kaku and Stephen Hawking, the book readers have acclaimed as "A mega-comprehensive outlook at intelligence as convincing as it is surprising" and "A truly breathtaking forecast on the future of intelligence."With the ongoing advancement of AI and other technologies, our world is becoming increasingly intelligent. From chatbots to innovations in brain-computer interfaces to the possibility of superintelligences leading to the Singularity later ...

Everything You Could Ever Want to Know about Mushrooms!Mushrooms are an incredibly vast range of species, including all shapes and sizes and colors. This exciting collection includes a wealth of information on two hundred essential mushroom varieties, including their:Scientific namesHabitatsModes of developmentBotanical specificitiesUses in culinary cuisineAnd more!Spread throughout this...

***One of NPR's "Books We Love 2021"*"'I came to see the mountains as an outpouring of our modern lives,' Roy writes, 'of the endless chase for our desires to fill us.' Readers of Behind the Beautiful Forevers will be drawn to this harrowing portrait."—Publishers Weekly"Castaway Mountain deserves every accolade. A stunning achievement."—Kiran Desai, Booker Prize Winner, author of Inheritance of Loss.**All of Mumbai’s...

With a focus of the Perseverance rover mission, here is the "Quintessential account of one of humanity’s most intriguing quests" (Pail Halpern, Medium), "A remarkable, timely, and up-to-date account of Mars exploration" (Leonard David, "Space Insider," Space.com).From The War of the Worlds to The Martian and to the amazing photographs sent back by the robotic rovers Curiosity and Opportunity, Mars has excited our imaginations as ...

An incisive, groundbreaking book that examines how a biological concept of race is a myth that promotes inequality in a supposedly "post-racial" era.Though the Human Genome Project proved that human beings are not naturally divided by race, the emerging fields of personalized medicine, reproductive technologies, genetic genealogy, and DNA databanks are attempting to resuscitate race as a biological category written in our genes.This groundbreaking book by l...

The co-founder of Baidu explains how AI will transform human livelihood, from our economy and financial systems down to our daily lives.Written by Baidu cofounder Robin Li and prefaced by award-winning sci-fi writer Cixin Liu (author of The Three-Body Problem), Artificial Intelligence Revolution introduces Baidu’s teams of top scientists and management as pioneers of movement toward AI. The book covers many of the latest AI-related ideas and techn...