Joining the ranks of modern myth busters, Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on its head and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and our relationship to just about every other living thing on earth, from plants and animals to insects and bacteria.So why does disease exist? Moalem proposes that most common ailments—diabetes, hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia—came into existence for very goo...

"Bowdoin Boys in Labrador" by Jonathan Prince Cilley is a captivating narrative that chronicles the adventures of a group of Bowdoin College students as they embark on an expedition to Labrador. The book vividly captures the beauty and challenges of the rugged landscape, showcasing the students' resilience and camaraderie. Through their experiences, Cilley explores themes of friendship, exploration, and the spirit of adventure, making it a compelling read for those interested in outdoor pu...

In "Bowdoin Boys in Labrador," Jonathan Prince Cilley encapsulates a captivating narrative that intertwines adventure with introspection. Set against the rugged backdrop of Labrador, the book chronicles the experiences of Bowdoin College students embarking on an expedition steeped in camaraderie and self-discovery. Cilley's prose combines vivid descriptions with reflective passages, drawing readers into the natural beauty and challenges faced by the young explorers. His literary style is m...

In "Bowdoin Boys in Labrador," Jonathan Prince Cilley masterfully intertwines adventure and education, chronicling the experiences of students from Bowdoin College on a transformative expedition to Labrador. The narrative is rich with vivid descriptions and personal reflections, showcasing not only the stunning landscapes of the Canadian wilderness but also the intellectual curiosity and youthful exuberance of the Bowdoin boys. Cilley employs a blend of travelogue and memoir, drawing upon ...

How did a deadly genetic disease help our ancestors survive the bubonic plagues of Europe? Was diabetes evolution's response to the last Ice Age? Will a visit to the tanning salon help bring down your cholesterol? Why do we age? Why are some people immune to HIV? Can your genes be turned on—or off?Survival of the Sickest reveals the answers to these and many other questions as it unravels the amazing connections between evolution, disease, and human health today.Jo...

Why do we look the way we do? What does the human hand have in common with the wing of a fly? Are breasts, sweat glands, and scales connected in some way? To better understand the inner workings of our bodies and to trace the origins of many of today’s most common diseases, we have to turn to unexpected sources: worms, flies, and even fish.Neil Shubin, a leading paleontologist and professor of anatomy who discovered Tiktaalik–the “missing link” that made headlines around the world ...

What makes a stone a jewel? What makes a jewel priceless? And why do we covet beautiful things? In this brilliant account of how eight jewels shaped the course of history, jeweler and scientist Aja Raden tells an original and often startling story about our unshakeable addiction to beauty and the darker side of human desire.What moves the world is what moves each of us: desire. Jewelry—which has long served as a stand-in for wealth and power, glamour and success—has birthed cultura...

“Ridley leaps from chromosome to chromosome in a handy summation of our ever increasing understanding of the roles that genes play in disease, behavior, sexual differences, and even intelligence. . . . . He addresses not only the ethical quandaries faced by contemporary scientists but the reductionist danger in equating inheritability with inevitability.” — The New YorkerThe genome's been mapped. But what does it mean? Matt Ridley’s Genome...

Dr. Joe Schwarcz takes on the quacks and doles out the facts in this eye-opening look at the science around usEat this and live to 100. Don’t, and die. Today, hyperboles dominate the media, which makes parsing science from fiction an arduous task when deciding what to eat, what chemicals to avoid, and what’s best for the environment. In Is That a Fact?, bestselling author Dr. Joe Schwarcz carefully navigates the storm of misinformation to help us separate ...

Michael S. Gazzaniga, one of the most important neuroscientists of the twentieth century, gives us an exciting behind-the-scenes look at his seminal work on that unlikely couple, the right and left brain. Foreword by Steven Pinker.In the mid-twentieth century, Michael S. Gazzaniga, “the father of cognitive neuroscience,” was part of a team of pioneering neuroscientists who developed the now foundational split-brain brain theory: the notion that the right and left hemispheres of the...

In John Wyndham’s classic The Day of the Triffids the world is overwhelmed by killer plants. Simon Clark’s sequel picks up the story 25 years on. Bill Masen’s son, David, wakes to a world plunged into darkness. Now, the triffids have the advantage...

A blend of history, science, philosophy, and environmentalism, The Tree is an engaging and elegant look at the life of the tree and what modern research tells us about their future.There are redwoods in California that were ancient by the time Columbus first landed, and pines still alive that germinated around the time humans invented writing. There are Douglas firs as tall as skyscrapers, and a banyan tree in Calcutta as big as a football field.Fr...