From the first dog to the first beefalo, from farming to CRISPR, the human history of remaking natureWhen the 2020 Nobel Prize was awarded to the inventors of CRISPR, the revolutionary gene-editing tool, it underlined our amazing and apparently novel powers to alter nature. But as biologist Beth Shapiro argues in Life as We Made It, this phenomenon isn’t new. Humans have been reshaping the world around us for ages, from early dogs to modern bacteria modifi...

An insider's view on bringing extinct species back to lifeCould extinct species, like mammoths and passenger pigeons, be brought back to life? In How to Clone a Mammoth, Beth Shapiro, an evolutionary biologist and pioneer in ancient DNA research, addresses this intriguing question by walking readers through the astonishing and controversial process of de-extinction. From deciding which species should be restored to anticipating how revived populations migh...

From the first dog to the first beefalo, from farming to CRISPR, the human history of remaking natureWhen the 2020 Nobel Prize was awarded to the inventors of CRISPR, the revolutionary gene-editing tool, it underlined our amazing and apparently novel powers to alter nature. But as biologist Beth Shapiro argues in Life as We Made It, this phenomenon isn’t new. Humans have been reshaping the world around us for ages, from early dogs to modern bacteria modified to pump out in...

AudioFile Magazine’s Best Audiobooks of 2021**On the New York Times bestseller list for over 20 weeks * A New York Times Notable Book * A National Book Award Finalist * Named a Best Book of the Year by Fresh Air, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Associated Press, and many more“If you’re looking for a superb novel, look no further.” —The Washington PostFrom the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of...

2021 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner for War & HistoryWhy have the major post-9/11 US military interventions turned into quagmires? Despite huge power imbalances in the United States' favor, significant capacity-building efforts, and repeated tactical victories by what many observers call the world's best military, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq turned intractable. The US government's fixation on zero-sum, decisive victory in these conflicts is a key reason why military operations to...

An alien art expert is caught in a dangerous hunt for an enigmatic beauty in this science fiction classic by a five-time Hugo Award–winning author.For thousands of years the Dark Lady has appeared in portraits across the galaxy, but very little is known about her. She wears only black. She has been seen by many but known by few. And if you do see her, it will be after you've taken your last breath . . .Alien art historian Leonardo has seen paintings of the ...

Understand your procrastination and break through to productivityMany different factors can trigger procrastination. The good news is, you're not lazy or undisciplined, and you can achieve real productivity. Discover the psychological factors that drive your procrastination habits and unlock the secrets to overcoming them. With this research-based approach, you can learn to stop procrastinating, finish projects, and accomplish your goals.Begin by unpacking ...

A detailed and fully illustrated account of the development of American aircraft carriers up to and during World War II.This extensively illustrated volume tells the dramatic yet successful story of U.S. aircraft carriers in World War II by class, ranging from early pre-war designs to escort carriers built from destroyer hulls, to the gigantic fleet carriers serving as the predecessors of modern-day super carriers.Besides covering the famous great carrier bat...

"A detailed, insightful survey of Greek warfare" with illustrations and "many well-informed and highly perceptive observations" ( Choice).In this book, historian and archaeologist Simon Elliott considers the different fighting styles of Greek armies and discusses how Greek battles unfolded. Covering every aspect of warfare in the Ancient Greek world from the beginnings of Greek civilization to its assimilation into the ever-expanding world of Rome, it begi...

Quantum theory is at the heart of modern physics, but how does it actually work?NASA scientist and communicator Sten Odenwald demystifies the subject and makes this crucial topic accessible to everyone. Featuring topics such as Schrodinger's cat, the wave-particle duality and the newly emerging theories of quantum gravity, as well as the personalities behind the science, such as Max Planck, Neils Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Richard Feynman and many more, Knowledge...

A wide-ranging and dramatic account of the Antonine plague, the mysterious disease that struck the Roman Empire at its pinnacleIn the middle of the second century AD, Rome was at its prosperous and powerful apex. The emperor Marcus Aurelius reigned over a vast territory that stretched from Britain to Egypt. The Roman-made peace, or Pax Romana, seemed to be permanent. Then, apparently out of nowhere, a sudden sickness struck the legions and laid waste to ci...

The exposé that reveals "a prostitution ring, heavy CIA involvement, spying on the White House as well as on the Democrats, and plots within plots" ( The Washington Post)Ten years after the infamous Watergate scandal that brought down the Nixon presidency, Jim Hougan—then the Washington editor of Harper's Magazine—set out to write a profile of Lou Russell, a boozy private-eye who plied his trade in the vice-driven underbelly of the nation's capital...