Until now, popular science has relegated the atom to a supporting role in defining the different chemical elements of the periodic table. This bold new title places its subject center stage, shining the spotlight directly onto the structure and properties of this tiniest amount of anything it is possible to identify. The book covers a huge range of topics, including the development of scientific thinking about the atom, the basic structure of the atom, how the interactions between atoms ac...

"Handsome and elegantly designed, this tour through the cell's history and diversity in form and function is a delight to peruse . . . stunning." — American ScientistWith The Cell, Jack Challoner treats readers to a visually striking tour of these remarkable molecular machines. Most of the living things we're familiar with—the plants in our gardens, the animals we eat—are composed of billions or trillions of cells. Most multicellular organisms cons...

John Snow was a Victorian physician who helped to establish that cholera was spread by contaminated water (not bad air, as theory had it). He traced the source of a deadly cholera outbreak to one pump and was able to have it closed, ending the outbreak, despite deep resistance from the local authorities, who did not want to believe his theory. This was a massive event in public health and the founding event of the science of epidemiology. Snow was also an early pioneer of anaesthesia....

In a quest to advocate for her daughter, Pepper Stetler uncovers the dark history of the IQ test, leading her to question what exactly we are measuring when we measure intelligence.When Pepper Stetler learned that her daughter, Louisa, who has Down Syndrome, would be required to take periodic IQ tests to secure support in school, she asked a simple question: Why? The hunt for an answer set Stetler on a winding, often dark investigation into how the IQ came...

An “UNEXPECTEDLY PROFOUND,” “DEEPLY STRANGE,” and “UTTERLY UNIQUE tour of the human body” (Publishers Weekly)"A must read for anyone who’s ever been amazed or aghast at what just came out." — Rachel Yoder, author of NightbitchTo live, our bodies must continuously shed materials. Stop urinating, stop defecating, stop expelling breath, and death is near. While we often think of these materials as embarrassing waste products, they serve far more complex functions. The color of...

The radical, paradigm-shifting international bestseller that destroys our delusions about energy consumption and will change the way we talk about climate change.We have long been taught that humanity’s relationship with energy is one of progress, with wood superseded by coal, coal by oil, oil by nuclear—until at some future point everything will be replaced by “green” energy. But the long-held belief in transition and sustainability is completely untrue, Jean-Baptiste Fressoz argu...

“An elegant, wide-ranging history” (The New York Review of Books) of the centuries-long quest to discover the critical role of germs in disease thatreveals as much about human reasoning—and the pitfalls of ego—as it does about microbes.“Levenson takes readers through an entertaining . . . journey of missed opportunities in microbiology and the eventual advances that arose in this field.”—ScienceScientists and enthusiastic ...

A “visual tour through the under-appreciated chemical beauty that surrounds us”—with astonishing photographs of the scientific processes that create snowflakes, bubbles, flames, and other natural wonders (WIRED)Chemistry is not just about microscopic atoms doing inscrutable things; it is the process that makes flowers and galaxies. We rely on it for bread-baking, vegetable-growing, and producing the materials of daily life. In stunning images and illuminat...

Hungry for a treasure trove of weird and wonderful facts beyond your wildest imagination? Then keep on reading...Did you know that trees collaborate, communicate, and engage in chemical warfare?Or that humans are better at smelling rain than sharks are at smelling blood?Or that Napoleon once fought a pack of tame rabbits... and lost?Sometimes, life gets boring. Your sense of wonder often gets lost in a pile of chores, paperwork, and ...

From the bestselling authors of Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura comes a nature book like no other—a dazzling, over-the-top collection of the world's most extraordinary wild species that takes you to all seven continents and beyond. It's more than a field guide–it's an adventure. * National Bestseller * Named a Best New Book by BookRiot, New York Post and more * Named a Best White Elephant Gift Under $30 by Taste of H...

**"Extraordinary . . . [this] series of true stories about the authentic nature of bears reveals them as the sensitive and intelligent beings they are." ―Carl Safina, New York Times–bestselling author of Becoming Wild and Beyond WordsGrizzly bears have long been feared as unpredictable and dangerous. But one man, Charlie Russell, was key in breaking down the myths and helping save these magnificent beings from extinction. A naturalist who spent ov...

“Riveting . . . Blake’s deft chronicle of one of the greatest moral scandals of our time [is] a book that none of us can afford to miss.”—The Washington PostA gripping investigation of the chemical industry’s decades-long campaign to hide the dangers of forever chemicals, told through the story of a small town on the frontlines of an epic public health crisis.SHORTLISTED FOR THE J. ANTHONY LUKAS PRIZE • FINALIST FOR THE PEN...