Complex Numbers

Books, Some

I don't have a lot to say about today's article. But I figured, if you're reading this blog, you might have a passing interest in science. And you know how to read. So...

Just five excellent science books you should read  
Put these on your nightstand.

Nightstand? Didn't science figure out that to get good sleep, one should use one's bedroom only for sleeping and sex? I don't think science books qualify as the latter, though they might help with the former.

Fans of nonfiction enjoy diving into the infinite, intricate worlds that exist on our planet and beyond.

I quibble with "infinite," but since our lives are time-limited, I'll accept "more than we can ever explore."

Below, five science book recommendations for smart people with a range of interests.

And maybe also for dumb people who don't want to be dumb.

I Contain Multitudes, Ed Yong

Ed Yong makes it easy to understand the complexities of our bodies, perhaps muddling your definition of self in the process.

I haven't read this one, but we've discussed the human microbiome in here before.

Pale Blue Dot, Carl Sagan

It annoys me that the pictured book cover reads, "Author of Contact." Like that's what we should know Sagan from. Anyway, of course I've read this. Everyone has, or at least lies about it.

Where Buddhism Meets Neuroscience, the Dalai Lama

One of these things is not like the others...

To be fair, the elevator pitch: "Experts in the fields of consciousness, dreams, memory, psychiatric illness, meditation and more summarize the latest research and then engage in a dialogue with the Dalai Lama."

Still, I've about had it with books that claim consciousness is quantum and we can affect the world with our minds, or whatever. Maybe it is, but we can't, except the old-fashioned way through the medium of our bodies.

She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity, Carl Zimmer

This lengthy, meaty read provides a new framework for thinking about what we inherit from our parents and ancestors, DNA, genes, race, inheritance, and the moral and ethical questions surrounding new procreation technologies.

Might be worth a read.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, Joshua Foer

Join writer and co-founder of Atlas Obscura Joshua Foer on his thoroughly entertaining yearlong quest to improve his memory under the tutelage of top “mental athletes,” and discover the bizarre, niche world of the United States Memory Championships.

Aw hell no. We invented the internet, and computer files, and paper, and writing utensils, for a reason: so we didn't have to remember every damn detail. Considering what most of our lives are like, it can be a good thing to forget.

Incidentally, I've linked to Atlas Obscura in here before, and almost certainly will again. It's one of my favorite websites. Also incidentally, Foer's brother is also a writer; I've never read his stuff, but one of his semi-autobiographical fiction stories was adapted into a movie. It's called Everything is Illuminated, and it's absolutely wonderful. And topical right now, as it deals with Ukraine's troubled history.

So that's it. Like I said, not much commentary here. I've only read one of these books so far, but I might give some of the others a shot; it's been a while since I've gone on a nonfiction binge. I'm also happy to hear your recommendations.