Secrets of the Universe: How We Discovered the Cosmos by Paul Murdin. University of Chicago Press, 2009 Astronomer Paul Murdin traces the history of astronomical discoveries—from the shape of Earth to the cosmic microwave background to the origin of the elements. Pictured at the right is the N49 supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Supernovae play a key role in distributing the elements made in stars. The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference by Alan Boyle. Wiley, 2009 Science writer Alan Boyle chronicles the rise and fall of embattled Pluto—from its serendipitous discovery in 1930 to its hotly debated downgrade to nonplanet in 2006—and in so doing reveals just how intertwined science, politics and culture really are. After the Ice: Life, Death and Geopolitics in the New Arctic by Alun Anderson. Smithsonian, 2009 Ice is vanishing from the Arctic so fast that no one can keep up, asserts journalist Alun Anderson. Aiming to provide a big picture sketch of the region, he examines the science, politics and business of the Arctic and considers who stands to gain and lose from this transformation. A Year on the Wing: Four Seasons in a Life with Birds by Tim Dee. Free Press, 2009 In this lyrical memoir, radio producer and writer Tim Dee draws on 40 years of avian observation to compose an account of a year in the lives of birds. Along the way he explores humanity’s fascination with these creatures and their journeys on the wing. This Will Change Everything: Ideas That Will Shape the Future edited by John Brockman. Harper Perennial, 2009 John Brockman, literary agent and founder of the online science salon Edge.org, has rounded up more than 150 luminaries to reflect on ideas that are poised to change the world in their lifetimes. Among the contributors are Nobel laureate physicist Frank Wilczek on the quantum world, biologist Paul Ewald on infectious disease and psychologist Sherry Turkle on robot companions. ALSO NOTABLE Power Trip: From Oil Wells to Solar Cells—Our Ride to the Renewable Future by Amanda Little. Harper, 2009 The Tangled Bank: An Introduction to Evolution by Carl Zimmer. Roberts & Company, 2009 Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose: Natural History in Early America. by Lee Alan Dugatkin. University of Chicago Press, 2009 Treasures of the Earth: Need, Greed, and a Sustainable Future by Saleem H. Ali. Yale University Press, 2009 Ambassadors from Earth: Pioneering Explorations with Unmanned Spacecraft by Jay Gallentine. University of Nebraska Press, 2009 Great Plains: America’s Lingering Wild by Michael Forsberg. University of Chicago Press, 2009 Dazzled and Deceived: Mimicry and Camouflage by Peter Forbes. Yale University Press, 2009 Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery by Richard Hollingham. Thomas Dunne Book, 2009 Department of Mad Scientists: How DARPA Is Remaking Our World, from the Internet to Artificial Limbs by Michael Belfiore. Smithsonian, 2009 The Lives of the Brain: Human Evolution and the Organ of Mind by John S. Allen. Belknap Press, 2009 EXHIBITS Moving beyond Earth, a new permanent exhibition about spaceflight, opens November 19 at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Migrations of the Mind: Manuscripts from the Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection. November 17, 2009–April 18, 2010, at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference by Alan Boyle. Wiley, 2009 Science writer Alan Boyle chronicles the rise and fall of embattled Pluto—from its serendipitous discovery in 1930 to its hotly debated downgrade to nonplanet in 2006—and in so doing reveals just how intertwined science, politics and culture really are.
After the Ice: Life, Death and Geopolitics in the New Arctic by Alun Anderson. Smithsonian, 2009 Ice is vanishing from the Arctic so fast that no one can keep up, asserts journalist Alun Anderson. Aiming to provide a big picture sketch of the region, he examines the science, politics and business of the Arctic and considers who stands to gain and lose from this transformation.
A Year on the Wing: Four Seasons in a Life with Birds by Tim Dee. Free Press, 2009 In this lyrical memoir, radio producer and writer Tim Dee draws on 40 years of avian observation to compose an account of a year in the lives of birds. Along the way he explores humanity’s fascination with these creatures and their journeys on the wing.
This Will Change Everything: Ideas That Will Shape the Future edited by John Brockman. Harper Perennial, 2009 John Brockman, literary agent and founder of the online science salon Edge.org, has rounded up more than 150 luminaries to reflect on ideas that are poised to change the world in their lifetimes. Among the contributors are Nobel laureate physicist Frank Wilczek on the quantum world, biologist Paul Ewald on infectious disease and psychologist Sherry Turkle on robot companions.
ALSO NOTABLE Power Trip: From Oil Wells to Solar Cells—Our Ride to the Renewable Future by Amanda Little. Harper, 2009
The Tangled Bank: An Introduction to Evolution by Carl Zimmer. Roberts & Company, 2009
Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose: Natural History in Early America. by Lee Alan Dugatkin. University of Chicago Press, 2009
Treasures of the Earth: Need, Greed, and a Sustainable Future by Saleem H. Ali. Yale University Press, 2009
Ambassadors from Earth: Pioneering Explorations with Unmanned Spacecraft by Jay Gallentine. University of Nebraska Press, 2009
Great Plains: America’s Lingering Wild by Michael Forsberg. University of Chicago Press, 2009
Dazzled and Deceived: Mimicry and Camouflage by Peter Forbes. Yale University Press, 2009
Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery by Richard Hollingham. Thomas Dunne Book, 2009
Department of Mad Scientists: How DARPA Is Remaking Our World, from the Internet to Artificial Limbs by Michael Belfiore. Smithsonian, 2009
The Lives of the Brain: Human Evolution and the Organ of Mind by John S. Allen. Belknap Press, 2009
EXHIBITS Moving beyond Earth, a new permanent exhibition about spaceflight, opens November 19 at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Migrations of the Mind: Manuscripts from the Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection. November 17, 2009–April 18, 2010, at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
