Books that touch on the human experience and some of humanity’s greatest challenges were among the Scientific news staff’s favorite reads this year. What were your favorites? Let us know at feedback@sciencenews.org.
Leigh Ann Henion
Algonquin books, $30
As artificial light illuminates more and more of the night, a writer the matter is to preserve the natural darkness and the ecosystems and life forms it supports, from spotted salamanders to glow worms and bioluminescent fungi.
Sadie Dingfelder
Little brown spark, $32
A science journalist who can’t recognize faces, perceive depth, or visualize images in her mind takes readers on her journey to understand her eccentric brain. THE hilarious and philosophical memoir » reminds us that our ways of perceiving the world are not uniform.
Christof Koch
Basic books, $30
A neuroscientist argues that the integration of information in the brain is what makes humans conscious. The idea provocatively suggests that any system integrating information, including computers, has the potential to achieve a certain level of consciousness.
Arielle Johnson
Harvest, $40
Complete with colorful illustrations and fun recipes, this delicious tome explores the science behind flavor. Reading it might just transform your cooking skills.
Eric H. Cline
Princeton University, $32
An archaeologist describes how the Late Bronze Age collapse transformed societies across the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, some experiencing hardship and decline while others thrived in the chaos.
Bianca Bosker
Viking, $29
Using science as a tool, a journalist seeks to understand humanity’s primordial desire for artas well as the growing utility of art in the modern world. Along the way, she immerses herself in the world of exclusive and bizarre art.
Tim Smedley
Picador, $29.99
Human mismanagement and climate change are fueling water crises around the world. This book offers potential solutions, agricultural and domestic remedies to policy changesas well as a reminder to value every last drop of water as precious.
Olivier Heffernan
Greystone Books, $32.95
People are more and more stake claims to international waters to exploit resources. A science journalist is sounding the alarm for sustainable practices and the preservation of rich ocean ecosystems.
Marcia Björnerud
Flatiron Books, $29.99
A seasoned structural geologist reflects on her life story and the rich wisdom of the rocks of the Earth in this book which is part memoir, part geology explainer, part meditation on science and society.
Robin George Andrews
Random house, $29.99
What will it take to protect Earth from a destructive asteroid? A science journalist takes stock the tools humanity already has in its asteroid preparedness arsenalincluding the defensive strategy demonstrated by NASA’s successful DART mission, and what still remains to be done.
Rebecca Boyle
Random house, $28.99
This veneration of our heavenly companion exposes how the moon shaped life on Earth and transformed the planet into a hospitable home. The Moon’s influence on human societies, both culturally and spiritually, as well as the threats that humanity’s material ambitions pose to the Moon’s well-being, also take center stage.
Sarah Scoles
Books in bold print, $30
Interviews with physicists responsible for maintaining and modernizing the United States’ aging nuclear stockpilealong with other researchers and activists in this orbit, reveal the intense and often heavy feelings of those involved in the nuclear weapons industry. These conversations question the contradictory existence of the industry to promote peace through destructive weapons and the future of nuclear research..
Buy these books at Bookshop.org. Scientific news is affiliated with Bookshop.org and will earn commission on purchases made from links in this article.