popular works

"Examines the scientific principles behind some of your favorite characters, spells, items, and scenes from the Harry Potter universe, providing in-depth analysis and scientific facts to support its theories"--OCLC.

An evolutionary biologist tells the story of nature's toxins and why we are attracted--and addicted--to them, in this "magisterial, fascinating, and gripping tour de force" (Neil Shubin). A deadly secret lurks within our spice racks, medicine cabinets, backyard gardens, and private stashes. Scratch beneath the surface of a coffee bean, a red pepper flake, a poppy seed, a mold spore, a foxglove leaf, a magic-mushroom cap, a marijuana bud, or an apple seed, and we find a bevy of strange chemicals. We use these to greet our days (caffeine), titillate our tongues (capsaicin), recover from surgery (opioids), cure infections (penicillin), mend our hearts (digoxin), bend our minds (psilocybin), calm our nerves (CBD), and even kill our enemies (cyanide). But why do plants and fungi produce such chemicals? And how did we come to use and abuse some of them? Based on cutting-edge science in the fields of evolution, chemistry, and neuroscience, Most Delicious Poison reveals: The origins of toxins produced by plants, mushrooms, microbes, and even some animals; The mechanisms that animals evolved to overcome them; How a co-evolutionary arms race made its way into the human experience; And much more. This perpetual chemical war not only drove the diversification of life on Earth, but also is intimately tied to our own successes and failures. You will never look at a houseplant, mushroom, fruit, vegetable, or even the past five hundred years of human history the same way again.

"In Eve, Cat Bohannon answers questions scientists should have been addressing for decades. With boundless curiosity and sharp wit, Bohannon covers the past 200 million years to explain the specific science behind the development of the female sex. Eve is not just a sweeping revision of human history, it's an urgent and necessary corrective for a world that has focused primarily on the male body for far too long. Bohannon's findings, including everything from the way C-sections in the industrialized world are rejiggering women's pelvic shape to the surprising similarities between pus and breast milk, will completely change what you think you know about evolution . . . and women. A 21st-century update of Our Bodies, Ourselves, Eve offers a paradigm shift in our thinking about what the female body is and why it matters"--Provided by publisher.

"A . . . warning about the mysterious and deadly world of fungi--and how to avert further loss across species, including our own. Fungi are everywhere. Most are harmless; some are helpful. A few are killers. Collectively, infectious fungi are the most devastating agents of disease on earth, and a fungus that can persist in the environment without its host is here to stay. In 'Blight,' Emily Monosson documents how trade, travel, and a changing climate are making us all more vulnerable to invasion . . ."--Provided by publisher.

"An accessible guide to the most important poems ever written--from the 'Epic of Gilgamesh' to 'The Waste Land'--and the poets behind them. Discover the key themes and ideas behind the most important poems ever written, and the poetic geniuses who wrote them"--Provided by publisher.

Provides an understanding about concussions and their evaluation and treatment, and the possible post-concussive issues that athletes and young people in sports may experience.

A discussion on vision that describes six case studies with individuals who have had their sight compromised and examines the many ways that the human brain perceives the world, our abilities to see in three dimensions, how the mind sees the world when our eyes are closed, and related topics.

"Emphasizing the body's innate wisdom and ability to heal, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom covers the entire range of women's health--from the first menstrual period through menopause. It includes updated information on pregnancy, labor, and birth, sexuality, nutrition, hormone replacement therapy, treating fibroids, avoiding hysterectomy, and maintaining breast and menstrual health. Fully revised and updated to include the very latest treatment innovations and research data, and reflecting today's woman's proactive involvement in her own health care, this important new edition will help women everywhere enjoy vibrant health with far fewer medical interventions."--Page 4 of cover.

Looks at the world of genetics, focusing on six-toed cats, stickleback hips, zombie genes, and other topics.

"The effects of global warming are being felt around the world through climate change, and images of our rivers and oceans choking with plastic have provoked an instinctive horrified reaction. In response, governments, corporations and individuals are beginning to change their policies and behaviour--but is it too little, too late? Is it possible to reverse the damage we have done to the planet, or have we reached the point where we are only able to manage the problems and devastation caused? This engaging and incisive volume offers insightful analysis of a range of key issues including deforestation, global warming and single use plastics, while evaluating whether--and how--it may just be possible to mend our planet"--OCLC.