Popular Science

These books span a wide range of scientific disciplines, including environmental and plant intelligence studies, astrobiology and physics, public health histories, and captivating explorations of animal behavior and Earth's prehistoric past.

Updated June 7, 2026
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The serviceberry : abundance and reciprocity in the natural world
Kimmerer, Robin Wall
Paper Book
An Instant New York Times Bestseller From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass, a bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world....
Everything is tuberculosis : the history and persistence of our deadliest infection
Green, John
Paper Book
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! . #1 Washington Post bestseller! . #1 Indie Bestseller! . USA Today Bestseller! 'Earnest and empathetic.' - New York Times Tuberculosis has been entwined with hu-manity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of...
The light eaters
Schlanger, Zoë
Paper Book
"teeming with fascinating and enlightening insights" Observer A narrative investigation into the new science of plant intelligence and sentience, from National Association of Science Writers Award winner and Livingston Award finalist Zoe Schlanger. Look at the green...
Challenger : a true story of heroism and disaster on the edge of space
Higginbotham, Adam
Paper Book
'Gripping' ED CAESAR * 'Masterly' GEOFF DYER * 'Incredible' TIM HARFORD * 'A universal story that transcends time' NEW YORK TIMES * 'Superb' DAILY TELEGRAPH * 'We know what's going to happen, but feel the suspense nonetheless' THE TIMES ** THE NEW...
What if? : serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions
Munroe, Randall
Paper Book
From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd, a hilarious and informative book of popular science that provides answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick...
The Singularity is nearer : when we merge with AI
Kurzweil, Ray
Paper Book
By the end of this decade, AI will exceed human levels of intelligence. During the 2030s, it will become 'superintelligent', vastly outstripping our capabilities by almost every measure and enabling dramatic new interventions in our bodies. By 2045, we will be able to connect our brains directly...
The elements of Marie Curie : how the glow of radium lit a path for women in science
Sobel, Dava
Paper Book
Dava Sobel, acclaimed and bestselling author of Longitude, chronicles the life and work of the most famous woman in the history of science - and the untold story of the young women who trained in her laboratory. 'A fresh and feminist study of the pioneering Nobel laureate...
Gut check : unleash the power of your microbiome to reverse disease and transform your mental, physical, and emotional health
Gundry, Steven R.
Paper Book
In this groundbreaking addition to his New York Times bestselling Plant Paradox series, Steven R.Gundry, MD offers a definitive guide to the gut biome and its control over its home--us!--revealing the unimaginably complex and intelligent ecosystem controlling our health and...
Why we remember : the science of memory and how it shapes us
Ranganath, Charan
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER * Memory is far more than a record of the past. In this groundbreaking tour of the mind and brain, one of the world's top memory researchers reveals the powerful role memory plays in nearly every aspect of our lives,...
What the chicken knows : a new appreciation of the world's most familiar bird
Montgomery, Sy
Paper Book
A charming and eye-opening exploration of the special relationship between humans and chickens from Sy Montgomery, "one of our finest chroniclers of the natural world" (The New York Times). For more than two decades, Sy Montgomery--whose The Soul of an...
Air-borne : the hidden history of the life we breathe
Zimmer, Carl
Paper Book
"An extraordinary history of the perils and promise of every breath we take" - James Nestor, bestselling author of Breath "Another brilliant work from one of the very best science writers, Air-Borne will leave you agog at the incredible world that floats...
Every living thing : the great and deadly race to know all life
Roberts, Jason (President of Panmedia Corporation)
Paper Book
The dramatic, globe-spanning and meticulously-researched story of two scientific rivals and their race to survey all life.In the 18th century, two men dedicated their lives to the same daunting task: identifying and describing all life on Earth. Their approaches could not have been more...
Quantum supremacy : how the quantum computer revolution will change everything
Kaku, Michio
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * An exhilarating tour of humanity's next great technological achievement--quantum computing--which may supercharge artificial intelligence, solve some of humanity's biggest problems, like global warming, world hunger, and incurable disease, and eventually...
The explorer's gene : why we seek big challenges, new flavors, and the blank spots on the map
Hutchinson, Alex
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author of Endure, Alex Hutchinson returns with a fresh, invigorating investigation into how exploration, uncertainty, and risk-taking shape our behavior and wellbeing. For fans of On Trails and Range alike, The Explorer's...
Crossings : how road ecology is shaping the future of our planet
Goldfarb, Ben (Environmental journalist)
Paper Book
Some 40 million miles of roadways encircle the earth, yet we tend to regard them only as infrastructure for human convenience. While roads are so ubiquitous they're practically invisible to us, wild animals experience them as entirely alien forces of death and disruption. In Crossings,...
Stronger : the untold story of muscle in our lives
Gross, Michael Joseph
Paper Book
Merlin's tour of the universe : a traveller's guide to blue moons and black holes, Mars, stars and everything far
Tyson, Neil deGrasse
Paper Book
Fully updated edition of the first book published by world-renowned astrophysicist and bestselling author Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Sing like fish : how sound rules life under water
Kingdon, Amorina
Paper Book
A captivating exploration of how underwater animals tap into sound to survive, and a clarion call for humans to address the ways we invade these critical soundscapes--from an award-winning science writer "Sing Like Fish is that rare book that makes you see the world...
Power metal : the race for the resources that will shape the future
Beiser, Vince
Paper Book
Carbon : the book of life
Hawken, Paul
Paper Book
Carbon animates the entirety of the living world. Though it comprises only a tiny fraction of Earth's composition, our planet would be lifeless without it. From the intricate microscopic networks of fungi in the Earth's soils to the tallest trees of the forests to every cell in every animal, the...
The inner clock : living in sync with our circadian rhythms
Peeples, Lynne
Paper Book
Sleep better. Feel more energised. Reset your body clock. 'The Inner Clock explores the science of why your circadian rhythms fall out of sync -- and how to get them back on track' JAMES NESTOR, bestselling author of Breath Why are you...
To infinity and beyond : a journey of cosmic discovery
Tyson, Neil deGrasse
Paper Book
This enlightening illustrated narrative by the world's most celebrated astrophysicist explains the universe from the solar system to the farthest reaches of space with authority and humor. No one can make the mysteries of the universe more comprehensible and fun than Neil...
Hope dies last : visionary people across the world, fighting to find us a future
Weisman, Alan
Paper Book
'One of the most exciting books I've ever read'- Louise Erdrich In this profoundly human and moving narrative, the bestselling author of The World Without Us returns with a book ten years in the making- a study of the precarious state of our planet and what it means...
Rethinking diabetes : what science reveals about diet, insulin and successful treatments
Taubes, Gary
Paper Book
An eye-opening investigation into the history of diabetes research and treatment, arguing for a diet-based alternative to medical treatments, from the best-selling author of The Case Against Sugar.
The secret life of the universe : an astrobiologist's search for the origins and frontiers of life
Cabrol, Nathalie A.
Paper Book
Over the last few decades, space exploration has revolutionised our understanding of our place in the cosmos. We now know that there are many habitable environments within our solar system. Yet a profound question remains: are we alone in the universe? Nathalie A....
Turning to stone : discovering the subtle wisdom of rocks
Bjornerud, Marcia
Paper Book
'Vast and arresting' SPECTATOR 'A remarkably human take on the geological world' NEW STATESMAN Rocks are the record of our creative planet reinventing itself for four billion years. Nothing is ever lost, just transformed. Marcia...
How to win friends and influence fungi : collected quirks of science, tech, engineering, and math from nerd nite
Balakrishnan, Chris
Paper Book
In the vein of acclaimed popular-science bestsellers such as Atlas Obscura, Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry, The Way Things Work, What If?, and Undeniable, the co-founders of the global science organization Nerd Nite bring readers a collection of...
Alive : an alternative anatomy
Weston, Gabriel
Paper Book
A profound and provocative journey through the human body from the award-winning writer, broadcaster and surgeon. 'Exceptional, beautiful and absolutely absorbing' CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN 'A book of wonder' SARAH MOSS For Gabriel Weston, there...
Doctors by nature : how ants, apes, and other animals heal themselves
De Roode, Jaap
Paper Book
The astonishing story of how animals use medicine and what it can teach us about healing ourselves Ages before the dawn of modern medicine, wild animals were harnessing the power of nature's pharmacy to heal themselves. Doctors by Nature reveals what researchers are now...
The ocean's menagerie : how Earth's strangest creatures reshape the rules of life
Harvell, C. Drew
Paper Book
A transporting exploration of the deep sea, and how our planet's strangest, most ancient and astonishing creatures have urgent relevance to cutting-edge science today. Hundred-year-old giant clams, coral kingdoms the size and shape of cities, and jellyfish that glow in the dark-...
The secret history of sharks : the rise of the ocean's most fearsome predators
Long, John
Paper Book
What the wild sea can be : the future of the world's ocean
Scales, Helen
Paper Book
An impassioned examination of the existential threats to the world's ocean and cautious optimism for the abundant life within it.
Twelve trees : and what they tell us about our past, present and future
Lewis, Daniel
Paper Book
*Chosen by Waterstones as one of their best Nature Writing Books of 2024, and by The Economist as one of their best books of 2024* 'A heartwarming guide to these fascinating giants of nature . . . A book that is full of surprises . . . Highly empathetic and informative'...
Why animals talk : the new science of animal communication
Kershenbaum, Arik
Paper Book
'Wonderful . . . Endlessly interesting and beautifully written' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Steady-headed and fun' SUNDAY TIMES 'Read this book and, I promise, you'll never listen to animals in the same way again' JESSICA PIERCE, author of Who's a Good Dog?<...
The song of the cell : an exploration of medicine and the new human
Mukherjee, Siddhartha
Paper Book
**Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2023** A NEW YORK TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, ECONOMIST, MAIL ON SUNDAY and GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022 From the prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies, The Song of the Cell...
Space oddities : the mysterious anomalies challenging our understanding of the universe
Cliff, Harry
Paper Book
'As fascinating as its title suggests . . . Cliff recounts with vivid clarity the stories of some of the most striking oddnesses that have lit up the landscape of modern physics.' - Philip PullmanNewly discovered strangenesses could transform our understanding of the fundamentals of physics - and of...
Adventures in volcanoland : what volcanoes tell us about the world and ourselves
Mather, Tasmin
Paper Book
Adventures in Volcanoland charts journeys across deserts, through jungles and up ice caps, to some of the world's most important volcanoes, from Nicaragua to Hawaii, Santorini to Ethiopia, exploring Tamsin Mather's obsession with these momentous geological formations, the cultural and...
Strata : stories from deep time
Poppick, Laura
Paper Book
The epic stories of our planet's 4.54-billion-year history are written in strata--ages-old remnants of ancient seafloors, desert dunes, and riverbeds striping landscapes around the world. In this brilliantly original debut work, science writer Laura Poppick decodes strata to lead us on a journey...
We are eating the Earth : the race to fix our food system and save our climate
Grunwald, Michael
Paper Book
From the author of New York Times bestseller The New New Deal, a groundbreaking piece of reportage from the trenches of the next climate war: the fight to fix our food system. Humanity has cleared a land mass the size of Asia plus Europe to grow food, and our food...
Playing possum : how animals understand death
Monsó, Susana
Paper Book
How animals conceive of death and dying--and what it can teach us about our own relationships with mortality When the opossum feels threatened, she becomes paralyzed. Her body temperature plummets, her breathing and heart rates drop to a minimum, and her glands simulate the...
Becoming Earth : how our planet came to life
Jabr, Ferris
Paper Book
The New York Times Bestseller. A radically thought-provoking account of a major shift in how we understand our Earth, not simply as an inanimate planet on which life evolved, but rather as a planet that came to life. 'Full of conceptual twists and wonderful...
The decline and fall of the human empire : why our species is on the edge of extinction
Gee, Henry
Paper Book
'Brilliant' - The Times 'Hugely informative and entertaining' - New Scientist 'Put this at the head of your reading lists immediately' - Eric Idle From the winner of the 2022 Royal Society Science Book Prize, a thrilling...
Amphibious soul : finding the wild in a tame world
Foster, Craig (Filmmaker)
Paper Book
An awe-inspiring narrative about the power of nature and our place within it, from the creator of My Octopus Teacher, filmmaker Craig Foster "Amphibious Soul is an important book. . . . This book isn't about learning how to be wild but rather a guide to recognizing and...
Nuts & bolts : seven small inventions that changed the world (in a big way)
Agrawal, Roma
Paper Book
Shard engineer Roma Agrawal deconstructs our most complex inventions into seven fundamental objects: the nail, spring, wheel, lens, magnet, string and pump. _____________ 'Delightful' TIM HARFORD, FINANCIAL TIMES 'Appeals to the nerdy side of just about...
Ends of the Earth : journeys to the polar regions in search of life, the cosmos, and our future
Shubin, Neil
Paper Book
Meet the scientists uncovering the secrets of Earth's harshest environments - the polar regions SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2025 AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Thrilling... This book is a reminder of how incredibly "cool" our...
Living on earth : life, consciousness and the making of the natural world
Godfrey-Smith, Peter
Paper Book
The eagerly anticipated conclusion to Peter Godfrey-Smith's three-part exploration of the origins of intelligence on Earth, which began with the bestselling Other Minds in 2018 and continued with Metazoa in 2020. The eagerly anticipated conclusion to Peter Godfrey-Smith's...
How to change your mind : the new science of psychedelics
Pollan, Michael.
Paper Book
"Pollan keeps you turning the pages . . . cleareyed and assured." --New York Times A #1 New York Times Bestseller * New York Times Book Review * 10 Best Books of 2018 New York Times Notable Book * Author of the highly anticipated forthcoming book, A...
Astrophysics for people in a hurry
Tyson, Neil deGrasse
Paper Book
Over a year on the New York Times bestseller list and more than a million copies sold. The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist. What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit...

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