Nonfiction for SciFi Lovers

Updated June 15, 2026
Rochester Public Library RPL Staff
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Nonfiction for SciFi Lovers

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The disordered cosmos : a journey into dark matter, spacetime, and dreams deferred
Prescod-Weinstein, Chanda
Paper Book
From a star theoretical physicist, "a love letter to the wonderous universe we call home, and an urge to think critically about how we explore its depths" (Smithsonian Magazine) In The Disordered Cosmos, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein...
Homo deus : a brief history of tomorrow
Harari, Yuval N.
Paper Book
Official U.S. edition with full color illustrations throughout. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens, returns with an equally original,...
The sixth extinction : an unnatural history
Kolbert, Elizabeth.
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST A major book about the future of the world, blending intellectual...
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...
A brief history of time
Hawking, Stephen
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking's book explores such profound questions as: How did the universe begin--and what made its start possible? Does time always flow forward? Is the universe...
The biggest ideas in the universe : space, time, and motion
Carroll, Sean M.
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"Most appealing... technical accuracy and lightness of tone... Impeccable."--Wall Street Journal"A porthole into another world."--Scientific American"Brings science dissemination to a...
The big picture : on the origins of life, meaning, and the universe itself
Carroll, Sean
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller about humanity's place in the universe--and how we understand it. "Vivid...impressive....Splendidly informative."--The New York Times"Succeeds spectacularly."--Science"A tour de...
The fabric of the cosmos : space, time, and the texture of reality
Greene, B.
Paper Book
From Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists, comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely different way. Space and time form the very fabric of the cosmos. Yet they remain among the most mysterious of concepts. Is space an entity?...
The elegant universe : superstrings, hidden dimensions, and the quest for the ultimate theory
Greene, B.
Paper Book
Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away layers of mystery to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter--from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas--is generated by the...
Reality is not what it seems : the journey to quantum gravity
Rovelli, Carlo
Paper Book
"The man who makes physics sexy . . . the scientist they're calling the next Stephen Hawking." --The Times Magazine From the New York Times-bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time, and Helgoland...
The order of time
Rovelli, Carlo
Paper Book
One of TIME's Ten Best Nonfiction Books of the Decade "Meet the new Stephen Hawking . . . The Order of Time is a dazzling book." --The Sunday Times From the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, Reality Is Not What It...
White holes
Rovelli, Carlo
Paper Book
A mesmerizing trip to the strange world of white holes from the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and The Order of Time Let us journey, with beloved physicist Carlo Rovelli, into the heart of a black hole. We slip beyond its horizon and tumble...
Six easy pieces : essentials of physics explained by its most brilliant teacher
Feynman, Richard P.
Paper Book
Learn how to think like a physicist from a Nobel laureate with these six classic and beloved lessons "If one book was all that could be passed on to the next generation of scientists it would undoubtedly have to be Six Easy Pieces."―John Gribbin,...
Physics of the future : how science will shape human destiny and our daily lives by the year 2100
Kaku, Michio.
Paper Book
Imagine, if you can, the world in the year 2100. In Physics of the Future, Michio Kaku--the New York Times bestselling author of Physics of the Impossible--gives us a stunning, provocative, and exhilarating vision of the coming century based on interviews...
Beyond infinity : an expedition to the outer limits of mathematics
Cheng, Eugenia
Paper Book
"[Cheng] does a great service by showing us non-mathematician schlubs how real mathematical creativity works." -- Wall Street Journal How big is the universe? How many numbers are there? And is infinity + 1 is the same as 1 + infinity? Such questions occur to young children and...
Sapiens : a brief history of humankind
Harari, Yuval N.
Paper Book
#1 New York Times Bestseller * New York Times Readers' Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century * The Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama and Bill Gates Official U.S. edition with full color illustrations throughout. From renowned historian...
A short history of nearly everything
Bryson, Bill.
Paper Book
THE #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER, UPDATED FOR 2025 * A wonder-filled quest to understand everything that has happened in the history of the Earth, from the Big Bang theory to the rise of civilization and beyond--revised to reflect the last two decades of scientific advancement ...
Challenger : a true story of heroism and disaster on the edge of space
Higginbotham, Adam
Ebook
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction * Winner of the Kirkus Nonfiction Prize * Shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction * A New York Times Notable Book NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "Stunning...A heart-pounding...
Packing for Mars : the curious science of life in the void
Roach, Mary.
Paper Book
Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can...
Rocket boys : a memoir
Hickam, Homer H.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A "nostalgic and entertaining memoir" (People) about a group of young men who dreamed of launching rockets into outer space--the inspiration for the film October Sky "A message of hope in an age of cynicism. . . ....
Hidden figures : the American dream and the untold story of the Black women mathematicians who helped win the space race
Shetterly, Margot Lee
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestseller -WINNER OF ANISFIELD-WOLF AWARD FOR NONFICTION -WINNER BLACK CAUCUS OF AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BEST NONFICTION BOOK -WINNER NAACP IMAGE AWARD BEST NONFICTION BOOK -WINNER NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING...
Starry messenger : cosmic perspectives on civilization
Tyson, Neil deGrasse
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Bringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our time--war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, and race--in a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity...
Origins : fourteen billion years of cosmic evolution
Tyson, Neil deGrasse
Paper Book
"An accessible and extremely well-written exploration of the deep waters of cosmology, astrophysics, and exobiology." --Kirkus Reviews Our true origins are not just human, or even terrestrial, but in fact cosmic. Drawing on recent scientific breakthroughs and the current cross...
The Milky Way : an autobiography of our galaxy
McTier, Moiya
Paper Book
In this approachable and fascinating biography of the galaxy, an astrophysicist and folklorist details everything humans have discovered--from the Milky Way's formation to its eventual death, and what else there is to learn about the universe we call home.  ...
The future of humanity : terraforming Mars, interstellar travel, immortality, and our destiny beyond Earth
Kaku, Michio
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The #1 bestselling author of The Future of the Mind traverses the frontiers of astrophysics, artificial intelligence, and technology to offer a stunning vision of man's future in space, from settling Mars to traveling to distant galaxies....
Extraterrestrial : the first sign of intelligent life beyond Earth
Loeb, Abraham
Paper Book
New York Times Bestseller | Wall Street Journal Bestseller | Publishers Weekly Bestseller | Publishers Marketplace 2020 Buzz Book  | Amazon Best Book of the Year | Longlisted for the 2022 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science...
The sirens of Mars : searching for life on another world
Johnson, Sarah Stewart
Paper Book
"Sarah Stewart Johnson interweaves her own coming-of-age story as a planetary scientist with a vivid history of the exploration of Mars in this celebration of human curiosity, passion, and perseverance."--Alan Lightman, author of Einstein's Dreams ...
Co-intelligence : living and working with AI
Mollick, Ethan
Ebook
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From Wharton professor and author of the popular One Useful Thing Substack newsletter Ethan Mollick comes the definitive playbook for working, learning, and living in the new age of AI Something new entered our world in...
The coming wave : technology, power, and the twenty-first century's greatest dilemma
Suleyman, Mustafa
Ebook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * An urgent warning of the unprecedented risks that AI and other fast-developing technologies pose to global order, and how we might contain them while we have the chance--from a co-founder of the pioneering artificial intelligence company DeepMind and current CEO...
AI superpowers : China, Silicon Valley, and the new world order
Lee, Kai-Fu
Paper Book
THE NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER "Kai-Fu Lee believes China will be the next tech-innovation superpower and in AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, he explains why. Taiwan-born Lee is perfectly positioned for the...
The singularity is nearer : when we merge with Al
Kurzweil, Ray
Audiobook
The noted inventor and futurist's successor to his landmark book The Singularity Is Near explores how technology will transform the human race in the decades to come Since it was first published in 2005, Ray Kurzweil's The Singularity Is Near and its vision of an...
To be a machine : adventures among cyborgs, utopians, hackers, and the futurists solving the modest problem of death
O'Connell, Mark
Paper Book
"This gonzo-journalistic exploration of the Silicon Valley techno-utopians' pursuit of escaping mortality is a breezy romp full of colorful characters." --New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice) Transhumanism is a movement pushing the limits of our bodies--our...
The new breed : what our history with animals reveals about our future with robots
Darling, Kate (Research specialist)
Paper Book
For readers of The Second Machine Age or The Soul of an Octopus, a bold, exciting exploration of how building diverse kinds of relationships with robots--inspired by how we interact with animals--could be the key to making our future with robot technology work...
Gods and robots : myths, machines, and ancient dreams of technology
Mayor, Adrienne
Paper Book
The fascinating untold story of how the ancients imagined robots and other forms of artificial life--and even invented real automated machines The first robot to walk the earth was a bronze giant called Talos. This wondrous machine was created not by MIT Robotics Lab, but by...
Soonish : emerging technologies that'll improve and/or ruin everything
Weinersmith, Kelly
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller! A Wall Street Journal Best Science Book of the Year! A Popular Science Best Science Book of the Year!  From a top scientist and the creator of the hugely popular web comic Saturday...
The future is faster than you think : how converging technologies are transforming business, industries, and our lives
Diamandis, Peter H.
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling authors of Abundance and Bold comes a practical playbook for the future of technology and technological convergence in our modern era. In their book Abundance, bestselling authors and futurists Peter Diamandis and...
The code breaker : Jennifer Doudna, gene editing, and the future of the human race
Isaacson, Walter
Paper Book
A Best Book of 2021 by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Time, and The Washington Post The bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs returns with a "compelling" (The Washington Post) account of how Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna...
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks
Skloot, Rebecca
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "The story of modern medicine and bioethics--and, indeed, race relations--is refracted beautifully, and movingly."--Entertainment Weekly NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM HBO® STARRING OPRAH WINFREY AND ROSE BYRNE * ONE OF THE "MOST...
Hacking Darwin : genetic engineering and the future of humanity
Metzl, Jamie Frederic
Paper Book
"A gifted and thoughtful writer, Metzl brings us to the frontiers of biology and technology, and reveals a world full of promise and peril." -- Siddhartha Mukherjee MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene A groundbreaking exploration of genetic...
Stuff matters : exploring the marvelous materials that shape our man-made world
Miodownik, Mark
Paper Book
ANew York Times Bestseller An eye-opening adventure deep inside the everyday materials that surround us, packed with surprising stories and fascinating science Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy?...
Entangled life : how fungi make our worlds, change our minds & shape our futures
Sheldrake, Merlin
Paper Book
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE A "brilliant [and] entrancing" (The Guardian) journey into the hidden lives of fungi--the great connectors of the living world--and their astonishing and intimate roles in human life, with...
The light eaters : how the unseen world of plant intelligence offers a new understanding of life on Earth
Schlanger, Zoë
Audiobook
Otherlands : a journey through Earth's extinct worlds
Halliday, Thomas (Paleobiologist)
Paper Book
"Immersive . . . bracingly ambitious . . . rewinds the story of life on Earth--from the mammoth steppe of the last Ice Age to the dawn of multicellular creatures over 500 million years ago."--The Economist LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE * "One of those rare...
Darwin comes to town : how the urban jungle drives evolution
Schilthuizen, Menno
Paper Book
*Carrion crows in the Japanese city of Sendai have learned to use passing traffic to crack nuts. *Lizards in Puerto Rico are evolving feet that better grip surfaces like concrete. *Europe's urban blackbirds sing at a higher pitch than their rural cousins, to be heardover...
The call of Antarctica : exploring and protecting earth's coldest continent
Henry, Leilani Raashida
Paper Book
"On this land of ice, where we are thousands of miles of ice and mountains, it's really beautiful." Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest, and most remote part of the world. No one owns it. Only peaceful and scientific endeavors are permitted. It is a true wilderness. Delve into the...
The demon-haunted world : science as a candle in the dark
Sagan, Carl
Paper Book
Are we on the brink of a new Dark Age of irrationality and superstition? In this stirring, brilliantly argued book, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Dragons of Eden and Cosmos shows how scientific thinking can cut through prejudice and hysteria and uncover the truth, and how it is necessary...
Braiding sweetgrass : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants
Kimmerer, Robin Wall.
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller A Washington Post Bestseller Named a "Best Essay Collection of the Decade" by Literary Hub As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member...
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...
What if? 2 : additional serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions
Munroe, Randall
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! An NPR Best Book of 2022 "The questions throughout What If? 2 are equal parts brilliant, gross, and wonderfully absurd and the answers are thorough, deeply researched, and great fun. . . . Science isn't easy, but...
The end of everything : (astrophysically speaking)
Mack, Katie
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK * AN NPR SCIENCE FRIDAY BOOK CLUB SELECTION * NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST, THE ECONOMIST, NEW SCIENTIST, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, and THE GUARDIAN From the cohost of the podcast The...
The uninhabitable earth : life after warming
Wallace-Wells, David
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "The Uninhabitable Earth hits you like a comet, with an overflow of insanely lyrical prose about our pending Armageddon."--Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY...
The world without us
Weisman, Alan.
Paper Book
A penetrating, page-turning tour of a post-human Earth In The World Without Us, Alan Weisman offers an utterly original approach to questions of humanity's impact on the planet: he asks us to envision our Earth, without us.In this far-reaching narrative, Weisman explains how...
Nuclear war : a scenario
Jacobsen, Annie
Audiobook
The INSTANT New York Times bestseller Instant Los Angeles Times bestseller Finalist, Dayton Literary Peace Prize One of NPR's Books We Love One of Newsweek Staffers' Favorite Books of the Year
This is how they tell me the world ends : the cyberweapons arms race
Perlroth, Nicole
Paper Book
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Winner of the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award * Bronze Medal, Arthur Ross Book Award (Council on Foreign Relations) "Part John le Carré and more parts Michael Crichton . . . spellbinding." The New Yorker
The knowledge : how to rebuild civilization in the aftermath of a cataclysm
Dartnell, Lewis
Paper Book
How would you go about rebuilding a technological society from scratch? If our technological society collapsed tomorrow what would be the one book you would want to press into the hands of the postapocalyptic survivors? What crucial knowledge would they need to survive in the...
How to invent everything : a survival guide for the stranded time traveler
North, Ryan
Paper Book
An NPR Best Book of 2018 "How to Invent Everything is such a cool book. It's essential reading for anyone who needs to duplicate an industrial civilization quickly." --Randall Munroe, xkcd creator and New York Times-bestselling author of What If? The...
Comet madness : how the 1910 return of Halley's comet (almost) destroyed civilization
Goodrich, Richard J.
Paper Book
Halley's Comet visits the earth every seventy-five years. Since the dawn of civilization, humans had believed comets were evil portents. In 1705, Edmond Halley liberated humanity from these primordial superstitions (or so it was thought), proving that Newtonian mechanics rather than the will of the...
Sand talk : how indigenous thinking can save the world
Yunkaporta, Tyson
Paper Book
A paradigm-shifting book in the vein of Sapiens that brings a crucial Indigenous perspective to historical and cultural issues of history, education, money, power, and sustainability--and offers a new template for living. As an indigenous person, Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems...
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