Owls are magnificent birds that have fascinated people for generations. The first documentation of birds was over 30,000 years ago in the Chauvet cave paintings in southern France. This month’s new science books have a great range of topics, including a couple of books on the world of owls, so sink your talons into one now!
What an owl knows : the new science of the world’s most enigmatic birds / Ackerman, Jennifer| ebook available
“What an Owl Knows is an awe-inspiring and spellbinding journey across the globe and through human history. An extraordinary glimpse into the mind of these brilliant animals, What an Owl Knows pulls back the curtain on the hidden and still undiscovered realities of our shared world. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Alfie & me : what owls know, what humans believe / Safina, Carl | ebook available
“A moving account of raising, then freeing, an orphaned screech owl, whose lasting friendship with the author illuminates humanity’s relationship with the world. When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that she’d be a temporary presence. As Alfie grew and gained strength, Carl and Patricia began to realize that the healing was mutual.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Notes on complexity : a scientific theory of connection, consciousness, and being / Theise, Neil | ebook available | audiobook available
“An electrifying introduction to complexity theory, the science of how complex systems behave that profoundly reframes our understanding and illuminates our interconnectedness. Theise takes us to the exhilarating frontiers of human knowledge and in the process restores wonder and meaning to our experience of the everyday.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Earth : over 4 billion years in the making / Packham, Chris
“A beautiful book to accompany the BBC TV series telling the most important story of all, the deep history of our own planet. Andrew Cohen and Chris Packham narrate the biography of the Earth, revealing the most epic moments from its history, from the first seconds of its existence to the arrival of its most incredible inhabitants, us. This is the epic 4 billion year story of the place we call home.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Time and tide : the long, long life of landscape / Stafford, Fiona J
“Chapter by fascinating chapter, alive with literary, local, and her own family history, Fiona Stafford reveals the forces, both natural and human, which transform places. Swooping through coastlines, through forests and fens, following in the footsteps of Burns and Keats, Celia Fiennes and Charles Dickens, join her, time-travelling deep into the stories of our isles.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Mushroom magic : an illustrated introduction to fascinating fungi / McMullan-Fisher, Sapphire
“From the forageable to the bizarre, this book is an introduction to 50 of the fungi kingdom’s most interesting mushrooms. There’s an entire universe of fungi, much of which is yet to be discovered. Flip through beautifully illustrated mushrooms and learn about their habitat, uses, and history to become a budding expert in mycology.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The wit and wisdom of David Attenborough / Newkey-Burden, Chas
“A fascinating and entertaining collection of facts, quotes and stories, celebrating Sir David Attenborough’s wicked sense of humor and astute wisdom. Running chronologically, this book begins with his early days, to his first job at the BBC, to eventually becoming the most esteemed naturalist on the planet, as he is today. (Adapted from Catalogue)
Condensed matter physics : a very short introduction / McKenzie, Ross H.
“Solid, liquid, and gas are not the only states of matter. Others include liquid crystal, magnet, glass, and superconductor. New states are continually, and unexpectedly, being discovered. Condensed matter physics seeks to understand how states of matter and their distinct physical properties emerge from the atoms that compose a material”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)
