Free radicals: New science books
From the healing properties of plants to the cosmic soundscape of the universe; explore this mind-expanding list of recently acquired science books.
The apothecary's garden : the science and mythology of medicinal plants / Wayland, Emma, 1969-
An exploration of the natural healing powers of "nature's pharmacy", from lecturer and past Independent on Sunday‘s gardening columnist Emma Wayland. From the infection fight abilities of turmeric to immunity-boosting mushrooms, this compendium of remedies and tinctures is accompanied by the history of their discoveries and the science behind their effects. The book is also filled with beautiful illustrations from Kew archives, whose gardens Wayland also volunteers at as a guide.
Tales about how animals navigate their everyday lives, recounted by wildlife experts in collaboration with renowned zoologist and BBC TV presenter Charlotte Uhlenbroek. A collection of interesting facts that might provide the reader with a fresh new perspective on the creatures we share this world with. Short bites of mind-blowing animal facts, readers are loving this book and an accessible and low-pressure way to reconnect with our surprising natural world.
Doctors by nature : how ants, apes, and other animals heal themselves / De Roode, Jaap, 1977-
A book about the fascinating things animals do to treat themselves when they're sick, and which makes the arguments that observing how animals heal can make positive impacts on human medicine. A collection of interviews with scientists from all around the world, filled with surprising stories such as sparrows using cigarette butts to repel parasites, and chimpanzees using bark from the same trees humans use to cure stomach issues. An exciting book about how animals might hold the key to improving our agriculture, the lives of our pets, and even our own pharmaceutical inventions.
The story of how, at the end of the 18th century, a collective of scientists, poets and political agitators together experimented with the effects of laughing gas, forever changed our modern drug culture. Diving into the experiments run by the ambitious and controversial Pneumatic Institute in Bristol, 'Free Radicals' describes the mind-altering and somewhat indescribable effects of inhaling nitrous oxide experienced by a collection of fascinating characters such as self-experimenting, just 20-year-old chemistry assistant Humphrey Davy, and the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This book sounds like an incredible, first of its kind, deep dive into this history of these experiments, the mind-expanding first-hand account of the substance, as well as the following medical discoveries and their wider effects on culture and philosophy.
Sound affects : how sound shapes our lives, our wellbeing and our planet / Treasure, Julian
A deeply researched and expansive exploration into the sounds that everything in the universe makes, from stars, to humans, to bubbling yeast. Go on a journey through not just the different levels of sound, but also the history of our planet and the space around us; this book explores geophony (the sounds the Earth makes), biophony (the living orchestra of creatures such as birds), anthropophony (human created sound), and even cosmophony (the soundscape of our universe). This book will appeal to those who love a good science fact, such as that the 1cm long snapping shrimp can make a sound as loud as a rock concert, as well as readers interested in enhancing their daily life through rediscovering the sounds around them.
The fascinating story of Roxie Laybourne, the world's first forensic ornithologist. Written by award-winning journalist Chris Sweeney, this book goes behind the scenes into the backrooms of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History to follow the story of how this overlooked scientist, with just her microscope and some feathers, helped solve cases of murder, kidnapping, and poaching; and if that wasn't enough, she also raced against the clock with aerospace engineers and Air Force crews to birdproof their planes. A well-researched biography created with archival material, court documents, and exclusive interviews; readers are loving this humorous and incredible story of "The Miss Marple of Eiderdown".