Popular Science

As featured on BBC Radio 4's Start the Week'A rich, timely study for the era of "global ageing"' NatureThe ageing of the world population is one of the most important...

The year 1818 saw the publication of one of the most influential science-fiction stories of all time. Frankenstein: Or, Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley had a huge impact on gothic...

Humans are mammals. Most of us appreciate that at some level. But what does it mean for us to have more in common with a horse and an elephant than...

Mars is ingrained in our culture, from David Bowie's extra-terrestrial spiders to H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds. The red planet has inspired hundreds of scientists, authors and filmmakers...

Twenty years ago, the search for planets outside the Solar System was a job restricted to science-fiction writers. Now it's one of the fastest-growing fields in astronomy with thousands of...

Twenty years ago, the search for planets outside the Solar System was a job restricted to science-fiction writers. Now it's one of the fastest-growing fields in astronomy with thousands of...

The human body is like an exceedingly well-fortified castle, defended by billions of soldiers - some live for less than a day, others remember battles for decades, but all are...

Cities are a big deal. More people now live in them than don't, and with a growing world population, the urban jungle is only going to get busier in the...

'AN ORIGINAL AND TIMELY ODYSSEY INTO OUR MYSTERIOUS UNDERWORLD . . . THRILLING PROOF THAT SCIENCE AND IMAGINATION SHARE THE GROUND BENEATH OUR FEET' Nicholas Crane, presenter of BBC2's Coast...

'This is Bill McKibben at his glorious best. Wise and warning, with everything on the line. Do not miss it' Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything and The Shock...

Who are we? Where is the boundary between us and everything else? Are we all multiple personalities? And how can we control who we become?From distinguished psychologist Robert Levine comes...

'As charming and touching as it is astute and insightful'Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink'This a very useful book, even perhaps for people...

Nnedi Okorafor was never supposed to be paralyzed. A college track star and budding entomologist, Nnedi's lifelong battle with scoliosis was just a bump in her plan - something a...

THE IRISH TIMES TOP FIVE BESTSELLER'An unstoppable page-turner. If our leaders were forced to read this book, the world would be a safer place' Richard Dawkins'A beautifully reasoned book about...

THE IRISH TIMES TOP FIVE BESTSELLER 'An unstoppable page-turner. If our leaders were forced to read this book, the world would be a safer place' Richard Dawkins'A beautifully reasoned book...

'Beautiful ... endless, brilliant unforgettable stories' Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 6'Combining myth and science, this breathtaking book [is] packed with stunning images' Daily MailAfter the enormous international success of The...

THE IRISH TIMES TOP FIVE BESTSELLER 'An unstoppable page-turner. If our leaders were forced to read this book, the world would be a safer place' Richard Dawkins 'A beautifully reasoned...

Now a major film starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy and Kyle Chandler, directed by Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle, First Man by James Hansen offers the only authorized glimpse into the life...

'I could have done with a copy of Ad Astra in December 2015!' - Tim Peake'A wonderful, wise and witty guide for space explorers everywhere.' - Richard Osman'A must read...

What can long-dead dinosaurs teach us about our future? Plenty, according to world-renowned paleontologist and recent star of BBC show The Day the Dinosaurs Died Dr Kenneth Lacovara, who has...

'This terrific memoir... is utterly gripping' Mail on Sunday'Read this book and be inspired to reach for the impossible' Brian Greene Many children dream of becoming an astronaut when they...

'Probably the most readable, exciting and authoritative writer on science we have. A new Lawrence Krauss book always goes to the top of the curious mind's wish list.' Stephen Fry...

Convergence is a history of modern science with an original and significant twist. Various scientific disciplines, despite their very different beginnings, and disparate areas of interest have been coming together...

What is everything around us made of, and how did it get there? What arcane secrets hide in the modern alchemist's laboratory? Is there a hidden order to matter itself,...

From the moon's formation, to its potential for future exploration, this richly illustrated volume presents 100 milestones in lunar history. With dazzling images on every spread, and illuminating text by...

Dive into the mind of Nikola Tesla! Written in his own words, this Nikola Tesla book features the lectures, illustrations, and other works that established Tesla as one of history's...

This beautifully illustrated companion to celebrated scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson's popular podcast and National Geographic Channel TV show is an eye-opening journey for anyone curious about the complexities of our...

Now in paperback and updated with a new essay on his celebrated trip to Antarctica comes this best-selling inspirational memoir from beloved astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Buzz Aldrin is an American...

In this astronomically spectacular, large-format photographic retrospective, National Geographic celebrates the impact of the Hubble Space Telescope in its 25th anniversary year. Highlighting the most eye-popping images, significant discoveries, and...

Behind every landmark drug is a story. It could be an oddball researcher's genius insight, a catalyzing moment in geopolitical history, a new breakthrough technology, or an unexpected but welcome...

Now widely available in English for the first time, this is Carlo Rovelli's first book: the thrilling story of a little-known man who created one of the greatest intellectual revolutions...

Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant started the podcast Stuff You Should Know back in 2008 because they were curious-curious about the world around them, curious about what they might have...

'A dazzling, funny and elegantly angry demolition of our preconceptions about female behaviour and sex in the animal kingdom ... Bitch is a blast. I read it, my jaw sagging...

~THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER~A deep-dive into the astonishing nature and true science of longevity Molecular Biologist Nicklas Brendborg takes us on a journey from the farthest reaches of the globe to...

A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017A rich and exuberant group biography of the first geologists, the people who were first to excavate from the layers of the world...

The world of maths can seem mind-boggling, irrelevant and, let's face it, boring. This groundbreaking book reclaims maths from the geeks. Mathematical ideas underpin just about everything in our lives:...

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will soon be the most frequently diagnosed chronic condition among children, surpassing asthma. Yet research shows that ADHD can't be that prevalent. ADHD, a problem...

A TIMES AND OBSERVER HIGHLIGHT FOR 2022'An empowering story of human ingenuity' Economist'Full of curious facts' The Times'Gripping and fascinating' Mail on Sunday'The obvious beauty of This Mortal Coil is...

A TIMES AND OBSERVER HIGHLIGHT FOR 2022'An empowering story of human ingenuity' Economist'Full of curious facts' The Times'Gripping and fascinating' Mail on Sunday'The obvious beauty of This Mortal Coil is...

The predators that can hunt, kill and eat us occupy a unique place in the human psyche. In this book, Adam Hart looks at our relationship with these animals from...

A NEW SCIENTIST BOOK OF THE YEAROur lives are ruled by one particular group of chemicals. These are the hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate and drive our brains. Overloaded looks...

Wouldn't it be useful to be able to come up with an accurate weather forecast simply by reading the clouds? Well, with this book, you can!TV forecasts, online predictions and...

Explore the treasures of the Earth - sparkling crystals, vibrant gemstones and age-old fossils - with this illustrated guide that's sure to captivate every rockhound and budding gemmologist.From primeval origins...

'The Code Breaker's confident, cinematic style makes Crispr accessible like never before, taking readers on a journey that is exciting, as well as ethically treacherous.' - The Financial Times'A page-turner....

Social media has made charts, infographics and diagrams ubiquitous-and easier to share than ever. While such visualisations can better inform us, they can also deceive by displaying incomplete or inaccurate...

The world itself won't end, of course. Only ours will: our livelihoods, our homes, our cultures. And we're squarely at the tipping point.Longer droughts in the Middle East. Growing desertification...

Your updated guide to exploring the night sky Do you know the difference between a red giant and a white dwarf? From asteroids to black holes, this easy-to-understand guide takes...

The ultimate guide to understanding biology Have you ever wondered how the food you eat becomes the energy your body needs to keep going? The theory of evolution says that...