The legendary Renaissance math duel that ushered in the modern age of algebraThe Secret Formula tells the story of two Renaissance mathematicians whose jealousies, intrigues, and contentious debates led to the discovery of a formula for the solution of...

An illuminating biography of one of the greatest geometers of the twentieth centuryDriven by a profound love of shapes and symmetries, Donald Coxeter (1907–2003) preserved the tradition of classical geometry when it was under attack by influential...

How magicians exploit the natural functioning of our brains to astonish and amaze usHow do magicians make us see the impossible? The Illusionist Brain takes you on an unforgettable journey through the inner workings of the human mind, revealing how...

Nobel Prize–winning physicist Roger Penrose questions some of the most fashionable ideas in physics today, including string theoryWhat can fashionable ideas, blind faith, or pure fantasy possibly have to do with the scientific quest to understand the...

A charming, richly illustrated, pocket-size exploration of the world’s weatherPacked with surprising facts, this delightful and gorgeously designed book will beguile anyone who is curious about weather. Expertly written and beautifully illustrated...

From the Nobel Prize–winning physicist, a personal meditation on the quest for objective reality in natural scienceA century ago, thoughtful people questioned how reality could agree with physical theories that kept changing, from a mechanical model of...

A marvelous compendium of mathematical symbols and their fascinating historiesGalileo famously wrote that the book of nature is written in mathematical language. The Language of Mathematics is a wide-ranging and beautifully illustrated collection of...

How the idea of deep time transformed how Americans see their country and themselvesDuring the nineteenth century, Americans were shocked to learn that the land beneath their feet had once been stalked by terrifying beasts. T. rex and Brontosaurus ruled...

A breathtakingly illustrated look at botanical spirals and the scientists who puzzled over themCharles Darwin was driven to distraction by plant spirals, growing so exasperated that he once begged a friend to explain the mystery “if you wish to save me...

The fascinating stories behind the essential seven units of measurement that allow us to understand the physical world "Entertaining popular science and a literate tale of why things are as they are."--Kirkus Reviews From the beginning of history,...

This book explores the many prospects, challenges and ethical questions that surround the engineering of our reproductive cells. It is an accessible, three-part examination, moving from focused, realistic assessments of the promise and problems for this...

Is inheritable genetic modification the new dividing line in gene therapy? The editors of this searching investigation, representing clinical medicine, public health and biomedical ethics, have established a distinguished team of scientists and scholars...

Astrobiology is the study of life in the universe from its origins to its evolution into intelligent sentient beings. All life as we know it is carbon-based, reliant on sources of liquid water and energy for its survival, and as far as we are aware,...

Machines will attain human levels of intelligence by the year 2040, predicts robotics expert Hans Moravec. And by 2050, they will have far surpassed us.In this mind-bending new book, Hans Moravec takes the reader on a roller coaster ride packed with such...

What neurobiology and artificial intelligence tell us about how the brain builds itself How does a neural network become a brain? While neurobiologists investigate how nature accomplishes this feat, computer scientists interested in artificial...

A brilliant new theory of the mind that upends our understanding of how the brain interacts with the world“This thoroughly readable book will convince you that the brain and the world are partners in constructing our understanding.” —Sean Carroll, New...

A graphic novel about the promises and perils of AI.Hugo, a Parisian entrepreneur, has launched his startup on Large Language Model technology at the heart of the revolution embodied by ChatGPT. On the verge of securing the deal of the century with the...

Goethe’s influential text, newly illustrated with stunning color photographs.The Metamorphosis of Plants, published in 1790, was Goethe’s first major attempt to describe what he called in a letter to a friend “the truth about the how of the organism.”...

From the bestselling author of Quantum Computing for Everyone, a concise, accessible, and elegant approach to mathematics that not only illustrates concepts but also conveys the surprising nature of the digital information age.Most of us know something...