Why does a clarinet play at lower pitches than a flute? What does it mean for sounds to be in or out of tune? How are emotions carried by music? Do other animals perceive sound like we do? How might a musician use math to come up with new ideas?This book...

How Cold War America came to attribute human evolutionary success to our species' unique capacity for murderAfter World War II, the question of how to define a universal human nature took on new urgency. Creatures of Cain charts the rise and precipitous...

The classic account of the structure and evolution of the early universe from Nobel Prize–winning physicist P. J. E. PeeblesAn instant landmark on its publication, The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe remains the essential introduction to this vital...

An authoritative interdisciplinary account of the historic discovery of gravitational wavesIn 1915, Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves—ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the movement of large masses—as part of the...

A lively and engaging look at logic puzzles and their role in mathematics, philosophy, and recreationLogic puzzles were first introduced to the public by Lewis Carroll in the late nineteenth century and have been popular ever since. Games like Sudoku and...

Twenty-three mathematical masterpieces for exploration and enlightenment“A mind-broadening experience.”—Paul J. Campbell, Mathematics MagazineHow can a shape have more than one dimension but fewer than two? What is the best way to elect public officials...

Dmitrii Mendeleev (1834–1907) is a name we recognize, but perhaps only as the creator of the periodic table of elements. Generally, little else has been known about him. A Well-Ordered Thing is an authoritative biography of Mendeleev that draws a...

This “accessible and always entertaining” (Booklist) combination of history, pop science, and in-depth reporting offers a fascinating account of the asteroids that hit Earth long ago and those streaming toward us now, as well as how prepared we are...

FOR NON-EXPERTS: Get an accessible introduction to quantum computing as a mathematician explains quantum algorithms, quantum entanglement, and more. Quantum computing is a beautiful fusion of quantum physics and computer science! Quantum computing...

Sixteen of today's greatest unsolved mathematical puzzles in a story-driven, illustrated volume that invites readers to peek over the edge of the unknown.Most people think of mathematics as a set of useful tools designed to answer analytical questions,...

Why a warmer climate may be humanity’s longest-lasting legacyThe human impact on Earth's climate is often treated as a hundred-year issue lasting as far into the future as 2100, the year in which most climate projections cease. In The Long Thaw, David...

How two pioneers of math and technology ushered in the computer revolutionBoolean algebra, also called Boolean logic, is at the heart of the electronic circuitry in everything we use—from our computers and cars, to home appliances. How did a system of...

Why seismologists still can't predict earthquakesAn earthquake can strike without warning and wreak horrific destruction and death, whether it's the cataclysmic 2008 Sichuan quake in China that killed tens of thousands or a future great earthquake on the...

Plagues have inflicted misery and suffering throughout history. They can be traced through generations in our genes, with echoes in religion and literature. Featuring essays arising from the 2014 Darwin College Lectures, this book examines the spectrum...

A novel that uses calculus to help you survive a zombie apocalypseHow can calculus help you survive the zombie apocalypse? Colin Adams, humor columnist for the Mathematical Intelligencer and one of today's most outlandish and entertaining popular math...

“After reading Mitchell’s guide, you’ll know what you don’t know and what other people don’t know, even though they claim to know it. And that’s invaluable." –The New York TimesA leading computer scientist brings human sense to the AI bubbleNo recent...

A renowned neurologist shares the true stories of people unable to get a good night’s rest in The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep, a fascinating exploration of the symptoms and syndromes behind sleep disorders.For...

** A New York Times Bestseller **NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY: Time • The New Yorker • NPR • GQ • Elle • Vulture • Fortune • Boing Boing • The Irish Times • The New York Public Library • The Brooklyn Public Library"A complex, smart and...

From Nobel Prize–winning physicist P. J. E. Peebles, the story of cosmology from Einstein to todayModern cosmology began a century ago with Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity and his notion of a homogenous, philosophically satisfying cosmos...

Already climbing the bestseller lists-and garnering rave reviews—this "little masterpiece" sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world.Bodanis begins by devoting chapters to each of the equation's letters and symbols, introducing the...