麻豆传媒

Books to delight the scientifically curious

1

Richard Feynman had a knack for putting things in a novel way, as when he compared the study of physics to sex: 鈥淚t may give some practical results,鈥� he reportedly said, 鈥渂ut that鈥檚 not why we do it.鈥� This gorgeous edition of his popular work will add to any collection.

2

This plain-looking book unveils the wonder of mathematics, touching on ideas from the M枚bius strip to infinity with clear, entertaining and delightfully concise explanations.

3

What happens when a high-velocity carrot hits an armoured sandcastle? Discover for yourself with Neil Downie鈥檚 experiments. This book is guaranteed fun, though parents of science-mad teenagers be warned: the section on oxygen fireworks may make you sweat.

4

The history of medicine is filled with monumental and bizarre discoveries. In this well-illustrated work, Clifford Pickover describes his favourite 250 milestones 鈥� which include the first test-tube baby and oldest artificial eye (it dates from 2800 BC).

5

鈥淭his is a remarkable book, sure to make a mighty stir among the philosophers 鈥� perhaps even among the theologians.鈥� So began a review of On the Origin of Species when it was published in 1859. Simon Flynn鈥檚 cornucopia of curious facts, anecdotes and quotations such as this one may not make such a stir, but it is sure to entertain and surprise.

6

James Watson鈥檚 1968 account of the discovery of DNA鈥檚 structure offered an insider鈥檚 take on the process of science. Fifty years after he won the Nobel prize, this edition adds new life with images, letters and hand-drawn diagrams.

7

Whatever finally destroys humankind, be it a zombie plague or death rays from supernovas, it is best to be prepared. Paul Parsons鈥檚 survival guide is a cheery lowdown on what may await us at the apocalypse.

8

Joel Levy offers up plenty of scientific facts to impress your friends, like this one: the most potent known poison is produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium 鈥� just 470 grams of the stuff could kill more than 6 billion people.

9

With this manual you鈥檒l be fine should you find yourself on the International Space Station with the airlock jammed or the robotic arm tangled in the, er, P5 integrated truss segment. Let鈥檚 hope NASA also has a copy, just in case.

10

This sweeping survey ranges from the discovery of fire to renewable energy, with handy diagrams and historical links that explain how ideas evolve.When it comes to science in a single volume, few books can match it.

11

The latest book by popular astronomy鈥檚 oldest boy band is a travel guide to the universe鈥檚 spectacular destinations. It includes old favourites and new finds 鈥� such as Hanny鈥檚 Voorwerp, a green gas cloud 650 million light years away spotted by a Dutch schoolteacher during a crowdsourced science project.

12

The library at the American Museum of Natural History is famous for its scientific illustrations. These essays celebrate 40 of the best, including works from Robert Hooke and Emile-Alain S茅guy. Best of all, this boxed set includes prints ready to frame.