Showing titles in Evolution & Genetics

‘What is it like to be a bat?’, the philosopher Thomas Nagel famously asked concerning consciousness. For biologist Martin Stevens, the question forms the starting point of an exploration of animal senses. In this enthralling account, we learn not only of the wonder of animal senses, but how they work and how scientists go about investigating them. And, throughout, we consider how these senses came to be.

Between what can be learned from evolutionary psychology and cognitive science a picture emerges. In Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life, social psychologist Douglas Kenrick fuses these two fields to create a coherent story of human nature. In his analysis, many ingrained, apparently irrational behaviors—one-night stands, prejudice, conspicuous consumption, even art and religious devotion—are quite explicable and (when desired) avoidable.

In the fascinating new audiobook from the best-selling author of Humanology, Luke O'Neill explores some of the big human questions and tells us what science has to say about topics such as gender, addiction and euthanasia. With his trademark easy wit and clever pop-culture references, Luke is a serious scientist with an amazing knack of making science accessible. If you are curious about us, this bizarre animal called the human being, this is a book for you.

A captivating exploration of the remarkable ways our DNA mutates over the course of our lives, with radical implications for the future of medicine Our DNA is the indispensable set of instructions that guides our growth and vitality. The common misconception is that this molecular blueprint...

A daring and intimate exploration of how genetics complicates our ideas about blame, punishment, and moral responsibility, from acclaimed psychologist and author of The Genetic Lottery Kathryn Paige Harden. “An extraordinary book, the very best of science writing, because it is about not just...

A provocative exploration of how humans are wired to seek short-term success at the expense of long-term survival—an evolutionary “glitch” that explains everything from toxic workplaces to climate change “Essential reading . . . a lively, ultimately hopeful examination of how...

Сто тысяч лет назад Homo sapiens был одним из как минимум шести видов человека, живших на этой планете, — ничем не примечательным животным, которое играло в экосистеме роль не большую, чем гориллы, светлячки или медузы. Но около семидесяти тысяч лет назад загадочное изменение когнитивных способностей Homo sapiens превратило его в хозяина планеты и кошмар экосистемы. Как человек разумный сумел покорить мир? Что стало с другими видами человека? Когда и почему появились деньги, государства и религия? Как возникали и рушились империи?

The puzzling lack of evidence for the peculiar but widespread belief that birds have no sense of smell irked evolutionary biologist Danielle Whittaker. Exploring the science behind the myth led her on an unexpected quest investigating mysteries from how juncos win a fight to why cowbirds smell like cookies. In The Secret Perfume of Birds―part science, part intellectual history, and part memoir―Whittaker blends humor, clear writing, and a compelling narrative to describe how scent is important not just for birds but for all animals, including humans.

A beloved natural historian explores how climate change is driving evolution In Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, biologist Thor Hanson tells the remarkable story of how plants and animals are responding to climate change: adjusting, evolving, and sometimes dying out. Anole lizards have...

In Star Trek, crew members travel to unusual planets, meet diverse beings, and encounter unique civilizations. Throughout these remarkable space adventures, does Star Trek reflect biology and evolution as we know it? What can the science in the science fiction of Star Trek teach us? In Live Long and Evolve, biologist and die-hard Trekkie Mohamed Noor takes fans on a fun, fact-filled scientific journey. Noor offers Trekkies, science-fiction fans, and anyone curious about how life works a cosmic gateway into introductory biology.

The story of evolution as you’ve never heard it before. What’s the easiest way to tell species apart? Check their genitals. Researching private parts was long considered taboo, but scientists are now beginning to understand that the wild diversity of sex organs across species can tell us a lot about evolution. Menno Schilthuizen invites listeners to join him as he uncovers the ways the shapes and functions of genitalia have been molded by complex Darwinian struggles.

Wie hat die Biologie Sie zu dem wunderbaren Menschen gemacht, der Sie ohne Zweifel sind? Tragen Sie selbst die Verantwortung für Ihre Persönlichkeit und Intelligenz? Oder können Sie die Schuld jemand anderem zuschieben? Das neue Hörbuch von Science-Slam-Europameister Martin Moder entführt uns in die Naturwissenschaft der Zukunft - und klärt dabei spielerisch die bedeutendsten Fragen. Wie wird man weniger blöd? Kann man Weicheier zu Alphatieren machen, indem man ihnen ins Gehirn leuchtet? Wie wird ein Sesselfurzer zum muskelbepackten Adonis, ohne auch nur aufstehen zu müssen?

Everything we know about how planets form and how life arises suggests that human civilization on Earth should not be unique. We ought to see abundant evidence of extraterrestrial activity - but we don't. Where is everybody? In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, science and technology writer Wade Roush examines one of the great unsolved problems in science: Is there life, intelligent or otherwise, on other planets?

The zombie has had a bit of a renaissance over the last decade. Hollywood churns out films like World War Z and TV shows like The Walking Dead, and communities throughout the country hold zombie runs and races. So what’s driving the zombie obsession? Where did the fear of this creature originate? In this audiobook, The Real Zombies of Nature, we look at the myth of the zombie versus real instances of zombification in the natural world and engage in some scientific speculation about what would happen if myth ever became reality.

Unlocking the Code of Life: Just What Exactly Is CRISPR Technology? by Jorik Malvern is an extraordinary exploration of one of the most revolutionary scientific breakthroughs of the modern age. Clear, engaging, and deeply informative, this book takes listeners on a journey from the discovery of DNA to the dawn of genetic editing — a story that transforms our understanding of life itself.

For anyone skeptical about descending from apes or originating from single-celled organisms, "DUDE, YOU’RE NUDE!" offers a thought-provoking and entertaining journey. Using "The Emperor's New Clothes" as a playful backdrop, this book dives into the heart of Darwinian debates with humor and incisive critique. Authored by a former aspiring marine biologist turned courtroom advocate, this narrative peels back the layers of scientific consensus to expose the unanswered questions beneath.

An exquisite exploration of the power of flowers, placing them at the center of the story of how evolution created the world we know today We live on a floral planet, yet flowers don’t get the credit they deserve. We admire them for their aesthetics, not their power. In this exquisite...

From three-inch fang blennies to thirty-foot prehistoric crocodiles, from gaboon vipers to Neanderthals, Bite is a fascinating journey through the natural, scientific, and cultural history of something right in front of—or in—our faces: teeth. In Bite, zoologist Bill Schutt makes a...

An ambitious, eye-opening, myth-busting, and groundbreaking history of the evolution of the female body, by a brilliant new researcher and writer Why do women live longer than men? Why do women have menopause? Why are women more likely to get Alzheimer’s? Why do girls score better at every...

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the book’s first publication, David Attenborough has revisited Life on Earth, completely updating and adding to the original text, taking account of modern scientific discoveries from around the globe....