Bacciagaluppi, Guido
| Quantum theory at the crossroads
| Cambridge University Press, 2009 | ISBN: 0521814219
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The 1927 Solvay conference was a vital event in the development of modern physics. In Quantum Theory at the Crossroads: Reconsidering the 1927 Solvay Conference Guido Bacciagaluppi and Antony Valentini put the conference into context as well as including the papers given there.
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Bada, Jeffrey
| The Spark of Life
| Oxford University Press, 2000 | ISBN: 0198662769
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There is currently a great deal of discussion about how life arose from the mixture of chemicals present on the early Earth. Did it begin at hydrothermal vents, did it go via an 'RNA world' or is there some explanation which we haven't thought of yet. There are plenty of books which go into detail of the current state of this discussion and the experiments which are being performed. In The Spark of Life, Christopher Wills considers these issues, but takes a wider viewpoint than most books, taking the reader on a journey from the beginning of the earth to the development of the eukaryotic cell.
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Baggott, Jim
| Perfect Symmetry
| Oxford University Press | ISBN: 0198557906
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In Perfect Symmetry Jim Baggott looks at the surprising discovery of buckminsterfullerine. Starting from some mysterious bands in some astronomical spectra, he goes on to explain how scientists experimenting with arcs between graphite rods began to notice strange forms of carbon. There was plenty of speculation as to its nature, but at first the idea of a sphere - or buckyball, named after the geodesic domes designed by Buckmisnter Fuller - seemed to be too far out to be true - but it was. And then, after patents had been obtained on intricate methods of producing this strange substance, it was found that it was often present in ordinary soot.
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Baierlein, Ralph
| Thermal physics
| Cambridge University Press, 1999 | ISBN: 0521590825
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Thermodynamics is a huge subject, which means that thermodynamics textbooks are often correspondingly huge. In Thermal Physics Ralph Baierlein manages to pack a significant part of the subject into just 400 pages, and what is more does so in a reasonably reader-friendly way, with plenty of illustrations and examples of how thermodynamics links in with everyday life. On the other hand the book does have the usual amount of mathematics for this subject, and it does throw a lot of new ideas at the reader in a short space. Hence I would say that if you are going to use this book as part of your studies then you will need to be prepared to do some work.
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Balbinot, R
| Modern cosmology in retrospect
| Cambridge University Press, 1990 | ISBN: 0521372135
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In the 20th century cosmology advanced from the realm of speculation to a precise science. Modern cosmology in retrospect contains talks from a 1988 meeting looking back at the development of cosmology. However, it differs from many other works on the history of science in that several of the key players in that development were present at the conference. The talks are not particularly technical, so anyone with a grounding in the subject should be able to follow the talks. (On the other hand, it is experts talking to experts, rather than one author writing for a general readership). Overall it is a very valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of cosmology, and how the disputes in the subject were resolved.
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Ball, Philip
| Stories of the invisible
| Oxford University Press, 2001 | ISBN: 0192802143
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Chemistry can be perceived as something of a dull subject, as is seen by the drop in applications to study the subject at university. At the start of 'Stories of the invisible' Philip Ball seems to be trying to improve the image of the subject. If this is his aim then I don't think that he succeeds. There is much of interest in the book, but I would classify it as biochemisty. Ball gives an easy to understand account of the some of the processes of life at the molecular level - how we extract energy from food, how this is used to move our muscles and the like. If you're interested in finding out about this then the book has much to recommend it.
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Banchoff, Thomas
| Beyond the third dimension
| Scientific American Library, 1990 | ISBN: 0716750252
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Some people claim to be able to visualise space with more than 3 dimensions, but for most of us the fourth dimension represents inaccessibility and mystery. In this book Thomas Banchoff explores the progress which has been made in reducing the mystery by showing how higher dimensions may be visualised. There is the usual comparison with Flatlanders visualising three dimensions, but the book also looks at other ways of presenting higher dimensions such as contour maps, 'unfolded' versions of polytopes (higher dimensional polyhedra) and perspective drawings. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a better grip on what higher dimensions actually mean.
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Barbour, Julian
| The End of Time
| Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1999 | ISBN: 0297819852
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The first part of this book takes a very simple universe with just three particles, making a triangle. Barbour shows how a configuration of such a universe can be represented as a point in a hypothetical space, Platonia. This leads on to discussions of absolute space and time. The book then introduces the reader to quantum mechanics and relatvity and so is suitable for the non-specialist reader. The book concludes with a discussion of Barbour's claim that the flow of time is an illusion, that all that we truly experience are instants. Barbour is a skilled writer, and I think that anyone interested in the philosophy of time will find much of interest in this book.
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Bardi, Jason
| The Calculus Wars
| High Stakes, 2006 | ISBN: 184344030X
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Calculus is a word that brings trepidation to many students , and they may wonder who is responsible for this branch of mathematics. In The Calculus wars Jason Bardi shows how two great thinkers claimed to have invented it. At first Newton and Leibniz were willing to grant that they invented the subject independently, and that each provided a useful part. But somehow, in their later lives, it turned nasty and each accused the other of plagiarism. Bardi is a skilled writer, putting together a interesting story from the historical data and I would recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the history of mathematics or more generally in how the modern approach to science came about.
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Barnett, S. Anthony
| The story of rats
| Allen & Unwin, 2001 | ISBN: 1865085197
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Some people have a fear of rats, while others keep them as pets. In 'The story of rats', S. Anthony Barnett shows his liking for these creatures, but he doesn't present them as cuddly friends. No, fairly soon we are reading about the diseases they carry and the harm rats do to us. He goes on to look at things from the rats' point of view, with questions such as 'Do rats think?', and a look at agression in rat societies. The book is interesting to read, and is recommended for anyone with an interest in these creatures with which we often share our habitations.
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Barrass, Robert
| Scientists must write
| Routledge, 2002 | ISBN: 0415269962
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Communicating information is an important part of science, whether it's writing a paper for a journal, recording the results of an experiment or giving a talk about a topic. However, it isn't always done very well. In 'Scientists must write', Robert Barrass has plenty of useful advice for those who wish to improve their scientific writing. Although it's only a short book, he manages to cover many different types of scientific communication, and goes through the stages of writing in some detail. I certainly think that this book will be a useful addition to the bookshelf of any scientist or science student.
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Barrow, John
| The Book of nothing
| Jonathan Cape, 2003 | ISBN: 0224059629
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There seem to be lots of books with 'Nothing' or 'Zero' in the title. So what distinguishes John Barrow's work 'The book of Nothing'. Well I would say that it has more of a thread to it, dealing with the physics of nothing, that is the vacuum. Some of the ideas introduced might be challenging if this is the first time you have seen them, but Barrow does help to put into a historical context the development of ideas leading to modern theories of physics and cosmology, such as the inflationary universe.
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| Pi in the Sky
| Penguin Books, 1992 | ISBN: 0198539568
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Pi in the Sky by John Barrow is really a combination of two different books. The first is a history of counting from the earliest times. The second is a look at the ideas of Cantor and Göel and their implication for mathematics. I can see the two parts are connected - inventing infinities is no different to inventing zero, or 1,2,3 for that matter - but Barrow doesn't really bring out this connection. The book is a bit philosophical, but it's easy to read an so is suited to those readers who want to find out more about the philosophy of mathematics without things becoming too technical.
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| Impossibility
| Oxford University Press, 1998 | ISBN: 0198518900
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Technology progresses at such speed that one sometime wonders whether there are any limits to what can be achieved. On the other hand science is built on laws which restrict our ability to do things - we can't travel faster than light or produce energy out of nothing. In Impossibility John Barrow looks such limits, and asks what consequences they will have in future. The book is actually much more positive than the title suggests, and the only things which seem to be really impossible are those which have been mathematically proved to be so. In truth the book is a wide ranging speculation of the possible directions our technology might follow. If you like this sort of peek into the future then this is a book you should read.
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| The Infinite Book
| Jonathan Cape, 2005 | ISBN: 0224069179
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The infinite can be an intimidating concept. In 'The infinite book' John Barrow takes a lighthearted look at the nature of infinity. He starts with the early objections to the concept - Zeno's paradox and the writings of Aristotle - and moves on to the work of Georg Cantor, when infinity became respectable. The book goes on to look at what it means for the universe to be infinite in space or time. Barrow demonstrates the paradoxes or infinite replication which would occur if either of these were the case , but also shows how they could explain why the part of the universe we live in seems to be so favourable for the emergence of life.
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| new theories of everything
| Oxford University Press, 2007 | ISBN: 9780192807212
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We hear a lot about the 'Theory of Everything' nowadays. But what would a theory of everything really be able to tell us. Would give us new insights into the working of the universe or would it just be an exercise in sterile reductionism. These are the sorts of questions addressed by John Barrow in new theories of everything
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| Cosmic Imagery
| Bodley Head, 2008 | ISBN: 9780224075237
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They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. In Cosmic Imagery: Key Images in the History of Science John Barrow describes some of the science behind 89 iconic pictures.
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Barwise, Jon
| Handbook of Mathematical logic
| Elsevier | ISBN: 0444863885
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At over 1000 pages, this is a comrehensive look at the subject. Useful as a reference work.
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Bayne, Tim
| The Unity of Consciousness
| Oxford University Press, 2010 | ISBN: 9780199215386
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In The Unity of Consciousness Tim Bayne argues that if you have two conscious experiences at the same time, then it is necessary to think of them as unified, rather than as two separate events.
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Begelman, Mitchell
| Gravity's Fatal Attraction
| Scientific American Library | ISBN: 0716750740
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A non-technical work with plenty of pictures in a large format book.
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Bell, John
| Speakable and unspeakable in quantum mechanics
| Cambridge University Press, 1987 | ISBN: 0521523389
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Bellos, Alex
| Alex's adventures in numberland
| Bloomsbury, 2010 | ISBN: 9780747597162
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In Alex's Adventures in Numberland: Dispatches from the Wonderful World of Mathematics Alex Bellos gives the reader a gentle introduction to various topics in mathematics.
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Ben-Ari, Moti
| Just a theory
| Prometheus Books, 2005 | ISBN: 1591022851
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When someone criticises part of science for being 'Just a theory' you know that that person really has very little idea what scientists really do. In Just a theory : exploring the nature of science Moti Ben-Ari takes a look at such misunderstandings, and more generally at the way science works. There's a chapter on the way scientists use words and how the this may conflict with everyday usage. Ben-Ari also discusses the philosophy of science, such as Popper's falsificationism, whether Kuhn's paradigms are an accurate description of what goes on, and what distinguishes real science from pseudoscience.
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Benecke, Mark
| The dream of eternal life
| Columbia University Press, 2002 | ISBN: 0231116721
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Most of us see long life as a goal worth striving for. In 'The dream of eternal life', Mark Beneke has much useful information for those of us hoping to make it to the age of 100. The book covers a wide range of subjects, looking at different views on death and what can be done to avoid it. There is also discussion of the ethics of medical issues such as organ transplants and there is a chapter on the long term outlook for humanity (rather than individual humans), examining what can be done about environmental problems.
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Bergia, S
| Modern cosmology in retrospect
| Cambridge University Press, 1990 | ISBN: 0521372135
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In the 20th century cosmology advanced from the realm of speculation to a precise science. Modern cosmology in retrospect contains talks from a 1988 meeting looking back at the development of cosmology. However, it differs from many other works on the history of science in that several of the key players in that development were present at the conference. The talks are not particularly technical, so anyone with a grounding in the subject should be able to follow the talks. (On the other hand, it is experts talking to experts, rather than one author writing for a general readership). Overall it is a very valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of cosmology, and how the disputes in the subject were resolved.
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Berlinski, David
| Infinite Ascent
| Orion Books, 2005 | ISBN: 0297848518
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Infinite Ascent: a short history of mathematics by David Berlinski takes the reader through ten significant topics in the development of mathematics. Starting with the Greeks and Euclidean geometry, Berlinski goes on to describe the origins of complex numbers, calculus and analytic geometry. He then looks at some of the mathematics which originated in the nineteeth centrury - group theory, noneuclidean geometry and set theory - and this leads up to Gödel's incompleteness theorem. The final chapter is a look at some of the current areas of mathematical research.
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Bernstein, Jeremy
| Cranks, Quarks and the Cosmos
| Basic books, 1993 | ISBN: 0192880438
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At the start Cranks, Quarks and the Cosmos looks to be concerned with how to distinguish cranks from brilliant scientists - what was it about Einstein's theory of relativity that got it past the skeptics? As the book goes on however, it widens into a look at twentieth century science and scientists in general, selected from Bernstein's newspaper articles. He writes about the life and work of Erwin Schrödinger,Alan Turing, Primo Levi and Tom Lehrer, to name but a few, always examining how their work fitted in with the culture in which they lived.
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Berry, Adrian
| Eureka: a book of scientific anecdotes
| Helicon | ISBN: 0091782767
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In science, as in any subject, there are some stories which tend to be remebered. either because they are amusing or because they illustrate a particular feature of human nature. In 'Eureka' Adrian Berry brings together a collection of such anecdotes. Berry is a fan of space travel, so there are plenty on that subject, such as the story of Apollo 13, and the possibility of a galaxy-wide communication network. However, there are also plenty of anecdotes concerning other sciences, such as Darwin's visit to the Galapagos islands, and the question of whether machines can think.
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| The giant leap
| Headline, 1999 | ISBN: 0312877854
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Science fiction seems to tell us that, whatever the difficulties, we will somehow manage to travel to the stars one day. In The Giant Leap Adrian Berry gives us an enthusiastic look at how this might be achieved, with a discussion of the new inventions which will be needed to make it possible. This work doesn't go into the technical details as much as some other books, but if you want a wide overview of how we might travel to the stars and what problems there might be along the way then you should have a look at this book.
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Berry, Michael
| Principles of cosmology and gravitation
| Institute of Physics, 1989 | ISBN: 0852740379
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Principles of cosmology and gravitation by Michael V Berry is a short undergraduate textbook which was originally published in 1976. A new edition was published in 1989, but with minimal changes, so by now the book is looking somewhat dated - it doesn't deal with inflation for instance. But it would still be useful as an introduction to cosmology as it shows that many calculations can be carried out using mathematics which isn't too challenging for a science undergraduate - it doesn't venture into tensor calculus.
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Bertotti, B
| Modern cosmology in retrospect
| Cambridge University Press, 1990 | ISBN: 0521372135
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In the 20th century cosmology advanced from the realm of speculation to a precise science. Modern cosmology in retrospect contains talks from a 1988 meeting looking back at the development of cosmology. However, it differs from many other works on the history of science in that several of the key players in that development were present at the conference. The talks are not particularly technical, so anyone with a grounding in the subject should be able to follow the talks. (On the other hand, it is experts talking to experts, rather than one author writing for a general readership). Overall it is a very valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of cosmology, and how the disputes in the subject were resolved.
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Bilson, Elizabeth
| Carl Sagan's universe
| Cambridge University Press | ISBN: 0521576032
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A tribute to Carl Sagan, with different authors contributing articles linked to the different areas which he contributed to.
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Birrell, N
| Quantum fields in curved space
| Cambridge University Press | ISBN: 0521233852
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Graduate level mathematics, but not too difficult or abstract. Looks to be a suitable book to learn the subject.
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Bishop, Errett
| Constructive analysis
| Springer | ISBN: 0387150668
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A account of constructive mathematics written by two mathematicians who have made important contributions to the subject.
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Bizony, Piers
| The rivers of Mars
| Aurum press, 1997 | ISBN: 1854104950
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For a long time people have wondered about the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, and in particular on Mars. In The rivers of Mars Piers Bizony surveys some of the evidence for such life. The first part of the book looks at what was found by the Viking landers, followed by what we have learnt from meteorites from Mars such a ALH84001. The later part of the book considers the more general questions about life in the universe. I've a feeling that the book might not be detailed enough for some readers - at times it seemed a bit rough and ready - but there's a list of further reading for those wishing to study the subject further.
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| How to Build Your Own Spaceship
| Portobello Books, 2008 | ISBN: 9781846271250
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It's over 50 years since rockets first went into space, but the national space programs haven't brought the future in space which many people hoped for. But there is an alternative. In How to Build Your Own Spaceship:The Science of Personal Space Travel Piers Bizony looks at new options for space travel and at how you can play a part in making them happen.
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Blackburn, Simon
| Think
| Oxford University Press, 1999 | ISBN: 0192854259
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Philosophy can sometimes appear to be a terribly abstract subject, with little relation to the rest of the world. In Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy Simon Blackburn shows that the questions pondered by philosophers are the same ones which the rest of us want answered. The book starts with topics related to the philosophy of mind, such as Descartes' 'I think therefore I am', free will and the nature of the self. There is then a chapter on God and religion, followed by a look at how we make sense of the world, including a gentle introduction to logic.
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Blakemore, Colin
| Mindwaves
| Basil Blackwell, 1987 | ISBN: 0631146229
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The nature of consciousness is one of the hard problems of philosophy, but it isn't just a philosophical question - neuroscience is making significant progress in this area. Mindwaves, edited by Susan Greenfield and Colin Blakemore is a collection of 32 articles on various aspects of this subject, with many well know contributors such as John Searle, Roger Penrose, Marian S Dawkins and John Eccles. The first part of the book looks at what constitutes a person - in divided brain patients are there two minds or one? The second part asks what degree of consciousness exists in animals.
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Blakeslee, Sandra
| Phantoms in the brain
| Fourth Estate, 1998 | ISBN: 1857026187
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Starting from the phenomenon of phantom limbs, Ramachandran looks at how the human mind responds to physical and neurological problems. He moves on through such conditions as: blindsight, neglect of one half of the body, and denial of paralysis. However his goal is wider than just describing the medical effects, he also takes the opportunity to explore the consequences for the philosophy of mind. He seems prepared to speculate more than most, but always recognises the vital importance of experimental support for ideas. If you are interested in the workings of the mind then this book will provide you with some fascinating insights
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Blastland, Michael
| The Tiger that Isn't
| Profile Books, 2007 | ISBN: 9781861978394
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The media are constantly trying to get our attention by proclaiming some shocking statistic or other. InThe Tiger That Isn't: Seeing Through a World of Numbers Michael Blastland and Andrew Dilnot help the reader to judge such proclamations - are they really as shocking as they seem.
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Bloom, Paul
| Descartes' Baby
| Arrow, 2004 | ISBN: 0090437945
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Sometimes it's rather puzzling why people should believe what they do. In Descarte's Baby: How Child Development explains what makes us Human Paul Bloom looks at how we come by some of our thoughts and beliefs. He starts off by examining how children come to recognise the existence of other minds, followed by a look at how we make sense of objects around us - recognising whether or not they seem to be there for a purpose. There is also a discussion of how we get our sense of morality, and at when and why we might experience disgust. The book concludes with a look at our spiritual beliefs.
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Bodanis, David
| Electric universe
| Little, Brown, 2005 | ISBN: 0316861820
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The use of electricity pervades modern society. However, each electric device is the result of a great deal of research and in this book David Bodanis gives the stories of some of the most prominent of these discoveries. Thus we find out about the telegraph and telephone, radio and radar and the early development of transistors and computers. The final section relates to electricity in nerves and the brain. Bodanis does very well in weaving the discoveries in with the details of the lives of the people concerned, and so bringing the science of everyday devices to a non-technical readership.
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Bohm, David
| The undivided universe
| Routledge, 1993 | ISBN: 041512185X
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Those of you who have an interest in quantum mechanics will know that there are several different interpretations of the subject. 'The undivided universe' deals with one of those interpretations, Bohm's ontological interpretation. If you have read some of Bohm's popular accounts then you might have felt that his ideas were a bit 'wooly'. This book shows that, on the contrary they are precisely thought out - indeed I would say they are better thought out than many of the other interpretations. The book uses undergraduate level mathematics and a previous knowledge of 'orthodox' quantum theory would be useful, but no specific prior knowledge of the subject is required.
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Bolles, Edmund Blair
| Einstein defiant : genius versus genius in the quantum revolution
| Joseph Henry Press, 2004 | ISBN: 0309089980
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Einstein's attitude to quantum theory is often portrayed as that of a reactionary, wanting a return to the ways of classical physics. In Einstein Defiant we are told a different story - in the early 1920's it was Einstein himself who was in the forefront of the development of quantum theory with his use of the photon to explain electromagnetism, while Niels Bohr was looking for explanations based on the more classical, wave theory of light. Although the work is entirely non-technical, Edmund Blair Bolles does a very good job in describing the development of physics during revolutionary times. I would recommend the book to readers interested in the history of physics in the 20th century and more generally to anyone interested in the history of Europe between the wars.
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Boolos, George S
| Computability and logic
| Cambridge University Press, 2002 | ISBN: 0521809754
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Many books on mathematical logic soon plunge the reader into a mass of difficult to understand symbols. Computability and logic by Boolos, Burgess and Jeffrey starts off in an easier to follow style, and so gives the reader a gentler learning curve for the subject. The book starts off with a look at Turing machines, showing how they can be considered equivalent to any other computer. This is followed by an introduction to the theory of recursive functions. The second part of the book deals with first order logic, leading to the proof of Gödel's incompleteness theorem and related results.
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Born, Max
| The Born-Einstein Letters
| Macmillan, 1971 | ISBN: 0333112679
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Max Born, one of the founders of quantum theory, was a friend of Einstein from their time as professors at the University of Berlin , and they kept in touch for until the end of Einstein's life. This book is a collection of the letters between them together with explanatory notes by Born. Such correspondence provides an insight into some of the issues which Einstein and Born thought important. For instance in political issues the two were generally in agreement, but Born made it known that he wanted nothing to do with the atomic bomb, whilst unbeknown to him, Einstein signed a letter encouraging its development by the USA.
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Boscovich, Ruggero Giuseppe
| A theory of natural philosophy
| MIT Press, 1763 | ISBN: B00085HPL4
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We hear a lot of talk of the 'Theory of Everything' - an all embracing physical theory of which quantum mechanics and general relativity are only approximations. Einstein spent much of his life trying to construct such a theory. But the quest goes a lot further back than that. In the mile of the eighteeth century Ruggero Boskovich constructed his own version of a Theory of Everything, and it is described in his work A theory of natural philosophy
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Boyle, Alan
| The case for Pluto
| Wiley, 2010 | ISBN: 9780470505441
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Many of us will have grown up learning that there were nine planets, but Pluto has never really fit in, and recently has lost its status as a planet. In The case for Pluto: how a little planet made a big difference Alan Boyle tells the story.
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Brassard, Gilles
| Fundamentals of algorithmics
| Prentice Hall | ISBN: 0133350681
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Undergraduate textbook
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Bratley, Paul
| Fundamentals of algorithmics
| Prentice Hall | ISBN: 0133350681
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Undergraduate textbook
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Brian, Denis
| The unexpected Einstein
| Hoboken, 2005 | ISBN: 0471718408
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Einstein is such a well known scientist that he is often put on a pedestal, to be exhibited as an example to us all. Then again there are those who delight in knocking him off this pedestal. Either way such a famous person is likely to have myths arise about him. Following on from his recent biography of Einstein, in this book Denis Brian tackles some of the stories to sort out the truth from the fiction. He gives an readable insight into the character of Einstein so the book is worth reading even if you don't believe the myths in the first place and so normally wouldn't bother with such debunking.
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Bridges, Douglas
| Constructive analysis
| Springer | ISBN: 0387150668
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A account of constructive mathematics written by two mathematicians who have made important contributions to the subject.
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Brockman, John
| Curious Minds
| Vintage, 2004 | ISBN: 0099469464
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In this book John Brockman has persuaded a group of scientists to write about what set them on the scientific path. However, if you are a parent hoping to set your child on this path, then I don't think that you will find much to help you here. Many of the contributors say that they didn't decide on their careers until they were well into their university studies. Others put doubt on whether such childhood recollections can be given any value. But the book is certainly worth reading - the early life of well known scientists makes fascinating reading, whether or not it influenced their future.
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| What we believe but cannot prove
| Pocket, 2005 | ISBN: 1416522611
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Every year the Edge Foundation asks a question of a selection of eminent intellectuals. In 2005 the question was 'What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it', and this book lists the answers that were given. This gives them the opportunity to discuss those ideas which are important but haven't quite reached the stage of general acceptance. However, the replies are short - often less than a page - which doesn't give much of an opportunity to explain the details of the concepts mentioned. But it does make it easy to read, so it's just the sort of book to dip into at odd moments.
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| How Things Are
| William Morrow, 1995 | ISBN: 0688133568
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In How Things Are: A Science Tool Kit for the Mind John Brockman and Katinka Matson have asked a large number of eminent scientists to write about what they consider to be important in the way that they and other scientists think. Books of this kind can suffer from the articles being repetitive and unsatisfyingly short. This one largely manages to avoid that problem, and I feel that this is because the contributors have been given a sufficiently wide scope to answer the question. Hence the reader gets plenty of novel viewpoints on the nature and practise of science.
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Brockman, Max
| What's Next
| Quercus, 2009 | ISBN: 9781847247407
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What are the hot scientific topics going to be over the next few decades? In What's Next? Dispatches on the Future of Science Max Brockman gets some of the young scientists at the forefront of current research to write about where they think their science is heading.
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Brooks, Michael
| Free radicals
| Profile Books, 2011 | ISBN: 9781846684050
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Science is often seen as a pure search for truth in which scientists argue using logic alone, staying away from personal and political battles. Michael Brooks sees things rather differently, in Free radicals: the secret anarchy of science he argues that scientist will use all sorts of tricks to promote their ideas.
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Brown, Andrew
| In the beginning was the worm
| Profile Books | ISBN: 0231131461
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Most animals are pretty complicated things, and its almost impossible to follow how they develop from a single cell. That's why scientists have chosen a very simple creature, the tiny nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans to study in detail. Andrew Brown's book In the beginning was the worm describes how this has been done, looking at the cell by cell examination of the organism, its growth, and more recently the sequencing of its DNA. The book is written for a non-technical readership, and it recommended to anyone who is interested in the progress science is making in understanding the details of living things.
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Brown, Julian
| Minds, Machines, and the Multiverse
| Simon & Schuster | ISBN: 0684814811
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A look at ideas related to quantum computing.
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Brunetta, Leslie
| Spider Silk
| Yale University Press, 2010 | ISBN: 0300149220
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In Spider Silk: Evolution and 400 Million Years of Spinning, Waiting, Snagging, and Mating Leslie Brunetta and Catherine L. Craig tell of the evolution of the large variety of spiders we see in the world today - there's far more than just the ones producing the familiar orb web. In particular the book the role that new types of spider silk has played in allowing this diversification.
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Bryson, Bill
| Seeing Further
| Harper, 2010 | ISBN: 0007302568
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Seeing Further: The Story of Science and the Royal Society is a collection of short articles on a wide range of scientific topics, reflecting the range of interests of the Royal Society over its 350 year history. The articles are written by well known science writers, with editor Bill Bryson
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Buchanan, Mark
| Nexus: Small Worlds and the Groundbreaking Theory of Networks
| Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2002 | ISBN: 0297607421
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The version I read was entitled Small World: uncovering nature's hidden networks. You've probably heard that no-one is more than six handshakes away fromt the President of the USA, due to what is known as the small-world effect. In Small Worlds Mark Buchanan illustrates this effect with plenty of examples. In an easy to read book he shows how the connections in typical networks makes such an effect pretty much inevitable, and he goes on to look at some of the consequences of this effect - how systems often have a 'tipping point'. If you want to find out about the small world effect, I would say that this book is an excellent place to start.
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Budiansky, Stephen
| If a Lion could Talk
| Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1998 | ISBN: 0297819321
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Animal minds can be something of a puzzle. Sometimes they seem to exhibit almost human behaviour, but we need to beware of excessive anthropomorphism.In If a Lion Could Talk: How Animals Think Stephen Budiansky discusses how to make sense of animal thought.
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Bunch, Bryan
| Mathematical Fallacies and Paradoxes
| Dover Publications, 1982 | ISBN: 0486296644
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Mathematics may seem to be the embodiment of certainty, but in Mathematical Fallacies and Paradoxes Brian Bunch shows that you sometimes have to watch your step.In the first chapter he demonstrates that the circumference of a circle doesn't always seem to be 2πr, as well as proving that 1=0. This is followed by a look at the paradoxical nature of infinity, and a chapter on arguing by contradiction. Bunch then gets on to self reference and the paradoxes of set theory, leading up to a well written explanation of Gödel's incompleteness theorem.
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Burgess, John P
| Computability and logic
| Cambridge University Press, 2002 | ISBN: 0521809754
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Many books on mathematical logic soon plunge the reader into a mass of difficult to understand symbols. Computability and logic by Boolos, Burgess and Jeffrey starts off in an easier to follow style, and so gives the reader a gentler learning curve for the subject. The book starts off with a look at Turing machines, showing how they can be considered equivalent to any other computer. This is followed by an introduction to the theory of recursive functions. The second part of the book deals with first order logic, leading to the proof of Gödel's incompleteness theorem and related results.
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Burreson, Jay
| Napoleon's Buttons
| Penguin, 2004 | ISBN: 9781585423316
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In Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History, Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson describe how different chemicals have played an important part in history.
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Byers, William
| How mathematicians think
| Princeton University Press, 2007 | ISBN: 0691127387
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Mathematics seems to be the epitome of rational thinking. You follow straightforward procedures and end up with an unassailable result. William Byers thinks otherwise. In How Mathematicians Think: Using Ambiguity, Contradiction, and Paradox to Create Mathematics he argues that in fact the development of mathematics is full of doubt and controversy.
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Byrne, Peter
| The many worlds of Hugh Everett III
| Oxford University Press, 2010 | ISBN: 9780199552276
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The idea of parallel worlds has been around for a long time, but in the late 1950's one person suggested that there was some real science behind the idea - a suggestion which is now being taken more and more seriously. In The many worlds of Hugh Everett III : multiple universes, mutual assured destruction, and the meltdown of a nuclear family, Peter Byrne tells the story.
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