Your Mission:
Science class can be about more than just gaining a working knowledge of scientific principles. Go beyond the classroom by finding science concepts in fiction and non-fiction books. These books can help you explore how science can be integrated into a story or impact a real-world scenario.
Fiction Titles:
Anderson, M.T. Feed
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic And In a future where most people have computer implants in their heads to control their environment, a boy meets an unusual girl who is in serious trouble. So says Titus, a teenager whose ability to read, write, and even think for himself has been almost completely obliterated by his "feed," a transmitter implanted directly into his brain. Feeds are a crucial part of life for Titus and his friends. After all, how else would they know where to party on the moon, how to get bargains at Weatherbee & Crotch, or how to accessorize the mysterious lesions everyone's been getting? But then Titus meets Violet, a girl who cares about what's happening to the world and challenges everything Titus and his friends hold dear. A girl who decides to fight the feed. |
Anderson, M.T. Landscape with Invisible Hand.
Sci-fi/Fantasy Fic And When the vuvv first landed, it came as a surprise to aspiring artist Adam and the rest of planet Earth. But not necessarily an unwelcome one. Can it really be called an invasion when the vuvv generously offered free advanced technology and cures for every illness imaginable? As it turns out, yes. With his parents' jobs replaced by alien tech and no money for food, clean water, or the vuvv's miraculous medicine, Adam and his girlfriend, Chloe, have to get creative to survive. Black, Jenna. The Replica.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Bla Sixteen-year-old Nadia lives a privileged life in the Corporate States, formerly the United States of America, but when her betrothed is killed and then wakes up in the replication tanks, the pair sets out to find a killer while keeping the secrets of human replication technology from the dangerous people who run their world. Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles.
Classics Fic Bra The people of Earth are preparing for war - a war that could potentially destroy the planet. Explorers are sent to Mars to find a new place for humans to colonize. It is here the invaders have come to despoil and commercialize, to grow and to learn - first a trickle, then a torrent, rushing from a world with no future toward a promise of tomorrow. The Earthman conquers Mars... and then is conquered by it, lulled by dangerous lies of comfort and familiarity, and enchanted by the lingering glamour of an ancient, mysterious native race. Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Car In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut - young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training. To read the same story from a different point of view -- Ender's Shadow. Chibbaro, Julie. Deadly.
Mystery Fic Chi In the early nineteen-hundreds, sixteen-year-old Prudence Galewski leaves school to take a job assisting the head epidemiologist at New York's Department of Health and Sanitation, investigating the intriguing case of "Typhoid Mary," a seemingly healthy woman who is infecting others with typhoid fever. Crichton, Michael. The Lost World.
Action/Adventure Fic Cri On an island off Costa Rica there exists a hush-hush colony of giant animals which attracts the attention of two expeditions. The first one, including children, is led by a paleontologist, the other is made up of evil scientists who want to do experiments. The animals rout both without much concern for their motives. |
Graceffa, Joey. Children of Eden.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Gra Rowan is a second child in a world where population control measures make her an outlaw, marked for death. She can never go to school, make friends, or get the eye implants that will mark her as a true member of Eden. Outside of Eden, Earth is poisoned and dead. All animals and most plants have been destroyed by a man-made catastrophe. Long ago, the brilliant scientist Aaron Al-Baz saved a pocket of civilization by designing the EcoPanopticon, a massive computer program that hijacked all global technology and put it to use preserving the last vestiges of mankind. Humans will wait for thousands of years in Eden until the EcoPan heals the world. |
Lloyd, Saci. The Carbon Diaries.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Llo It's the year 2015, and global warming is ravaging the environment. In response, the United Kingdom mandates carbon rationing. When her carbon debit card arrives in the mail, sixteen-year-old Laura is just trying to handle the pressure of exams, keep her straight-X punk band on track, and catch the attention of her gorgeous classmate Ravi. But as multiple natural disasters strike and Laura's parents head toward divorce, her world spirals out of control. With the highest-category hurricane in history heading straight toward London, chronicling the daily insanity is all Laura can do to stay grounded in a world where disaster is the norm. |
Oliver, Lauren. Replica.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Oli Turn the book one way and read Lyra's story; turn the book over and upside down and read Gemma's story ... Lyra's story begins in the Haven Institute, a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects - Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72 - manage to escape. |
Pearson, Mary. The Adoration of Jenna Fox.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Pea In the not-too-distant future, when biotechnological advances have made synthetic bodies and brains possible but illegal, a seventeen-year-old girl, recovering from a serious accident and suffering from memory lapses, learns a startling secret about her existence. |
Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Pfe Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the resulting horrific climate changes that affect the entire world. Sequels = This World We Live In and The Dead and the Gone. |
Seagle, Steven. Genius.
Graphic Novels GN Fic Sea Ted Marx works hard at his career as a quantum physicist. But lately the demands of his job have begun to overwhelm him. Then Ted makes a startling discovery: his wife's father once knew Einstein and claims that Einstein entrusted to him a final, devastating secret-- a secret even more profound and shattering than the work that led to the first atom bombs. If Ted can convince his father-in-law to tell him what Einstein had to say, his job will be safe. But does he dare reveal Einstein's most dangerous secret to those who might exploit it? Shusterman, Neil. Unwind.
Sci-Fi-Fantasy Fic Shu The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive. Sequels = UnWholly, UnSouled, UnDivided |
Weyn, Suzanne. Empty.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fic Wey When, just ten years in the future, oil supplies run out and global warming leads to devastating storms, senior high school classmates Tom, Niki, Gwen, Hector, and Brock realize that the world as they know it is ending and lead the way to a more environmentally-friendly society. |
Other recommended titles that the library can order for you:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by: Philip K. Dick; The Black Cloud by: Fred Hoyle; Contact by: Carl Sagan; The Color of Distance by: Amy Thomson; Bellwether by: Connie Willis; 2312 by: Kim Stanley Robinson; The Dispossessed by: Ursula K. Le Guin; The Practice Effect by: David Brin; The Sparrow by: Mary Doria Russell; Jurassic Park by: Michael Crichton; The Andromeda Strain by: Michael Crichton; Prey by: Michael Crichton.
Non-Fiction Titles |
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Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Terrible Typhoid Mary: a True Sory of the Deadliest Cook in America. 614.5 Bar
What happens when a person's reputation has been forever damaged? With archival photographs and text among other primary sources, this riveting biography of Mary Mallon looks beyond the tabloid scandal of Mary's controversial life. How she was treated by medical and legal officials reveals a lesser-known story of human and constitutional rights, entangled with the science of pathology and enduring questions about who Mary Mallon really was. How did her name become synonymous with deadly disease? And who is really responsible for the lasting legacy of Typhoid Mary? |
Collard, Sneed. Science Warriors: the Battle Against Invasive Species. 578.62 Col
There are 6,200 known invasive species in the United States, and scientists are scrambling to stop their unique paths of destruction, which can take a huge toll on regional economies and ecosystems. To effectively combat an invader, scientists must know the organism inside and out: What does it eat? How does it reproduce? What was its environment like in its native home? There are many questions, but just one right answer might yield a weakness in the enemy. This book introduces some of the most brilliant minds, and promising advances, in the war against invasive species. |
Dee, James. Bodies from the Bog 569.9 Dee
and Bodies from the Ice 599.9 Dee. One morning in April 1952, Danish workmen digging in a peat bog made an astonishing discovery: the body of a man preserved in the bog, his face flattened by the weight of the peat and his skin as brown as the earth in which he lay. Who was this man, and how had he come to be there? Bodies from the Bog describes the discovery of bog bodies in northern Europe and the evidence which their remains reveal about themselves and the civilizations in which they lived . Bodies from the Ice explores bodies found in a different climate. In 1991, mountain climbers on a glacier came across a body: but something was different with this one. The materials found with the body suggested it might be very old, perhaps from the 1800s. But radiocarbon dating proved the iceman was 5,300 years older and from the Copper Age. He was named Otzi and is the oldest human mummy preserved in ice ever found. Read on for a captivating and creepy journey to learn about glaciers and hulking masses of moving ice that are now offering up many secrets from the past. Dendy, Leslie. Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine. 616 Den
Would you do experiments on yourself? Just who are these "guinea pig scientists"? Searching for clues to some of science's and medicines' bigger and sometimes stranger questions, they are all the men and women who devoted their lives to help find the answers. Spanning from the 1770s to the present--and uncovering the science behind digestion, the spread of yellow fever, the development of the first heart catheter, and ore--these ten stories are both scientifically detailed and fascinatingly personal. |
Fetter-Vorm, Johnathan. Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb. Graphic Novels 623.4 Fet
Trinity depicts the dramatic history of the race to build and the decision to drop the first atomic bomb in World War Two. This sweeping historical narrative traces the spark of invention from the laboratories of nineteenth-century Europe to the massive industrial and scientific efforts of the Manhattan Project, and even transports the reader into a nuclear reaction―into the splitting atoms themselves. |
Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage: a Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science. 921 Gag
Phineas Gage was truly a man with a hole in his head. Phineas, a railroad construction foreman, was blasting rock in 1848 when a thirteen-pound iron rod was shot through his brain. Miraculously, he survived to live another eleven years. At the time, Phineas Gage seemed to completely recover from his accident. He could walk, talk, work, and travel, but he was changed. Gage "was no longer Gage," said his Vermont doctor, meaning that the old Phineas was dependable and well liked, and the new Phineas was crude and unpredictable. His case astonished doctors in his day and still fascinates doctors today. What happened and what didn’t happen inside the brain of Phineas Gage will tell you a lot about how your brain works and how you act human. |
Goldenberg, Linda. Little People and a Lost World: An Anthropoligical Mystery. 569.9 Gol
Presents the discovery on Flores Island, Indonesia, of the hominid skeleton of a woman who lived twelve thousand years ago and whose small size has created controversy among paleontologists over whether she is a homo sapiens or represents a new human species. |
Goldsmith, Connie. Bombs Over Bikini: the World's First Nuclear Disaster. 623.4 Gol
In 1946, as part of the Cold War arms race, the US military launched a program to test nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean. From 1946 until 1958, the military detonated sixty-seven nuclear bombs over the region's Bikini and Enewetak Atolls. The twelfth bomb, called Bravo, became the world's first nuclear disaster. It sent a toxic cloud of radiation over Rongelap Atoll and other nearby inhabited islands. The testing was intended to advance scientific knowledge about nuclear bombs and radiation, but it had much more far-reaching effects. Some of the islanders suffered burns, cancers, birth defects, and other medical tragedies as a result of radiation poisoning. Many of the Marshallese were resettled on other Pacific islands or in the United States. They and their descendants cannot yet return to Bikini, which remains contaminated by radiation. And while the United States claims it is now safe to resettle Rongelap, only a few construction workers live there on a temporary basis. |
Hawking, Stephen. The Illustrated A Brief History of Time.
523.1 Haw In the years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking's A Brief History Of Time has established itself as a landmark volume in scientific writing. The book was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the nature of the universe, but since that time there have been extraordinary advances in the technology of macrocosmic worlds. Eager to bring to his original text the new knowledge revealed by these many observations, as well as his recent research, for this expanded edition Professor Hawking has prepared a new introduction to the book, written an entirely new chapter on the fascinating subject of wormholes and time travel, and updated the original chapters.. |
Heiligman, Doborah. Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith. 576.82 Hei
Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, his revolutionary tract on evolution and the fundamental ideas involved, in 1859. Nearly 150 years later, the theory of evolution continues to create tension between the scientific and religious communities. Challenges about teaching the theory of evolution in schools occur annually all over the country. This same debate raged within Darwin himself, and played an important part in his marriage: his wife, Emma, was quite religious, and her faith gave Charles a lot to think about as he worked on a theory that continues to spark intense debates. This is an account of the man behind evolutionary theory: how his personal life affected his work and vice versa. The end result is an engaging exploration of history, science, and religion. |
Heos, Bridget. Stronger Than Steel: Spider Silk DNA and the Quest for Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures, and Parachute Rope. 595.44 Heo
Enter Randy Lewis' lab and come face to face with golden orb weaver spiders, and transgenic alfalfa, silkworm silk, and goats, whose milk contains the proteins to spin spider silk--and to weave a nearly indestructible fiber. Learn how this amazing material might someday be used to repair or replace human ligaments and bones, improve body armor, strengthen parachute rope, and even tether an airplane to an aircraft carrier! Explore rapid advancements in the application of genetic medicine and their potential to save and improve lives while considering the crucial ethical concerns of genetic research. |
Hosler, Jay. Evolution: the Story of Life on Earth.
Graphic Novels -- 576.8 Hos An intrepid alien scientist Bloort-183 is charged with covering the wider story of evolution. This little alien brilliantly answers the question, "What's the solution to America's crisis in science education? More comic books!" Evolution takes the reader from earth's primordial soup to the vestigial structures, like the coccyx and the male nipple, of modern humans. The amazing graphics render the complex clear and everything cleverly comedic. |
Jackson, Donna. The Bone Detectives: How Forensic Anthropologists Solve Crimes and Uncover Mysteries of the Dead. 363.25 Jac
It's said that "dead men tell no tales" -- yet their bones have some interesting stories to reveal. That's what police depend on when the only clues to a crime are the bones of the victim. Then it's time to call in the "bone detectives". Following forensic anthropologist Dr. Michael Charney step-by-step through an investigation, this book shows how a person's sex, race, age, height, and weight can be determined from studying his or her bones and teeth; how markings on bones can be "read" to establish cause of death; how a sculptor uses clay to reconstruct a face from a skull so it can be publicized in the media and possibly recognized; and how all of this information can be used to help crack a case. |
Jackson, Donna. Extreme Scientists: Exploring Nature's Mysteries from Perilous Places. 509.2 Jac
When Paul Flaherty goes to work, he climbs into a four-engine WP-3D Orion turboprop plane and heads directly into the eye of a hurricane. Miles below, Hazel Barton's job in microbiology takes her to the depths of the world's most treacherous caves. And on the other side of the topsoil, way, way above the forest floor, Stephen Sillett passes his days (and sometimes his nights) in the canopies of the tallest trees on earth. Welcome to the work--and worlds--of extreme scientists. From hurricanes to caves to the crowns of towering redwoods, these scientists battle some of the earth's most intense conditions in order to save lives, preserve species, and help us to better understand the way our planet works. |
Jarrow, Gail. Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America. 614.5 Jar
In March 1900, San Francisco's health department investigated a strange and horrible death in Chinatown. A man had died of bubonic plague, one of the world's deadliest diseases. But how could that be possible? Acclaimed author and scientific expert Gail Jarrow brings the history of a medical mystery to life in vivid and exciting detail for readers. She spotlights the public health doctors who desperately fought to end it, the political leaders who tried to keep it hidden, and the brave scientists who uncovered the plague's secrets. Sound familiar??? |
Jarrow, Gail. The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in Our Food and Drugs.
353.99 Jar Formaldehyde, borax, salicylic acid. Today, these chemicals are used in embalming fluids, cleaning supplies, and acne medications. But in 900, they were routinely added to food that Americans ate from Cans and jars. 1900, products often weren't safe because unregulated, unethical companies added these and other chemicals to trick consumers into buying spoiled food or harmful medicines. Chemist Harvey Washington Wiley recognized these dangers and began a relentless thirty-year campaign to ensure that consumers could purchase safe food and drugs, eventually leading to the creation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, a US governmental organization that now has a key role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world today. Johnson, Rebecca. Battle of the Dinosaur Bones: Othniel Charles Marsh vs. Edward Drinker Cope. 560.973 Cop
Darwin's theory of evolution shook up the field of paleontology. Marsh & Cope, enthralled with these new ideas & discoveries, became determined to become world-famous paleontologists. When they met in 1863, they started off as friends. But within a few years competition drove them apart. Each fought bitterly to discover more fossils, name more species, and publish more papers than the other. In their haste to outdo each other, they both produced some shoddy work. The resulting confusion took many years to correct and their toxic relationship crippled the field of paleontology for decades afterward. However, the competition also produced a wealth of fossils, laying a foundation for future study, as well as generating keen public interest in prehistoric life. Krull, Kathleen: Isaac Newton (Giants of Science). 921 New
Here is a man with an imagination so large that just by thinking on it, he invented calculus and figured out the scientific explanation of gravity. Kathleen Krull presents a portrait of Isaac Newton that will challenge your beliefs about a genius whose amazing discoveries changed the world. Loomis, Ilima. Eclipse Chaser: Science in the Moon's Shadow.
523.7 Loo On August 21, 2017, much of America stood still and looked up as a wide swath of the country experienced totality—a full solar eclipse. For most, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not so for Shadia Habbal, who travels the world in search of solar eclipses in order to study the sun’s corona. Solar wind and storms originating in the corona can have big effects on our planet. They can disrupt technology, expose aircraft to radiation, and even influence global climate change. In the months leading up to the 2017 eclipse, Shadia assembles a team of scientists in Mitchell, Oregon. Will the cloudy skies clear in time? Count down the months, days, hours, and finally minutes until totality. Martin, Russell. The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair. 780.92 Mar
At the time of Beethoven’s death, it was a common practice to take a lock of hair from the deceased as a remembrance. One such lock of Beethoven’s hair survived through the years and eventually became the joint property of two men who, in 1995, opened the sealed frame that encased the hair and began the process of unlocking the mysteries of Beethoven’s life, death, and possibly his genius. Follow the trail of Beethoven’s hair as it was passed on from the boy who cut it to his son and down through the years, as it was safeguarded from Nazi Germany and eventually sold at auction in 1994. Through careful forensic testing, the hairs in the lock revealed the causes of Beethoven’s deafness and his many illnesses. This fascinating story is not only a study of the secrets that forensics can reveal, but a moving history of many people’s devotion to Beethoven’s music. McPherson, Stephanie. Artificial Intelligence: Building Smarter Machines. 006.3 McP
In 2011, a computer named Watson outscored two human competitors on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! and snagged the million-dollar prize. Watson isn't the only machine keeping up with humans. The field of artificial intelligence (AI) is booming, with drones, robots, and computers handling tasks that once only humans could perform. Such advances raise challenging questions. Do Watson and other computers really think? Can machines acquire self-awareness? Is AI a promising or a dangerous technology? No machine, not even Watson, yet comes close to matching human intelligence, but many scientists believe it is only a matter of time before we reach this milestone. What will such a future look like? Moore, Kate. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of Americ's Shining Women. 363.17 Moo
In the dark years of the First World War, radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright. Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill. And, until they begin to come forward. As the women start to speak out on the corruption, the factories that once offered golden opportunities ignore all claims of the gruesome side effects. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come. A timely story of corporate greed and the brave figures that stood up to fight for their lives, these women and their voices will shine for years to come. Murphy, Jim. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793.
614.5 Mur Philadelphia, 1793: the capital of the United States and the largest city in North America is devastated by an apparently incurable disease, cause unknown . . . Drawing on first-hand accounts, the author spotlights the heroic role of Philadelphia’s free Black citizens in combating yellow fever, the efforts and intrigues of doctors and politicians—among them George Washington—and the search for the fever’s causes and cure, not found for more than a century afterward. Thoroughly researched and unflinching in its discussion of medical details, this book offers a glimpse into life in the US in the years immediately following our nation’s birth while drawing timely parallels to modern-day epidemics |
Murphy, Jim. Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure. 616.99 Mur
This is the fascinating story of a killer that has been striking people down for thousands of years: tuberculosis. After centuries of ineffective treatments, the microorganism that causes TB was identified and the cure was thought to be within reach—but drug-resistant varieties continue to plague and panic the human race. The "biography" of this deadly germ and the social history of an illness that could strike anywhere are woven together in an engrossing, carefully researched narrative. |
Murray, Elizabeth. Forensic Identification: Putting a Face and Name on Death. 363.25 Mur
About 4,000 unidentified deceased persons are discovered in the United States every year. But forensic experts are successful in identifying about 3,000 of those bodies within a year. Explore the morgues and forensic labs where experts use advanced technology to determine the identities of dead bodies whose names are not known because the bodies are mutilated, decomposed beyond recognition, or cut into pieces. Through a wide range of fascinating scientific methods―including DNA testing, facial reconstruction, dental records, blood analysis, fingerprinting, and X-rays―forensic specialists work to piece together the stories that will give names back to the unknown dead and missing. Come along to watch the experts do their amazing work. |
Newquist, HP. The Book of Blood: from Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins. 612.11 New
Take an engaging tour of the world of blood, from ancient history to modern science—with an occasional trip to the very strange side of the most important tissue in our bodies. Oddly enough, scientists began to understand this fascinating fluid only within the past one hundred years and how its microscopic components nourish the entire body. Whether the tales of vampires, medieval medical practices, and Mayan sacrificial rites captivate or terrify, this comprehensive investigation into blood’s past and present will surely enthrall. And if this account is a little bloodcurdling, well, that’s half the fun! |
Nye, Bill. Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation. 576.8 Nye
Sparked by a controversial debate in February 2014, Bill Nye has set off on an energetic campaign to spread awareness of evolution and the powerful way it shapes our lives. In his New York Times bestseller, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, he explains why race does not really exist; evaluates the true promise and peril of genetically modified food; reveals how new species are born, in a dog kennel and in a London subway; takes a stroll through 4.5 billion years of time; and explores the new search for alien life, including aliens right here on Earth. With infectious enthusiasm, Bill Nye shows that evolution is much more than a rebuttal to creationism; it is an essential way to understand how nature works-and to change the world. It might also help you get a date on a Saturday night. |
Ottaviani, Jim. Dignifying Science: Stories About Women Scientists. Graphic Novels -- 920 Ott
This original graphic novel features famous women scientists including Marie Curie, Emmy Noether, Lise Meitner, Rosalind Franklin, Barbara McClintock, Birute Galdikas, and Hedy Lamarr. The stories offer a human context often missing when we learn about the discoveries attached to these scientists' names. Readers, drawn in by the compelling anecdotes, will discover intriguing characters, while end notes and references will lead them to further information on the scientists. |
Ottaviani, Jim. Feynman. Graphic Novels -- 921 Fey
This biography presents the larger-than-life exploits of Nobel-winning quantum physicist, adventurer, musician, world-class raconteur, and one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century: Richard Feynman. Feynman tells the story of the great man's life from his childhood in Long Island to his work on the Manhattan Project and the Challenger disaster. Ottaviani tackles the bad with the good, leaving the reader delighted by Feynman's exuberant life and staggered at the loss humanity suffered with his death. Anyone who ever wanted to know more about Richard P. Feynman, quantum electrodynamics, the fine art of the bongo drums, the outrageously obscure nation of Tuva, or the development and popularization of the field of physics in the United States need look no further than this rich and joyful work. |
Ottaviani, Jim. Hawking.
Graphic Novels -- 921 Haw From his early days at the St Albans School and Oxford, Stephen Hawking’s brilliance and good humor were obvious to everyone he met. A lively and popular young man, it’s no surprise that he would later rise to celebrity status. At twenty-one he was diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative neuromuscular disease. Though the disease weakened his muscles and limited his ability to move and speak, it did nothing to limit his mind. He went on to do groundbreaking work in cosmology and theoretical physics for decades after being told he had only a few years to live. He brought his intimate understanding of the universe to the public in his 1988 bestseller, A Brief History of Time. Soon after, he added pop-culture icon to his accomplishments by playing himself on shows like Star Trek, The Simpsons, and The Big Bang Theory, and becoming an outspoken advocate for disability rights. |
Ottaviani, Jim. Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas. Graphic Novels -- GN 599 Ott.
This is an action-packed account of the three greatest primatologists of the last century: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas. These three ground-breaking researchers were all students of the great Louis Leakey, and each made profound contributions to primatology—and to our own understanding of ourselves. Tackling Goodall, Fossey, and Galdikas in turn, and covering the highlights of their respective careers, Primates is an accessible, entertaining, and informative look at the field of primatology and at the lives of three of the most remarkable women scientists of the twentieth century. |
Roach, Mary. Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.
611 Roa Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers―some willingly, some unwittingly―have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries and tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them. Scott, Elaine. All About Sleep From A to ZZZZ. 612.8 Sco
Have you ever wondered what happens when you go to sleep? There's a lot more to it than you might think. Part of the time, your body is paralyzed. Part of the time your brainwaves are exploding with activity. If something goes wrong in the sleep process, you might find yourself getting dressed or eating a meal without ever waking up? You might even think you're being abducted by aliens. This book will give you a whole new understanding of that third of your life that you spend asleep. Simpson, Kathleen. Genetics: from DNA to Designer Dogs. 576.5 Sim
Interviews with exerts, useful time lines, diagram, and more bring readers up to date on the latest findings and discoveries in the field of genetics from the Human Genome Project to stem cell research, learn more about what makes us who we are. Souder, William. On a Farther Shore: the Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson. 921 Car
In 1962, biologist Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, a chilling indictment of DDT and other pesticides that until then had been hailed as safe and wondrously effective. It was Carson who sifted through all the evidence, documenting with alarming clarity the collateral damage to fish, birds, and other wildlife; revealing the effects of these new chemicals to be lasting, widespread, and lethal. Silent Spring shocked the public and forced the government to take action, despite a withering attack on Carson from the chemicals industry. It awakened the world to the heedless contamination of the environment and eventually led to the establishment of the EPA and to the banning of DDT. |
Thunberg, Greta. No One is Too Small to Make a Difference. 179 Thu
In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day in order to protest the climate crisis. Her actions sparked a global movement, inspiring millions of students to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across the globe, from the United Nations to Capitol Hill and mass street protests, her book is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it. |
Walker, Sally. We Are the Weather Makers: The History of Climate Change. 551.6 Wal
The Weather Makers gets kudos for its solid science and powerful message, offering a clear look at the history of climate change, how matters will unfold over the next century, and what we can do to prevent a cataclysmic future. Featured are twenty-five practical tips for living a greener lifestyle—at home, in school, in the community, and ultimately, on Earth. |
Other recommended non-fiction titles that the library can order for you:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by: Rebecca Skloot; Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by: Carlo Rovelli; The Ghost Map by: Stephen Johnson; The Making of the Atomic Bomb by: Richard Rhodes; I Contain Multitudes by: Ed Yong
The Gene: An Intimate History by: Siddhartha Mukherjee; Silent Spring by: Rachel Carson; On the Origin of Species by: Charles Darwin; Brief Answers to the Big Questions by: Stephen Hawking; Cosmos by: Carl Sagan; Spineless by: Julie Berwald; Napoleon’s Buttons by:Jay Burreson and Penny Le Couteur; The Blind Watchmaker by: Richard Dawkins; The Disappearing Spoon by: Sam Kean; The Violinist’s Thumb by: Sam Kean; Packing for Mars by: Mary Roach; Origins by: Neil DeGrasse Tyson; Oxygen by: Donald E. Canfield; Stuff Matters by: Mark Miodownik; The Hot Zone: by Richard Preston.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by: Rebecca Skloot; Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by: Carlo Rovelli; The Ghost Map by: Stephen Johnson; The Making of the Atomic Bomb by: Richard Rhodes; I Contain Multitudes by: Ed Yong
The Gene: An Intimate History by: Siddhartha Mukherjee; Silent Spring by: Rachel Carson; On the Origin of Species by: Charles Darwin; Brief Answers to the Big Questions by: Stephen Hawking; Cosmos by: Carl Sagan; Spineless by: Julie Berwald; Napoleon’s Buttons by:Jay Burreson and Penny Le Couteur; The Blind Watchmaker by: Richard Dawkins; The Disappearing Spoon by: Sam Kean; The Violinist’s Thumb by: Sam Kean; Packing for Mars by: Mary Roach; Origins by: Neil DeGrasse Tyson; Oxygen by: Donald E. Canfield; Stuff Matters by: Mark Miodownik; The Hot Zone: by Richard Preston.