Reviews
- Astronomy
‘Making Contact’ chronicles an astronomer’s struggle to find E.T.
For decades, astronomer Jill Tarter led the hunt for extraterrestrial intelligence, as detailed in a new biography.
- Science & Society
This history book offers excellent images but skimps on modern science
For an accessible account of mostly pre-20th century science, check out The Oxford Illustrated History of Science.
- Chemistry
Every breath you take contains a molecule of history
In 'Caesar’s Last Breath', best-selling author Sam Kean tells vivid stories about the gases we can’t see.
- Science & Society
CuriosityStream satisfies a science-hungry audience
CuriosityStream, an online streaming service, offers viewers a plethora of science documentaries, including originals from Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough.
- Planetary Science
Citizen scientists join the search for Planet 9
Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, a citizen science project, lets space enthusiasts search for undiscovered objects in the sky, including a hypothesized planet at the far reaches of the solar system.
- Science & Society
New museum exhibit explores science of racism
“Us and Them,” a new exhibit at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, draws on genetics, psychology, anthropology and sociology to examine why racism and prejudice persist.
- Astronomy
Read up on solar eclipses before this year’s big event
Three new books chronicle the science, history and cultural significance of total solar eclipses.
- Science & Society
Fox experiment is replaying domestication in fast-forward
How to Tame a Fox recounts a nearly 60-year experiment in Russia to domesticate silver foxes.
- Physics
The drama of Albert Einstein’s life unfolds in the new series Genius
Science takes a back seat in National Geographic’s series Genius, which focuses more on politics and Albert Einstein’s love life.
- Science & Society
‘Specimens’ goes behind the scenes of Chicago’s Field Museum
The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago puts seldom-seen specimens on display in a new exhibit to highlight the crucial role of museum objects in scientific research.
- Animals
Shocking stories tell tale of London Zoo’s founding
In The Zoo, Isobel Charman pens a gripping narrative of the London Zoo’s early days, when workers had a hard time keeping animals alive.
- Physics
To understand rivers, let physics be your guide
Where the River Flows unites physics and environmental science to explain Earth’s waterways.
