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Science
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Hidden Creatures
'Your world will be larger for reading this book' CHLOE DALTON author of Raising Hare 'The most persistent feeling, and one that Martins conveys beautifully, is one of awe at the sheer diversity and inventiveness of the living world' GUARDIANWelcome to the hidden, squirming world of parasites - some of the most misunderstood, and most important, creatures with whom we share the Earth. And our bodies.There is the tapeworm, which can grow one hundred and twenty feet within the gut of a whale. The tsetse fly, a notorious vector of disease whose needle-like mouth can pierce even crocodile skin. And the most universal symbol of parasitic behaviour: the much-mythologised leech. Long villainised, yet vital to every ecosystem on Earth, these parasitic creatures have driven evolution, shaped civilisations, and altered the course of human history. And we have almost entirely ignored them.Dr Dino Martins is an award-winning entomologist and biologist from Kenya's Turkana Basin - where life on Earth began - and he has made it his life's mission to demystify these beguiling beings. Hidden Creatures takes us on a journey around the world ten times over - from the wilds of East Africa to the rainforests of the Amazon, from Borneo to the public parks of London. Along the way, we encounter brilliant and eccentric experts and students who join Martins on his adventures to investigate not just parasites but their astonishing cast of hosts: elephants and rhinos, hyraxes and hippos, and, of course, the elusive human.Immersive, entertaining and driven by an utterly infectious curiosity, Hidden Creatures has the magnetic force of a David Attenborough documentary and introduces a monumental, charismatic new voice in science writing. It will transform your understanding of the natural world.
£22.00
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An Expert Witness
From the UK's leading forensic scientist and Sunday Times bestselling author of All That Remains and Written in Bone: a gripping exploration of forensic science, told through often shocking real cases to assess its triumphs, failures, and future.'No scientist communicates better.' Val McDermid, award-winning author of the Detective Karen Pirie seriesFor over forty years, Professor Dame Sue Black has analysed criminal evidence at the highest level. As the UK's leading forensic scientist, she has stood in court as an expert witness, repeatedly putting her research and reputation on the line, all in the name of justice.Now in An Expert Witness she puts forensic science itself on trial.Drawing on shocking real cases and true crime, from historic poisonings to modern sexual offences, Sue Black traces the evolution of forensic science, from early identification methods to more recent breakthroughs such as DNA profiling, Sue's own vein identification research, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in criminal investigation.She shows where science has delivered justice, and where failures have led to devastating consequences, including wrongful convictions such as that of Andrew Malkinson, imprisoned for seventeen years for a crime he did not commit.As she reflects on life serving as an expert witness, Sue looks back at landmark cases to tell the story of forensic science, ask questions for its future, and explain why this book marks the close of a defining chapter in one of the most extraordinary careers in modern forensic science.Praise for Professor Dame Sue Black:'Gripping from the start . . . fascinating in its detail of real life cases and written with a narrative that propels you forward to the next page.' Dr Richard Shepherd, forensic pathologist and author of Unnatural Causes'Engrossing' Financial Times'Dame Sue Black writes about life and death with great tenderness [and] with impeccable science lucidly explained . . . I am genuinely glad I read this book.' Lee Child, bestselling author of the Reacher series'Part meditation, part popular science and part memoir . . . fascinating' Sunday Times'Black writes with rare precision and compassion' Evening Standard'For someone who deals in death every day, Sue Black has a rare ability to make blood and bones come alive. A marvellous writer.' Ruth Davidson, SMP'Utterly gripping' Guardian
£22.00
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Hacking Humanity
'This is the bible to living a healthier life' DAVINA MCCALL 'No-one explains cutting edge technology more clearly than Lara' LORRAINE KELLY 'Absolutely brilliant' JEREMY VINE 'Extraordinarily helpful' DAMIAN HUGHES 'Brilliantly written ... separates the nonsense from the evidence' RUSSELL FOSTERWhat if we could stop cancer in its tracks, prevent cardiovascular disease, lose weight at will and reverse the effects of ageing? With new developments in artificial intelligence, gene editing and robotics, it might all be possible sooner than you think.In Hacking Humanity, technology journalist Lara Lewington takes us to the cutting edge of scientific research to demystify how new innovations are transforming medicine for the better. Drawing us into the science behind the world's healthiest people from Silicon Valley to the Blue Zones while experimenting with the new technology already available, she examines the real challenges ahead and how we can overcome them. From new miracle drugs to life-saving robotic assistants and diagnostic tools that help us avoid disease altogether, today's most exciting innovations are paving the way for tomorrow's healthcare revolution, extending not only our lifespans but also our healthspans - the amount of time we spend living in good health.With expert insights and clear explanations, Hacking Humanity reveals how we can harness the power of technology to improve our lives now and transform our healthcare system for a better future, unlocking the power to reshape our genetic destinies and live longer and healthier lives.'What Lara does so beautifully in Hacking Humanity is cut through the hype and show how innovation can be human, hopeful and practical, helping us prevent illness, not just treat it' DR AMIR KHAN
£12.99
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Smartphone Nation
'A brilliant and important book' - Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People'A smart first step into completely resetting your digital life' - Stylist A social media ban for under 16s does not make the problem disappear. Teenagers will have to use their devices differently now and Smartphone Nation provides the practical solutions you and your family need to take back control.In this acclaimed book, Dr Kaityn Regehr, one of the world's leading digital literacy experts, gives you the knowledge and the language to explain the reasons behind the ban, why social media can be so harmful and the often disturbing reasons why we each see the particular content we do. The tools in Smartphone Nation are there to help you understand, advocate, and parent around these tricky, constantly changing issues. From issues of misinformation, body dysmorphia, pornography, to online bullying, this essential guide helps you and your family become more intentional over screen usage - whatever the screen you are using. 'Equips us with the practical tools needed to build a healthier, happier future for ourselves and our kids' - Daisy Greenwell, co-founder Smartphone-Free Childhood'A candid, rigorous, and witty read on how to stop digital devices from wreaking havoc on our lives' - Adam Grant, author of Think Again
£10.99
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The Age of Diagnosis
THE MUST-READ BESTSELLER AND BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE GUARDIAN, SUNDAY TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST, NEW SCIENTIST AND MORE'Revelatory. Slices through the contradictions.' - CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN'So well-written... critically important.' - RANGAN CHATTERJEE'A doctor's brilliant study of the dangers of overdiagnosis' - GUARDIANFrom autism to allergies, ADHD to long Covid, more people are being labelled with medical conditions than ever before. But can a diagnosis do us more harm than good?The boundaries between sickness and health are being redrawn.Mental health categories are shifting and expanding all the time, radically altering what we consider to be 'normal'. Genetic tests can now detect pathologies decades before people experience symptoms, and sometimes before they're even born. And increased health screening draws more and more people into believing they are unwell.An accurate diagnosis can bring greater understanding and of course improved treatment. But many diagnoses aren't as definitive as we think. And in some cases they risk turning healthy people into patients.Drawing on the stories of real people, as well as decades of clinical practice and the latest medical research, Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan overturns long held assumptions and transforms how we think about illness and health.'Compassionate and bracingly independent thinking' - THE TIMES'Exceptional. Chapter by brilliant chapter, it raises fundamental questions we should all be asking.' - NEW STATESMAN*As heard on Radio 4 Book of the Week, Today, Good Morning Britain, Sky News and more.*
£10.99
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Warhead
'Lively, ingenious and original' - Sir Lawrence Freedman'Eye-opening . . . a powerful argument' - Mail on SundayDiscover the new science behind warfare, from Dr Nicholas Wright, leading neuroscientist and adviser to the Pentagon.Why did France lose to the Nazis, despite its defenders having more tanks, troops and guns? How did Ukraine repel Russia's initial onslaught? How do you know if you can trust an ally? How can we make clearer decisions under pressure?In Warhead, Nicholas Wright takes us on a fascinating journey through the brain to show us why, if we want to understand warfare, we must first look inside our own heads. Drawing on his work as a neuroscientist and over a decade spent advising the Pentagon and the UK government, he reveals how, whether we like it or not, the brain is wired for conflict - in the office or on the battlefield.With a unique framework that helps explain today's rising tensions and how to defuse them, Warhead brings cutting-edge research to life through stories from across history. What was it like for a foot soldier at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815? How did Shaka Zulu or Winston Churchill see through the fog of conflict, make better decisions and communicate with their troops? How will human conflict shape our future technologies?In an increasingly dangerous world that threatens our values and success, Warhead is an essential read to understand why we fight, lose and win wars.'A mind-expanding journey . . . invigorating, educational and entertaining' - Peter Pomerantsev, author of How to Win an Information War
£10.99
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This Is Life
'An entertaining, expert guide to the precarious, miraculous and wondrous journey to where we are now' - Dara a Briain'What a fun book! Like having a chat with a friendly scientist over a coffee' - Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the DinosaursWhat is life? How did it first appear? Where else in the universe might we find it?In This Is Life, acclaimed science communicator and Stephen Hawking's former Ph.D. student Christophe Galfard takes you on a wonder-filled journey to look for the origins - and the meaning - of life. From how we know life must have had a beginning, to the extreme evolutionary turns that saw Earth's species grow shields and weapons to fight wars that lasted millennia, This is Life tells the story of how the visionary discoveries of the past few decades have allowed us to understand what we, humans, and all other living organisms really are.Through brilliant storytelling and delightful humour, Galfard makes the secrets of the living world accessible to all. This Is Life will transform the way you see the world, and your place in it.'A gorgeous, glorious romp through the sciences' - David Tong, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge
£22.00
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Not for Disclosure
THE FULL DISCLOSURE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER REVEAL - the most serious and rigorously sourced book ever published on UFOS by a credible, world expert. A hidden history to challenge everything you think you know.'Caplan is one of the greatest legal minds in the world' Daily Mail'A very important book' Talk TV'Sceptics like me have no choice but to read this and decide if we ought to think again' Jeffrey ArcherFor over fifty years, Jonathan Caplan KC has gathered extraordinary testimony from scientists, intelligence officers, politicians and military insiders across the world - assembling what may be the most comprehensive body of evidence yet of a reality long denied. When former US intelligence officer David Grusch testified under oath to Congress in 2023 that the United States possesses crashed non-human craft, global attention shifted overnight. But the full story has been kept from the public. Until now.Caplan uncovers a pattern of secrecy stretching from covert Cold War programmes to alleged presidential briefings and clandestine recovery operations. Spanning sightings, encounters and abductions, and drawing on declassified documents, eyewitness testimony and insider claims, the book explores explosive allegations linking UAP knowledge to figures such as JFK, alongside newly revealed material on secret meetings involving Truman-era officials and the shadowy 'Majestic 12' group. Some who came close to the truth, Caplan suggests, paid the ultimate price.Yet the most profound question remains: are these phenomena visitors - or something far closer, watching and interacting with us in ways we barely understand?Meticulously researched, utterly gripping and impossible to ignore, Not For Disclosure is a landmark work that pulls back the curtain on what could be the greatest cover-up in human history.
£22.00
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Togetherness
An awe-inspiring exploration of how symbiosis can change the way we understand our world, ourselves and our future'Absolutely enthralling' BILL BRYSON'A joyful book, of hope and wonder, which celebrates community as the true key to success in nature' STEVE BRUSATTEFrom evolution to capitalism, 'survival of the fittest' has shaped our view of the world. But we got it wrong - and our mistake has brought us to the brink.For the history of life on Earth is much more than a story of competition. The natural world has been forged and sustained by small miracles of co-operation between animals and plants, insects and fungi, fish and bacteria - these partnerships are ubiquitous, lifelong and an essential guide for a better future.In Togetherness, Rowan Hooper reveals the intimate connectedness of nature through these remarkable stories of symbiosis. From the female wasp venturing deep inside a fig and the intricate relationship between corals and the algae that sustain them to the symbiotic gut microbes that influence our moods, he explores how co-operation is fundamental to life itself and to protecting our shared future.Togetherness will change the way you see the world, our place in it and our obligation to its hidden wonders.
£25.00
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The Most Interesting Book in the World
'Charming, hilarious, and guaranteed to make you the most interesting person at any party. Or the most annoying' - Adam Rutherford'Weird and wonderful facts you didn't know you needed. Full of quirky nuggets of information and trivia' - Sun'Joyously bizarre facts in a new book from a QI brainbox' - Daily MailDrawn from a former BBC QI Elf's lifetime's search for the weird and the wonderful, The Most Interesting Book in The World is a miscellany of things too strange to be true, yet somehow are. This remarkable treasury of tales and trivia will whisk you on a jaw-dropping journey through time and space, stopping off to marvel at only the obscure, the startling and the straight-up weird. In it, Edward Brooke-Hitching considers questions such as: Why is a cat technically a liquid and a solid? How did nineteenth-century scientists attempt to signal aliens? Why did the Dutch once eat their prime minister? Nowhere else will you find woven together the stories of the religious leader who attempted to build a robot messiah from a dining table, the anti-gravity 'air-walkers' of Victorian London, and the pirates who rode sheep; or practical advice for correctly exorcising a house and casting ancient love spells, along with recent scientific discoveries like the mould that can navigate a maze and that humans can glow in the dark. A unique hybrid of encyclopaedia, trivia and drunken-bar raconteur, all stitched together in one colossal Frankenstein volume packed full of images and photographs - this is the ultimate must-read for anyone looking to tickle the cortex of their curiosity.
£10.99
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The Secrets of Our DNA
A NEW SCIENTIST BEST NEW SCIENCE BOOK MAY 2026'From the scientist who identified the remains of Richard III, this lively, myth-busting tour of modern genetics unpacks how DNA solves crimes, rewrites history and shapes our lives. It brims with timely questions about what our genes can (and can't) reveal.' - i-paper'Unequivocally expert.' Sunday Times'Combines fascinating history and science with brilliant storytelling' - Professor Alice Roberts, anatomist and bestselling author of Domination'A glimpse into the fascinating world of DNA under the guidance of a true expert…Accessible, enjoyable and thought provoking.' - Professor Sue Black, forensic scientist and bestselling author of All That Remains--------------DNA has become one of the most powerful tools in modern science; From unlocking crime and immigration cases, to ensuring our food and animal safety, to resolving questions of history and archaeology, ancestry and even, for some, identity.In this eye-opening book, Professor Turi King - the scientist who identified the remains of Richard III in a Leicester car park - uncovers how genetics is changing the way we understand the world. Through compelling real-life cases, she shows how DNA has solved crimes, rewritten history, and reshaped ideas of who we are.From the O. J. Simpson trial to mistaken dinosaur DNA, from Dolly the sheep to Angelina Jolie's BRCA1 gene, King brings genetics to life with fascinating examples that reveal what DNA can - and can't - tell us about who we are.She reminds us that while our DNA can reveal a predisposition to certain diseases and conditions, it doesn't determine our future. And, perhaps most importantly, she shows why we all need to be part of the conversation about how new genetic discoveries are used for the benefit of life on Earth.Compelling, compassionate, and entirely captivating, The Secrets of Our DNA is the must-read book about how genetics has changed - and is changing - the world.
£22.00
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Super Natural
A NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Superb... A testament to just how beautiful and wonderful life on Earth is' Times Literary Supplement 'Fascinating' Guardian 'Brilliant' Daily Mail From scorching deserts to frozen seabeds, from the highest peaks of the Himalaya to the hadal depths of the oceans, there are habitats on this Earth that appear inimical to life - yet in which it flourishes nevertheless. During the midday heat of the Sahara, silvery ants sprint from their nests to feed. In North American forests, wood frogs awaken each spring from solid blocks of ice. At the site of the Chernobyl disaster, fungi harness radiation to thrive. Transporting readers to far-flung environments we could never call home, Super Natural paints an awe-inspiring portrait of life's resilience and ingenuity under the harshest circumstances. We meet creatures exquisitely adapted to endure unimaginable deprivations: of water, oxygen, food, sunlight. Alex Riley shows how, at nature's extremes, the rules of life as we know them are rewritten - and how, here, we can find hope for the future of life on Earth, and beyond.
£12.99
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How to Use a Fork
'Beautifully observed, beautifully written . . . an extraordinary journey in science, medicine, and creativity' - Rory Stewart'An incredible voyage of discovery . . . intensely moving and awe-inspiring' - Marina Hyde'Witty, modest and enthralling' - Robert McCrum, author of My Year OffIn How to Use a Fork, the beautiful science of brain plasticity meets remarkable human stories of survival and recovery. We discover the woman who thought her arm was a baby, the man who saw mannequins peering at him through the dark, and the patient who found his way back to human interaction through music. As a medical student, Orlando Swayne was taught that a broken brain doesn't mend. But as a junior doctor, he began to meet patients for whom this was clearly not the case. Intrigued by what he saw, he delved deep into the emerging neuroscience of brain reorganisation, and discovered that over time brain tissue creates new networks and regenerates.Developments in neurology continue to reveal new capabilities that allow functions we thought to be lost to be restored. The key to recovery, a return to some semblance of our previous selves after brain injury, lies in neurorehabilitation: painstaking work that rebuilds shattered lives.Irresistible to anyone who is curious about the mysteries of the brain, How to Use a Fork is a fascinating journey into the outer reaches of human experience.
£20.00
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How to Take Drugs
'This book will change lives. It has changed mine.' Yasmin Alibhai-BrownHow do you know if the medicine you're taking is right for you?Should you worry about side effects, and, if so, how much?And how can you advocate for a loved one when it comes to being prescribed medication?In How to Take Drugs, world-renowned pharmaceutical expert Dr Nick Barber answers these questions and more, explaining how medicines actually work on your body, how they're tested, and why they are often so much less effective than you might think.Dr. Barber's clear 'Avoid, Kiss, Marry, Divorce' framework offers a practical guide for evaluating how your medication is working, and offers solutions - whether you're taking medicines now, facing a new diagnosis, or supporting others with their healthcare.In a world full of contradictory medical information and concerns around over-prescription, it is an essential, eye-opening read.'Likely to be the kind of book we should all have chained to our wrists, given the sheer amount of prescription medicines we are likely to consume in a lifetime.' - New Scientist 'A lively and empowering read, full of deftly explained science, good humour and humanity.' - Dr Lucy Pollock, author of The Book About Getting Older
£22.00
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A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived
This is a story about you. It is the history of who you are and how you came to be. It is unique to you, as it is to each of the 100 billion modern humans who have ever drawn breath. But it is also our collective story, because in every one of our genomes we each carry the history of our species - births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration and a lot of sex. In this captivating journey through the expanding landscape of genetics, Adam Rutherford reveals what our genes now tell us about human history, and what history can now tell us about our genes. From Neanderthals to murder, from redheads to race, dead kings to plague, evolution to epigenetics, this is a demystifying and illuminating new portrait of who we are and how we came to be.
£12.99
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Anaximander and the nature of science
A TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Anaximander is a delight and so is this book' -- James McConnachie, Sunday TimesNow widely available in English for the first time, this is Carlo Rovelli's first book: the thrilling story of a little-known man who created one of the greatest intellectual revolutions Over two thousand years ago, one man changed the way we see the world.Since the dawn of civilization, humans had believed in the heavens above and the Earth below. Then, on the Ionian coast, a Greek philosopher named Anaximander set in motion a revolution. He not only conceived that the Earth floats in space, but also that animals evolve, that storms and earthquakes are natural, not supernatural, that the world can be mapped and, above all, that progress is made by the endless search for knowledge. Carlo Rovelli's first book, now widely available in English, tells the origin story of scientific thinking: our rebellious ability to reimagine the world, again and again.Translated by Marion Lignana Rosenberg
£10.99
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Power Of Habit
There's never been a better time to set new habits. This book will change your life.In The Power of Habit, award-winning journalist Charles Duhigg takes us into the thrilling and surprising world of the scientific study of habits.He examines why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. He visits laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. And he uncovers how the right habits were crucial to the success of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and civil-rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr.The result is a compelling argument and an empowering discovery: the key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive or even building revolutionary companies is understanding how habits work. By harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives.______________________________'[An] essential manual for business and living.' Andrew Hill, Financial Times'Once you read this book, you'll never look at yourself, your organisation, or your world quite the same way.' Daniel H. Pink'This is a first-rate book - based on an impressive mass of research, written in a lively style and providing just the right balance of intellectual seriousness with practical advice on how to break our bad habits.' The Economist
£11.99
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Brainjacking
Brainjacking takes us on a journey through advertising and marketing's attempts to understand and influence our thoughts and desires, from the earliest billboards to the technologies of the future.
£10.99
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Our Brains, Our Selves
What makes us who we are? Is it our background that creates our identities? Or our families, where we lived, how we were brought up and educated, the jobs we've held? Yes, all of the above, but more fundamental than any of these is our brain. This is never more evident than if we lose even a single one of our cognitive abilities. People who develop a brain disorder can find that their identity, their sense of self, can undergo dramatic changes. Through the stories of seven of his patients, neurologist Masud Husain shows us how our brains create our identity, how that identity can be changed, and sometimes even be restored. Among the people we encounter is a man who ran out of words, a woman who stopped caring what others thought of her and another who, losing her memory, started to believe she was having an affair with the man who was really her husband.
£10.99
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Animate
A wide-ranging exploration of how animals have wired our brains and shaped the way we live, from the cave art of the earliest humans to the most cutting edge of contemporary neuroscience.
£22.00
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Life on a Little-Known Planet
We join Kolbert on the road as she travels to the places most affected by global warming, such as Greenland's rapidly melting icesheets and Utah's shrinking lakes. On the way, we encounter newly discovered species and the last living members of others. We learn how to bring animals back from the brink of extinction, and see the power of rewilding up-close. We also meet many brilliant and dedicated individuals who are steering us towards a better future: scientists harnessing AI to talk to whales; activists lobbying for the rights of nature; and ordinary people making extraordinary moves, like the Samso islanders leading a completely carbon-neutral life. Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our age. The natural world is changing profoundly, and the threats to our planet will only grow more serious. Now is the time to deepen our understanding of our world - and to act, while we still can.
£25.00
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Night Sky Almanac 2026
"Both delightful and useful."David Stickland, The Observatory"Follow the progress of constellations throughout the seasons with this stunning companion to the night sky."All About Space
£9.99
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Love Machines
As millions of us welcome AI into our daily lives, what does it mean to have a relationship with an artificial companion? Beyond those who are using chatbots for everyday tasks, others are turning to them as friends, mentors and therapists, as well as sexual and romantic partners. Some are men who are preparing to adopt children with their AI partners; others are reaching out to companies offering 'deathbot' services based on a deceased loved one's text messages and voicemails; others still look to therapy bots to find treatment for their mental health issues. In 'Love Machines', James Muldoon examines these new forms of love, intimacy and connection, drawing on myriad interviews with users and developers from around the world - as well as psychologists, academics and chatbots themselves.
£12.99
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Physics for Cats
Tom Gauld returns with 'Physics for Cats', his second collection of science-based cartoons for the New Scientist. Find out why every scientist worth their sodium chloride has a Tom Gauld cartoon taped to their electron microscope. This batch of hilarious gags will be as important to every self-respecting scientist as a lab coat and goggles and oversize rubber gloves.
£16.99
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