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tial effect of integrative food science on the BOOKS et al. future of modern food development. He ex- Invisible Invisible The Dangerous Allure plains, for example, how flavors develop and Reviewed by Sean P. Rodrigues SUMMER READING evolve during cooking and food processing; of the Unseen describes the complex communication be- In a realm separate from our own, gods, Philip Ball tween taste buds and the hypothalamus; and mystics, and prophets hold the power of in- University of Chicago Press, Summer books for the science-minded even delves into the philosophical facets of visibility. Here in this world, humans have 2015. 330 pp. culinary delight and disgust. Anecdotes from made it a mission to achieve this imponder- Packed with adventure, intrigue, and even a romance or two, this year’s picks feature all the fun of a good “summer read” kitchens, food corporations, science laborato- able phenomenon, resorting to fraud, illu- without the fluff. Join a quest to find the elusive, endangered saola in a remote mountain range in Laos, or reflect on a life ries, and food markets add to the vivid feel of sions, and optical physics in an attempt to Invisible also brings to light the more un- spent unlocking the secrets of the mind with the incomparable Oliver Sacks. Tag along on a trek to the rainiest place on the book and, for the most part, are woven mimic invisibility. Invisible: The Dangerous usual pursuits of some of science’s most in- well into the scientific narrative. Allure of the Unseen, by Philip Ball, recounts fluential minds. For instance, we learn that earth, embark on a sci-fi space odyssey, or explore the rich ecosystem surrounding a derelict farm in the heart of France. His explanations render complicated sci- humanity’s fixation with invisibility and its the English physicist J. J. Thomson—who Is digital currency poised to change the world? How does our sense of taste divide the world into delight and disgust? entific approaches accessible and digestible uncanny prevalence in society throughout contributed to the discovery of the electron Why are we obsessed with invisibility, and how have advances in optics and metamaterials brought us closer to attaining it? (pun intended) for lay readers. Perhaps as a time. at the turn of the 20th century—was also These answers and more await you in the books reviewed below. result of trying to appeal to a wider audience, Ball begins with the fictional story of interested in telepathy. Although we may at times his explanations remain too vague— Gyges—a shepherd who stumbles upon a ring regard telepathy with amusement today, for example, when he refers to the olfactory of invisibility and uses it to seduce the queen, Thomson believed the brain acted as both a begun to gain the attention it deserves. In bulb as “just a single synapse removed from slay the king, and install himself as the new transmitter and a receiver of unseen infor- Tasty his book Tasty: The Art and Science of What Tasty the neocortex”—and not always accurate, as ruler. The tale, as told by Plato, sets the stage mation and dedicated a great deal of research Reviewed by Pina Fritz We Eat, John McQuaid places taste in the The Art and Science when he makes the claim that sugars in a for the book’s text by introducing the motiva- to the topic. He was a long-standing member foreground, arguing that flavor is “the most of What We Eat coffee bean break down into “water, carbon tions that underlie our desire for invisibility, of the Society for Psychical Research, an or- Sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami—sen- important ingredient at the core of what we John McQuaid dioxide, fatty acids, and an assortment of fla- including power, sex, and murder. The book ganization dedicated to supporting scholarly sations we experience every day, dividing are” and that smell is “the biological cur- Scribner, 2015. 301 pp. vor compounds” when roasted. goes on to describe a series of tales of crooks, research into human experiences that chal- the world into delight and disgust. But rency of feeling and action.” Overall, however, the book is highly en- frauds, and sages claiming to possess powers lenge contemporary scientific models. how do we actually perceive these quali- Tracing a path from single-celled crea- joyable and interesting, encouraging us to of invisibility or equivocal sorcery. In chapter 8, Ball unearths details regard- ties? How did the tasting sense develop tures that lack a centralized processing combining taste buds on the tongue and ol- think more deeply about the question we ask Having previously served as an editor ing James Clerk Maxwell’s efforts to disprove over millions of years? And how does it center for flavor cues; through the jawless factory receptors in the nose, we learn, the from day to day: “Honey, what’s for dinner?” at the journal Nature, Ball provides an au- the second law of thermodynamics in the influence our food habits? hagfish, an eel-like vertebrate that detects perception of manifold flavors in the brain 10.1126/science.aab2361 thoritative account of science’s most recent late 19th century. Motivated by his Catholic Great intellectuals such as Plato and its decomposing dinner via taste bud–like as we know it today became possible. progress in the quest to emulate invisibil- Kant discarded taste as an unsophisticated organs coupled to the brain; to the mod- McQuaid uses insights from the fields ity—including advances in metamaterials, The reviewer is at the School of Electrical and Computer sense. Only recently have scientists revealed ern human, he examines how the sense of of neuroscience, psychology, chemistry, and The reviewer is at Food Concept and Physical Design, “The Mill,” metal-dielectric nanoengineered structures, Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

its complexity and importance, and it has taste developed throughout evolution. By biology to give a good overview of the poten- UNCLE JÖRN KASPUHL/DUTCH ILLUSTRATION: CH-4112 Flüh, Switzerland. E-mail: [email protected] and advanced camera-display techniques. 30332, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

1306 19 JUNE 2015 • VOL 348 ISSUE 6241 sciencemag.org SCIENCE SCIENCE sciencemag.org 19 JUNE 2015 • VOL 348 ISSUE 6241 1307 INSIGHTS | BOOKS faith, Maxwell sought to reconcile the idea of this trap, remaining both pragmatic about free will with “a universe heading inexorably The Last Unicorn the livelihoods of indigenous populations towards an inert, lifeless state.” In 1867, he A Search for One of Earth’s and horrified by the unbridled extraction of sketched a theory in which unseen devices, Rarest Creatures the forest’s rich biological resources. He so- later called “demons,” would decrease the William deBuys berly notes that areas such as the Annamite overall entropy of the universe. Little, Brown, 2015. 363 pp. Mountains “have so much further to fall” The book also captures how fantastical in terms of biodiversity that could be lost concepts molded a path for science to take than, for example, the temperate forests of form. For instance, in chapter 2, Ball intro- a perspective stubbornly resist attempts to his childhood in the United States. duces the occult forces known as vortices and be rationalized: Some see nature as provid- Part action adventure, part an explora- vectors, which would later become known as ing irreplaceable services, others see it as tion of loss, this book is a journey for both electricity and magnetism. This blurred line housing as-yet-undiscovered biological in- the heart and the mind. between magic and science continued to novations, and still others believe that the 10.1126/science.aab2165 exist even into the early 1900s, when Gug- aesthetics of the natural world alone en- lielmo Marconi and Thomas Edison “pro- dow it with great value. Although deBuys fessed to be investigating devices that would addresses these arguments directly in his make electronic contact with the dead” via writing, it is telling that we learn so much The Age of Cryptocurrency radio technology. Ball presents such a cap- about how humans interact with nature How Bitcoin and tivating fusion of fiction and nonfiction that during the incidental moments of despair, Digital Money the reader must analyze the transcendental awe, and hope that bubble up throughout Are Challenging the nature of science, religion, and magic and the expedition’s narrative. Global Economic Order is left with a sense of uncertainty about the So why look to protect the saola? It is cer- Paul Vigna and fabric of today’s science. tainly in need, as it is critically threatened by Michael J. Casey Invisible exemplifies Ball’s compelling both hunting and the loss of its natural habi- St. Martin’s, 2015. 367 pp. craft of narrative, providing a seamless as- tat. Another potential reason is that it has, Oliver Sacks, 1956 sembly of historical, cultural, and scientific over time, become isolated from its closest tales, thus synthesizing a compendium of relatives (bison and buffalo) and represents a general theme stays the same despite the October 2013, Roberts was identified as knowledge about invisibility. Despite Plato’s long, unique evolutionary path—a rare event The Age of situation: Bitcoin subverts the mainstream Ross Ulbricht, a Texas native living in San On the Move warnings, it seems nothing will prevent hu- in nature reserved for the likes of the platy- banking system, affording the user more Francisco. On 29 May 2015, Ulbricht was A Life mans from pursuing the feat of the unseen. pus, the horseshoe crab, and the coelacanth. Cryptocurrency control over his or her money. sentenced to life in prison for his role in Oliver Sacks 10.1126/science.aab2187 We know little about evolutionarily isolated Reviewed by Marie Vasek Technical details are interwoven with operating the Silk Road. Knopf, 2015. 442 pp. species and their specific roles within the eco- stories about the people behind the en- The book ends on an optimistic note. system, and until we know more, their conser- Given the narrow lens through which the abling technology. We are introduced to We are left with a vision of the future as a The Last Unicorn vation would seem prudent. online payment system known as Bitcoin is the “cypherpunks,” a mailing list of cryp- peer-to-peer world, where the ideologies of ters with patients displaying unusual neuro- Reviewed by David W. Redding But moving from a desire to protect to- typically presented, casual observers could tography-inclined people who write code to Bitcoin are not just confined to payments logical conditions (2, 3). Here, however, he ward effective action is often fraught with be forgiven for mistaking it for a white, incite social change, of which Nakamoto is but spread across other industries. As the reflects eloquently, and with a more direct An expedition to find a live unicorn would problems. Indeed, this book offers valuable libertarian cult revolving around the idol a part. Here, the authors cannot resist mus- authors proclaim, “[w]e may well be on focus, on his own past, detailing how his certainly seem foolhardy. Fortunately, in his insights into the wholly compromised and Satoshi Nakamoto. Much of the media cov- ing about the identity of the mysterious, the verge of a profound societal upheaval, love of writing and discovery has influenced latest book, The Last Unicorn: A Search for often chaotic world of field surveying and erage of the digital currency phenomenon pseudonymous Bitcoin creator. Many of the perhaps the most significant since the six- his personal and professional life. Sacks re- One of Earth’s Rarest Creatures, William the reality of conservation in a remote en- can be summarized as either an elaborate important people involved in this movement teenth century.” We might. Or perhaps Bit- fers to himself as “a storyteller, for better or deBuys attempts a slightly more achievable musing on the real-life identity of Nakamoto are subjected to an analysis of why they may coin will go the way of peer-to-peer music worse” and one who finds his greatest joy aim: accompanying conservation biologist or something that reads like a multilevel or may not be Nakamoto, and we are left to file sharing on Napster, which gave way to through writing. This passion for storytell- William Robichaud to the Annamite Moun- marketing scheme. wonder whether he or she is an influential the centralized iTunes service. Only time ing is what compelled him to help revive tains on the Laos-Vietnam border in search The Age of Cryptocurrency is a welcome cryptographer, a designer of a centralized will tell. the lost art of the anecdotal case study in of the elusive saola. This recently discov- break from this tradition. The first part of digital currency, or perhaps even a group of 10.1126/science.aab2001 medical literature. The style was not always ered species is most straightforwardly de- the book discusses how Bitcoin works tech- individuals from these communities. well received by many in the medical com- scribed as an ox that looks like an oryx, nically, as well as some history behind the Although most of the book is dedicated munity, but Sacks remained true to it, be- or an antelope-like cow. It is a ghostlike ani- centralized digital currencies that predated to the (arguably) good things that Bitcoin On the Move lieving that a greater understanding of the mal with two curving, sabre-like horns and it. It begins with a tale about Afghani wom- enables, the authors also delve into the Reviewed by Benjamin Combs condition was possible through detailed de- a natural history that we know practically en, empowered through Bitcoin to earn and troubles facing the digital currency move- scriptions of a patient’s life as well as their nothing about. save their own money. (Although traditional ment. We mourn the demise of the first A schoolmaster once wrote that Oliver Sacks, symptoms. The book reads like a gripping travel- banking systems in Afghanistan do not serve major Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, which then a 12-year old student, “will go far, if he Sacks also applied this method to ex- ogue, but it also operates at a deeper lev- “How do you save a ghost if you are not sure it women, using Bitcoin only requires one to was launched in July 2010 in Tokyo and does not go too far.” These words proved pre- plain the inner workings of the human el, leading us to question how we choose exists?” asks William deBuys have computer access.) The book goes on to handled 70% of all Bitcoin trading by 2013. scient, as that child grew into a preeminent mind. At one point, he discusses Gerald which species to conserve, how growing tell other stories about the Bitcoin user base, After being hacked numerous times, it fi- neurologist and widely read author, who of- Edelman’s theory of consciousness, which human populations can fit into a fractur- vironment. The central chapters are replete taking the reader from a hacker cooperative nally collapsed in early 2014. We also learn ten struggled to stay within the professional posited that consciousness is purely a bio- ing landscape, and how to value nature in with lost trails, diminishing rations, and the in San Francisco, California, that is build- about a mysterious entrepreneur known and personal expectations held by others. logical phenomenon, arising from complex the light of widespread poverty. A desire to increasingly conflicting needs and expecta- ing the next generation of Bitcoin applica- by the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts” Sacks, who recently announced that he has cellular processes within the brain. He felt conserve the natural world is one shared by tions of the crew and local communities. tions to a money changer in Barbados who is and the online marketplace he created, terminal cancer (1), looks back at an excep- that the theory was revolutionary but was many, but the underlying reasons for such When describing those living at the coal- using Bitcoin to avoid currency controls. The known as the Silk Road. Shut down in late tional life and career in his captivating new frustrated at Edelman’s dense writing style, face of biodiversity loss in the tropics, there 2013, the Silk Road exclusively accepted autobiography, On the Move. is a temptation for condescension: pitting Bitcoin (and predominantly sold drugs). Readers of Sacks know he is no stranger The reviewer is at the Centre for Biodiversity and Environment The reviewer is at the Department of Computer Science and The reviewer is in the Department of Translational Science and Research, University College London, Gower Street, London, enlightened westerners against the be- Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, The authors cite it as a key player in the to writing about himself, having previously Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI

UK. E-mail: [email protected] nighted locals. De Buys does not fall into USA. E-mail: [email protected] BRENDANSCOTTWENZEL ILLUSTRATION: COHEN CHARLES PHOTO: introduction of Bitcoin to the masses. In written several books detailing his encoun- 49503, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

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for its optimism and for Stephenson’s deci- the role that rain has played in the creation Seveneves sion to make its most capable, decisive, and of art, including the works of Charles Dick- A Buzz in the Meadow Neal Stephenson intelligent characters women. I plan to be ens, Emily Dickinson, Frédéric Chopin, The The Natural History Morrow, 2015. first in line to read the sequel. Smiths, Nirvana, and Woody Allen. of a French Farm 867 pp. 10.1126/science.aab1992 A common theme among a number of Dave Goulson Barnett’s vignettes is humans’ attempts Picador, 2015. 281 pp. to control and respond to rain—whether plunges humanity into a desperate race to through costly early geoengineering pro- establish space habitats before the inevi- Rain grams that bombed “the hell out of the skies” ginnings of the field of genetics and flies to table sterilization of Earth. A Natural and Cultural History to make it rain or the building of massive le- highlight the mismanagement of landfills. The ensuing drama provides a fascinat- Cynthia Barnett vees to control the natural floodplains of the In the second part of the book, Goulson ing exploration of how environment shapes Crown, 2015. 366 pp. Mississippi River, the construction of which weaves tales of complex interactions between human society and remolds its moral norms. killed many workers. Her examples demon- plants, animals, and fungi to illustrate the What constitutes power aboard a space sta- strate how our attempts to manipulate rain’s interconnectedness of life. He closes with tion with no guns or police? Should individ- natural life cycle are often costly, dangerous, an examination of the many factors that can ual rights be redefined in an environment Rain and ultimately ineffective. lead to the decline and eventual extinction of where a single person’s actions could extin- Reviewed by Rachel McCrary Although it is not the main focus of the species, focusing particularly on bumblebees, guish the entire species? Stephenson engag- book, Barnett also touches pointedly on the which he has studied throughout his scientific ingly tackles such issues, ranging from the Ask atmospheric scientists and meteorolo- issue of human-caused climate change, sug- career. His conclusions are grim: We have, he philosophical to the psychological, all while gists why they study the skies and most gesting that while the issue “frightens and claims, been culpable in the mass extinction interspersing a healthy dose of heinous will tell a story about a childhood obses- divides us,” the topic of rain—whether too of life on Earth since the beginning of our deaths to keep things lively. sion with rainfall or a vivid experience with much or not enough—“brings us together.” evolution. But Goulson’s goal—“to encourage As one might expect for a space habitat unique or extreme weather. With Rain: A The book culminates with her personal trek everyone to cherish what we have, and to il- orbiting in a debris cloud, many crises that Natural and Cultural History, Cynthia Bar- to visit the rainiest place on Earth—Cher- lustrate what wonders we stand to lose if we the characters must overcome are puzzles in nett will make a rain fanatic out of anyone, rapunji, India—where monsoon rains have do not change our ways”—is clear and reso- In Seveneves, science fiction orbital mechanics. Stephenson provides de- not just self-described weather aficionados. traditionally been celebrated for the life nates throughout the book. writer Neal Stephenson lightful analogies for the relevant physical In many ways, the book is the biography of they breathe into the world. Who knows Many of the life histories, species interac- considers what would happen if principles and does a remarkable job build- a vital natural phenomenon. It tells the story how much longer this will continue, as dry humankind was forced to leave ing the drama and bringing these moments of how rain has helped shape Earth’s natu- spells become longer and extreme flooding Earth in order to survive. alive (not a trivial task for phenomena that ral landscape as well as human civilization. becomes commonplace. often unfold on time scales longer than a Through her approachable and engaging writ- 10.1126/science.aab2097 human lifetime). ing, Barnett tells this eclectic story by com- which was impenetrable to many readers. journals and letters he has saved. Many of As a specialist in orbital mechanics, I bining science and history with humor, anec- Feeling that relevant case studies could these letters illuminate a complicated rela- found myself furiously scribbling equations dotes, poetry, and personal travel adventures. A Buzz in the Meadow have helped, much of Sacks’s subsequent tionship with his family, including impos- as I read—only to find out on the next page Starting with the violent imagery of the Reviewed by Michelle Duennes writing used real examples to bolster Edel- ing parents, a schizophrenic brother, and an that Stephenson had obviously made the first rains on Earth, Barnett moves rapidly man’s arguments so as to make them ac- encouraging and insightful aunt. same calculation. In fact, I am currently at forward through time, framing humans as As urban centers grow around the world, cessible to a wider audience. This is one of Sacks has written an intimate and mov- a scientific conference on orbital dynam- truly remarkable for our “ability to adapt to more people are living farther from natural several examples in which Sacks served as a ing account of a life full of remarkable ex- ics, and over dinner (funnily enough at the any conditions the atmosphere blows our and agrarian spaces than ever before. Dave bridge between different worlds. He carried periences. His passion for life and learning same place where one of the book’s main way,” from long periods of drought to exces- Goulson’s A Buzz in the Meadow provides a on friendships with great scientists, such infuses the reader with a desire to stay “on characters sees the moon explode) we spent sive rainfall. glimpse into these spaces that often go un- as Francis Crick, but also with great poets, the move,” just as he has done for more than half an hour arguing—not over our research Barnett captivates the reader through her noticed, exploring the natural histories of Biologist Dave Goulson urges us to cherish and such as W. H. Auden and Thom Gunn. 80 years. but rather over the orbital mechanics in unique way of finding a human face to de- the flora and fauna on a farm in the French protect life in all its forms. In addition to medical and literary inter- Seveneves. Whatever the standard is for scribe historical climate and weather events. countryside. Along the way, the book takes REFERENCES ests, Sacks had a taste for wilder pursuits. 1. O. Sacks, My own life: Oliver Sacks on learning he has hard science fiction, surely Stephenson has She writes about the human sacrifices of the many unexpected turns to much broader tions, and ecological concepts outlined in this During his youth, he was a fervent motor- terminal cancer, New York Times, 19 February 2015, A25. blown it out of the water. Aztecs, which were intended to help end (and sometimes very personal) tales of sci- book can be found elsewhere in published cyclist and spent time training as a serious 2. O. Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (Sum- One can always find aspects to quibble devastating drought, as well as the witches entific discovery. literature, but what stands out are the deeply mit Books, New York, 1985). weightlifter (he set a California state pow- 3. O. Sacks, Awakenings (Summit Books, New York, 1973). over—some important scenes end rather who served as scapegoats for the centuries Goulson, a biologist by training, begins personal insights Goulson provides into the erlifting record in 1961). Sacks also explored 10.1126/science.aab1988 abruptly (or are omitted altogether), only to of destructive rainfall that fell over Europe the book with a tour of Chez Nauche, the life of a scientist. When discussing the many the emerging drug culture of the 1960s, be explained later to the reader. Also, the during the Little Ice Age. Through her words, abandoned farm he purchased in the Char- species he has studied over his career, he eventually overcoming an addiction to am- idea that some technologies from the first we get a taste of how passionate early weath- ente region of southwestern France. He gives chronicles the trials, small victories, and fail- phetamines. Seveneves half of the book would be recognizable 5000 er recorders such as Thomas Jefferson and engaging accounts of the natural histories of ures of a young biologist. He also reveals the Sacks was not a great student, consis- years later—the time period in which the George James Symons were about keeping the newts, dragonflies, mantises, and other triumphs and frustrations that can come from Reviewed by Daniel Tamayo tently ranking at the bottom of his under- second half of the book is set—seems rather track of the rain’s comings and goings. animals he encounters, which are meant to attempting to communicate important scien- graduate class at Oxford University, but he Neal Stephenson’s latest novel wastes little improbable. She pauses to share quirky anecdotes, inspire readers to explore their own yards. tific research to nonplussed policymakers and was talented enough to win a prestigious time getting started—in the first sentence, Despite these minor issues, Seveneves describing, for example, the initial disdain Goulson hopes that in doing so, they will be- members of the public. His experiences will essay contest entered on a drunken lark. the Moon blows up. But this isn’t a Star is a thrilling page-turner, overflowing with for umbrellas in Europe and recounting the gin to value not only the “large charismatic, resonate with many scientists and will provide He brings the same keen eye for detail to Wars–style explosion; it’s a softer kind of beautifully crafted puzzles and permeated story of the quest to create waterproof cloth- furry or feathery creatures, often living on the general reader with an interesting and ac- a journal entry about a weekend spent at cataclysm. The breakup of the Moon ig- with thorny philosophical questions. The ing, which ultimately resulted in the iconic the other side of the world, glimpsed only in cessible glimpse into the life of a naturalist. a seedy truck stop while hitching a ride to nites a self-reinforcing catastrophe as the novel is also remarkably refreshing, both Macintosh. In a particularly memorable chap- television documentaries” but also smaller, fa- 10.1126/science.aab1819 New York as he does to case descriptions of ejecta collide and fragment into an ever- ter, “Writers on the Storm,” Barnett explores miliar organisms that affect our environment patients with postencephalitic parkinson- growing swarm of debris (the same fate in profound ways. He makes special examples The reviewer is at the Centre for Planetary Sciences, University The reviewer is at the Department of Entomology, University of ism. Throughout his life, he has remained we are desperately trying to avoid for our of Toronto at Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada. The reviewer is at the National Center for Atmospheric of the insect species living on the farm, using Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. E-mail: PHOTO: ANVAY NAKADE/FLICKR ANVAY PHOTO: a prolific writer and describes stacks of current fleet of artificial satellites). This E-mail: [email protected] TOBIN AND PAUL BEN HAWKER RESEARCH: CREATIVE PEARCE; CHRISTIAN LEAD ILLUSTRATOR: STEPHENSON; © NEAL WORKSHOP; WETA BY ILLUSTRATIONS Research, Boulder, CO 80305, USA. E-mail: [email protected] meadow brown butterflies to explain the be- [email protected]

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