Popular Science Books Periodic tales: The curious lives of the elements by Hugh Aldersey-Williams Fascinating stories and unexpected information about the building blocks of our universe – everything is made of them, including you. Paradox: The nine greatest enigmas in physics by Jim Al-Khalili A tour of the author’s favourite mind-expanding puzzles and conundrums taking us through some of the greatest hits of science. Alex through the looking glass by Alex Bellos A journey of mathematical discovery demonstrating how numbers have come to be our friends and how they have changed our world. The particle at the end of the universe by Sean Carroll An insight into the rivalry and wonder that fuelled the Higgs discovery and a riveting and irresistible ride to the very edge of physics today. What a wonderful world by Marcus Chown This lucid, witty and hugely entertaining title explains the basics of our essential existence and brings us up to speed on how the world of the 20th century works. Why does E=mc2? by Brian Cox An engaging and accessible explanation of Einstein’s equation that considers the real meaning behind the iconic sequence of symbols. The selfish gene by Richard Dawkins This classic and influential work articulates a gene’s eye view of evolution and has generated much debate and stimulated whole new areas of research. How many socks make a pair? by Rob Eastaway Behind this question lies a world of maths that can be surprising and amusing as the author demonstrates the secret beauties of maths in the most mundane objects. The information by James Gleick This prize-winning book is a fascinating account of the modern age’s defining idea and a brilliant exploration of how information has revolutionised our lives. Bad science by Ben Goldacre This wise and witty bestseller lifts the lid on quack doctors, flaky statistics, scaremongering journalists and evil pharmaceutical corporations. Sapiens: a brief history of humankind by Yuval Noah Harari This bold and provocative book is a thrilling account of humankind’s extraordinary history and our journey from insignificant apes to rulers of the world. A brief history of time: From big bang to black holes by Stephen Hawking An internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of the world’s greatest thinkers this title continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. Life ascending: The ten great inventions of evolution by Nick Lane A gripping and lucid account of the ingenuity of nature – a fascinating book for anyone interested in life and evolution and how these discoveries were made. Decoding the heavens by Jo Marchant The epic adventure story of the quest to understand the 'Antikythera mechanism’ an ancient computer recovered from a shipwreck dating from about 70 BC. Stuff matters by Mark Miodownik This title reveals the inner workings of the man-made world, the miracles of craft, design, engineering and ingenuity that surround us every day. Stiff: The curious lives of human cadavers by Mary Roach What happens to your body after you have died? This bold and original book tells us everything we wanted to know about this new frontier in medical science. The incredible unlikeliness of being by Alice Roberts The latest research uncovers the evolutionary history hidden in all of us, from the secrets found only in our embryos and genes, to those visible in your anatomy. The Simpsons and their mathematical secrets by Simon Singh The author explains how the brilliant writers of The Simpsons have smuggled in mathematical jokes throughout the cartoon's twenty-five year history. The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot A fascinating and harrowing book recounting the search of the soul and story of a real woman, whose cells live on today in all four corners of the world. Longitude by Dava Sobel The dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution of how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. Adventures in the Anthropocene by Gaia Vince We are entering a new geological age - the Anthropocene, or Age of Man. These are extraordinary and uplifting stories of human invention from all over the world. .