General Books : Science

In 1954, a young television presenter was offered the opportunity of a lifetime - to travel the world finding rare and elusive animals for London Zoo's collection, and to film the expeditions for the BBC.

This is the story of those voyages. Staying with local tribes while trekking in search of giant anteaters in Guyana, Komodo dragons in Indonesia and armadillos in Paraguay, he and the rest of the team battled with cannibal fish, aggressive tree porcupines and escape-artist wild pigs, as well as treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather, to record the incredible beauty and biodiversity of these regions. The methods may be outdated now, but the fascination and respect for the wildlife, the people and the environment - and the importance of protecting these wild places - is not.

Written with his trademark wit and charm, Zoo Quest is not just the story of a remarkable adventure, but of the man who made us fall in love with the natural world, and who is still doing so today.

ISBN: 9781473664968
Publication date: 27/02/2018
Price: $27.99
Author: Attenborough, Sir David
Format: Paperback

Ageless is a guide to the science driving biology's biggest story: why we get old, and how we can stop it.

Ageing - not cancer, not heart disease - is the world's leading cause of death and suffering. We accept as inevitable that as we get older our bodies and minds begin to deteriorate, and we are increasingly likely to be struck by dementia or disease. Ageing is so deeply ingrained in human experience that we never think to ask: is it necessary?

Biologists, on the other hand, have been investigating that question for years.

Ageless introduces us to the cutting-edge research that is paving the way for a revolution in medicine. It takes us inside the laboratories where scientists are studying every aspect of the body - DNA, mitochondria, stem cells, our immune systems, even longevity genes that have helped animals to a tenfold increase in lifespan - all in an effort to forestall or reverse our decline.

Computational biologist Andrew Steele explains what is happening as we age and practical ways we can help slow down the process. He reveals how understanding the scientific implications of ageing could lead to the greatest discovery in the history of medicine - one that has the potential to improve billions of lives, save trillions of dollars, and transform the human condition.

ISBN: 9781526608291
Publication date: 24/12/2020
Price: $32.99
Author: Steele, Andrew
Format: Trade Paperback

Artificial intelligence is rapidly dominating every aspect of our modern lives influencing the news we consume, whether we get a mortgage, and even which friends wish us happy birthday. But as algorithms make ever more decisions on our behalf, how do we ensure they do what we want? And fairly?

This conundrum - dubbed 'The Control Problem' by experts - is the subject of this timely and important book. From the AI program which cheats at computer games to the sexist algorithm behind Google Translate, bestselling author Brian Christian explains how, as AI develops, we rapidly approach a collision between artificial intelligence and ethics. If we stand by, we face a future with unregulated algorithms that propagate our biases - and worse - violate our most sacred values. Urgent and fascinating, this is an accessible primer to the most important issue facing Al researchers today.

ISBN: 9781786494313
Publication date: 03/11/2020
Price: $32.99
Author: Christian, Brian
Format: Trade Paperback

ISBN: 9780241514412
Publication date: 26/08/2021
Price: $12.99
Author: McKibben, Bill
Format: Paperback