Biology

Increase led by rise of applications from India and growing popularity of STEM subjects

A new series of short films reveals the often unexpected books that have inspired scientists at Cambridge.

Work to bring creatures back from the dead is a tale of wonder and warning, writes Tiffany Taylor

Ravinder Kanda on a convincing hypothesis written in a witty style

A lupine alliance may have helped Homo sapiens to beat the competition, says Simon Underdown

Ayesha Ahmad on a thoughtful contribution to a controversial debate

Helen Bynum on the exciting and vital ‘molecular chatter’ taking place in the human microbiome

Simon Underdown on a tale of the development of evolutionary theory

Charalambos Kyriacou lauds this account of the life of a humble Nobelist

Simon Underdown on the complicated process by which science replaced religion as means of explaining the world

The Indiana Jones of biology is an engaging guide in this marine detective story, says Philip Hoare

Racial structure is cemented by theories on the fixed nature of the ‘other’, finds Yolanda T. Moses

The folksy charm of these essays threatens to detract from the main argument, says Simon Underdown

The history of vaccinations in the US has as much to do with politics as medicine, says Helen Bynum

Tiffany Taylor on an investigation of the strategies for innovation involved in evolution

Irene Glendinning evaluates a rare study of the effectiveness of STEM widening-participation schemes

Chris Knight on the history of humanity and the myths that shape our civilisations

Euan Clarkson admires an exquisite collection of images of an iconic arthropod’s fossil traces

Simon Underdown extols a study that looks beyond stones and bones to understand how the past shaped the brain

Tiffany Taylor on a captivating and comical look at an often overlooked group of evolutionary survivors

Ellen Carol DuBois extols a study of a scientific theory’s impact on the pursuit of empowerment

A compelling effort to inspire ethical concern for endangered species is marred only by jargon-laden interludes, finds Wenfei Tong

Simon Underdown on a meticulously researched analysis of two camps’ opposing arguments over Darwin’s work

Tiffany Taylor on the emotional and aesthetic responses we share with our hominid ancestors

Brian Hurwitz on the inadequacy of language when it comes to describing physical suffering

Overuse of antibiotics is upsetting the balance of our internal ecosystems, finds Jon Turney

Tim Birkhead advocates long-term scientific studies, particularly for natural selection observations

Sally Lowell on our understanding of embryonic development and the possibilities and responsibilities that have arisen

Tiffany Taylor on a thought-provoking exploration of alcoholism from an evolutionary perspective

Jeremy Black on the provocative thesis that war has permitted the creation of peaceful societies

Niall O’Flaherty on a penetrating and nuanced account of Malthus’ insights and the consequent responses

Jon Turney on an editor whose work with popular science writers helped to re-establish the genre

William Poole on how a culture of literary commonplacing gradually gave way to one of scientific record-keeping

Joanne Dickson on innovative mental health approaches to the understanding and treatment of a global problem

Claire Spottiswoode on the history of modern ornithology and how it has contributed to our understanding of evolution

Simon Underdown on a gripping account of the reconstruction of the first genome recovered from an extinct human species

What will we need to know to reboot civilisation after the apocalypse?, asks Alison Stokes

Jon Turney on the possibilities, real and imagined, of engineering the building blocks of life

Eric Michael Johnson is gripped by an evaluation of what it is to be human and our place in nature

Steve Jones considers a reflection on the Origin of Species’ influence on everything (except biology)

Are tales of incredible animal excursions nonsense or did they shape our world? asks Tiffany Taylor

Nazi ideology may not have adopted evolutionary theory wholesale, but it certainly used its ideas, says Yvonne Sherratt

William Poole enjoys the insights but prefers his prose less florid

Philip Hoare on the global market’s manifest destiny

Helen Bynum on the history of vaccination

Alan Collins considers the ‘reminiscence effect’

Andrew Briggs on an effort to cast down faith-based reasoning

Jules Pretty on a combined autobiography of a field biologist and celebration of nature

Donna Drucker on the relationship between intelligence and sex

Medical advances have coincided with a decline in healthcare for all, finds Dita Wickins-Drazilova

Andy Miah on the pros and cons of humanity 2.0

Jon Turney on the latest scientific findings regarding interactions between life and our planet that do not support the Gaia theory

Tiffany Taylor weighs the evidence of the importance of random changes in species development

Alec Ryrie on an intriguing book that doesn’t do what it says on the tin

Bryony Randall lauds an insightful and overdue study of literary representations of parenting

Simon Underdown on a key battle between science and religion

Tim Birkhead on bird fanciers’ engagement with nature

Jules Pretty explores the oceans that haunt our imaginations

Lewis Dartnell regrets that a discussion of extreme life forms focuses on faint possibility rather than wondrous reality

Michelle Harvey agrees with inspiring advice to young science researchers to never forget what initially attracted them to the discipline