Science

An detailed account of the bigger picture around the astronomer’s discoveries interests Robyn Arianrhod

The big players in finance and technology misuse their power over our lives, says Paul Bernal

Simon Underdown on a tale of the development of evolutionary theory

Laurence Coupe on an ambitious and challenging exploration of the ecology of the past

A biography of a secretive scientist comes with a cast worthy of a le Carré novel, says Jon Turney

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

John Gilbey is fascinated by the unseen fibre-optic communications cables that gird the globe

The lows and highs of a ‘rock star’ scholar cracking an impossible problem enthral Noel-Ann Bradshaw

The authors’ case for a cosmology in crisis is infinitely plausible, finds Jon Turney

Laurence Coupe relishes inspiring reflections on the natural world’s relationship with language

Peter Wothers revels in a treasure trove of ‘wrong’ chemistry and great history

A history of the steps humans took to explain how and why things work delights Cait MacPhee

Tony Mann discovers the charisma of mathematicians

A manual for ambitious executives is dangerously close to spreading neuromyths, says Steven Rose

Janet Sayers admires a detective-like tale of the psychoanalyst and her involvement with Jung and Freud

Isabelle Szmigin on the not-so secret formula underpinning a highly profitable global model

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

A detailed study of perception is a valuable primer on the subject, finds Tristan Bekinschtein

Call it a ‘hypercane’ or a ‘weather bomb’, we’re as much at its mercy as ever, writes Philip Hoare

Helen Bynum admires a physician’s quest to distinguish alternative medicine from quackery

A surgeon finds that what empowers terminally ill patients is humane honesty, finds Helen Bynum

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

Paul Bernal finds much to admire in this compelling examination of the diverse events the group has been involved in

Paul Bernal admires an analysis of the sanctified ‘neutrality’ of the encyclopedia we all love to hate

Elizabeth Chell on a common-sense guide to managing innovation in businesses

John Gilbey on an ambitious and comprehensive look at the changing world of computers

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

Cait MacPhee on an examination of current theories about our history

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

Philip Clarke asks whether ecological issues can be solved by studying aboriginal knowledge

Tim Hall on a travelogue, covering 12 locations, with an abundance of ecological and cultural insights

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

Do tales of derring-do contain tips for surviving in the cubicle jungles? David Green finds out

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

Howard P. Segal on an examination of the accelerating pace of life whose scope extends beyond fast food and computers

Laurence Coupe praises a handbook for ecologically responsible living

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

Philip Hoare admires a terrifying portrait of our impact on the sands that protect us from danger

Steve Redhead on a discussion of play as a means of interacting with the world around us

Maths problems are given an unusual twist when the living dead invade, says Noel-Ann Bradshaw

Are our ever more monitored lives becoming safer as a result? John Gilbey sifts the evidence

Is life on our planet unique in space? And do we know how to find out? Cait MacPhee ponders

Robyn Arianrhod on the complex and contradictory life of the greatest physicist of all time

Biancamaria Fontana on the tangled connections between historical events and mental illness

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

Resisting sexual temptation is one thing, forgoing sweets another. Natalie Gold on a study of restraint

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 lack of disciplinary expertise in digital cultures undermines this study, finds Tara Brabazon

A study of heliocentrism rightly acknowledges the work of Islamic astronomers, writes Peter Barker

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

Jörg Michael Dostal on how the NSS has enabled the US to attain technological leadership to serve its geopolitical objectives

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

Steven Yearley on the economic and ethical reasons for why attempts to prevent climate change have failed

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

Considering different timescales is a fun way to digest serious science, finds Graham Farmelo

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

Shahidha Bari on a deliberately ‘marginal’ life of the grouchy great man of psychoanalysis