Jerry Coyne

Explore the thrilling and terrifying history of genetic engineering with this awe-inspiring and chilling book. As Gods by Matthew Cobb delves into the power of targeting the extinction of pests, altering our own genes, and creating dangerous new versions of diseases. Discover why geneticists have temporarily halted their experiments four times in the last fifty years, and why this revolutionary technology is far too important to be left solely in the hands of scientists. This thought-provoking read asks the question: should we trust them to keep their ingenuity from producing a hellish reality?

Explore the fascinating history of molecular biology and the race to crack the genetic code in Life's Greatest Secret. Follow the journey of mathematician Norbert Wiener, physicist Erwin Schrödinger, information theorist Claude Shannon, and biologists Jacques Monod and Marshall Nirenberg as they struggle to find answers to questions they didn't know they had. Discover how each discovery propelled our understanding of the natural world forward and showed us just how much more we have yet to learn. Ultimately, this is a story of humans exploring what it is that makes us human.

Explore the complex issues surrounding free speech and censorship in "Kindly Inquisitors" by Jonathan Rauch. With a persuasive argument for the value of "liberal science" and the idea that conflicting views produce knowledge, Rauch argues for pluralism over purism. In this expanded edition, Rauch elaborates on his original argument, bringing it up to date in a world where hate speech regulations are growing, both domestically and internationally. Discover how pitting biases and prejudices against each other can foster more fruitful discussions and replace hate with knowledge in our society.

This memoir explores the perils and hardships faced by members of the 1910-1913 British Antarctic Expedition. Apsley Cherry-Garrard, a member of the team, shares his honest account of their disastrous outcome and the struggles they faced, including extreme cold and darkness. One particularly challenging mission was to recover eggs of the Emperor penguin in complete darkness and subzero temperatures. This book has received excellent reviews for its frank portrayal of human suffering under extreme conditions.

This engaging book by Donald R. Prothero explores the fascinating history of transitional forms and series found in the fossil record, with extensive coverage of the primordial soup, dinosaur reign and human evolution. Tackling systematics and cladistics, rock dating, neo-Darwinism, and macroevolution, Evolution describes new transitional fossils in vivid detail, reframing creationism as pseudoscience instead of presenting it as a viable intellectual alternative to sound scientific education. Ideal for scholars, teachers, and general readers interested in sound science in this post-truth era.

Explore the theory of natural selection and evolution in The Blind Watchmaker. Richard Dawkins offers an elegant rebuttal to creationism by illustrating how Darwinian natural selection is an unconscious, automatic process. Using simple organisms to show how complexity, diversity, and beauty developed over time, he asserts that nature's "watchmaker" is blind, operating without foresight or purpose. This seminal text is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand evolution today.

A groundbreaking exploration of natural selection, this book challenges orthodox beliefs by asserting that no species or being has been specifically created. While exploring the harsh competition for survival, it showcases the interrelatedness between animal and plant life, and the environment, offering an inspirational and human perspective. Written with a combination of scientific rigor and literary style, this remains one of the most important works of modern times.

This book tackles the controversial topic of measuring intelligence and the IQ industry. The author, Stephen Jay Gould, dissects the motivations behind those who judge intelligence and worth, and how power maintains itself in the 19th and 20th centuries. Gould's brilliant, funny, and engaging prose is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and politics of IQ testing. This revised and expanded edition includes a critique of The Bell Curve.

Discover the fascinating life and legacy of Charles Darwin, the iconic scientist who still inspires controversy today. With unprecedented access to new material, Janet Browne's two-volume biography offers a vivid and comprehensive portrait of Darwin - exploring how this genteel young man came to challenge religious and scientific norms with his groundbreaking ideas. From struggling with personal demons to experiencing the exhilaration of discovery, Browne's dramatic retelling of Darwin's life sheds new light on one of history's most influential figures.