Washoe County Library System

"This enlightening illustrated narrative by the world’s most celebrated astrophysicist explains the universe from the solar system to the farthest reaches of space with authority and humor. No one can make the mysteries of the universe more comprehensible and fun than Neil deGrasse Tyson. Drawing on mythology, history, and literature—alongside his trademark wit and charm—Tyson and StarTalk senior producer Lindsey Nyx Walker bring planetary...

"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, a brilliant scientific investigation into owls—the most elusive of birds—and why they exert such a hold on human imagination For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented more than thirty thousand years ago in the Chauvet Cave paintings in southern France. With their forward gaze and quiet...

A tour of the scientific world of liquids is set on an overseas flight and explores the properties and power of examples ranging from molecules and rain to everyday beverages and ocean waves. By the author of Stuff Matters. 75,000 first printing.

"After a few billion years of bearing witness to life on Earth, of watching one hundred billion humans go about their day-to-day lives, of feeling unbelievably lonely, and of hearing its own story told by others, The Milky Way would like a chance to speak for itself. All one hundred billion stars and fifty undecillion tons of gas of it. It all began some thirteen billion years ago, when clouds of gas scattered through the universe's primordial plasma...

"A prescient warning about the mysterious and deadly world of fungi―and how to avert further loss across species, including our own. Fungi are everywhere. Most are harmless; some are helpful. A few are killers. Collectively, infectious fungi are the most devastating agents of disease on earth, and a fungus that can persist in the environment without its host is here to stay. In Blight, Emily Monosson documents how trade, travel, and a changing...

We use our brains at practically every moment of our lives, and yet few of us have the first idea how they work. Much of what we think we know comes from folklore: that we only use 10 percent of our brain, or that drinking kills brain cells. These and other myths are wrong, as shown by neuroscientists who have spent decades studying this complex organ. However, most of what they have learned is not known to the world outside their laboratories. Here,...

"From the author of How Emotions Are Made, a myth-busting primer on the brain, in the tradition of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry"--

An astrophysicist discusses what the latest research on the existence and trajectories of alien civilizations may impart about surviving the challenge of civilization-driven climate change.

Provides updated basic consumer health information about treatment, management, and complications of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, including diet and exercise guidelines and coping strategies. Includes index, glossary of related terms, and other resources.