Science and Natural History discussion

November nominations are now open! Choose one of your own books or find inspiration from the group's bookshelf.

- Books must be nonfiction, within our general theme.
- Nominations are open until 15th.
- Please add suggestions using add book/author.
- No more than 3 book suggestions pr. person.
- All recommendations will be featured in a subsequent poll. Done by the 30th.
- Feel free to pitch, especially in the comments at the poll.

Only 3 books? That's evil :(

by John Gaudet.

by Tony Juniper

by Callum Roberts

Rules are made to be broken ;).

Shoot, elentarri, list as many as you want!

Some might think your willingness to comply with the rule shows that you're not an atheist, elentarri? But your study disregards much of your belief?

Andreas wrote: "Some might think your willingness to comply with the rule shows that you're not an atheist, elentarri? But your study disregards much of your belief?"

Depends on the rules. I will leave the 3 books there. The rest of the group should put their 2c in too.

As for religious beliefs - I have no idea if there is one or more gods/goddesses/entities or a bunch of aliens with "magical" technology people want to label as gods, but since he/she/it/them aren't popping in for tea it has little effect on my life and isn't something I get excited or worried about.

Verty true. So, are you worried about death?

Andreas wrote: "Very true. So, are you worried about death?"

No. If you die, you die. Everyone dies eventually. Then you get to find out if there is a heaven or another dimension or re-incarnation or whatever. I'm more concerned about the bits before you die - getting squashed by a car and taking hours to die or taking months to die from cancer doesn't sound particularly enjoyable and has got to hurt.

Here are 3 of my recent favorites:

Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible

Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil

Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution

Elentarri wrote: "Andreas wrote: "Very true. So, are you worried about death?"

No. If you die, you die. Everyone dies eventually. Then you get to find out if there is a heaven or another dimension or re-incarnat..."

The problem is, we shouldn't rely on blank hope. There is a bigger chance that there is no such thing as an afterlife.

Darren wrote: "Here are 3 of my recent favorites:

Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible

Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil

[book:Origins: Fourteen ..."

These are good! I will put all Elentarri's books and Darren's books in our shelves. For our future references.

By the way, you didnt list those books just to mess with me, right, Darren? LOL :D

LOL, not messing with you Andreas... these books are actually the last three I have just read (still reading "Just Babies").

Andreas wrote: The problem is, we shouldn't rely on blank hope. There is a bigger chance that there is no such thing as an afterlife. "

True. The only thing you can do is live your life as a decent, civilized person as bet you can. If there is an afterlife you should probably get some brownie points for effort. If not...well.. you will never know about it.

Done. All books are listed as to-read, except Safina's book which is this month's book.

@ Andreas.
Soooooo...... are you nominating any books for November?

Since there aren't many members participating in the group read right now, and members arent obliged to buy the book that will be our next month's, is it OK if the person who has read it can share some of the ideas in the book and we can just discuss it, or the book can be borrowed if its a kindle?

I know some physics and math books, will you guys be interested?

Always, especially if they can be found in audiobook format :)

Don't see why not. You are the mod - you can make whatever rules you like. ;)

I also assume that when selecting a book in the monthly poll, people will select a book they have access to in one form or another?

The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life

God's Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe

A Beautiful Question: Finding Nature's Deep Design

Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology

I really like Nick Lane's work... great style. I just added "The Vital Question" to my "want to read" list. Thanks for the referral!

Elentarri wrote: "I also assume that when selecting a book in the monthly poll, people will select a book they have access to in one fo..."
Certainly, and all members are welcomed to join the discussion.

Darren wrote: "I really like Nick Lane's work... great style. I just added "The Vital Question" to my "want to read" list. Thanks for the referral!"

You're welcome.

Darren wrote: "I really like Nick Lane's work"

I've only read his book on mitochondria but found it interesting and I liked his style of writing.

I read Lane's book "Life Ascending"... highly recommend it.

Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution

Umm, I have little patience with Nick Lane's style, but am willing to give his new book a try. When it comes to science books with pop science writing style, I find Prof. Brian Greene's, Michio Kaku's, Carl Safina's to have the perfect combination between technical terms and their pop science interpretations. Nick Lane is a gifted writer but he should be more careful in choosing words and phrases to describe the science parts.

Andreas wrote: "Nick Lane is a gifted writer but he should be more careful in choosing words and phrases to describe the science parts. "

I've only read his book on mitochondria and found that there was more science language than "pop science" simplified language. Maybe his other books are different?

Elentarri wrote: "Andreas wrote: "Nick Lane is a gifted writer but he should be more careful in choosing words and phrases to describe the science parts. "

I've only read his book on mitochondria and found that t..."
Which one is about mitochondria? You mean the "Oxygen..." one? I've read one of his other book to the end and i speedread another one.

Andreas wrote: "Which one is about mitochondria? "
Sex, power, suicide. Silly title.

Ow, the meaning of life? Why is mitochondria related to the meaning of life?

Andreas wrote: "Why is mitochondria related to the meaning of life?" Because without mitochondria there is no life - or at least anything more exciting than a bacterium. Mitochondria are basically the power stations in your cells.

I see. Yes, I'm familiar with the concept. Nick is a romantic. I love his narration, it was lovely. But sometimes, he can be 'fast and loose' with words.

Yay!

Galileo's Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and the Search for Justice in Science

Neutrino Hunters: The Thrilling Chase for a Ghostly Particle to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

And, if I may, an older book that's been on my ToRead list for a while:
The Art of Scientific Investigation

Putting all of them on our to-read list :)

Andreas wrote: "I know some physics and math books, will you guys be interested?"

Yes.

Books from Bette:

In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations that Changed the World by Ian Stewart
Ignorance: How it Drives Science by Stuart Fierstein
Future Science: Essays from the Cutting Edge by Max Brockton
The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci’s Arithmetic Revolution by Keith Devlin
The Brain: The Story of You by David Eagleman
Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys over Girls, and the Consequences of a World Full of Men by Mara Hvistendahl

I'll cast the first vote: God's crime scene.
Second: antifragile

Would setting up a poll make things easier? I see other groups use them.

I'm voting for: What Has Nature Ever Done for Us?: How Money Really Does Grow on Trees simply because it's sitting there on my shelf staring at me. ;)

Yes, a poll would make it much easier. If I can figure out how to do it, I'll add these nominations to a poll tomorrow.

Owh, ok, I'll create one! Hold on.

Poll created. Cast your vote here:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

OK, I see that five books each received 1 vote. Of those, I have a slight preference for Life on the Edge or Papyrus, but I'd be happy with any of them. How are we going to pick?

Katherine (Kat) wrote: "How are we going to pick?"

Write the titles on separate strips of paper and draw one from a hat? ;)

Elentarri has read papyrus? How was it? Should we read it, too or shall we choose life on the edge?

Andreas wrote: "Elentarri has read papyrus? How was it? I thought Papyrus was informative and had bits in it that I didn't know or hadn't thought of. It's not difficult to understand language wise. The book is something of a history, ecology and uses of papyrus - ancient uses and modern uses (sewage treatment plants).
On the other hand, there is a lot of information about swamps and a bunch of plants (papyrus). If that sort of thing bores you, then you won't enjoy this book.

Author's website re papyrus: http://fieldofreeds.com/
It might be helpful for your decision.

At least one other person (Alison) voted for Papyrus.

I don't mind reading Papyrus again, nor do I mind ready Life on the Edge. I have noticed that anything quantum tends to freak people out - apparently too much maths and physics?? I'm not sure if that would apply to this group though. It doesn't particularly bother me which book you want to read.

The vote suggests that we pick Life on The Edge.
Okay then. Let the freaky quantum field theory get the best of us. It's freaky not because of the maths, Elentarri, don't worry :). It's worse. The quantum world is itself freaky, or as Einstein himself called one of its features "spooky action at a distance".

Elentarri wrote: "Katherine (Kat) wrote: "How are we going to pick?"

Write the titles on separate strips of paper and draw one from a hat? ;)"