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2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award Finalist "Science book of the year"—The Guardian One of New York Times 100 Notable Books for 2018 One of Publishers Weekly's Top Ten Books of 2018 One of Kirkus's Best Books of 2018 One of Mental Floss's Best Books of 2018 One of Science...

“Carl Zimmer is one of the best science writers we have today.” —Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the living world—from protocells to brains, from zygotes to pandemic viruses—the...

One of Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best Science Books of 2025 The fascinating, untold story of the air we breathe, the hidden life it contains, and invisible dangers that can turn the world upside down Every day we draw in two thousand gallons of air—and thousands of living things. From the...

In 2020, an invisible germ - a virus - wholly upended our lives. We're most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or Covid-19. But viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branch-like growths as if they were trees. Viruses have been a part of our lives for so long that we are actually part virus: the human genome contains more DNA from viruses than our own genes. Meanwhile, scientists are discovering viruses everywhere they look: in the soil, in the ocean, even in deep caves miles underground.

Award-winning writer, columnist, and journalists Carl Zimmer selects twenty science and nature essays that represent the best examples of the form published in 2022. “What's most compelling about a scientific story is the way it challenges us to think about the concepts we take for granted,”...

For centuries, parasites have lived in nightmares, horror stories, and the darkest shadows of science. In Parasite Rex, Carl Zimmer takes listeners on a fantastic voyage into the secret universe of these extraordinary life forms that are not only among the most highly evolved on Earth, but make up the majority of life's diversity. Traveling from the steamy jungles of Costa Rica to the parasite-riddled war zone of southern Sudan, Zimmer introduces an array of amazing creatures that invade their hosts, prey on them from within, and control their behavior.

What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? Walter Alvarez, one of the Berkeley scientists who discovered evidence of the impact, tells the story behind the development of the initially controversial theory. It is a saga of high adventure in remote locations, of arduous data collection and intellectual struggle, of long periods of frustration ended by sudden breakthroughs, of friendships made and lost, and of the exhilaration of discovery that forever altered our understanding of Earth's geological history.

The acclaimed author of Einstein’s Dreams tackles "big questions like the origin of the universe and the nature of consciousness ... in an entertaining and easily digestible way” (Wall Street Journal) with a collection of meditative essays on the possibilities—and impossibilities—of...

'Profound, lyrical, and fascinating, Life’s Edge will give you a newfound appreciation for life itself. It is the work of a master science writer at the height of his skills.' – Ed Yong, author of An Immense World We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the...

From Hank Parker, a former Homeland Security advisor specializing in bio- and agro-terrorism, comes a chillingly realistic debut thriller about a global plot to release a deadly virus and the elite response team who must try and stop it. It’s a race against time to both find a vaccine and...

If you feel like fear and anxiety have some power over you, this will be the most important audiobook you listen to this year. Why not choose to live the next part of your life free of fear? People with confidence are no better than you. It certainly doesn’t require talent to be confident. We have all seen 14-year-olds with confidence, so it can’t be anything to do with wisdom or intelligence. Confident people think and act slightly different. The ideas they adopt are easily acquired, but very few do.

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books began in 1996 with a simple goal: to bring together the people who create books with the people who love to read them. The festival was an immediate success and has become the largest and most prestigious book festival in the country, attracting more than 130,000 book lovers each year.

Desde las junglas húmedas de Costa Rica hasta el fétido entorno de las zonas rebeldes del sur de Sudán, Carl Zimmer nos guía a través de un viaje por el universo de los parásitos, un mundo en el que habitamos sin ser conscientes. Así nos descubre no solo la forma de vida más exitosa del planeta, sino aquella que da forma a los ecosistemas y es el motor de la evolución. Zimmer nos muestra, pues, cuánto han evolucionado estos bichos, y relata la aterradora facilidad con que pueden devorar a quien los hospeda, e incluso controlar su conducta.

"An extraordinary history of the perils and promise of every breath we take" James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of Breath "Another brilliant work from one of the very best science writers, Air-Borne will leave you agog at the incredible world that floats unseen around us" Ed Yong...

When we think about viruses, we think about diseases such as the flu. For the most part, the flu comes and goes—the body is able to fight it. For some, it can be deadly. There are of course more dangerous viruses out there such as Ebola that in some cases kills 90 percent of those infected. In today's world, viruses can spread very quickly and it's for this reason we must be vigilant. Carl Zimmer in his book A Planet of Viruses discusses what viruses are and why they are so hard to eradicate. He also explains how not all viruses are bad and are, in fact, vital to our survival. Enjoy!

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'Elegantly written, wittily constructed . . . My science book of the year.' Robin McKie, Observer, 'Best Books of 2018' She Has Her Mother’s Laugh presents a profoundly original perspective on what we pass along from generation to...

"Mientras escribo esto, a lo largo del año 2015, los científicos intentan adelantarse a las próximas pandemias. Nadie es capaz de predecir cuándo una cepa en particular llevará a cabo el salto, si acaso lo hará. Sin embargo, no estamos indefensos ante lo que la evolución pueda tenernos reservado. Contamos con recursos para contrarrestar la expansión de la gripe, como lavarnos las manos. Y los científicos están aprendiendo a fabricar vacunas más efectivas. Al menos, ya no tenemos que mirar hacia las estrellas en busca de protección." — Carl Zimmer

"An extraordinary history of the perils and promise of every breath we take" James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of Breath "Another brilliant work from one of the very best science writers, Air-Borne will leave you agog at the incredible world that floats unseen around us" Ed Yong...

'Profound, lyrical, and fascinating, Life’s Edge will give you a newfound appreciation for life itself. It is the work of a master science writer at the height of his skills.' – Ed Yong, author of An Immense World We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'Elegantly written, wittily constructed . . . My science book of the year.' Robin McKie, Observer, 'Best Books of 2018' She Has Her Mother’s Laugh presents a profoundly original perspective on what we pass along from generation to...