Smart Science

Welcome to our voyage of discovery. In this series we’ll be travelling to many hard to reach places. Some hidden from view entirely: deep waters, high skies, the vastness of space. We’ll fly with a bee across a summer meadow all the way into her hive. Dive deep into the ocean to visit the miraculous Black Smokers. And we’ll even travel on the inside of a water molecule before it turns into a hailstone. We’re on an extraordinary audio journey of imagination – to learn something fascinating about our world and gently relax or fall asleep along the way.

"An astonishing, thought-provoking and above all touching story of found meaning and lost humanity.” —Adrian Tchaikovsky, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Children of Time Slow Gods is the galaxy-spanning tale ​of one man's impossible life charted against the fate of humanity...

Ignite your child’s curiosity in just minutes a day—no screens, no boredom, and no repeated facts, even if your young explorer has heard it all before!Do you wish your child would put down the tablet and pick up a book that’s just as entertaining—and a whole lot more educational? Have you struggled to find a gift that keeps curious minds engaged and learning, without the yawns or eye-rolls? Are you searching for a resource that sparks endless “Wow!” moments, answers their wildest questions, and inspires new adventures far beyond the page? If you nodded yes, you’re in the right...

In Smart Teaching Stronger Learning, renowned cognitive scientists from around the world share innovative teaching strategies that significantly transform student learning. This approachable resource distills key principles from the science of learning, with concise chapters and real-world examples for busy educators and leaders in K–12, higher education, and beyond. Enrich your pedagogy, professional growth, and knowledge of the newest findings in educational psychology with down-to-earth tips straight from the source: cognitive scientists who are also classroom teachers. Learn how you ...

After a freak lightning accident zaps him dead, 15-year-old Mochizuki Touya wakes up to find himself face-to-face with God. “I am afraid to say that I have made a bit of a blunder...” laments the old coot. But all is not lost! God says he can reincarnate Touya into a world of fantasy, and as a bonus, he gets to bring his smartphone along with him! So begins Touya's adventure in a new, anachronistic pseudo-medieval world. Friends! Laughs! Tears! Inexplicable Deus ex Machina!

Andrew Smart wants you to sit and do nothing much more often - and he has the science to explain why. At every turn we’re pushed to do more, faster, and more efficiently: That drumbeat resounds throughout our wage-slave society. Multitasking is not only a virtue, it’s a necessity. But Andrew Smart argues that slackers may have the last laugh. The latest neuroscience shows that the “culture of effectiveness” is not only ineffective, it can be harmful to your well-being.

What if every page you turn makes you shout, “Wait… WHAT?!” Did you know… Marie Curie once used glowing radium as a homemade nightlight? A single software bug once cost NASA millions? You can generate electricity just by walking, dancing—or even shaking a leg? Some black holes spin faster than your kitchen blender? Welcome to Mind-Blowing Facts You Can’t Unlearn — the fun facts book packed with 100 unbelievable (but true!) stories that will make you laugh, learn, and never look at the world the same way again. Why Readers Love It 100 facts, each in under 5 minutes – perfect ...

Full of things we may know but have not articulated to ourselves, Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart is a gentle and generous alternative to the trial-and-error learning that makes wisdom such an expensive commodity. For everyone who feels a sense of urgency that the clock ticks and still we aren't the person we'd like to be, it offers solace, guidance, and hope.

An entertaining illumination of the stupid beliefs that make us feel wise. You believe you are a rational, logical being who sees the world as it really is, but journalist David McRaney is here to tell you that you're as deluded as the rest of us. But that's OK - delusions keep us sane. You Are Not So Smart is a celebration of self-delusion. It's like a psychology class, with all the boring parts taken out, and with no homework. Based on the popular blog of the same name, You Are Not So Smart collects more than 46 of the lies we tell ourselves everyday.

Since the late 1980s the dominant theory of human origins has been that a "cognitive revolution" (c. 50,000 years ago) led to the advent of our species, Homo sapiens. As a result of this revolution our species spread and eventually replaced all existing archaic Homo species, ultimately leading to the superiority of modern humans. Or so we thought. As Clive Finlayson explains, the latest advances in genetics prove that there was significant interbreeding between modern humans and the Neanderthals.

If you're the parent of a "smart but scattered" teen, trying to help him or her grow into a self-sufficient, responsible adult may feel like a never-ending battle. Now you have an alternative to micromanaging, cajoling, or ineffective punishments. This positive guide provides a science-based program for promoting teens' independence by building their executive skills - the fundamental brain-based abilities needed to get organized, stay focused, and control impulses and emotions.

In Brain Rules for Baby, Dr. John Medina shares what the latest science says about how to raise smart and happy children from zero to five. This book is destined to revolutionize parenting. Just one of the surprises: The best way to get your children into the college of their choice? Teach them impulse control. Brain Rules for Baby bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice.

Spring has sprung in Brunhild, and Mochizuki Touya continues to live his happy-go-lucky life. Flowers bloom, parties come and go, and everything seems just about fine... But wait! The mysterious pink-haired girl, Sakura, is identified by someone. Just what could this mean for her? Who exactly is Farnese Forneus, and what is her connection to the overlord of Xenoahs? But wait, a more pressing issue is the final piece of Babylon, and the remarkably twisted secret it has in store for our heroes... Set a very cautious course for a tale of swords, sorcery, and advanced cryogenics!

An intelligent and comprehensive guide to polyamory, open relationships, and other forms of alternative love, The Smart Girl's Guide to Polyamory offers relationship advice radically different from anything you'll find on the magazine rack. This practical guidebook will help women break free of the mold of traditional monogamy, without the constraints of jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity, and competition. If you're curious about exploring group sex, opening up your current monogamous relationship, or ready to "come out" as polyamorous, this book covers it all.

Mochizuki Touya continues his work as the grand duke of Brunhild. He's the proud inheritor of the (almost) complete Babylon Islands, the mighty master of the Frame Gear Mechs, and a slowly flowering bud of divine power, but that doesn't mean he has any room to relax! The time has come for answers! A new threat emerges within the Roadmare Union! But can Touya convince the mighty doge that his Frame Gears are the right method to deal with the oncoming danger?

The population of Brunhild is booming, which can mean only one thing. Guards, guards! We need more guards! A mass call is set out. "Knights Wanted: Apply Within!" But Touya might end up with more than he bargained for. Meanwhile, in the floating halls of Babylon, a certain resurrected doctor begins her mad machinations. Just what kind of crazy machine does she intend to build next?

This delightful narrative takes listeners on a powerful search to unlock the secrets of dog cognition, based on evidence from trainers, owners, behaviorists, and the animals themselves. With in-depth reporting and more than a few personal adventures, best-selling author Jennifer S. Holland digs into what intelligence really means.

In the first half of the 21st century, giving to family and community foundations alone will be ten times in today's dollars what it was throughout the entire 20th century. Yet despite tremendous innovation in the social sector, philanthropy's natural state is under-performance. Not since Andrew Carnegie wrote The Gospel of Wealth has a book been written that provides practical guidance for donors to get the most impact from their giving.

Neuroscientist Amir Raz shares decades of research and case studies to show how suggestion changes the brain and shapes our behavior—and how we can protect ourselves from and harness suggestibility in our own lives. Suggestions can make cheap wine taste like Château Margaux, warp our...

Doomsday prophets of technology predict that robots will take over the world, leaving humans behind in the dust. Tech industry boosters think replacing people with software might make the world a better place—while tech industry critics warn darkly about surveillance capitalism. Despite their differing views of the future, they all agree: machines will soon do everything better than humans. How to Stay Smart in a Smart World shows why that's not true, and tells us how we can stay in charge in a world populated by algorithms.