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From tales about whales to enthralling scientific histories and the memoir of a frustrated astrophysicist, 2018 was a banner year for science books. Here are Science News’ picks for the titles that should be on any science lover’s bookshelf. Find detailed reviews of many of these books in the links below and in our Editor’s Pick: Favorite books of 2018. The Truth About Animals Lucy Cooke A zoologist debunks揭示 myths about bats, pandas, Adélie penguins阿德利企鹅 and many other misunderstood creatures, recounting surprising stories from the animal kingdom (SN: 4/14/18, p. 26). Basic Books, $28 Spying On Whales Nick Pyenson In this captivating 令人着迷look at whales, a paleontologist dives into the animals’ past, exploring how some of Earth’s most intelligent species came to be, and their uncertain future (SN: 7/7/18, p. 29). Viking, $27 Eager Ben Goldfarb Some people see beavers as pests. But a science writer explains how the dam-building rodents are actually vital ecosystem engineers that can create or expand habitats that benefit the entire wildlife community (SN: 8/4/18, p. 28). Chelsea Green Publishing, $24.95 The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs Steve Brusatte In this memoir, a paleontologist blends experiences from his career with evolutionary science to take readers on an engrossing 引人入胜的journey through time, from the beginnings of the dinosaurs to their ultimate extinction. William Morrow, $29.99 The Big Ones Lucy Jones A seismologist 地震学家examines past catastrophic natural disasters, 特大自然灾害including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and floods, and their impact on culture, politics and society (SN: 3/31/18, p. 26). With the past as a guide, the author warns readers to be prepared for when the next disaster strikes. Doubleday, $26.95 Losing the Nobel Prize Brian Keating An astrophysicist’s dream of winning a Nobel Prize turned to dust after a promising experiment failed to find the first definitive evidence of cosmic inflation. 宇宙膨胀The experience revealed how the prize can hamper 阻碍scientific progress (SN: 4/14/18, p. 27). W.W. Norton & Co., $27.95 The Poisoned City Anna Clark Weaving together history, science and reporting, a journalist explores the public health crisis that began in Flint, Mich., when lead started leaching into residents’ drinking water 一位记者探讨了始于密歇根州弗林特的公共卫生危机。当铅开始渗入居民的饮用水时(SN: 7/21/18, p. 28). Metropolitan Books, $30 The Poison Squad Deborah Blum A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist tells the story of a government chemist at the turn of the 20th century and his mission to make food safe in the United States. Penguin Press, $28 Aroused Randi Hutter Epstein The history of endocrinology makes for a strange and fascinating read, from the scientists who discovered the effects of hormones to the people whose lives have been irrevocably changed by these powerful substances 从发现激素作用的科学家到那些被这些强大物质不可逆转地改变了生活的人们，内分泌学的历史构成了一种奇怪而又迷人的解读(SN: 7/7/18, p. 28). W.W. Norton & Co., $26.95 Nine Pints Rose George Blood, the feared as well as revered substance that flows throughout the human body, has a rich historical and scientific past (SN: 10/27/18, p. 28). Metropolitan Books, $30 She Has Her Mother’s Laugh Carl Zimmer This comprehensive history recounts how researchers have come to understand genetic inheritance. 这段全面的历史叙述了研究人员是如何理解遗传的。Looking to the future, the author considers risks of gene manipulation基因操作 (SN: 6/9/18, p. 29). Dutton, $30 Genetics in the Madhouse Theodore M. Porter Using archival records, 档案记录a science historian traces the origins of the study of human heredity to insane asylums 精神病院in the 1800s (SN: 7/7/18, p. 29). Princeton Univ., $35 The Tangled Tree David Quammen In chronicling the lives of researchers who made important advances in molecular biology and genetics, this book shows how recent findings shake up our understanding of evolution and the tree of life. 本书以编年史的方式记录了在分子生物学和遗传学方面取得重大进展的研究人员的生活，展示了最近的发现如何动摇了我们对进化和生命之树的理解。Simon & Schuster, $30 These book reviews contain links to Amazon.com. Science News is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Please see our FAQ for more details.这些书评包含了亚马逊网站的链接。科学新闻是Amazon Services LLC Associates项目的参与者。详情请参阅常见问题解答。 Get Science News headlines by e-mail. Enter Email Address SUBMIT More from Science News Getting goose bumps could boost hair growth NASA’s OSIRIS-REx finds signs of water on the asteroid Bennu Voyager 2 spacecraft enters interstellar space A satellite screw-up reaffirms Einstein’s theory of gravity Magnets make a new soft metamaterial stiffen up in a flash A gut-brain link for Parkinson’s gets a closer look Two new books explore the science and history of the 1918 flu pandemic Global carbon dioxide emissions will hit a record high in 2018 The uterus may play a role in memory Volcanic eruptions that depleted ocean oxygen may have set off the Great Dying Here’s how geckos (almost) walk on water A 5,000-year-old mass grave harbors the oldest plague bacteria ever found Pea aphid youngsters use piggyback rides to escape a crisis Baboons survive 6 months after getting a pig heart transplant A controversial sighting of dark matter is looking even shakier From the Nature Index PAID CONTENT
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