Science & Technology Audiobooks

The Birds That Audubon Missed: Discovery and Desire in the American Wilderness

Renowned naturalist Kenn Kaufman examines the scientific discoveries of John James Audubon and his artistic and ornithologist peers to show how what they saw (and what they missed) reflects how we perceive and understand the natural world. Raging ambition. Towering egos. Competition under a veneer of courtesy. Heroic effort combined with plagiarism, theft, exaggeration, and fraud. This was the state of bird study in eastern North America during the early 1800s, as a handful of intrepid men raced to find the last few birds that were still unknown to science. The most famous name in the bird world was John James Audubon, who painted spectacular portraits of birds. But although his images were beautiful, creating great art was not his main goal. Instead, he aimed to illustrate (and write about) as many different species as possible, obsessed with trying to outdo his rival, Alexander Wilson. George Ord, a fan and protégé of Wilson, held a bitter grudge against Audubon for years, claiming he had faked much of his information and his scientific claims. A few of Audubon's birds were pure fiction, and some of his writing was invented or plagiarized. Other naturalists of the era, including Charles Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon), John Townsend, and Thomas Nuttall, also became entangled in the scientific derby, as they stumbled toward an understanding of the natural world—an endeavor that continues to this day. Despite this intense competition, a few species—including some surprisingly common songbirds, hawks, sandpipers, and more—managed to evade discovery for years. Here, renowned bird expert and artist Kenn Kaufman explores this period in history from a new angle, by considering the birds these people discovered and, especially, the ones they missed. Kaufman has created portraits of the birds that Audubon never saw, attempting to paint them in that artist's own stunning style, as a way of examining the history of natural sciences and nature art. He shows how our understanding of birds continues to gain clarity, even as some mysteries persist from Audubon's time until ours.

Kenn Kaufman (Author), Mack Sanderson, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

Adam Higginbotham (Author), Jacques Roy, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

On Sex and Gender: A Commonsense Approach

An eye-opening account of what the left and right get wrong about sex and gender—and how we can be a thoughtful, sex-smart society. On Sex and Gender focuses on three sequential and consequential questions: What is sex as opposed to gender? How does sex matter in our everyday lives? And how should it be reflected in law and policy? All three have been front-and-center in American life and politics since the rise of the trans rights movement: They are included in both major parties' political platforms. They are the subject of ongoing litigation in the federal courts and of highly contentious legislation on Capitol Hill. And they are a pivotal issue in the culture wars between left and right playing out around dinner tables, on campuses and school boards, on op-ed pages, and in corporate handbooks. Doriane Coleman challenges both sides to chart a better way. In a book that is equal parts scientific explanation, historical examination, and personal reflection, she argues that denying biological sex and focusing only on gender would have detrimental effects on women's equal opportunity, on men's future prospects, and on the health and welfare of society. Structural sexism needed to be dismantled—a true achievement of feminism and an ongoing fight—but going forward we should be sex smart, not sex blind. This book is a clear guide for reasonable Americans on sex and gender—something everyone wants to understand but is terrified to discuss. Coleman shows that the science is settled, but equally that there is a middle ground where common sense reigns and we can support transgender people without denying the facts of human biology. She livens her narrative with a sequence of portraits of exceptional human beings from legal pioneers like Myra Bradwell and Ketanji Brown Jackson to champion athletes like Caster Semenya and Cate Campbell to civil rights giants like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Pauli Murray. Above all, Coleman reminds us that sex not only exists, but is also good—and she shows how we can get both sex and gender right for society.

Doriane Lambelet Coleman (Author), Janina Edwards, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nature’s Ghosts: A history – and future – of the natural world

What human history can teach us about how to avoid ecological catastrophe Once, the world was wild. By mapping the footprints left behind, however faint, we can start to walk towards a brighter and more ancient future. For thousands of years, humans have been the architects of the environment. Our activities leave an indelible mark on the places we inhabit – for good and for bad. Nature’s Ghosts examines how the earth would have looked before humans scrubbed away its diversity, from the primeval forests that emerged following the last ice age, to the eagle-filled skies of the Dark Ages, to the flower-decked farms of more recent centuries. It uncovers the stories of the people who have helped to shape our landscapes through time, seeking out their footprints – even where it seems there are none to be found – and looking at how timeworn knowledge of the natural world can help us to mend our own relationship with the earth. And it recounts the environmental detective work – archaeological, cultural and ecological – that has allowed us to reconstruct the details of our lost wild world. Today, the footprints of humanity are heavier than ever; the natural world more vulnerable as we encroach upon it ever further and faster. There is no such thing as pristine wilderness anymore – nor will there ever be again. But, this urgent book argues, from the ashes of the past, we can start to rebuild an ancient and enchanting future.

Sophie Yeo (Author), Emily Pennant-Rea, To Be Announced (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Light Eaters

A narrative investigation into the new science of plant intelligence and sentience, from National Association of Science Writers Award winner and Livingston Award finalist Zoe Schlanger'. Look at the green organism across the room or through the window: the potted plant, or the grass, or a tree. Think how a life spent constantly growing yet rooted in a single spot comes with tremendous challenges. To meet them, plants have come up with some of the most creative methods for surviving of any living thing, us included. Many are so ingenious that they seem nearly impossible. There is no doubt that plants are important: plants, or their green precursors the blue-green algae and algae themselves, have produced all the oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere, allowing animals to evolve. But did you know they can communicate when they are being eaten, allowing nearby plants to bolster their defences. They move and that movement stops when they are anaesthetised, just like animals. They also use electricity for internal communication, just like animals. They can hear the sounds of caterpillars eating, just like animals. Plants can remember the last time they have been visited by a bee and how many times they have been visited, so have a concept of time and can count, just like animals. Plants can not only communicate with each other, they can also communicate with other species of plant and animals, allowing them to manipulate animals to defend or fertilise them. This is unlike most other animals. So look again at the potted plant, or the grass or the tree and wonder: Are plants intelligent? Perhaps even more fundamental is are they conscious? Is the only real difference between animals and plants that plants are light eaters, animals aren’t. The Light Eaters will completely redefine how you think of plants. Packed with the most amazing stories of the life of plants it will open your eyes to the extraordinary green life forms we share the planet with. Of course, like animals, plants can also detect light.

Zoë Schlanger (Author), TBD, Zoë Schlanger (Narrator)

Audiobook

Amphibious Soul

Craig Foster (Author), Craig Foster, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Science of Cleaning: Use the Power of Chemistry to Clean Smarter, Easier, and Safer

Chemistry professor Dario Bressanini is on a mission to teach listeners about safe, sustainable methods for cleaning their homes while debunking widespread myths. He uses scientific evidence to answer common queries, including the following: Is it more efficient to wash dishes in the sink or in the dishwasher? Can vinegar and baking soda actually unclog your drain? Does bleach remove dirt? How do I get rid of that white stuff on my showerhead? Bressanini covers these subjects and more by digging into chemistry basics like solubility, pH, and concentration. He explains how to choose the best product for any job, including advice on making selections at the store and using just the right amount to cut down on waste. Everything contains chemicals (yes, even water!)—but we should still be careful and eco-friendly about how we clean. With tips on tasks from scrubbing stubborn grease off a pan to getting that weird stink out of a pair of shoes, The Science of Cleaning reminds us that science can be both useful and exciting. No more searching online for cleaning hacks—in this book, the science speaks for itself!

Dario Bressanini (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish the Peas: Secrets from the Science of Toddlers for a Happier, More Su

Toddlers hold the secrets to having more fun and living a fulfilling life. These are secrets we once knew and ones that a Harvard-trained physician can help us rediscover. Terrible twos, temper tantrums, and grocery store meltdowns are usually the first things that come to mind when people think of toddlers. But pediatric emergency medicine physician and researcher Dr. Hasan Merali has long thought toddlers are among the best people in our society and adults could do well to learn from them. These extraordinary youngsters can be impulsive, yes, but with this comes a remarkable ability to take risks and ask questions—two qualities that can help us enjoy life more. Toddlers act kindly toward strangers, are eager to work with others to solve problems, and demonstrate extraordinary dedication and perseverance. These are all traits that many of us aspire to have in order to improve both our personal and professional lives. To unpack this behavior, Dr. Merali includes many humorous examples from his experience as a pediatrician and father, but the core lessons are drawn from two decades worth of fascinating and surprising studies in child psychology and development. Merali connects these studies to research about adults to create the first book to offer adults important lessons that can be gleaned from toddlers. Toddlers can teach you many things, including how to: Lose weight naturally Sleep better Build stronger friendships Improve teamwork Be more productive Have more fun, and Live a more fulfilling life Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish the Peas shows us how toddlers bring out the best in humanity and how we can, too. It’s a whole new way of looking at and learning from toddlers.

Hasan Merali, Hasan Merali Md (Author), Shawn K. Jain, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Tender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with Dogs

Tender Paws takes a deep dive into the practical benefits of applying therapeutic parenting best practices to dogs in our care. When Wendy Lyons Sunshine got her first puppy—abandoned behind a gas station, struggling with worms and anemia—she was in over her head. As puppy training guides failed to help her with the out-of-control, traumatized bundle of teeth and claws rescue pup, she turned to her work helping world-class child development experts. Could strategies for raising happy, well-adjusted kids transfer to a puppy? As it turns out, yes, they can! From the first try, parenting wisdom transformed Sunshine’s relationship with her challenging little one. Soon enough, Sunshine’s view of her puppy shifted from one of adversity to one of compassion and understanding, and she was able to bring patience and therapeutic concepts to meet her dog’s needs. When Sunshine reached out to experts, they affirmed that science-based principles used with at-risk children align well with best practices of holistic, positive, and progressive dog handling. Exploring parallels between human and canine research, attachment styles, history of trauma, parenting styles, and her own “inner child” proved a mindful path for pet parenting. Far from a standard dog training manual, Tender Paws explicitly applies parenting wisdom and best practices used with special needs kids to a cross-section of scenarios, from recognizing developmental trauma and unmet core needs, to making decisions about appropriate equipment, to responding to difficult behavior, to understanding the parenting style from which we approach our dogs. Sunshine empowers you and your dog by offering: A synthesis of the fields of child development, attachment, trauma, sensory integration, neurobiology, learning, animal behavior, and ethology. A problem-solving framework that makes dog training decisions clearer and behavior frustrations easier to resolve. Parenting wisdom to help your dog move beyond trauma and into wellness. Borrowing the principles of parenting for dogs feels obvious to some people: instinctive and ordinary and inevitable. But that’s not true for everyone, especially those of us who had a less than ideal childhood and bear the scars of early harm, loss, trauma, or deprivation. Tender Paws provides an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, evidence-based guide for readers who want to honor the needs of—and improve outcomes for—puppies and dogs they care about.

Wendy Lyons Sunshine (Author), Wendy Lyons Sunshine (Narrator)

Audiobook

At Every Depth: Our Growing Knowledge of the Changing Oceans

The world's oceans are changing at a drastic pace. In response, the people who know the ocean most intimately are taking action for the sake of our shared future. Community scientists track species in California tidepools. Researchers dive into the waters around Sydney to replant kelp forests. Scientists and First Nations communities collaborate to restore clam gardens in the Pacific Northwest. In At Every Depth, the oceanographer Tessa Hill and the science journalist Eric Simons profile these and other efforts to understand and protect marine environments, taking listeners to habitats from shallow tidepools to the deep sea. They delve into the many human connections to the ocean-how people live with and make their living from the waters-journeying to places as far-flung as coral reefs, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and the Arctic and Antarctic poles. At Every Depth shares the stories of people from all walks of life, including scientists, coastal community members, Indigenous people, shellfish farmers, and fisheries workers. It brings together varied viewpoints, showing how scientists' research and local and Indigenous knowledge can complement each other to inform a more sustainable future. This book offers a narrative perspective on the changing oceans, letting us see how our relationships to the oceans are changing too.

Eric Simons, Tessa Hill (Author), Suzie Althens (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Art of the Steal: How to Protect Yourself and Your Business from Fraud, America's #1 Crime

The world--famous former con artist and bestselling author of Catch Me if You Can now reveals the mind--boggling tricks of the scam trade--with advice that has made him one of America's most sought--after fraud--prevention experts. "I had as much knowledge as any man alive concerning the mechanics of forgery, check swindling, counterfeiting, and other similar crimes. Ever since I'd been released from prison, I'd often felt that if I directed this knowledge into the right channels, I could help people a great deal. Every time I went to the store and wrote a check, I would see two or three mistakes made on the part of the clerk or cashier, mistakes that a flimflam artist would take advantage of. . . . In a certain sense, I'm still a con artist. I'm just putting down a positive con these days, as opposed to the negative con I used in the past. I've merely redirected the talents I've always possessed. I've applied the same relentless attention to working on stopping fraud that I once applied to perpetuating fraud." In Catch Me if You Can, Frank W. Abagnale recounted his youthful career as a master imposter and forger. In The Art of the Steal, Abagnale tells the remarkable story of how he parlayed his knowledge of cons and scams into a successful career as a consultant on preventing financial foul play--while showing you how to identify and outsmart perpetrators of fraud. Technology may have made it easier to track down criminals, but cyberspace has spawned a skyrocketing number of ways to commit crime--much of it untraceable. Businesses are estimated to lose an unprecedented $400 billion a year from fraud of one sort or another. If we were able to do away with fraud for just two years, we'd erase the national debt and pay Social Security for the next one hundred years. However, Abagnale has discovered that punishment for committing fraud, much less recovery of stolen funds, seldom happens: Once you're a victim, you won't get your money back. Prevention is the best form of protection. Drawn from his twenty-five years of experience as an ingenious con artist (whose check scams alone mounted to more than $2 million in stolen funds), Abagnale's The Art of the Steal provides eye-opening stories of true scams, with tips on how they can be prevented. Abagnale takes you deep inside the world and mind of the con artist, showing you just how he pulled off his scams and what you can do to avoid becoming the next victim. You'll hear the stories of notorious swindles, like the mustard squirter trick and the "rock in the box" ploy, and meet the criminals like the famous Vickers Gang who perpetrated them. You'll find out why crooks wash checks and iron credit cards and why a thief brings glue with him to the ATM. And finally, you'll learn how to recognize a bogus check or a counterfeit bill, and why you shouldn't write your grocery list on a deposit slip. A revealing look inside the predatory criminal mind from a former master of the con, The Art of the Steal is the ultimate defense against even the craftiest crook.

Frank W. Abagnale (Author), Barrett Whitener, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundary Waters

On July 4, 1999, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a bizarre confluence of meteorological events resulted in the most damaging blowdown in the region's history. Gunflint Falling tells the story of this devastating storm from the perspectives of those who were on the ground before, during, and after the catastrophic event. The forecasts in Duluth predicted the day would be 'warm and humid. Partly sunny with a 30% chance of thunderstorms.' But as the evening settled, the first eyewitness accounts began to tell a terrifying story. Friends camping on Lake Polly watched in wonder as the sky turned green and the winds began to whip. They scrambled to pull canoes on shore when a tree snapped and struck one of them in the head, rendering her unconscious. Three women enjoying their last day of a camping trip took shelter in their tent as winds increased. Water drenched the nylon walls as trees crashed around them, one flattening the tent and pinning a woman beneath it. A family vacationing at their cabin dodged falling trees and strained against straight-line winds as they sprinted from the cabin to the safest place they knew: a crawl space underneath it. They watched as trees snapped, their twisted root balls torn out of the earth. By the time the storm began to subside, falling trees had injured approximately sixty people, but amazingly, no one died.

Cary J. Griffith (Author), Jonathan Yen (Narrator)

Audiobook