Armchair Science Books (28 books)

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Non-fiction books about a topic of science the lay person can enjoy. No biographies or memoirs. No fiction books (even if they have real science in them). Both hard and soft sciences are ok.

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1	Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind by V.S. Ramachandran 4.27 avg rating — 20,601 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik 4.11 avg rating — 21,091 ratings score: 288, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond 3.94 avg rating — 74,826 ratings score: 286, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 56,439 ratings score: 283, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives by Mark Miodownik 4.10 avg rating — 4,285 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond by John Powell 4.02 avg rating — 4,588 ratings score: 196, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Munroe (Goodreads Author) 4.17 avg rating — 23,124 ratings score: 195, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 196,503 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics by Jim Al-Khalili really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3,070 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker 4.37 avg rating — 228,221 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Genius Bat: The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal by Yossi Yovel 3.91 avg rating — 470 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler 4.16 avg rating — 23,744 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Astronomical: From Quark-stars to Wormholes, the Weird Science of Our Universe by Tim James 4.40 avg rating — 179 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson 4.22 avg rating — 424,273 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery by Sam Kean (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 13,811 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari 4.18 avg rating — 288,664 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness: From Impostor Poodles to Purple Numbers by V.S. Ramachandran 4.01 avg rating — 3,649 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Elemental: How the Periodic Table Can Now Explain (Nearly) Everything by Tim James 4.26 avg rating — 1,222 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari 4.15 avg rating — 178,261 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code by Sam Kean (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 10,874 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Planets by Brian Cox 4.45 avg rating — 2,838 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari 4.33 avg rating — 1,270,409 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex by Olivia Judson 4.06 avg rating — 3,654 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses by Daniel Chamovitz 4.04 avg rating — 4,026 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Goodreads Author) 3.87 avg rating — 7,207 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Cloudspotter's Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney 4.13 avg rating — 2,854 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run-or Ruin-an Economy by Tim Harford (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 3,269 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 29,567 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars