Scientific Literacy (62 books)

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Listopia > Scientific Literacy

Holding out a Candle in the Dark:

Books that help clarify what science truly is, explain its history and methods, and inspire curiosity about our universe.

As well, the books that debunk the myths which lead to confusion about our world and how it works, that we may slowly change our relationship to nature: from fear and superstition to awe and understanding.

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1	The Removable Root Cause of Cancers and other Chronic Diseases : The Effort Theory of Evolution, Chronic Diseases and Extinction by Paul Ola (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 27 ratings score: 600, and 6 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	Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman 4.26 avg rating — 223,869 ratings score: 596, and 6 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	Cosmos by Carl Sagan 4.40 avg rating — 163,967 ratings score: 582, and 6 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	A Brief History of Time by Stephen W. Hawking 4.21 avg rating — 494,367 ratings score: 488, and 5 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	The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan 4.28 avg rating — 83,338 ratings score: 386, and 4 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	The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn 4.02 avg rating — 31,192 ratings score: 384, and 4 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	The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene 4.09 avg rating — 104,264 ratings score: 379, and 4 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	Quantum: Einstein, Bohr, and the Great Debate about the Nature of Reality by Manjit Kumar 4.27 avg rating — 10,766 ratings score: 298, 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
9	Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey 3.73 avg rating — 11,113 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
10	Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher by Richard P. Feynman 4.20 avg rating — 32,066 ratings score: 294, 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
11	The Quark and the Jaguar: Adventures in the Simple and the Complex by Murray Gell-Mann 3.84 avg rating — 1,816 ratings score: 291, 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
12	The Meaning of It All: Thoughts of a Citizen-Scientist by Richard P. Feynman 3.96 avg rating — 11,535 ratings score: 281, 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
13	Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 43,902 ratings score: 200, 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
14	The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson (Goodreads Author) 3.89 avg rating — 57,852 ratings score: 199, 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
15	Introducing Particle Physics: A Graphic Guide by Tom Whyntie (Goodreads Author) 3.85 avg rating — 416 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
16	Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by R. Buckminster Fuller 4.05 avg rating — 2,053 ratings score: 185, 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
17	Dignifying Science by Jim Ottaviani (Goodreads Author) 3.62 avg rating — 178 ratings score: 183, 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
18	The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow 3.95 avg rating — 25,005 ratings score: 182, 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
19	Pantheisticon: A Modern English Translation by John Toland 3.78 avg rating — 23 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
19	The Best Bits of Physics by Alasdair C. Shaw (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 16 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
19	30 Days by Joanna Tilsley (Goodreads Author) 4.64 avg rating — 56 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
19	Galloping with Light - Einstein, Relativity, and Folklore by Felix Alba-Juez (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 13 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
19	How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-Started Evolution by Lee Alan Dugatkin 4.21 avg rating — 1,967 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
19	The Quantum Enigma: Finding the Hidden Key by Wolfgang Smith 4.12 avg rating — 105 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
19	One Reality: The Harmony of Science and Religion by Bonnie J. Taylor 4.67 avg rating — 9 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
19	Foundations of Space-Time Theories: Relativistic Physics and Philosophy of Science by Michael Friedman 3.76 avg rating — 21 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
19	Thought-Provoking Quotes & Contemplations from Famous Physicists by Murat Durmus (Goodreads Author) 4.75 avg rating — 4 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
19	Stephen Hawking's Universe: The Cosmos Explained by David Filkin 4.31 avg rating — 2,066 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
19	The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry: A Stanford Professor’s Humorous Graphic Guide to College-Level Science (Cartoon Guide Series, 10) by Larry Gonick 4.02 avg rating — 885 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
19	Human Robots and Holy Mechanics: Reclaiming Our Souls in a Machine World by David T. Kyle 4.99 avg rating — 198 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
31	Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray by Sabine Hossenfelder 4.05 avg rating — 3,541 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
31	How Dogs Work by Raymond Coppinger 3.81 avg rating — 178 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
31	The Evolution of Life by F.H.T. Rhodes 3.96 avg rating — 26 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
31	The Cartoon Guide to Genetics by Larry Gonick 4.05 avg rating — 1,002 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
35	Aiming at REALITY: Statistical Entropy, Disorder, and the Quantum (Quantum Physics free of Folklore, Book 2) by Felix Alba-Juez (Goodreads Author) 4.67 avg rating — 6 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
35	Biography of a Planet: Geology, Astronomy, and the Evolution of Life on Earth by Chet Raymo liked it 3.00 avg rating — 4 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
35	The Cartoon Guide to Physics: A Funny Illustrated Guide Explaining Velocity, Magnetism, Circuits, and Relativity (Cartoon Guide Series, 5) by Larry Gonick 3.97 avg rating — 1,119 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
38	Records of the Future - Classical Entropy, Memory, and the 'Arrow of Time' (Quantum Physics free of Folklore, Book 1) by Felix Alba-Juez (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 11 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
38	The Social Contract: A Personal Inquiry into the Evolutionary Sources of Order and Disorder by Robert Ardrey 4.08 avg rating — 117 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
38	Introducing Epigenetics: A Graphic Guide by Cath Ennis (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 451 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
38	Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su 4.25 avg rating — 1,441 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
42	The Human Body: Its Structure and Operation (Signet Science Library #T2430) by Isaac Asimov 4.18 avg rating — 165 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
42	The Cartoon Guide to Statistics by Larry Gonick 3.91 avg rating — 1,595 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
44	The Undead: Organ Harvesting, the Ice-Water Test, Beating Heart Cadavers--How Medicine Is Blurring the Line Between Life and Death by Dick Teresi 3.64 avg rating — 507 ratings score: 95, 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
44	Introducing Quantum Theory: A Graphic Guide to Science's Most Puzzling Discovery by J.P. McEvoy 3.81 avg rating — 2,144 ratings score: 95, 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
44	The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human by V.S. Ramachandran 4.15 avg rating — 11,009 ratings score: 95, 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
47	Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Morality by Patricia S. Churchland 3.83 avg rating — 803 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
47	Introducing Relativity by Bruce Bassett 3.79 avg rating — 677 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
49	Relativity: The Special and the General Theory by Albert Einstein 4.20 avg rating — 23,425 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
49	Introducing Evolutionary Psychology by Dylan Evans (Goodreads Author) 3.77 avg rating — 1,114 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
49	What Einstein Told His Cook by Robert L. Wolke 3.85 avg rating — 4,313 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
52	The Golden Ticket: P, NP, and the Search for the Impossible by Lance Fortnow 3.59 avg rating — 501 ratings score: 92, 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
52	The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life by David Quammen (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 4,718 ratings score: 92, 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
52	Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 32,902 ratings score: 92, 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
55	Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin by Stephen Jay Gould 3.96 avg rating — 2,253 ratings score: 91, 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
55	The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry 3.98 avg rating — 43,466 ratings score: 91, 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
55	How Risky Is It, Really?: Why Our Fears Don't Always Match the Facts by David Ropeik 3.72 avg rating — 211 ratings score: 91, 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
58	Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen (Goodreads Author) 4.42 avg rating — 21,190 ratings score: 90, 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
58	CookWise: The Hows & Whys of Successful Cooking, The Secrets of Cooking Revealed by Shirley O. Corriher 4.06 avg rating — 5,623 ratings score: 90, 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
60	A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines by Janna Levin 3.70 avg rating — 1,794 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
60	BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent Recipes by Shirley O. Corriher 4.31 avg rating — 2,011 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
62	The Obesity Epidemic by Michael Gard 3.80 avg rating — 20 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