Life Science Books

Showing 1-50 of 1,033
The Selfish Gene The Selfish Gene (Paperback)
by (shelved 17 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.16 — 196,131 ratings — published 1976
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Gene: An Intimate History The Gene: An Intimate History (Hardcover)
by (shelved 12 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.34 — 57,362 ratings — published 2016
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Origin of Species The Origin of Species (Hardcover)
by (shelved 11 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.01 — 123,816 ratings — published 1859
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.06 — 91,618 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.17 — 33,051 ratings — published 2016
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.13 — 820,981 ratings — published 2010
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.34 — 117,145 ratings — published 2010
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Short History of Nearly Everything A Short History of Nearly Everything (Paperback)
by (shelved 8 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.21 — 431,379 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body (Hardcover)
by (shelved 8 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.04 — 29,597 ratings — published 2008
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race (Hardcover)
by (shelved 7 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.28 — 42,329 ratings — published 2021
Rate this book
Clear rating
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.33 — 1,305,340 ratings — published 2011
Rate this book
Clear rating
Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.06 — 28,391 ratings — published 1999
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.09 — 42,228 ratings — published 1986
Rate this book
Clear rating
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.31 — 54,130 ratings — published 2020
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Body: A Guide for Occupants The Body: A Guide for Occupants (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.31 — 103,129 ratings — published 2019
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.09 — 28,950 ratings — published 1991
Rate this book
Clear rating
Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.07 — 17,134 ratings — published 1995
Rate this book
Clear rating
Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.30 — 102,350 ratings — published 2023
Rate this book
Clear rating
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.37 — 33,513 ratings — published 2017
Rate this book
Clear rating
Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 3.95 — 5,203 ratings — published 2018
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.18 — 6,093 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.15 — 81,234 ratings — published 2014
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.16 — 56,783 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
What Is Life? with Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches What Is Life? with Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.13 — 8,026 ratings — published 1944
Rate this book
Clear rating
Silent Spring Silent Spring (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.06 — 56,515 ratings — published 1962
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Extended Phenotype: The Long Reach of the Gene (Popular Science) The Extended Phenotype: The Long Reach of the Gene (Popular Science)
by (shelved 5 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.12 — 9,666 ratings — published 1982
Rate this book
Clear rating
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.32 — 269,520 ratings — published 2025
Rate this book
Clear rating
Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.13 — 5,421 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
Immune: a Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive Immune: a Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.58 — 13,868 ratings — published 2021
Rate this book
Clear rating
Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 3.94 — 2,355 ratings — published 2021
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Diversity of Life (Questions of Science) The Diversity of Life (Questions of Science)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.21 — 6,272 ratings — published 1992
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.06 — 60,235 ratings — published 2001
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Brain: The Story of You The Brain: The Story of You (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.25 — 23,397 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don't Have To Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don't Have To (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.12 — 27,103 ratings — published 2019
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.20 — 40,923 ratings — published 2007
Rate this book
Clear rating
Biology Biology (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.15 — 4,196 ratings — published 1987
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Machinery of Life The Machinery of Life (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.44 — 750 ratings — published 1992
Rate this book
Clear rating
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (Paperback)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.06 — 245,892 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
Other Minds Other Minds (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 3.88 — 29,102 ratings — published 2016
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Genius of Birds The Genius of Birds (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.04 — 14,096 ratings — published 2016
Rate this book
Clear rating
10% Human: How Your Body's Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness 10% Human: How Your Body's Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.37 — 4,101 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Very Hungry Caterpillar The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Board book)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.35 — 554,894 ratings — published 1969
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution (Paperback)
by (shelved 4 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.15 — 28,944 ratings — published 2004
Rate this book
Clear rating
Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet (Hardcover)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.42 — 4,147 ratings — published 2023
Rate this book
Clear rating
Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life (Hardcover)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.20 — 2,114 ratings — published 2024
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human (Hardcover)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.28 — 16,128 ratings — published 2022
Rate this book
Clear rating
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease (Hardcover)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.41 — 51,397 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death (Hardcover)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.07 — 1,161 ratings — published 2022
Rate this book
Clear rating
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us (Hardcover)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 4.46 — 38,007 ratings — published 2022
Rate this book
Clear rating
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex (Paperback)
by (shelved 3 times as life-science)
avg rating 3.85 — 60,969 ratings — published 2008
Rate this book
Clear rating


“In the 4th century BC, Plato argued that we are able to see because light emitted from the eye and that this light seizes objects with it's rays. This was the "extramission" theory of vision, and as bizarrely as it seems to us today, until the 1500s this was the widely held view in Europe of how the eye worked. To his credit Aristotle (384-322BC) was one of the first to reject the extramission theory of vision, arguing in favour of the "intromission" theory, whereby the eye receives light rays rather than projecting light into the world. Sadly, this eminently sensible theory from the ancient world was not embraced. Even Leonardo da Vinci in the 1480s first supported the extramission theory, but after dissecting the eye in the 1490s, he switched to the intromission theory. early observations by Islamic physicians, notably Hasan Ibn al-Haytham, who lived from 965 to 1040 AD and is known in the West as Alhazen, documented that the pupil dilates and contracts in response to different levels of light and that the eye is damaged by strong light. He used these observations to argue correctly that light enters the eye and that light is not emitted from the eye.”
Russell Foster, Life Time

Bette A. Stevens
“Bookworms aren't people who love to read. They are people who treat books as treasures. Anonymous”
Bette A. Stevens, Amazing Matilda: A Monarch's Tale

More quotes...