Biology & Chemistry Audiobooks | Non-Fiction

Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution Of Human Sexuality

"Why are humans one of the few species to have sex in private? Why do humans have sex any day of the month or year, including when the female is pregnant, beyond her reproductive years, or between her fertile cycles? Why are human females one of the few mammals to go through menopause? Human sexuality seems normal to us but it is bizarre by the standards of other animals. Jared Diamond argues that our strange sex lives were as crucial to our rise to human status as were our large brains. He also describes the battle of the sexes in the human and animal world over parental care, and why sex differences in the genetic value of parental care provide a biological basis for the all-too-familiar different attitudes of men and women towards extramarital sex. (p) 1997 Orion Publishing Group"

Jared Diamond (Author), Emilia Fox (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Man Who Touched His Own Heart: True Tales of Science, Surgery, and Mystery

"The secret history of our most vital organ: the human heart. The Man Who Touched His Own Heart tells the raucous, gory, mesmerizing story of the heart, from the first 'explorers' who dug up cadavers and plumbed their hearts' chambers, through the first heart surgeries -- which had to be completed in three minutes before death arrived -- to heart transplants and the latest medical efforts to prolong our hearts' lives, almost defying nature in the process. Thought of as the seat of our soul, then as a mysteriously animated object, the heart is still more a mystery than it is understood. Why do most animals only get one billion beats? (And how did modern humans get to over two billion, effectively letting us live out two lives?) Why are sufferers of gingivitis more likely to have heart attacks? Why do we often undergo expensive procedures when cheaper ones are just as effective? What do Da Vinci, Mary Shelley, and contemporary Egyptian archaeologists have in common? And what does it really feel like to touch your own heart, or to have someone else's beating inside your chest? Rob Dunn's fascinating history of our hearts brings us deep inside the science, history, and stories of the four chambers we depend on most."

Rob Dunn (Author), Robert Fass (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Teenage Brain: A neuroscientist’s survival guide to raising adolescents and young adults

"Why is it that the behaviour of teenagers can be so odd? As they grow older, young children steadily improve their sense of how to behave, and then all of a sudden, they can become totally uncommunicative, wildly emotional and completely unpredictable. We used to think that erratic teenage behaviour was due to a sudden surge in hormones, but modern neuroscience shows us that this isn’t true. The Teenage Brain is a journey through the new discoveries that show us exactly what happens to the brain in this crucial period, how it dictates teenagers’ behaviour, and how the experiences of our teenage years are what shape our attitudes, and often our happiness in later life. Many of our ideas about our growing brains are completely re-written. They don’t stop developing at the end of our teens – they keep adapting until we are in our mid-twenties. They are wired back to front, with the most important parts, the parts that we associate with good judgement, concentration, organization and emotional and behavioural control being connected last of all. The Teenage brain is a powerful animal primed for learning, but this creates problems. Addiction is a form of learning, and Frances Jensen, Professor of Pediatric Neurology at the teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School reveals exactly what lies behind all aspects of teenage behaviour and its lasting effects – from drugs, lack of sleep and smoking to multi-tasking and stress. As a mother and a scientist, Professor Jensen offers both exciting science and practical suggestions for how parents, teens and schools can help teenagers weather the storms of adolescence, and get the most out of their incredible brains."

Frances E. Jensen (Author), Laurence Bouvard (Narrator)

Audiobook

Arrival the Fittest: Solving Evolution's Greatest Puzzle

"“Natural selection can preserve innovations, but it cannot create them. Nature’s many innovations—some uncannily perfect—call for natural principles that accelerate life’s ability to innovate, its innovability.” Darwin’s theory of natural selection explains how useful adaptations are preserved over time. But the biggest mystery about evolution eluded him. As genetics pioneer Hugo de Vries put it, “natural selection may explain the survival of the fittest, but it cannot explain the arrival of the fittest.” Can random mutations over a mere 3.8 billion years really be responsible for wings, eyeballs, knees, camouflage, lactose digestion, photosynthesis, and the rest of nature’s creative marvels? And if the answer is no, what is the mechanism that explains evolution’s speed and efficiency? In Arrival of the Fittest, renowned evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner draws on over fifteen years of research to present the missing piece in Darwin's theory. Using experimental and computational technologies that were heretofore unimagined, he has found that adaptations are not just driven by chance, but by a set of laws that allow nature to discover new molecules and mechanisms in a fraction of the time that random variation would take. Consider the Arctic cod, a fish that lives and thrives within six degrees of the North Pole, in waters that regularly fall below 0 degrees. At that temperature, the internal fluids of most organisms turn into ice crystals. And yet, the arctic cod survives by producing proteins that lower the freezing temperature of its body fluids, much like antifreeze does for a car’s engine coolant. The invention of those proteins is an archetypal example of nature’s enormous powers of creativity. Meticulously researched, carefully argued, evocatively written, and full of fascinating examples from the animal kingdom, Arrival of the Fittest offers up the final puzzle piece in the mystery of life’s rich diversity."

Andreas Wagner (Author), Sean Pratt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation

"'Evolution is one of the most powerful and important ideas ever developed in the history of science. Every question it raises leads to new answers, new discoveries, and new smarter questions. The science of evolution is as expansive as nature itself. It is also the most meaningful creation story that humans have ever found.'—Bill Nye Sparked by a controversial debate in February 2014, Bill Nye has set off on an energetic campaign to spread awareness of evolution and the powerful way it shapes our lives. In Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, he explains why race does not really exist; evaluates the true promise and peril of genetically modified food; reveals how new species are born, in a dog kennel and in a London subway; takes a stroll through 4.5 billion years of time; and explores the new search for alien life, including aliens right here on Earth. With infectious enthusiasm, Bill Nye shows that evolution is much more than a rebuttal to creationism; it is an essential way to understand how nature works—and to change the world. It might also help you get a date on a Saturday night."

Bill Nye (Author), Bill Nye (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Sports Gene: Talent, Practice and the Truth About Success

"*** Shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2013 *** Is Usain Bolt a superhuman one-off? Are sports stars like Paula Radcliffe and Tiger Woods born or made? Could we all be Olympians if we trained hard enough? And is the answer to be found by looking at Alaskan huskies? In this ground-breaking and entertaining exploration of athletic success, award-winning writer David Epstein gets to the heart of the great nature vs. nurture debate, and explodes myths about why top sportsmen excel. Along the way Epstein exposes the flaws in the so-called 10,000-hour rule that states that rigorous practice from a young age is the only route to success. He shows why some skills that we imagine are innate are not – like the bullet-fast reactions of a baseball player – and why other characteristics that we assume are entirely voluntary, like an athlete’s will to train, might in fact have important genetic components. Through on-the ground reports at locations ranging from below the equator to above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of sport."

David Epstein (Author), David Epstein (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Big Ratchet: How Humanity Thrives in the Face of Natural Crisis

"The Big Ratchet is the story of the ratchets: the technologies and innovations, big and small, that propelled our species from hunters and gatherers on the savannahs of Africa to shoppers in the aisles of the supermarket. Our species long lived on the edge of starvation. Now we produce enough food for all 7 billion of us to eat nearly 3,000 calories every day. This is such an astonishing thing in the history of life as to verge on the miraculous. The Big Ratchet is the story of how it happened. The Big Ratchet itself came in the twentieth century, when a range of technologies—from fossil fuels to scientific plant breeding to nitrogen fertilizers—combined to nearly quadruple our population in a century, and to grow our food supply even faster. To some, these technologies are a sign of our greatness; to others, of our hubris. MacArthur fellow and Columbia University professor Ruth DeFries argues that the debate is the wrong one to have. Limits do exist, but every limit that has confronted us, we have surpassed. That cycle of crisis and growth is the story of our history; indeed, it is the essence of The Big Ratchet. Understanding it will reveal not just how we reached this point in our history, but how we might survive it."

Ruth Defries (Author), Pam Ward (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control

"Renowned psychologist Walter Mischel, designer of the famous Marshmallow Test, explains what self-control is and how to master it.A child is presented with a marshmallow and given a choice: Eat this one now, or wait and enjoy two later. What will she do? And what are the implications for her behavior later in life?The world's leading expert on self-control, Walter Mischel has proven that the ability to delay gratification is critical for a successful life, predicting higher SAT scores, better social and cognitive functioning, a healthier lifestyle and a greater sense of self-worth. But is willpower prewired, or can it be taught?In The Marshmallow Test, Mischel explains how self-control can be mastered and applied to challenges in everyday life—from weight control to quitting smoking, overcoming heartbreak, making major decisions, and planning for retirement. With profound implications for the choices we make in parenting, education, public policy and self-care, The Marshmallow Test will change the way you think about who we are and what we can be."

Walter Mischel (Author), Alan Alda (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention

"From Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Matt Richtel, a brilliant, narrative-driven exploration of technology’s vast influence on the human mind and society, dramatically-told through the lens of a tragic “texting-while-driving” car crash that claimed the lives of two rocket scientists in 2006. In this ambitious, compelling, and beautifully written book, Matt Richtel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times, examines the impact of technology on our lives through the story of Utah college student Reggie Shaw, who killed two scientists while texting and driving. Richtel follows Reggie through the tragedy, the police investigation, his prosecution, and ultimately, his redemption. In the wake of his experience, Reggie has become a leading advocate against “distracted driving.” Richtel interweaves Reggie’s story with cutting-edge scientific findings regarding human attention and the impact of technology on our brains, proposing solid, practical, and actionable solutions to help manage this crisis individually and as a society. A propulsive read filled with fascinating, accessible detail, riveting narrative tension, and emotional depth, A Deadly Wandering explores one of the biggest questions of our time—what is all of our technology doing to us?—and provides unsettling and important answers and information we all need."

Matt Richtel (Author), Fred Berman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and Scho

"Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know—like the need for physical activity to get your brain working its best. How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget—and so important to repeat new knowledge? Is it true that men and women have different brains? In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule—what scientists know for sure about how our brains work—and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. Medina’s fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You’ll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You’ll peer over a surgeon’s shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You’ll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can’t tie his own shoes. You will discover how: -Every brain is wired differently -Exercise improves cognition -We are designed to never stop learning and exploring -Memories are volatile -Sleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learn -Vision trumps all of the other senses -Stress changes the way we learn In the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works—and how to get the most out of it."

John Medina (Author), John Medina (Narrator)

Audiobook

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life (Before 25): Change Your Developing Mind for Real-World Success

"Change Your Brain, Change Your Life (Before 25) is based on Dr. Jesse Payne's and Daniel Amen’s work together with young people and parents and educators who work with young people. It is an owner’s manual specifically written for the developing brain, packed with interesting information, relatable stories and easy-to-follow brain prescriptions and enhancement strategies. Its step-by-step instructions are tailored to optimize brain power while minimizing brain interference. The goal is to show listeners how to unlock the miraculous potential of the developing brain and rewire the young mind for a lifetime of real world success. In the vein of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and How Children Achieve, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life (Before 25) will empower young listeners and the parents, educators, coaches and professionals who work with young people. A young brain is more than an adult brain with a few less miles on it. Its unique structure and chemical composition is constantly changing, growing and reshaping itself until around the age of 25. It’s a brain especially primed to reach its full potential when nurtured correctly—even more so than our adult brains. In fact, Jesse’s work has shown people under the age of 25 can transform their brains and change their lives in as little as two weeks’ time. And let’s face it. The teen years are grueling. Twenty-somethings today are struggling more than ever. Parents’ concerns and frustrations are heightened. Times are especially tough for this age group. Just look at the press:• Generation Screwed: With unemployment, the economy and a myriad of social issues, many young people graduating from high school and college today feel like Generation Screwed. This audiobook shows them how they can use their brain’s superpowers to rise above these challenges and succeed in the real world. • Technology: As Digital Natives, this generation is more plugged in and exposed than any in history. I’ll show young people how to stay wired in without getting wired up and provide them the skills to understand and bridge the gap that often alienates them from the older generation most often responsible for their success in the real world. • ADD, Depression, Anxiety: Hundreds of thousands of kids are hit with what I call the “Young Person’s Trifecta”: ADD, Depression, and Anxiety. This program tackles these neuro-obstacles and offers frustrated families and young people hope and solutions for a thriving, productive and happy life. • Bullying: With the advent of technology and social media there are more and vicious ways a young person can be bullied. As I’ll illustrate to readers who’ve been the victim of bullying, they can strengthen their resiliency and rise above it. I’ll also provide a wakeup call to the bullies and show them how aggression hurts their brains. • Wealth Gap: The majority of today’s teens and 20-somethings stand somewhere within a widening wealth gap: Some are raised with entitlement and have such a tight safety net they never learn to fail; others have few opportunities for enrichment or personal growth and no safety net whatsoever. Both situations are fraught with pitfalls which this audiobook helps listeners avoid and in many cases, use to their advantage."

Jesse Payne (Author), Dr. Jesse Payne (Narrator)

Audiobook

Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do about It

"From the codirector of the Mayo Clinic / Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative and inventor of the treadmill desk comes a fascinating wake-up call about our sedentary lifestyle. That the average adult spends 50 to 70 percent of their day sitting is no surprise to anyone who works in an office environment. But few realize the health consequences they are suffering as a result of modernity's increasingly sedentary lifestyle, or the effects it has had on society at large. In Get Up!, health expert James A. Levine's original scientific research shows that today's chair-based world, where we no longer use our bodies as they evolved to be used, is having negative consequences on our health, and is a leading cause of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Over the decades, humans have moved from a primarily active lifestyle to one that is largely sedentary, and this change has reshaped every facet of our lives—from social interaction to classroom design. Levine shows how to throw off the shackles of inertia and reverse these negative trends through simple changes in our daily lives."

James A. Levine (Author), Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Biology & Chemistry Audiobooks in Non-Fiction