From the biggest question marks surrounding the universe to understanding how our bodies tick through life, science books evoke attempts to answer the mysteries we all grapple with.
The best science books not only inform and educate but also find a way of entertaining. With 2022 approaching its final stages, What We Reading takes you through some of the best science books that have captured our imaginations. From the discovery of the world’s most infamous killer to the attempts to provide sustainable and affordable food for all, dive into some of the most profound issues facing life on Earth.
Essays For The Living, The Dead, And The Small Things In Between – Joseph Osmundson
Having topped the list of anticipated 2022 science books, Essays for the Living, the Dead, and the Small Things in Between is a novel by American biophysicist Joseph Osmundson.
In the book, Osmundson puts readers underneath the microscope to give them one of the most in-depth and insightful guides to the structures of some of the most famous viruses humanity has encountered. With Osmundson’s unique use of prose, the novel couples together groundbreaking scientific intricacies with a guide on how viruses such as HIV and COVID-19 have impacted our daily lives.
The Monster’s Bones – David K. Randall
On the back of its role as the primary antagonist of 1993’s Jurassic Park, the Tyrannosaurus Rex has become the most infamous dinosaur to have walked the Earth. In The Monster’s Bones: The Discovery of T. Rex and How It Shook Our World, David K. Randall details how palaeontologist Barnum Brown’s discovery of this giant killer changed our understanding of prehistoric life.
A thrilling tale of how an intrepid fossil hunter kickstarted dinosaurs growing from strange oddities to beloved members of our culture, The Monster’s Bones also shares the story of how the American Museum of Natural History recovered from near-desertion to arguably the most famous centres of knowledge on the planet.
Check Out The Best Dinosaur Books
Birds And Us – Tim Birkhead
Across human history, birds have always been a species of animal we have marvelled at. In Birds and Us: A 12,000-Year History, from Cave Art to Conservation, British ornithologist Tim Birkhead looks at how humans have worshipped, hunted, studied and now attempt to protect the winged animals that share the planet with us.
The book details Tim’s real-life experiences studying the weird and wonderful world of these animals, with his stories taking him from Neolithic caves in Spain to the guillemot colonies of the Faroe Islands. It is a fascinating and triumphant work that captures just how intertwined humanity is with its bird brethren.
Regenesis – George Monbiot
Over the past decade or so, people have become more and more aware of the effects our eating habits and lifestyles can have on the world around us.
Shortlisted for The James Cropper Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation prize in 2022, Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet is George Monbiot’s look at the future of the food industry. In the book, Monbiot looks at some of the trailblazing methods people are using to promote more sustainable ways of growing and distributing food.
With an emphasis on soil ecology, Regenesis is a groundbreaking science book that has been touted as the number one work on how technology is leading the charge for saving our ecosystems and creating more affordable food.
Don’t Trust Your Gut – Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz is a data scientist, economist and author of Don’t Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life, the most defining novel on all the intricacies that go into the biggest decisions in life.
In Don’t Trust Your Gut, Stephens-Davidowitz pulls together the largest pieces of data to offer an insight into how making the biggest decisions in life based solely on gut feelings is so often a mistake.
Check Out The Best 2023 Science Books
Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death – Nick Lane
If there’s one thing we remember from school, it’s that mitochondria are the powerhouses of a cell. It’s something of a meme at this point, but it’s scientific discoveries like this that Nick Lane taps into with his insightful books.
In Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death, Lane looks at the intricacies at play that separate cells from living matter. It’s a specific subject for sure, but one to which Lane devotes all of his enthusiasm and knowledge, explaining how life is formed, and what happens when it reaches its conclusion.
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals – Stephen Brusatte
Sixty-five million years ago Earth was dominated by the dinosaurs, who existed as the top beings across all continents and whose reign had lasted 165 million years. Mammals had been forced to play second-fiddle to their colossal counterparts during this time but, after the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event wiped out 75% of life on Earth, they would find themselves clawing their way to the top of the food chain.
It is that timeline that Stephen Brusatte expertly explores in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals. Detailing the rapid adaptation and diversification shown by Mammals in the wake of the most destructive extinction event in history, it’s a truly groundbreaking title in understanding how chaos can give way to opportunity.
The Insect Crisis – Oliver Milman
Seldom few realise the impact insects have in shaping the ecosystems around us, and it is that issue Oliver Milman looks to correct with The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World, undoubtedly one of the most impactful 2022 science books we’ve read this year.
With three out of four species on Earth being a type of insect, Milman documents the crisis hitting populations around the world and what effects this might have in turn for our planet. One of the most accomplished and profound works on these magical creatures, The Insect Crisis stands as one of the best books for those looking to understand and prevent the consequences of one of the greatest threats around us.
Learn more about climate change with our top books from 2022
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
