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Billions & Billions
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Overall
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Performance
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classic
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A fascinating insight into string theory
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The Future of Humanity
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- Unabridged
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Graphic!
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Murmurs of Earth
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- Unabridged
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In 1977, two extraordinary spacecraft called Voyager were launched to the stars. Affixed to each Voyager craft was a gold-coated copped phonograph record as a message to possible extra-terrestrial civilizations that might encounter the spacecraft in some distant space and time.
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Forces of Nature
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Professor Brian Cox uncovers some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth and in the universe and beyond. From the immensity of the universe and the roundness of Earth to the form of every single snowflake, the forces of nature shape everything we see. Pushed to extremes, the results are astonishing. In seeking to understand the everyday world, the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home, we develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to step beyond the everyday.
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Great!
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The Body
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- Unabridged
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In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe. Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.
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Bill Bryson at his best.
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Human Compatible
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- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Creating superior intelligence would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, according to the world's pre-eminent AI expert, it could also be the last. In this groundbreaking book on the biggest question facing humanity, Stuart Russell explains why he has come to consider his own discipline an existential threat to his own species, and lays out how we can change course before it's too late. There is no one better placed to assess the promise and perils of the dominant technology of the future than Russell, who has spent decades at the forefront of AI research.
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Lifespan
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- By: Dr David A. Sinclair, Matthew D. LaPlante
- Narrated by: Dr David A. Sinclair
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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For decades, the medical community has looked to a variety of reasons for why we age, and the consensus is that no-one dies of old age; they die of age-related diseases. That's because ageing is not a disease - it is inevitable. But what if everything you think you know about ageing is wrong? What if ageing is a disease? And that disease is curable. In Lifespan, Dr David Sinclair, one of the world’s foremost authorities on genetics and ageing, argues just that.
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This book will change your life and the world.
- By Melton on 14-09-19
Summary
In the final book of his astonishing career, Carl Sagan brilliantly examines the burning questions of our lives, our world, and the universe around us. These luminous, entertaining essays travel both the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of the human mind, posing such fascinating questions as how did the universe originate and how will it end, and how can we meld science and compassion to meet the challenges of the coming century? Here, too, is a rare, private glimpse of Sagan's thoughts about love, death, and God as he struggled with fatal disease. Ever forward-looking and vibrant with the sparkle of his unquenchable curiosity, Billions & Billions is a testament to one of the great scientific minds of our day.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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- And vice versa
- 23-07-18
Our generation's most pressing issues
Don't be put off by the first couple of chapters. The nature of the book becomes clear as you go along. These are somewhat randomly chosen topics, but their existential relevance ties them together. Sagan is both prescient and, sadly, overly optimistic in his treatment of global warming. He brings nuance - yes, nuance - to the usually thumbs-up, thumbs-down topic of abortion. By the end, you will have thought more deeply and become more informed about humanity and the universe. It is a wonderful encore.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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- Devon
- 15-05-19
A valuable, broad perspective on humanity
The content of Carl Sagans words in this book are detailed, with an eloquent passion and concern for our species and the ones we share this planet with. This final piece of his life's body of work has emphasised what his previous work has done for me personally, inspired a will to question, be inquisitive as to the truth of matters, not shrouding in mystecism... and above all, to acknowledge the intrinsic connection, web that we live within this cosmos.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Courtney Cowan
- 16-04-19
Sobbed like a baby
The book was absolutely amazing. When it got to Carl's final days the story became heart wrenching. And listening to Ann's recalling of Carl's final moments, taking his death with such dignity was tough but astounding.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Rod A. Galindo
- 22-10-19
Amazing and beautiful.
Fans of Sagan cannot miss this essay into life, the universe, and everything. Regarding the audio version, at first it was jarring to hear a female's voice reading the words of Carl Sagan, but I very quickly got used to Adenrele Ojo's voice and really enjoyed her incredible rendition. Ann Druyan's epilogue nearly made me cry. Hearing her voice reading her own writing was so much better than merely reading the words from a page. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen now!
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- Bookworm O'Nerd
- 31-05-18
A good listen
The book encapsulates Carl Sagan's thoughts on very various topics, and is an easy, satisfying listen.
1 of 6 people found this review helpful