Science books rarely get much attention from the mass media.  Here are a few non-fiction books that those curious in the latest scientific trends might want to put on their reading lists.

 

“When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing” by Daniel H. Pink acknowledges the importance of timing.  Most people go with intuition, but Daniel H. Pink shows in his book that it is not an art, it is a science.  He looks at the latest data and provides readers using stories and practical advice how to use this science to enrich our lives.

           

Steven Pinker takes real world statistics to let us know that things are not as bad as we assume that they are in his latest book, “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress.”  He makes a case that we need to step back from the headlines predicting a future of gloom and doom and look at the facts.  He uses charts on health, prosperity, safety, happiness and knowledge to show that they are all on the rise world-wide.  We live in a safer, more democratic, prosperous world than our ancestors and we need to fight against the ideas that authoritarianism and tribalism are our fate.   Pinker uses evidence to show that reason, and science have served us well in the past and in our progress towards the future.

           

Michio Kaku looks at “The Future of Humanity” and where the latest developments in astrophysics, artificial intelligence and technology are leading us.  In the field of health with nanotechnology and biotechnology we will see dramatic strides against diseases in less than a century and in the fields of physics, the future of humanity is moving towards the ability to build cities on Mars and then travel to nearby stars.

           

All three of these books use science and evidence to look at our future endeavors or how we can make our current lives better.