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Soonish
Soonish
Oct 23, 2024 7:25 PM

Author:Dr. Kelly Weinersmith,Zach Weinersmith

Soonish

What will the world of tomorrow be like? How does progress happen? And why don't we have a lunar colony already? In this witty and entertaining book, Kelly and Zach Weinersmith give us a snapshot of the transformative technologies that are coming next - from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters - and explain how they will change our world in astonishing ways. By weaving together their own research, interviews with pioneering scientists and Zach's trademark comics, the Weinersmiths investigate why these innovations are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.

Reviews

An unabashed nerd-out of a book, zinging from outer space to DNA, hardly pausing for breath ... The gleeful geeking out makes for a great read - I couldn't help chuckling or outright cracking up a number of times - while surreptitiously teaching some really important science. It's a winning combination. The sheer breadth of topics covered is also amazing: Probably no other book in history has seriously described the science behind both tentacle construction robots and the human nasal cycle

—— Science , Colin McCormick

Space elevators, gold asteroids, and fusion-powered toasters - who knew science could be so much fun? And who knew fun could be so scientific? Soonish is hilarious, provocative, and shamelessly informative

—— Tim Harford, author of 'Messy' and 'The Undercover Economist'

Playful, yet deep

—— Dr. George Church, Harvard University

I love this book so much I 3D printed myself a second heart so I could love it more

—— Dr. Phil Plait, astronomer, author, writer of the Bad Astronomy Blog

Kelly and Zach promised me a crystal ball, but what I got is both more insightful and far more entertaining than staring into a dumb glass orb. Soonish will make you laugh and - without you even realizing it - give you insight into the most ambitious technological feats of our time. You should read this book, sooner than soonish

—— Alexis Ohanian, Cofounder of Reddit

Basically, I think this book is a masterpiece, and something I wish I'd written myself

—— Scott Aaronson, David J. Bruton Centennial Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin and author of 'Quantum Computing Since Democritus'

Compelling, accessible, and wryly funny ... Popular-science writing has rarely been so whip-smart, captivating, or hilarious (albeit occasionally terrifying)

—— Sarah Hunter , Booklist

A fascinating look at the most provocative and promising research going on today and how it could alter the way we work and live

—— Publishers Weekly

Studded with engaging descriptions...[and] a plenitude of practical suggestions... This is a crusading but not a preachy book... I was charmed, enthused, dismayed and grieved by Silent Earth.

—— Richard Davenport-Hines , The Oldie

His magnum opus. Silent Earth is both a heartfelt letter of love to the insect world that has captivated him from childhood, and a rousing call to arms to counter the recent catastrophic decline in insects before it is too late... Magnificent.

—— Caroline Sanderson , The Bookseller, Book of the Month

It's remarkable that [insect] decline has gone largely unnoticed by non-specialists... Keep dreaming, Dave Goulson. We'll need more dreamers like you.

—— Ben Cooke , The Times

If Silent Earth contains a single incontestable message it is that nature - insects, flowers, plants, trees, birds and mammals, including our species - is a single system... This powerful book tells us that we need to act as if we understand this essential truth.

—— Mark Cocker , Financial Times

The book's greatest strength is its insistence that change is possible, and that everyone can make it happen in small and large ways. Goulson steps seamlessly between knowledgeable professor and impassioned environmentalist, and you can't help but get on board.

—— Sierra Magazine

An eloquent and unflinchingly honest book... intelligent and thoughtful - and yes, beautifully written.

—— Forbes

Our collective lack of understanding and shortsightedness has brought us to the brink of ecogical disaster. We have disregarded the warnings for too long and simply cannot afford to ignore Dave Goulson's tremendously timely book.

—— George McGavin

Terrific... A thoughtful explanation of how the dramatic decline of insect species and numbers poses a dire threat to all life on earth.

—— Booklist, Starred Review

[Silent Earth's] message...is important and should be heeded.

—— Nigel Andrew , Literary Review

Dave Goulson... writes enchantingly.

—— Andrew Robinson , Nature

Enlightening, urgent and funny, Goulson's book is a timely call for action.

—— New Statesman, *Books of the Year*

[Silent Earth] should be obligatory reading for politicians and those in power... compelling... [Goulson] draws up his case in a very readable and accessible style... an essential and timely book.

—— John Green , Morning Star

After another frame-wrecking year I can think of no better book to recommend than Dave Goulson's Silent Earth

—— Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year*

Goulson's book deserves to be widely read. It is fact-filled and well balanced in the minefield of environmental politics.

—— International Journal of Environmental Studies

Compelling (praise for: The Sixth Extinction)

—— Observer

Remarkable (praise for: The Sixth Extinction)

—— Sunday Telegraph

Read this book (praise for: The Sixth Extinction)

—— Independent

Elizabeth Kolbert's cautionary tale, The Sixth Extinction, offers us a cogent overview of a harrowing biological challenge. The reporting is exceptional, the contextualizing exemplary (praise for: The Sixth Extinction)

—— Barry Lopez, author of Arctic Dreams and Horizon

The Sixth Mass Extinction is the biggest story on Earth, period, and Elizabeth Kolbert tells it with imagination, rigor, deep reporting, and a capacious curiosity about all the wondrous creatures and ecosystems that exist, or have existed, on our planet. The result is an important book full of love and loss (praise for: The Sixth Extinction)

—— David Quammen, author of The Song of the Dodo and Spillover

Fascinating

—— Chris Fitch , Geographical

In Under a White Sky...Elizabeth Kolbert...[combines] curiosity with an acerbic wit to explore humanity's obsession with controlling nature... Kolbert's skill is in presenting compelling stories from the Anthropocene and letting us judge for ourselves

—— James Dacey , Physics World

Highly readable . . . Higginbotham [is] a skilled science writer. . . . Mr. Higginbotham’s book reflects extensive on-the-scene research. . . . and vividly describes the futile attempts of engineers to bring a runaway reactor under control.

—— The Washington Times

In fascinating detail, Higginbotham chronicles how the drama played out, showing that Soviet hubris in part led to the accident and Soviet secrecy compounded it.

—— Newsday

The book reads like an adventure novel, but it’s a richly researched non-fiction work by a brilliant storyteller. . . . Get and read this gripping account to understand why people are still so afraid of nuclear power.

—— Skeptic Magazine's Science Salon

Midnight in Chernobyl is a master class in reporting.

—— The National Book Review
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