DP - Environmental Systems & Societies
Embedded Files
U 551.46 BAR
Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works (2023). In this compelling work, physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski explores the ocean as a dynamic system powered by sunlight, driving vast flows of energy, water, and life across the planet. She delves into the mechanisms behind ocean currents, temperature, salinity, and the movement of tectonic plates, illustrating how these elements interact to support life from the smallest plankton to the largest whales. Czerski also highlights the urgent threats facing the ocean engine today and emphasizes the importance of understanding and protecting this vital system.
Helen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer at University College London, specializing in the study of bubbles beneath breaking waves and their effects on weather and climate. She is also a science presenter for the BBC and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, writing regularly about the physics of everyday life.
Seeds (2023) weaves together personal stories and scientific exploration of the vital ways seeds connect life across ecosystems, cultures, and history, highlighting their profound role in sustaining biodiversity and human existence. Montgomery’s heartfelt and engaging narrative inspires readers to appreciate the natural world's intricate relationships and the importance of preserving plant life for the future.
Thor Hanson is an American conservation biologist and author known for his award-winning books on natural history and environmental science.
Rivers of Power (2020) by Laurence C. Smith explores how rivers have profoundly influenced human civilization, from shaping borders and cities to powering economies and ecosystems. The book traces their role in history, politics, and technology, showing how this natural force continues to shape our modern world. Smith combines science, geography, and storytelling to reveal the critical connections between rivers and human development. He also examines future challenges as climate change alters river systems worldwide.
Laurence C. Smith is a geographer and climate scientist whose research focuses on the Earth’s changing environment and its impact on societies.
Superlative: The Biology of Extremes (2020), delves into the extraordinary adaptations of nature's most extreme organisms. The book explores how the largest, smallest, fastest, oldest, and most intelligent life forms offer insights into evolution, biology, and the potential for scientific advancements. Through engaging narratives, LaPlante examines creatures like the axolotl, known for its regenerative abilities, and the ghost shark, which challenges our understanding of evolution. By studying these outliers, the book highlights how extreme biology can inform medicine, environmental science, and our understanding of life's possibilities.
Matthew D. LaPlante is an associate professor of journalism at Utah State University, where he teaches news reporting, narrative non-fiction writing, and crisis reporting.
Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter (2018) examines the current mass extinction event caused by human activities, drawing parallels to the five previous mass extinctions in Earth’s history. Kolbert blends scientific research with compelling storytelling, exploring the effects of climate change, habitat destruction, and other human-driven forces on the planet’s biodiversity. Through vivid case studies and expert interviews, she highlights how species are disappearing at an unprecedented rate and emphasizes the urgent need for conservation and ecological awareness.
Ben Goldfarb is an American environmental journalist and award-winning author known for his in-depth reporting on ecology and conservation, including his book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, which won the 2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.
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