In the summer, we , which did not include any directories or guides on algorithms. It consisted of literature for leisure reading — to broaden horizons. As a continuation, we curated science fiction, books about the technological future of humanity, and other publications written by specialists for specialists.
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Science and Technology
Science and Technology
The book discusses how deep ideas in mathematics, computer science, and physics have evolved. It was written by Scott Aaronson, a specialist in computational theory and systems. He serves as a professor in the computer science department at the University of Texas (by the way, some of the author's lectures have been published ). Scott begins his excursion from Ancient Greece — from the works of Democritus, who spoke of the "atom" as an indivisible particle of matter possessing true existence. He then smoothly transitions the narrative to the development of set theory and computational complexity, as well as quantum computers and cryptography.
The book also touches on topics such as time travel and . Thus, it may be useful and interesting not only to physics enthusiasts but also to those who enjoy thought experiments and engaging puzzles.
This is the best science book of 2017 according to the Wall Street Journal and Popular Science. Kelly Weinersmith, the host of the podcast about science and related topics "", discusses technologies that will become part of our lives in the near future.
These include 3D printers for printing food, autonomous robots, and microchips embedded in the human body. Kelly builds her narrative based on meetings with scientists and engineers. With a touch of humor, she explains why these projects are needed and what hinders their development.
On July 14, 2015, a significant event took place. The interplanetary probe New Horizons successfully reached Pluto and took in high resolution. However, not everyone knows that the mission was on the brink several times, and its success is practically a miracle. This book is the story of the New Horizons flight, narrated and authored by the participants of the events. NASA's science program director Alan Stern and astrobiologist David Greenspoon describe the difficulties engineers face in the process of designing, assembling, and launching spacecraft — detailing work without the luxury of mistakes.
Soft skills and brain work
Soft skills and brain work
About 90% of people on the planet believe that the situation in the world is only getting worse. They are mistaken. Statistician Hans Rosling proves in his book that over the last 20 years, people have been living better. He attributes the difference between public perception and reality to a lack of ability to handle information and facts. In 2018, Bill Gates added "Factfulness" to his list of must-read literature and even prepared a brief summary of the book .
Professor Richard Wiseman, a member , discusses the components of successful teamwork based on interviews with the staff of the flight control center that launched Apollo 11. The book contains not only reflections on "how to do it right" but also shares some details of the space mission.
This is an autobiography of American theoretical physicist Paul Steinhardt. He describes the results of his 35-year hunt for . These are solid bodies made up of atoms that do not form a crystalline lattice. Paul and his colleagues traveled around the world, aiming to prove that such materials can be found in nature, rather than only synthesized. The climax of the story occurs on the Kamchatka Peninsula, where scientists finally manage to uncover pieces of meteorite containing quasicrystals. This year, the book was nominated for a prize from the British for contributions to the development of popular science literature.
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Any task can be solved correctly or incorrectly. Randall Munroe is a NASA engineer and the artist behind the comic series and the book "" suggests that there is a third way. It implies an incredibly complex and irrational approach that no one would ever use. Munroe provides examples of such approaches for various cases, from digging a hole to landing an airplane. However, the author aims not just to entertain the reader but, through hyperboles, to illustrate how popular technologies work.
Fiction
Fiction
Speculative fiction by exurb1a, the founder of the educational with 1.5 million subscribers. The book is a collection of 12 stories about the foundation, rise, and fall of the Galactic Empire of humans. The author discusses sciences, technologies, and human actions that inevitably lead to the destruction of civilization. The Fifth Science is recommended by many Reddit residents. The book is likely to appeal to those who enjoyed the series "" by Isaac Asimov.
What to do if your time machine breaks down, and you're stuck in the distant past? How can you survive? And is it possible to accelerate the advancement of humanity? The book provides answers to these questions. It was written by Ryan North, a software developer and artist .
Inside, there is a sort of manual for assembling the devices we use today — for instance, computers, airplanes, and agricultural machines. All of this is accompanied by illustrations, diagrams, scientific calculations, and facts. In named How to Invent Everything the best book of 2018. Randall Munroe also spoke positively about it, calling North's work a must-have for anyone wishing to quickly build an industrial civilization.
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