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A History of the Human Brain: From the Sea Sponge to Crispr, How Our Brain Evolved by Bret Stetka
informative
fast-paced
3.0
A History of the Human Brain: From the Sea Sponge to CRISPR, How Our Brain Evolved
Bret Stetka
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 9781604699883
Publication date: 03/16/2021
Pages: 272
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
A popular science book about the evolutionary history of our brain written by Bret Stetka, a non-practising physician, science journalist, writer and contributor to Scientific American and NPR. Readers of Sapiens will find this a breezy read which brings together anthropology, primatology, zoology, natural history, sociology, psychology, and a bit of genetics in the mix to understand how the brain evolved from its primordial state.
The book is divided into three parts namely, the anatomical biography, the social wiring, and the cultural makeup that have led to the evolution of the human brain. The first part was a lovely trip down memory lane for me personally. From the humble origins of the sponges in the oceans possessing proteins very similar to the ones found in our brains and nervous system to the unique nine-brained octopus, we see the gradual evolution of the components of a nervous system as it rose in the oceans in fishes and migrated to the lands in higher animals. While navigating this path Stetka presents us with the latest and updated paleontological, geological, and genetic data that provide us clues about this journey. The book’s strong point lies in its treatment of primate evolution and the similarities and dissimilarities we have with the apes. Here the reader will find an exhaustive account of the discovery of hominin fossils and the evolution of Homo sapiens. Are we so different from our Neanderthal and Denisovan cousins? The first part leaves you with a respect for the rich history of our ancestors and the evolution that led to our present anatomy.
Ethology takes up the mantle in the second part of this book. How altruism, cooperation, violence, grooming, communication, tool-making, and language in social groups have played roles in shaping primate and human brains. For example, we have physiological similarities with monkeys and apes such as the presence of similar areas like Broca’s and Wernicke’s but the complexity and plasticity of our speech centres make us unique in processing and producing sophisticated language. The final section of the book traces the effects of dietary habits along with the use of fire in sprucing up the organ inside our skulls. This is the weakest section of the book and a hurried conclusion leaves the reader wanting for a bit more focused end to the book.
I recommend the book for anyone who needs a primer in neurobiology, behavior science, and primate biology. It presents the latest findings in evolutionary neuroscience and is well-written by a seasoned science writer. Despite the weak last chapters and conclusion it is unique in its format of bringing many subjects together in shaping the biology of our unique brains.
Bret Stetka
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 9781604699883
Publication date: 03/16/2021
Pages: 272
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
A popular science book about the evolutionary history of our brain written by Bret Stetka, a non-practising physician, science journalist, writer and contributor to Scientific American and NPR. Readers of Sapiens will find this a breezy read which brings together anthropology, primatology, zoology, natural history, sociology, psychology, and a bit of genetics in the mix to understand how the brain evolved from its primordial state.
The book is divided into three parts namely, the anatomical biography, the social wiring, and the cultural makeup that have led to the evolution of the human brain. The first part was a lovely trip down memory lane for me personally. From the humble origins of the sponges in the oceans possessing proteins very similar to the ones found in our brains and nervous system to the unique nine-brained octopus, we see the gradual evolution of the components of a nervous system as it rose in the oceans in fishes and migrated to the lands in higher animals. While navigating this path Stetka presents us with the latest and updated paleontological, geological, and genetic data that provide us clues about this journey. The book’s strong point lies in its treatment of primate evolution and the similarities and dissimilarities we have with the apes. Here the reader will find an exhaustive account of the discovery of hominin fossils and the evolution of Homo sapiens. Are we so different from our Neanderthal and Denisovan cousins? The first part leaves you with a respect for the rich history of our ancestors and the evolution that led to our present anatomy.
Ethology takes up the mantle in the second part of this book. How altruism, cooperation, violence, grooming, communication, tool-making, and language in social groups have played roles in shaping primate and human brains. For example, we have physiological similarities with monkeys and apes such as the presence of similar areas like Broca’s and Wernicke’s but the complexity and plasticity of our speech centres make us unique in processing and producing sophisticated language. The final section of the book traces the effects of dietary habits along with the use of fire in sprucing up the organ inside our skulls. This is the weakest section of the book and a hurried conclusion leaves the reader wanting for a bit more focused end to the book.
I recommend the book for anyone who needs a primer in neurobiology, behavior science, and primate biology. It presents the latest findings in evolutionary neuroscience and is well-written by a seasoned science writer. Despite the weak last chapters and conclusion it is unique in its format of bringing many subjects together in shaping the biology of our unique brains.
Speculation: A Cultural History from Aristotle to AI by Gayle Rogers
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Speculation
A Cultural History from Aristotle to AI
Gayle Rogers
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Pub Date: July 2021
ISBN: 9780231200219
288 pages
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
Speculation is a natural history of intellectual, scientific, and financial speculation practices from ancient Greek thinking to modern-day AI. Professor Gayle Rogers combines an eclectic mix of literary, cultural, political, and intellectual history to capture the tumultuous rise of this hypothetical gamble on prospects and speculative ventures.
It begins with a careful distinction between the Latin words "speculum" (a mirror or a reflecting surface) and "specula" (watchtower) which Augustine brings about in his theological works. A mirror is a symbol of inward contemplation whereas, a watchtower is a symbol to look outward, into the unknown future from which speculation derived its current meaning in our modern world. This etymological distinction is carried forward by Boethius. He reconciled Aristotle's views about the superiority of a theoretical life over the practical one. Boethius's translations of Aristotle's works were transmitted throughout the Latin West till the 1500s. These translations contained the words "theoria" translated into "speculatio". Readers will enjoy this fascinating etymological whodunnit through the wonders of translations going back and forth between Latin and Greek. It shows how powerful language can be in shaping the course of any intellectual phenomenon. Perhaps the whole crux of this book lies in its first chapter.
From the medieval synthesis of philosophical and theological "speculatio" in Latin, the word "speculation" finally arrived in English through Chaucer's writings. But soon speculation turned into a negative form of idle, sinful, abstract thinking through the works of John Calvin in the 16th century and popularized by various Reformation movements across Europe. Only did it recover its reputation at the start of the scientific revolution, championed by Francis Bacon, who reclaimed the dignity of quiet contemplation in the formation of the scientific thought process. Here, once again, the discourse of language plays a significant role in spearheading the rise of modern science. Yes, Newton, Darwin, Boyle, Priestley, and many more experimental scientists and naturalists make their appearance. This particular text provides an insight into the formation of the scientific method in its earliest form.
The reader now ventures into the new world of financial speculation which rose side-by-side with the scientific revolution when "speculative" economic practices arrived in England via the lush and vibrant markets of Amsterdam. New modes of "imaginary" money in form of stocks, credits made people richer overnight without the accumulation of any material assets. This novel rise of bankers, stock investors, money speculators found their harshest critics in the likes of Daniel Defoe (to my surprise) and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. By the year 1776, Adam Smith weaved "speculation" in The Wealth of Nations as a crucial point in the theory of capitalism. Smith formulates the importance of projections and speculation in any new practice of commerce. Accumulation of wealth through insurance and gambling practices were finally taking footholds in this new capitalism.
The most interesting and relatable chapter in the book is the speculation that brought the existence of America itself. By this point, we are presented with a well-known history of the early Puritan colonists, their penchant for land speculation, debt schemes, unstable credit schemes, which ultimately leads to the event of the Declaration of Independence. Christopher Columbus and George Washington put their hopes in a grand scheme of future speculation and gambled on the great project of new land and nation. A political emergence of the United States based on speculative practices is a fresh take on the nation's history. Follow the money as they say.
The book concludes with a touch-and-go account about machines and their ability to speculate. I expected a bit more on this subject but the book lacks an in-depth account barring the mention of Turing and Lovelace-Babbage. Modern financial markets are run on elaborate algorithms. Machines are already enmeshed to create future projections and execute trades and they learn better every day. Every simulation makes way for a better way to speculate. But whether can machines think rather than speculate is something yet to unfold in the future.
Any reader interested in a different conceptual introduction in the history of economics may take up this book. Equally enjoyable for language and philosophy enthusiasts.
A Cultural History from Aristotle to AI
Gayle Rogers
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Pub Date: July 2021
ISBN: 9780231200219
288 pages
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
Speculation is a natural history of intellectual, scientific, and financial speculation practices from ancient Greek thinking to modern-day AI. Professor Gayle Rogers combines an eclectic mix of literary, cultural, political, and intellectual history to capture the tumultuous rise of this hypothetical gamble on prospects and speculative ventures.
It begins with a careful distinction between the Latin words "speculum" (a mirror or a reflecting surface) and "specula" (watchtower) which Augustine brings about in his theological works. A mirror is a symbol of inward contemplation whereas, a watchtower is a symbol to look outward, into the unknown future from which speculation derived its current meaning in our modern world. This etymological distinction is carried forward by Boethius. He reconciled Aristotle's views about the superiority of a theoretical life over the practical one. Boethius's translations of Aristotle's works were transmitted throughout the Latin West till the 1500s. These translations contained the words "theoria" translated into "speculatio". Readers will enjoy this fascinating etymological whodunnit through the wonders of translations going back and forth between Latin and Greek. It shows how powerful language can be in shaping the course of any intellectual phenomenon. Perhaps the whole crux of this book lies in its first chapter.
From the medieval synthesis of philosophical and theological "speculatio" in Latin, the word "speculation" finally arrived in English through Chaucer's writings. But soon speculation turned into a negative form of idle, sinful, abstract thinking through the works of John Calvin in the 16th century and popularized by various Reformation movements across Europe. Only did it recover its reputation at the start of the scientific revolution, championed by Francis Bacon, who reclaimed the dignity of quiet contemplation in the formation of the scientific thought process. Here, once again, the discourse of language plays a significant role in spearheading the rise of modern science. Yes, Newton, Darwin, Boyle, Priestley, and many more experimental scientists and naturalists make their appearance. This particular text provides an insight into the formation of the scientific method in its earliest form.
The reader now ventures into the new world of financial speculation which rose side-by-side with the scientific revolution when "speculative" economic practices arrived in England via the lush and vibrant markets of Amsterdam. New modes of "imaginary" money in form of stocks, credits made people richer overnight without the accumulation of any material assets. This novel rise of bankers, stock investors, money speculators found their harshest critics in the likes of Daniel Defoe (to my surprise) and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. By the year 1776, Adam Smith weaved "speculation" in The Wealth of Nations as a crucial point in the theory of capitalism. Smith formulates the importance of projections and speculation in any new practice of commerce. Accumulation of wealth through insurance and gambling practices were finally taking footholds in this new capitalism.
The most interesting and relatable chapter in the book is the speculation that brought the existence of America itself. By this point, we are presented with a well-known history of the early Puritan colonists, their penchant for land speculation, debt schemes, unstable credit schemes, which ultimately leads to the event of the Declaration of Independence. Christopher Columbus and George Washington put their hopes in a grand scheme of future speculation and gambled on the great project of new land and nation. A political emergence of the United States based on speculative practices is a fresh take on the nation's history. Follow the money as they say.
The book concludes with a touch-and-go account about machines and their ability to speculate. I expected a bit more on this subject but the book lacks an in-depth account barring the mention of Turing and Lovelace-Babbage. Modern financial markets are run on elaborate algorithms. Machines are already enmeshed to create future projections and execute trades and they learn better every day. Every simulation makes way for a better way to speculate. But whether can machines think rather than speculate is something yet to unfold in the future.
Any reader interested in a different conceptual introduction in the history of economics may take up this book. Equally enjoyable for language and philosophy enthusiasts.
Resistance: A Graphic Novel by Val McDermid
Overview
The Scottish crime author Val McDermid and artist Kathryn Briggs have collaborated on a graphic novel called Resistance which fictionalizes a deadly outbreak of an infectious disease caused by a microbe which acquires antibiotic-resistance eventually wiping most of the earth’s population. A three-part BBC radio drama called Resistance about the story was aired in 2017. McDermid was a part of a workshop on anti-microbial resistance by the Wellcome Trust. Resistance as a graphic novel is a product of that workshop attended by scientists, authors, and professionals alike.
My first experience with McDermid’s nonfictional work was her extensively researched book Forensics-The Anatomy of Crime. She used interviews with several forensic professionals and scientists along with her own long experience to create a vivid world of unlocking mysteries hidden in crime scenes. She is no stranger to weaving scientific breakthroughs in her fictional works.
The graphic novel’s premise will be very familiar to us who survived 2020. The story begins with a journalist Zoe who goes to a music festival to interview upcoming musicians and new-generation artists. Sounds a bit like Glastonbury Festival alright with some 150,000 attendees attending the festival under open skies, battling heavy rain showers, muddy terrain, and queuing up for quick breaks at food trucks.
As the festival winds up a famous celebrity musician falls sick with food poisoning symptoms. The festival manager doesn’t seem bothered as many other people start showing similar symptoms. Eventually, the visitors pack up and go home. The people who fell sick at the festival get better eventually. But within a few days, people start observing strange purple skin lesions on their bodies. The doctors are clueless and they refuse to create a panic since the lesions do not seem to harm anyone. Meanwhile, food truck owner and Zoe’s friend Sam who attended the festival suspects a batch of meat he obtained from a nearby farm to be dodgy. He asks Zoe to dig around since people started getting sick with food poison at the festival. As time passes, more people turn up sick in hospitals. People converged to blame Sam’s sausage sandwiches as the culprit. Few musicians die and the infection seems to have spread outside Newcastle and spreading fast across England. Sounds familiar? Yes, and scarier.
The doctors and scientists are baffled alike since no medicines seem to work and people are dying. Eventually, the microbe is identified as a bacterium which has become antibiotic-resistance to all known medicines and hence patients go untreated. Zoe faces a crucial dilemma in front of her. Does she stay home to save her family from any possible infection or does she look for clues to find out the real starting point for the infection? Reminds us of the dilemma of our healthcare workers and frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic who fought every day to save lives despite knowing the fact that their jobs might endanger them or their families.
The story is brutally honest about the caustic treatment of scientists and scientific institutions by the government and private pharmaceutical companies. I was secretly proud of the way the script showed the farce that the administrative bodies are regarding healthcare policies and their ridiculous ignorance of financially supporting time-pressing research projects. The book is strewn with the intelligent portrayal of the resistance the scientists face while securing funding for their research while the big pharma ingests a massive amount of money for profitable drugs leaving none for altruistic and futuristic research.
A full-fledged pandemic led to mass mortality, disruption of civilized societal order in rural and semi-rural areas, mass paranoia, violence, crimes, migration, power outages, and finally the dissolution of governments. A group of scientists along with our protagonist survive due to their innate immunity ensconced in a remote area trying to connect to other people on other continents. Eventually, we find that most of the earth’s population is gone. Such is the price we paid for the incessant and blind usage of antibiotics which helped a tiny microbe to attain resistance to every known drug in the world.
Few facts mentioned in the book caught my eye and I found the relevant research attached to them. As a scientist, it is a humble duty to help my readers understand the best parts of a book such as this and the groups that painstakingly conduct experiments to give us an insight into crucial problems our planet faces. For example, a study published in GigaScience in 2020 did a metagenomic sample study from TARA Oceans project to quantify the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and denote their abundance and distribution pattern. They found resistance to 26 classes of antibiotics. This is a result of decades of antibiotic-containing wastewater disposal in our oceans without any oversight or intervention. The book gives much to ponder about the impact of anthropocentric activities in creating havoc in the balance of the ecosystems, a result of which we are currently facing in the form of a highly infectious virus.
The artwork in the novel has a blend of the classic Art Nouveau style in some important moments in the story. There are illustrations which act as visual metaphors for themes like mortality and death. The pain and guilt of survivors who lost their loved ones to the disease are carved through a spiritual depiction of our existential dread. A visual narrative such as this which depicts the impact of science on the society is always more impactful than any academic text and the graphic novel is successful in achieving that aim.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Resistance
by Val McDermid and Kathryn Briggs
Imprint:Black Cat
Page Count: 160
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
ISBN: 13978–0–8021–5872–7
Dimensions: 6.70"” x 9.45"
US List Price: $17.00
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
Overview
The Scottish crime author Val McDermid and artist Kathryn Briggs have collaborated on a graphic novel called Resistance which fictionalizes a deadly outbreak of an infectious disease caused by a microbe which acquires antibiotic-resistance eventually wiping most of the earth’s population. A three-part BBC radio drama called Resistance about the story was aired in 2017. McDermid was a part of a workshop on anti-microbial resistance by the Wellcome Trust. Resistance as a graphic novel is a product of that workshop attended by scientists, authors, and professionals alike.
Detail Review
My first experience with McDermid’s nonfictional work was her extensively researched book Forensics-The Anatomy of Crime. She used interviews with several forensic professionals and scientists along with her own long experience to create a vivid world of unlocking mysteries hidden in crime scenes. She is no stranger to weaving scientific breakthroughs in her fictional works.
The graphic novel’s premise will be very familiar to us who survived 2020. The story begins with a journalist Zoe who goes to a music festival to interview upcoming musicians and new-generation artists. Sounds a bit like Glastonbury Festival alright with some 150,000 attendees attending the festival under open skies, battling heavy rain showers, muddy terrain, and queuing up for quick breaks at food trucks.
As the festival winds up a famous celebrity musician falls sick with food poisoning symptoms. The festival manager doesn’t seem bothered as many other people start showing similar symptoms. Eventually, the visitors pack up and go home. The people who fell sick at the festival get better eventually. But within a few days, people start observing strange purple skin lesions on their bodies. The doctors are clueless and they refuse to create a panic since the lesions do not seem to harm anyone. Meanwhile, food truck owner and Zoe’s friend Sam who attended the festival suspects a batch of meat he obtained from a nearby farm to be dodgy. He asks Zoe to dig around since people started getting sick with food poison at the festival. As time passes, more people turn up sick in hospitals. People converged to blame Sam’s sausage sandwiches as the culprit. Few musicians die and the infection seems to have spread outside Newcastle and spreading fast across England. Sounds familiar? Yes, and scarier.
The doctors and scientists are baffled alike since no medicines seem to work and people are dying. Eventually, the microbe is identified as a bacterium which has become antibiotic-resistance to all known medicines and hence patients go untreated. Zoe faces a crucial dilemma in front of her. Does she stay home to save her family from any possible infection or does she look for clues to find out the real starting point for the infection? Reminds us of the dilemma of our healthcare workers and frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic who fought every day to save lives despite knowing the fact that their jobs might endanger them or their families.
The story is brutally honest about the caustic treatment of scientists and scientific institutions by the government and private pharmaceutical companies. I was secretly proud of the way the script showed the farce that the administrative bodies are regarding healthcare policies and their ridiculous ignorance of financially supporting time-pressing research projects. The book is strewn with the intelligent portrayal of the resistance the scientists face while securing funding for their research while the big pharma ingests a massive amount of money for profitable drugs leaving none for altruistic and futuristic research.
A full-fledged pandemic led to mass mortality, disruption of civilized societal order in rural and semi-rural areas, mass paranoia, violence, crimes, migration, power outages, and finally the dissolution of governments. A group of scientists along with our protagonist survive due to their innate immunity ensconced in a remote area trying to connect to other people on other continents. Eventually, we find that most of the earth’s population is gone. Such is the price we paid for the incessant and blind usage of antibiotics which helped a tiny microbe to attain resistance to every known drug in the world.
Few facts mentioned in the book caught my eye and I found the relevant research attached to them. As a scientist, it is a humble duty to help my readers understand the best parts of a book such as this and the groups that painstakingly conduct experiments to give us an insight into crucial problems our planet faces. For example, a study published in GigaScience in 2020 did a metagenomic sample study from TARA Oceans project to quantify the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and denote their abundance and distribution pattern. They found resistance to 26 classes of antibiotics. This is a result of decades of antibiotic-containing wastewater disposal in our oceans without any oversight or intervention. The book gives much to ponder about the impact of anthropocentric activities in creating havoc in the balance of the ecosystems, a result of which we are currently facing in the form of a highly infectious virus.
The artwork in the novel has a blend of the classic Art Nouveau style in some important moments in the story. There are illustrations which act as visual metaphors for themes like mortality and death. The pain and guilt of survivors who lost their loved ones to the disease are carved through a spiritual depiction of our existential dread. A visual narrative such as this which depicts the impact of science on the society is always more impactful than any academic text and the graphic novel is successful in achieving that aim.
Primo Levi by Alessandro Ranghiasci, Matteo Mastragostino
A group of school children wait in their classroom to meet a war hero. One of the kids says to the other that he might be a superman. Their teacher says the man used to go to school here and he has come to tell them a story. The children are excited and eager but when they see an old bespectacled man enter the classroom they are surprised. A war hero? Him? He wasn’t the superman they were expecting. That man is Primo Levi (1919–1987). And he tells all of us the story of his life. The story of how he was captured by the Nazis, sent to Auschwitz, faced the heinous brutalities of the German captors, and how lucky he was to be rescued by the Russian troops.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Primo Levi
By Matteo Mastragostino, Illustrated by Alessandro Ranghiasci, Translated by Alberto Toscano
Between the Lines
ISBN: 9781771135221
136 pages
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews. Available for purchase on March 22nd, 2021.**
A group of school children wait in their classroom to meet a war hero. One of the kids says to the other that he might be a superman. Their teacher says the man used to go to school here and he has come to tell them a story. The children are excited and eager but when they see an old bespectacled man enter the classroom they are surprised. A war hero? Him? He wasn’t the superman they were expecting. That man is Primo Levi (1919–1987). And he tells all of us the story of his life. The story of how he was captured by the Nazis, sent to Auschwitz, faced the heinous brutalities of the German captors, and how lucky he was to be rescued by the Russian troops.
The graphic novel Primo Levi was originally published in Italian in 2017 by Becco Giallo publications. Thanks to Between the Lines publications, now we have the English translation by Alberto Toscano. Script written by Matteo Mastragostino and harrowing sketches by Alessandro Ranghiasci, the graphic narrative is a short yet impactful story about Levi’s life and the importance of keeping the truth of the Holocaust alive by weaving the children’s innocent questions through the story.
Levi recounts how his chemistry education played a crucial role in his survival. He was given a position in the chemical laboratory. He had the company of Alberto Dalla Volta(1921–1945) at Auschwitz who was his best friend. While Alberto did not survive the camp, Levi would write about his friend’s strength and compassion years later in his books. Lorenzo Perrone(1904–1952) and Lello Perugia(1919–2010) were two other friends who helped Levi at the camp with food, clothes, company and the comfort of speaking in their common tongue. The conversations are written in German sometimes which creates a state of disorientation for the reader who doesn’t understand the tongue. Levi explains to the children that not knowing and understanding German led to the isolation of many Italians. They were alone and could not make others understand themselves making them weak eventually causing their deaths.
Levi recounts how his chemistry education played a crucial role in his survival. He was given a position in the chemical laboratory. He had the company of Alberto Dalla Volta(1921–1945) at Auschwitz who was his best friend. While Alberto did not survive the camp, Levi would write about his friend’s strength and compassion years later in his books. Lorenzo Perrone(1904–1952) and Lello Perugia(1919–2010) were two other friends who helped Levi at the camp with food, clothes, company and the comfort of speaking in their common tongue. The conversations are written in German sometimes which creates a state of disorientation for the reader who doesn’t understand the tongue. Levi explains to the children that not knowing and understanding German led to the isolation of many Italians. They were alone and could not make others understand themselves making them weak eventually causing their deaths.
The helplessness of the captured people in their claustrophobic encampments and their mental and physical suffering is shown by the use of harsh, erratic, and dense line hatchings. The artist is successful is emoting the blackness of the souls using the volume and density of his hatching lines. They add depth to the darkness like a bottomless pit.
A short graphic narrative has left me quite thoughtful last evening. Quoting Levi will be an apt way to express how deeply moved I was after finishing the book.
A short graphic narrative has left me quite thoughtful last evening. Quoting Levi will be an apt way to express how deeply moved I was after finishing the book.
“Auschwitz is outside of us, but it is all around us, in the air. The plague has died away, but the infection still lingers and it would be foolish to deny it. Rejection of human solidarity, obtuse and cynical indifference to the suffering of others, abdication of the intellect and of moral sense to the principle of authority, and above all, at the root of everything, a sweeping tide of cowardice, a colossal cowardice which masks itself as warring virtue, love of country and faith in an idea.”
― Primo Levi, The Black Hole of Auschwitz
Viral BS: Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them by Seema Yasmin
informative
slow-paced
3.0
Viral BS
Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them
Seema Yasmin
Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 9781421440408
272 pp. | 6 in x 9 in
2 line drawings
12 Jan 2021
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
Summary:
A collection of articles about medical myths, propagation and genesis of misinformation, rampant pseudoscience, and dark episodes of unethical medical practices including human medical experimentations and false publications in reputed journals. The forty-six "debunking" articles have a journalistic vibe to them and comprise of historical facts, quotations from physicians, scientists, patients, and administrators involved in various cases. This book is quite relevant in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Detail Review:
The first few chapters of this book tell us about the gross misinformation regarding usage and safety of several over-the-counter drugs, food and dietary supplements, and some really bizarre cases of medical misconceptions such as placental pills (this is where I had a sinking feeling that the book is going to be a lot more shocking than I originally predicted). The section on the rise of Instagram influencers and their role in disseminating wrong information about health fads is seriously alarming. This only goes to show how many people around the world are exposed to false advertisements which are potentially harmful to them via social media. The pandemic surely brought forth the general disbelief and denial that prevails among a large section of the world's population about scientific truths. But when you read about the history of racial bias regarding blood donation in the US it surely is an eye-opener. This book is a catalogue of how billion-dollar companies push their agenda towards consumers like us to buy pills, e-cigarettes, and seemingly healthy-sounding products like detox teas which have been found to contain harmful compounds in certain cases.
Dr Yasmin talks about her personal experiences when she researched about a whooping cough outbreak in Arizona in 2011. I was as flabbergasted as she was when she realized how deeply entrenched anti-vaccine sentiment is in the US. Now that vaccines against the Sars-Cov2 have started rolling out we are beginning to see the blatant disregard for the vaccination procedures not just in the US but across the globe.
Written by someone who has worked in the field of epidemiology the book clears some unfamiliar concepts regarding how clinical trials are conducted. For example, the nocebo effect occurs when something doesn't have any health effects whatsoever but makes you ill simply because you believe it's bad for your health. This has been documented in the case of MSG or Ajinomoto used in Chinese cuisine where people actually got sick thinking MSG caused their illness whereas no study could prove it categorically.
Dr Yasmin explains the importance of scientific language used in clinical studies. When we read about a particular medical finding which was gathered from an observational study it means the scientists found only links or associations between the causal agent and the disease. Groups of people are observed for their habits and intake of medicines or food supplements which often consists of observational bias. Some of these observational studies are clumped together and called "meta-analysis". It only shows an association between a causative agent and a particular disease based on observational data collected from thousands of people. Again, meta-analyses suffer from personal bias as well. On the other hand, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are conducted by randomly assigning people to "placebo" or "treatment" groups where personal bias about the medicine is kept minimal. These are the highest standards in any clinical study. Many such RCTs have come in the media regarding our Covid vaccine studies. I think such a distinction between various methods of a clinical study should be discussed more so that the general audience is aware of the quality of evidence rather than jumping on conclusions about some quirky research finding which makes a juicy news flash.
The second half of the book deals with more serious diseases like Ebola and Zika and the doubts surrounding their long-term effects and routes the virus follow to infect people. An exception to all these medical chapters mentioned before is the one particular case where the author talks about the rampant fracking practices. It is a concern how academia is forced to publish fracking in a good light under the monetary influence and political pressure from the oil and gas industry. This is a sad truth but academia is not a pinnacle of unbiased truth as it likes to be. People run it and people can be swayed and manipulated by rich conglomerates and big-pharma in academia just as anywhere else.
Overall, the book has a lot to offer but its structure could have been a bit more classified. A division of the chapters into sections like diseases, cosmetics, medicines, dietary habits, occupational hazards would have been more convenient and accessible for the reader.
Who will love this book:
For someone with a long scientific training, some of the stories in this book come as a shock to me. The book is an excellent handbook to refer to if you are struggling to discuss concerns about any recent medical fact, infectious diseases, or misinformation regarding dietary habits or medicines. But I doubt whether the right audience will read this book. This book is meant to shatter misconceptions and unless a greater number of people read it and discuss it with one another the path to curbing misinformation is a long haul.
Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them
Seema Yasmin
Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 9781421440408
272 pp. | 6 in x 9 in
2 line drawings
12 Jan 2021
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews.**
Summary:
A collection of articles about medical myths, propagation and genesis of misinformation, rampant pseudoscience, and dark episodes of unethical medical practices including human medical experimentations and false publications in reputed journals. The forty-six "debunking" articles have a journalistic vibe to them and comprise of historical facts, quotations from physicians, scientists, patients, and administrators involved in various cases. This book is quite relevant in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Detail Review:
The first few chapters of this book tell us about the gross misinformation regarding usage and safety of several over-the-counter drugs, food and dietary supplements, and some really bizarre cases of medical misconceptions such as placental pills (this is where I had a sinking feeling that the book is going to be a lot more shocking than I originally predicted). The section on the rise of Instagram influencers and their role in disseminating wrong information about health fads is seriously alarming. This only goes to show how many people around the world are exposed to false advertisements which are potentially harmful to them via social media. The pandemic surely brought forth the general disbelief and denial that prevails among a large section of the world's population about scientific truths. But when you read about the history of racial bias regarding blood donation in the US it surely is an eye-opener. This book is a catalogue of how billion-dollar companies push their agenda towards consumers like us to buy pills, e-cigarettes, and seemingly healthy-sounding products like detox teas which have been found to contain harmful compounds in certain cases.
Dr Yasmin talks about her personal experiences when she researched about a whooping cough outbreak in Arizona in 2011. I was as flabbergasted as she was when she realized how deeply entrenched anti-vaccine sentiment is in the US. Now that vaccines against the Sars-Cov2 have started rolling out we are beginning to see the blatant disregard for the vaccination procedures not just in the US but across the globe.
Written by someone who has worked in the field of epidemiology the book clears some unfamiliar concepts regarding how clinical trials are conducted. For example, the nocebo effect occurs when something doesn't have any health effects whatsoever but makes you ill simply because you believe it's bad for your health. This has been documented in the case of MSG or Ajinomoto used in Chinese cuisine where people actually got sick thinking MSG caused their illness whereas no study could prove it categorically.
Dr Yasmin explains the importance of scientific language used in clinical studies. When we read about a particular medical finding which was gathered from an observational study it means the scientists found only links or associations between the causal agent and the disease. Groups of people are observed for their habits and intake of medicines or food supplements which often consists of observational bias. Some of these observational studies are clumped together and called "meta-analysis". It only shows an association between a causative agent and a particular disease based on observational data collected from thousands of people. Again, meta-analyses suffer from personal bias as well. On the other hand, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are conducted by randomly assigning people to "placebo" or "treatment" groups where personal bias about the medicine is kept minimal. These are the highest standards in any clinical study. Many such RCTs have come in the media regarding our Covid vaccine studies. I think such a distinction between various methods of a clinical study should be discussed more so that the general audience is aware of the quality of evidence rather than jumping on conclusions about some quirky research finding which makes a juicy news flash.
The second half of the book deals with more serious diseases like Ebola and Zika and the doubts surrounding their long-term effects and routes the virus follow to infect people. An exception to all these medical chapters mentioned before is the one particular case where the author talks about the rampant fracking practices. It is a concern how academia is forced to publish fracking in a good light under the monetary influence and political pressure from the oil and gas industry. This is a sad truth but academia is not a pinnacle of unbiased truth as it likes to be. People run it and people can be swayed and manipulated by rich conglomerates and big-pharma in academia just as anywhere else.
Overall, the book has a lot to offer but its structure could have been a bit more classified. A division of the chapters into sections like diseases, cosmetics, medicines, dietary habits, occupational hazards would have been more convenient and accessible for the reader.
Who will love this book:
For someone with a long scientific training, some of the stories in this book come as a shock to me. The book is an excellent handbook to refer to if you are struggling to discuss concerns about any recent medical fact, infectious diseases, or misinformation regarding dietary habits or medicines. But I doubt whether the right audience will read this book. This book is meant to shatter misconceptions and unless a greater number of people read it and discuss it with one another the path to curbing misinformation is a long haul.
The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds by Christopher E. Mason
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
**This is an ARC provided by NetGalley for book reviews. The book is due publication in April 2021.**
Summary:
This book is a comprehensive account of the latest cutting-edge bioengineering feats to conduct successful long-term space exploration and settlements written by a computational biologist and a geneticist who has worked on several NASA projects. The author takes us on a journey spanning the next 500 years, diving the centuries in neat chronological chapters, and describing preliminary biotechnological aids for astronauts to planning long voyages to distant planetary systems and ultimate settlement of the human population.
Detail Review:
Prof. Mason introduces the reader with the argument that the human race is the only species equipped to prevent its extinction and transport lifeforms to other planets. The Sun will run out of fuel eventually and consuming all organic life along with it. As the sentient species acutely aware of its mortality, it makes us morally bound to use our ingenuity and creativity to prevent this. This might be a little hard to comprehend since most humans have a myopic view of mortal life and interstellar travel to save our species doesn't have a place in our immediate priorities. Here the readers have to bite the philosophical nugget of "deontogenic" ethics whose premise states that "existence precedes essence". For any sentient life to flourish and produce science, technology, and the arts it has to overcome the extinction threat, plunge into new worlds, and exist. This section is a commendable exploration (and a treat for philosophy nerds) of the 'why' in space exploration and why investments must continue despite our planet ridden with existing perils of pandemics, climate change, overpopulation, etc.
In the next couple of chapters, we see the present advancements in human genome sequencing and the vast collection of genome sequences of all complex life systems on Earth which is the first step in molecular and genetic intervention required in future space missions. We are introduced to Captain Scott Kelly, the astronaut who completed the longest NASA mission in space and was a part of NASA Twins Study. The study compared his genetic, physiological, molecular, and epigenetic changes with his twin brother back on Earth. To everyone's surprise, Scott's immune system after coming back to Earth surpassed all levels. His immune system was on an overdrive only seen in patients with compromised immune systems. Not only this but his gene expression profile showed significant changes resulting from space radiation. This adds to the list of problems our astronauts going to Mars or Titan will face when their DNA changes with space travel. I read this fascinating detail that breathing in zero gravity isn't the same as back on Earth. Tiny clouds of carbon dioxide form in front of your mouth when you exhale. Such observations currently show how the human body is affected by space travel and that we have so much to learn before we embark on audacious space voyages.
Now we enter the exciting history and potential of CRISPR methods in gene editing and gene therapy. The next few decades will see advances in using these methods in tweaking genetic framework to combat and endure long-term space travel, radiation damage, and improve human physiological responses. Here the author deftly portrays that despite the exhilarating present advances, it will be a long journey until we successfully move from animal studies to 'CRISPR-ing' mutations out in human trials. But the clues to clever genome manipulation are present in nature itself. For years scientists have looked towards various organisms to incorporate their advantageous traits and manipulate them for human usage. For example, tardigrades, also called water bears (they look delightful under powerful microscopes) express an interesting protein called Dsup which protects their DNA. Work from the author's own lab showed that incorporation of this Dsup leads to 80% increase in reducing DNA damage. Such gene modification techniques will be crucial in protecting future space travellers in the next 100 years. This section is the most challenging in the whole book as it deals with in-depth molecular and cellular biology concepts.
In the future when Mars has permanent human settlements and genetic manipulation becomes commonplace (even recreational like ordering your choice of genes from a bar), organisms might even comprise of hybrid cells moving to the next phase which the author calls 'cellular liberty'. I would be remiss if I don't talk about my favourite example from this later half of the book. A green sea-slug called Elysia chlorotica eats chloroplast-containing algae (using molecular straws of course!) and becomes plantlike. Maybe future humans will have self-sufficient food-producing green tissues incorporated in them and cross another milestone in directed evolution. Who said green Martians are just stuff of science fiction?
Equipped with such advanced bioengineering technologies the author postulates that by 2351 we will be on the precipice of launching generation ships to candidate planets in different solar systems. The final phase of the sustainable existence of humans anywhere in the universe will encompass hybrid organismal systems (both human and non-human) evolving along with side physical and geochemical characteristics of other planets and satellites.
This work is a must-have for anyone interested in the latest space sciences. I was left wanting a bit more about the studies on human psychology during space travel, the effect on our cognitive abilities, sleep cycle, and circadian rhythms. But this is me being an ardent fan of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Nevertheless, it provides an excellent collection and roadmap of everything we need to chart outer planets.
Who will love this book:
The book leaves us with glimpses of worlds imagined in the works by Kim Stanley Robinson and Neal Stephenson, fictional, and yet after reading this book don't look so far-fetched at all. A delight for space enthusiasts, astronauts, physicists, geologists, biologists, science nerds, speculative fiction readers, and all science fiction readers. The book does require a medium-paced reading as it is packed with findings and might require trips to browsers for more detailed explanations about genetic engineering topics.
Summary:
This book is a comprehensive account of the latest cutting-edge bioengineering feats to conduct successful long-term space exploration and settlements written by a computational biologist and a geneticist who has worked on several NASA projects. The author takes us on a journey spanning the next 500 years, diving the centuries in neat chronological chapters, and describing preliminary biotechnological aids for astronauts to planning long voyages to distant planetary systems and ultimate settlement of the human population.
Detail Review:
Prof. Mason introduces the reader with the argument that the human race is the only species equipped to prevent its extinction and transport lifeforms to other planets. The Sun will run out of fuel eventually and consuming all organic life along with it. As the sentient species acutely aware of its mortality, it makes us morally bound to use our ingenuity and creativity to prevent this. This might be a little hard to comprehend since most humans have a myopic view of mortal life and interstellar travel to save our species doesn't have a place in our immediate priorities. Here the readers have to bite the philosophical nugget of "deontogenic" ethics whose premise states that "existence precedes essence". For any sentient life to flourish and produce science, technology, and the arts it has to overcome the extinction threat, plunge into new worlds, and exist. This section is a commendable exploration (and a treat for philosophy nerds) of the 'why' in space exploration and why investments must continue despite our planet ridden with existing perils of pandemics, climate change, overpopulation, etc.
In the next couple of chapters, we see the present advancements in human genome sequencing and the vast collection of genome sequences of all complex life systems on Earth which is the first step in molecular and genetic intervention required in future space missions. We are introduced to Captain Scott Kelly, the astronaut who completed the longest NASA mission in space and was a part of NASA Twins Study. The study compared his genetic, physiological, molecular, and epigenetic changes with his twin brother back on Earth. To everyone's surprise, Scott's immune system after coming back to Earth surpassed all levels. His immune system was on an overdrive only seen in patients with compromised immune systems. Not only this but his gene expression profile showed significant changes resulting from space radiation. This adds to the list of problems our astronauts going to Mars or Titan will face when their DNA changes with space travel. I read this fascinating detail that breathing in zero gravity isn't the same as back on Earth. Tiny clouds of carbon dioxide form in front of your mouth when you exhale. Such observations currently show how the human body is affected by space travel and that we have so much to learn before we embark on audacious space voyages.
Now we enter the exciting history and potential of CRISPR methods in gene editing and gene therapy. The next few decades will see advances in using these methods in tweaking genetic framework to combat and endure long-term space travel, radiation damage, and improve human physiological responses. Here the author deftly portrays that despite the exhilarating present advances, it will be a long journey until we successfully move from animal studies to 'CRISPR-ing' mutations out in human trials. But the clues to clever genome manipulation are present in nature itself. For years scientists have looked towards various organisms to incorporate their advantageous traits and manipulate them for human usage. For example, tardigrades, also called water bears (they look delightful under powerful microscopes) express an interesting protein called Dsup which protects their DNA. Work from the author's own lab showed that incorporation of this Dsup leads to 80% increase in reducing DNA damage. Such gene modification techniques will be crucial in protecting future space travellers in the next 100 years. This section is the most challenging in the whole book as it deals with in-depth molecular and cellular biology concepts.
In the future when Mars has permanent human settlements and genetic manipulation becomes commonplace (even recreational like ordering your choice of genes from a bar), organisms might even comprise of hybrid cells moving to the next phase which the author calls 'cellular liberty'. I would be remiss if I don't talk about my favourite example from this later half of the book. A green sea-slug called Elysia chlorotica eats chloroplast-containing algae (using molecular straws of course!) and becomes plantlike. Maybe future humans will have self-sufficient food-producing green tissues incorporated in them and cross another milestone in directed evolution. Who said green Martians are just stuff of science fiction?
Equipped with such advanced bioengineering technologies the author postulates that by 2351 we will be on the precipice of launching generation ships to candidate planets in different solar systems. The final phase of the sustainable existence of humans anywhere in the universe will encompass hybrid organismal systems (both human and non-human) evolving along with side physical and geochemical characteristics of other planets and satellites.
This work is a must-have for anyone interested in the latest space sciences. I was left wanting a bit more about the studies on human psychology during space travel, the effect on our cognitive abilities, sleep cycle, and circadian rhythms. But this is me being an ardent fan of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Nevertheless, it provides an excellent collection and roadmap of everything we need to chart outer planets.
Who will love this book:
The book leaves us with glimpses of worlds imagined in the works by Kim Stanley Robinson and Neal Stephenson, fictional, and yet after reading this book don't look so far-fetched at all. A delight for space enthusiasts, astronauts, physicists, geologists, biologists, science nerds, speculative fiction readers, and all science fiction readers. The book does require a medium-paced reading as it is packed with findings and might require trips to browsers for more detailed explanations about genetic engineering topics.
David Bowie: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Tracey Emin, Virginia Campbell, Kurt Loder, Dennis Johnson, Alexander McQueen, Iman, Cliff Michelmore, David Bowie, Patrick Salvo, Craig Copetas
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
3.75
Remembering Bowie this January. I can say I have felt more close to him after his death in 2016 than when he was alive. Though aware of his Ziggy, Aladdin Sane persona and his songs for years it was not until I read his reading habits and top 100 books through Brainpickings. You can also find them on his website. There is even a Bowie Book Club with a podcast. I think it's great for modern readers to discover the joy this legend got from being a voracious reader. This collection of interviews from the 60s when Bowie was David Jones (he later changed his name inspired by the 'bowie' knife no less) to the latest interviews is a look into the feverish mind of a man who never stood still. From his Brixton days to discovering his passion for music as a kid, we visit Bowie's lyrical inspiration from Britain's political state, his ideas about putting a song as a visual medium on stage, and his delightful conversations with William Burroughs, Ricky Gervais, and my favourite Alexander McQueen. While reading this I saw several Bowie interview videos. His post-LA-cocaine-age Berlin years were some of his most productive and stimulating. Heroes is a song from that era. A song which was heard from both sides of the Berlin Wall in 1987. Music transcends borders. It always has, it always will. Highly recommend these videos with this book. He was bizarre and beautiful. The book leaves you craving for more conversations.
The Cat in Magic, Mythology, and Religion by M. Oldfield Howey
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
The Cat in Magic by M. Oldfield Howey. It's the journey of the felines in occult, supernatural, and magic throughout history. Begins with Egyptian Bast and Sekhmet and continues to vampire and demonic cats. Reminds me of McGonagall. The cat as a powerful symbol seems to encompass all religions, places, times, and spaces. Cat lovers, be jealous. Also, the cover reminds me of Pet Sematary.
Origins: How Earth's History Shaped Human History by Lewis Dartnell
3.0
Nifty little book about how geology has made us what we are. I think this book is going to be very popular because it is concise and lucid on a topic that has been published in scholarly books till now. Plate tectonics, ice ages, and continental drift related to the rise and evolution of hominins. An apt read for today. Never forget where we come from. Detailed review when I finish this but I need to revise high school geology. Milankovitch cycles need a Geology 101. Also, perfectly referenced passages so should interest specialists too.
Danse Macabre by Stephen King
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Although I am not a fan of horror movies and it was difficult to follow the movie/pop references throughout the text, King's analysis on the general concept of horror in movies and literature is simple and enjoyable. He provides an extensive treatment to Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as the major pillars of the horror genre and how they influence the elements of the human psyche. Another mention is his analysis of Shirley Jackson's Haunting of Hill House and I couldn't agree more that it is the best modern American gothic. As always thanks to him I found myself often laughing when he indulges the reader with his anecdotes and wisdom and I got to know about Harlan Ellison's work through this book. An essential read for Stephen King and in general horror fiction lovers like me.