10 Vital Books That Show How Different Academic Disciplines Affect Our World

Edited by Ezvid Wiki Editorial on 15 July 2019

History, chemistry, and other subjects in academia may seem to some like they should be left to the scholars, but they affect the world around us in ways that we might not realize. Reading books that tackle complex subjects in an accessible way can help you learn new things and gain useful perspective. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

Nonfiction Works About Academic Fields: Our 10 Picks

Title Author(s) Subject
1. The Bone Woman Clea Koff Anthropology
2. Last Ape Standing Chip Walter Biology
3. Euclid's Window Leonard Mlodinow & Sibel Eraltan Mathematics
4. My Stroke of Insight Jill Bolte Taylor Neuroscience
5. Lives in Ruins Marilyn Johnson Archaeology
6. Liquid Rules Mark Miodownik Science
7. Reader, Come Home Maryanne Wolf Education
8. Salt Mark Kurlansky Salt
9. Lost Languages Andrew Robinson Language
10. Light of the Stars Adam Frank Astronomy

The Major Branches of Science

5 Amazing People Who Changed History

  1. Claudette Colvin: Teenage civil rights activist
  2. Rosalind Franklin: Made ground-breaking discoveries about DNA
  3. Nelson Mandela: Peace activist and President of South Africa
  4. Indira Gandhi: First female prime minister of India
  5. Alexander Hamilton: Profoundly shaped America's financial system

Essentials For Lifelong Learning

In Depth

It is sometimes difficult to understand what people in different scientific fields actually do, and how that knowledge can be practically applied to our own lives. The authors represented on this list have undertaken the task of explaining complex disciplines in ways that can be easily understood and appreciated. Here, in no particular order, are ten works full of uncommon knowledge and untold stories.

At #1 is "The Bone Woman" by Clea Koff. In 1996, twenty-three-year-old forensic anthropologist Koff left Berkeley for Rwanda in the wake of the country's genocide. She had been selected by the UN, along with fifteen other scientists, to find physical evidence of the atrocities. She then aided in the prosecutions for crimes in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo. Here, she explains the terrible truths she learned in those years, and the ways in which her scientific analysis helped bring the truth to light.

At #2 is "Last Ape Standing" by Chip Walter. The evolution of the human race was a complicated affair, and it involved more than a few false starts. In addition to our own species, there were no less than twenty-seven other varieties of human beings that coexisted for many millenia. Walter introduces those other species of humans and explains how our particular varietal survived when none of the others did. The answer has to do with our long childhoods, our social nature, and our unusual intellectual capacity.

The answer has to do with our long childhoods, our social nature, and our unusual intellectual capacity.

In the #3 spot is "Euclid's Window" by Leonard Mlodinow. The history of geometry is told by Mlodinow, a physicist, who arranges it into five mathematical "revolutions." The story is also told through the discoveries of exceptional figures in geometric history, such as Euclid, Gauss, Einstein, and Descartes. Mlodinow begins with basic principles and slowly builds to string theory and particle physics in a clear and concise way.

At #4 is "My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey," by Jill Bolte Taylor. When Taylor was thirty-seven years old, she suffered a debilitating stroke. As a Harvard-educated neuroscientist, she could understand the medical reasons behind every one of her symptoms, even as she lost the ability to speak, walk, read, and remember. Taylor put her scientific skills to work in the pursuit of recovery, slowly regaining all the function she had lost. Here, she describes her remarkable experiences and shares her tips for successful rehabilitation.

At #5 is Marilyn Johnson's "Lives in Ruins." Everyone has seen archaeologists in movies, but relatively few people know what they do in real life. Here, Johnson tracks down actual archaeologists to discover who they are, what exactly their job is, and why they do it. Along the way, she collects many compelling anecdotes, including tales featuring female Chinese warriors, sunken ships, and mummies. She travels across the world, from the Mediterranean to Machu Picchu, to tell the real story of these often-overlooked champions of history.

She travels across the world, from the Mediterranean to Machu Picchu, to tell the real story of these often-overlooked champions of history.

Taking the #6 spot is "Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives" by Mark Miodownik. Using the example of a plane on a flight from London to San Francisco, Miodownik explains the importance of liquids of all kinds. Describing different elements of the plane journey, such as a cup of tea poured by a flight attendant or a volcano far below, he dives into the ubiquitous nature of fluids in human life.

At #7 is "Reader, Come Home" by Maryanne Wolf, which examines how the increasing prevalence of digital media has changed the human brain. The author takes a particular interest in the ways in which the "reading brain," the set of behaviors and capacities which are created by the habit of deep, analytical reading, is affected by technology. An overload of stimulation, she claims, reduces children's resistance to distraction and their ability to make inferences. She discusses how to preserve the reading skills which are being eroded, and how to ensure the continuation of the chain of "good readers."

At #8 is "Salt: A World History," by Mark Kurlansky. The most mundane of condiments, salt actually has a fascinating story that is interwoven with the history of world commerce. At one time, it was considered so valuable it could be used as legal tender, and the salt trade has created cities and started wars. Readers will learn innumerable salt-related facts, such as how the word "salary" originates from the Roman practice of paying soldiers in salt, and will receive a thorough education in an often-overlooked aspect of human civilization.

The most mundane of condiments, salt actually has a fascinating story that is interwoven with the history of world commerce.

At #9 is "Lost Languages" by Andrew Robinson. Around the world, there is a quiet but lively community dedicated to deciphering untranslated ancient languages, such as the Nubian Meroitic hieroglyphs and the Zapotec writings. Here, Robinson devotes himself to the study of these texts and the groups of people determined to understand them. The stories of these mysterious writings reach across centuries, from Crete to Easter Island, and the struggle to comprehend them has shaped the field of linguistics.

And finally, at #10 is "Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth" by Adam Frank. This text tackles two big scientific questions: could there be life on other planets, and if so, what effect might it have on us? Frank tracks the concept of alien life throughout history, building on the work of Sagan, Vernadsky, and Drake. Arriving at the present day, he explores the impact that contact with an alien race could have on our own civilization, particularly with regard to the climate crisis.