Category Archives: Science and technology

Calling Bullshit

Posted on June 27, 2021 by Harry Katz

I knew I was going to like Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World right from the opening paragraph: “The world is awash in bullshit, and we’re drowning in it. Politicians are unconstrained by facts. Science is conducted … Continue reading →

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Livewired

Posted on June 13, 2021 by Harry Katz

Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain left me feeling both awed and comforted by the astonishing capabilities of the human brain. Consider this: Your brain can listen to music, learn to play the violin, read sheet music, translate … Continue reading →

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The Zoologist’s Guide to the Galaxy

Posted on June 6, 2021 by Harry Katz

This is the first book in a long time that I DNF – did not finish. I was attracted to the book by its title: The Zoologist’s Guide to the Galaxy: What Animals on Earth Reveal About Aliens – and … Continue reading →

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The Code Breaker

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Harry Katz

If you think the digital revolution is having profound effects on human society, buckle up because the biotech revolution is just getting underway and it will redefine, even redesign, our species. Ever since the early 1950’s when James Watson and … Continue reading →

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Sapiens

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Harry Katz

Last year, I read 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari, which I reviewed here. Several friends recommended I read Harari’s earlier book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Now I know why. It’s an excellent book. As the … Continue reading →

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How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Harry Katz

Around the world we humans are adding an average of fifty-one billion (51,000,000,000) tons of greenhouse gasses to Earth’s atmosphere every year. To avoid a climate disaster, we need to get to zero. 51 billion to zero. That’s how Microsoft … Continue reading →

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Always Day One

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Harry Katz

Always Day One: How the Tech Titans Plan to Stay on Top Forever by Alex Kantrowitz takes its title from an Amazon corporate motto. “It’s always Day 1” is designed to inspire Amazon employees with a startup mentality; lean, fast, … Continue reading →

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More From Less

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Harry Katz

More From LessBy Andrew McAfeeScribner, New York, 2019 More From Less is a book about dematerialization Demawhat?  No, it’s not some sort of Star Trek transporter technology. Dematerialization is the phenomenon of producing the same goods from less material and … Continue reading →

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Growth

Posted on November 10, 2019 by Harry Katz

Growth:  From Microorganisms to Megacities By Vaclav Smil The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2019 People used to think growth was a good thing.  Politicians, economists and business leaders brag about healthy or robust growth in jobs, GDP, and profits.  But … Continue reading →

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Infinite Powers

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Harry Katz

Infinite PowersBy Steven StrogatzHoughton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2019 Okay, I admit it, even for me this is a geeky book.  Infinite Powers:  How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe is about the history of calculus and its impact on … Continue reading →

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