E=mc²
David Bodanis
Bodanis skilfully discusses perhaps the most famous equation of all. The book charts the earlier work of Lavoisier and Faraday, the development of the formula and its devastating applications. A surprisingly easy read, providing a fascinating insight into Einstein's work.

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Climbing Mount Improbable
Richard Dawkins
The imaginary, huge, Himalayan mountain Mount Improbable provides the perfect backdrop against which Dawkins explains the slow ascent of mankind. This book is littered with case studies, from the evolution of the eye to that of wasps, keeping it both relevant and interesting throughout.

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Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee
Jared Diamond
A huge piece of work by the UCLA physiologist and accomplished author, this book encapsulates the basics of human evolution at a level accessible to all. Diamond covers the full spectrum of Mankind, from human society to the environment, from genocide to languages and arts.

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Trilobite
Richard Fortey
The intriguing title of this book refers to a creature that died out over two hundred and fifty million years ago. Fortey recounts the first trilobite fossil he uncovered as a 14 year old schoolboy, his path from amateur to senior paleontologist, and the passion he has felt for the creature throughout.

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Bully for Brontosaurus
Stephen Jay Gould
The title of this book refers to one of Gould's 35 essays on natural history. The theme of the book lies in natural history, with essays divided into subjects including Evolution, Probability and the Planets. A witty, educational and enthusiastic account of scientific and literary interest.

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The Man Who Loved Only Numbers
Paul Hoffmann
Paul Erdos, a mathematical genius, died on 1996 with over 1500 papers to his name. Hoffman charts the life of this amazing man, from his days as a child prodigy, to his years as a nomadic mathematician, actively avoiding the distraction of human relationships. A fascinating account. Find out more

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Cosmos
Carl Sagan
The success of his 1980s TV series Cosmos led Sagan to write this equally engaging book. Here, he explores such enduringly popular themes as the origins of life and the history of the cosmos. By 1997, Cosmos had become the biggest selling English language science book ever.

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The Code Book
Simon Singh
A fascinating account of codes and codebreaking through the centuries - from frequency analysis in the Middle East right through to the age of encryption on the Internet. Singh's book conveys a genuine passion for the subject makes this both an engaging and informative read.

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Mendeleyev's Dream
Paul Strathern
As well as discussing the life of Mendeleyev and his formulation of the periodic table, Strathern's book is also an account of the broader history of chemistry, from Arabic chemists to medieval alchemy. Many key players in modern chemistry are encountered, including Newton and Lavoisier.

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The Double Helix
James D Watson
A moving and often hilarious account of the authors Nobel prize winning role in discovering the double helical structure of DNA. Watson's account is deeply personal, charting daily life in the Cambridge laboratory where, along with Crick, Watson discovered the structure that would change modern biology forever.

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