Archives de catégorie : Popular Science

WALK: YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT de Courtney Conley & Milica McDowell

Step into a world where walking isn’t just a leisurely activity or a form of personal transportation, but a vital component of human existence. In WALK: YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT we dive deep into the undeniable truth that walking is as essential to our well-being as breathing and sleeping.

WALK: YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT
by Dr. Courtney Conley, DC & Dr. Milica McDowell, DPT
Balance/Hachette, 2026
(via Mendel Media Group)

With a blend of scientific rigor and accessible language, we shatter the misconception that walking is merely exercise or an optional pastime. Instead, we present a compelling case for walking as a physiological necessity, crucial for both thriving and surviving in the modern world.

Despite its myriad benefits for physical and mental health, walking remains one of society’s most under-prescribed medicines. We confront the paradox: if walking is so beneficial, why are participation rates plummeting? The 10,000-step mantra, once hailed as the gold standard for health, has inadvertently deterred many from even attempting to step out. We dissect this myth and unveil the numerous barriers—pain, time constraints, inappropriate footwear—that hinder widespread adoption of walking.

Our book is a beacon of clarity amidst the complexity of scientific discourse. We distill intricate concepts into actionable strategies, empowering readers to embrace walking confidently and safely.

But WALK: YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT is more than a guide to walking—it’s a journey through human evolution, exploring how our bodies were designed for movement. We uncover the stark realities of modern walking deficits and the alarming impact of footwear on our sedentary lifestyles.

Armed with evidence from global scientific studies, we reveal the transformative power of walking to combat common physical and mental health conditions and enhance overall well-being. From reducing depression to increasing longevity, each step contributes to a healthier, happier life

As readers walk through each chapter, they’ll find themselves increasingly inspired to lace up their shoes and hit the pavement. We provide practical “Movement Snacks,” micro-actions that make walking more accessible and enjoyable. Our goal is simple: to ignite a global movement towards personalized walking practices, unlocking the boundless benefits for mind, body, and community.

WALK: YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT isn’t just a book—it’s a rallying cry for a healthier, more active world.

Dr. Courtney Conley is a distinguished figure in the field of foot and gait specialization. She holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine as well as two bachelor’s degrees in Kinesiology and Human Biology. She has worked with many professional athletic teams in the US. In addition to being featured on numerous websites, interviews, providing consultation work to private clients and organizations, Dr. Conley was the featured guest on Dr. Peter Attia’s podcast The Drive on April 1, 2024. She is widely published digitally, with content spanning walking, gait, footwear, and foot mechanics. She is the founder of Gait Happens, a global enterprise that is leading a paradigm shift in digital foot health education, offering innovative solutions to reclaim optimized foot function and economical gait mechanics.

Dr. Milica McDowell, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, has held various professional roles in adult and medical education throughout her career. She served as a university faculty member in Human Performance for nearly a decade, has developed numerous medical education curricula and has been an invited speaker on many national stages, including the American Physical Therapy Association and American College of Sports Medicine’s conventions. She has been an invited presenter for numerous professional organizations, and she has delivered over 300 educational lectures at state, regional, and national levels. She is currently a product spokesperson for a $50MM health and fitness product company alongside retired NFL Quarterback Drew Brees.

HOW TO AI de Christopher Mims

A frank, hands-on guide to harnessing AI and leveling up your business, revealing the tools that companies of every size are relying on and how they can dramatically alter your bottom line and free up your time—from a Wall Street Journal tech columnist.

HOW TO AI
by Christopher Mims
Crown Currency, January 2026

Imagine a freelancer suddenly having access to a sophisticated legal team for red-lining contracts; a data analyst on a small team who can suddenly transform spreadsheets full of numbers into sophisticated, bulleted insight; a mini-business consultant to help them adapt in the face of changing market conditions. Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize our workplaces, our day-to-day realities, and our lives. But you can’t just ask AI to do these things for you—in fact, you can’t even know what it’s capable of. Most of the abilities of AI have been discovered through trial and error. Users may be surprised by how improbably, magically good today’s best AIs can be at some things—and how terrible they can be at others.

Christopher Mims argues that it is this tension between the power and inscrutability of today’s AI tools that is at the heart of people’s awe and befuddlement at just how to incorporate AI into their work. HOW TO AI resolves that tension: it’s an accessible, narrative guide to how regular people are getting the most out of these systems, from the flashiest forms of generative AI to the dozens of other flavors that are often overshadowed. Brought to life by hundreds of interviews with people who rely on AI in their work, as well as Mims’ in-depth case studies of a trio of handpicked businesses, readers will see how everyone from construction companies to independent lawyers to healthcare startups are using AI tools to transform their businesses.

Animated by the humor and brilliant explanatory power that have earned Mims’ columns a devoted following, HOW TO AI will arm readers to become a part of the AI revolution—and, more importantly, give them the tools to make it work for them.

Christopher Mims writes Keywords, a weekly technology column, for the Wall Street Journal. Before joining the Journal in 2014, he was the lead technology reporter for Quartz, and has written on science and tech for MIT Technology Review, Smithsonian, Wired, Atlantic, and Scientific American, among other outlets. He is the author of Arriving Today (Harper Business, 2021).

OCTOPUS X de Kenna Hughes-Castleberry

A fascinating narrative about “citizen science” and the discovery of the mysterious creature that has been called “the Bigfoot of Octopuses” – perfect for readers of Sy Montgomery and Ed Yong

OCTOPUS X
by Kenna Hughes-Castleberry
Island Books, 2026
(via The Martell Agency)

OCTOPUS X will be an exploration of passionate “citizen science” in the person of diver and artist Arcadio Rodaniche, who, along with his mentor and famed cephalopod behavioralist Martin Moynihan, found a mysterious colony of social octopuses off the coast of Panama. These octopuses were unlike any previously described, as they lived in mated pairs, constantly laid eggs, mated beak-to-beak, and exhibited unique hunting strategies, all of which went against the norm for octopus behavior.

Fascinated by these creatures, Rodaniche studied them at his Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) laboratory. He tried to present his findings at a Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) symposium but was laughed out of the event as few believed his claims about this bizarre octopus (it didn’t help that he didn’t have an academic background in cephalopod research but instead had an electrical engineering degree). Rejected, his paper and findings sat untouched for decades, with only his drawing of the animal accompanying them, adding to the allure of this creature.

Then, some years later, a team of researchers at U.C. Berkeley obtained samples of Rodaniche’s mysterious octopus, and their observations validated everything Rodaniche found. They asked Rodaniche to co-author their paper, and in 2016, they released their findings to the world. Even with this validation, Rodaniche’s story has never been fully told. Unfortunately, Rodaniche died only five months after seeing his work validated.

Currently, this octopus (known commonly as the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus or LPSO) is being genetically analyzed by a separate team from U.C. Berkeley working to classify it as its own species scientifically. If this happens, the lead researcher, Dr. Gul Dolen, plans to name the animal Octopus rodaniche, giving a further victorious ending to Rodaniche’s story. Kenna also plans to highlight ongoing research to study the LPSO in its wild habitat, which has never been done before.

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Science Communicator at JILA (a world-leading physics research institute established by CU Boulder and NIST) and a freelance science journalist. She focuses on animal intelligence, specifically in corvids and cephalopods. Her work has appeared in such publications as National Geographic, Scientific American, New Scientist, and Discover Magazine. She holds several degrees, including undergraduate degrees in English and Biology from Colorado State University and a Master’s degree in Science Communication from Imperial College London.

NANOCOSMOS de Michael Benson

A breathtaking tour of the natural world is offered in NANOCOSMOS, an examination of majestic topographies revealed by powerful scanning electron microscope (SEM) technologies.

NANOCOSMOS:
Journeys in Electron Space
by Michael Benson
Abrams, October 2025

The humbling beauty and cosmic immensity of our surrounding universe of planets, stars, and galaxies has inspired humanity since prehistoric times. But what about the vistas at the other end of the size-scale?

The tiny worlds here, invisible to our unassisted eyes, are if anything more intricate, complex, and extraordinary than anything so far seen in deep space. Lauded artist and author Michael Benson’s sensational NANOCOSMOS corrects this oversight with an unprecedented examination of natural design at sub-millimeter scales.

Nothing like NANOCOSMOS has ever been seen before. Previously renowned for his solar system landscapes, Benson here documents complex microscopic worlds visible at sub–millimeter scales in aesthetically stunning chromogenic prints. Assembled and refined over many years of painstaking work, this book constitutes a mesmerizing photographic tour of micro–worlds. These images constructed from SEM scans reveal the sublime and sensational beauty in aspects of the natural world invisible to the naked eye.

Michael Benson is an artist, writer, and filmmaker who focuses on the intersection of art and science. His highly regarded books include Beyond, Far Out, Planetfall, and Cosmigraphics. He lives in New York City.

SLOPOPOLIS de Laura Preston

A truly unique investigation of the people driving the AI revolution and the forces that drive them.

SLOPOPOLIS:
Travels in the New Digital Kingdom
by Laura Preston
W. W. Norton, 2027
(via Sterling Lord Literistic)

SLOPOPOLIS is a people first dispatch from tomorrow’s industrial frontier. It is not an AI explainer, nor does it aspire towards future forecasting. It is not a work of philosophy, nor a meditation on machines and human consciousness. Instead, it asks: who are the speculators racing West? How do they think about their place in history, and what sort of future are they trying to build? While the book will ostensibly be about tech, its chief interest will be people—people and their ambitions, delusions, contradictions, and ambivalent moral frameworks. It is an anthropological expedition to the quarries of the AI gold rush, where we are about to stake everything—even the hope of a habitable planet—on the opportunity not to think.

Laura Preston’s work has appeared in n+1, The New Yorker, The Believer and elsewhere. She graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 2013 with a degree in Art History and certificates in Studio Art and Creative Writing. She received her MFA in Fiction from the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program, where her work received Hopwood awards in both fiction and nonfiction categories. Laura lives in Brooklyn and this is her first book.