Science-Related Media Recommendations

For this post and the next, I will be focusing on media recommendations for science and politics. These are broken up into the categories of books, magazines, movies, and TV shows. For each item, I've included a short description to help you gauge your interest, but they are in no particular order - hope you enjoy!

Books

• Drawdown by Paul Hawken

This book contains thorough reviews and explanations of many climate change solutions - from the most common to the most unconventional. If you're wondering where to start with climate change, this might be the place.

• Magic School Bus books

Unlike some other reccomendations here, I'm not reccomending a specific book, but rather an entire series. Most of us are probably familiar with the Magic School Bus books - in the context of childhood. However, if you're looking for a science book with basic facts and trivia, these can be really great!

• Geography of the World by Simon Adams

While it is a children's book, Geography of the World is great if you want to learn the basics about the natural environment of any country in the world. While simplistic, it is interesting and wonderfully illustrated!

• Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets

If you've ever wanted to know about everything you could possibly do with mushrooms and everything about mushrooms, this book is for you!

• Bill Bryson

Unlike most everything else here, I am not reccomending a specific book, but rather an author. Bill Bryson is primarily a travel writer, but many of his books - A Sunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods especially - are great reads for science lovers.

• Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Most anyone who's ever studied the environment has heard of Rachel Carson and Silent Spring. A look into the origins of the environmental movement in the United States and the issues with DDT, Silent Spring is an essential read for environmentalists.

• Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges

A biography of the life of Alan Turing, a mathematician who created some of the first computers and also helped the allies win WWII. Later subjected to chemical castration due to his sexuality, Turing's life is often overlooked in the heteronormative narrative of history.

• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

If you're interested in science ethics, or even if you're not, you should read this book. Covering the exploitation of a Black woman's cells, this book highlights the regularity of unethical and racist practices in science.

Magazines

• National Geographic

While magazines are few and far between for most of us today, if you're interested in science communication, you should check it out!

Movies

• The Imitation Game

On the same topic as the book above.

• The Theory of Everything

A biopic of Stephen Hawking's life.

• A Beautiful Mind

A biopic on the mathematician John Nash.

• A Brief History of Time

A documentary of Stephen Hawking's life.

• The Man Who Knew Infinity

A biopic on the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

• Seaspiracy

Covers the problems of the fishing industry and the exploitation of our planet.

• Life on our Planet

Humanity's impact on nature over time.

• Kiss the Ground

A documentary on soil and regenerative agriculture.

• Chasing Coral

Looks at changes in coral across Earth.

• Chasing Ice

Looks at the changes in ice across Earth.

• There’s Something in the Water

Created by Elliot Page, this documentary covers water quality issues.

TV Shows

• Night on Earth

Looks at nocturnal life in various locations across Earth

• Continent 7: Antarctica

Covers the field research process in Antarctica.

• America’s National Parks

Looks at the flora and fauna of the National Parks.

• Ragnarok

A fictional show based on Norse Mythology which also looks at climate change and pollution in Iceland.