Toad with Books

National Periodic Table Day was founded February 7, 2016 by David T. Steineker (an author, inventor, and chemistry teacher) to celebrate the publishing of scientist John Newlands’ periodic table of elements on February 7, 1863.  The Russian chemist and scientist who formulated the present-day periodic table in 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev was born a day before.

In honor of National Periodic Table Day, here are ten books about science.

#1 “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins: This book presents an evolutionary perspective on human behavior, arguing that the gene is the primary unit of selection in evolution and that traits such as altruism and cooperation have evolved as a result of their benefits to the gene.

#2 “The Double Helix” by James Watson: A memoir of the discovery of the structure of DNA, this book is a classic account of the scientific process and the personalities involved in one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century.

#3 “The Gene: An Intimate History” by Siddhartha Mukherjee: Published in 2016, this book is a comprehensive history of the discovery of the gene and its impact on our understanding of biology, medicine, and human identity.

#4 “The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin: This classic book presents the theory of evolution by natural selection and its revolutionary impact on our understanding of the natural world. It’s an essential read for anyone interested in the history of science and the process of scientific discovery.

#5 “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene: This book provides a popular and accessible introduction to the mind-bending concepts of string theory, a theoretical framework that seeks to unify all of the fundamental forces of nature.

#6 “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark” by Carl Sagan: This book is a defense of science and reason, arguing that skepticism and critical thinking are essential to understanding the world and avoiding the dangers of superstition and pseudoscience.

#7 “The Hidden Life of Trees” by Peter Wohlleben: Published in 2016, this book is a fascinating look at the complex lives of trees and the ways in which they communicate, support one another, and respond to their environment.

#8 “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot: The book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were taken without her knowledge and used to create the first immortal human cell line, HeLa. This book is a fascinating look at the intersection of science, ethics, and race.

#9 “The Order of Time” by Carlo Rovelli: Published in 2018, this book is a mind-bending exploration of the nature of time, covering everything from ancient philosophy to modern physics.

#10 “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” by Thomas S. Kuhn: This influential book examines the history of science and how scientific revolutions occur, challenging the traditional view that science progresses in a linear fashion.