Science and Nature > Environment

There have been many books about Antarctica in the past, but all have focused on only one aspect of the continent - its science, its wildlife, the heroic age of exploration, personal experiences or the sheer awesome beauty of the landscape, for example - but none has managed to capture whole story, till now. Gabrielle Walker, author, consultant to New Scientist and regular broadcaster with the BBC has written a book unlike any that has ever been written about the continent. Antarctica weaves all the significant threads into an int... read more

This is an epic guide to the most intrepid mountaineers in history. Written in association with the Royal Geographical Society and The Alpine Club, "Mountaineers" tells the story of the pioneers who first conquered the giddy heights of our planet. Full of great tales of endurance and perseverance, more than 100 of the top mountaineers are profiled, from Hannibal to Hillary. It helps you share in their triumphs and tragedies from the comfort of your living room as journal extracts and never-before-seen photographs and maps from the ... read more

For nearly a year Sharyn Munro travelled through rural Australia, visiting the communities in coal-mining areas. She found a war zone. Here, literally at the coal-face, towns and districts are dying - homeowners and farmers forced out by mining, broken in spirit and in health, or else under threat, their lives and properties in limbo as they battle the might of huge mining companies developing ever larger mines and prospecting ever more widely for new coal deposits or coal seam gas. Incidences of asthma, leukaemia and other cancers... read more

This is a new edition of the clearest, most authoritative guide to rocks and minerals. 600 incredible photos, precise annotations and detailed descriptions - from the distinguishing features of rocks to which crystal system a mineral belongs to - will help you identify different rocks and minerals quickly and easily. It covers everything from what rocks or minerals are, how they are classified to how to start a collection. It is perfect for rocks and mineral lovers - a comprehensive guide for collectors.

As sustainability and organic living become increasingly popular, so does a desire to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. This timely book will help you to achieve self-sufficiency and make beekeeping a reality. Beekeeping is about management, control and learning to understand the honeybee. It can also become a very enjoyable and sociable pastime - visiting others' hives and picking up vital hints and tips is all part of the fun - and farming and eating honey that your own bees have produced is a pure delight. Joanna Ryde cover... read more

The green movement has got it very wrong.

One of the planet's pre-eminent elders, in his lifetime Suzuki has witnessed an explosion of scientific knowledge and a huge change in our relationship with the planet - a tripling of the world's population, a greatly increased ecological footprint through the global economy, and an enormous growth in technological capacity. These changes have had a dire effect on Earth's ecosystems and consequently on our own well-being. To deal with a crisis of our own making, we must realise that the laws of nature have priority over the forces ... read more

The blue duck, or whio, is one of New Zealand's ancient treasures, a beautiful torrent duck that once lived on clear, fast-flowing rivers throughout most of the country. Sadly, this is no longer the case. While the plight of many of our high-profile endangered species, such as the kakapo and kiwi, are well known, the blue duck belongs to the not so well known 'second tier' of endangered species (including kaka, kea, parakeets and North Island brown kiwi) whose numbers have dropped alarmingly in the last 15 years, and who now requir... read more

This new edition of the bestselling book Worldchanging brings readers up to date on the continuing movement for global change.