BookLab

Dan Falk and Amanda Gefter
  • 4.3 (6)
  • SCIENCE
BookLab

From neurons to nanotech and from quarks to the cosmos, BookLab is the podcast that puts science books under the microscope! Join hosts Dan Falk and Amanda Gefter for a look at the latest in popular science writing: what’s new, what’s hot, and what you ought to be reading right now.

  1. MAR 25

    BookLab 038: The Language Puzzle; Ways of Being; Playing Possum

    There’s no question that animals communicate -- but only humans have full-blown symbolic language. So, how did we get here? In The Language Puzzle, archeologist Steven Mithen tries to figure out how we became such a talkative species. And on the nightstand: Ways of Being, by James Bridle; and Playing Possum by Susana Monsó.

    1h 10m
  2. BookLab 037: Ten Year Anniversary Special

    2024-12-25

    BookLab 037: Ten Year Anniversary Special

    Hosts Dan Falk and Amanda Gefter reflect on favorite science books, publishing trends, and more as BookLab marks its first ten years.

    53 min
  3. BookLab 036: Her Time, Her Space and The Enlightenment’s Most Dangerous Woman

    2024-12-13

    BookLab 036: Her Time, Her Space and The Enlightenment’s Most Dangerous Woman

    You know about Galileo, Newton, and Einstein -- but what about the many women scientists who helped shape our understanding of the cosmos? In this episode, we look at two books give those overlooked women the recognition they deserve.

    1h 5m
  4. BookLab 035: The Blind Spot; Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation; The Rigor of Angels

    2024-08-22

    BookLab 035: The Blind Spot; Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation; The Rigor of Angels

    Some researchers believe that the traditional scientific approach, in spite of its impressive 400-year track record, has left something out. Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser, and Evan Thompson lay out the argument in The Blind Spot. And on the nightstand: Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation, by George Musser; and The Rigor of Angels, by William Egginton.

    1h 23m

  5. 2023-12-21

    BookLab 034: Determined by Robert Sapolsky and Free Agents by Kevin Mitchell

    It’s one of the oldest and most vexing questions in science and philosophy: Do we have free will? In this episode of BookLab, we take a close look at two books by two scientists who have considered the question at length -- and have been led to two very different conclusions.

    1h 15m
  6. BookLab 033: The Book of Minds; The Darkness Manifesto; Existential Physics

    2023-08-03

    BookLab 033: The Book of Minds; The Darkness Manifesto; Existential Physics

    The human mind is quite something. We can use it to reason; to envision past and future events; to ponder abstractions. But what other minds are out there? In Philip Ball’s The Book of Minds, we’re invited to explore the space of possible minds. And on the nightstand: The Darkness Manifesto, by  Johan Eklöf; and Existential Physics by Sabine Hossenfelder.

    1h 16m
  7. BookLab 032: The One; Sounds Wild and Broken; What We Owe the Future

    2023-02-27

    BookLab 032: The One; Sounds Wild and Broken; What We Owe the Future

    The world around us seems incredibly diverse -- but what if beneath that diversity there was a unifying sameness? That’s the idea behind “monism” -- an ancient idea that physicist Heinrich Pas believes is due for a comeback. He explores the idea in his new book, The One. And on the nightstand: Sounds Wild and Broken, by David George Haskell; and What We Owe the Future, by William MacAskill.

    1h 16m
  8. BookLab 031: Reality+; Well, Doc, You’re In; and As Gods

    2022-12-16

    BookLab 031: Reality+; Well, Doc, You’re In; and As Gods

    Virtual reality has taken off in recent years. But what if the virtual worlds of VR are real -- just as real, perhaps, as the physical world we see around us? And... is it possible we’re living in a simulation right now? Philosopher David Chalmers probes these questions in his provocative new book, Reality+. And on the nightstand: A new biography of physicist Freeman Dyson, called Well, Doc, You’re In, edited by David Kaiser; and As Gods, by Matthew Cobb.

    1h 10m
See All (38)

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

From neurons to nanotech and from quarks to the cosmos, BookLab is the podcast that puts science books under the microscope! Join hosts Dan Falk and Amanda Gefter for a look at the latest in popular science writing: what’s new, what’s hot, and what you ought to be reading right now.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan Falk and Amanda Gefter
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2025
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (c) 2014 Dan Falk and Amanda Gefter
  • Show Website
    BookLab

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada