Read For School

If you've ever found yourself in the drive-thru line, feeling both comfort and curiosity, "Chew On This" is for you. Eric Schlosser peels back the wrapper on the fast food industry, revealing insights that might change your appetite forever. It's a deep-dive into the impact of fast food that's as intriguing as it is important for a health-conscious reader.

If you're intrigued by how our biology influences behavior, "Biopsychology" by John P.J. Pinel is a compelling read. Pinel's conversational style makes complex concepts approachable, weaving in themes that connect deeply to our daily lives and society. The updates and new material in this edition ensure you're getting insights into the latest developments within this dynamic field.

What's healthy? What's unhealthy? What's safe? What's dangerous? Watch the news, and it's easy to be overwhelmed by snippets of badly presented science: information that's incomplete, confusing, contradictory, out-of-context, wrong, or flat-out dishonest. In this book, Dr. Sherry Seethaler provides a "bag of tricks" for making sense of science in the news. You'll learn how to think more sensibly about everything from mad cow disease to global warming and make better science-related decisions in both your personal life and as a citizen. You'll begin by understanding how science really works and progresses, and why scientists sometimes disagree. Seethaler helps you assess the possible biases of those who make scientific claims in the media, and place scientific issues in appropriate context, so you can intelligently assess tradeoffs. You'll learn how to determine whether a new study is really meaningful; uncover the difference between cause and mere coincidence; figure out which statistics mean something, and which don't. Finally, drawing on her extensive experience as a science journalist, she reveals the tricks self-interested players use to mislead and confuse you, and points you to sources of information you can actually rely upon. Seethaler's many examples range from genetic engineering of crops to drug treatments for depression, but the techniques she teaches you will be invaluable in understanding any scientific controversy, in any area of science or health.

If you're looking to broaden your understanding of psychological disorders with a contemporary and comprehensive lens, "Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach" might just be your next great read. It's like having a conversation with experts Barlow and Durand as they guide you through the complex interplay of factors behind psychopathology. Their balance of in-depth research with relatable writing makes navigating this challenging subject a more engaging and enriching experience. With a wealth of real case studies, this book brings the science of psychology to life.

If you're intrigued by the delicate dance between our bodies and their microscopic companions, "Good Germs, Bad Germs" will illuminate the nuanced relationship that modern medicine has with nature. It's a revelation that we're surrounded by beneficial bacteria, and Jessica Snyder Sachs guides us through our past mistakes and future potential in harnessing the power of these tiny organisms for health. This book is particularly timely given growing concerns about antibiotic resistance, offering not only a critique but a vision for a smarter, symbiotic approach to using science for better health outcomes.