books

New Psychiatric Diagnoses for a New Millennium

Revising the standard diagnostic manual for 2012 means revising our notions of mental normality

The world's changed a lot since 1994, and some of the signs of modern times -- obesity, Internet addiction - may find their way into the book that describes -- and guides diagnosis of -- psychiatric disorders. The latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, better known as DSM-V, will be landing with a massive thunk on physicians' and researchers' desktops in 2012, but until then, the American Psychiatric Association still has a lot of work to do in determining how the guide will be updated, the L.A. Times reports.

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Will Running Barefoot Cure What Ails Us?

PopSci talks to an anti-shoe guru

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A Scientific Approach to Dessert

A look at the latest treatise on how to bake like a scientist

Part of the allure -- and possibly the downfall -- of the trend toward science-based cooking is the promise of perfection. Harold McGee, the Cook's Illustrated magazines and America's Test Kitchen, Alton Brown's books and series, PopSci's own Ted Allen -- all suggest that by following certain simple rules, measuring carefully and understanding the way ingredients behave, the home baker or cook can produce a superior dish.

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The Grouse

I Rent, Therefore I Am

The rise of Zipcar capitalism

As I sit down to write this week's Grouse column, I find myself having to work through one of those rather dull and annoying headaches, which, I'm almost certain, is from repeatedly slapping myself in the forehead over the course of the last few days. It's not that I'm a masochist -- I'm just upset with myself for not being the first to think of a Netflix-style site for books and book lovers.

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The Really Dangerous Book for Boys

Introducing a new collection from PopSci's truly mad scientist

Without a doubt, the most fun thing I've worked on in my five-plus years at PopSci is the Gray Matter column. Nearly every month since mid-2002, contributor Theo Gray has come up with new ways to illuminate the world of elemental chemistry, often by setting things on fire. But far from your average YouTube-loitering pyromaniac, Gray combines sharp, lively writing with a gifted professor's knack for making the complex simple.

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Robots at War

Popular Science talks to the author of Wired for War: the Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century

PackBots roam the streets of Iraq defusing bombs. Remote-controlled SWORDS robots shoot rifles and rocket launchers with deadly accuracy. Predator drones piloted by soldiers in Nevada drop missiles on Iraq and Afghanistan. The Wasp robot flies over neighborhoods full of insurgents, recording what's below with a camera as small as a peanut.

If this sounds like a futuristic science fiction story, it's not. As of today, over 12,000 robots are working in Iraq, up from zero five years ago.

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Science Lit

The Hedgehog's Dilemma

British environmental writer Hugh Warwick explores his love affair with his favorite mammal

Equal parts memoir, history book, and field guide, The Hedgehog's Dilemma provides an overview of one of the world's quirkiest mammals, as well as Warwick's personal hedgehog-related adventures that have taken him from the UK to China and back.

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Sound Notions

A Conversation with Len Fisher

The author of Rock, Paper, Scissors talks about game theory

Plus, read on for a PopSci.com giveaway!


Chances are you've played Rock, Paper, Scissors, but how do you calculate your strategy, if you have one at all?

In Rock, Paper, Scissors: Game Theory in Everyday Life, physicist Len Fisher points out that putting yourself in your opponent's mindset is a key to success in the game.

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Science Lit

A Conversation With Robert Zubrin

Popular Science talks to the author of How to Live on Mars about the prospects for a move to the red planet

If you've ever fantasized about going to Mars, you've no doubt thought about how you'd get there, how long it would take, and how you'd survive the planet's frigid temperatures. But you probably never considered things like how to invest your money on Mars, how to have a social life, and where to get a job there. In his new book, How to Live on Mars, Dr. Robert Zubrin moves beyond the idea of humans taking a brief exploratory mission to Mars, and considers what it would take to actually live there. Zubrin is the founder and president of the Mars Society and president of Pioneer Astronautics, an aerospace research and development company in Colorado. Popular Science correspondent Laurie Schmidt recently sat down with Zubrin to discuss his new book and his philosophy about the prospect of humans settling Mars.

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Michael Crichton, Dead at 66

The science fiction writer behind Jurassic Park, ER and more died yesterday from cancer

Michael Crichton, best known as the author of such books like Jurassic Park and movies like Westworld, died last night from cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California at the age of 66. He is survived by his wife Sherri and his daughter Taylor. A medical doctor with a degree from Harvard, Crichton’s works and movies brought science to a mainstream audience, introducing readers to concepts like cloning and chaos theory.

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