The best books mixing science, fiction, and adventure

In February 2016, astronomers announced the discovery of gravitational waves, the last remaining prediction of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. Gravitational waves are produced by the collision of gigantic bodies—neutron stars, blackholes—and from exploding stars. This book details the trials and tribulations as scientists attempt to build the most accurate measuring devices known to humankind. The result of their success is the LIGO observatories in Washington and Louisiana. 

Since the first discovery, we now have listened to a multitude of gravitational waves—our universe sings with these songs as the waves flow across the universe. Waves that may allow us to hear the sounds of the Big Bang. The intragalactic ships in my own books utilize these gravitational waves to travel at faster-than-light speeds. I was awed by the scientific determination and rooted for the scientists as they overcame one hurdle after another.

Science is a structure constructed stone by stone. Building on the work of all who came before. None have laid a more perfect foundation than Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. I am amazed by the leaps of faith, journeys into the unknown, and foundational advances each of these scientific giants took through simple thought-experiments.

We all know about the apple which fell from the tree and Newton’s laws of motion and mechanics. But few have ventured into the intricacies of Newton’s Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica to read Newton’s own thoughts and appreciate his genius. Written in Latin and dense in theory, it’s no wonder few have dared try. But this book allows even the layperson to understand and appreciate the greatness of Newton’s work. It's a journey to understand Newton-the man, the historical context of his time, and how the Principia continues to impact our present-day world. A simple equation like Velocity equals Distant divided by Time (V=D/T) was set in place by Isaac Newton.

Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity is difficult to understand but is presented in a way most can visualize the basic tenet. This is not true of the Principia. It is not a book one picks up and reads. From Pask’s book, I gained a new, in-depth understanding of Newton’s seminal work. He devolves this dense tome into an understandable framework. Simple things taught in high school physics now have deeper meaning.

This is a book that is at once a biography, a testament to human genius in the face of imminent danger, and a story of human injustice. Alan Turing had an idea about a ‘universal machine’. A machine, when built at Bletchley Park, allowed the Allies in World War II to crack the German Enigma ciphers. This universal machine laid the foundations for modern computing and all the amazing advances we enjoy today. But at a price for Turing, he fought inner demons about his homosexuality and eventually paid the ultimate price.

I marveled at his genius, cheered his cryptographic successes with each cipher cracked, shouted against the tragedy of his arrest, cried at his untimely death. A death at his own hand at the age of 41. The world lost a genius due to a society’s labelling of homosexuality as a crime.

We still live in this world of labelling, bullying, division, and derision. Societies have learned little in the intervening decades, though we reap the benefits of his discoveries. Perhaps remembering this man and his contributions would be a starting point for change.

Few biographies represent subjects who are still alive. And most often the subject is the main character. However, in Code Breaker, the main character is not limited to Jennifer Doudna. The structural biologist from the University of California, Berkeley. It is also about a team of people all contributing to the discovery of CRISPR. Modern science takes a team and this is true here as well. Isaacson wrote this marvel during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the new science was used to battle this worldwide threat.

The book also highlights how science is built on a foundation of others’ discoveries, melding multiple areas of study, building on their ideas, but defining a new path to take. 

CRISPR took a village. This revolutionary gene-splicing technique could usher in a new era of gene therapy and be a tool for medicine to ‘fix’ gene mutations and cure disease. With every great discovery there is a downside. CRISPR could be bastardized into bioweapons. Creating germs that humankind has no immunity to.

Would the Allies have been successful in winning World War II without the contributions of women? Rosie the Riveters, code breakers at Bletchley Park, aviators who flew aircraft to and from the front, human computers at Los Alamos, and scientists that filled laboratory positions, all contributed to that success. But do we know their names? Do we understand the significance of their contributions?

This book highlights one woman’s contribution: Mary Sears, the chief US Navy oceanographer during World War II. Sexism kept her off marine voyages and forced her from academia so she became a military operative, joining the Navy. This is a book that blends oceanographic research with military intelligence. Her input allowed naval invasion forces to coordinate actions with the tides, locate and move around underwater obstacles, understand currents, weather, and critical time of day to achieve maximum success. She knew even the presence of tiny, floating phosphorescent organisms could give away a nighttime action. Sears was not alone, she had a team of other female experts who all contributed to the overall success of marine actions.