What We Are Reading Today: ‘How Birds Evolve’ by Douglas Futuyma

Short Url
Updated 20 May 2025
Follow

What We Are Reading Today: ‘How Birds Evolve’ by Douglas Futuyma

“How Birds Evolve” explores how evolution has shaped the distinctive characteristics and behaviors we observe in birds today. Douglas Futuyma describes how evolutionary science illuminates the wonders of birds, ranging over topics such as the meaning and origin of species, the evolutionary history of bird diversity, and the evolution of avian reproductive behaviors, plumage ornaments, and social behaviors.

In this multifaceted book, Futuyma examines how birds evolved from nonavian dinosaurs and reveals what we can learn from the “family tree” of birds.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘How the Universe Got Its Spots’

Photo/Supplied
Updated 02 January 2026
Follow

What We Are Reading Today: ‘How the Universe Got Its Spots’

  • Nimbly explaining geometry, topology, chaos, and string theory, Levin shows how the pattern of hot and cold spots left over from the big bang may one day reveal the size of the cosmos

Author: JANNA LEVIN 

Is the universe infinite or just really big? With this question, cosmologist Janna Levin announces the central theme of this book, which established her as one of the most direct, unorthodox, and creative voices in contemporary science.

As Levin sets out to determine how big “really big” may be, she offers a rare intimate look at the daily life of an innovative physicist, complete with jet lag and the tensions between personal relationships and the extreme demands of scientific exploration.

Nimbly explaining geometry, topology, chaos, and string theory, Levin shows how the pattern of hot and cold spots left over from the big bang may one day reveal the size of the cosmos.