Best History & Philosophy of Science Books of 2026

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a beautifully written book that combines indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge to explore our relationship with nature. As a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer shares her reflections on the gifts and lessons that nature offers us. She argues that we need to acknowledge and celebrate our reciprocal relationship with the living world to awaken ecological consciousness. The book is a hymn of love to the world and a reminder of the importance of listening to the voices of other beings. It is a unique and inspiring read that will change the way you see the world.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot tells the story of a poor Southern tobacco farmer whose cells, taken without her knowledge, became one of the most important tools in medicine. Though her HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine, uncovering secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb's effects, and leading to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping, Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown. Skloot brilliantly shows how the story of the Lacks family is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans. This book is a must-read for those interested in the history and ethics of medical research.

The Psychology of Totalitarianism by Mattias Desmet is a thought-provoking book that deconstructs the societal conditions that allow collective psychosis to take hold, leading to the emergence of totalitarian regimes. The author identifies the phenomenon of "mass formation" and clearly illustrates how close we are to surrendering to such regimes. The book provides detailed analyses, examples, and results from years of research, laying out the steps that lead toward mass formation. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the societal and psychological factors that contribute to totalitarianism.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERBringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our time―war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, and race―in a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity for us all.. In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment―a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science.. After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about Earth as a planet, the human brain has the capacity to reset and recalibrates life’s priorities, shaping the actions we might take in response. No outlook on culture, society, or civilization remains untouched.. With crystalline prose, Starry Messenger walks us through the scientific palette that sees and paints the world differently. From insights on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be alive, Tyson reveals, with warmth and eloquence, an array of brilliant and beautiful truths that apply to us all, informed and enlightened by knowledge of our place in the universe.

A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace“A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. Praise for The Demon-Haunted World “Powerful . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.”—The Washington Post Book World “Compelling.”—USA Today “A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity.”—The Sciences “Passionate.”—San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle

Faster Cures by Michael Milken is a fascinating memoir and recent history of medicine that details his work to accelerate medicine's evolution from a dark past to a bright future. The book offers a unique personal journey of Milken from his early views in the 1950s to his storied careers in finance and health. Milken recognized the promise of immunology more than twenty-five years ago and provided crucial support for the emergence of immunotherapy as a powerful life-saving treatment. The book is an inspiring crusade to accelerate cures and treatments so that more people around the world can live longer, healthier, and more meaningful lives.

The New York Times bestseller: A provocative, imaginative exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge “Dazzling.” – Steven Pinker, The Guardian. In this groundbreaking book, award-winning physicist David Deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe—and that improving them is the basic regulating principle of all successful human endeavor. Taking us on a journey through every fundamental field of science, as well as the history of civilization, art, moral values, and the theory of political institutions, Deutsch tracks how we form new explanations and drop bad ones, explaining the conditions under which progress—which he argues is potentially boundless—can and cannot happen. Hugely ambitious and highly original, The Beginning of Infinity explores and establishes deep connections between the laws of nature, the human condition, knowledge, and the possibility for progress.

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking is a fascinating exploration of the universe and its origins. Hawking tackles complex concepts in a way that is accessible to all readers, using humor and real-life analogies to explain the mysteries of the cosmos. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in astronomy or science, and its enduring popularity is a testament to its importance as a landmark volume in science writing. It is a masterful work that marries a child's sense of wonder with a genius's intellect, and it will leave readers with a profound appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the universe.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. “A new masterpiece from one of my favorite authors… [How The World Really Works] is a compelling and highly readable book that leaves readers with the fundamental grounding needed to help solve the world’s toughest challenges.”—Bill Gates “Provocative but perceptive . . . You can agree or disagree with Smil—accept or doubt his ‘just the facts’ posture—but you probably shouldn’t ignore him.”—The Washington Post. An essential analysis of the modern science and technology that makes our twenty-first century lives possible—a scientist's investigation into what science really does, and does not, accomplish.. We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don’t know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check—because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts. In this ambitious and thought-provoking book we see, for example, that globalization isn’t inevitable—the foolishness of allowing 70 per cent of the world’s rubber gloves to be made in just one factory became glaringly obvious in 2020—and that our societies have been steadily increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, such that any promises of decarbonization by 2050 are a fairy tale. For example, each greenhouse-grown supermarket-bought tomato has the equivalent of five tablespoons of diesel embedded in its production, and we have no way of producing steel, cement or plastics at required scales without huge carbon emissions. Ultimately, Smil answers the most profound question of our age: are we irrevocably doomed or is a brighter utopia ahead? Compelling, data-rich and revisionist, this wonderfully broad, interdisciplinary guide finds faults with both extremes. Looking at the world through this quantitative lens reveals hidden truths that change the way we see our past, present and uncertain future.