“Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence” is my ninth Carl Sagan’s book I’ve read so far. It starts off with Sagan’s iconic Cosmic Calendar, which is helpful when we want to put our early development relative to the cosmic time into comprehensible perspectives. Next, he discussed the basic understandings of complexity of the genes and brains of human and beasts.
“Like all sentient beings,” the author optimistically states, “we have a choice. We can turn inward or turn outward. So far, humans have chosen to explore and to venture into the unknown. It’s not the easy choice and sometimes it carries great risk. But it’s a bracing way to live our finite lives.”
“This Book Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking” is the collection of essays of various scientists’, journalists’, professors’, and many educators’ answering to the editor’s question, “What scientific concept would improve everybody’s cognitive toolkit?”. The perspectives of the essays are ranging from biology, sociology, astronomy, technology, all the way to psychology.
e-Komnob 