The 50 best popular science books
The best science books ranked: physics, space, biology, nature and medicine for general readers. A top 50 with short reviews and where to read each one.
Popular science lets you follow the biggest ideas without a degree. The list takes in cosmology, evolution, genetics, the human body, ecology and the people behind the discoveries, from A Brief History of Time to The Selfish Gene.
These are editorial picks, ranked for readability and lasting appeal, and nobody pays to be on the list. Not sure where to start? Try the book finder and get three picks for your mood.
Top 50 science books, ranked
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A Brief History of Time
From the Big Bang to black holes.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Cosmos
A personal journey through the universe.
- Inspiring
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Selfish Gene
A gene's-eye view of evolution.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Origin of Species
The foundation of evolutionary biology.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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A Short History of Nearly Everything
From the Big Bang to the rise of civilisation.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
The universe, in short.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The woman whose cells changed medicine.
- Moving
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Elegant Universe
Superstrings and the search for the ultimate theory.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Fabric of the Cosmos
Space, time and the texture of reality.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
A short, lyrical tour of modern physics.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Order of Time
A physicist explains why time may not work the way we think.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
Adventures of a curious character.
- Funny
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Feynman Lectures on Physics
The classic physics course.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Silent Spring
The book that launched the environmental movement.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Sixth Extinction
An unnatural history.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Why We Sleep
Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Gut
The inside story of our body's most underrated organ.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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I Contain Multitudes
The microbes within us and a grander view of life.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Hidden Life of Trees
What they feel, how they communicate.
- Thoughtful
- Cozy
Where to read
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Entangled Life
How fungi make our worlds.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Double Helix
The discovery of the structure of DNA.
- Gripping
Where to read
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The Demon-Haunted World
Science as a candle in the dark.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Pale Blue Dot
A vision of the human future in space.
- Inspiring
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
How science changes through paradigm shifts.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Emperor's New Mind
Concerning computers, minds and the laws of physics.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Black Holes and Baby Universes
And other essays.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Universe in a Nutshell
A companion to A Brief History of Time.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Six Easy Pieces
Essentials of physics.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Packing for Mars
The curious science of life in the void.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Stiff
The curious lives of human cadavers.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Spillover
Animal infections and the next human pandemic.
- Gripping
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Song of the Cell
An exploration of medicine and the new human.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Genius
The life and science of Richard Feynman.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Code Breaker
Jennifer Doudna and the future of the human race.
- Gripping
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Einstein
His life and universe.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Longitude
The true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time.
- Gripping
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Disappearing Spoon
And other true tales of madness, love and the history of the world from the periodic table.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Body
A guide for occupants.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Origin Story
A big history of everything.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Our Mathematical Universe
My quest for the ultimate nature of reality.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Beginning of Infinity
Explanations that transform the world.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Life 3.0
Being human in the age of artificial intelligence.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Superintelligence
Paths, dangers, strategies.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Hidden Reality
Parallel universes and the deep laws of the cosmos.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Letters from an Astrophysicist
Answers to curious questions.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Reality Is Not What It Seems
The journey to quantum gravity.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Bad Science
Quacks, hacks and big pharma flacks.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Grand Design
New answers to the ultimate questions of life.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
Each link opens that store’s search for the book. Availability and prices vary by store and country. We may earn a commission from some stores, which never changes the ranking.
Types of science & nature books
Looking for something more specific? These are the main kinds of science & nature, with the sort of story or subject each one covers.
Physics and cosmology
Space, time and the universe.
Biology and evolution
Genes, species and life.
The human body
Sleep, gut and brain.
Nature and ecology
Trees, fungi and the planet.
Medicine and health science
Cancer, genes and disease.
Technology and AI
Where computing may be heading.
Want to write and publish your own science & nature book?
Many readers of this page are also writers. The stores in the lists above are where readers find books, while Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Lulu and Draft2Digital are the tools authors use to publish and distribute a book to those stores. You can also publish to Barnes & Noble Press and Google Play Books directly.
Our free KDP calculators help with print cost, royalties and cover size, and our publishing services can take care of setup for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best science book for beginners?
A Short History of Nearly Everything, Cosmos and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry are good starting points.
Do I need a science degree to read these?
No. All 50 were written for general readers and explain ideas in plain language.
Where can I read or buy the best science books?
Each of the 50 books has links to Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble and Google Play Books. Authors who want to publish their own science & nature book can start with our free guides to Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu and Draft2Digital.
Not sure what to read next?
Pick a genre and a mood and the book finder will suggest three books to try.