Oh, the Humanity!
Explore What It Means to Be Human
What makes us human? Is it DNA, consciousness, a capacity for empathy, or something else? This collection brings together fiction, nonfiction, and other resources that explore what makes us different from (or similar to) non-human animals and artificially intelligent beings.
SapiensA Brief History of HumankindDrawing on both historical and scientific research, this book traces the evolution of human beings over tens of thousands of years.
The GeneAn Intimate HistoryIn this engaging work of nonfiction, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee delves into genetics, tracing how our scientific understanding of genes and heredity has changed over time.
FrankensteinIn this groundbreaking novel, Dr. Victor Frankenstein works feverishly to bring an inanimate creature to life — but when he finally succeeds, he is horrified by what he has unleashed.
I, RobotThese interlinked stories imagine the development of robotics while exploring the ethics of technological progress.
Never Let Me GoIn Ishiguro's chilling dystopian novel, three students at a secluded boarding school learn the truth about their identities and their futures.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?This novel, famously adapted into the movie Blade Runner, explores the role of empathy in a futuristic world in which humans live alongside androids.
On the Origin of SpeciesDarwin's groundbreaking and influential treatise on natural selection is a foundational text of evolutionary biology. Read the full text here.
The Double HelixA Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNAFrancis Crick and James Watson changed the world forever—and won a Nobel Prize—when they uncovered the structure of DNA. In this memoir, Watson reveals the story behind their discovery.
The Adoration of Jenna FoxJenna wakes up from a coma with no memory of her previous life. As her strangely secretive parents try to rebuild her identity, she becomes more and more determined to discover the truth about who she really is.
FeedThis satirical novel imagines a dystopian future in which people have computers implanted in their heads to control their perceptions of reality.
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