If you’re a regular reader of The Well-read Naturalist, you’ll likely already know that I very much like books in series. It’s a life-long predilection for structural organization and collecting.Therefore when I became aware of the Understanding Life series from Cambridge University Press, I my interest was understandably piqued.
Begun in 2020 with Dr. Kostas Kampourakis‘ Understanding Evolution (now in its second edition), the series numbers twenty-six volumes – or at least it will with the publication of Dr. Han Yu‘s Understanding Visuals in the Life Sciences later this month.
Following the now well-established format of the Understanding Life series, Dr. Yu’s new book presents a thorough but concise overview of visuals (illustrations, graphs, charts, photographs, etc.) used in the communication of scientific information by focusing on misconceptions of how these are used in popular life science communication. By taking this approach, the reader is brought to understand not only what doesn’t work and why but also what is more effective. Not surprisingly, the book is rich in full-colour illustrations.
It should also be noted that for those who practice the habit of always keeping a book ready-to-hand in a pocket or bag, the 7×5 inch size of all the Understanding Life series makes them very well suited for the purpose.
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