Books by Nicola Temple
How the Brain Works [DK, March 2020]
Have you ever asked yourself why you can’t remember anything from before the age of three, why we experience déjà vu, or indeed how a bundle of cells in our heads can produce the remarkable phenomenon that is human consciousness? Drawing on the latest neuroscience research, this visual guide makes the hidden workings of the human brain simple to understand.
Copies are available through DK and in local bookstores everywhere.
Meet Your Hormones [Octopus, September 2019]
Meet Your Hormones explores and explains the fascinating world of hidden hormones: what they are, what they do and why you can’t live without these super-fast chemical messengers. Including in-depth profiles on each of the most important hormones at work in the human body, and helpful advice on how you can look after your own health through greater knowledge of your hormones, this is a wide-ranging introduction to the secret world inside your own body. Another project co-written with Catherine Whitlock, you can buy your copy here.
Meet Your Bacteria [Octopus, August 2018]
This book explores our relationship with the many microorganisms that call us home – from the basic anatomy of a bacterium through to how our gut microbes affect our mental health. Wonderfully illustrated, the book reveals the hidden bacterial communities that live in and on the human body and suggests things we can all do to keep these communities healthy and happy. Co-written with Catherine Whitlock and published by Octopus, this book will be available in August 2018.
Pre-order your copy here.
Best Before: The Evolution and Future of Processed Food [Bloomsbury, 2018]
Long before there was the ready meal, humans processed food to preserve it and make it safe. From fire to fermentation, our ancestors survived periods of famine by changing the very nature of their food. This ability to process food has undoubtedly made us one of the most successful species on the planet, but have we gone too far?
Best Before puts processed food into perspective. It explores how processing methods have evolved in many of the foods that we love in response to big business, consumer demand, health concerns, innovation, political will, waste and even war. Best Before arms readers with the information they need to be rational consumers, capable of making informed decisions about their food.
Available now in the UK and coming in April to North America.
Human Body! [DK, 2017]
This is the ultimate head-to-toe guide to the human body for kids. Incredible computer-generated images reveal the amazing inside story of what goes on under our skin. All-new 3D illustrations offer a unique, strikingly realistic close-up of this fascinating, complex machine – what it looks like and how it works. Every image is supported with easy-to-understand explanations and a wealth of fascinating facts and figures.
Knowledge Encyclopedia Human Body! allows you to take a closer look at the amazing world of your own human body and is perfect for children aged 9 and up. Nicola was a contributing author.
You can buy a copy here.
Sorting the Beef from the Bull: The Science of Food Fraud Forensics [Bloomsbury, 2016]
Food adulteration, motivated by money, is an issue that has spanned the globe since our first agricultural ancestors had a surplus of food to trade. Whether it’s a matter of making a good quality oil stretch a bit further by adding a little extra ‘something’ or labelling a food falsely to appeal to current consumer trends – it’s all food fraud, and it costs the food industry billions of dollars each year. The price to consumers may be even higher, with some paying for these crimes with their health and, in some cases, their lives.
Sorting the Beef from the Bull is a collection of horrifying tales of food fraud. It explains the role of science in uncovering some of the century’s biggest food scams, and explores the arms race between food forensics and fraudsters as new methods of detection spur more creative and sophisticated means of committing the crimes. This book equips us with the knowledge of what is possible in the world of food fraud and shines a light on the shady areas of our food supply system where these criminals lurk.
Get your copy here.
How the Body Works [DK, 2016]
How The Body Works is a fascinating exploration of the weird and wonderful processes that occur within the human body, often without us knowing. There’s lots of fabulous facts in here as well as answers to niggling questions like why we get dizzy and what causes that butterflies in the stomach feeling? Nicola was a contributing author to this book published by Dorling Kindersley Limited in 2016.
You can buy a copy here.