Our Favorite Science Books to Gift This Year

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Science books provide the ultimate deep dives into our favorite subjects, whether it’s the inner workings of the brain, climate change, the ongoing search for aliens, or even the subject of science itself. They also make for excellent gifts, and we here at Gizmodo’s science desk are more than happy to make some recommendations.

Plenty of very cool science books came out in 2025, but here’s the thing: There’s no rule that says you have to gift a book that was published in the past 12 months. That’s why we’re recommending some excellent—and still timely—science books from previous years, along with a few that came out this year.

Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth (2025), by Karen G. Lloyd

Alien life isn’t just science fiction—there are already organisms on Earth that are unlike anything else we’ve encountered. Karen Lloyd’s Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth takes readers on a guided tour of microbes found in environments once thought inhospitable to all life, such as near volcanoes or deep inside permafrost. Not only are these organisms surviving, they’re doing so in ways that challenge basic principles of biology scientists once thought were firmly established. — Ed Cara [Buy at Amazon]

Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World (2021), by Daniel Sherrell

Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World is for the climate-anxious young adult in your life. In this memoir, written as a series of letters addressed to his future child, author and climate activist Daniel Sherrell wades deep into ecogrief and uncertainty about the future of Earth. He poses a question that becomes more central to our lives with every degree the global temperature rises: How can we carry the immense weight of our climate reality without succumbing to despair? Sherrell invites readers to chart a course through despair alongside him, arriving at a sense of responsibility—and perhaps even hope. — Ellyn Lapointe [Buy at Amazon]

White Holes (2023), by Carlo Rovelli

Capturing the essence of this book is particularly challenging—nearly as difficult as trying to explain what white holes are. But in a way that only he can, renowned physicist Carlo Rovelli unpacks and traces the history of humanity’s struggle to understand the extremes of black holes and their mirror image, white holes. The resulting journey feels more like a confession than an explanation. With each step closer to a black hole’s core, Rovelli shares tidbits of intimate, heartfelt memories, revealing a brilliant scientist’s mind at work—a world as strange and vibrant as the phenomena he strives to explain. White Holes is a perfect gift for science lovers (or haters) looking for a distinctive science reading experience. — Gayoung Lee [Buy at Amazon]

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (1995), Carl Sagan

With science under attack and misinformation running rampant, this book—written 30 years ago—feels more relevant than ever. It’s Carl Sagan (1934–1996) at his best: the renowned astronomer, science communicator, and Cosmos host lays out a passionate, persuasive case for rational thinking and scientific literacy (several chapters were written with his wife, Anne Druyan). From astrology and UFOs to faith healing and conspiracy theories, Sagan explores and meticulously dismantles many unproven beliefs that continue to pollute public understanding. The book serves as both a debunker and a warning; a society that turns its back on science, he argues, risks sliding into pseudoscience, authoritarianism, and collective delusion. He saw it coming—and unfortunately, we’re now soaking in it. The Demon-Haunted World is a perfect gift for the skeptic, science lover, or anyone who could use a reminder that critical thinking still matters. — George Dvorsky [Buy at Amazon]

The Beauty of Falling: A Life in Pursuit of Gravity (2024), Claudia de Rham

Claudia de Rham, a professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College London, has spent nearly her entire life obsessed with gravity. Her relationship with this fundamental force began long before she started studying it professionally, shaped by her experiences with scuba diving, learning to fly, and astronaut training. In her memoir, The Beauty of Falling: A Life in Pursuit of Gravity, these experiences ground Rham’s deep dives into the nature of gravity and how it shapes our universe, from Newton’s theories to her own controversial theory of “massive gravity.” — Ellyn Lapointe [Buy at Amazon]

Do Aliens Speak Physics? And Other Questions about Science and the Nature of Reality (2025), by Daniel Whiteson and Andy Warner

December is a great time to reflect on the past year—or, for the particularly philosophical, human existence. And what better way to do that than with a book that asks those questions but in the context of aliens? In this book, particle physicist Daniel Whiteson imagines what it would be like to discuss science with aliens, in the process highlighting how the act of doing science truly makes us human. Of course, the book includes plenty of considerations for the eventual Intergalactic Physics Conference. Written in funny, easily digestible prose and accompanied by Warner’s illustrations, this book is the perfect gift for yourself or the thoughtful friend who loves a good science joke. — Gayoung Lee [Buy at Amazon]

H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z (2024), by Elizabeth Kolbert

Yep, this is an alphabet book about climate change. It may seem impossible for a genre typically reserved for children’s literature to carry the weight of such a heavy subject, but H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z totally does. And it isn’t for kids, just to be clear. Bolstered by decades of reporting on the climate crisis and Wesley Allsbrook’s gorgeous illustrations, author Elizabeth Kolbert explores the landscape of climate change, from A to Z. It’s an immersive dive into the global phenomenon shaping every aspect of our lives today, and between reads, it’s the perfect adornment for any coffee table. — Ellyn Lapointe [Buy at Amazon]

How to Change a Memory: One Neuroscientist’s Quest to Alter the Past (2025), by Steve Ramirez

If you were given the chance to rewrite or even erase your worst memories, would you? Scientists are on the cusp of learning how to manipulate our memories, which they argue could one day help treat depression and other mental health problems. Steve Ramirez’s How to Change a Memory: One Neuroscientist’s Quest to Alter the Past provides a first-person perspective into the growing field of memory manipulation, including the ethical challenges surrounding it. But it’s also partly a memoir about Ramirez’s experiences with his former research partner and mentor, who tragically passed away just as their careers hit the ground running. — Ed Cara [Buy at Princeton University Press]

The Launch of Rocket Lab (2025), Peter Griffin (author) and Peter Beck (introduction)

SpaceX may dominate the headlines, but it’s not the only company making waves in the New Space race. Authored by journalist Peter Griffin, and with an introduction from company founder and CEO Peter Beck, The Launch of Rocket Lab tells the inside story of how this ambitious New Zealand startup rose through the ranks to challenge the industry’s biggest players.

With behind-the-scenes accounts, gorgeous images, and the expectedly detailed look at the company’s technology and strategy, this book is ideal for fans of space exploration, tech innovation, and anyone who likes to root for the underdog. — George Dvorsky [Buy at Amazon]

Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control (2025), Mindy Weisberger

The circle of life is often cruel, but these parasites take the cake. Mindy Weisberger’s Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control details the litany of microscopic germs, insects, and other creepy crawlies that have evolved to effectively zombify their hosts into doing their every bidding. Though these creatures may not have any malice, their unnerving way of living has certainly inspired horror-themed stories like The Last of Us. — Ed Cara [Buy at Amazon]

The Joy of X: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity (2013), Steven Strogatz

As the title suggests, there’s never enough appreciation for the joy of x—and, for that matter, the joy of anything unexpectedly mathematical in our lives. The book is an entertaining collection of examples showing how math appears in literature, philosophy, law, medicine, art, business, and even pop culture and current events. It’s a great gift for the mathematically gifted—but even more so for the mathematically ungifted, at least if that’s what they believe at the moment. — Gayoung Lee [Buy at Amazon]

On the Origin of Species (1859), Charles Darwin

Who wouldn’t want their own copy of the book that shook the world? Indeed, Darwin’s On the Origin of Species isn’t just a book—it’s the foundation of modern biology. First published in 1859, it introduced the upsetting, revelatory idea that species—including humans—evolve through natural selection. Darwin’s book, with its dangerous idea, forever changed our sense of life on Earth and our place in the universe, making it a veritable god killer. It’s a surprisingly readable and engaging book, one that’s perfect for science lovers, collectors, history buffs, and anyone who gets a kick out of disruptive ideas. — George Dvorsky [Buy at Broadview Press]

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