Books in the Very Short Introductions series

Our Solar System contains more moons than planets. They show astonishing variety, and some look more likely than Mars to host microbial life. David Rothery describes these fascinating small worlds, their discovery, names, and what they can tell us about our Solar System.

This Very Short Introduction addresses the themes, developments, and controversies that have shaped Modern China. Covering a range of social issues, Rana Mitter provides a contemporary view of the world's most populous nation, with a new acknowledgement of China's changing foreign policy, and its unique engagement with the internet.

This book tells the story of modern drama through its seminal, groundbreaking plays and performances, and the artistic diversity that these represent. Exploring the new note of artistic hostility between dramatists and their audience, Shepherd-Barr draws on a range of theories and performances to reveal what makes modern drama "modern".

In this book John Marenbon discusses the extraordinary breadth of medieval philosophy as written by Christians in Greek and Latin, Muslims in Arabic and by Jews in Hebrew, from c. 500 to c. 1550. He considers important factors such as where and when it took place, its social setting and its links with religion.

In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of Hinduism and its key beliefs. In this second edition she considers new issues facing Hindus such as the politicization of Hinduism in India, the increasing impact of Hindu nationalism, and the rise and fall of sectarian Hindu movements.

Crystallography is a vital field that underlies much research in chemistry and materials science, and has played a central role in molecular biology. Mike Glazer shows how scientists have used X-ray diffraction to probe the structure of molecules, and discusses the results of our deeper understanding of the nature of chemical bonds.

In this Very Short Introduction Bart Van Es analyses Shakespeare's comedic plays, picking out the family resemblances across these works. He considers their shared themes such as confusion and cross dressing, misguided love, twins and substitutions, and explores the bard's verbal artistry and wit.

While the development of Information Technology has been obvious to all, the underpinning computer science has been less apparent. Subrata Dasgupta provides a thought-provoking introduction to the field and its core principles, considering computer science as a science of symbol processing.

Isotopes are used in many areas of science and technology, including medicine, archaeology, and nuclear physics. They are central to our understanding of the Earth's past and current processes. Here, Rob Ellam explains the importance and applications of stable and radioactive isotopes.

From the large corporation using enormous machines in the USA, to the woman with her hoe and her plot of cassava in Mozambique, to a Chinese collective farm worker in the rice fields, agriculture is essential for humanity to eat. This book looks at the many different types of agriculture and considers the challenges facing farmers today.

This Very Short Introduction describes the key threads in the history of Sikhism, from the late 15th century to the present day. It examines the development of a distinct Sikh identity, and explores Sikhism's meanings and myths, the teachings these embody, and its practices, rituals, and festivals.

Due to pressures on land for development, savannas are at the forefront of research and conservation concerns. Here, Peter A. Furley describes the range of ecosystems encompassed in the savanna landscape; their rich wildlife; their impact on humans and their evolution; and the approaches to their conservation and management.

In this second edition, Les Iversen presents an introductory account of what drugs are, how they work, and the advances made over the past 100 years in the field of pharmacology. Looking at pharmaceutical drugs and both legal and illegal recreational drugs, Iversen reflects on how twentieth-century drugs have changed our lives.

Despite the fact that international migration continues to rise higher and higher on the political agenda, the issue is often either misunderstood or misrepresented by the media. In this Very Short Introduction, Khalid Koser provides an objective and accessible global overview of migration and its impacts.

Translation is everywhere, giving us dubbed films, and access to foreign news and the literature of other cultures. Considering subtitling, interpreting, and adaptations, Matthew Reynolds reveals how translation is changing radically in the new age of electronic media.

This Very Short Introduction provides a concise overview of the main themes of contemporary philosophy of science. It explores the fundamental questions and challenges in the field, and looks at philosophical issues in particular sciences, including the problem of classification in biology, and the nature of space and time in physics.

In a modern democratic nation, everyday life is shaped by the decisions of those who manage and administer public policies. This Very Short Introduction provides a practical insight into the development and delivery of the decisions that shape how individuals, and society as a whole, live and interact.

HIV/ AIDS continues to be a major public health issue, affecting millions of sufferers worldwide. This Very Short Introduction explains the science, the international and local politics, the demographics, and the devastating consequences of the disease, and addresses some of the big issues that will concern us over the next decade.

What is depression? What is bipolar disorder? How are they diagnosed and how are they treated? This Very Short Introduction gives a history of these two disorders and considers how they are experienced and understood today. Scott and Tacchi also discuss how mood disorders can influence creativity.

David Norman discusses some of the most fascinating and iconic creatures to walk our Earth. Introducing the different famillies of dinosaurs, he discusses how they were first discovered and interpreted, and looks at how scientific break-throughs have changed our understanding of dinosaurs over the years.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are one of the most important finds in biblical archaeology, and have profound implications for our understanding of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity. Timothy Lim discusses the leading interpretations of the scrolls, and how they have changed the way we understand the emergence of the Old Testament.

What are the origins of the Catholic Church? How has Catholicism changed and adapted over the centuries? What challenges does the Catholic Church face in the twenty-first century? Gerald O'Collins answers these and other questions, and in this new edition considers the impact of Pope Francis' leadership of the Church since 2013.

John C. Maher explains why societies everywhere have become more multilingual, despite the disappearance of hundreds of the world languages. He considers our notion of language as national or cultural identities, and discusses why nations cluster and survive around particular languages even as some territories pursue autonomy or nationhood.

From murder to theft to drug gangs, crime and criminal justice affect the lives of millions of people worldwide. Tim Newburn considers how we can study trends in crime, and use them to inform preventative policy and criminal justice. Analysing the history of crime, he discusses the role of criminology in crime control and politics.

Freemasonry is one of the oldest and most widespread voluntary organizations in the world. Andreas OEnnerfors sorts the facts from the colourful fictions surrounding this organization and outlines how the organization works, its rituals and symbols, its values, and the work it does in modern society.

This book is about the central role of evolution in shaping the nature and diversity of the living world. It describes the processes of natural selection, how adaptations arise, and how new species form, as well as summarizing the evidence for evolution.

Some of our most burning questions surround consciousness: What creates our identity? Do we really have free will? Is consciousness itself an illusion? The rapid rate of developments in brain science continues to open up debate on these issues. This book clarifies the complex arguments and illuminates the major theories on consciousness.

Fully updated to include the migrant crisis, the UK's decision to leave the Union, and the state of the Euro currency, this accessible Very Short Introduction shows how and why the EU has developed, how its institutions works, and what it does - from the single market to the Euro, and from agriculture to peace-keeping and the environment.