Smart Swarm: Using Animal Behaviour to Organise our World, by Peter Miller
£18.99 COLLINS
Back in 2007, writer Peter Miller wrote a ground-breaking article for National Geographic that began with a simple realisation: ants are not as clever as he always assumed. That is to say, ants as individuals are not particularly smart. So how come they build such elaborate nests and seem to have colonised most of the world?
The answer, Miller discovered, is that while individual ants aren't particularly smart, ant colonies are. They have what is known as "swarm intelligence". It's the same phenomenon that allows a school of herring to change direction in a flash or a hive of bees to make a decision even if some of the members disagree. And the study of this phenomenon can provide valuable insights for humans when it comes to managing complex systems.
In this new book, Miller continues his theme in greater detail. He shows, for instance, how techniques borrowed from an Argentine ant colony can relieve airport congestion. And how termite hills have inspired environmentally friendly climate control solutions in skyscrapers.
It all makes for a fascinating read, not least for the insight Miller provides into the arcane workings of the animal kingdom. The book also raises interesting questions about our own behaviour and what it takes for us to work for a common goal. 9/10
Read Peter Miller on swarm behaviour
BUY IT HERE Smart Swarm: Using Animal Behaviour to Organise Our World
Bank 2.0
By Brett King
£19.99 MARSHALL CAVENDISH
As Brett King makes clear in the preface to this book, banks are facing an uncertain future. Their customers are increasingly critical of their practices and new technology is making their traditional branch-based model appear redundant. So what should they do? With a wealth of case studies and a deep knowledge of his subject at his disposal, King puts his case for a brave new banking world. This is a thought-provoking and occasionally controversial read. 8/10
BUY IT HERE Bank 2.0: How customer behaviour and technology will change the future of financial services
Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking
by Michael J Gelb
£11.99 RUNNING PRESS
From the author of the best-selling How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci comes a book that will allegedly not only improve your enjoyment of wine but also enhance your enjoyment of life. This may not be true, but the book will at the very least encourage you to indulge in a glass or two of vino. Gelb is an entertaining writer and he knows how to keep his reader's attention. There are some nice anecdotes to be found in here along with plenty of useful technical information. 7/10
BUY IT HERE Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking
How to Instantly Connect with Anyone
by Leil Lowndes
£9.99 VERMILION
It's difficult to resist a book with section headings such as 'How to detect if someone's hug is fake', 'How to make your signature 21 per cent more prestigious', 'How to sound cool giving your phone number' and, perhaps best of all, 'How to avoid people saying "Get a life!"' In all, there are 96 "cutting-edge techniques to enable you to break through that invisible barrier" to be found here. Some of them may seem rather silly, but others do actually make sense. 6/10
BUY IT HERE How to Instantly Connect with Anyone: 96 All-new Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships
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