"The Selfish Gene", Richard Dawkins (Veles i Vents, 2026)

This month of September, a classic of 20th-century scientific popularization is being published in our country, The Selfish Gene. Although it has been translated into more than thirty languages, it is only now that we will be able to read it for the first time in Catalan. The work takes Darwin's theory, applies it to genes, and asserts that they are the true fundamental evolutionary unit: we, the individuals, are merely their survival machines. With this idea, the author explores the biological roots of selfishness and altruism to try to unravel the logic that governs the natural world. From the publisher Veles i Vents, with a translation by Oriol Ràfols Grifell and a cover illustrated by Blanca Martí, this edition commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the original publication by including a new epilogue by the author, Richard Dawkins.Pioneer

On October 1st, 2025, dies Jane Goodall

Primatologist, anthropologist and pioneer in the behavioral study of wild chimpanzees. Through her field studies, Goodall demonstrated that chimpanzees had behaviors that, until then, were only attributed to humans. The most important was that these primates constructed and used tools. This challenged the boundary we believed separated us, humans, from the rest of the animals and shook the foundations of the very conception of humanity.At a glance

So far and so close

Jane Goodall already anticipated that humans and the rest of the animals are not as far apart as we sometimes think. Now, comparative genetics proves it to us.

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“Fallen from the sky”, John Naylor (Akal, 2005)

This guide is an essential classic for anyone who wants to understand the firmament and know how to observe its natural phenomena. It has some chapters focused on the night sky, but what makes this book truly special is the attention it pays to observing the daytime sky. The descriptions of the phenomena are suitable for all audiences and are complemented by illustrative photographs. The author expands on the scientific concepts with historical and mythological notes, offering a broad and contextualized vision, but without ever losing the rigor that underpins this work. Furthermore, since it focuses only on what we can see with the naked eye, we will not need any equipment to enjoy the spectacles the sky offers us!At a glance

Three years, three solar eclipses

Exceptionally, in Catalonia we will be able to see a total eclipse this 2026, a partial eclipse in 2027 and an annular eclipse in 2028. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun's light and casting its shadow on Earth.Pioneer

On August 12, 1919, Margaret Burbidge was born

Astrophysicist, astronomer, and one of the founders of modern astronomy. Her career was marked by the fight against gender discrimination: she was often denied the use of telescopes for being a woman. But overcoming obstacles, she was the first author of the paper that demonstrated that most known chemical elements are formed inside stars. From this came the inspiring phrase that "we are made of stardust".Agenda

Solaris citizen science project

Available on app, from July 12th

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L'ARA suggests some plans throughout the country for this weekend.

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