Intel Kaby Lake Review | Introduction
The first processors based on the 7th generation Intel Core architecture (codenamed Intel Kaby Lake) with an optimized 14 nm+ process technology will start shipping in September. Models with power consumption of 4.5W (Y-series) and 15W (U-series) will debut in more than 100 OEM systems, mainly mobile platforms such as 2 in 1 devices and thin/light laptops.
The new Core processors feature higher clock speeds and more aggressive Turbo Boost. In addition, Intel has made a number of improvements to the graphics core.
Generation Intel Kaby Lake marks the end of the tick-tock strategy that Intel has pursued for nearly a decade. The company still plans to release new solutions every year, but the challenges of Moore's Law have pushed Intel to move to a process-architecture-optimization (PAO) strategy. Intel has already expanded its traditional two-year cycle: we received the 32nm process in 2009 and 22nm in 2011, but the transition to 14nm took place only at the end of 2014. The transition to the 14nm process already hints at a longer interval between the new architecture and a reduction in the implementation time of the process, so the new Intel PAO cycle just confirmed our suspicions that Moore's Law needs significant adjustment.
This is Intel's third processor design based on the 14nm process (Broadwell/Skylake/ Intel Kaby Lake), that is, this is the optimization phase, which involves fine-tuning the basic architecture of Skylake. The main elements of the architecture, such as the command processing pipeline (fetch, decode, execute) will remain unchanged. This means that the IPC (instructions per clock cycle) should remain the same. However, Intel claims that the improved transistors and interconnects in the 14nm+ process (more on that in a moment) are 12% faster than the previous generation, and the clock speed is increased by 300-400MHz compared to Skylake.
Intel has also worked on improving the performance of key components of the block responsible for processing multimedia tasks. Intel claims that the improvements implemented here in most cases significantly increase the speed of mobile platforms, which are the target segment of new processors and promise good growth prospects for the company.
7th Generation Core Architecture (Kaby Lake)
The desktop refresh cycle is gradually lengthening from 3-4 years to 5-6 years. And while the mainstream PC segment is shrinking (Intel noted that most PCs are already five years old or older), the enthusiast segment is seeing healthy growth. Last year, unlocked K-series desktop and laptop processor sales grew 20% year-on-year.
Convertible 2-in-1 solutions have been an even bigger catalyst for growth, as their upgrade cycle is approximately eight months. Last year, sales of 2-in-1 systems grew by 40% and Intel predicts that it will continue to grow strongly next year. More than 100 Skylake-based 2-in-1 products are already on the market, ranging from low-power solutions to high-performance systems. Intel expects that with the advent of Intel Kaby Lake the offered range will be further expanded.
The rapid growth in sales is demonstrated by the segment of ultra-thin and light notebooks. Intel notes that Chromebook sales are outpacing tablet sales in some key areas. The mini PC segment, including NUC systems, grew 60% last year - in part because the lower TDP allows manufacturers to fit more processing power into a smaller space.
The Y and U series processors are designed for most high growth segments. Intel predicts that by the end of the year there will be more than 100 solutions based on Intel Kaby Lake. According to the company, in various tasks, these processors are up to 1.7 to 15 times faster than their predecessors. There are also significant improvements in the architecture of multimedia processing, which increase the battery life of the device when playing video in 4K.
Intel has very ambitious goals. According to the company's plan, another 350 new solutions should be released in the first half of next year. The most widely represented systems will be 2 in 1 and ultralight devices. They will implement new features such as touch input, stylus, IR cameras for face scanning and other biometric sensors. According to representatives of Intel, there will be more than 120 devices based on Intel Kaby Lake with Thunderbolt 3 interface with 40Gbps transfer rate and up to 100W charging power. Intel also predicts that more than 100 systems will be equipped with Windows Hello (biometric login), as well as more than 50 solutions with UHD support and more than 25 devices equipped with a stylus.
The thinnest convertibles will be 10 millimeters thick, with lidless systems getting even thinner. Some convertible models without a fan will be 7mm thick and will definitely appeal to those who are chasing thinness.
Processors Intel Kaby Lake will cover several segments, but the fastest H-series chips that Intel has developed for enthusiast-oriented mobile platforms (laptops for gaming), S-series CPUs (mainstream desktops), as well as processors for HEDT (high-end desktop), workstations and corporate systems will appear only next year.
Intel still pays a lot of attention to energy efficiency. The company notes that the lower threshold for power consumption of the first-generation Core architecture (2010) was 18 watts, and by the time Skylake was released, this figure had been reduced to 4.5 watts. Intel Kaby Lake saves this value. However, Intel claims to have increased the efficiency ceiling (performance per watt) Intel Kaby Lake twice compared to Skylake - it turns out that compared to first-generation products, the cumulative jump in efficiency reaches ten times.
Intel Kaby Lake Review | Overview of 14nm+, Tri-Gate and Speed Shift Technologies
According to Moore's Law, transistor density doubles every 18 months. Unfortunately, Moore's Law often intersects with the laws of economics, in particular with Rock's Law, which states that the value of fixed assets used in the manufacture of semiconductors doubles every four years. A typical production requires an investment of approximately $14 billion, so to reduce the manufacturing process, you need to increase the retail price of the product, or increase the amortization period, which compensates for the increased investment. The main thing is to find the right balance between transistor density and production cost. Intel is confident that it can continue to successfully fight physics by reducing the size of the chips. However, the lengthening of the traditional tick-tock cycle is likely due to increased production, development and research costs.
The basis Intel Kaby Lake The Skylake microarchitecture was adopted, meaning the pipeline (and IPC throughput) remained unchanged. Intel's 14nm+ process optimizations aim to create faster transistors to increase clock speeds. Overclocking is important for single-threaded applications, and in a mobile environment, it allows you to complete a task faster and return to idle mode. As a result, in addition to the frequency, the battery life also increases.
Redecoration of Tri-Gate technology
Intel started using 3D tri-gate technology (similar to FinFET) with the transition to 22nm process technology, which allowed to increase performance while remaining within the same TDP. Unfortunately, 3D transistors have added cost and complexity to an already expensive architecture and process.
According to Intel, its processors have the highest transistor density to date, and given that the 14nm+ process technology does not imply a reduction in lithography, this figure has remained unchanged. Instead, Intel is optimizing its transistors by improving the gate profile with taller fins and wider gate pitch. The diffusion area of the transistor has also been improved.
Intel doesn't share the exact dimensions of the new fin profile and gate pitch, but the 2014 IDF presentation illustrates the company's previous improvements and the scale of the problem. While Intel doesn't officially call this process next generation tri-gate technology, it's safe to assume that it is.
As lithography shrinks, it becomes more and more difficult to lay interconnects—the little filaments that connect transistors. Transistors get faster and smaller, but copper interconnects get slower as they get smaller because they can carry less current. Recent improvements in interconnect technology are based on improvements in their insulators, but Intel notes that it has achieved faster interconnect speeds in 14nm+ technology by optimizing the gate pitch and aspect ratio.
According to the company, as a result of the optimization of the 14nm+ process technology and interconnects, productivity increased by 12%.
Higher Clock Speed - Faster Speed Shift Technology
One of the most important methods to reduce power consumption is efficient switching between different power modes. Previously, the operating system informed the processor about a change in power mode using EIST (Enhanced Intel SpeedStep) technology. However, signal delay limited its effectiveness, and at the same time as the Skylake architecture, Speed Shift technology was introduced. The new technology allows the processor to manage the power mode itself, reducing the latency by 30 times.
With the advent of a generation Intel Kaby Lake Speed Shift technology hasn't changed, and you can see how it affects clock speeds in the graph above. The x-axis is responsible for time, and each graph shows the completion time of the same task with different settings. The vertical axis represents the change in clock frequency during the test.
The orange line shows the test execution time on a Core-i7-6500U (Skylake) processor with EIST technology. Switching to Speed Shift technology (green line) reduces the delay to higher frequencies and cuts the test run time by more than half.
The combination of Speed Shift technology and increased Turbo Boost frequencies in the Core-i7-7500U processor ( Intel Kaby Lake, yellow line) further reduces the time to complete the task. A higher frequency allows the processor to return to idle mode faster, resulting in longer battery life.
In addition, Intel offers unique features for mobile devices such as Intel Adaptive Performance Technology (APT). This feature uses sensors that send information to the system to improve power management at the hardware level. Intel admitted that vendors are already using some APT functionality in existing devices, but the company claims that devices based on Intel Kaby Lake are more closely integrated with this technology. It is likely that the CPU itself will be able to use data from the sensor to control Turbo Boost and Speed Shift, but for now we are waiting for more details.
The company showed off a 7mm-thick Asus Transformer 3 2-in-1 system that adapts frequency and performance based on information from the sensor. The "surface" temperature sensors allow the device to detect and correct frequencies. If thermal conditions allow, the device will be able to stay in the Turbo Boost state for longer. Accelerometers will help adjust performance based on device orientation. For example, the computer will switch to a higher power mode when it is statically at a 45 degree angle (that is, in the dock). If the device is at a 90 degree angle, then the user is holding it in their hands, and the power consumption will be reduced.
Intel Kaby Lake Review | Media block
4K Development
To evaluate the importance of media block optimizations, Intel refers to a wide range of data. The company also conducted a survey of 2,400 users to back up its claims that media optimization will provide average users with performance improvements in many areas.
Intel says that during the release of generation chips Intel Kaby Lake More than 50 laptop models with 4K panels will hit the market. In addition, new ways of broadcasting content, such as 360-degree video and multi-streaming, will become more widespread. 4K resolution is rapidly gaining popularity. Analysts predict that more than 100 million UHD devices will be introduced to the PC market by the end of 2020.
Existing VP8 and AVC codecs do not work very well with HD video, so new codecs are becoming more common, which reduce the required bandwidth for transmitting HD and 4K video (using double compression). High performance new codecs require more processing power. The most popular codec is VP9, which streams video without buffering. YouTube has already streamed over 25 billion hours of HD video streaming (730p) with VP9. The HEVC codec is also making progress. The introduction of HEVC hardware acceleration and VP9 encode/decode is a core element of Intel's strategy in the mobile market.
Intel claims that the introduction of 10-bit HEVC hardware acceleration increases device battery life when streaming 4K video by 75% (up to 9.5 hours). It is also indicated that on a single charge, users can view 4K video with a 360-degree viewing angle for seven hours.
Media architecture Gen9
Intel has improved the Media Engine to improve performance for streaming and other resource-intensive multitasking workloads, often referred to as . Intel classifies broadcasting a game on Twitch as a typical megatasking operation, which requires capturing gameplay with simultaneous encoding and decoding.
To increase performance in heavy tasks, it is necessary to separate some processes from the main rendering pipeline, such as encoding and decoding. The company uses the same basic Gen9 graphics core architecture that it used in the Skylake platform, but with some modifications. The three subsections in the center contain the EU execution units, the cache, the 3D sampler (3D sampler), and the media sampler. These components share resources between themselves on the left, doing most of the rendering operations.
Intel engineers have focused on targeted optimizations for the MFX (decode/encode) and VQE blocks, which are highlighted in green in the diagram. These blocks sit outside of the render pipeline and operate independently of subsections, increasing concurrency. For example, during games, sub-sections perform rendering tasks, while the MFX block handles encoding / decoding operations. Each set of three subsections functions as one large subsection, and Intel can vary the number of subsections to tune the performance of different processor models.
The Multi-format Codec (MFX) performs several functions, including support for older AVC and VP8 codecs. Intel has also added full hardware support for HEVC 10-bit encode/decode, VP9 8/10-bit decode, and VP9 8-bit encode. Skylake used a hybrid solution that used the CPU and GPU to run some codecs, but Intel Kaby Lake Full hardware accelerated processing is implemented, which reduces the CPU load during video playback and, as a result, energy consumption.
Intel has also added support for HDR (High Dynamic Range) to the VQE unit, which can process video and has content enhancement features such as color correction, color enhancement, skin enhancement, and noise reduction.
The raw performance numbers are impressive, with the so-called Gen9+ graphics core (improved over Skylake's Gen9 architecture) supporting up to eight simultaneous 4Kp30 AVC and HEVC streams. In addition, it performs more resource-intensive HEVC 4Kp60 real-time decoding at 120Mbps.
Intel Kaby Lake Review | Media block performance
Speed of HEVC and VP9
Intel showed two real-life examples of performance gains with hardware acceleration and the associated reduction in CPU load Intel Kaby Lake(compared to Skylake).
The first example shows the combined power consumption of the CPU and GPU during local playback of 4K video with HEVC decoding. The Skylake-based system showed 50% CPU utilization and 10.2 W power consumption, while the system with the chip Intel Kaby Lake uses only 5% CPU resources and power consumption is reduced to 0.5W. Power consumption has decreased by about 20 times, and battery life has increased by 2.6 times.
The VP9 decoding demo includes streaming content from YouTube in the Chrome browser. Although the difference is not as impressive as in the previous test, a significant increase in efficiency is still noticeable. Processor system Intel Kaby Lake uses ~15% CPU usage and consumes 0.8W, while the Skylake chip system, performing the same task, used almost 75% CPU resources and 5.8W of power.
Now let's look at the net increase in speed. Intel divided performance into three segments: work (work), content creation (create) and games (game), and compared Intel Kaby Lake from a five-year-old PC. Many will argue that the system is too old for comparison, but Intel claims that the indicators are relevant, since it is the users of such computers that will make up the majority of those who upgrade to Intel Kaby Lake .
In either case, the company claims a 1.7x speed boost for tasks such as converting Word documents to PDF, using PowerPoint, and Excel macros. The Content Creation section includes creating, editing and sharing 4K videos. In it, the speed increased by 8.6 times. In game Overwatch platform Intel Kaby Lake gives a threefold increase in performance.
Intel also presented results from Skylake and Intel Kaby Lake in tests addressed to PC enthusiasts. Intel measures up to 12% performance improvement in SYSmark 2014. Recall that SYSmark is a benchmark based on office applications, media content creation tasks, and data analysis. The WebXPRT 2015 benchmark measures performance on tasks that use HTML5 and JavaScript. Here, the increase in speed while browsing the web, according to Intel, was 19%, compared with Skylake.
It's important to note that in the slides above, Intel only shows aggregated performance figures. More detailed information on the tests can be found in the images below.
Intel Kaby Lake Review | Models
Y-series
The Y and U series processors have a 2+2 configuration, meaning they use two CPU cores and an HD Graphics 615 Gen9+ graphics core. More powerful processor options with improved graphics core will appear early next year. Intel designed the Y-series, rated at 4.5W, specifically for the thin-and-light computer market.
| Y-series processors | Core i7 7th gen. | Core m7 6th gen. | Core i5 7th gen. | Core m5 6th gen. | Core m3 7th gen. | Core m3 6th gen. |
| Model | i7-7Y75 | m7-6Y75 | i5-7Y54 | m5-6Y54 | m3-7Y30 | m3-6Y30 |
| socket | FCBGA 1515 | FCBGA 1515 | FCBGA 1515 | FCBGA 1515 | FCBGA 1515 | FCBGA 1515 |
| Cores/Threads | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 |
| Rated power, W | 4,5 | 4,5 | 4,5 | 4,5 | 4,5 | 4,5 |
| Base frequency(GHz) | 1,3 | 1,2 | 1,2 | 1,1 | 1 | 0,9 |
| Max. core frequency (GHz) | 3,6 | 3,1 | 3,2 | 2,7 | 2,6 | 2,2 |
| 3,4 | 2,9 | 2,8 | 2,4 | 2,4 | 2 | |
| Graphics core | HD Graphics 615 | HD Graphics 515 | HD Graphics 615 | HD Graphics 515 | HD Graphics 615 | HD Graphics 515 |
| 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | |
| 1050 | 1000 | 950 | 850 | 900 | 900 | |
| dual channel memory | LPDDR3/DDR3L 1866/1600 | LPDDR3/DDR3L 1866/1600 | LPDDR3/DDR3L 1866/1600 | LPDDR3/DDR3L 1866/1600 | LPDDR3/DDR3L 1866/1600 | LPDDR3/DDR3L 1866/1600 |
| Hyper Threading | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| smart cache | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intel HD Graphics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intel Active Management | Yes | Yes | No | |||
| TSX-NI | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Price for 1000 pcs. | $393 | $393 | $281 | $281 | $281 | $281 |
Judging by the technical specifications, the difference between Skylake and Intel Kaby Lake mainly in this frequency, but there are a number of other improvements, such as the transition from HD Graphics 515 to 615, which provides a good increase in the maximum graphics frequency of the m3-7Y30 and i5-7Y54 processors.
The relatively low base frequency of a CPU can be misleading, but mobile processors often have a lower base clock speed to conserve battery power, but offer higher Turbo Boost frequencies to respond quickly to high loads. This trend is also evident in the products of the seventh generation, although, compared to the previous one, Intel raised the base frequency by 100 MHz for all processors.
The big increase in performance is due to the high speed of the processor core in Turbo Boost mode, the frequency of which has increased by 400-500 MHz. Speed in Turbo is a very important factor for mobile platforms as they are constantly faced with instantaneous requests and then fall back to lower power consumption. Intel has also increased the Turbo Boost clock speeds for multi-threaded operation.
All Y-series and U-series processors support Hyper-Threading Technology, and Turbo Boost 2.0 technology allows the CPU and GPU to change clock speeds based on workload intensity.
In addition, Intel has slightly revised the labeling: the Core m7 and Core m5 models are now called i5 and i7.
U-series
The 15W Intel U-series processors are mobile oriented and use a 2+2 configuration with HD Graphics 620.
| Y-series processors | Core i7 7th gen. | Core i7 6th gen. | Core i5 7th gen. | Core i5 6th gen. | Core i3 7th gen. | Core i3 6th gen. |
| Model | i7-7500U | i7-6500U | i5-7200U | i5-6200U | i3-7100U | i3-6100U |
| socket | FCBGA 1356 | FCBGA 1356 | FCBGA 1356 | FCBGA 1356 | FCBGA 1356 | FCBGA 1356 |
| Cores/Threads | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 |
| Rated power, W | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Base frequency(GHz) | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Max. core frequency (GHz) | 3,5 | 3,1 | 3,1 | 2,8 | n/a | n/a |
| Max. frequency in multistream mode (GHz) | 3,5 | 2,6 | 3,1 | 2,4 | n/a | n/a |
| Graphics core | HD Graphics 620 | HD Graphics 520 | HD Graphics 620 | HD Graphics 520 | HD Graphics 620 | HD Graphics 520 |
| Base frequency graph. Cores (MHz) | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| Max. graph frequency. Cores (MHz) | 1050 | 1050 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| dual channel memory | DDR3L/DDR4 1866/2133 | DDR3L/DDR4 1160/2133 | DDR3L/DDR4 1866/2133 | DDR3L/DDR4 1160/2133 | DDR3L/DDR4 1866/2133 | DDR3L/DDR4 1160/2133 |
| Hyper Threading | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| smart cache | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intel HD Graphics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intel Active Management | Yes | Yes | No | |||
| TSX-NI | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Price for 1000 pcs. | $393 | $393 | $281 | $281 | $281 | $281 |
The seventh generation of the U-series processors received a base frequency increased by 100-200 MHz, as well as a Turbo Boost frequency increased by 300-400 MHz. The new platform drops support for LPDDR3 memory. Intel also switched from the Graphics 520 to the 620, though the graphics core clock rates remained the same.
Chip prices Intel Kaby Lake have not changed compared to Skylake processors. Intel says vPro-enabled processors with Iris Pro graphics (2+3 and 4+4) will ship in January 2017.
Platform
Intel has incorporated most I/O features into the platform to reduce cost, complexity, and power consumption at the system level. And given that all processors use a BGA package, there are few differences between them. Naturally, BGA models are not suitable for replacing existing devices.
The base models of the U-series do not support RAID or Intel Smart Response Technology, but they provide other features of the premium lines, albeit in a stripped-down version. Premium products support up to 10 or 12 PCIe 3.0 lanes, while basic products support 10 PCIe 2.0 lanes. More and more devices now use the PCIe interface, including fast M.2 SSDs with PCIe 3.0 x4 connections, so additional lanes will find their way in most cases. Premium models also support four SATA 6Gb/s ports, while base models are limited to two.
Intel Kaby Lake Review | PAO
Sometimes promising technologies and optimizations are missed in the pursuit of Moore's Law. In terms of capabilities, a fast development cycle involves many trade-offs (not enough time to implement all the features), and this does not allow manufacturers to fully use the experience and knowledge gained during the first stage of development of the microarchitecture structure.
An additional milestone in Intel's 14nm process development is the "optimization" phase in the new PAO (Process-Architecture-Optimization) tactic, which enables promising adjustments to be made to the existing Skylake architecture. Intel has tweaked the transistors to provide more performance on the same core, but the freed up headroom has been given away to boosting Turbo Boost rather than base clock speed.
The new tactic works well with mobile processors. But it's still hard to see how Intel will use faster transistors in desktop CPUs. Higher TDP chips are usually not used in battery-powered systems, so we can get a more substantial increase in base frequency. We're also looking forward to a wider implementation of the Turbo Boost 3.0 software version we first saw in Broadwell-E. While Intel does not comment, but it is possible that additional information will appear towards the end of the year.
Intel designers have made relatively minor changes to the encode/decode units of the Gen9+ graphics core. Targeted adjustments in certain tasks should lead to a significant acceleration. Separating the encoding/process from the CPU during HEVC and VP9 operations should have a measurable impact on performance during content creation and consumption, not to mention battery life.
During the briefings, Intel put on some impressive demos, including playing Overwatch on the 15W platform at 32 FPS at full FOV and HD resolution. This, of course, portends the success of more powerful chips for mobile systems coming next year.
The apparent slowdown in incremental development may be alarming to some. But the economics of semiconductor design and process engineering dictates its own terms and involves trade-offs at different stages. Intel delayed the release of the Cannonlake architecture from the 10nm process when it switched to a PAO strategy, and some fabs abandoned the 10nm FinFET process altogether. GlobalFoundries recently announced that it is moving from 14nm straight to 7nm due to the fact that 10nm products promise too little performance gain.
AMD claims that its Zen architecture is capable of rivaling the current generation of Skylake processors, and the relatively small performance gains of new Intel chips (at least in the case of mobile CPUs Intel Kaby Lake) could put AMD in a more competitive position. However, the development of semiconductor manufacturing does not stand still, and the transition to 10 nm may provide Intel with a little breathing room. Of course, it all depends on how quickly both companies can bring new products to market.
Intel is slowly increasing performance and the improvements don't seem like much, but the first 14nm+ products will do the job for most mobile users. In general, these improvements will encourage users of older systems to upgrade, but are unlikely to force tech enthusiasts to change their Skylake-based mobile devices in favor of solutions with Intel Kaby Lake. Intel did not plan for this. The main purpose of the release Intel Kaby Lake- to give "lagging" users a reason to update their platforms, and the optimizations implemented in it may well serve as a good incentive.
Every year science becomes more complex and, therefore, more and more incomprehensible to a wide audience, in connection with which there is a gap in understanding between science and society, therefore, at present, the problem of popularizing science is very relevant.
Despite the fact that the basic level of scientific knowledge is sufficiently popularized, the gap between science and society in this sense will always exist due to the constant development of science. It is necessary to periodically reduce this gap by popularizing modern scientific achievements.
The sender of popular science information is the popularizer - the creator of the popular science work. Scientists, writers, and journalists can act as popularizers. The most important qualities that a popularizer of science should possess include:
Deep possession of the special knowledge that he expounds;
The ability to present this knowledge in a simple and accessible way.
The need to possess the skills of a clear, simple and accessible presentation of complex topics leads to the search for special techniques and means used to convey scientific information. Therefore, the language of popular science material is extremely important, through which scientific knowledge is transmitted.
Popular science journals are characterized by a popular science style of presentation. In linguistic science, the question of the status of the popular science type of speech in the system of functional styles of the Russian language has not been finally resolved. Some linguists (for example, M.N. Kozhina) consider it within the framework of the scientific style, others (for example, M.K. Milykh, N.N. Maevsky) consider it an independent style of speech. This implies a lack of stylistic unity, that is, texts published in popular science journals can differ significantly in style parameters.
All of the above determines the relevance of this topic.
Publications of popular science magazines involve a combination of analytical and artistic-journalistic approaches to the subject of display, therefore, they are characterized by a presentation in general literary language using popular science and journalistic styles.
Popular science sub-style is one of the stylistic and speech varieties of the scientific functional style, distinguished on the basis of the implementation of "additional" communication tasks - the need to "translate" special scientific information into the language of not special knowledge, but precisely the tasks of popularizing scientific knowledge for a wide audience [Kozhina 2006 , with. 382].
Depending on the periodical (its type, audience, thematic focus, etc.), the popular science style has a different embodiment. Popular science magazines aimed at a trained audience (such as "Science and Life", "In the World of Science", "Popular Mechanics", etc.) perform an educational function, therefore, they retain the popular science style of presentation in a "pure » form, it is closest to the scientific type of speech. Popular science magazines for a wide range of people of any age and any level of education (such as "Vokrug sveta", "GEO", "PSYCHOLOGIES", "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC", etc.), in addition to an educational function, also perform a recreational function, therefore, in this aspect, the popular science style can be defined as a hybrid formation that combines the features of scientific and journalistic functional styles.
In our opinion, the popular science type of speech can be attributed to a variety of scientific functional style, since it retains the main feature characteristic of the scientific type - the presentation of scientific knowledge to the audience. The main difference between the popular science sub-style and the scientific style lies in the different form of presentation of the material. The task of a popular science text is not just to acquaint the reader with scientific information, but to convey reliable scientific knowledge to a non-specialist in an accessible form. Consider the extralinguistic features of the popular science substyle. These include:
- Accuracy, objectivity of presentation.
- Availability of presentation.
- The attraction of the material.
The linguistic features of the popular science substyle include the following features:
1. The use of general scientific vocabulary and terms introduced into the text by special techniques:
Brief interpretation of the meaning only in brackets (Atoms that carry a positive charge (cations) are deposited on the cathode);
In a footnote;
With the help of figurative means (the gene that prevails is called dominant, and the one that is inferior is called recessive).
2. The use of an introductory text characteristic of the genre of a modern popular science article, the so-called heading complex, an epigraph.
3. Expressiveness of speech is one of the fundamental features of a popular science text. Various means of verbal imagery are used (metaphors, epithets, comparisons, etc.).
4. The syntax uses question-answer and parcel constructions, as well as rhetorical questions.
Popular science texts use the following means of verbal imagery:
- An epithet is a figurative definition that gives an expressive description of an object.
- Comparison is a comparison in the text of two objects or phenomena in order to explain one of them with the help of the other. This tool is used to explain any complex phenomena of science, as well as to clarify scientific terminology.
- Metaphor is the transfer of properties from one object to another based on their similarity. Metaphor is based on comparison, which is why this means of expression is also called hidden comparison.
- Personification is the characteristic of the inanimate as living.
- A rhetorical question is a stylistic figure of speech, a question that is posed not in order to get an answer, but to attract attention.
- Parceling is a deliberate violation of the boundaries of a sentence, the division of one sentence into several parts - two or more.
- Connecting constructions are syntactically dependent segments of the text that form an associative chain and, at the same time, acquire greater expressiveness and emotional richness.
The specificity of the popular science text is primarily due to the focus on a wide audience and the need to fulfill the main task of the popular science text - the popularization of scientific knowledge. The main difference between the popular science sub-style and the scientific style lies in the different form of presentation of the material. The task of a popular science text is not just to acquaint the reader with scientific information, but to convey reliable scientific knowledge to a non-specialist in an accessible form.
Let's consider this difference on the example of the text from the magazine "Around the World" and an article from the biological encyclopedic dictionary.
In one of the issues of the Vokrug Sveta magazine, the author Maria Nechinskaya, in her popular science material, tells readers about an unusual animal, the pangolin: …” [“Around the World” No. 1 (2892) 2015, p. 34].
Let's compare this article with the scientific text about the same animal from the biological encyclopedic dictionary:
“Pangolins are pangolins (Pholidota), a detachment of placental mammals. Phylogenetically, they may be a branch of the ancient insectivores. Highly specialized group; in a number of anatomical features, it is convergently similar to the edentulous. Known from deposits of the Oligocene - the Miocene of Europe and the Pleistocene of Asia ... "[Gilyarov 1986, p. 864].
The content and meaning of the two texts are identical. Both texts are about the pangolin. The purpose of these texts is to convey scientific knowledge, but the first text conveys reliable scientific information in a more accessible form. It is designed for the mass reader and is understandable to every person at any age, thanks to the use of neutral vocabulary. The second text is more complex, it contains special vocabulary (Oligocene, Miocene, Pleistocene, placenta, etc.), as it is intended for specialists in the field of biological sciences.
In order to make the first text more accessible for perception, it uses the means of verbal figurativeness. (For example, comparisons: “a beast resembling a fir cone”; “like a skunk”, “pangolin releases a fetid secret”; “the animal can roll away from the enemy”, “like a bun”). Through such comparisons, the reader can easily imagine this beast. The perception of the first text is also facilitated by the frequent use of evaluative definitions (For example: "unusual animal", "large predators", "fetid smell", "very long sticky tongue", "peculiar teeth"). There are no figurative and expressive means in the second text.
An interesting syntactic feature is that the first text uses more two-part sentences than one-part sentences, while the second text uses mostly one-part sentences.
Thus, despite the fact that the content of the two texts completely coincides, their tasks are different. For the first text, this is the communication of scientific knowledge to non-specialists, the second text contains information that is understandable to specialists in the field of biological sciences. Thanks to the features that were described earlier, each of these texts performs its own communicative tasks.
Often in popular science magazines you can find features of a journalistic functional style, which are clearly seen in travel texts. In such materials, the authors primarily focus on their impressions of what they saw. Such materials acquire artistic and journalistic, individual-author's features.
The extralinguistic features of the journalistic style include the following features:
- Availability of presentation.
- Impact (conscription).
- Polemical presentation.
- Imagery, brightness of expressive means, positive or negative expression.
Linguistic features include:
- In vocabulary - terms and emotional-evaluative words are used.
- In word formation - abbreviations and compound words are used (UN, CIS, EU)
- In morphology - word forms with neo-, anti-, pseudo- and suffixes -ation-, -fication-, -ist-, -tor, -izm, -ovets, complex adjectives, imperative forms of verbs expressing a call to joint action are used .
- In syntax - inversion, repetition of words, rhetorical questions, appeals, question-answer form, elliptical and incomplete sentences.
- The use of figurative means - metaphors, metonymy, hyperbole, comparisons, paraphrases [Filin F. P. 1979. p. 243].
A vivid example of a text that has features of a journalistic style is Margarita Novikova's Florida Curbs from the magazine Vokrug Sveta (1(2904), January 2016). In this material, the author shares his personal impressions of the trip to America. She compares two cities with the same name - the Russian cultural capital and the American St. Petersburg.
A striking feature of the journalistic style in this material is the emotionality and figurativeness of speech, which are used to create an atmosphere, as well as evaluative, easy and accessible presentation of the material.
This material uses a large number of figurative means and figures of speech characteristic of the journalistic style: epithets (“holy awe”, “criminal capital”), metaphors (a snail that climbed onto a cube (about the building of the Dali Museum)), periphrases (cultural capital, city on the Neva), rhetorical questions (How much is it, how much? Maybe he feels like a “stranger among his own”?) and others.
Thus, the publications of popular science magazines involve a combination of analytical and artistic-journalistic approaches to the subject of display, therefore, they are characterized by a presentation in general literary language using popular science and journalistic styles. The specificity of texts in popular science journals is primarily due to the focus on a wide audience and the need for the most optimal implementation of the main task - the popularization of scientific knowledge. Texts in popular science journals require accuracy, objectivity, accessibility and fascination.
11 books in which famous scientists from different fields of science share their experiences, observations and theories in a way that is understandable, interesting and useful for everyone.
Stephen Fry. "The Book of General Delusions"
Stephen Fry about his "Book of General Delusions": "If we liken all the knowledge accumulated by mankind to sand, then even the most brilliant intellectual will be like a person to whom one or two grains of sand have accidentally stuck."
Annotation. The Book of Common Delusions is a collection of 230 questions and answers. Stephen Fry helps the reader get rid of often encountered pseudoscientific prejudices, myths, false facts through a chain of reasoning and real evidence. The reader will find answers to completely different questions in the book: what color is Mars really, where is the driest place on Earth, who invented penicillin and more. It's all written in typical Stephen Fry style - witty and engaging. Critic Jennifer Kay argues that The Book of Common Misconceptions will not make us feel stupid, but will make us more curious.
Richard Dawkins. "The Greatest Show on Earth: Evidence for Evolution"
Comments by Neil Shubin, associate of Richard Dawkins and bestselling author of The Inner Fish: “To call this book an apology for evolution would be to miss the point. “The Greatest Show on Earth” is a celebration of one of the most significant ideas… Reading Dawkins, one is in awe of the beauty of this theory and bows to the ability of science to answer some of life’s greatest mysteries.”
Annotation. The world famous biologist Richard Dawkins considers evolution to be the only possible theory of the origin of all living things and supports his point of view with evidence. The Greatest Show on Earth: Evidence for Evolution explains how nature works and how certain animal species, including humans, appeared on Earth. After reading his book, even an adherent of the divine theory will not find arguments against evolution. Dawkins' bestseller came out on the 200th anniversary of Darwin and the 150th anniversary of his On the Origin of Species.
Stephen Hawking. "A Brief History of Time"
Stephen Hawking on his book A Brief History of Time: “All my life I have marveled at the major questions we face and tried to find a scientific answer to them. Maybe that's why I've sold more books on physics than Madonna has on sex."
Annotation. In his youth, Stephen Hawking was forever paralyzed by atrophic sclerosis, only the fingers of his right hand remained mobile, with which he controls his chair and voice computer. In 40 years of activity, Stephen Hawking has done as much for science as a whole generation of healthy scientists has not done. In the book A Brief History of Time, the famous English physicist tries to find answers to eternal questions about the origin of our universe. Each person at least once thought about how the Universe began, whether it is immortal, whether it is infinite, why there is a person in it and what the future holds for us. The author took into account that the general reader needs fewer formulas and more clarity. The book was published back in 1988 and, like any work by Hawking, was ahead of its time, so it is a bestseller to this day.
David Bodanis. "E=mc2. Biography of the most famous equation in the world
Annotation. David Bodanis teaches at European universities, writes brilliant popular science books and popularizes technical sciences in every possible way. Inspired by Albert Einstein's revolutionary discovery in 1905, the equation E=mc2, David Bodanis opened up new ways to understand the universe. He decided to write a simple book about the complex, likening it to an exciting detective story. The heroes in it are outstanding physicists and thinkers such as Faraday, Rutherford, Heisenberg, Einstein.
David Matsumoto. “Man, culture, psychology. Amazing mysteries, research and discoveries»
David Matsumoto on the book: "When cultural differences emerge in the study of culture and psychology, natural questions arise about how they arose and what makes people so different."
Annotation. Professor of Psychology and Ph.D. David Matsumoto has made many contributions both to the practice of psychology and intercultural relations and to the world of martial arts. In all his works, Matsumoto refers to the diversity of human connections, and in the new book he is looking for answers to strange questions, for example, about the incompatibility of Americans and Arabs, about the relationship between GDP and emotionality, about people's everyday thoughts ... Despite the easy presentation, the book is scientific labor, and not a collection of conjectures. “Man, culture, psychology. Amazing mysteries, research and discoveries” is not a scientific work, but rather an adventure novel. Both scientists and ordinary readers will find food for thought in it.
Frans de Waal. "The origins of morality. In search of the human in primates"
Frans de Waal on his "Origins of Morality": "Morality is not a purely human property, and its origins must be sought in animals. Empathy and other manifestations of a kind of morality are inherent in monkeys, and dogs, and elephants, and even reptiles.
Annotation. For many years, the world-renowned biologist Frans de Waal has studied the lives of chimpanzees and bonobos. After researching the animal world, the scientist was struck by the idea that morality is inherent not only in humans. The scientist studied the life of great apes for many years and found real emotions in them, such as grief, joy and sadness, then he found the same in other animal species. Frans de Waal touched upon issues of morality, philosophy, and religion in the book.
Armand Marie Leroy. "Mutants"
Armand Marie Leroy on "Mutants": "This book is about how the human body is created. About techniques that allow a single cell, immersed in the dark nooks and crannies of the womb, to become an embryo, fetus, child, and finally an adult. It provides an answer, albeit tentative and incomplete, yet clear at its core, to the question of how we become what we are.”
Annotation. Armand Marie Leroy traveled from an early age, becoming a renowned evolutionary biologist, doctor of science and teacher. In Mutants, biologist Armand Marie Leroy explores the body through the shocking stories of mutants. Siamese twins, hermaphrodites, fused limbs... Once Cleopatra, being interested in human anatomy, ordered pregnant slaves to rip open their stomachs... Now such barbaric methods are in the past and science is developing with the help of humane research. The formation of the human body is still not fully understood, and Armand Marie Leroy shows how the human anatomy remains stable despite genetic diversity.
John Lehrer. "How We Make Decisions"
Foreword by Jonah Lehrer to her book: "Each of us is capable of coming to a successful decision."
Annotation. The world-famous popularizer of science, John Lehrer, has gained a reputation as a connoisseur of psychology and a talented journalist. He is interested in neuroscience and psychology. In her book How We Make Decisions, Jonah Lehrer describes the mechanics of decision making. He explains in detail why a person chooses what he chooses, when to indulge intuition, how to make the right choice. The book helps to better understand yourself and the choices of other people.
Frith Chris. “Brain and soul. How nervous activity shapes our inner world
Frith Chris on the book "Brain and Soul": "We need to look a little more at the connection between our psyche and the brain. This connection must be close ... This connection between the brain and the psyche is imperfect.
Annotation. The famous English neuroscientist and neuropsychologist Frith Chris studies the structure of the human brain. On this topic, he wrote 400 publications. In the book "Brain and Soul" he talks about where images and ideas about the world come from in the head, as well as how real these images are. If a person thinks that he sees the world as it is in reality, then he is greatly mistaken. The inner world, according to Frith, is almost richer than the outer world, since our mind itself conjectures the past, present and future.
Michio Kaku. "Physics of the Impossible"
Quote by Michio Kaku from the book The Physics of the Impossible: “I have been told more than once that in real life you have to give up the impossible and be content with the real. In my short life, I have often seen how what was previously considered impossible turns into an established scientific fact.
Annotation. Michio Kaku is Japanese by origin and American by citizenship, is one of the authors of string theory, a professor, and a popularizer of science and technology. Most of his books are international bestsellers. In the book "Physics of the Impossible" he talks about the incredible phenomena and laws of the universe. From this book, the reader will learn what will become possible in the near future: force fields, invisibility, mind reading, communication with extraterrestrial civilizations and space travel.
Stephen Levitt and Stephen Dubner. Freakonomics
“Stephen Levitt tends to see a lot of things very differently than any other average person. His point of view is not like the usual thoughts of the average economist. It can be great or terrible, depending on how you think about economists in general.” – New York Times Magazine
Annotation. The authors seriously analyze the economic background of everyday things. A non-standard explanation of such strange economic issues as quackery, prostitution and others. Shocking, unexpected, even provocative topics are considered through logical economic laws. Steven Levitt and Steven Dubner sought to awaken interest in life and deservedly received many flattering reviews. Freakonomics was written not by ordinary economists, but by real creatives. It was even included in the list of the best books of the decade according to the Russian Reporter.
The pursuit of progress running forward is a rather complicated matter, however, it cannot be said that it is impossible. The Internet, television and, of course, scientific journals - all this helps us to be, as they say, in shape and allows us to have an idea of which peaks in the scientific world have been conquered and which ones still need to be conquered.
On the territory of the post-Soviet space, this kind of “helpers” existed for a relatively long time, and the first who decided to share with people about scientific discoveries, new technology and various kinds of theories were magazines. It is about them that we will talk today, or more precisely, about one of the most popular scientific journals in Russia.
Popular science magazine "Around the World"
From words, let's immediately get down to business and talk about the oldest popular science and regional studies magazine "Vokrug Sveta". This magazine appeared during the Russian Empire, in 1861. However, the "birth" of the magazine can be considered from 1860, because it was then that the first issue of the magazine went on sale. It is not surprising that St. Petersburg turned out to be the place where the publication was opened. The editor of the magazine was a book publisher-merchant, Mavriky Osipovich Volf. Later the magazine was moved to Moscow.
Initially, the journal included stories, stories and observations of travelers, their comments, however, this is what made the journal a name in those years, since it contained not only the stories of our compatriots, but also Western researchers and naturalists. Gaining considerable popularity, the magazine functioned for ten years, until 1870. The break turned out to be not small - until 1884, when, thanks to the brothers Mikhail and Eugene Werner, he resumed his activities. The magazine was moved to Moscow and the name was slightly changed, now it was called - “Around the World. Journal of travel and adventure on land and sea. It is worth noting that after its "revival", the magazine increased the number of replicated issues, the number of which amounted to 50 issues per year compared to 12 issues per year, which were issued under Wolf. The Werners managed to change the magazine, make it more attractive to the reader and give the magazine its own, exclusive look.
However, another break was not far off, and already in 1917 the magazine ceased its activities again. Here is how the editors of the journal comment on their decision:
The lull lasted until 1926 (1927), when two editions appeared at once. One of them had the same name and was based in Moscow, while the magazine was a free supplement to the World Pathfinder, which was published by the state-owned joint-stock publishing company Zemlya i Fabrika. And the second was in Leningrad and had the name "Magazine of plot literature, revolutionary romance, science fiction, adventures, travels and discoveries" in the publishing house "Krasnaya Gazeta".
Until 1941, the magazine managed to change several publishers, including Molodaya Gvardiya, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Pravda, and in June 1941 the issue was again discontinued, however, at the end of the Second World War, in 1946 it resumes its work, returning to 12 issues a year, but changing the name to "Monthly geographical popular science and literary and art magazine" Around the World ". Only by 1993, the magazine changed its publishing house to Vokrug Sveta CJSC, having worked in this way until 1999, after which during 2000 it was published only on the territory of Ukraine, since 2001 it resumes work in Russia, still existing. The circulation of the journal is 250,000 copies, 12 issues per year are issued with a frequency, respectively, once a month. The history of the magazine is full of ups and downs, but despite all this, it remained and remains one of the most famous popular science magazines in Russia.
Scientific journal Popular Mechanics
This magazine, which everyone who is interested in news in the world of science and technology knows, first appeared in 1902 in the United States, but only a century later it was able to reach the territory of Russia. It was in 2002 that the magazine was first published in Russian and contains news of science, developments in the weapons industry, aviation, space news and automotive industry. The journal has its own website, allowing registered users to blog or conduct discussions in thematic communities.
The presentation of the material in the magazine is quite interesting, in addition, some issues of the magazine can be completed with additional things. So, for example, in one of the April issues of Popular Mechanics, 3D glasses were attached to the magazine. They were attached, of course, not just like that - the whole issue could be viewed in volume. It should be noted that the magazine is quite “serious” in its approach to the April issues and for several years now has been trying to surprise, laugh or stun readers. The April Fools' pranks were articles about nuclear cartridges, fingertip skis, elk cavalry, and more. Naturally, already on April 2, a refutation of this news is published on the site (in addition, an additional refutation is published in the May issue of the magazine). At the moment, the publication is published every month with a circulation of 200 thousand copies, the editor of the magazine is Sergey Apresov.
Popular science magazine "Discovery"
If you have confused this name with a well-known TV channel, then we hasten to dissuade you from this. However, this magazine does not need a special introduction and is known to many, despite the fact that it has been published for only four years. In the materials of the magazine you can learn about the traditions and cultural heritage of various peoples, expeditions, modern achievements of science and the development of the Universe.
The exact date of the publication of the journal is 2009, and the early materials of the journal can be classified as "doubtful" and pseudoscientific. So, for example, in the December issue of the magazine from 2009, the author of the article Andrey Belikov writes: “Panov’s bipyramid “Galina” is able not only to stabilize the human biofield, protecting it from unwanted influences, but also to charge water energetically.” It is rather difficult to call such material scientific and is rather similar to the stories of “alternatives” familiar to many.
However, judging by the materials that Discovery is now publishing, they abandoned the trend of posting dubious content, and therefore increased the overall quality level of the magazine. However, the overall impression was nevertheless spoiled, in addition, conflicts periodically arise between the magazine and readers, such as, for example, the rather well-known conflict between the editors of the magazine and the traveler, photographer, blogger, Dmitry Saparov. Meanwhile, the magazine continues to enjoy no small popularity. It is published monthly with a circulation of 140 thousand, the editor of the magazine is Natalia Shtaeva.
In the following publications, we will try to talk about other Russian journals dedicated to science and technology
In this material, we have collected relevant and topical books about the development of technology, robots, tracking systems, information selection and other innovations. The authors of these books are masters of their craft, who have done a huge and unique job, and now share their findings with us. It is up to us to accept and process this information or continue to deny the truth. Pick up your smartphone, talk to a relative across the ocean via video link, or measure your pulse using a mini-gadget on your arm. Reflect on your daily actions and understand that the future is already here and there is no escape from it.
Tim Wu "The Master Switch. The Rise and Fall of Information Empires from Radio to the Internet
Release date: 2012
Translation date: 2012
Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber
Once upon a time, radio, television, the Internet and telephony were just someone's flashed thought in the back of consciousness. But over time, these inventions took over the world and became an integral part of it. Now we cannot imagine life without something that did not even exist a hundred years ago. And the Internet, created less than forty years ago, changed human society and it is still unknown what the total digital revolution will lead to. This book will reveal the secrets of the World Wide Web, analyze its negative and positive sides. She will tell how the smallest human idea took over the world and turned into a multi-billion dollar business with unexpected consequences.
Nicholas Carr "The Great Transition: What the Cloud Revolution Has in store"
Release date: 2008
Translation date: 2013
Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber
At the beginning of the twentieth century, private power companies stopped producing electricity and transferred production to the hands of the state. According to Nicholas Carr, a researcher and author of The Great Transition: What the Cloud Revolution Is Preparing, a similar situation will happen with current private IT systems in the near future. Companies are already moving to cloud storage, getting rid of their own capacities along the way. Soon this area will also be controlled by the state. According to the author, the current world is on the verge of a new, super-technological revolution that will change the life of modern society. Applying information from various fields of knowledge, Nicholas Carr talks in a fascinating and truthful way about the extraordinary world of the future and our role in its development.
Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger, Kenneth Cookier Big Data. A revolution that will change the way we live, work and think"
Release date: 2013
Translation date: 2014
Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber 
According to the authors of the book Big Data. A revolution that will change the way we live, work and think”, after the advent of Big Data technology, the world has changed forever and will never be the same again. The Big Tech system helps humanity process incredible amounts of data, predict with amazing accuracy what awaits us in the future and apply this knowledge in the most unexpected places. The authors tell how Big Data saves the world day after day and how all imaginable and unimaginable organizations use its power, from private business to hospitals, schools and kindergartens.
Eldar Murtazin "From brick to smartphone: The amazing evolution of the mobile phone"
Release date: 2012
Translation date: 2012
Publisher: Alpina Digital
Eldar Murtazin thoroughly studied the market of mobile phones and smartphones and tells how this business was created, how mobile giants like Apple, Samsung and Nokia conquered the world market at different times. You will find out what tricks well-known companies used, what they sacrificed, what they were afraid of, and how the slightest mistakes put an end to multimillion-dollar projects that no one even remembers now. Readers will learn about the secret war that has been and is being waged between the mobile giants, about fateful internal decisions, bribing employees and secret technologies hidden behind the walls of digital corporations.
Eric Schmidt, Jared Cohen "The New Digital World"
Release date: 2013
Translation date: 2013
Publisher: Mann, Ivanon and Ferber
Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen work for Google. The first is a member of the board of directors. The second is the director of the research center and a member of the US Council on Foreign Relations. In this book, the authors combine their knowledge and tell readers how digitized the modern world is and how it affects people, the global economy, living standards and private business. According to them, humanity has long been living in the future, but not everyone understands this and does not even try to adapt. And with the current development of technology, it is precisely those who seek to learn new things that will survive and are trying with all their might to get out of the past.
Michio Kaku "The Future of the Mind"
Release date: 2014
Translation date: 2015
Publisher: Alpina Digital
Famous futurist, scientist and popularizer of science Michio Kaku, as always, is passionate about the advanced technologies of the future. He is trying to infect readers with his love, so Mr. Kaku writes books and hosts popular science programs. In The Future of the Mind, Mr. Kaku fantasizes about the future with the help of the latest developments, gives an analysis of the development of human society in the coming decades, and warns people about possible mistakes. The brilliant mind of a researcher and scientist predicts the future and shows us where the development of genetic engineering, computer technology, artificial intelligence and the World Wide Web will come. But the author does not have an answer for everything. He invites the reader to think for himself about the readiness of mankind for such a rapid development of technology and answer the important question of our time. What awaits us and our children? And how will the next generations grow up if from an early age they do not part with smartphones and are obsessed with digital technologies.
Steven Strogatz "The Pleasure of X. A fascinating journey into the world of mathematics from one of the best teachers in the world"
Release date: 2012
Translation date: 2014
Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber
The book of the outstanding professor of mathematics Stephen Strogatz will change the negative attitude towards numbers even among the avid humanist. In an accessible and understandable form, the author introduces readers to the universal language of mathematics, talks about the magic of numbers, their fundamental importance in the life of mankind and the development of society. With lively and understandable examples, Steven explains how simple and entertaining even the most complex formula can be to learn and how easy it is to actually become a fan of numbers.
Pedro Domingos "The Master Algorithm: How Machine Learning Will Change Our World"
Release date: 2015
Translation date: 2016
Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber 
The author of this book, Pedro Domingos, is a leading authority on machine learning. For the first time in the history of the development of this technology, readers get the opportunity to penetrate the very essence of the creation of machine learning and learn about the five schools of their development in an understandable language. After all, these algorithms control people's lives, they know more about us and our habits than we do. And the information they collect is used by large advertising companies, research centers or political authorities. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Martin Ford "Robots Are Coming: Advances in Technology and a Jobless Future"
Release date: 2015
Translation date: 2016
Publisher: Alpina Digital
More and more robots are mastering human professions. And recently, the first robot journalist appeared who wrote an article in 1 second. Martin Ford, author of Robots Are Coming: Technological Development and a Jobless Future, discusses whether robots can free humans from hard work and give us time for ourselves. Or maybe they will replace people around the world and plunge us into an avalanche of unemployment, becoming the new tool of corporations in making money. This book is worth reading for anyone who wants to know what will happen to humanity tomorrow and how the development of robots will affect the economic state of society.
