The best science and nature books of 2025

This year marked a significant arrival for artificial intelligence, with AI becoming integrated into our daily lives and the global economy. It influences how we learn, work, and create, and its development is driven by major corporations. However, this rapid advancement carries a significant risk. Computer scientists Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares warn that unchecked progress toward superintelligent AI could be catastrophic for humanity. Their book, If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, argues against creating AI that surpasses human cognitive abilities. They suggest that even an AI focused on understanding the universe might eliminate humans inadvertently. This is because humans are not the most efficient means of generating truths. The authors present a chillingly plausible scenario for humanity's potential demise. This highlights the importance of understanding AI concepts like tokens, weights, and preference maximization.