Sensational: A New Story of Our Senses by Ashley Ward review

A vivid exploration of the science behind sight, hearing, touch and smell that shows us we should take nothing for granted

A Year to Change Your Mind by Dr Lucy Maddox review – a way through

Twelve month’s worth of psychological tips from someone you’d want on your team in a crisis

The big idea: could you have made different choices in life?

We can’t change what’s happened – but we can learn to make better decisions in the future

Body Am I by Moheb Costandi review – the new science of self-consciousness

What gives us our sense of self? A fresh take on how the brain and body are connected offers answers

The big idea: why we shouldn’t try to be happy

Happiness might seem like a noble goal – but striving for it can be counterproductive

Food for Life by Tim Spector review – the science of eating well

The epidemiologist and author of The Diet Myth returns with a comprehensive guide to foods that foster healthy microbiomes

In brief: The Good Drinker; The Blue Flames; Exit Stage Left – reviews

Adrian Chiles gives entertaining advice on moderation, AM Burrage’s spooky short stories get their dues and Nick Duerden tells of the tolls of pop stardom

‘I’m eternally fascinated’: confessions of a ghost writer

Storyteller, nosy neighbour, bad therapist… a friendly ghost must be all these things, says Alexandra Heminsley

In brief: Motherthing; Night Terrors; Looking for Trouble – review

A gripping, darkly humorous horror novel; the strange world of sleep; and the reissue of a dazzling wartime memoir

Autistic scholar Temple Grandin: ‘The education system is screening out visual thinkers’

By favouring verbal thinkers, says the author and animal scientist, essential skills are being lost. Her new book aims to demonstrate the power of processing information in different ways