This is a month to look out for some powerful new books, with authors taking on challenges of all sorts and imagining whole new worlds. There are fresh ways to think about a cancer diagnosis, a book tackling the real inner world of hormones, in which we are all hormonal all the time, plus a major re-envisioning of the natural world where we abandon the shallows of competition for the depth and intricacies of connection and togetherness. It's quite hard going to get an up-to-date grip on human evolution, even for the best-briefed adult, so a book with sophisticated text and excellent illustrations and diagrams can only be a good thing. Especially if it is curated and edited by Alice Roberts, biological anthropologist, palaeopathologist, broadcaster - and professor of public engagement in science at the University of Birmingham, UK. She worked with a generous-sized international team of experts in many fields of human evolution, including archaeology, palaeontology, anthropology and cognitive science.

Preparations are now under way for our annual festival of science and ideas, New Scientist Live, which takes place in London in just one week's time. The show opens on Saturday 12 October for two days packed with talks, hands-on activities and demonstrations, with something for everyone regardless of your age or interests. Explore the exhibition space, where some of our most popular interactive exhibits are back this year, including the hospital of the future – where you can try out surgical robots and virtual reality at the cutting edge of medicine – as well as the adrenaline-filled virtual rollercoaster ride. There are also brand-new experiences, involving ocean beasts, dinosaurs and more. We have some amazing speakers joining us this year, including Alice Roberts, Turi King, Robin Dunbar and our own columnist David Robson.

New Scientist Live, the world's greatest festival of ideas and discovery, is returning to ExCeL London from Saturday 7 until Sunday 8 October, with a dedicated Schools' Day on Monday 9 October. There is a stunning line-up of more than 50 speakers, five stages and a wide array of exhibitors and experiences. Whether you are interested in deep oceans, distant galaxies, mental health, technology or ancient humans, there will be something to entertain and educate you, but here is what seven members of the New Scientist editorial staff are most looking forward to seeing there. Alison Flood Comment & Culture Editor This is my first time at New Scientist Live and there's so much to choose from, but I'll definitely be at Claudia Hammond's talk on the science of kindness, in the hope of picking up some tips. My kids will be coming along too and are very excited about seeing Maddie Moate in the flesh – Maddie's Do You Know? has been a staple in our house for years.