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Not exactly hard science, however, Wade Davis has written a number of accounts of his expeditions into the indigenous cultures of the world, "Serpent and the Rainbow" being his most famous title.
I've also read "One River" and recommend it - Davis is an astounding writer.
His field is ethnobotany, and his scientific research into the interaction between communities (typically indigenous) and the plants around them. There is a great amount of overlap, as he describes the rituals, the social roles and spiritual ceremonies symbolized by the plants, their preparation and use, at the same time as he describes physiological effects from alkaloid consumption.
He elegantly finds a balance between the sacred and the scientific without descending into the "Hell of Endless Factualising."
As far as everything else, both magic and science are both systems that describe the universe, and seek to address it in a manner consistent with that description. It appears that Alchemy may be the last common ancestor of science and magic.
so, there it is. Good luck in your search.
ciao for niao
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