Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisBy the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, a brilliant and beautifully told new history of mammals, illuminating the lost story of the extraordinary family tree that led to us [New Scientist; The Times UK]National Bestseller • Top 10 Nonfiction of the Year: Kirkus • Best Science Book of the Year: The Times UKWe humans are the inheritors of a dynasty that has reigned over the planet for nearly 66 million years, through fiery cataclysm and ice ages: the mammals. Our lineage includes saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths, armadillos the size of a car, cave bears three times the weight of a grizzly, clever scurriers that outlasted Tyrannosaurus rex, and even other types of humans, like Neanderthals. Indeed humankind and many of the beloved fellow mammals we share the planet with today—lions, whales, dogs—represent only the few survivors of a sprawling and astonishing family tree that has been pruned by time and mass extinctions. How did we get here?In his acclaimed bestseller The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs—hailed as “the ultimate dinosaur biography” by Scientific American—American paleontologist Steve Brusatte enchanted readers with his definitive history of the dinosaurs. Now, picking up the narrative in the ashes of the extinction event that doomed T-rex and its kind, Brusatte explores the remarkable story of the family of animals that inherited the Earth—mammals— and brilliantly reveals that their story is every bit as fascinating and complex as that of the dinosaurs.Beginning with the earliest days of our lineage some 325 million years ago, Brusatte charts how mammals survived the asteroid that claimed the dinosaurs and made the world their own, becoming the astonishingly diverse range of animals that dominate today’s Earth. Brusatte also brings alive the lost worlds mammals inhabited through time, from ice ages to volcanic catastrophes. Entwined in this story is the detective work he and other scientists have done to piece together our understanding using fossil clues and cutting-edge technology.A sterling example of scientific storytelling by one of our finest young researchers, The Rise and Reign of the Mammals illustrates how this incredible history laid the foundation for today’s world, for us, and our future.

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Book SynopsisIn 1991, Doug Tompkins abandoned his comfortable life in San Francisco and flew 6,500 miles south to a shack in Patagonia. Instead of the Golden Gate Bridge, Tompkins stared out the window at Volcano Michinmahuida, blanketed in snow and prowled by mountain lions. Shielded by waterfalls and wilderness, the founder of such groundbreaking companies as Esprit and The North Face suddenly regretted the corporate capitalism from which he had profited from years. As a CEO he had caused much pollution and, “made things nobody needed.” Now, he declared, it was time to reverse the damage to the planet, and maybe even himself. In A Wild Idea, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jonathan Franklin tells the incredible true story of Douglas Tompkins, who became one of the primary founders of our modern conservation and land protection movement. Piloting his small plane, Tompkins explored the uninhabited lands of Patagonia and gaped at the singular beauty: active volcanoes, forests never logged, rivers never dammed—all so undisturbed, so exquisitely designed. Could he protect this wild beauty? For the ensuing quarter century, that dream— that obsession—became his life. Only in death did it become his legacy.

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Book SynopsisFor 20 years Garrett Hardin has been our most hardnosed thinker about ecological problems...Filters Against Folly makes provocative reading. -- Michael Crichton The ecological problems facing our world present a forum for experts to offer slogans and solutions on all sides of the issue, but leave most of us confused and unsure of the future. In this bracing book, Garrett Hardin offers a plan for clear thinking about these dangers. He shows how the filters of literacy, understanding what words really mean; numeracy, being able to quantify and interpret information; and ecolacy, assessment of complex interactions over time, can allow anyone to make sensible judgments about ecological issues--even in the face of a barrage of confusing expertise. Filters Against Folly offers an antidote to some of the more perverse and dangerous irrationalities of our time: wishful self-delusion, educated incapacity, and foolhardy optimism...If ever this

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Book SynopsisAs war clouds darkened over Europe in 1914, a party led by Shackleton set out to make the first crossing of the entire Antarctic continent via the Pole. But their initial optimism was short-lived as ice floes closed around their ship, gradually crushing it and marooning 28 men on the polar ice. Alone in the world's most unforgiving environment, Shackleton and his team began a brutal quest for survival. And as the story of their journey across treacherous seas and a wilderness of glaciers and snow fields unfolds, the scale of their courage and heroism becomes movingly clear.Table of ContentsSouth: The Endurance ExpeditionIntroduction by Fergus FlemingPrefaceI. Into the Weddell SeaII. New LandIII. Winter MonthsIV. Loss of the EnduranceV. Ocean CampVI. The March BetweenVII. Patience CampVIII. Escape from the IceIX. The Boat JourneyX. Across South GeorgiaXI. The RescueXII. Elephant IslandXIII. The Ross Sea PartyXIV. Wintering in McMurdo SoundXV. Laying the DepotsXVI. The Aurora's DriftXVII. The Last ReliefXVIII. The Final PhaseAPPENDIX IScientific WorkSea-Ice NomenclatureMeteorologyPhysicsSouth Atlantic Whales and WhalingAPPENDIX IIThe Expedition Huts at McMurdo SoundIndex

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Book SynopsisToday, one out of every six children suffers from some form of neurodevelopmental abnormality. The causes are mostly unknown. Some environmental chemicals are known to cause brain damage and many more are suspected of it, but few have been tested for such effects. Philippe Grandjean provides an authoritative and engaging analysis of how environmental hazards can damage brain development and what we can do about it. The brain''s development is uniquely sensitive to toxic chemicals, and even small deficits may negatively impact our academic achievements, economic success, risk of delinquency, and quality of life. Chemicals such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, and certain pesticides pose an insidious threat to the development of the next generation''s brains. When chemicals in the environment affect the development of a child''s brain, he or she is at risk for mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, and a range of learning disabilities and other deficits tTrade ReviewOnly One Chance shaves off layer after layer of ignorance, naivete, and corruption as it exposes the hidden dangers from industrial chemicals. Grandjean's book reads like a thriller and gives us a unique chance to decide that the next generation's brains must be protected against toxic brain drainers. * Devra Lee Davis, author of The Secret History of the War on Cancer and National Book Award finalist *This is an exceptionally interesting book. Grandjean presents and interprets extensive research on the impact of common chemicals present in the environment on human neurodevelopment using an original and holistic point of view and introducing the concept of 'chemical brain drain'. This is an innovative approach underlining the cumulated and long term impact on the brain of different chemical exposures. Grandjean argues that brain drain hampers the very capacity of human society to progress if its most precious resource, the brain, is not adequately protected. The accuracy of the review, the analysis of the interaction between brain development and society, the approaches to dealing with uncertainties and action, make this book fundamental reading for medical and public health professionals, students, and policy makers. I am convinced it will set a new standard for public health action and research for the coming years. * Roberto Bertollini, Chief Scientist and WHO Representative to the EU *This book is a huge gift to humankind from an eminent scientist. Grandjean tells the truth about how we have been ruining the brain power of each new generation and asks if there are still enough intelligent people in the world today to reverse the problem. I cannot rid myself of the idea that too many brains have been drained and society is beyond the point of no return. We must learn from the follies and scandals that Grandjean reveals and stop the chemical brain drain before it is too late. * Theo Colborn, President, TEDX (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange) *[Only One Chance] is factual, rationally developed, and nuanced, without pulling punches. It argues for a social conscience, adequate premarket research, communication, and regulation. Chemical damage to the developing brain is not destiny. Grandjean explains why and how society must intervene to prevent exposures now and in the years ahead. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Brain Matters: Only One Chance to Develop a Brain ; 1. Sensitive Development: Complexity Creates Vulnerability ; 2. Toxic Invasion: The Placenta Is Not a Protective Armor ; 3. Invisible Lead: Health Hazards from Demanding Scientific Proof ; 4. Poisoned Science: Mercury Damaged the Child's Brain but Did Not Harm the Mother ; 5. Substituted Milk: Poisoning During Infancy Causes Permanent Brain Damage ; 6. Persistent Problems: Chemicals Resistant to Break-Down Can Break Brain Cells ; 7. Unusual Suspects: Chemicals That Protect the Lawn May Damage the Brain ; 8. Mindless Costs: Losses Suffered by Victims and Society from Chemical Brain Drain ; 9. Inconvenient Truths: Vested Interests Can Endanger Brain Development ; 10. Brainy Choices: How to Secure Optimal Brain Development for the Next Generation ; Appendix: Chemicals Known to Be Brain Drainers ; Acknowledgments ; Endnotes ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSince the appearance of Homo sapiens on the planet hundreds of thousands of years ago, human beings have sought to exploit their environments, extracting as many resources as their technological ingenuity has allowed. As technologies have advanced in recent centuries, that impulse has remained largely unchecked, exponentially accelerating the human impact on the environment. Humans versus Nature tells a history of the global environment from the Stone Age to the present, emphasizing the adversarial relationship between the human and natural worlds. Nature is cast as an active protagonist, rather than a mere backdrop or victim of human malfeasance. Daniel R. Headrick shows how environmental changes--epidemics, climate shocks, and volcanic eruptions--have molded human societies and cultures, sometimes overwhelming them. At the same time, he traces the history of anthropogenic changes in the environment--species extinctions, global warming, deforestation, and resource depletion--back to the age of hunters and gatherers and the first farmers and herders. He shows how human interventions such as irrigation systems, over-fishing, and the Industrial Revolution have in turn harmed the very societies that initiated them. Throughout, Headrick examines how human-driven environmental changes are interwoven with larger global systems, dramatically reshaping the complex relationship between people and the natural world. In doing so, he roots the current environmental crisis in the deep past.Trade ReviewThose of us who teach world environmental history will find this a nearly essential textbook, yet the work is valuable to anyone teaching world history. It may allow whole new environmental units to be placed easily into an existing course framework. At the very least, practitioners can consult chapters to incorporate specific examples or ideas more fully into their surveys. In the end, Headrick's work is the best textbook on global environmental history to date. * Thomas Anderson, World History Connected *...the ultimate reference work on global environmental history. * Eric L. Jones, University of Buckingham, EH.net *Headrick's book is the most comprehensive global environmental history in existence. It synthesizes vast knowledge from several scholarly disciplines into a coherent story of the 300,000-year human adventure on -- and with -- Earth. If one has time to read only one environmental history book, this should be the one. * J.R. McNeill, author of Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World *Humans versus Nature is a gift to students and teachers of environmental history: a single volume that captures the vast scope and scale of nature's role in human history and humanity's accelerating impact on the natural world. * Sam White, author of A Cold Welcome: The Little Ice Age and Europe's Encounter with North America *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Global Environmental History Chapter 1 The Foragers Chapter 2 Farmers and Herders Chapter 3 Early Civilizations Chapter 4 Eurasia in the Classical Age Chapter 5 Medieval Eurasia and Africa Chapter 6 The Invasion of America Chapter 7 The Transformation of the Old World Chapter 8 The Transition to an Industrial World Chapter 9 The West and the Non-West in the Nineteenth Century Chapter 10 War and Developmentalism in the Twentieth Century Chapter 11 Peace and Consumerism in the Twentieth Century Chapter 12 Climate Change and Climate Wars Chapter 13 Plundering the Oceans Chapter 14 Extinctions and Survivals Chapter 15 Environmentalism Epilogue One Past, Many Futures Notes Index

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Book SynopsisToday, we know cities as shared spaces with the potential to both threaten and promote human health: while urban areas are known to amplify the transmission of epidemics like Ebola, urban residency is also associated with longer, healthier lives. Modern cities encompass a wide ecology of infrastructures, institutions and services that impact health, from access to improved sanitation and early childhood education to the design of buildings and transportation systems. So how has this centuries-long transformation in human settlement affected the mindset surrounding public health research and practice? Urban Public Health is an interdisciplinary collaboration from experts across the globe that approaches the issue of urban health research from a uniquely public health orientation. The carefully crafted and thoughtful chapters in this volume grapple with the complexity of the urban setting as a physical and social space while also providing an abundance of global and local examples of curTrade ReviewA treasure-trove of lessons in urban public health research from the most urbanized regions of the world, Urban Public Health offers a comprehensive guide to urban health research from theoretical frameworks to practical considerations. By adopting a population health approach, the authors foreground the diverse systems for health that can support or undermine health in cities. The detailed exposÃé of updates to research methods for urban health are overdue additions to the scientific landscape, and a must for the conduct of policy-informed and contextually relevant research for healthy sustainable cities globally." * Tolullah Oni, Public Health Physician and Urban Epidemiologist, Research Initiative for Cities Health and Equity (RICHE Africa), University of Cambridge, and University of Cape Town *This book is an important contribution to the study of urban health. By its careful exposition of the tools of science, including definitions and methods, it establishes a coherent base to guide future exploration. Urban Public Health will serve scholars and students alike and should be required reading in all urban health courses." * Mindy Thompson Fullilove, Professor of Urban Policy and Health, The New School *Table of ContentsTable of Contents Contributing Authors Foreword Preface Part I - Introduction to Urban Health Chapter 1. What is Urban Health? Defining the Geographic and Substantive Scope Chapter 2. Global Urbanization and Health Trends Chapter 3. Conceptual Models and Frameworks for Understanding the Links Between Urban Environments and Health Chapter 4. Urban Health Inequities Part II - Identifying and Collecting Data for Urban Health Research Chapter 5. Assessment of the Urban Environment: Measurement Scales, Modes, and Metrics Chapter 6. Human Perceptions and Reflections on the Urban Context Chapter 7. Characterizing and Mapping Health in Urban Areas Part III - Tools for working with urban health data Chapter 8. Managing and Integrating Diverse Sources of Urban Data Chapter 9. Analysis Strategies for Relating the Urban Environment to Health Chapter 10. What Do We Know About What Works? Synthesizing the Evidence Chapter 11: Systems approaches to urban health Part IV: From Evidence into Action Chapter 12. Partnerships and Collaboration: An Urban Focus Chapter 13. Community Engagement and Participatory Approaches for Urban Health Chapter 14: Policy in Urban Health: The Power of Cities to Translate Science into Action Chapter 15: Dissemination of Urban Health Research to Maximize Impact Concluding Remarks Acknowledgements About the Authors

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Book SynopsisBoundary layer meteorology is the study of the physical processes that take place in the layer of air that is most influenced by the earth''s underlying surface. This text gives an uncomplicated view of the structure of the boundary layer, the instruments available for measuring its mean and turbulent properties, how best to make the measurements, and ways to process and analyse the data. The main applications of the book are in atmospheric modelling, wind engineering, air pollution, and agricultural meteorology. The authors have pioneered research on atmospheric turbulence and flow, and are noted for their contributions to the study of the boundary layer. This important work will interest atmospheric scientists, meteorologists, and students and faculty in these fields.Trade Review'Chandram Kaimal has an impressive background in measuring the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer ... John Finnigan also brings a wealth of experience in measuring atmospheric boundary-layer flow. This ia a practically oriented book designed with the experimentalist in mind. It is well written and gives a valuable overview of the structure of the ABL. I highly recommend it.' Dale Hess, Australian Meteorological Magazine 43:2 June 1994... this book provides a clear, broad overview of the subject, with an emphasis on empirical and experimental aspects. The analysis of ABL data is not trivial, and a comprehensive discussion of the topic is very valuable. The approach adopted by Kaimal and Finningan is very accessible and should act as a useful introduction to many topics within ABL research. Because of its breadth of practical descriptions and guidance for ABL researchers, this book is a valuable addition to the resources available to ABL scientists and research students. * Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestiral Physics *Table of Contents1. Flow over flat uniform terrain ; 2. Spectra and cospectra over flat uniform terrain ; 3. Flow over plant canopies ; 4. Flow over changing terrain ; 5. Flow over hills ; 6. Sensors and techniques for observing the boundary layer ; 7. Acquisition and processing of boundary layer data ; Index

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Book SynopsisAtmospheric Convection is a scientifically rigorous description of the multitude of convective circulations in the Earth''s atmosphere. The book introduces the student to three principal techniques used in understanding and predicting convective motion: theory, field experiment, and numerical modelling. Each chapter is followed by a set of exercises designed to test the understanding of the phenomena themselves as well as the techniques used in exploiting them. Topics covered include dry convection, Raleigh-Benard convection, the thermodynamics of moist and cloudy air, and the characteristics of individual convective clouds.Trade Review"[A]n excellent monograph by a leading atmospheric scientist...will be consulted by everyone interested in the complexities of dynamical meteorology and in the improvement of practical methods of climate and weather prediction."--Physics Today "Exceptionally interesting....Stimulating....Moist convection is not easy to characterize by models that can be analyzed analytically and yet illuminate essential physical mechanisms. The strength of this book is to blaze an intellectual trail through the field by collecting such models and presenting them and their assumptions completely and clearly enough that readers can derive and understand for themselves all essential equations and results....A major contribution that belongs on the bookshelf of any scholar of the subject. Its orientation toward conceptual models also makes it particularly useful for and accessible to researchers in areas such as climate dynamics....Makes a nice (and affordable) textbook on atmospheric convection for mathematically inclined advanced graduate students and it includes exercises of all levels of difficulty." --Christopher S. Bretherton, University of Seattle, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society "The author...has written an excellent graduate level teaching text....If the reviewer had not inherited the book by way of reviewing, he would have gone out and bought it anyway for its contained value in shaping and forming one's avenue of approach to the subject - praise enough, indeed!--Physics in Canada "Each chapter concludes with exercises for students and the author gives as well the e-mail address from which codes useful for solving some of them are available. The clear layout of the text and the favorable selection of the illustrations should also be emphasized...Useful not only for students but for professionals as well. A valuable contribution to the library of meteorological textbooks and monographs."--Krzysztof Haman, Institute of GeophysicsTable of ContentsPART I: Dry Convection 1: General Principles 2: Convection from Local Sources 3: Global Convection: The Rayleigh-Benard Problem and Dry Convective Boundary Layers PART II: Moist Thermodynamics and Stability 4: Moist Thermodynamic Processes 5: Graphical Techniques 6: Stability PART III: Local Properties of Moist Convection 7: Observed Characteristics of Nonprecipitating Cumuli 8: Theory of Mixing in Cumulus Clouds 9: Observed Characteristics of Precipitating Convection 10: Numerical Modeling of Convective Clouds 11: Dynamics of Precipitating Convection 12: Slantwise Convection PART IV: Global Moist Convection 13: Stratocumulus and Trade-Cumulus Boundary Layers 14: Deep Convective Regimes 15: Interaction of Convection with Large-scale Flows 16: Cumulus Representations in Numerical Models

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Book SynopsisThis book discusses the application of geological methods and theory to archaeology. Written as a survey text covering appropriate methods and techniques taken from geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and geochronology, it shows the student the practicality and importance of the techniques'' use in solving archaeological problems. Specific techniques are illustrated by practical results obtained from their use on archaeological digs. The geographical scope is international, drawing on sites from both hemispheres, eg the Franchti Cave (Greece), St. Catherines Island (USA), the Roman site of Drand (France), and Monte Verde (Chile). The authors also address applications in less traditional areas such as underwater, historical, industrial, and conservation archaeology.Trade Review"Herz and Garrison (p viii) state that the purpose of their book . . . is to 'show archaeologists the many ways that geological sciences can help solve their problems.' The authors divide their book into four major sections with multiple chapters in each section. Part I, 'The Archaeological Site and Its Environment,' presents a discussion of geomorphology, sediments, and soils; Part II, 'Dating Techniques,' covers chemical, radioactive, and other methods of dating; Part III, 'Site Exploration,' addresses geophysical and geochemical applications to archaeology; and Part IV, 'Artifact Analysis,' offers a discussion of the analysis of the raw materials used to manufacture artifacts and features."--Geoarchaeology "Herz and Garrison (p viii) state that the purpose of their book . . . is to 'show archaeologists the many ways that geological sciences can help solve their problems.' The authors divide their book into four major sections with multiple chapters in each section. Part I, 'The Archaeological Site and Its Environment,' presents a discussion of geomorphology, sediments, and soils; Part II, 'Dating Techniques,' covers chemical, radioactive, and other methods of dating; Part III, 'Site Exploration,' addresses geophysical and geochemical applications to archaeology; and Part IV, 'Artifact Analysis,' offers a discussion of the analysis of the raw materials used to manufacture artifacts and features."--GeoarchaeologyTable of ContentsForeword ; 1. Scope of Archaeological Geology ; 2. Geomorphology in Archaeology ; 3. Sediments and Soils ; 4. Chemical Methods ; 5. Radioactive Methods: Radioactive Decay and Age Determination ; 6. Radiation Damage, Cosmogenic and Atom Counting Techniques ; 7. Other Chronological Methods ; 8. Archaeogeophysical Exploration ; 9. Soil Phosphate in Archaeological Surveys ; 10. Archaeological Materials - Rocks and Minerals ; 11. Instrumental Analytical Techniques ; 12. Metallic Minerals and Archaeological Geology ; 13. Ceramics ; 14. Applications of Stable Isotopes in Archaeological Geology

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Book SynopsisHailed as one of the most eminent environmental historians of the West by Alan Brinkley in The New York Times Book Review, Donald Worster has been a leader in reshaping the study of American history. Winner of the prestigious Bancroft Prize for his book Dust Bowl, Worster has helped bring humanity''s interaction with nature to the forefront of historical thinking. Now, in The Wealth of Nature, he offers a series of thoughtful, eloquent essays which lay out his views on environmental history, tying the study of the past to today''s agenda for change. The Wealth of Nature captures the fruit of what Worster calls my own intellectual turning to the land. History, he writes, represents a dialogue between humanity and nature--though it is usually reported as if it were simple dictation. Worster takes as his point of departure the approach expressed early on by Aldo Leopold, who stresses the importance of nature in determining human history; Leopold pointed out that the spread of bluegrass inTrade Reviewan eloquent study of nature, humanity, values, and history ... passionate ... extraordinary reading * Ecology Review *

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Book SynopsisSynoptic comparison of tropical forests, based on a detailed understanding of one particular tropical forest, Barro Colorado Island. Covers various aspects of tropical forest biology including natural history, tree architecture and forest physiognomy, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, niche differentiation and species diversity.Trade Review"Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--Science "Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--ScienceTable of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Barro Colorado Island: The Background ; 2. Dramatis Personae ; 3. Tropical Climates ; 4. Runoff, Erosion, and Soil ; 5. Telling the Trees from the Forest: Tree Shape and Leaf Arrangement ; 6. Biomass and Productivity of Tropical Forest ; 7. The Seasonal Rhythms of Fruiting and Leaf Flush, and the Regulation of Animal Populations ; 8. Tropical Diversity ; 9. The Role of Mutualism in Tropical Forest ; 10. The Rainforest Endangered

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Book SynopsisEarth, like the other inner planets, receives virtually all of its energy from space in the form of solar electromagnetic radiation. The Earth''s total heat content does not vary significantly with time, indicating a close overall balance between absorbed solar radiation and the diffuse stream of low-temperature, thermal radiation emitted by the plant. This book, a reprint of the second edition of Goody''s classic work, is concerned with the interaction of solar electromagnetic energy with planetary atmospheres, the subsequent redistribution of this energy, and its ultimate return to space as terrestrial thermal radiation.Trade ReviewI have always regarded the original first edition of this book by Richard Goody as being the definitive reference text on atmospheric radiative transfer. This new edition provides a welcome update to the original 1964 text which, after 33 years, benefits from the inclusion of more recent developments both in the remote-sensing field and in measurements of atmospheric constituents ... this new edition is much more than just a cosmetic updating of the old edition. The structure of the book has been modified to include new topics and many of the figures are new. This makes its purchase clearly justifiable not only for those who do not have the original edition, but also for those who do. For anyone with more than a superficial interest in atmospheric radiation, this book is mandatory reading, to gain an insight into the physical processes involved. * R.W. Sauders, Royal Meteorological Society *This is the book I actually used the most in my career to understand what I was trying to do with infrared instruments to study the atmospheres of the Earth and planets from spacecraft ... 'Goody' is still the Bible * Astronomy Now *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Theory of Radiative Transfer ; 2. Vibration-Rotation Spectra of Gaseous Molecules ; 3. Band Models ; 4. Absorption by Atmospheric Gases ; 5. Radiation Calculations in a Clear Atmosphere ; 6. Extinction by Molecules and Droplets ; 7. Radiative Transfer in a Scattering Atmosphere ; 8. Atmospheres in Radiative Equilibrium ; 9. Evolution of a Thermal Disturbance ; Appendix 1: Physical constants ; Appendix 2: Spectroscopic units ; Appendix 3: A model atmosphere ; Appendix 4: Properties of water vapor ; Appendix 5: The Planck function ; Appendix 6: The exponential integrals ; Appendix 7: The Ladenburg and Reiche function ; Appendix 8: The Elsasser function ; Appendix 9: The physical state of the sun

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Book SynopsisLectures on Geophysical Fluid Dynamics offers an introduction to several topics in theoretical geophysical fluid dynamics, including the theory of large-scale ocean circulation, geostrophic turbulence, and Hamiltonian fluid dynamics. The book is based on an introductory course in dynamical oceanography offered to first-year graduate students at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Each chapter is a self-contained introduction ti its particular subject, and makes few specific references to other chapters. Chapters 1 examines the relationship between the molecular and continuum models of the fluid, and between the Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions of the latter. Ch.2 is a broad introduction to the fluid dynamics of rotating, stratified flows. Ch.3 adddresses large-scale ocean circulation. Chs.4,5 and 6 discuss the theory of turbulence, including elementary ideas based on vorticity laws (Ch.4), statistical turbulence theory (Ch.5), and the applications of these ideas to quasigeostrophiTrade Review'The book provides an excellent course for graduate students in applied mathematics or mathematical oceanography or meterology. It can be used fruitfully by researchers in related areas who would like to learn about a field of physics that generates intriguing and cha,lenging mathematical problems...It is also likely to become a significant reference book for the subject' SIAM ReviewTable of Contents1. Fundamentals ; 2. Introduction to Geophysical Fluid Dyunamics ; 3. Non-inertial Theory of Ocean Circulation ; 4. Vorticity and Turbulence ; 5. Statistical Fluid Dynamics ; 6. Geostropic Turbulence ; 7. Hamiltonian Fluid Dynamics

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Book SynopsisNasr argues that the current ecological crisis has been exacerbated by the reductionist view of nature that has been advanced by modern secular science. What is needed, he believes, if the recovery of the truth to which the great enduring religions all attest: that nature is sacred.Trade ReviewThe most comprehensive and intelligent treatment of its topic that has been written....Nasr is one of the major intellects of our day. * Huston Smith, University of California, Berkeley *

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Book SynopsisIn the early 20th century, American earth scientists vociferously opposed the new, and highly radical, notion of continental drift. Yet 50 years later the same idea was heralded as a major scientific breakthrough, and today continental drift is accepted as a scientific fact. Why did American geologists reject so adamantly an idea that is now considered a cornerstone of the discipline? And why did they react so much more negatively than their European counterparts? This book, based primarily on archival resources, provides answers to these questions. It complements existing work on continental drift and the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics by providing the first detailed historical account of the American geological community in the 1920s. It also challenges previous historical work on this episode, much of which ascribes the rejection of continental drift to the lack of an adequate causal mechanism. Instead, the author shows that the rejection was largely based on the view thTrade ReviewOreskes's book contains much pertinent information that will be useful to those interested in the history of tectonics in the twentieth century, and she presents it lucidly, in a well-organized manner. * ISIS *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Part 1: Not the Mechanism ; 1. Two Visions of the Earth ; 2. The Collapse of Thermal Contraction ; 3. To Reconcile Historical Geolgoy with Isotasy ; 4. Drift Mechanisms in the 1920s ; 5. From Fact to Theory ; 6. The Short Step Backward ; 7. Uniformitarianism and Unity ; Part III: A Revolution in Acceptance ; 8. Direct and Indirect Evidence ; 9. An Evidentiary and Epistemic Shift ; 10. The Depersonalization of Geology ; Epilogue: Unity and Truth ; Notes ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisAs the next generation weather satellites are being designed, the impact of cirrus on remote sensing and the global energy budget must be recognized and accommodated. This book, devoted entirely to cirrus clouds, captures the state of knowledge of cirrus and serves as a practical handbook as well.Trade ReviewCirrus will, for many years to come, form a cornerstone of knowledge for new researchers entering the field of cirrus. * The Holocene *... this is a much-needed text for this field. Cirrus not only bridges the very large gap between elementary texts and forefront research papers but is also a summary of the current basic state of knowlege in this area. In any field of research that is significantly evolving, it is essential to redefine the state of knowledge from time to time, and Cirrus has done this. * The Holocene *Table of Contents1. Cirrus: History and Definition ; 2. Cirrus: A Modern Perspective ; 3. Ice Crystals in Cirrus ; 4. Mid-latitude and Tropical Cirrus: Microphysical Properties ; 5. Laboratory Studies of Cirrus Cloud Processes ; 6. Cirrus and Weather: A Satellite Perspective ; 7. Satellite Remote Sensing of Cirrus ; 8. Ground-based Remote Sensing of Cirrus Clouds ; 9. Molecular-Backscatter Lidar Profiling of the Volume-Scattering Coefficient in Cirrus ; 10. Structural and Optical Properties of Cirrus from LIRAD-type Observations ; 11. Contrial Cirrus ; 12. Subvisual Cirrus ; 13. Radiative Transfer in Cirrus Clouds: Light Scatting and Spectral Information ; 14. On Cirrus Modeling for General Circulation and Climate Models ; 15. GCM Simulations of Cirrus for Climate Studies ; 16. Ice Clouds in Numerical Weather Prediction Models: Progress, Problems and Prospects ; 17. Dynamic Processes in Cirrus Clouds: A Review of Observational Results ; 18. Dynamic Processes in Cirrus Clouds: Concepts and Models ; 19. Microphysical Processes in Cirrus and Their Impact on Radiation: A Mesoscale Modeling Perspective ; 20. Cirrus, Climate and Global Change ; 21. Cirrus: The Future

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Book SynopsisThis text unifies conceptual and empirical advances in evolutionary ecology and provides a volume that can be used as a primary textbook or supplemental reading in an advanced undergraduate or graduate course. The focus is on current concepts in evolutionary ecology and the empirical study of these concepts. Chapters are written by prominent biologists who have made significant contributions to this field and both synthesize the current state of knowledge and identify areas for future investigation. It is divided into five major sections: an overview of the major topics in evolutionary biology for ecologists, and sections on life histories, behaviour, co-evolution, and adaptation to anthropogenic change.Trade Review"[A]n excellent overview of research in evolutionary ecology. The book is extremely up-to-date, authoritative, well written, and ... well produced. ... The editors certainly are to be commended on the list of authors that they have gathered. The table of contents reads like a miniature who's who of evolutionary ecology ... The authors and editors have done a better job of referring between chapters than in any other edited volume I have read. ... a valuable book for a wide audience."--Ecology "This work introduces many of the important topics in evolutionary ecology. ... [the] chapters [are] written almost exclusively by notable scientists ..."--Choice "[E]ven experts working within particular areas of the field will find many of the chapters outside their primary area of research interesting and stimulating ... the 35 authors constitute a vertiable "who's who" in the field. ... the breadth of coverage is impressive ... In many respects the book has a cohesiveness usually found only in single authored works."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Evolutionary ecology, according to the editors of this collection of essays, combines the two approaches to examine variation in organisms in relation to both past and the present. Edited collections often disappoint but this one does not. One factor in its success is the broad, conceptual theme given to each contribution, covering such topics as variation, natural selection, adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, population structure, inbreeding and outbreeding. . .Each essay sets out the theoretical basis for the topic covered and then it illustrates it with experimental and field examples. . .The level at which the essays are constructed would be suitable for advanced undergraduate studies and ideal for postgraduate students wishing to assimilate an authoritative account on the subject and should be introduced to the current literature. All teachers in such courses should certainly have this book on their shelves."--British Ecological Society "It is a daunting task to develop an integrated text that successfully draws from the diverse disciplines within ecology and evolutionary biology, yet Fox et al. have done this quite well.This text should prove especially useful to professors seeking a well-organized and thorough volume for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses focusing on evolutionary ecology. ..Given the void of textbooks for teaching evolutionary ecology at the graduate level and the high quality of this volume, we expect Fox et al.'s text to become a standard reader for evolution and ecology graduate programmes, as well as for researchers seeking an up-to-date overview of evolutionary ecology research."--Animal Behaviour "Provides an overview of evolutionary ecology, a field spanning the disciplines of ecology and evolutionary biology and incorporating the techniques and approaches of each. Chapters are written by prominent researchers and are organized into five sections: themes in evolutionary ecology, life histories, behavior, co-evolution, and adaptation to anthropogenic change. For researchers seeking a current overview and graduate or advanced undergraduate students seeking an introduction to the field."--SciTech Book News "[A]n excellent overview of research in evolutionary ecology. The book is extremely up-to-date, authoritative, well written, and ... well produced. ... The editors certainly are to be commended on the list of authors that they have gathered. The table of contents reads like a miniature who's who of evolutionary ecology ... The authors and editors have done a better job of referring between chapters than in any other edited volume I have read. ... a valuable book for a wide audience."--Ecology "This work introduces many of the important topics in evolutionary ecology. ... [the] chapters [are] written almost exclusively by notable scientists ..."--Choice "[E]ven experts working within particular areas of the field will find many of the chapters outside their primary area of research interesting and stimulating ... the 35 authors constitute a vertiable "who's who" in the field. ... the breadth of coverage is impressive ... In many respects the book has a cohesiveness usually found only in single authored works."--The Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsPART 1: RECURRING THEMES ; 1. Nature and Causes of Variation ; 2. Evolutionary Significance of Variation ; 3. Natural Selection ; 4. Adaptation ; 5. Phenotypic Plasticity ; 6. Population Structure ; 7. Inbreeding and Outbreeding ; PART 2: LIFE HISTORIES ; 8. Age and Size at Maturity ; 9. Offspring Size and Number ; 10. Senescence ; 11. Life Cycles ; 12. Sex and Gender ; 13. Sex Ratios and Sex Allocation ; 14. Ecological Specialization and Generalization ; PART 3: BEHAVIOR ; 15. Mating Systems ; 16. Sexual Selection ; 17. Cooperation and Altruism ; 18. Foraging Behaviour ; 19. The Evolutionary Ecology of Management ; PART 4: INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS ; 20. Ecological Character Displacement ; 21. Predator-Prey Interactions ; 22. Parasite-Host Interactions ; 23. Plant-Herbivore Interactions ; 24. Mutualisms ; 25. The Geographic Dynamics of Coevolution ; PART 5: ADAPTATION TO ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGE ; 26. Pesticide Resistance ; 27. Predicting the Outcome of Biological Control ; 28. Evolutionary Conservation Biology ; REFERENCES ; INDEX

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Book SynopsisAs a founder and managing director of Global Business Network, James Ogilvy helped develop the technique of scenario planning, which has become an integral part of strategic thinking in both business and government. Now Ogilvy shows how we can use this cutting-edge method for social change in our own neighborhoods. In Building Better Futures, Ogilvy presents a profound new vision of how the world is changing--and how it can be changed for the better. Ogilvy argues that self-defined communities, rather than individuals or governments, have become the primary agents for social change. Towns, professional associations, and interest groups of all kinds help shape the future in all the ways that matter most, from schools and hospitals to urban development. The key to improvement is scenario planning--a process that draws on groups of people, both lay and expert, to draft narratives that spell out possible futures, some to avoid, some inspiring hope. Scenario planning has revolutionized botTrade Review[Ogilvy] is articulate and writes with great skill and enviable clarity. * Futures *Table of ContentsPART ONE: NEW GAME; PART TWO: NEW PLAYERS; PART THREE: NEW LENSES; PART FOUR: NEW RULES, NEW TOOLS; PART FIVE: SCENARIO PLANNING IN ACTION

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Book SynopsisThe fundamental principles of environmental toxicology are clearly presented here for university students and professionals in related fields. This book consists of two parts. In the first part basic metabolic, physiological, and pharmacological concepts are used to explain the fate of toxic chemicals in the body, with emphasis on carcinogenesis and mutagenesis. This part also contains a chapter on chemicals disrupting the endocrine system and a chapter on risk assessment and the precautionary principle. The second section deals with specific environmental problems - air pollution, alteration of the earth''s atmosphere, water and land pollution, including sections on wetlands, organic agriculture and genetically modified crops. It also deals with health and environmental effects of ionized radiation, and the effect of a rapid population growth on the environmental and human welfare. Chapter on pollution control and regulatory policies are also included.Table of ContentsPreface to the First Edition ; Preface to the Second Edition ; Preface to the Third Edition ; 1. Environment: Past and Present ; 2. Review of Pharmacologic Concepts ; 3. Metabolism of Xenobiotics ; 4. Factors That Influence Toxicity ; 5. Chemical Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis ; 6. Endocrine Disrupters ; 7. Risk Assessment ; 8. Occupational Toxicology ; 9. Air Pollution ; 10. Pollution of the Atmosphere ; 11. Water and Land Pollution ; 12. Pollution Control ; 13. Radioactive Pollution ; 14. Population, Environment and Women's Issues ; 15. Regulatory Policies and International Treaties ; Appendix: Subject for Student Seminars ; Index

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Book SynopsisIn Aldo Leopold and an Ecological Conscience ecologists, wildlife biologists, and other professional conservationists explore the ecological legacy of Aldo Leopold and his A Sand Country Almanac and his contributions to the environmental movement, the philosophy of science, and natural resource management. Twelve personal essays describe the enormous impact he has had on each author, from influencing the daily operations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the creation of a land-use ethics guide for Forest Service personnel, to much needed inspiration for continuing on in today''s large, complex and often problematic world of science. Here is Aldo Leopold as a mentor, friend, and companion and an affirmation of his hope that science will continue to be practiced in the cause of conservation.Trade Review... this attractive book is wonderfully put together. It would serve either as a helpful introduction to those who might not be familiar with Leopold's work or as enjoyable reading for those who already know the delights of the world of Aldo Leopold. * Environmental Conservation *Table of ContentsTHE EVOLUTION OF A CLASSIC ; A SENSE OF PLACE, A SENSE OF TIME ; THE COHESIVE VISION ; A LAND ETHIC IN PRACTICE

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Book SynopsisA dramatic account of the rate of language extinction, and how it endangers the future of biodiversityFew people know that nearly 100 native languages once spoken in what is now California are near extinction, or that most of Australia''s 250 aboriginal languages have vanished. In fact, at least half of the world''s languages may die out in the next century. What has happened to these voices? Should we be alarmed about the disappearance of linguistic diversity?The authors of Vanishing Voices assert that this trend is far more than simply disturbing. Making explicit the link between language survival and environmental issues, they argue that the extinction of languages is part of the larger picture of near-total collapse of the worldwide ecosystem. Indeed, the authors contend that the struggle to preserve precious environmental resources-such as the rainforest-cannot be separated from the struggle to maintain diverse cultures, and that the causes of language death, like that of ecological destruction, lie at the intersection of ecology and politics.And while Nettle and Romaine defend the world''s endangered languages, they also pay homage to the last speakers of dying tongues, such as Red Thundercloud, a Native American in South Carolina, Ned Mandrell, with whom the Manx language passed away in 1974, and Arthur Bennett, an Australian, the last person to know more than a few words of Mbabaram. In our languages lies the accumulated knowledge of humanity. Indeed, each language is a unique window on experience. Vanishing Voices is a call to preserve this resource, before it is too late.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition "[A] superb study of endangered languages.... The tapestry of supporting detail is every bit as compelling as the central thesis-- from an examination of how indigenous languages function as museums of local culture to a history of the way in which dominant languages like English,Mandarin, and Spanish have vanquished more vulnerable tongues." * The New Yorker *"Language extinction is a great tragedy for human culture and for scholarship on all things human. This fascinating book is the latest word on this important issue, containing a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. If we have the good sense to rescue the priceless legacy of linguistic diversity before it vanishes forever, Vanishing Voices will surely deserve a good part of the credit." * Steven Pinker, author of The Language Instinct and Words and Rules *". . . this clear, cogent and immensely knowledgeable book. . . . Vanishing Voices is a book that needs to be chain-read, therefore: read it, then tell someone else to." * Prof David Crystal, THES *"Vanishing Voices is an urgent call to arms about the impending loss of one of our great resources. Nettle and Romaine paint a breathtaking landscape that shows why so many of the world's languages are disappearing and more importantly, why it matters. They put the problem of linguistic diversity into the wider context of global biodiversity, and propose the revolutionary idea that saving endangered languages is not about dictionaries and educational programs, but about preserving the cultures and habitats of the people who speak them. Along the way it's also a fascinating introduction to how language works: how languages are born, how they die, and how we can prevent their death." * Deborah Tannen, Georgetown University *a "splendid and disturbing book." * The Irish Times (Dublin) *Table of Contents1. Where have All the Languages Gone ; 2. A World of Diversity ; 3. Lost Words / Lost Worlds ; 4. The Ecology of Language ; 5. The Biological Wave ; 6. The Economic Wave ; 7. Why Something Should be Done ; 8. Sustainable Futures ; References and Further Reading ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe Boreal forest is the northern-most forest in the world, whose organisms and dynamics are shaped by low temperature and high latitude. The Alaskan Boreal forest is now warming as rapidly as any place on earth, providing an unprecedented opportunity to examine a biome as it adjusts to change.Table of ContentsPART I: Alaska's Past and Present Environment 1: The Conceptual Basis of LTER Studies in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 2: Regional Overview of Interior Alaska 3: State Factor Control of Soil Formation in Interior Alaska 4: Climate and Permafrost Dynamics of the Alaskan Boreal Forest 5: Holocene Development of the Alaskan Boreal Forest PART II: Forest Dynamics 6: Floristic Diversity and Distribution in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 7: Successional Processes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 8: Mammalian Herbivore Population Dynamics in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 9: Dynamics of Phytophagous Insects and Their Pathogens in Alaskan Boreal Forests 10: Running Waters of the Alaskan Boreal Forest PART III: Ecosystem Dynamics 11: Controls over Forest Production in Interior Alaska 12: The Role of Fine Roots in the Functioning of Alaskan Boreal Forests 13: Mammalian Herbivory, Ecosystem Engineering and Ecological Cascades in Alaskan Boreal Forests 14: Microbial Processes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 15: Patterns of Biogeochemistry in Alaskan Boreal Forests PART IV: Changing Regional Processes 16: Watershed Hydrology and Chemistry in the Alaskan Boreal Forest: The Central Role of Permafrost 17: Fire Trends in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 18: Timber Harvest in Interior Alaska 19: Climate Feedbacks in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 20: Communication of Alaskan Boreal Science with Broader Communities 21: Summary and Synthesis: Past and Future Changes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest

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Book SynopsisHow did Andrei Sakharov, a theoretical physicist and the acknowledged father of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, become a human rights activist and the first Russian to win the Nobel Peace Prize? In his later years, Sakharov noted in his diary that he was simply a man with an unusual fate. To understand this deceptively straightforward statement by an extraordinary man, The World of Andrei Sakharov, the first authoritative study of Andrei Sakharov as a scientist as well as a public figure, relies on previously inaccessible documents, recently declassified archives, and personal accounts by Sakharov''s friends and colleagues to examine the real context of Sakharov''s life. In the course of doing so, Gennady Gorelik answers a fascinating question, whether the Soviet hydrogen bomb was really fathered by Sakharov, or whether it was based on stolen American secrets. Gorelik concludes that while espionage did initiate the Soviet effort, the Russian hydrogen bomb was invented independently. GorelikTrade ReviewWith its wider perspectives on the institutions and realities of Sakharov's age, this book should take a rightful place...among front displays of books about science, public policy and society...Through the example of the Soviet Union and its dissident hero Andrei Sakharov, Gorelik and Bouis have made an invaluable contribution to the universal conversation about morality and science. * The Moscow Times *Table of ContentsPart I: From Tsarist Russia to the Tsardom of Soviet Physics 1: The Emergence of Soviet Physics and the Birth of FIAN 2: Leonid Mandelshtam: The Teacher and His School 3: The Year 1937 Part II: Intra-Atomic, Nuclear, and Thermonuclear 4: The Moral Underpinnings of the Soviet Atomic Project 5: Andrei Sakharov, Tamm's Graduate Student 6: Sergei Vavilov: The President of the Academy of Science 7: Nuclear Physics under Beria's Command 8: Russian Physics at the height of Cosmopolitanism 9: The Hydrogen Bomb at FIAN Part III: In The Nuclear Archipelago 10: The Installation 11: The "Heroic" Work at the Installation 12: Theoretical Physicists in Soviet Practice 13: The Physics of Social Responsibility 14: From Military Physics to Peaceful Cosmology 15: World Peace and World Science 16: Reflections on Intellectual Freedom in 1968 Part IV: A humanitarian Physicist 17: Sakharov and Solzhenitsyn: The Physics and Geometry of Russian History 18: On the Other Side 19: Andrei and Lusya 20: Freedom and responsibility

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Book SynopsisIn this book, John Gatta argues that the religious import of American environmental literature has yet to be fully recognized or understood. Making Nature Sacred explores how the quest for ''natural revelation'' has been pursued through successive phases of American literary and intellectual history. It shows how the imaginative challenge of ''reading'' landscapes has been influenced by biblical hermeneutics. Though focused on adaptations of Judeo-Christian religious traditions, it also samples Native American, African American, and Buddhist forms of ecospirituality. It begins with Colonial New England writers such as Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards, re-examines pivotal figures such as Henry Thoreau and John Muir, and takes account of writings by Mary Austin, Rachel Carson, and many others along the way. The book concludes with an assessment of the spiritual renaissance underway in current environmental writing, as represented by five noteworthy poets and by authors such as WendelTrade Review...outstanding merits. At times, the scope of the work attains the encyclopedic. The discussion of lesser known authors and poets opens spaces of interest somewhat removed from a purely religious dimension. * Consciousness , Literature and the Arts *

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Book SynopsisThe Pharnerozoic Carbon Cycle applies an earth system science approach to the study of the long-term carbon cycle, which involves the transfer of carbon between rocks and the atmosphere, oceans and life. Theoretical modeling is used to calculate how levels of atmosphere CO2 nad O2 have changed over the past 550 million years.Trade ReviewProfessor Berner's book is an important addition to the burgeoning literature on all aspects on Earth's carbon cycle. American Journal of Science, November 2006, Vol. 306, No.pTable of Contents1: Introduction 2: Processes of the Long-term Carbon Cycle: Chemical Weathering of Silicates 3: Processes of the Long-term Carbon Cycle: Organic Matter and Carbonate Burial and Weathering 4: Processes of the Long-term Carbon Cycle: Degassing of Carbon Dioxide and Methane 5: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide over Phanerozoic Time 6: Atmospheric O2 over Phanerozoic Time

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Book SynopsisThe environmental movement has often been accused of being overly negative--trying to stop progress. The Nature of Design, on the other hand, is about starting things, specifically an ecological design revolution that changes how we provide food, shelter, energy, materials, and livelihood, and how we deal with waste. Ecological design is an emerging field that aims to recalibrate what humans do in the world according to how the world works as a biophysical system. Design in this sense is a large concept having to do as much with politics and ethics as with buildings and technology. The book begins by describing the scope of design, comparing it to the Enlightenment of the 18th century. Subsequent chapters describe barriers to a design revolution inherent in our misuse of language, the clockspeed of technological society, and shortsighted politics. Orr goes on to describe the critical role educational institutions might play in fostering design intelligence and what he calls a higher Trade Review"David Orr backs his talk with tactics and deeds that include his own actions. He convinced Oberlin College to construct a science building that 'did not impair human or ecological health somewhere else or at some later time.' That was a big order and not easily done, but he attracted and organized the multi-talented team that did it.... The chapter labeled 'Education, Careers, and Callings' is particularly fine, and presents...solid suggestions for doable changes in education that will be considered radical by many ecologically illiterate educators, but are certainly the way to go. Good stuff, easily read." --J. Baldwin, Whole Earth, Fall 2002"The creativity of thought displayed is refreshing when compared to the hundreds of texts that criticise current practice without offering substitutes. And Orr's understanding of the role pysical surroundings play in human thinking inspires a vital alternative to the technological fundamentalism constricting so much current thought."--EcologistTable of ContentsI. THE PROBLEM OF ECOLOGICAL DESIGN ; II. PATHOLOGIES AND BARRIERS ; III. THE POLITICS OF DESIGN ; IV. DESIGN AS PEDAGOGY ; V. CHARITY, WILDNESS, AND CHILDREN

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Book SynopsisEnding in Ice is about Wegener's explorations of Greenland, blending the science of ice ages and Wegener's continental drift measurements with the story of Wegener's fatal final expedition trying to rescue starving workers at the central Greenland ice station of Esmitte in 1930.Trade Review'This is a revealing and expertly written book that deserves a wide audience...' Polar Publishing, 2007Table of Contents1. Scientist and Explorer ; 2. Wegener's Shocking Idea ; 3. The World Reacts to Wegener's Idea ; 4. Preparing for Greenland ; 5. Arriving in Greenland ; 6. Establishing Eismitte ; 7. The Fourth Trip to Eismitte, September, 1930 ; 8. Winter at East Station and West Station, 1930-1931 ; 9. Winter at Eismitte ; 10. The Search for Wegener and Villumsen ; 11. Searching for Reasons ; 12. Remembering Wegener ; 13. Progress After 1960 ; Endnotes ; Select Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisHere, Owen Gutfreund offers a fascinating look at how highways have dramatically transformed American communities nationwide, aiding growth and development in unsettled areas and undermining existing urban centers. Gutfreund uses a follow the money approach, showing how government policies subsidized suburban development, ] and fueled a chronic nationwide dependence on cars and roadbuilding, with little regard for expense, efficiency, ecological damage, or social equity. The consequence was a combination of unstoppable suburban sprawl, along with ballooning municipal debt burdens, deteriorating center cities, and profound changes in American society and culture. Gutfreund tells the story via case studies of three communities--Denver, Colorado; Middlebury, Vermont; and Smyrna, Tennessee. Different as these places are, they all show the ways that government-sponsored highway development radically transformed America''s cities and towns. Based on original research and vividly written, TweTrade Review"Twentieth-Century Sprawl demonstrates convincingly how the financing of highways became a de facto national policy that subsidized growth on the urban periphery at the expense of older cities and inner-ring suburbs. We are living with the consequences of this policy today. A compellingly important book."--David Schuyler, Professor of American Studies, Franklin and Marshall College, and author of A City Transformed: Redevelopment, Race, and Suburbanization in Lancaster, Pennsylvania 1940-1980"A good primer on the road we took to the suburbanization of America--so that we don't drive it exactly the same way in the future."--Detroit Free Press"In the first thorough history of urban sprawl, Owen Gutfreund reveals how misguided government programs, business lobbying, and civic boosterism led to America's radically decentralized urban landscape and shows the high social and financial costs of subsidizing automobility. Twentieth-Century Sprawl will appeal to historians, planners, and policy-makers--and anyone who wants to understand how we wound up in the traffic-clogged mess we're in."--Clifton Hood, Professor of History, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and author of 722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York"In examining three disparate sites--in Colorado, Tennessee, and Vermont--Owen Gutfreund convincingly argues that the impact of the automobile goes beyond individual preferences and local needs. Rather, he shows that automobility has been driven by government policies at all levels with profoundly disturbing consequences. Bound to fuel further criticism and debate, Gutfreund's study deserves close consideration in any future policy debate over the course of metropolitan development."--Howard Gillette, Jr., Professor of History, Rutgers University-Camden, and author of Between Justice and Beauty: Race, Planning, and the Failure of Urban Policy in Washington, D.C."In Twentieth-Century Sprawl, Owen Gutfreund challenges prevailing myths equating highway construction with equity and choice to show how competition over finances, route ways, and political authority gave rise to cross-sectoral coalitions among advocates from rural roads, inter-metropolitan parkways, and a national system of primary motorways. Through a carefully selected set of case studies the author links policy with practice and we come to see our contemporary urban landscape anew, as the product of specialized knowledge, narrow definitions of the public good, and a surprising degree of ad hoc planning."--Greg Hise, School of Policy, Planning & Development, USC

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Book SynopsisYou will never look at your cell phone, TV, or computer the same way after reading this book. Maxwell and Miller not only reveal the dirty secrets that hide inside our beloved electronics; they also take apart the myths that have pushed these gadgets to the center of our lives. With an astounding array of economic, environmental and historical facts, Greening the Media debunks the idea that information and communication technologies (ITC) are clean and ecologically benign. In this compassionate and sharply argued book, the authors show how the physical reality of making, consuming, and discarding them is rife with toxic ingredients, poisonous working conditions, and hazardous waste. But all is not lost. As the title suggests, Maxwell and Miller dwell critically on these environmental problems in order to think creatively about ways to solve them. They enlist a range of potential allies in this effort to foster greener media-from green consumers to green citizens, with stops along the wTrade ReviewAs a brief, well-referenced work that pulls tohether many threads into one coherent picture, it is an excellent addition to any collection. * P.L. Kantor, CHOICE *An impressive example of ecologically-oriented interdisciplinary research, Greening the Media provides an important and necessary contribution to the communication and media studies fields ... [Maxwell and Miller's] work should therefore become required reading for scholars of media technology, environmental communication, and global economic interaction, among other domains. * Garrett M. Broad, International Journal of Communication *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; INTRODUCTION; 1. CONSUMERS; 2. WORDS; 3. SCREENS; 4. WORKERS; 5. BUREAUCRATS; 6. CITIZENS; CONCLUSION; BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Book SynopsisUsing examples from architecture, film, literature, and the visual arts, this wide-ranging book examines the place and significance of New York City in the urban imaginary between 1890 and 1940. In particular, Imagining New York City considers how and why certain city spaces - such as the skyline, the sidewalk, the slum, and the subway - have come to emblematize key aspects of the modern urban condition. In so doing, the book also considers the ways in which cultural developments in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries set the stage for more recent responses to a variety of urban challenges facing the city, such as post-disaster recovery, the renewal of urban infrastructure, and the remaking of public space.Trade ReviewAn evocative and insightful reading of "this endlessly mutable city". * PD Smith, The Guardian *New York City is the most overly analyzed, overly discussed city on the globe. Yet Lindner has something fresh and significant to say ... This intellectually challenging book is also extremely readable, an outcome rare in academic writing. Highly recommended. * G. R. Butters Jr., CHOICE *This wonderfully rich and engaging book focuses on a transformative period in New York City's history to explore how and why it has so thoroughly captured modern urban imaginations. * David Pinder, author of Visions of the City: Utopianism, Power and Politics in Twentieth-Century Urbanism *An exciting and compelling book, Imagining New York City provides a major contribution to the study of cultural Modernism and urban visual culture. With a richly drawn narrative and a deft interweaving of texts and images, this is clearly a first class writer at work. * Joseph Heathcott, Associate Professor of Urban Studies at The New School and President of the Society for American City and Regional Planning History *Drawing on a rich array of literary, visual, and urbanistic materials, Christoph Lindner offers an intellectually playful, theoretically incisive guide to the cultural history of modern New York. Taking us up skylines and down sidewalks, Lindner makes it clear that imagining New York has been a crucial way of understanding urban modernity. * David Scobey, author of Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape *worthwhile and insightful reading for anyone interested in New York City or cultural representations of urban spaces, in general. * Nico Völker, Kult_online *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; Introduction ; Archive City ; Changing New York ; Modern City, Urban Imaginary ; Skylines and Sidewalks ; After City ; Part 1 - Skylines ; New York Vertical ; The City from Above ; Requiem for the Twin Towers ; Building the Skyline: A Brief Architectural History ; Text and the City ; New York Dreamscapes ; Fantasy Island ; After-Images of New York ; Revisioning the Skyscraper ; Cinema and the Vertical City ; The City from Greenwich Village ; Metrotopia ; The Empty City ; New York Undead ; Part 2 - Sidewalks ; New York Horizontal ; Sidewalks and Public Space ; A Short History of the Grid ; Street-Walking ; Broadway Promenade ; Manhattan Flaneuse ; Blase Metropolitan Attitude ; City of Slums ; Sidewalks and Fear ; Tales of the Tenement ; New York Underground ; Elevated City ; High Line, Lowline ; Subway City ; Underground Fantasies ; Slow Street ; Afterword ; Bibliography

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