Popular science Books

Book SynopsisThe book thoroughly describes Iceland’s geological development and its current geological processes, taking into account both geographic and geo-ecological aspects. Furthermore, it includes suggested excursions especially for individual tours. The most popular tourist “highlights” (e.g. the Golden Circle with þingvellir, Gullfoss and Geyser) should certainly not be excluded. But there is so much more to explore apart from the main tourist routes - and sometimes only a few kilometers away. Examining various regions of the country, each proposed stop is sufficiently described so that it is easily accessible (especially for individual tourists). A wealth of maps, graphics and images illustrate and supplement the coverage. This invaluable guide is aimed in particular at individual tourists to Iceland. It provides those tourists wishing to explore Iceland on their own with a wide range of suggestions for their trip. In addition, numerous excursion suggestions for the west, southwest and south, including the Westman Islands, are described in detail.Table of ContentsIceland - a Worthwhile and Popular Island to Visit.- Iceland - an Island in the North Atlantic.- Geographical Subspaces of Iceland.- Geology of Iceland.- The Economy of Iceland.- Excursion Proposals.

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Book SynopsisAn extraordinary range of infectious agents affect humans, from worms, arthopods, and fungi to bacteria, viruses, and prions. Looking at the curious nature of each, David I. Grove explores their life history, the people who discovered them, and how they were identified, in this fascinating exploration of infections around the globe.Trade ReviewAt £25.00, this book is a snip and should be on everyone's reading list * Dr Alan Pike, Biologist *This book will be a great read for biologists interested in the history of infectious disease. * Quarterly Review of Biology vol 91 no.3 *Fascinating. * Northern Echo *Table of ContentsINFECTION: THE SEARCH FOR ITS CAUSES; WORMS; ARTHROPODS; FUNGI; PROTOZOA; BACTERIA; VIRUSES; PRIONS; IX. UNDE VENIS ET QUO VADIS?; REFERENCES; GLOSSARY AND PRONUNCIATION; FURTHER READING; PERSON INDEX; SUBJECT INDEX

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Book SynopsisHow to win at life by harnessing the power of science.Trade Review"Full of tips and life hacks that are backed up by cold, hard science." - The Sun "Contains a staggering amount of common sense, scientifically solid advice, much of it new information to this particular reviewer, who will be adopting some of its principles immediately." - Robin Pierce, Starburst Magazine

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Book SynopsisA history of exploration beneath the surface of our planet, a remarkable voyage of scientific discovery over the past 150 years.

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Book SynopsisAn accessible, authoritative book about the coronavirus pandemic by a leading journalist on the subjectTrade ReviewYou could not hope for a better guide to the pandemic world order than Debora MacKenzie, who's been on this story from the start. This is an authoritative yet readable explanation of how this catastrophe happened - and more important, how it will happen again if we don't change -- Tim Harford, author of THE UNDERCOVER ECONOMIST, ADAPT and MESSYThis definitely deserves a read - the first of the post mortems by a writer who knows what she's talking about -- Laura Spinney, Author of PALE RIDER: THE SPANISH FLU OF 1918 AND HOW IT CHANGED THE WORLDImpressively paced and comprehensive * New Statesman *Excellent . . . analyses clearly and authoritatively how the coronavirus pandemic played out, what governments should have done, and what we need to do when it happens again - as it undoubtedly will * Financial Times *I loved this book. Fast-paced, engaging, couldn't put it down. A heart-pounding telling of the misadventures that led to one of the worst pandemics in history. A story that we all think we know, but don't. And a story whose lessons, if unlearned, we will be condemned to repeat -- Dr Paul Offit, Author of PANDORA'S LAB and VACCINATED, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaA fascinating behind the scenes look ... If someone asks you why the COVID-19 epidemic happened and how we can prevent the next one, hand them this book -- Steffanie Strathdee, PhD, Associate Dean of Global Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, and co-author of THE PERFET PREDATOR: A SCIENTIST'S RACE TO SAVE HER HUSBAND FROM A DEADLY SUPERBUGA vivid account of the origins and fortunes of coronavirus, warning that worse may be yet to come ... Charting the etiology and course of the virus, MacKenzie observes that nearly everything about its origins and spread offers lessons on how not to act when the next pandemic comes ... Essential, enlightening reading in a time of panic and plague -- Starred review * Kirkus *MacKenzie wisely leaves the specifics of who got what wrong when for another day. Instead, she focuses on the scientists and philanthropists, such as Bill Gates, who tried to alert the world to the threat ... Until we repair our injured planet and address the linked issues of globalisation and the disruption of animal habitats, Sars-CoV-2 is unlikely to be the last pandemic virus; MacKenzie also cautions that "hindsight helps you win the next battle, not the last one" * Observer *Debora MacKenzie is a leading science journalist, with vast experience writing about pandemic threats and neglected diseases. She uses her background to hit the ground running on one of the first books written on the emergence of COVID-19. As politicians and elected leaders increasingly work to change the narrative on COVID-19 on their steps to first contain and mitigate the pandemic, Debora's efforts lay it all out in stark terms -- Dr Peter Hotez, Author of VACCINES DID NOT CAUSE RACHEL’S AUTISM, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of MedicineSo often, people look at the nature of disease in the midst of an outbreak when, really, it's the interaction between the disease and people that matters. That is at the heart of epidemiology, and it's what MacKenzie does beautifully in her book. Whether it's cultural practices with animals like bats, or the fear and delay in labeling it pandemic, to a woeful lack of funding for public health and vaccine research, or the misguided notion that disease will recognize boundaries just because people do-MacKenzie's fascinating book gives us the scope and scale to be able to put this pandemic in perspective and, it begs the question, will we learn from this in time to prevent to next one -- Molly Crosby, author of THE AMERICAN PLAGUE, ASLEEP and THE GREAT PEARL HEISTSome people write interesting autobiographical recollections of people, places, and events, while others offer an extensive and comprehensive anthology of a topic area. Deborah Mackenzie has not only succeeded in doing both in a single volume, but in a manner that is immensely engaging ... an excellent work for general consumption as well as for those already involved in communicable disease control, microbiology, epidemiology, and medical journalism. In our present climate of regrettable tweets, unverified facts, and deliberate misinformation, this timely book provides a delightful and important excursion into the world of outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics -- Tim Sly, epidemiologist and Professor Emeritus at Ryerson University's School of Public HealthQuickly spiralling from a local outbreak to a global crisis, Debora MacKenzie provides a down-to-earth account of how the COVID-19 pandemic has played out so far and, crucially, how the world can be better prepared for the ever-present risk of another epidemic -- Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineScience journalist MacKenzie delivers a wise and accurate account of the COVID-19 pandemic, supplying readers with an objective assessment of where we are, how we got here, and how to prepare for future emerging infections * Booklist *It's difficult for any fellow journalist not to feel a deep professional respect, tinged with awe, for the sheer depth of knowledge and expertise she brings to what is her first book, and for the fast-paced, well-structured and highly accessible style in which she tells the Covid-19 story * Scotsman *For deep understanding of the years of policy mistakes, the ignored warnings and the viruses lurking as we invade ever more ecosystems, turn to Debora MacKenzie's magnificent COVID-19. Read about the Nipah virus and see what a civilisation-threatening pandemic might be like. Be afraid. * New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisWidely considered the greatest genius of all time, Albert Einstein revolutionised our understanding of the cosmos with his general theory of relativity and helped to lead us into the atomic age. Yet in the final decades of his life he was also ignored by most working scientists, his ideas opposed by even his closest friends. This stunning downfall can be traced to Einstein''s earliest successes and to personal qualities that were at first his best assets. Einstein''s imagination and self-confidence served him well as he sought to reveal the universe''s structure, but when it came to newer revelations in the field of quantum mechanics, these same traits undermined his quest for the ultimate truth. David Bodanis traces the arc of Einstein''s intellectual development across his professional and personal life, showing how Einstein''s confidence in his own powers of intuition proved to be both his greatest strength and his ultimate undoing. He was a fallible genius. An intimate aTrade ReviewBodanis is a lot like Einstein . . . Both see the fun in physics, both love simplicity and brevity * The Times *A sympathetic appraisal of Einstein's intellectual development * Nature *Like Einstein, he finds fun in physics and understands how to communicate its mystery * The Times *This is a perceptive and lucid account of a brilliant but flawed physicist. -- PD Smith * the Guardian *

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Book SynopsisLliana Bird and Dr Jack Lewis tackle the strange and surreal phenomena from the depths of the oceans to the limits of the far flung universe; the dark corners of your laundry basket to the forgotten compartments of your fridge. Packed with unusual facts and stories of the absurd each of the fascinating insights is told with the Geek Chic team''s inimitable humour and wit.An hilarious exploration all things bizarre from the world of science, The Mice Who Sing for Sex takes on weighty issues including heavy metal loving sharks, life-threatening skinny jeans, our impending jellyfish apocalypse and of course, the singing mice of the title.Trade ReviewThis book is a wonderful wander down the more bizarre, surprising and sometimes shocking corridors of scientific research. My favourite must be the study which demonstrates that pre-trained goldfish can tell the difference between Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" and Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring", I have academic colleagues who can't do that -- Brian CoxI met the Emerald Cockroach Wasp and the Grasshopper Hairworm and 28 days later I was still enjoying this fabulous book . . . More science packed into one book than grains of sand on an area the size of Wales - brilliant! -- Chris PackhamFrom the sharks who like AC/DC to the cockroaches steered by remote control, Lliana and Dr Jack's book is a fun romp through some of the curiouser corners of research - taking in some surprisingly cutting edge science along the way -- Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times

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Book SynopsisA witty, accessible and entertaining journey through teh philosophies of time and space.Trade ReviewIf it's true that very few of the many thousands who bought Stephen Hawkins' A Brief History of Time actually read it, then Osborne's may be the book to catch up with. Certainly, this reviewer ended the book a good deal wiser * Financial Times *the perfect introduction for those who would like to understand the vast space that is our universe * The Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisSituated at the intersection of natural science and philosophy, Our Genes explores historical practices, investigates current trends, and imagines future work in genetic research to answer persistent, political questions about human diversity. Readers are guided through fascinating thought experiments, complex measures and metrics, fundamental evolutionary patterns, and in-depth treatment of exciting case studies. The work culminates in a philosophical rationale, based on scientific evidence, for a moderate position about the explanatory power of genes that is often left unarticulated. Simply put, human evolutionary genomics - our genes - can tell us much about who we are as individuals and as collectives. However, while they convey scientific certainty in the popular imagination, genes cannot answer some of our most important questions. Alternating between an up-close and a zoomed-out focus on genes and genomes, individuals and collectives, species and populations, Our Genes argues thTrade Review'Winther's book is a synthesis of philosophical perspectives on modern evolutionary genomics, written by one of the few people in the world who have a sufficiently deep understanding of both philosophy and biology to achieve such an undertaking. It is a remarkable tour de force of the philosophy of genomics that should be essential reading for students and scholars interested in the broader implications of human genomic research. But the book will also appeal to a more general audience interested in understanding genetics and in finding out what genetics and evolutionary biology can, and cannot, tell them about the fundamental question: Who am I?' Rasmus Nielsen, University of California, Berkeley, USA'Our Genes makes a significant and welcome contribution! Race theorists seeking to reconcile humanities training and impulses with the insights of contemporary genomics will find Winther's rigorous but accessible study particularly valuable. This is vital work.' Paul C. Taylor, Vanderbilt University, USA'It's a rare book indeed in which someone from another discipline examines the basic suppositions and habits of thought characteristic of one's own field with equal parts inspiration and care such that it gives you a whole new perspective on what you do and why. Rasmus Winther's Our Genes is one such book. It is a seamless alloy of evolution, genetics, and the philosophy of biology in which each topic is explained in a manner accessible to non-experts. It also subjects these ideas to deep examination and cogent criticism with pressing implications both for how philosophers should approach problems in population genetics and how population geneticists might sharpen their questions. It should be widely and closely read in philosophy and population genetics seminars alike and could well form the foundation for a new generation of fruitful collaborations between philosophers and population geneticists.' Charles S. Roseman, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA'Our Genes isn't the last word, it's the first words you should read on the population genetics, molecular genetics, and gene/environment interaction that shaped Homo sapiens over the last several hundred thousand years. Rasmus Winther has produced a tour de force of scientific synthesis, and philosophical analysis, and wisdom about the uses of both.' Alex Rosenberg, Duke University, USATable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction; 2. Origins and Histories; 3. The Mind, the Lab, and the Field: Three Kinds of Populations; 4. Metrics and Measures; 5. Models and Methodologies; 6. Six Patterns of Human Genomic Variation; 7. Natural Selection; 8. Intelligence, Female Orgasm, and Future Discovery; 9. Is Race Real?; 10. The Conscious Universe: Genes in Complex Systems; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisRecent developments in artificial intelligence, especially neural network and deep learning technology, have led to rapidly improving performance in voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa. Over the next few years, capability will continue to improve and become increasingly personalised. Today''s voice assistants will evolve into virtual personal assistants firmly embedded within our everyday lives. Told through the view of a fictitious personal assistant called Cyba, this book provides an accessible but detailed overview of how a conversational voice assistant works, especially how it understands spoken language, manages conversations, answers questions and generates responses. Cyba explains through examples and diagrams the neural network technology underlying speech recognition and synthesis, natural language understanding, knowledge representation, conversation management, language translation and chatbot technology. Cyba also explores the implications of this rapidly evolving techTrade Review'Hey Cyba is based on the author's long history of research and his rich experiences of developing various voice assistant systems. With the current rapid progress and wide deployment of AI-based voice assistant systems all over the world, the publication is very timely, and the book has a very unique and interesting writing style. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in this area.' Sadaoki Furui, Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago'Hey Cyba, written by one of the giants in the field of man machine interfaces, provides an in depth guide to the workings and future of conversational personal assistants. Written in the first person style of the computer itself this is a highly engaging, informative and authoritative read.' Hermann Hauser, Amadeus Capital Partners'The book to introduce the technology behind our voice assistants to everyone. Voice assistants are among the most complex AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) systems. Hey, Cyba manages to present this complex AI/ML system in one easy-to-read narrative covering each aspect of the voice assistant in just the right depth. I wonder whether there is anyone but Steve with the deep knowledge and academic and industry experience required to write such a book.' Björn Hoffmeister, Director of Machine Learning at Amazon/Alexa'This enjoyable text deftly illuminates the technology behind a common experience … Highly recommended.' M. Mounts, Choice ConnectTable of Contents1. May I introduce myself?; 2. My inner workings; 3. How my brain works; 4. Knowing what I know; 5. What did you say?; 6. What does that mean?; 7. What should I say next?; 8. Listen to me; 9. How do you say that in…?; 10. Let's chat; 11. Can you trust me?; 12. When all is quiet; 13. Future upgrades and beyond; Glossary; Notes; Index.

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Book SynopsisParis at the time of the French Revolution was the world capital of science. Its scholars laid the foundations of today''s physics, chemistry and biology. They were true revolutionaries: agents of an upheaval both of understanding and of politics. Many had an astonishing breadth of talents. The Minister of Finance just before the upheaval did research on crystals and the spread of animal disease. After it, Paris''s first mayor was an astronomer, the general who fought off invaders was a mathematician while Marat, a major figure in the Terror, saw himself as a leading physicist. Paris in the century around 1789 saw the first lightning conductor, the first flight, the first estimate of the speed of light and the invention of the tin can and the stethoscope. The metre replaced the yard and the theory of evolution came into being. The city was saturated in science and many of its monuments still are. The Eiffel Tower, built to celebrate the Revolution''s centennial, saw the worlTrade ReviewAn ingenious guidebook to the scientific past of Paris, written in lucid, erudite prose -- Ruth Scurr * New Statesman *Every section provides a richly informative guide to the history of a different scientific subject - from evolution to the rise of the potato * Daily Mail *A wonderful read * Guardian *Jones makes his mark as a popular science historian * New Scientist *[An] erudite mixture of science and history . . . a wide-ranging look at the discoveries of the era * Publishers Weekly *The outcomes are never what anyone could have guessed, and watching Jones unfurl them is spellbinding -- Peter Carey * Sunday Times *Jones is an excellent writer of popular science, but he is also able to cross over seamlessly into lucid discussions of culture and history * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating and illuminating look at the sun and our relationships to it, from one of our greatest science writers.

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Book Synopsis''A dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity''s smug assumptions'' - Bryce Christensen, Booklist''O what a world of profit and delightOf power, of honour and omnipotenceIs promised to the studious artisan.''Christopher Marlowe, Dr FaustusBetween the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Europe changed out of all recognition. Particularly transformative was the ardent quest for knowledge and the astounding discoveries and inventions which resulted from it. The movement of blood round the body; the movement of the earth round the sun; the velocity of falling objects (and, indeed, why objects fall) - these and numerous other mysteries had been solved by scholars in earnest pursuit of scientia. This fascinating account of the profound changes undergone by Europe between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment will cover ground including folk religion and its pagan past; Catholicism and its saintly dogma; alchemy, astTrade ReviewA dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity's smug assumptions -- Bryce Christensen * Booklist *Covers a lot of ground without being superficial . . . a rich and interesting book -- Kostas Kampourakis * Springer Nature *

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Book SynopsisThis Is Planet Earth is dedicated to the wonders of Planet Earth, the most amazing place in the known Universe.

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Book SynopsisBBC Radio 4''s celebrated THE LIFE SCIENTIFIC has featured some of the world''s most renowned experts in the field of deadly viruses. The interviews make sobering reading, a reminder of all the deadly viruses that have threatened global health, and why for the scientists working on the front line in the war against viruses, the arrival of Covid-19 came as no surprise. Among the contributors to this all-too-timely book are:Jeremy Farrar, before he became Director of the Wellcome Trust, worked in an Infectious Diseases Hospital in Vietnam. He was on the frontline tackling SARS and nine months later a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5N1. Peter Piot was at the forefront of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. He was the first to identify HIV in Africa. It took him fifteen years to persuade the world that it was also a heterosexual disease. Later as Executive Director of UN AIDS he fought for years to get the UN to take the threat of HIV seriously.

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Book SynopsisWhat does it take to be an inventor?Judging by the ingenious individuals who have come into The Life Scientific studio in the last eight years, there is no simple answer. Mathematicians, electricians, molecular biologists and mechanics can all transform lives. Some think with their hands, others make things in their minds. Most have a vision of the future. All are driven by a passionate determination to solve problems.These intimate accounts, based on interviews recorded for the popular BBC Radio 4 programme The Life Scientific, chart the life journeys of scientists and engineers working in Britain today from childhood interests to innovation. Explaining what they did when and why, they make science seem straightforward and exciting, revealing moments of disappointment, creativity, frustration and joy. The result is an illuminating collection of biographical short stories that make scientists and the work they do accessible to us all.

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Book Synopsis_______________________________— Ever wanted to save the world? —It’s easy to feel like we can’t make a difference. But small, easy actions, if taken by enough people, can move mountains – and save planets.Written in collaboration with leading environmental experts from WWF, this short book provides simple changes we can all make to our everyday lives, from morning to night.These aren’t the only things you can do. Nor are they things you have to do. But these 12 small acts are basic steps anybody can take, and if even one of them sticks, our children will inherit a better world.Acts like:– Turning off devices instead of leaving them on standby– Buying less cotton clothing (a T-shirt needs 2,400 litres of water to make!)– Using reusable straws when possible– Turning off the tap while you brush your teethwill take only moments, but if enough people commit to them, we can make a real difference to our planet._______________________________'Now really is the time to act. You don’t have to be a superhero – everyone can make a difference by following this book’ – Ben Fogle

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Book Synopsis''Boldly ambitious, deeply affecting, and magisterial in scope'' Steve Silberman, author of Neurotribes''Expansive and thoughtful, it illuminates the complexity and elusiveness of his subject'' New Statesman''A rich and generous picture of research into depression to date'' Financial TimesWhat is depression? Is it a persistent low mood or a complex range of symptoms? Is it a single diagnosis or a range of mental disorders requiring different treatments? And is there a way of curing such a complex, and diverse, condition? A sufferer of depression himself, science writer Alex Riley has spent years thinking about these issues as he was prescribed antidepressants and underwent cognitive behavioural therapy. Throughout his treatment, he wondered-are antidepressants effective? Do short-term talking therapies actually work? And what is on the horizon for those who don''t respond to these first-line treatments?

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Book Synopsis'A wonderful book... Delightfully varied... As with all the best science writing, this book doesn't just give answers, it also asks interesting questions.' Daily Mail'Captivating and intelligent! Who knew death could be this much fun?' Richard OsmanAsteroids, killer sharks, nuclear bombs, viruses, deadly robots, climate change, the apocalypse - why is Hollywood so obsessed with death and the end of the world? And how seriously should we take the dystopian visions of our favourite films? With wit, intelligence and irreverence, Rick Edwards and Dr Michael Brooks explore the science of death and mass destruction through some of our best-loved Hollywood blockbusters. From Armageddon and Dr Strangelove to The Terminator and Contagion, they investigate everything from astrophysics to AI, with hilarious and captivating consequences. Packed with illustrations, fascinating facts and numerous spoilers, Hollywood Wants to Kill You is the perfect way into the science of our inevitable demise.Trade ReviewA wonderful book... Delightfully varied... As with all the best science writing, this book doesn't just give answers, it also asks interesting questions. * Daily Mail *A witty and informative look at how Hollywood kills us off. As a film buff and scientist I love this book. * Maggie Aderin-Pocock, space scientist and presenter of The Sky at Night *Great fun and makes you feel a hundred times cleverer. * Charlie Higson, actor, comedian, and bestselling author *Explores everything from the ins and outs of black holes (Interstellar) to artificial intelligence (Ex Machina)... Edwards and Brooks don't take themselves too seriously and their cartoon heads pop up throughout deconstructing the films wittily while explaining the underlying science simply. * Sunday Times on Science(ish) *Deeply funny, academically accomplished, and unfalteringly engaging. Entertaining as it may be, it's difficult to escape the fact that Edwards and Brooks have just made the world of popular science much harder work for the rest of us. * Ben Miller - comedian and author of It’s Not Rocket Science on Science(ish) *Chirpy [and] bantering. * Strong Words *Table of Contents1: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH A VIRUS! 2: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH ASTEROIDS! 3: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH PREDATORS! 4: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH ROBOTS! 5: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH INFERTILITY! 6: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH CLIMATE CHANGE! 7: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH INSOMNIA! 8: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH PLANTS! 9: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH OLD AGE! 10: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON! 11: Hollywood Wants to Kill You. WITH DEATH!

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Book SynopsisWithout interstellar dust, the Universe as we see it today would not exist. Yet at first we considered this vital ingredient merely an irritating fog that prevented a clear view of the stars and nebulae in the Milky Way and other galaxies. We now know that interstellar dust has essential roles in the physics and chemistry of the formation of stars and planetary systems, the creation of the building blocks of life, and in the movement of those molecules to new planets. This is the story in this book. After introducing the materials this interstellar dust is made of, the authors explain the range of sizes and shapes of the dust grains in the Milky Way galaxy and the life cycle of dust, starting from the origins of dust grains in stellar explosions through to their turbulent destruction. Later on we see the variety of processes in interstellar space involving dust and the events there that cause the dust to change in ways that astronomers and astrobiologists can use to indirectly observe those events. This book is written for a general audience, concentrating on ideas rather than detailed mathematics and chemical formulae, and is the first time interstellar dust has been discussed at an accessible level.Table of ContentsInterstellar Dust in Galaxies; What are Dust Grains made of? How to find their Chemical Composition; What is the Structure of Interstellar Dust Grains? How to find their Physical Composition; Some Old Stars are “Smoking Like Candles”: Is this where Interstellar Dust Grains Come from?; What happens to Stardust in Interstellar Space?; Doing Chemistry in the Dark: How Interstellar Dust leads to Molecular Complexity in the Interstellar Gas; Catalytic Chemistry in Space? Reactions on Bare Dust Grains; Chemistry in the Freezer: Making Complex Molecules from Simple Interstellar Ices; Making Stars and Planets from Interstellar Gas and Dust; Where and How does Life Begin?; What have we Learned About Dust in Space?

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Book Synopsis'TIMELY' David Mitchell 'MOVING ... REMARKABLE' SUNDAY TIMES 'ONE OF THOSE RARE BOOKS I HADN'T REASLISED I'D BEEN WAITING FOR UNTIL I READ IT.' Owen Sheers 'OPEN-MINDED, THOUGHTFUL AND WISE... A LIBERATING BOOK' Colm Toibin In an age of polished TED talks and overconfident political oratory, success seems to depend upon charismatic public speaking. But what if hyper-fluency is not only unachievable but undesirable? Jonty Claypole spent fifteen years of his life in and out of extreme speech therapy. From sessions with child psychologists to lengthy stuttering boot camps and exposure therapies, he tried everything until finally being told the words he'd always feared: 'We can't cure your stutter.' Those words started him on a journey towards not only making peace with his stammer but learning to use it to his advantage. Here, Jonty argues that our obsession with fluency could be hindering, rather than helping, our creativity, authenticity and persuasiveness. Exploring other speech conditions, such as aphasia and Tourette's, and telling the stories of the 'creatively disfluent' - from Lewis Carroll to Kendrick Lamar - Jonty explains why it's time for us to stop making sense, get tongue tied and embrace the life-changing power of inarticulacy.Trade ReviewA moving study of stuttering...remarkable -- Helen Davies * Sunday Times *Words Fail Us is a deep dive into disfluency, exploring its history, its science, its politics and its profile in a fluency-obsessed world. Jonty Claypole's book is timely, thoughtful, rich in fact and personal anecdote, and looks to a more enlightened, speech-diverse future. -- David MitchellComprehensive, open-minded, thoughtful and wise ... a liberating book. -- Colm ToibinWords Fail Us is one of those rare books - a piece of writing and thinking I hadn't realised I'd been waiting for until I read it. In this thoughtful and moving exploration of disfluency Jonty Claypole has written both a wonderfully engaging study on the history, causes and societal perceptions of speech disorders and an acutely argued call to arms, not just for the wider acceptance of communication diversity but also for an embracing of the creativity and originality of thought it can inspire. -- Owen SheersHumane, thought-provoking, and rich in experiential detail. * Guardian *I would recommend [Words Fail Us] to any fluent person trying to understand the tribulations of disfluency, and to any disfluent person who feels that he or she is enduring them alone ... Kendrick Lamar, Lewis Carroll, Somerset Maugham and Henry James are just a few of the writers whose stammers Claypole believes enriched their work. In Words Fail Us he has given us another instance of this fine tradition. * The Times *Claypole, who has a stutter, argues that pathological "disfluencies" should instead be understood and - the more radical claim - celebrated. Claypole thinks it is no coincidence that some of the greatest verbal artists - Henry James, Kendrick Lamar - have struggled with speech. The book doubles as a polemic against fluency: by unlearning our reflexive reverence for it, we can appreciate our disfluencies, and the "diversity and innovation they bring to human thought and language". * New Statesman *Incredibly valuable, and a noteworthy addition to the bookshelves of any speech-language pathologist, graduate student, researcher, or human being who would like to broaden their perspective of the power of the full spectrum of language. * Journal of Fluency Disorders *

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Book SynopsisEver wanted to know more about the Big Bang but didn’t have Brian Cox’s email address? Ever wanted to cry out, ‘What on Earth is a black hole?’ but been afraid you’d be shouting into the abyss? Ever wanted to find out how gravity works but never found the book to pull you in?Well, have no fear: DARK is an easily digestible beginner’s guide to the Universe in a handy A to Z format, with entries on everything from Dark Matter and Quantum Physics to NASA and the Zoo Hypothesis.What’s more, the book is beautifully presented, so you’ll want to keep it out on display, dipping in to check exactly when it is that we humans are likely to be engulfed by the furnace of the Sun. It boasts a number of stunning design elements throughout, including original artworks and bespoke lettering to accompany each of the twenty-six chapters, as well as inspiring, enlightening and amusing quotes about space rendered in exquisitely considered typography.So, if you want to brush up on your astronomical ABCs while simultaneously receiving a visual massage from some rather splendid art and design, then this may well be the cosmic coffee-table book for you.

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Book SynopsisThe Britannica Guide to Genetics is the ideal companion for students or general popular science readers who wish to know the facts behind the latest research and discoveries.After the Introduction from bestselling science writer and geneticist Steve Jones the book covers the entire history of genetics from Gregor Mendel's first experiments with peas at the end of the nineteenth century to the announcement of the Human Genome Project in 1998.Throughout the twentieth century new discoveries about the qualities of our genes have been heralded as essential leaps of progress in modern science forcing us to ask how much do our genes determine our personalities? What makes us different from other species? But as we enter the twenty-first century and we have begun to manipulate genes and the genome the questions have changed.

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Book SynopsisNeuropsychologist Andy Mitchell punctures the hype around psychedelic drugs while providing the fullest picture yet of their limitlessly fascinating possibilities.'An incisive, deeply personal and beautifully written account of the power, the uses and the modern misuses of psychedelics. Highly recommended' Anil Seth, author of Being You‘A collection of tales from the far frontiers of psychedelic experience . . . superb . . . brilliant’ Charles Foster, TLSPsychedelics have made a comeback but remain a mystery. They are now a 'breakthrough therapy' for mental illness but in truth we have only a vague idea how they work and there is a limit to what the science can reveal. To have any hope of understanding them, we must broaden our view - dramatically - of what they actually are.In this daring, perception-shifting odyssey, clinical neuropsychologist Andy Mitchell takes ten different drugs in ten different settings, journeying from a London neuroimaging lab to the Colombian Amazon via Silicon Valley and his friend's basement kitchen. His encounters with scientists and gangsters, venture capitalists and con men, psychonauts and shamans, as well as with the drugs themselves, reveal the reality of psychedelics in all their strangeness, hilarity, darkness and wonder.'Original and thrilling ... achieving profound insights' Mike Jay, author of Psychonauts'A hair-raising hurtle of a ride' Henry Shukman, author of One Blade of Grass'Utterly compelling ... like having an out of body experience' Mark Miodownik, author of Stuff Matters'The psychedelic world has been waiting for this book' Professor Erika DyckTrade ReviewAn incisive, deeply personal and beautifully written account of the power, the uses and the modern misuses of psychedelics. Highly recommended -- Anil Seth, author of Being YouAn original and thrilling investigation into psychedelics and the claims that currently surround them, achieving profound insights into their essential qualities -- Mike Jay, author of PsychonautsUtterly compelling. Some books are in a category of their own and this is one them. Reading it is like having an out of body experience -- Mark Miodownik, author of Stuff MattersA hair-raising hurtle of a ride into the belly of the psychedelic renaissance, fuelled by spectacular prose -- Henry Shukman, author of One Blade of GrassBeguiling, captivating, mind-expanding. It's impossible to read this book and not be tempted to replicate some of its wild, sanity-stretching forays into the peculiarities of human perception -- Stuart Ritchie, author of Science FictionsA dazzling, timely book, as deep and poignant as it is madcap and hilarious -- Professor Mark Lythgoe, Director of the Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonCanny and somewhat sceptical ... rigorous and penetrating ... illuminating ... All the better for its gritty and earthbound aspects, this is a wonderful book, a journey into the nature and potential of consciousness itself, and of life on this troubled and monopolised planet * Literary Review *Philosophical and darkly humorous ... for all the mystical experiences [psychedelics] afford, divesting them of their shadow side does seekers a disservice, Mitchell holds * Spectator *A thoughtful guide ... Ten Trips is a powerful reminder that psychedelics can’t be made sense of entirely within a framework of chemical interactions in the brain. We need to view them as something potent, to be respected * New Scientist *In Ten Trips, Andy Mitchell captures psychedelics' gonzo spirit and speaks to the psychonaut in all of us -- Katherine MacLean, author Midnight Water: A Psychedelic MemoirEagle-eyed, poetic and always playful, Ten Trips is chock-full of profane illumination -- Tehseen Noorani, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Pharmacy, University of AucklandA gifted writer with a great ear for dialogue. Mitchell is not afraid to put himself in the telling, and it is this that makes Ten Trips true and real -- Michael Taussig, author of Mastery of Non-Mastery in the Age of MeltdownMitchell's decapod of delirious drug experiences is an antidote to the hype and a rallying cry to keep psychedelics . . . psychedelic -- Josh Hardman, Psychedelic AlphaThe psychedelic world has been waiting for this book: a sceptic's account of the allure of psychedelics -- Erika Dyck, Professor in History of Health & Social Justice, University of Saskatchewan

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Book SynopsisThis is an account of the author's investigation, on behalf of the Canadian government, into the life and ideas of the eccentric genius Nikola Tesla. This is a completely revised and redesigned edition, with a new introduction by the former head of the Tesla Museum, a new chapter and a selection of photographs of Tesla and his work in search of the holy grail of electricity - the transmission of power without loss. As a student in Prague in the 1870s, Tesla "saw" the electric induction motor and patented his discovery, -the first of many inventions whose plans seem to have come to him fully fledged. He worked for the Edison company in Paris before emigrating to the US and battling with Thomas Edison himself to ensure that alternating, rather than direct current, became the standard. He sold his patent in the induction motor for $1 million dollars to George Westinghouse, who used this system for the Niagara Falls Power Project. Moving to Colorado Springs, Tesla worked on resonance, building enormous oscillating towers in experiments which still intrigue today. In later life Tesla became a recluse, bombarding newspapers with eccentric claims, including energy transmissions to other planets. Though he died alone and virtually forgotten, rumours gradually grew that Tesla had made further remarkable discoveries. In an attempt to replicate his experiments, people still build Tesla towers and puzzle over the possible link with low-frequency broadcasts which can supposedly disrupt the weather and affect the human mind.

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Book SynopsisWhat is Man? What is his nature? Where is he going? These are but some of the questions this book is trying to find answers to. They are questions that will take us on a fascinating intellectual journey encompassing politics, history, sociology, philosophy, religion, and science. Along the way you will encounter many great thinkers such as Aristotle and Nietzsche (to name but two) as well as be confronted by some of humanity's most sublime achievements and horrific failures. After reading this book, you will have a better understanding of humankind's potential for good and evil and our chances for survival and transcendence in the not too distant future.

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Book SynopsisA Children''s Bookshelf Selection: Each month our editor''s pick the best books for children and young adults by age to be a part of the children''s bookshelf. These are editorial recommendations made by our team of experts. Our monthly readingist includes a mix of bestsellers and top new releases and evergreen books that will help enhance a child''s readingife.

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Book SynopsisIncludes military, scientific, commercial, and infrastructure disasters such as: The Lead water pipes of Rome; Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse; Edison's electrical folly; Betamax; Concorde crash; Hubble - A $2 billion telescope that didn't work; the Mars probe failures due to simple math mistakes; Cold Fusion; and, Ford Pinto.

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Book SynopsisCovers the scientific inquiry-from biochemistry, physics, and astronomy, to genetics, evolutionary theory, and cognition. This title provides a comprehensive overview of the 2012 year's scientific developments.

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of mankind's fascination with worlds beyond our own-by the bestselling author of The Physics of Star Trek Lawrence Krauss -an international leader in physics and cosmology-examines our long and ardent romance with parallel universes, veiled dimensions, and regions of being that may extend tantalizingly beyond the limits of our perception. Krauss examines popular culture's current embrace (and frequent misunderstanding) of such topics as black holes, life in other dimensions, strings, and some of the more extraordinary new theories that propose the existence of vast extra dimensions alongside our own. BACKCOVER: An astonishing and brilliantly written work of popular science. -Science a GoGo A brilliant, thrilling book . . . You'll have so much fun reading that you'll hardly notice you're getting a primer on contemporary physics and cosmology. -Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American LifeTrade Review“An astonishing and brilliantly written work of popular science.” —Science a GoGo“A brilliant, thrilling book . . . You’ll have so much fun reading that you’ll hardly notice you’re getting a primer on contemporary physics and cosmology.” —Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisJacquard''s Web is the story of some of the most ingenious inventors the world has ever known, a fascinating account of how a hand-loom invented in Napoleonic France led to the development of the modern information age. James Essinger, a master story-teller, shows through a series of remarkable and meticulously researched historical connections (spanning two centuries and never investigated before) that the Jacquard loom kick-started a process of scientific evolution which would lead directly to the development of the modern computer. The invention of Jacquard''s loom in 1804 enabled the master silk-weavers of Lyons to weave fabrics 25 times faster than had previously been possible. The device used punched cards, which stored instructions for weaving whatever pattern or design was required; it proved an outstanding success. These cards can very reasonably be described as the world''s first computer programmes. In this engaging and delightful book, James Essinger reveals a plethora of eTrade ReviewJacquard's web is a special book that explains more than the connections between loom and computer: it presents a fascinating history of talented and creative people developing and inventing the tools of progress. * Chris Arney, Mathematical Reviews *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; 1. The engraving that wasn't ; 2. A better mouse-trap ; 3. The son of a master weaver ; 4. The emperor's new clothes ; 5. From weaving to computing ; 6. The difference engine ; 7. The analytical engine ; 8. A question of faith and funding ; 9. The lady who loved the Jacquard loom ; 10. A crisis with the American census ; 11. The first Jacquard looms that wove information ; 12. The birth of IBM ; 13. The Thomas Watson phenomenon ; 14. Howard Aiken dreams of a computer ; 15. IBM and the Harvard Mark 1 ; 16. Weaving at the speed of light ; 17. The future ; Index

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of Schrödinger''s classic What Is Life?, this book is a tour-de-force investigation of the basis of life itself, with conclusions that radically undermine the scientific approaches on which modern science rests-the approaches of Newton, Boltzman, Bohr, and Einstein. Kauffman''s At Home in the Universe, which The New York Times Book Review called passionately written and nature named courageous, introduced pivotal ideas about order and evolution in complex life systems. In investigations, Kauffman builds on these theories and finds that classical science does not take into account that physical systems--such as people in a biosphere--effect their dynamic environments in addition to being affected by them. These systems act on their own behalf as autonomous agents, but what defines them as such? In other words, what is life? By defining and explaining autonomous agents and work in the contexts of thermodynamics and of information theory, Kauffman supplies a novel answer Trade Review[REVIEW FOR AT HOME IN THE UNIVERSE:] "One of the pioneers of complexity theory is Stuart Kauffman, who lays out its rudiments in an accessible way with this challenging and audacious book."--The Economist[REVIEW FOR AT HOME IN THE UNIVERSE:] "Kauffman's explanations of his scientific work are concise and convincing.... Whoever reads Invesigations (At Home in the Universe) for its account of Kauffman's insightful models of adaptation and self-organzation will find that the scientific results speak for themselves."--Seth Lloyd, Scientific American"Investigations is fun in a way not many books of this intellectual magnitude are. Kauffman cuts the hard science with wit and pondering of the utmost human persuasion....With a mix of speculation, cutting-edge science and hypothesis steeped in years of grappling with hard questions,...[this book] is sure to inspire and intrigue."--Frontwheeldrive.com"I have watched the long gestation of Investigations with some apprehension but more anticipation. Its reach is gigantic, from the most primitive origins of life to the macroeconomics of innovation. What comes up in its grasp is original and stimulating. This is a must read for anyone interested in the outer edges of understanding of the world around us."--Philip Anderson, Nobel Laureate, Princeton University

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Book SynopsisIn The Life of the Cosmos, Lee Smolin offers a theory of the universe that is radically different from anything proposed before. He argues that 'The underlying structure of our world is to be found in the logic of evolution'. He departs from contemporary physicists to explore the idea that the laws of nature we observe may be the partial result a process of natural selection that occurred before the Big Bang.Trade ReviewIt is a pleasure to be reminded in detail of how extraordinary this world is. * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisIn this visionary look into the future, Freeman Dyson argues that technological changes fundamentally alter our ethical and social arrangements and that three rapidly advancing new technologies -- solar energy, genetic engineering, and worldwide communication -- together have the potential to create a more equal distribution of the world''s wealth.Dyson begins by rejecting the idea that scientific revolutions are primarily concept driven. He shows rather that new tools are more often the sparks that ignite scientific discovery. Such tool-driven revolutions have profound social consequences: the invention of the telescope turning the medieval view of the world upside down, the widespread use of household appliances in the 1950s replacing servants, to cite just two examples. In looking ahead, Dyson suggests that solar energy, genetics, and the Internet will have similarly transformative effects, with the potential to produce a more just and equitable society. Solar power could bring elecTrade ReviewFreeman Dyson, a legendary figure in the sciences, has given us a thoughtful and thought-provoking glimpse into the 21st century. The Sun, The Genome, and The Internet is a must-read for anyone who wants a sneak preview into the future. Only Dyson could weave together this rich tapestry, blending ethics, ideology, science, and technology into a coherent vision of the future. * Michio Kaku *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION ; EPILOGUE ; REFERENCES

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