Popular science Books
La trampa de la edad
Book SynopsisSi comprendemos cómo funciona el edadismo y dónde se manifiesta, podremos identificarlo y comenzar a desafiarlo. También seremos capaces de liberarnos de las definiciones estereotipadas de la vejez y la juventud, y así definir nosotros mismos qué queremos ser y hacer en cada etapa de la vidaQué edad tienes?A simple vista, esta pregunta parece totalmente inofensiva, pero la respuesta puede llegar a determinar si consigues un trabajo, si accedes a un tratamientomédico o incluso la forma en la que te hablan amigos y familiares. Hablamos de edadismo. La trampa de la edad es una exploración estimulante sobre este fenómeno social generalizado que nos afecta a lo largo de la vida y que constituye el '-ismo' más paradójico al llegar a convertirse en un sesgo contra nuestro futuro yo. La doctora y antropóloga Vânia de la Fuente-Núñez nos cuenta cómo se produce y manifiesta el edadismo. A través de historias de la vida real y una extensa investigación, la autora ilustra vívidamente los efectos dañinos del edadismo sobre nuestra salud y la multitud de formas en que perpetúa la exclusión, la desigualdad y la marginación de personas mayores y jóvenes. El libro brinda una serie de herramientas para detectar el edadismo y hacerle frente, impulsando a los lectores hacia la creación de un mundo más justo, inclusivo y equitativo: un mundo para todas las edades.
£17.52
Reaktion Books The Matter Factory – A History of the Chemistry Laboratory
Book SynopsisFrom white coats to Bunsen burners the laboratory is a controlled space of experimentation, research and invention. But how have the desired functions of the laboratory influenced the way that the laboratory was constructed, laid out, equipped and operated? And how have developments in chemical practice or theory changed the laboratory and the way it is used? The Matter Factory offers a novel approach to the history of chemistry, showing how the development of the laboratory also helped to shape modern scientific practice.As consumers of leading-edge technology, chemists have driven innovation in laboratory design and the provision of utilities and equipment. For example, the introduction of coal gas into Robert Bunsen's laboratory led to the eponymous burner, which in turn led to the development of atomic spectroscopy. Is the construction of new laboratories, and the provision of new utilities and equipment, an important element in the development of these novel areas of chemistry?This book tackles these questions by looking at a series of shifts in laboratory design, from eighteenth- to nineteenth-century furnace-centred, classical and industrial research laboratories to the creation of the modern laboratory at the end of the twentieth. Previous histories of chemistry laboratories have focused on the research carried out within them or the people who occupied them. This book examines the laboratory space itself and the way it is used, from the scientists who developed it to its architectural design, layout and the materials used in its construction. In addition to the development of well-known features, such as the fume cupboard and the bench, The Matter Factory explores the history of the chemical museum, which is now almost extinct. Fascinating and unique, this book will appeal to practising chemists, scientists and general readers alike. Published in association with the Science Museum, London.Trade Review'Peter Morris has written a fascinating and beautifully illustrated book that every chemist or science historian should read. Indeed, it should be a recommended text for those studying chemistry or the history of science ... Visionary and compelling, this is an authoritative book that I strongly encourage you to read.' - David Parker, FRS 'In recent years, much attention has been devoted to the protagonists of the history of chemistry, but the evolution of their workplace, the chemical laboratory, has remained until now almost completely unexplored territory. Peter Morris sets things right in this lively and well-documented history. The book is not only an intellectual but also a visual feast, packed as it is with an extraordinary number of striking illustrations - many of them new even to the specialist's eye.' - Alan J. Rocke, Distinguished University Professor, Case Western Reserve University, and author of Image and Reality: Kekule, Kopp, and the Scientific Imagination 'This lavishly illustrated portrait of the chemist's workplace provides a vividly written account of the evolution of the contemporary electronic-based laboratory from the workshops of early modern metallurgists, alchemists and pharmacists. Using key features such as furnaces, benches, cupboards, bottle racks and fume cupboards, as well as gas, electricity and water supplies, Morris shows how the changing character of chemical teaching and research influenced the building and fittings of laboratories in universities, industrial works and official government laboratories. Text and illustrations combine to make a fresh and exciting way of looking at the history of chemistry - the science that makes our world.' - W. H. Brock, University of Leicester "A revealing, illustrated tour of chemical laboratories, real ones, filled with real men and women, working especially in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and beyond to today. A fascinating history, as well as a highly enjoyable read."--Sharon Bertsch McGrayne, author of Prometheans in the Lab and The Theory That Would Not Die
£28.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Genetic Book of the Dead
Book SynopsisTHE TIMES BEST SCIENCE BOOK OF 2024GUARDIAN BEST IDEAS BOOKS OF 2024ECONOMIST BEST BOOKS OF 2024FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOKS OF 2024From one of the world's great science writers, a book that explores the deepest principles of evolutionary history. In this groundbreaking new approach to the evolution of all life, Richard Dawkins shows how the body, behaviour, and genes of every living creature can be read as a book an archive of the worlds of its ancestors. A perfectly camouflaged desert lizard has a desiccated landscape of sand and stones painted' on its back. Its skin can be read as a description of ancient deserts in which its ancestors survived and, before that, of the worlds of its more remote ancestors: a genetic book of the dead. But such descriptions are more than skin-deep. The fine chisels of Darwinian natural selection carve their way through the very warp and woof of the body, into every biochemical nook and corner, into every cell of every living creature. A zoologist of the future, presented with a hitherto-unknown animal, will be able to reconstruct the worlds that shaped its ancestors, to read its unique book of the dead'. The book is filled with fascinating examples of the power of Darwinian natural selection to build exquisite perfection, paradoxically accompanied by what look like gross blunders. Along the way, Dawkins dismantles influential criticisms of the gene's-eye-view' of life. And, to end with a provocative sting in the tail, the author asks there is a sense in which all our own' genes can be seen as a gigantic colony of cooperating viruses?From the author of The Selfish Gene and The Ancestor's Tale comes a revolutionary book that unlocks the door to an ancient past, seen through wholly new eyes.
£12.34
Icon Books The Multiverse
£10.44
Oxford University Press Tectonic Plates Are Moving
Book SynopsisPlate tectonics is a revolutionary theory on a par with modern genetics. Yet, apart from the frequent use of clichés such as ''tectonic shift'' by economists, journalists, and politicians, the science itself is rarely mentioned and poorly understood. This book explains modern plate tectonics in a non-technical manner, showing not only how it accounts for phenomena such as great earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, but also how it controls conditions at the Earth''s surface, including global geography and climate. The book presents the advances that have been made since the establishment of plate tectonics in the 1960s, highlighting, on the 50th anniversary of the theory, the contributions of a small number of scientists who have never been widely recognized for their discoveries.Beginning with the publication of a short article in Nature by Vine and Matthews, the book traces the development of plate tectonics through two generations of the theory. First generation plate tectonics covers the exciting scientific revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, its heroes and its villains. The second generation includes the rapid expansions in sonar, satellite, and seismic technologies during the 1980s and 1990s that provided a truly global view of the plates and their motions, and an appreciation of the role of the plates within the Earth ''system''. The final chapter bring us to the cutting edge of the science, and the latest results from studies using technologies such as seismic tomography and high-pressure mineral physics to probe the deep interior. Ultimately, the book leads to the startling conclusion that, without plate tectonics, the Earth would be as lifeless as Venus.Trade ReviewThis book is full of delightful surprises...I highly recommend this book as one for you if you want to be properly informed and royally entertained. * Pete Loader, Teaching Earth Science *...a super read; I thoroughly enjoyed it! If you have the slightest interest in the history of plate tectonics, do read this bookyou will not be disappointed! * Michael Brown, International Geology Review *The Tectonic Plates are Moving! is a rock-solid read... the pacing of the book is great, the irreverent jokes and anecdotes genuinely amusing, the overview of different schools of thought balanced, and the explanations lucid. * The Inquisitive Biologist *This book explains modern plate tectonics in a non-technical manner, showing not only how it accounts for phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, but also how it controls conditions at the Earths surface, including global geography and climate. * Ian Angus, Green Left Weekly *This is a great read for anyone interested in this fascinating subject. * Chris Darmon, Down to Earth *[A] packed account, richly contextualized. * Barbara Kiser, Nature *Roy Livermores book provides a comprehensive and authoritative account of the development of plate tectonics theory, from the earliest days of sea-floor spreading to current ideas on mantle plumes and the tectonics of Mars. It clearly describes the critical interactions of science, technology, human personalities and historical accidents. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, written from the point of view of a knowledgeable insider. * Roger C. Searle, Durham University, UK *Far from being a dense, jargon-laden history book, Livermore brings an accessible writing style and brilliant humour to the story, which certainly had me chuckling. If you know anyone (including yourself!) who is keen to find out more about our planet, give them this book. * Jonathan Scafidi, The Geological Society *Table of ContentsPart I: First Generation 1: Probably the best theory on Earth 2: The Paving Stone Theory of World Tectonics 3: Poles Apart 4: Plate Tectonics by Jerks 5: Plate Tectonics by Creeps Part II: Second Generation 6: Scum of the Earth 7: Continents and Supercontinents 8: All at Sea 9: Chilling Out 10: Ups and Downs 11: The Final Frontier
£23.49
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc Spooky Action at a Distance
Book SynopsisPhysicists have discovered a phenomenon that operates outside the confines of space and time: nonlocality - the ability of two particles to act in harmony no matter how far apart they may be. If space isn't what we thought it was, then what is it? In Spooky Action at a Distance, the journalist George Musser sets out to answer that question.
£11.39
St. Martins Press-3PL Skeptic
Book SynopsisIn Skeptic, Michael Shermer "turns a critical eye toward questions big, small, and trivial." His trademark combination of deep scientific understanding and entertaining writing style has thrilled his huge and devoted audience for years. Now, seventy-five of these columns are available together for the first time.
£18.14
WTM Publishing & Communications Pty Ltd THE Interview That Solves The Human Condition And Saves The World!
£999.99
Vintage Publishing I Have Landed
Book SynopsisStephen Jay Gould''s writing remains the modern standard by which popular science writing is judged. Throughout his work Gould has developed a distinctive and personal form of essay to treat great scientific issues in the context of biography. With I Have Landed, Gould once again applied biographical perspectives to the illumination of key scientific concepts and their history. Ranging from the discovery of the new scourge of syphilis by Fracastero in the sixteenth century and Isabelle Duncan''s nineteenth-century attempt at reconciling scripture and palaeontology to Freud''s weird speculations about human phylogeny and recent creationist attacks on the study of evolution. As always, the essays brilliantly illuminate and elucidate the puzzles and paradoxes great and small that have fuelled the enterprise of science and opened our eyes to a world of unexpected wonders.Trade ReviewGems of evolutionary and natural-history wisdom -- Steven Rose * Sunday Times *Not only one of the finest scientific minds of the later 20th century, but also one of its greatest polymaths... A wonderfully eclectic collection-a fine introduction to a brilliant mind * The Times *It is hard to think of any one else with this combination of polymathic ability and of sheer cheek...original and controversial...quintessentially revealing * Spectator *This is not a book for the bedside table. It sets the mind racing too wildly for sleep * New Scientist *High in emotion and rich in historical perspective-one of our most gifted and productive science writers... He pioneered an explosion in the popularisation of science but has never been bettered in the process -- Robin McKie * Observer *
£999.99
Oxford University Press The Infinite Cosmos
Book SynopsisIn The Infinite Cosmos Joseph Silk takes the reader on a tour of the universe, past, present, and future, showing how the very latest observations and theories are unlocking clues about its origin and structure: X-ray, radio, and high-energy views of space are revealing fossil radiation left over from the big bang and providing us with unprecedented views of the most distant reaches of the universe. Theories from the frontiers of current research seek to explain its structure from the first moments to the present day, and we are beginning to understand its extraordinary nature and possible fate. This is a story involving the visible and the invisible; subatomic particles and unusual forces; long ages of darkness and spectacular and violent events. It tells of supernovae, dark matter, dark energy, curved spacetime, colliding galaxies, and supermassive black holes. Weaving the ideas of poets and writers as well as scientists into the story, from Kant and Keats to Einstein and Lemaître, STrade ReviewReview from previous edition This book packs so much into a decidedly finite space. Silk covers everything you might hope to find in a book by one of the world's leading cosmologists, and much more besides... Accessible and informative. * Peter Coles, Nature *This is an outstanding work, suited to readers of all ages and all backgrounds, and is recommended without the slightest hesitation. * Patrick Moore, THES *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Perspectives ; 3. Principles ; 4. Our neighbourhood ; 5. The universe of galaxies ; 6. The invisible cosmos ; 7. Supermassive black holes and the birth of galaxies ; 8. Clusters and clustering ; 9. Space is nearly flat ; 10. Dark energy and the runaway universe ; 11. The panacea of cold dark matter ; 12. Origins ; 13. The seeds of structure ; 14. Beyond the beginning ; 15. Towards the infinite universe ; 16. From time to time machines ; 17. A brief moment in time ; 18. Into the infinite future ; 19. And so to God ; 20. Where next? ; Index
£999.99
OUP Oxford Notebooks from New Guinea
Book SynopsisSome of the world's most advanced work on biodiversity is being carried out deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea by a team including local tribes-people. Novotny's entertaining, engaging, and unique diaries reflect on the wisdom of the ancient culture, bringing to life the people and the sometimes tragi-comic interactions between it and the WestTrade ReviewHugely entertaining and thought provoking in equal proportions. * E. Geoffrey Hancock, Glasgow Natural History Society *Table of ContentsBY WAY OF INTRODUCTION: HOW I GOT TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA...AND WHAT CAME NEXT; ISLAND OF A THOUSAND TONGUES AND A WILD, WILD LANDSCAPE; OLD AND NEW CUSTOMS OF A TRIBAL SOCIETY; FOREIGNERS AND THEIR ODD IDEAS; HOW TO DO SCIENCE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA; IN CONCLUSION: TRAVEL REPORT
£12.59
Cambridge University Press Intellectual Curiosity and the Scientific Revolution A Global Perspective by Toby E Huff Oct2010
Book SynopsisSeventeenth-century Europe witnessed an extraordinary flowering of discoveries and innovations. This study, beginning with the Dutch-invented telescope of 1608, casts Galileo's discoveries into a global framework. Although the telescope was soon transmitted to China, Mughal India, and the Ottoman Empire, those civilizations did not respond as Europeans did to the new instrument. In Europe, there was an extraordinary burst of innovations in microscopy, human anatomy, optics, pneumatics, electrical studies, and the science of mechanics. Nearly all of those aided the emergence of Newton's revolutionary grand synthesis, which unified terrestrial and celestial physics under the law of universal gravitation. That achievement had immense implications for all aspects of modern science, technology, and economic development. The economic implications are set out in the concluding epilogue. All these unique developments suggest why the West experienced a singular scientific and economic ascendancTrade Review'This is a well-researched, objectively written, eminently readable book. Anyone interested in any dimension of modern science and technology will find it useful.' Rajesh Kochhar, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali'A magisterial comparative sociology of the relationship between specific social contexts and scientific creativity in seventeenth-century Europe, the Ottoman Empire, and China. With a remarkable eye for detail, Huff elegantly poses the big questions about the past, present, and possible future of modern science in a globalized world.' Zaheer Baber, University of Toronto'Using the invention and dispersal of the telescope as a probe, Toby Huff examines the initial impact of this discovery machine in Europe compared with the Ottoman and Mughal empires and Ming China. He then turns to other scientific discoveries of the West and their surprisingly absent influence elsewhere. Huff's carefully documented research brings this material together in an altogether new way. His fascinating and lucid historico-sociological investigation casts brilliant light on the preeminence of the West today.' Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics'Intellectual Curiosity and the Scientific Revolution disseminates genuine information about the crucial role played by the West in the history of science, showing that after many centuries of near scientific inactivity, the West, beginning in the twelfth century, saw the virtue of absorbing science and natural philosophy from Greco-Islamic sources. For the numerous reasons Huff presents, the culture of the West, with its corporations, universities, and other features, made it feasible for science to emerge as a powerful force. Huff presents this entire process in a lucid and engaging manner, using the telescope as the instrument that most vividly reveals the striking differences between Europe and the civilizations of China, the Mughals, and the Ottomans. I believe his book will have a significant impact on the history of science, and on history generally.' Edward Grant, Indiana UniversityTable of ContentsPart I. Something New Under the Sun: 1. Introduction: outline of a new perspective; 2. Inventing the discovery machine; 3. The new telescopic evidence; 4. The 'far seeing looking glass' goes to China; 5. 'Galileo's glass' goes to the Muslim world; Part II. Patterns of Education: 6. Three ideals of higher education: Islamic, Chinese, and Western; Part III. Science Unbound: 7. Infectious curiosity I: anatomy and microbiology; 8. Infectious curiosity II: weighing the air and atmospheric pressure; 9. Infectious curiosity III: magnetism and electricity; 10. Prelude to the grand synthesis; 11. The path to the grand synthesis; 12. The scientific revolution in comparative perspective; Epilogue: science, literacy and economic development.
£32.42
Running Press,U.S. A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion
Book SynopsisWith commentary by the greatest physicist of our time, Stephen Hawking, this anthology has garnered impressive reviews. PW has called it a gem of a collection while New Scientist magazine notes the thrill of reading Einstein''s own words. From the writings that revealed the famous Theory of Relativity, to other papers that shook the scientific world of the 20th century, A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion belongs in every science fan''s library.
£18.00
St. Martin's Publishing Group How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi
£17.20
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Spinosaur Tales
£18.00
Little, Brown Book Group Project Total Recall
Book SynopsisA disarmingly personal account of the new science of memory manipulation by one of today's leading pioneers in the field.
£14.24
APress How to Speak Tech
Book Synopsis Things you''ve done online: ordered a pizza, checked the weather, booked a hotel, and reconnected with long-lost friends. Now it''s time to find out how these things work. Vinay Trivedi peels back the mystery of the Internet, explains it all in the simplest terms, and gives you the knowledge you need to speak confidently when the subject turns to technology. This revised second edition of How to Speak Tech employs the strategy of the popular first edition: through the narrative of setting up a fictitious startup, it introduces you to essential tech concepts. New tech topics that were added in this edition include the blockchain, augmented and virtual reality, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.The author''s key message is: technology isn''t beyond the understanding of anyone! By breaking down major tech concepts involved with a modern startup into bite-sized chapters, the author''s approach helps you understand topics that aren''t always explainedTable of Contents Chapter 1: The Internet Chapter 2: Hosting and the CloudChapter 3: The Back End: Programming Languages Chapter 4: The Front End: PresentationChapter 5: Databases: The Model Chapter 6: Leveraging Existing Code: APIs, Libraries, Web Services, and Open-Source ProjectsChapter 7: Software Development: Working in Teams Chapter 8: Software Development: The ProcessChapter 9: Software Development: Debugging and Testing Chapter 10: Attracting and Understanding Your UsersChapter 11: Performance and Scalability Chapter 12: Security Chapter 13: Mobile Basics Chapter 14: The Internet of Things Chapter 15: Artificial IntelligenceChapter 16: The Blockchain Chapter 17: Virtual and Augmented Reality
£25.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Slow Passion: Snails, My Garden and Me
Book SynopsisWhen BBC Radio 4's Material World programme announced a search for the UK's top amateur scientist, little did anyone expect that the winning experiment would comprise one of our humblest garden pests. Ruth Brooks posed this question: Do snails have a homing instinct? The nation was gripped by the unexpected thesis and by Ruth's online diaries, which catalogued her trials and tribulations as she got to grips with these slimy little gastropods. A Slow Passion is Ruth's story, with anecdotes and misadventures galore. What starts out as a ruthless vendetta against the snails that are decimating her hostas becomes a journey of discovery into the whys and wherefores of snail life. When Ruth dumps a group of the worst offending snails in a far-off wood, she decides to paint their shells with nail varnish, just to see what happens. And guess what, they come back home. This is the beginning of an obsession that sees the grandmother-turned-scientist prowling about and pouncing on the snails in her garden, sneaking off on night-time missions to repatriate bucketloads of painted snails, reading up on the sex-life of snails (which turns out to be unexpectedly romantic) and, eventually, sending off the application to a national competition for home science. With charming illustrations, A Slow Passion is a sweet, funny and surprising investigation into the hidden life of snails, which will change the way you look at the smaller (and slower) things in life.Trade ReviewA Slow Passion is sweet, informative and sure to cheer exhasperated gardeners * Financial Times *Once in a while, a book innocently intrigues the head and beguiles the heart. This is one of them ... Warm-hearted, witty and rigorous * The Times *A beautifully descriptive read, filled with childhood memories, extraordinary facts, and detailed illustrations * Western Daily Press *It's the journey that makes this book special ... The moral of the tale is you're never too old or too uneducated to get out there and investigate. This is a hymn to a glorious kind of Englishness, in which the national pastimes of gardening, inquisitiveness and gumption win the day * Mail on Sunday *A lovely reflection on the smaller, slower, simpler things in life * Top Sante Health & Beauty *
£14.24
NewSouth Publishing Bewilder
£15.99
RSC Publishing The Polymer Revolution
£31.42
Swift Press One Hand Clapping
£20.00
Atlantic Books A Year in Numbers
Book SynopsisA collection of 365 numerical nuggets - one for each day of the year
£11.05
Reaktion Books Invented Knowledge False History Fake Science and Pseudoreligions
Book SynopsisInvented Knowledge explores legends such as the lost continent of Atlantis; the fabled original settlers of the Americas; beliefs of religious groups such as the Nation of Islam and Christian Identity; and books such as Chariots of the Gods, and The Da Vinci Code.
£21.31
BenBella Books The Science of Dune: An Unauthorized Exploration into the Real Science Behind Frank Herbert's Fictional Universe
Book SynopsisDelving into the world of Dune, this guide offers fascinating scientific speculation on topics including physics, chemistry, ecology, evolution, psychology, technology, and genetics. It also scrutinizes Frank Herbert's science fiction world by asking questions such as Is the ecology of Dune realistic? Is it theoretically possible to get information from the future? Could humans really evolve as Herbert suggests? and Which of Herbert's inventions have already come to life? This companion to the Dune series is a must-have for any fan who wants to revisit this science fiction world and explore it even further.Trade Review"An indispensable volume for Dune fans everywhere, and another validation of Herbert’s fictional universe as one of sf’s towering achievements." —Booklist
£999.99
Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden Die Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt: Ihre Bedeutung beim Aufbau der modernen Physik
Book SynopsisDie Geschichte der PTR seit ihrer Gründung 1887 als der Ort hochwichtiger physikalischer Entdeckungen bis etwa zum Beginn der NS Zeit 1933 wird in diesem Werk in spannender Weise erzählt. Die Personen und Hintergründe der so herausragenden Entwicklungen in der Frühzeit der PTR werden ebenso dargestellt wie aktuelle metrologische Fragestellungen, die auf ihre Wurzeln in der frühen Phase der Quantentheorie in Berlin bis in die 1930er Jahre zurückgeführt werden.Table of ContentsDie Gründung und die Schlüsselrolle von Werner Siemens - Fünf Denkschriften zum Anfang - Der Anfang unter der Präsidentschaft von Hermann von Helmholtz - Die Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt als Vorbild - Optisches Labor und die Geburt der Quantentheorie - Kältelabor und die Entdeckung des Meissner Effekts - Chemisches Labor und die Entdeckung von neuen Elementen - Laboratorium für Radioaktivität - Die Reichsanstalt und Albert Einstein - Zählen und Messen - Quantenstatistik und Quanteneinheiten - Fundamentalkonstanten - Die bestmögliche Information über die Natur - Die Meterkonvention - Für die globale Konsistenz der Messdaten - Die Präsidenten der Reichsanstalt bis 1933 - Die Reichsanstalt unter der NS Diktatur und der Neuanfang - Das elektromagnetische Quantendreieck - Quantennormale aus der Perspektive des Ohm’schen Gesetzes
£49.49
Planeta Publishing Corp El Precio de la Pasión De Qué Están Hechos Los Héroes The Price of Passion
£14.99
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd You Can Be The Next Einstein
Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered how Einstein, a regular man, can come up with radical ideas that shape the world to be what it is today?Albert Einstein is a familiar name to many in the scientific and non-scientific community due to his revolutionary ideas such as the Theory of Relativity, Special Relativity and significant contributions to the development of Quantum Mechanics. As such, many aspire to be like him and wonder how they can do that. The author believes that one needs to condition his/her mind to be able to think like the world-renowned Mathematical Physicist, Albert Einstein. The road to being successful can be challenging and it requires grit, confidence and guidance from the right people. Hence, this book is as a must-have guide to readers who wish to be one of the best scientists in the world!Related Link(s)
£61.75
Ebury Publishing In Our Own Image: Will artificial intelligence save or destroy us?
Book Synopsis'TIMELY AND IMPORTANT' JIM AL-KHALILIIn Our Own Image by Dr George Zarkadakis explores one of humankind’s oldest love–hate relationships – our ties with Artificial Intelligence or AI. Zarkadakis traces AI’s origins in ancient myth, through literary classics such as Frankenstein, to today’s sci-fi blockbusters, arguing that a fascination with AI is hardwired into the human psyche. He explains AI’s history, technology and potential; its manifestations in intelligent machines; its connections to neurology and consciousness, as well as – perhaps most tellingly – what AI reveals about us as human beings. In Our Own Image argues that we are on the brink of a fourth industrial revolution – poised to enter the age of Artificial Intelligence as science fiction becomes science fact. Ultimately, Zarkadakis observes, the fate of AI has profound implications for the future of science and humanity itself…Trade ReviewZarkadakis is an exciting and original thinker in the field of Artificial Intelligence and has written a book that is timely and important. * Jim Al-Khalili PhD OBE, author of Paradox *A mindful and historical look at the hope, hype and reality of artificial consciousness -- Stuart Hameroff, co-author of Consciousness and the UniverseFascinating [and] rich...interweaves sci-fi visions with explorations of the philosophy, technology and deep history of artificial super-intelligence -- Steve Cave * Financial Times *Ingenious...A delightfully lucid combination of the history, philosophy, and science behind thinking machines. * Kirkus Reviews *fascinating...the most comprehensive history of AI for our digital age [and] highly accessible * Publisher’s Weekly *
£999.99
Springer Calculating with quanta: Quantum computer for the curious
Book SynopsisThis essential creates a lively and vivid understanding of the processes in quantum computers. It explores the quantum phenomena of entanglement and superposition and how they can be used for computing. Coding of information, explanation of simple algorithms, and possible applications are shown. A glossary at the end of the essentials explains the most important terms.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Quantum Revolution.- Basic building blocks of quantum computing.- Quantum computing today and tomorrow.- Summary.- Glossary.
£999.99
Pari Publishing LookingGlass Universe
£17.58
Penguin Books Ltd Speed
£15.29
Penguin Random House LLC Knowledge and Wonder second edition The Natural World as Man Knows It
£38.59
HarperCollins Publishers Smart Swarm Using Animal Behaviour to Organise Our World
Book SynopsisHow Understanding Flocks, Schools and Colonies Can Make Us Better at Communicating, Decision Making and Getting Things Done.The modern world may be obsessed with speed and productivity, but twenty-first century humans actually have much to learn from the ancient instincts of swarms. A fascinating new take on the concept of collective intelligence and its colourful manifestations in some of our most complex problems, Smart Swarm introduces a compelling new understanding of the real experts on solving our own complex problems relating to such topics as business, politics, and technology.Based on extensive globe-trotting research, this lively tour from National Geographic reporter Peter Miller introduces thriving throngs of ant colonies, which have inspired computer programs for streamlining factory processes, telephone networks, and truck routes; termites, used in recent studies for climate-control solutions; schools of fish, on which the U.S. military modelled a team of robots; and manyTrade Review‘Smart Swarm blends zoology, entertaining anecdotes and conceptual discussion in an approachable and insightful way.’ – New Scientist ‘There have been other recent books about swarm intelligence, and the wisdom of crowds, but Miller's book is the sharpest, most readably intelligent guided tour of current thinking and research about collective intelligence and nature's basic collaborations.’ – Iain Finlayson, The Times ‘Peter Miller gives us a lively account of how studying the collective habits, actions and instincts of animals in the wild means that we can apply these strategies to organising and communicating in our own world. – The Times, Eureka ‘I loved The Smart Swarm. It's been a while since I was this stimulated by a book, or saw so many practical applications. And what a great read' – Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics There have been other recent books about swarm intelligence, and the wisdom of crowds, but Miller's exploration of the insect hive mind is fascinating enough, but his real interest is in the way humans can harness this phenomenon to structure businesses.’ – BBC Focus ‘It all makes for a fascinating read, not least for the insight Miller provides into the arcane workings of the animal kingdom. The book also raises interesting questions about our own behaviour and what it takes for us to work for a common goal.’ – BA Business Life
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Seven Deadly Sins
Book Synopsis'Has the power to change the way you look at the world' Steven Bartlett 'The heir to Oliver Sacks' David Baddiel A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2024 AN INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE MONTH Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Pride. Envy. Lust. Anger. These are the seven deadly sins, the vices of humankind that define immorality, the roots of all evil in the world. Or so some believe. But do these sins really represent moral failings, or are they simply human functions that aid us? Are they just the result of how our bodies, psyches, and brains in particular, are wired? This new book by Dr Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology and sleep medicine, explores the underlying nature of the seven deadly sins, their neuroscientific and psychological basis, their origin in our genes and crucially how certain medical disorders give rise to them. Drawing on his clinical practice, we meet individuals whose physical and psychological conditions have given rise to these sins, where brain injury or other experiences have sparked immoral' actions. He explores how illness can simply expose what lies within us and investigates how the origins of these traits lie in evolutionary imperatives to preserve the wellbeing of the tribe. Perhaps, he suggests, these character traits are less of a moral question and more biological, which raises fundamental issues of responsibility and blame in the face of sin'. Combining cutting-edge science placed in the context of real-life experience with patients, the book reexamines where the boundaries between normal human nature, pathology and sin are drawn. And, most importantly, whether these hard-wired traits truly represent sin, or simply the intensity of our intrinsic desire to survive and thrive.
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Life
Book SynopsisThe newest addition to John Brockman’s Edge.org series explores life itself, bringing together the world’s leading biologists, geneticists, and evolutionary theorists—including Richard Dawkins, Edward O.
£999.99
Oxford University Press Better Than Human
Book SynopsisIn Better than Human?, noted bioethicist Allen Buchanan grapples with the ethical dilemmas of the medical revolution now upon us. Biomedical enhancements, he writes, can make us smarter, have better memories, be stronger, quicker, have more stamina, live much longer, be more resistant to disease and to the frailties of aging, and enjoy richer emotional lives. They can even improve our character, or at least strengthen our powers of self-control. In spite of the benefits that biomedical enhancements may bring, many people instinctively reject them. Some worry that we will lose something important-our appreciation for what we have or what makes human beings distinctively valuable. To think clearly about enhancement, Buchanan argues, we have to acknowledge that nature is a mixed bag and that our species has many design flaws. We should be open to the possibility of becoming better than human, while never underestimating the risk that our attempts to improve may backfire.Trade ReviewMedicine promises not just to cure disease but to make us "better than well," with "cognitive enhancement drugs" like Ritalin and even genetic modification. In this slim manifesto, Buchanan rebuts claims that such efforts are unprecedented, unnatural or unjust." * The New York Times *I cannot do justice to the richness of Buchanan's analysis in the scope of this review. Buchanan is a first-class guide through the complex thicket of issues and arguments related to BME. * Washington Independent Review of Books *The book is an excellent introduction to the ethics of enhancement and would make good reading for those new to bioethics — undergraduates and policy-makers alike. * Annie Austin, Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, School of Law, Medical Law Review *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter One: Breathless Optimism, Hysterical Loathing Chapter Two: Why Evolution Isn't Good Enough Chapter Three: Changing Human Nature? Chapter Four: Playing God, Responsibly Chapter Five: Will the Rich Get Biologically Richer? Chapter Six: Is Enhancement Corrupting? Chapter Seven: The Enhancement Enterprise Bibliography
£22.99
Oxford University Press Portable Cosmos Revealing the Antikythera Mechanism Scientific Wonder of the Ancient World
Book SynopsisIn 1901 divers salvaging antiquities from a Hellenistic shipwreck serendipitously recovered the shattered and corroded remains of an ancient Greek gear-driven device, now known as the Antikythera Mechanism. Since its discovery, scholars relying on direct inspection and on increasingly powerful radiographic tools and surface imaging have successfully reconstructed most of the functions and workings of the Mechanism. It was a machine simulating the cosmos as the Greeks understood it, with a half dozen dials displaying coordinated cycles of time and the movements of the Sun, Moon, and planets.A Portable Cosmos presents the Antikythera Mechanism as a gateway to understanding Greek astronomy and scientific technology and their place in Greco-Roman society and thought. Although the Mechanism has long had the reputation of being an object we would not have expected the ancient world to have produced, the most recent researches have revealed that its displays were designed so that an educated layman would see how astronomical phenomena were intertwined with one''s natural and social environment. It was at once a masterpiece of the genre of wonder-working devices that mimicked nature by means concealed from the viewer, and a mobile textbook of popular science.Trade ReviewThe book is a triumph at several levels, as an account of high-grade detective work, as an exposition of ancient astronomical ideas, and as a disquisition on where those ideas fitted into the society that produced them. ... This is recommended reading for anyone interested in ancient astronomy. * Geoffrey Lloyd, Journal for the History of Astronomy *This book will be invaluable to those engaged in the study of the science of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Endnotes and references will assist individuals who wish to delve into further research. The presented black-and-white photographs and drawings are essential to understanding the work's subject matter. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals. * M. Dickinson, CHOICE *[Jones] presents a very readable account of the Mechanism, and the consensus of what it was used for... [An] excellent 'User Manual'. * Journal of the British Astronomical Association *Jones has, in short, produced a superb guide to this dazzling embodiment of ancient astronomical knowledge and mechanical technology. Detailed enough that even scholars of ancient science will learn much, yet readable enough that undergraduate students will find it approachable (I myself have tested out both audiences), this book ends the long wait for a thorough, reliable, and accessible guide to the Antikythera Mechanism. * Courtney Roby, Cornell University, in Classical World *This is a remarkable book about a remarkable device. After reading A Portable Cosmos, the Antikythera Mechanism seems a little less different and strange, a little less impossible but no less of an ancient wonder. In clear and lucid prose, Alexander Jones has successfully integrated all the necessary literary, archaeological, and forensic evidence relevant to the Mechanism. The result is a detailed, thorough, and perceptive analysis which will surely stand as the definitive handbook on the Antikythera Mechanism for some time to come. * Alex Nice, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *[Jones] provides just enough general context for readers to understand the astronomical background, while being just technical enough for them to feel that they have a grasp of the object's complexity. * Serafina Cuomo, London Review of Books *Convincing. * Andrew Robinson, History Today *As riveting as any thriller or criminal investigation... Jones's text... is precise but calm, elegant and with a certain charm... We need more books like this. * Michael Bywater, Spectator *Jones takes the reader on a journey through the various years of research into the mechanism's background, as well as into the device itself, awarding a glimpse beneath the corroded surface and into the interior gears and cogs. * Jade Fell, Engineering and Technology *Jones' book is written in such a way that makes it profitable reading for a wide range of readers, from the specialists on the Mechanism to those who have never heard of it. * Efthymios Nicolaidis, Almagest *His virtue as an author is an exhaustive knowledge of his subject ... refreshingly candid * John J. Miller, Wall Street Journal Europe *A nimble, comprehensive survey of a wondrous machine * Barbara Kiser, Nature *A Portable Cosmos is set to become the definitive history of the Antikythera Mechanism, and will be of great value to specialists, as well as students and those interested in ancient Greco-Roman science and technology. * Liba Taub, University of Cambridge *Jones's text, too, is precise but calm, elegant and with a certain charm. His learning is broad: here's Ptolemy, here are gear ratios, here's Cicero and Galen, Babylonians, planets, lunar months, Glauco, epicyclics and the 'Spindle of Necessity'. And it is not just the cosmos that is demonstrated, but the vast difference, and astonishing similarity, between us and our ancestors. So out of the history of science comes a sense of our humanity and the ancient desire to comprehend. God knows, it's timely, in the shrivelled cosmos we are building. We need more books like this. And probably more sponge-divers, too. * Michael Bywater, The Spectator *A Portable Cosmos is both an excellent focussed case study of an individual object and a comprehensive broader treatment of the relevant aspects of ancient science and technology. It is beautifully and thoughtfully illustrated, with numerous diagrams and photographs placed strategically throughout, not just of the mechanism but of various other relevant ancient objects such as calendar and other almanac-style parapegma inscriptions, manuscripts, astrolabes etc. I shall definitely be adding it to the syllabi of my 'Nature and the Natural World in Antiquity' and 'Ancient Technology' courses, and I recommend that other instructors do the same. * Jane Draycott, Classics for All *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1. The Wreck and the Discovery Chapter 2. The Investigations Chapter 3. Looking at the Mechanism Chapter 4. Calendars and Games Chapter 5. Stars, Sun, and Moon Chapter 6. Eclipses Chapter 7. The Wanderers Chapter 8. Hidden Workings Chapter 9. Afterword: The Meaning of the Mechanism Bibliography
£58.00
Penguin Books Ltd The Immunity Plan
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£15.19
W. W. Norton & Company The New Time Travelers A Journey to the Frontiers of Physics
Book SynopsisThe story of physicists' quest to answer a mind-boggling question: How can we travel through time?
£19.94
W. W. Norton & Company Why Moths Hate Thomas Edison And Other Urgent Inquiries into the Odd Nature of Nature 0 Outside Books
Book SynopsisJoin longtime Outside editor and contributor Hampton Sides as he rollicks through the fascinating, quirky questions readers ask about the world around them.
£11.89
Penguin Publishing Group Extreme Cosmos A Guided Tour of the Fastest Brightest Hottest Heaviest Oldest and Most Amazing Aspects of Our Universe
Book SynopsisA top astronomer explores the universe through the lens of its most jaw-dropping extremes. The universe is all about extremes, and in this engaging and thought-provoking book, astronomer Bryan Gaensler gives a whirlwind tour of the galaxies, with an emphasis on its fastest, hottest, heaviest, brightest, oldest, densest, and even loudest elements. From supernova explosions a billion times brighter than the sun to an asteroid the size of a beach ball, Extreme Cosmos offers a fascinating, fresh, and informed perspective of the remarkable richness of the universe, and the incredible physics that modern astronomy has revealed.
£14.24
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence A Philosophical Inquiry
Book SynopsisIs the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence a genuine scientific research programme? David Lamb evaluates claims and counter-claims, and examines recent attempts to establish contact with other intelligent life forms. He considers the benefits and drawbacks of this communication, how we should communicate and whether we actually can. He also assesses competing theories on the origin of life on Earth, discoveries of former solar planets, proposals for space colonies and the consequent technical and ethical issues.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1. Communication with extraterrestrial intelligence 2. The scientific status of SETI 3. Habitation, life and intelligence 4. Life in the Solar system: terraforming and colonization. 5. UFO's and space travel 6. Is anyone there? 7. Contact with advanced super civilizations 8. Conclusion Bibliography Index
£135.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence
Book SynopsisIs the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence a genuine scientific research programme? David Lamb evaluates claims and counter-claims, and examines recent attempts to establish contact with other intelligent life forms. He considers the benefits and drawbacks of this communication, how we should communicate and whether we actually can. He also assesses competing theories on the origin of life on Earth, discoveries of former solar planets, proposals for space colonies and the consequent technical and ethical issues.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1. Communication with extraterrestrial intelligence 2. The scientific status of SETI 3. Habitation, life and intelligence 4. Life in the Solar system: terraforming and colonization. 5. UFO's and space travel 6. Is anyone there? 7. Contact with advanced super civilizations 8. Conclusion Bibliography Index
£53.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Real Space The fate of physical presence in the digital age on and off planet
Book SynopsisIs planet earth the end of the line, or is space itself the next stop?Cyberspace. It''s incredible, taking us to any part of the planet we want to visit. But as Paul Levinson shows in his brilliant new book, when it comes to transport, we''re still stuck in the past, preferring to take our bodies with us. Whether it''s trains, yachts, scooters or pogo-sticks, we''re compelled to keep moving, our movements curtailed only by the earth itself. In our imaginations however, we soar way past the limits of current technology. With a lucid but reflective style that takes in everything from robots and science fiction to religion and philosophy, Paul Levinson asks why there is a deep seated human desire to know what''s ''out there''. Why, after getting a man on the moon, did the US space program develop so slowly? In a world where space is constantly repackaged, how do we know what real space is? Is our desire to get into space natural, or a religious craving, and is it a modern phenTrade Review"...engagingly humane and commonsensical." - Albert Borgmann, author of Holding on to Reality: The Nature of Information at the Turn of the Millennium"...a lucid argument for injecting new passion into the exploration of outer space.He is one of our very best writers on technology because he presents the big picture." - Michael Heim, author of The Metaphysics of Virtual RealityTable of Contents1: Bicycling into Outer Space: The Limits of Cyberspace, The Lure of Outer Space, What Went Wrong in Outer Space?, Space Re-Packaged, Robots and Missed Golden Opportunities 2: Talking and Walking: The Reason They Rhyme, The Biological Antiquity of the Coupling, Human Roads, Rail Roads, Out of the Box, Impulse Power and Partners, Global Villages, The Beginnings of Space Travel and Cyberspace 3: Breaking Out of Windows and Cyberspace The Appeal of Interaction, The Medium of Media and the Real World, Two Kinds of Java in the World, Ecologies of Transport and Communication 4: The Cellphone as Antidote to the Internet Dissolving What Glues Us to the Screen, Talk Again Leads the Way to Walking, on Earth 5: The Only Way Forward from California is Up: What's Keeping Us Down? Realpolitik versus Realspace, The Entropy of Details and Science Fiction, Philosophy versus Science 6: Further from Home, Closer to Truth Mirrors: Pitfalls and Opportunities, Telescopes into Microscopes, Apartment, City, Universe 7: Is Democracy the Best Launchpad to Space? War and Peace, Application and Invention, Microsoft Space?, Democracy's Partners 8: Old-Time Religion as a New Wing to Space Conquistadors to the Stars?, Coinciding Heavens, How Would Religion Make Its Contribution?, Playful Space, 9: Would You Want To Live Near a Star Named HD 209458? Old Names for New Worlds, Spacefaring Metaphors, The Comforts of Home in Space 10: Real Robots Don't Cry Robotic Merits, Limitations of Programming, Knowledge in Tiers and Tears, Robots with Emotions? 11: Realspace in an Age of Terrorism Two-Edged Swords of Communication, Anthrax and E-Mail, Planes and Rockets: Reversal of Symbols?, Starport at the World Trade Center, A Last Word About Images, Reality, and Opportunity
£999.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Gaias Gift
Book SynopsisGaia''s Gift, the second of Anne Primavesi''s explorations of human relationships with the earth, asks that we complete the ideological revolution set in motion by Copernicus and Darwin concerning human importancene. They challenged the notion of our God-given centrality within the universe and within earth''s evolutionary history. Yet as our continuing exploitation of earth''s resources and species demonstrates, we remain wedded to the theological assumption that these are there for our sole use and benefit. Now James Lovelock''s scientific understanding of the existential reality of Gaia''s gift of life again raises the question of our proper place within the universe. It turns us decisively towards an understanding of ourselves as dependent on, rather than in control of, the whole earth community.Trade Review'Anne Primacesi has a powerful message to deliver in her book Gaia's Gift; it is one that requires all of us to think again radically about who we are and where we have come from.' - Church TimesTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The astronomical revolution 2. After Copernicus 3. Theological callenges to Copernicus 4. The incomplete revolution 5. Revolution within ourselves 6. Heaven on earth 7. Life on earth 8. Gift exchanges 9. Gift exchange today
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Real Space The fate of physical presence in the digital age on and off planet
Book SynopsisIs planet earth the end of the line, or is space itself the next stop?Cyberspace. It''s incredible, taking us to any part of the planet we want to visit. But as Paul Levinson shows in his brilliant new book, when it comes to transport, we''re still stuck in the past, preferring to take our bodies with us. Whether it''s trains, yachts, scooters or pogo-sticks, we''re compelled to keep moving, our movements curtailed only by the earth itself. In our imaginations however, we soar way past the limits of current technology. With a lucid but reflective style that takes in everything from robots and science fiction to religion and philosophy, Paul Levinson asks why there is a deep seated human desire to know what''s ''out there''. Why, after getting a man on the moon, did the US space program develop so slowly? In a world where space is constantly repackaged, how do we know what real space is? Is our desire to get into space natural, or a religious craving, and is it a modern phenTrade Review"...engagingly humane and commonsensical." - Albert Borgmann, author of Holding on to Reality: The Nature of Information at the Turn of the Millennium"...a lucid argument for injecting new passion into the exploration of outer space.He is one of our very best writers on technology because he presents the big picture." - Michael Heim, author of The Metaphysics of Virtual RealityTable of Contents1: Bicycling into Outer Space: The Limits of Cyberspace, The Lure of Outer Space, What Went Wrong in Outer Space?, Space Re-Packaged, Robots and Missed Golden Opportunities 2: Talking and Walking: The Reason They Rhyme, The Biological Antiquity of the Coupling, Human Roads, Rail Roads, Out of the Box, Impulse Power and Partners, Global Villages, The Beginnings of Space Travel and Cyberspace 3: Breaking Out of Windows and Cyberspace The Appeal of Interaction, The Medium of Media and the Real World, Two Kinds of Java in the World, Ecologies of Transport and Communication 4: The Cellphone as Antidote to the Internet Dissolving What Glues Us to the Screen, Talk Again Leads the Way to Walking, on Earth 5: The Only Way Forward from California is Up: What's Keeping Us Down? Realpolitik versus Realspace, The Entropy of Details and Science Fiction, Philosophy versus Science 6: Further from Home, Closer to Truth Mirrors: Pitfalls and Opportunities, Telescopes into Microscopes, Apartment, City, Universe 7: Is Democracy the Best Launchpad to Space? War and Peace, Application and Invention, Microsoft Space?, Democracy's Partners 8: Old-Time Religion as a New Wing to Space Conquistadors to the Stars?, Coinciding Heavens, How Would Religion Make Its Contribution?, Playful Space, 9: Would You Want To Live Near a Star Named HD 209458? Old Names for New Worlds, Spacefaring Metaphors, The Comforts of Home in Space 10: Real Robots Don't Cry Robotic Merits, Limitations of Programming, Knowledge in Tiers and Tears, Robots with Emotions? 11: Realspace in an Age of Terrorism Two-Edged Swords of Communication, Anthrax and E-Mail, Planes and Rockets: Reversal of Symbols?, Starport at the World Trade Center, A Last Word About Images, Reality, and Opportunity
£49.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The World of Caffeine
Book SynopsisCaffeine is the world''s most popular drug! Almost all of us start our day with a jolt of caffeine from coffee, tea or cola. And many of us crave chocolate when we''re stressed or depressed. Without it we''re lethargic, head-achy and miserable. Why? Why do we crave caffeine? How much do we really know about our number one drug of choice? Here is the first natural, cultural, and artistic history of our favorite mood enhancer--how it was discovered, its early uses, and the unexpected parts it has played in medicine, religion, painting, poetry, learning, and love. Weinberg and Bealer tell an intriguing story of a remarkable substance that has figured prominently in the exchanges of trade and intelligence among nations and whose most common sources, coffee, tea, and chocolate, have been both promoted as productive of health and creativity and banned as corrupters of the body and mind or subverters of social order. Some Highlights From the World of Caffeine Balzac''s addiction to caffeTrade Review"[A] marvelous new book." -- Malcolm Gladwell, The NewYorker"With a flavor reminiscent of Daniel Boorstin's TheDiscoverers, The World of Caffeine tells an intriguing history of a drug that many people seem unable to live without. The book's engaging, easy style allows readers to zip through it like a jolt of good java, or savor it slowly like a good cup of tea." -- The Washington PostBook World"The alchemists of old only dreamed of turning dross into gold, but the scientists who followed them succeeded in converting caffeine into ideas. In this new information age the conversion continues at an even faster pace, and this very useful book helps us to understand how it all happened." -- James Trager, author of The FoodChronology and The People's Chronology"This well-researched and entertaining book, The World ofCaffeine, contains a wealth of facinating cultural and historical andcdotes and scientific facts which provide a unique perspective on the world's most commonly used psychoactive drug." -- Roland R. Griffiths, PhD, a leading caffeine researcher, John Hopkins University School of Medicine"With impressive felicity, Weinberg and Bealer marshal the forces of history, chemistry, cultural anthropology, psychology, philosophy, and even a little religion to tell caffeine's complicated story." -- The ClevelandPlain Dealer"...a magnificently researched book filled with revelations about what has become, for many of us, a routine part of each day's consumption." -- The WallStreet Journal"Readers who, like Prufrock, measure out their lives in coffee spoons will appreciate the background on their drug of choice provided by science writers Weinberg and Bealer." -- Booklist"A savory and spirited cultural history of caffeine...Well- researched, briskly written, full-bodied, and flavorful." -- Kirkus Reviews"From early warnings against the evils of caffeine to curiosities about coffeehouse culture, this book holds everything we ever wanted to know -- and then some -- about the drug that helps many of us keep up with the fast pace of our lives." -- Boston Herald"[Weinberg and Bealer] make the most of their learned backgrounds to ponder all manner of facts and fictions about the bean and beverage." -- Toronto Star"This well researched book examines the myth of caffeine and gives an excellent insight into this fascinating product, its orgins and history." -- Thomas Meinl, President, The Julius Meinl Group, Vienna"[Weinberg and Bealer] remind us in their marvelous new book . . . there is no drug quite as effortlessly adaptable as caffeine, the Zelig of chemical stimulants." -- Malcolm Gladwell,The New Yorker"The text is rich with information, yet it is easy and pleasant to read." -- Peter B. Lewis,PhD, New EnglandJournal of Medicine"Weinberg and Bealer provide an in-depth scholarly work that is remarkably readable and informative. The World ofCaffeine will provide something for nearly everyone." -- T.D. DeLapp, Choice"I love coffee, I love tea, I love the book on its history... a fascinating look at caffeine in its various forms, and very effectively shows its popularity in a historic, social, and pharmacological context." -- Jock Murray, Comptes RendusTable of ContentsDedication and Acknowledgements Table of Contents Overview: Caffeine Encounters Prologue: The Discovery of Caffeine Part I: Caffeine in History Part 2 Europe Wakes Up to Caffeine Part III: The Culture of Caffeine Part IV: The Natural History of Caffeine Caffeine and Health Epilogue: A toast to the Future Appendix A: The London Coffee House During the Commonwealth and Restoration Appendix b: Supplementary Tables Appendix C: Additional Studies of Caffeine's Physical Effects Appendix D: Methodological Pitfalls Selected Bibliography and List of References Sources Notes Index
£999.99
Taylor & Francis The World of Caffeine The Science and Culture of the Worlds Most Popular Drug
Book SynopsisCaffeine is the world's most popular drug! Almost all of us start our day with a jolt of caffeine from coffee, tea or cola. And many of us crave chocolate when we're stressed or depressed. Without it we're lethargic, head-achy and miserable. Why? Why do we crave caffeine? How much do we really know about our number one drug of choice? Here is the first natural, cultural, and artistic history of our favorite mood enhancer--how it was discovered, its early uses, and the unexpected parts it has played in medicine, religion, painting, poetry, learning, and love. Weinberg and Bealer tell an intriguing story of a remarkable substance that has figured prominently in the exchanges of trade and intelligence among nations and whose most common sources, coffee, tea, and chocolate, have been both promoted as productive of health and creativity and banned as corrupters of the body and mind or subverters of social order. Some Highlights From the World of Caffeine Balzac's addiction to caffeineTrade Review"[A] marvelous new book." -- Malcolm Gladwell, The NewYorker"With a flavor reminiscent of Daniel Boorstin's TheDiscoverers, The World of Caffeine tells an intriguing history of a drug that many people seem unable to live without. The book's engaging, easy style allows readers to zip through it like a jolt of good java, or savor it slowly like a good cup of tea." -- The Washington PostBook World"The alchemists of old only dreamed of turning dross into gold, but the scientists who followed them succeeded in converting caffeine into ideas. In this new information age the conversion continues at an even faster pace, and this very useful book helps us to understand how it all happened." -- James Trager, author of The FoodChronology and The People's Chronology"This well-researched and entertaining book, The World ofCaffeine, contains a wealth of facinating cultural and historical andcdotes and scientific facts which provide a unique perspective on the world's most commonly used psychoactive drug." -- Roland R. Griffiths, PhD, a leading caffeine researcher, John Hopkins University School of Medicine"With impressive felicity, Weinberg and Bealer marshal the forces of history, chemistry, cultural anthropology, psychology, philosophy, and even a little religion to tell caffeine's complicated story." -- The ClevelandPlain Dealer"...a magnificently researched book filled with revelations about what has become, for many of us, a routine part of each day's consumption." -- The WallStreet Journal"Readers who, like Prufrock, measure out their lives in coffee spoons will appreciate the background on their drug of choice provided by science writers Weinberg and Bealer." -- Booklist"A savory and spirited cultural history of caffeine...Well- researched, briskly written, full-bodied, and flavorful." -- Kirkus Reviews"From early warnings against the evils of caffeine to curiosities about coffeehouse culture, this book holds everything we ever wanted to know -- and then some -- about the drug that helps many of us keep up with the fast pace of our lives." -- Boston Herald"[Weinberg and Bealer] make the most of their learned backgrounds to ponder all manner of facts and fictions about the bean and beverage." -- Toronto Star"This well researched book examines the myth of caffeine and gives an excellent insight into this fascinating product, its orgins and history." -- Thomas Meinl, President, The Julius Meinl Group, Vienna"[Weinberg and Bealer] remind us in their marvelous new book . . . there is no drug quite as effortlessly adaptable as caffeine, the Zelig of chemical stimulants." -- Malcolm Gladwell,The New Yorker"The text is rich with information, yet it is easy and pleasant to read." -- Peter B. Lewis,PhD, New EnglandJournal of Medicine"Weinberg and Bealer provide an in-depth scholarly work that is remarkably readable and informative. The World ofCaffeine will provide something for nearly everyone." -- T.D. DeLapp, Choice"I love coffee, I love tea, I love the book on its history... a fascinating look at caffeine in its various forms, and very effectively shows its popularity in a historic, social, and pharmacological context." -- Jock Murray, Comptes RendusTable of ContentsDedication and Acknowledgements Table of Contents Overview: Caffeine Encounters Prologue: The Discovery of Caffeine Part I: Caffeine in History Part 2 Europe Wakes Up to Caffeine Part III: The Culture of Caffeine Part IV: The Natural History of Caffeine Caffeine and Health Epilogue: A toast to the Future Appendix A: The London Coffee House During the Commonwealth and Restoration Appendix b: Supplementary Tables Appendix C: Additional Studies of Caffeine's Physical Effects Appendix D: Methodological Pitfalls Selected Bibliography and List of References Sources Notes Index
£39.99
