Popular science Books
Oxford University Press Light
Book SynopsisLight enables us to see the world around us. Our sense of sight provides us with direct information about space and time, the physical arrangement of the world, and how it changes. This almost universal shared sensation of vision has led to a fascination with the nature and properties of light across the ages. But the light we see is just a small part of the whole spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, ranging from radio waves to gamma rays.In this Very Short Introduction Ian Walmsley discusses early attempts to explain light, and the development of apparently opposing particulate and wave theories by scientists such as Isaac Newton and Christiaan Huygens. He shows how light was recognized as an electromagnetic wave in the 19th century, and the development of the quantum mechanics view of wave-particle duality in the 20th century. He also describes the many applications of light, domestic and scientific, such as microwaves, DVDs, and lasers. We now use the whole range of electromagnetic radiation to peer both into the human body and deep into space. Turning to the future of optics, Walmsley concludes by looking at some of the most exciting new developments using quantum light sources in communications and computing.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewa solid little collection of material on the nature of light. * Popularscience.com *Table of Contents1. What is light? ; 2. Rays ; 3. Waves ; 4. Duality ; 5. Light matters ; 6. Light, space and time ; 7. Lighting the frontiers ; 8. Quantum Light ; 9. Twilight ; Further Reading ; Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Goldilocks Planet
Book SynopsisClimate change is a major topic of concern today, scientifically, socially, and politically. It will undoubtedly continue to be so for the foreseeable future, as predicted changes in global temperatures, rainfall, and sea level take place, and as human society adapts to these changes. In this remarkable new work, Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams demonstrate how the Earth''s climate has continuously altered over its 4.5 billion-year history. The story can be read from clues preserved in the Earth''s strata - the evidence is abundant, though always incomplete, and also often baffling, puzzling, infuriating, tantalizing, seemingly contradictory. Geologists, though, are becoming ever more ingenious at interrogating this evidence, and the story of the Earth''s climate is now being reconstructed in ever-greater detail - maybe even providing us with clues to the future of contemporary climate change. The history is dramatic and often abrupt. Changes in global and regional climate range from bitterly cold to sweltering hot, from arid to humid, and they have impacted hugely upon the planet''s evolving animal and plant communities, and upon its physical landscapes of the Earth. And yet, through all of this, the Earth has remained consistently habitable for life for over three billion years - in stark contrast to its planetary neighbours. Not too hot, not too cold; not too dry, not too wet, it is aptly known as ''the Goldilocks planet''.Trade ReviewVery engaging * Michael Gross, Society of Chemical Industry *A balanced, well written, mostly comprehensive and well-argued book. * Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of ContentsPROLOGUE; A BRIEF WORD ON TIME; NOTES; FURTHER READING; REFERENCES
£14.49
Oxford University Press Robotics
Book SynopsisRobotics is a key technology in the modern world. Robots are a well-established part of manufacturing and warehouse automation, assembling cars or washing machines, and, for example, moving goods to and from storage racks for Internet mail order. More recently robots have taken their first steps into homes and hospitals, and seen spectacular success in planetary exploration. Yet, despite these successes, robots have failed to live up to the predictions of the 1950s and 60s, when it was widely thought - by scientists and engineers as well as the public - that by turn of the 21st century we would have intelligent robots as butlers, companions, or co-workers.This Very Short Introduction explains how it is that robotics can be both a success story and a disappointment, how robots can be both ordinary and remarkable, and looks at their important developments in science and their applications to everyday life. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Where are the intelligent robots? ; 2. Working robots: what robots do now ; 3. Biological robotics ; 4. Becoming human: humanoid and android robots ; 5. Trends in robotics research: new approaches ; 6. Robotic futures ; Further reading
£9.49
Oxford University Press Mushroom
Book SynopsisThe overnight appearance of mushrooms in a meadow or on a suburban lawn is a marvelous sight. It is one of many awe-inspiring, magical processes that have evolved among the fungi, yet this group remains the least studied and most poorly understood kingdom of organisms. In Mushroom, Nicholas Money offers a vibrant introduction to the world of mushrooms, investigating the science behind these organisms as well as their enduring cultural and imaginative appeal. Beginning with the basics of mushroom biology, Money leads us through a history of mushroom research, painting portraits of the colorful characters involved in their study--among them, Beatrix Potter, the celebrated author and creator of Peter Rabbit, and Captain Charles McIlvaine, a Civil War veteran who engaged in a dangerous quest to determine the edibility of every mushroom in North America. Money also discusses the uses of mushrooms today, exploring their importance as food and medicine, their use as recreational drugs, and asTrade ReviewBotanist Nicholas Money is unashamedly in thrall to the 'fungal sex organ'. In this brilliant scientific and cultural exploration, these organisms of rot and soil positively sparkle. * Nature *Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter 1: Angels on the Lawn: How Mushrooms Develop ; Chapter 2: Gill Gymnastics: The Beautiful Mechanism of Mushroom Spore Release ; Chapter 3: Triumph of the Fungi: Diversity and Functions of Mushroom ; Chapter 4: Satan's Gourmand: Harvesting Wild Mushrooms ; Chapter 5: Snow White and Baby Bella: Global Industry of Mushroom Cultivation ; Chapter 6: Death Caps: Poisonous Mushrooms and Mushroom Poisoning ; Chapter 7: Magic Mushrooms: The Culture and Science of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms ; Chapter 8: Cures for Mortality?: The Medicinal Mushroom Fraud ; Notes ; Index
£28.47
Oxford University Press Beam
Book SynopsisBeam is the story of the race to make the laser, the three intense years from the birth of the laser idea to its breakthrough demonstration in a California laboratory. The quest was a struggle against physics, established wisdom, and the establishment itself. In 1954, Charles Townes invented the laser''s microwave cousin, the maser. The next logical step was to extend the same physical principles to the shorter wavelengths of light, but the idea did not catch fire until October 1957, when Townes asked Gordon Gould about Gould''s research on using light to excite thallium atoms. Each took the idea and ran with it. The independent-minded Gould sought the fortune of an independent inventor; the professorial Townes sought the fame of scientific recognition. Townes enlisted the help of his brother-in-law, Arthur Schawlow, and got Bell Labs into the race. Gould turned his ideas into a patent borth ation and a million-dollar defense contract. They soon had company. Ali Javan, one of Townes''Trade ReviewHecht tells the story of the several competing laboratories that were attempting in the late 1950s to use the phenomenon of simulated emisson to produce a coherent and monochromatic light source. The story is interesting in its own right, both to physicists and engineers interested in the intellectual climate of the time and to the general public as an example of excitement and competition within the scientific community. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPREFACE; PROLOGUE; DRAMATIS PERSONAE; SOURCES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX
£30.39
Oxford University Press Inc Ignorance
Book SynopsisContrary to the popular view of science as a mountainous accumulation of facts and data, Stuart Firestein takes the novel perspective that ignorance is the main product and driving force of science, and that this is the best way to understand the process of scientific discovery.Trade ReviewThis is a lovely little book, which is truly about what drives science; and its not about physics, or chemistry, or engineering, but real biology. * Jack Cohen, The Biologist *This is a lovely little book ... Give it to your friends or relatives to explain why you do science. * Professor Jack Cohen FSB, The Biologist *[B]oth concise and splendidly aphoristic. * Robin Ince, New Statesman *A valuable acquisition for academic libraries, given the current emphasis on STEM education and undergraduate research. * R. E. Buntrock, CHOICE *It is important to emphasize the creative process in the sciences. This is not just another methodological book on the empirical cycle, but an unpretentious and smooth-reading plea for attention on an uncultivated but mineable area. * Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie, Dec 2012 *An excellent read, [it is] a fine companion text for potential scientists a the beginning of their studies ... You may gradually become more and more ignorant as you read, and you will enjoy the journey. Ignorance in this telling is truly bliss. * Moran Cerf, Science Magazine *a quietly mind-blowing new book. * Readers Digest *Stuart Firestein, a teacher and neuroscientist, has written a splendid and admirably short book about the pleasure of finding things out using the scientific method. He smartly outlines how science works in reality rather than in stereotype. Ignorance is a thoughtful introduction to the nature of knowing, and the joy of curiosity. * Adam Rutherford, The Observer *A splendid book ... Packed with real examples and deep practical knowledge, Ignorance is a thoughtful introduction to the nature of knowing, and the joy of curiosity. * Adam Rutherford, The Observer *The fundamental attribute of successful scientists, Firestein argues in this pithy book, is a form of ignorance characterised by knowing what you don't know, and being able to ask the right questions. * Culture Lab *The book is effectively conversational and can be read quickly, as intended. * The American Journal of Epidemiology *In Ignorance: How It Drives Science Stuart Firestein goes so far as to claim that ignorance is the main force driving scientific pursuit. Firestein, a popular professor of neurobiology at Columbia, admits at the outset that he uses "the word ignorance at least in part to be intentionally provocative" and clarifies that for him it denotes a "communal gap in knowledge." He describes clearly how scientists continually uncover new facts that confront them with the extent of their ignorance, and how they successfully grapple with uncertainty in their daily research work... Especially valuable is Firestein's ability to capture how science gets done in fits and starts... He demystifies the day-to-day activities of research scientists across a variety of disciplines with case studies illustrating how breakthroughs in understanding, however humble or grand, are essentially unforeseeable even to a seasoned mind. * New York Review of Books *Table of ContentsChapter 1. A Short View of Ignorance ; Chapter 2. Finding Out ; Chapter 3. Limits, Uncertainty, Impossibility, and Other Minor Problems ; Chapter 4. Unpredicting ; Chapter 5. The Quality of Ignorance ; Chapter 6. Ignorance in Action: Case Histories ; Chapter 7. Ignorance beyond the Lab
£21.59
Oxford University Press Science of Cheese C
Book SynopsisIn an engaging tour of the science and history of cheese, Michael Tunick explores the art of cheese making, the science that lies underneath the deliciousness, and the history behind how humanity came up with one of its most varied and versatile of foods.Dr. Tunick spends his everyday deep within the halls of the science of cheese, as a researcher who creates new dairy products, primarily, cheeses. He takes us from the very beginning, some 8000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, and shows us the accidental discovery of cheese when milk separated into curds and whey. This stroke of luck would lead to a very mild, and something akin to cottage, cheese-deemed delicious enough by our traveling cheese maker that he or she did it again another day.Today we know of more than 2,000 varieties of cheese from Gorgonzola, first noted in year 879, to Roquefort in 1070 to Cheddar in 1500. But Tunick delves deeper into the subject to provide a wide-ranging overview that begins with cows and milk and Trade ReviewMany books tell us about the cheeses of the world, but here the author introduces the reader to the chemistry and biology involved in cheese formation. I recommend this book to any cheese-eater who has wondered about the cause of their latest taste-sensation. * Simon Cotton, Chemistry and Industry *The book is full of fascinating data. * Colin Berry, The Oldie *A charming and informative book that will have you seeking out cheese shops with informed enthusiasm. * Christine Evans-Pughe, Engineering & Technology *Tunick comes very close to perfection. * Hans Bouma, NVOX *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. IN THE BEGINNING Milk ; 2. CURDS AND WHEY Cheesemaking ; 3. YOU'RE NOT GETTING OLDER, YOU'RE GETTING BETTER Ripening ; 4. DOES THIS CHEESE MAKE ME LOOK FAT? Nutrition ; 5. STICK IT UP YOUR NOSE, AND OTHER ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES ; 6. CHEESE IT - THE COPS! Laws and Regulations ; 7. DO TRY THIS AT HOME ; 8. THE CHEESE STANDS ALONE ; References ; Acknowledgments ; Index
£38.69
The University of Chicago Press Time Travel and Warp Drives
Book SynopsisUsing no math beyond high school algebra, the authors lay out an approachable explanation of Einstein's special relativity, then move through the fundamental differences between traveling forward and backward in time and the surprising theoretical connection between going back in time and traveling faster than the speed of light.Trade Review"Marvelously accessible." (Chicago Tribune) "Relying only minimally on technical jargon and formulas, the authors open to view the exciting conceptual prospects for designing a time machine capable of slipping backward through the centuries and of riding faster-than-light warp bubbles through the cosmos.... Armchair scientists share the thrill of peeking into the universe's deepest secrets. Penetrating science illuminates humankind's most audacious dreams." (Booklist)"
£17.10
The University of Chicago Press Genomes and What to Make of Them
Book SynopsisFor the nonscientist, the claims and counterclaims are dizzying - what does it really mean to understand the genome? In this title, the authors offer an answer to this question and many more in a clear account of the genomic revolution and its promise.
£15.00
The University of Chicago Press Genomes and What to Make of Them
Book SynopsisOffers an account of the genomic revolution and its promise. This book provides a history of the science of genetics and genomics, from Mendel to Watson and Crick up to Craig Venter. It delves into the use of genomics in determining evolutionary paths - and what it can tell us, about how far we really have come from our ape ancestors.Trade Review"What is novel about Genomes and What to Make of Them is the impressive scope of the project, which covers key issues around the politics of genomics in an accessible way, taking care to outline in clear language some very complex scientific arguments in a way that allows the authors to deconstruct various arguments about the risks and opportunities of genomics. I know of no other book that captures the social implications of genomics in quite such a comprehensive and accessible yet insightful manner." - Peter Robbins, Open University"
£27.69
The University of Chicago Press The Accidental Species
Book SynopsisPresents a robust and stark challenge to our tendency to see ourselves as the acme of creation. Human exceptionalism, this book argues, is an error that can infect scientific thought. It aims to overturn popular thinking on human evolution - the key is not what's missing, but how we're linked.Trade Review"With a delightfully irascible sense of humor, Henry Gee reflects on our origin and all the misunderstanding that we impose on it. The Accidental Species is an excellent primer on how-and how not-to think about human evolution." -Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses "The Accidental Species is at once an eminently readable and important book. Employing years of experience, sharp wit, and great erudition, Henry Gee reveals how most of our popular conceptions of evolution are wrong. Gee delights in shedding us of our assumptions to reveal how science has the power to inform, enlighten, and ultimately surprise." -Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish"
£21.85
The University of Chicago Press Shaking the Tree
Book SynopsisNature has published news about the history of life ever since its first issue in 1869. This work brings together 19 review articles written for Nature over the past decade. Topics include major extinction events, homeotic genes and body plans and the origin and evolution of the primates.
£110.00
The University of Chicago Press Shaking the Tree
Book SynopsisNature has published news about the history of life ever since its first issue in 1869. This work brings together 19 review articles written for Nature over the past decade. Topics include major extinction events, homeotic genes and body plans and the origin and evolution of the primates.
£30.40
The University of Chicago Press Killer Algae The True Story of a Biologial
Book SynopsisThis text presents the biological and political horror story of the algae in the Mediterranean. This work - part detective story and part bureaucratic object lesson - presents a classic case of a devastating ecological invasion and how not to deal with it.Table of ContentsFrom the discovery of the alga in Monaco to its arrival in France; the alga grows - and the polemic begins; "Caulerpa Taxifolia", superstar; the stakeholders squabble - and the alga spreads; research progresses - and the polemic persists; Chiaroscuro - 1997-1998; the three lessons of "Caulerpa". Appendices: the biology of "Caulerpa taxifolia" as known in 1991; chronology of a heralded invasion. (Part contents).
£22.80
The University of Chicago Press Spying with Maps Surveillance Technologies the
Book SynopsisMark Monmonier looks at the increased use of geographic data, satellite imagery, and location tracking across a wide range of fields. Could these diverse forms of geographic monitoring, he asks, lead to grave consequences for society?Trade Review"With electronic spies in the sky, sensors under the streets, and geographic data banks everywhere, it takes Mark Monmonier's knowledge and insight to make sense of the new landscape of locational privacy. This is fascinating reading, indispensable to watchers and watched alike." - Edward Tenner, author of Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences
£41.80
The University of Chicago Press Constructing Quarks
Book SynopsisRecounts the history of the post-war conceptual development of elementary-particle physics. Inviting a reappraisal of the status of scientific knowledge, the text suggests that scientists are not mere passive observers and reporters of nature.
£35.15
The University of Chicago Press The Energy of Nature
Book SynopsisThis text explores energy's role in nature, how and where it originates, what it does, and what becomes of it. Using a wide range of scientific disciplines, Pielou looks at the myriad of ways in which energy and its transfers affect the earth and its inhabitants.
£80.00
The University of Chicago Press The Energy of Nature
Book Synopsis
£22.80
The University of Chicago Press Fresh Water
Book SynopsisFollowing water on its course through the natural world, this account emphasises the connection between water and all forms of life.
£21.00
The University of Chicago Press Sex Drugs and Sea Slime
Book SynopsisTakes us deep into the sea to introduce an astonishing cast of fascinating and bizarre creatures that make the salty depths their home. This title educates us with the wealth of life in the sea-and reminding us of the need to protect it.Trade Review"The ocean is endlessly fascinating and mysterious. With her easy and engaging writing, Ellen Prager conveys a deeply delightful introduction to all kinds of ocean creatures and their links to society. A great book for beginners and one even experts can learn from and enjoy, this is possibly the best general book ever written on creatures of the deep." -Carl Safina, author of The View From Lazy Point "Prager... uses breezy, accessible prose to evoke the beauty and magic of the underwater world." -Wall Street Journal"
£30.31
The University of Chicago Press Sex Drugs and Sea Slime
Book SynopsisWhen viewed from a quiet beach, the ocean, with its rolling waves and vast expanse, can seem calm, even serene. Written with a diver's love of the ocean, a novelist's skill at storytelling, the author takes us deep into the sea to introduce an astonishing cast of fascinating and bizarre creatures that make the salty depths their home.Trade Review"Packed with excellent conversation fodder for your next date, this book details the strange lives and mating rituals of sea creatures. Choose your anecdotes wisely, though: That romantic seafood dinner may become less appetizing once you explain that lobsters use urine during foreplay, or that male octopi copulate with a 'specialized baby-maker arm." (Sierra Magazine) "A tastefully scandalous tour of defensive secretions and extreme sexual flexibility backs up a plea for ocean conservation." (Science News)"
£17.00
The University of Chicago Press Evolution
Book Synopsis
£92.00
The University of Chicago Press Evolution
Book Synopsis
£20.00
The University of Chicago Press The Architecture of Matter
Book SynopsisOne of three companion volumes that form an introduction to the central ideas of the modern natural sciences, this book is a source for those who have no technical knowledge in the subject of the architecture of matter.
£22.80
The University of Chicago Press The Discovery of Time
Book SynopsisOne of three companion volumes that form an introduction to the central ideas of the modern natural sciences, this book is a source for those who have no technical knowledge in the subject of time.
£28.50
McGill-Queen's University Press Watermelon Snow
Book SynopsisWeaves memoir, microbiology, and artistic antics together with descriptions of a sublime Arctic landscape. Inspiring and deeply personal, this is the story of one scientist's rediscovery of what it means to live a good life at a time of increasing desperation about the future.Trade Review"A powerful journey, brimming with intelligence, love, and sorrow, into the Arctic, and into the heart of the climate change battle. Watermelon Snow is a song of both love and grief, as haunting as the song of the seals that Quarmby hears on her polar voyage. Embracing science, art, activism, and the poignant creativity of humans, Quarmby evokes the almost unimaginable beauty of the polar north while calling us to be the clear-eyed witnesses the earth needs right now, to fight climate change, and to preserve the living wonders of the earth – from molecules to polar bears – before it is too late. A moving and courageous memoir." Shaena Lambert, author of Petra and Oh, My Darling"A deeply personal journey into the heating Arctic, climate change activism and science, Watermelon Snow is a powerful expression of how a scientist learns to cope with the realities of climate change." Krirsten Zickfeld, SFU Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University, and lead author of the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees and the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report"Watermelon Snow is a moving book, eloquently dancing between the science and emotion that defines life in a warming world, and offers a glimpse at what we must overcome if we are to soldier on in search of solutions." Policy Magazine"[Quarmby] presents the wonder of the Arctic and the agony of this existential threat through routine and ritualized actions of individuals and groups of people in loosely affiliated alliances. The reader cannot help but want to visit Svalbard—the Arctic island setting of Quarmby's narrative—and witness in person the raw beauty she describes, along with experiencing the sadness of awakening to the unprecedented melting evident all around. This book deals deftly with the most pressing concern facing us today. Watermelon Snow is a masterpiece. Essential. All readers." Choice
£21.84
Firefly Books Ltd Your Plastic Footprint The Facts about Plastic
Book SynopsisLibrary hardback edition featuring the facts about the current plastic problem and what each of us can do to rethink our lives and reduce our individual plastic footprints in the interest of the future of our planet.
£17.95
Firefly Books Ltd Your Plastic Footprint The Facts about Plastic
Book SynopsisThe facts about the current plastic problem and what each of us can do to rethink our lives and reduce our individual plastic footprints in the interest of the future of our planet.
£14.20
Palgrave MacMillan UK From Pinewood to Hollywood British Filmmakers in
Book SynopsisExploring the pervasive presence of the Victorian past in contemporary culture, these essays use the trope of haunting and spectrality as a critical tool with which to consider neo-Victorian works, as well as our ongoing fascination with the Victorians, combining original readings of well-known novels with engaging analyses of lesser-known works.Trade Review'...the editors ought to be congratulated on the high standard of the publication. It provides useful information on a wide-range of theories and neo-Victorian novels. Arias and Pulham have handsomely gathered eight essays which demonstrate the enormous critical potential of the tropes of haunting and spectrality in the field of Neo-Victorian Studies. Furthermore, the analysis of these tropes offered in the collection has proved to be a useful tool to expose and problematize both Victorian and contemporary gender, sexual, and social politics. It is for this reason that scholars engaged, not only with neo-Victorian fiction, but also with gender and trauma studies, should find this volume worth reading and inspiring.' - MisceláneaTable of ContentsNotes on Contributors Introduction; R.Arias & P.Pulham PART I: HISTORIES AND HAUNTINGS Salley Vickers, Venice, and the Victorians; F.O'Gorman Spectrality, S(p)ecularity and Textuality: Or, Some Reflections in the Glass; M.Llewellyn PART II: SPECTRAL WOMEN Repetition and Eternity: Spectral and Textual Continuity in Michèle Roberts' In the Red Kitchen ; A.Golda-Derejczyk The Maid, the Master, his Ghost and her Monster: Alias Grace and Mary Reilly ; E.Saxey PART III: SENSING THE PAST Olfactory Ghosts: Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White ; S.Colella The Haunting of Henry James: Jealous Ghosts, Affinities, and The Others; A.Heilmann PART IV: GHOSTS IN THE CITY Haunted Places, Haunted Spaces: The Spectral Return of Victorian London in Neo-Victorian Fiction; R.Arias Mapping Histories: The Golem and the Serial Killer in White Chappell , Scarlet Tracings and Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem ; P.Pulham Bibliography Index
£40.49
Columbia University Press The Curvature of Spacetime Newton Einstein and
Book SynopsisExplains the meaning and far-flung implications of the general theory of relativity and other mysteries of modern physics by presenting a conversation among Newton, Einstein, and a fictitious contemporary particle physicist named Adrian Haller.Trade ReviewIn his latest book, the renowned German physicist Harold Fritzsch adopts an interesting method of explaining Einstein's relativity theory and its implications. Toronto Globe & Mail Fritzsch'sThe Curvature of Spacetime is a time-travel dialogue set in 1996 between three men: Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein... and an imaginary modern expert, Adrian Haller... As an expository device, the dialogue form is quite successful. It lets Haller teach Einstein and Newton (and us) the current status, experimental and theoretical, of particle physics, drawing the reader into exchanges of view and conflicting ideas more readily than conventional exposition would allow. -- Francis Everitt Nature There have been many admirable attempts to bring Einstein's ideas to a wider public, and I am sureThe Curvature of Spacetime makes a contribution to that process -- Robert Pepperell Leonardo Review
£23.80
Columbia University Press The 23rd Cycle
Book SynopsisA NASA space scientist maps out the coming solar cycle-and its catastrophic potential to disrupt worldwide power and communications systems. He includes a history of the record of auroral sightings, accounts of communications blackouts from the 20th century, industries sensitive to solar storms, and radiation and health issues.Trade ReviewOdenwald... gives us reason to worry about how ill-prepared we are for geomagnetic disturbances in the future. It's scary enough to warrant a Hollywood disaster movie. American Scientist Odenwald uses a breezy journalistic style as he explores solar eruptions and how these interfere with such vital elements as electrical power grids, long-distance piplines, and navigation. Sky & Telescope Odenwald (NASA) offers an outstanding nontechnical introduction to the solar-terrestrial environment with a focus on "space weather". He weaves a fascinating story using numerous examples of space weather impacts on human and technological systems. Scientific references are highly accessible and accurate throughout. -- T. Eastman Choice Odenwald offers a cogent warning, which deserves to have an impact beyond the book's own immediate readership of space science enthusiasts. Publishers Weekly With the Sun about halfway through its 23rd sunspot cycle since the 18th century, there is a chance that solar flares and coronal mass ejections... will affect the Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field... This book presents an interesting explanation of this phenomenon. For astronomy, space science, and engineering collections. Library Journal A fine summary of space weather effects, and how they work to the detriment of many satellite-based communications systems and, even, technology at ground level. I recommend Odenwald's book as a guide to the subtler, but very important, processes which occur in tandem with spectacular auroral storms. -- Neil Bone Astronomy Now
£73.60
Columbia University Press The Earth Machine The Science of a Dynamic
Book SynopsisFrom the scorching center of Earth's core to the outer limits of its atmosphere, from the gradual process of erosion that carved the Grand Canyon to the earth-shaking fury of volcanoes and earthquakes, this book tells the story of the evolution of our planet and of the science that makes it work.
£73.60
Columbia University Press The Beginners Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize
Book SynopsisUseful for those interested in a career in science, the author recounts his unlikely path to becoming a Nobel Laureate. Beginning with his humble origins in Australia, he tells how he developed an interest in immunology and describes his award-winning, influential work with Rolf Zinkernagel on T-cells and the nature of immune defense.Trade ReviewA highly readable introduction to the modern world of scientific research. -- Mary Powers Commercialappeal.com Important to any aspiring scientist. Bookwatch A charmingly homely account of his own unlikely path toward this pinnacle. -- Margaret Wertheim Los Angeles Times Doherty opens the vault to the world of science. Nature The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize is an interesting and useful read for up-and-coming scientists. Journal of the American Medical Association This extended and amusing memoir does show how the path to a Nobel can be rocky and winding. -- Jeff Bairstow Laser Focus WorldTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Swedish Effect 9 The Science Culture 26 This Scientific Life 57 A Science Story 94 Personal Discoveries and New Commitments 140 The Next American Century? 159 Science and Religion 189 Discovering the Future 215 How to Win a Nobel Prize 238 Appendix 1 256 Appendix 2 263 Abbreviations 280 Index 286
£56.00
Columbia University Press The Beginners Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize
Book SynopsisUseful for those interested in a career in science, the author recounts his unlikely path to becoming a Nobel Laureate. Beginning with his humble origins in Australia, he tells how he developed an interest in immunology and describes his award-winning, influential work with Rolf Zinkernagel on T-cells and the nature of immune defense.Trade ReviewA highly readable introduction to the modern world of scientific research. -- Mary Powers Commercialappeal.com Important to any aspiring scientist. Bookwatch A charmingly homely account of his own unlikely path toward this pinnacle. -- Margaret Wertheim Los Angeles Times Doherty opens the vault to the world of science. Nature The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize is an interesting and useful read for up-and-coming scientists. Journal of the American Medical Association This extended and amusing memoir does show how the path to a Nobel can be rocky and winding. -- Jeff Bairstow Laser Focus WorldTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Swedish Effect 9 The Science Culture 26 This Scientific Life 57 A Science Story 94 Personal Discoveries and New Commitments 140 The Next American Century? 159 Science and Religion 189 Discovering the Future 215 How to Win a Nobel Prize 238 Appendix 1 256 Appendix 2 263 Abbreviations 280 Index 286
£18.00
Columbia University Press Kitchen Mysteries
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewFans of 'Curious Cook' Harold McGee will relish the latest from This (Molecular Gastronomy), a French chemist and foodie hero who has helped to usher in the current restaurant world vogue for turning the kitchen into a laboratory... Even those who might be turned off by the thought of food chemistry will quickly be drawn in by his obvious love of food and eagerness to apply his research to helping people cook better. Publishers Weekly This has made invisible processes visible, revealed the mysteries, and the bread has risen, baked, and been enjoyed. -- Claudia Kousoulas Appetite for Books Cooks who want to learn more about the chemistry and physics that make their efforts possible will discover useful things here. Booklist This's molecular gastronomy is garnished with the author's own rich philosophy of food and flavor. -- Peter Barham Nature An exuberant paean for the role of science in cooking... This's book performs a great service. -- Len Fisher Times Higher Education Supplement This book should be in every kitchen. -- Christine Sismondo Toronto Star [An] eye-opening book. -- Kate Colquhoun Portsmouth Herald Witty and humorous... [readers] whose eyes glaze over at the very mention of electrons may find themselves becoming entranced by This' graceful descriptions of essential chemical reactions. -- Lynn Harnett Seacoast Sunday Well crafted, sprinkled with insight, and containing a menagerie of information, Kitchen Mysteries is a wonderful trip down a stellar buffet line. -- J. Edward Sumerau Metro Spirit Kitchen Mysteries is another tour de force for the French scientific chef... Highly Recommended. Choice This's book offers expert explanations that give the reader a better understanding of both cooking and cuisine. As such, it is enticing. -- Pierre Laszlo Chemical HeritageTable of ContentsSeries Editor's Foreword Cooking and Science The New Physiology of Flavor Soup Milk Gels, Jellies, Aspics Mayonnaise The Egg's Incarnations A Successful Souffle ? Cooking The Boiled and the Bouillon Steaming Braising Chicken Stew, Beef Stew, Veal Stew Questions of Pressure Roasting Deep-Frying Sautes and Grills Even More Tender Salting Microwaves Vegetables: Color and Freshness Sauces: Creamy, Satiny, Flavorful A Burning Question The Salad: An Oasis of Freshness Yogurt and Cheese Fruits of the Harvest Ices and Sorbets Cakes: Light and Melting Pastry Dough: Tart, Shortbread, and Puff Pastry Sugar Bread Wine The Alcohols Jams Tea Cold and Cool Vinegar Kitchen Utensils Mysteries of the Kitchen Glossary Index
£13.29
Columbia University Press An Internet in Your Head
Book SynopsisThe computational neuroscientist Daniel Graham offers an innovative paradigm for understanding the brain. He argues that the brain is not like a single computer—it is a communication system, like the internet.Trade ReviewGraham offers a fresh, insightful, and informative perspective on brain function, proposing that communication between neurons resembles signal passing in the internet as a novel metaphor to investigate the brain. He provides erudite discussions and presents compelling arguments in a lively and clear manner. -- Gabriel Kreiman, Harvard Medical SchoolEver since we began to explore the brain, we have used various metaphors, typically relating brains to machines. Von Neumann introduced the computer metaphor but the list of similarities faded away with time. Daniel Graham’s book updates the "brain-is-like" metaphor to encompass the internet. Unlike the computer, the internet is not a blueprint design but a constantly evolving system, much like the brain. Or perhaps it is not the entire brain but only the neocortex is like the internet, which contains all knowledge of the individual, the way the internet contains all factual knowledge of humankind. Yet, only through efficient searching can knowledge become accessible; luckily, there is the hippocampus, the brain’s search engine. Of course, metaphors can be reciprocated. Does the internet have plans, feelings, and intentions? Get your copy to find out. -- György Buzsáki, author of Rhythms of the Brain and The Brain from Inside OutIn this timely book, the neuroscientist Daniel Graham argues eloquently for shedding the worn idea of brain as computer for that of brain as communication device—brain as internet. A must-read for anyone interested in the brain from the novice to the hardened professional, Graham's book bravely challenges the standard dogma to reshape and reframe our thinking about the workings of the brain. -- Michael S. Gazzaniga, director of the SAGE Center for the Study of Mind, University of California Santa Barbara, and author of The Consciousness Instinct: Unraveling the Mystery of How the Brain Makes the MindBrain function cannot be fully understood without considering how neurons and brain regions connect and communicate. What are the principles that govern how rich and dynamic patterns of network communication organize and support mind and cognition? This book offers a truly enjoyable and accessible account of this important topic, as well as a fresh and thought-provoking perspective that bridges brain science and modern communication technology. -- Olaf Sporns, distinguished professor of psychological and brain sciences, Indiana UniversityThe brain and the internet both require flexibility for reliably routing information across growing and adapting networks. Graham’s accessible and scholarly book, which also considers mail and telephone networks, develops plausible similarities for how brains and internets solve routing problems. -- Chris McManus, professor of psychology, University College London, and author of Right Hand, Left Hand: The Origins of Asymmetry in Brains, Bodies, Atoms, and CulturesTable of ContentsPreface1. The Internet-Brain and the Computer-Brain2. Metaphors for the Brain3. What We Don’t Know About Brains4. From Connectomics to Dynomics5. How the Internet Works6. The Internet Metaphor: First Steps to a New Theory of the Brain7. Critique of the Internet Metaphor8. The Internet Metaphor in Action: Emerging Models and New Technologies9. The Internet Metaphor, AI, and UsAfterwordAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex
£21.25
Columbia University Press Programmable Planet
Book SynopsisProgrammable Planet is a grand tour through the world of synthetic biology, telling the stories of the colorful visionaries whose ideas are shaping discoveries. Ted Anton explores the field from its beginning in fighting malaria in Africa to the COVID vaccines and beyond.Trade ReviewProgrammable Planet captures the passion and energy of those at the genesis of the construction of the genetically engineered world. -- Christopher Voigt, Daniel I.C. Wang Professor of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyIf you’ve ever wondered about the promise—and the peril—of synthetic biology and its power to transform life, then Programmable Planet is the book for you. Ted Anton’s exploration of both the history and the future of the ways we engineer life is incisive, engaging, and downright fascinating. -- Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety in the Early Twentieth CenturyProgrammable Planet is a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read. Anton is an expert storyteller who blends the human element with cutting-edge science like a synthetic biologist engineering a novel organism. Timely and at times provocative, the book provides a wonderful grounding for those interested in learning more about synthetic biology’s promise and threat. And we should all be interested in learning more. -- Aoife Brennan, president and chief executive officer, SynlogicIn this rollicking compendium, Anton documents a huge number of ways synthetic biology can be used in practice, embedding these examples in the experiences of the people involved. -- Drew Endy, Stanford UniversityTable of ContentsIntroductionPart I. Beginnings1. A Glass of Absinthe: A Malaria Medicine2. A Radical Philosophy3. Pandora’s Box: The Triumph and Temptation of Gene Editing4. The Silk Road: Directing Evolution5. Wild: Remaking LifePart II. Ripples in the Water6. Rush: Biology-Made Medicines7. New Nature: A Do-It-Yourself Environment8. Hearth and Home9. Fantastic Voyages: Mining and the Military10. The Killers: Viruses as HealersPart III. Bioindustrial Revolution11. Race to a Vaccine12. Global Production: Perils and Profits of a New Science13. The Moirai’s Gift14. To the Planets, and Beyond: Synthetic Biology in Space15. FuturamaAcknowledgmentsTimelineGlossaryFurther ReadingNotesIndex
£25.50
Headline Publishing Group The Geek Guide to Life Sciences Solutions to
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
£15.29
Headline Publishing Group Science Museum Genius Inventions The Stories
Book SynopsisGenius Inventions gives readers an insight into the events, people and histories behind technological and scientific developments that have helped shape modern civilization. Table of ContentsAncient Inventions • The Islamic World • Printing • Renaissance Science • Telescopes and Microscopes • Submarines • The Age of Electricity • Steam Power • Photography • The Railways • Electromagnetism • The Mechanical Computer • Antiseptic • The Motor Car • The Light Bulb • The Telephone • Affordable Photography • Alternating Current Motor • Motion Pictures • Powered Flight • Radio • The Haber-Bosch Process • Television • The Helicopter • Rockets • Digital Computers • Immunosuppressive and Antiviral Drugs • The Internet.
£18.00
Headline Publishing Group Mars A Journey of Discovery
Book SynopsisMars: A Journey of Discovery takes us through previously uncharted territory to experience the unravelling of the mysteries of Mars first-hand and as they happened. Table of ContentsA Flickering Orb of Red • Red Planet Empire • The Sprinter: Mariner 4, First to Mars • Mars is Not Red: Marsniks Fail and Mariners Soar • Wet and Wild: A Shocking View from Mariner 9 • Into the Unknown • The Magnificent Vikings • Pink Sky, Red Sand • Is It Life? • Plucky Pathfinder • Pathfinder Triumphant • From on High: Mars Global Surveyor • An Odyssey to the Great Galactic Ghoul • Express Lane: Mars Express • Follow the Water • Blueberries, Dust Devils and Other Martian Delights • Opportunity's Grand Trek • HD in Space: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter • Empire of Ice: Mars Phoenix Lander • Seven Minutes of Terror: Mars Science Laboratory • We Found What We Came For • On to Mount Sharp • Yin and Yang: Maven and Mangalyaan • Next Steps: Insight and the Mars 2020 Rover: Russia's Turn: Europe's Exomars • NASA's Plan: Give Us (Another) 25 Years.
£18.00
Headline Publishing Group Science the Sht Out of Life
Book SynopsisScience the Sh*t Out of Life reveals the nerdy secrets to living smarter, offering scientifically sourced advice for dealing with everything life throws at you. Presented with top tips, infographics and a sense of humour.Table of ContentsStaying Healthy. Working Smarter. Love and Relationships. At Home. Sport and Leisure. Travel. Money. Just In Case.
£12.34
Headline Publishing Group The Compact Guide DNA
Book SynopsisA compact guide to DNA: who we are, how we're wired, and how we repair ourselves. Table of ContentsMeet your genome • How do genes work? • Our genetic journey • Under attack! • Who do you think you are? • People are not peas • Genetic superheroes • Turn me on • Epigenetics • The RNA world • Building a baby • Wiring the brain • Compatibility genes • Why women are stripy • The viruses that made us human • When things go wrong • Human 2.0.
£8.54
Headline Publishing Group The Elements The Compact Guide
Book SynopsisThe elements make up everything, and this book is your compact guide to every one of them. Table of ContentsHydrogen • Group 1: The Alkali Metals • Group 2: The Alkaline Earth Metals • Interlude: Group 3 and the d- and f-Blocks • The Rare Earth Metals • The Actinoids • Group 4: The Titanium Group • Group 5: The Vanadium Group • Group 6: The Chromium Group • Group 7: The Manganese Group • Group 8: The Iron Group • Group 9: The Cobalt Group • Group 10: The Nickel Group • Group 11: The Copper Group • Group 12: The Zinc Group • Group 13: The Boron Group • Group 14: The Carbon Group • Group 15: The Nitrogen Group • Group 16: The Oxygen Group • Group 17: The Halogens • Group 18: The Noble Gases • Glossary.
£8.99
Headline Publishing Group From Science Fiction to Science Fact How Writers
Book SynopsisThe iconic futurist artist and designer Syd Mead once described science fiction as reality ahead of schedule. In From Science Fiction to Science Fact, Levy explores the visions of the writers, futurists and far-sighted inventors who made those realities, from the direct influence of H.G.Table of ContentsMilitary. Lifestyle and Consumer. Space and Transport. Medicine and Biology. Communications and IT.
£18.00
Headline Publishing Group The Medicine Cabinet The story of health and
Book SynopsisA compendium of over 100 astonishing objects related to the story of medicine. Table of ContentsIntroduction • Belief • Birth and Death • Assistive Technologies • Surgery • Diagnosis • Drugs and Pharmacy • Public Health • Hospitals • Understanding Our Bodies • War • Index and Acknowledgements.
£21.25
Penguin Books Ltd Breath
Book SynopsisTrade Review'If there's one book you read this year, make it this one''Who would have thought something as simple as changing the way we breathe could be so revolutionary for our health? James Nestor is the perfect guide to the pulmonary world and has written a fascinating book, full of dazzling revelations' -- Dr Rangan Chatterjee'In the past few years, there have been several potentially life-changing books, from Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep and Shane O'Mara's In Praise of Walking, to Norman Doidge's The Brain's Way of Healing. Breath deserves a place alongside such volumes. Read it, and I guarantee you will want to change the way you breathe' -- Evening Standard'I highly recommend this book' -- Wim Hof, on Instagram'James Nestor's fascinating new book is playful and optimistic' -- Spectator
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd The Frontiers of Knowledge
Book Synopsis''Grayling brings satisfying order to daunting subjects'' Steven Pinker_________________________In very recent times humanity has learnt a vast amount about the universe, the past, and itself. But through our remarkable successes in acquiring knowledge we have learned how much we have yet to learn: the science we have, for example, addresses just 5 per cent of the universe; pre-history is still being revealed, with thousands of historical sites yet to be explored; and the new neurosciences of mind and brain are just beginning. What do we know, and how do we know it? What do we now know that we don''t know? And what have we learnt about the obstacles to knowing more? In a time of deepening battles over what knowledge and truth mean, these questions matter more than ever. Bestselling polymath and philosopher A. C. Grayling seeks to answer them in three crucial areas at the frontiers of knowledge: science, history and psychology. A remarkTrade ReviewGrayling brings satisfying order to daunting subjects -- Steven PinkerRemarkable, readable and authoritative. How he has mastered so much, so thoroughly, is nothing short of amazing -- Lawrence M. Krauss, author of A Universe from NothingThis book hums with the excitement of the great human project of discovery -- Adam Zeman, author of AphantasiaProf. Grayling interweaves the recent scientific and archaeological advances into a compelling narrative of how much progress humans have made in the understanding of their place in the natural, social and cognitive worlds. And how ignorant we still remain providing strong motivation to further this understanding by new empirical evidence -- Tejidner Virdee FRSAC Grayling tackles the questions science can't answer... a breathtaking book... Scholarly, lucid and accessible without being patronising or diluting, Grayling offers a masterly exegesis of current knowledge in three disciplines, as well as an analysis of what both opens and obstructs our access to such knowledge - in effect, four books in one -- Jane O'Grady * The Telegraph *An enthusiastic thinker who embraces humour, common sense and lucidity * Independent *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd The Better Half On the Genetic Superiority of
Book SynopsisFrom an award-winning medic and scientist, the game-changing case that genetic females have greater resilience, immunity, endurance and more, compared with males'A powerful antidote to the myth of a weaker sex' Gina Rippon, author of The Gendered BrainFrom birth, genetic females are better at fighting viruses, infections and cancer. They do better at surviving epidemics and famines. They live longer, and even see the world in a wider variety of colours. These are the facts; they are simply stronger than men at every stage of life. Why? And why are we taught the opposite?Drawing on his wide-ranging experience and cutting-edge research as a medic, geneticist and specialist in rare diseases, Dr Sharon Moalem set out to understand why women are consistently more likely than men to thrive. The answer, he reveals, lies in our genetics: the female's double XX chromosomes offer a powerful survival advantage. Moalem explains why genetic females outperform males when it comes to immunity, resi
£18.00
