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Book SynopsisThis book is a biography of François Englert, the first Belgian Nobel Laureate in Physics. Jointly awarded to him and British physicist Peter Higgs, the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics was celebrated for the understanding of the origin of massive particles in the emerging Universe, one of the most important breakthroughs in Physics in the second half of the 20th century.From his childhood as the son of Jewish emigrants, a 'hidden child' during the Second World War, a rebellious youth — still a rebel fond of poetry and music, aware of the 'sound and fury' of the world — to his achievements as a physicist and his contributions that won the Nobel Prize, readers will find the life story of François Englert imbued with the epitome of resilience. The epilogue further expresses Englert's philosophical and scientific standpoints about the future of Physics. Although written with a great concern for scientific accuracy, the book's primary goal is to offer the lay reader an accessible account of the life and scientific work of François Englert. This is to address the fact that the development of fundamental physics, one of the greatest intellectual revolution in the history of mankind, remains largely unknown to the general public.The author, Danielle Losman, is a former student of François Englert and a literary translator. When the suggestion came about to write his biography, it seemed natural to the professor and his former student to embark together in this adventure.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a biography of François Englert, the first Belgian Nobel Laureate in Physics. Jointly awarded to him and British physicist Peter Higgs, the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics was celebrated for the understanding of the origin of massive particles in the emerging Universe, one of the most important breakthroughs in Physics in the second half of the 20th century.From his childhood as the son of Jewish emigrants, a 'hidden child' during the Second World War, a rebellious youth — still a rebel fond of poetry and music, aware of the 'sound and fury' of the world — to his achievements as a physicist and his contributions that won the Nobel Prize, readers will find the life story of François Englert imbued with the epitome of resilience. The epilogue further expresses Englert's philosophical and scientific standpoints about the future of Physics. Although written with a great concern for scientific accuracy, the book's primary goal is to offer the lay reader an accessible account of the life and scientific work of François Englert. This is to address the fact that the development of fundamental physics, one of the greatest intellectual revolution in the history of mankind, remains largely unknown to the general public.The author, Danielle Losman, is a former student of François Englert and a literary translator. When the suggestion came about to write his biography, it seemed natural to the professor and his former student to embark together in this adventure.

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Book SynopsisProfessor Chen-Ning Yang is best known for his achievements in Physics. He has also made significant contributions to the development of mathematics, as mathematics is extensively used in his research. In his long and fruitful academic career, he has witnessed many important events in the fields of Physics and Mathematics, and has collaborated or interacted with many great scientists in history. This book records eight interviews with Professor Chen-Ning Yang, which were conducted by the authors from 2016 to 2019.Through Professor Yang's unique perspective, major scientific events in the 20th century were revisited vividly, elaborating the development and mutual influences of mathematics and physics, as well as unveiling the academic work, the daily lives, and the personalities of scientists, as well as their collaboration and competition, some stories unknown to the public before are also revealed in this book.

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Book SynopsisMaking Sense of the Senses provides an easily understandable and engaging overview of the senses. The book allows readers insights into how humans and other animals perceive the world, reflecting a level of knowledge similar to that acquired by studying neuroscience at an undergraduate level. In order to offer an accessible introduction to the science, it uses relatable examples to uncover the history, evolution, and biological principles of the way we see, smell, hear, taste, touch and more.Rather than only focusing on the five primary senses you can see on the cover, Making Sense of the Senses dives deep into the various methods through which life across the planet surveys the world, and guides the reader through the lesser-known methods through which we humans interpret our surroundings. In this way, we come across some amazing abilities that we often forget we possess.Humans are nevertheless rather average creatures compared to many sensory specialists. So when we compare our relatively modest capabilities to those of other species across the animal kingdom, we are forced to yield our anthropocentric sense of supremacy. This book will introduce how biological life developed the capacity to detect magnetic fields, radioactivity, and many more phenomena that until recently were inaccessible to humans.By contextualising and comparing how the senses operate, this book covers the sensory systems in a way no popular science book has previously done. If you are starting your career in neuroscience, or simply want to learn more about the ways our biology guides us through life, Making Sense of the Senses will change the way you think about our perception of the world.

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Book SynopsisWhat do we really know about the world? Physics utilizes complex equations to avoid having to answer philosophical questions like this. Consider, for example, the fact that the motion of particles is described in terms of straight lines, while any line that we can actually draw is never perfectly straight. Working physicists adopt many of such presuppositions, rarely stopping to question the correspondence between physical equations and reality. This has resulted in the common misconception that there is a clear divide between Newton's 17th century physics and that of Einstein's on account of different mathematical descriptions. However, if equations do not always represent reality, what can they tell us about reality?This book focuses on some of the philosophical problems underlying all theories in physics, such as the nature of time (is time just 'that which is measured by a clock' or is it more than that?). It may seem as if these problems were more or less solved in the three-and-a-half centuries that have passed since Newton's time. But the philosophical 'open ends' were the same for Einstein and remain the same to this day. Philosophy and physics are two sides of the same coin.Filled with personal anecdotes and amusing examples, this book provides the perfect introduction to the topic for readers with a non-scientific background. It also enables the reader to come to their own informed conclusion about the relation between physics and the reality in which we live.

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Book SynopsisWhat do we really know about the world? Physics utilizes complex equations to avoid having to answer philosophical questions like this. Consider, for example, the fact that the motion of particles is described in terms of straight lines, while any line that we can actually draw is never perfectly straight. Working physicists adopt many of such presuppositions, rarely stopping to question the correspondence between physical equations and reality. This has resulted in the common misconception that there is a clear divide between Newton's 17th century physics and that of Einstein's on account of different mathematical descriptions. However, if equations do not always represent reality, what can they tell us about reality?This book focuses on some of the philosophical problems underlying all theories in physics, such as the nature of time (is time just 'that which is measured by a clock' or is it more than that?). It may seem as if these problems were more or less solved in the three-and-a-half centuries that have passed since Newton's time. But the philosophical 'open ends' were the same for Einstein and remain the same to this day. Philosophy and physics are two sides of the same coin.Filled with personal anecdotes and amusing examples, this book provides the perfect introduction to the topic for readers with a non-scientific background. It also enables the reader to come to their own informed conclusion about the relation between physics and the reality in which we live.

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Book SynopsisAs diverse as they are interesting, the issues within the life sciences never fail to impress and stir controversy among the lay public. In a field that too often presents the general reader with challenging and confusing material, this book provides a breath of fresh air: a readable, standalone collection of essays that navigate the complex terrain of cells, cloning, and Mad Cows.The second edition of this popular book is thoroughly updated with the latest issues, information, and statistics in the same readable and vividly illustrated format. A new chapter on organ transplantation looks at advances in immunology and the discovery of immunosuppressive drugs, which have contributed significantly to the success rate of these surgeries. Another new section tackles the fascinating subject of heredity, considering its historical background and Mendel's discoveries, genetically determined diseases, and the importance of genetic counseling.Illustrating how art, philosophy and mythology juxtapose yet complement scientific thought and evolution, the inclusion of poems and quotes at the end of each chapter serve to make this book truly unique.Table of Contents# In Search of Truth # From Molecules to Cell # From Inanimate to Animate # The Mother of All Cells # Cells Out of Control # Extending the Range of Vision # On Life's Fringes # A Friend and a Foe # The Mouldy World # The Unwanted Guests # Mad Cows and Toxic Proteins # Arthropods as Agents of Disease # The Never-Ending Battle # Bolstering Defenses # Microbes and Weapons # Sex and Survival # Do Microbes Possess Consciousness? # Nature's Clocks # The Plant Kingdom # The Long March of Evolution # Making Clones # Replacing Body Parts # Heredity and Disease # The End Game

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Book SynopsisThis is a mathematics book written specifically for the enjoyment of non-mathematicians and those who “hated math in school.” The book is organized into two sections: (I) Beauty for the Eye (shallow water for the non-swimmer); and (II) A Feast for the Mind (slowly getting deeper for the more adventurous).The author covers beautiful infinite series beginning with those that a young child can understand to one that even Isaac Newton, Gottfried Liebniz and the famous Bernoulli brothers could not sum.Trade Review"Written in a warm and graceful style, this unusual book has the feel of a journey through time interspersed with historical references and interesting anecdotes. Using infinite series as a thread, the book reveals the beauty and elegance as well as the intellectual challenges in mathematics. The Pleasures of Pi,e takes its readers through a tantalizing mathematical adventure. This book should appeal to the young from pre-teen to pre-university, in addition to grown-ups with an interest in mathematics."Professor Shih Choon Fong, MS, PhD (Harvard)President, National University of SingaporeForeign Associate, US National Academy of EngineeringForeign Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and SciencesChevalier, Order of "Legion d' Honneur""Dr Y E O Adrian ... has written an interesting book on infinite series, a subject which has attracted the attention of many mathematicians throughout the ages. He has managed to point out very clearly the key features of each series, which is his major contribution. Anyone who has a serious interest in infinite series will find his book a good reference. Another interesting feature is the numerous quotations by famous writers, philosophers, scientists and mathematicians from Plato to Albert Einstein. They provide a number of refreshing views of mathematics. I find his book really fascinating."Professor Cham Tao Soon, BE, BSc, PhD (Cambridge)University Distinguished Professor(Former President, 1981 - 2002)Nanyang Technological University, Republic of SingaporeFellow, Royal Academy of Engineering, UKMember, Swedish Royal Academy of EngineeringHonorary Fellow, St. Catharine's College, Cambridge"This book nicely complements the standard texts on mathematics, offering a very different perspective from other math books that I have come across. Written like a story book with an easy command of English, Dr Y E O Adrian delivers the content in a clear, lucid and delightful style. This book is as light a reading as a math book can be -- a much appreciated breath of fresh air. Enticing and entertaining, it makes for a good weekend read for both young and old, children and parents, and even grandparents."Professor Li Cheng, BEng, MS, PhD (Tsinghua University)Associate Professor of Mechanical EngineeringOutstanding Educator Award Winner (2000, 2005)National University of Singapore"This is an interesting book on mathematics. The author presents various mathematical series and proofs in an easy to comprehend and fun style ... This is meant to be an entertaining read on a traditionally tedious subject -- mathematics. Anyone who is interested in mathematics and number series would find this book to be informative, enlightening, and entertaining."IEEE Electrical Insulation MagazineTable of ContentsBeauty for the Eye: Infinity and Infinite Series; -Series; e-Series; Other Interesting Number Series; Feast for the Mind: Easy Proofs; Less Easy Proofs; Not-So-Easy Proofs.

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Book SynopsisAmbition, genius, thought, imagination, love, hate, greed and, above all, consciousness ourselves as alive and as part of our world — all this is somehow enabled by the brain. The brain is the person, and if it goes wrong, a person is ruined. This book is about part of what the brain does — a role of which many of us are hardly aware, but one that has ensured, the survival of mankind. Despite famine, drought, wars, cold, infections and hostile environments, we survive as a species — though not always as individuals. All this time, our brains have been coping with what fate throws at us — a process that some call adaptation. How does the brain do it? How does it know what's needed? How does it enable us to provide that need? How much do we depend on our own brains, or on those of others?This book is different from other books on the brain. It deals with the brain's role in survival, rather than “higher” cognitive functions (such as language or thought). It describes the special part of the brain that keeps you alive: that makes you feel hungry when you need energy, makes you feel thirsty when you need water, drives you to reproduce so that your species survives, makes you fearful of things or individuals that might harm you, and defends you against adversity.Table of ContentsThe Brain as a Survival Machine; A Chemical Code for Survival; Mostly about Serotonin; How the Brain Copes with Stress; The Brain and Eating; How the Limbic System Keeps You Wet and Salty; Keeping Warm, Staying Cool; The Sexual Brain; Bonding, Motherhood and Love: The Brain and Social Competence; The Brain Goes to War; The Rhythm of Life; When the Brain Fails to Cope; Individuality.

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Book SynopsisAmbition, genius, thought, imagination, love, hate, greed and, above all, consciousness ourselves as alive and as part of our world — all this is somehow enabled by the brain. The brain is the person, and if it goes wrong, a person is ruined. This book is about part of what the brain does — a role of which many of us are hardly aware, but one that has ensured, the survival of mankind. Despite famine, drought, wars, cold, infections and hostile environments, we survive as a species — though not always as individuals. All this time, our brains have been coping with what fate throws at us — a process that some call adaptation. How does the brain do it? How does it know what's needed? How does it enable us to provide that need? How much do we depend on our own brains, or on those of others?This book is different from other books on the brain. It deals with the brain's role in survival, rather than “higher” cognitive functions (such as language or thought). It describes the special part of the brain that keeps you alive: that makes you feel hungry when you need energy, makes you feel thirsty when you need water, drives you to reproduce so that your species survives, makes you fearful of things or individuals that might harm you, and defends you against adversity.Table of ContentsThe Brain as a Survival Machine; A Chemical Code for Survival; Mostly about Serotonin; How the Brain Copes with Stress; The Brain and Eating; How the Limbic System Keeps You Wet and Salty; Keeping Warm, Staying Cool; The Sexual Brain; Bonding, Motherhood and Love: The Brain and Social Competence; The Brain Goes to War; The Rhythm of Life; When the Brain Fails to Cope; Individuality.

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Book SynopsisThis enlightening book, a sequel to QUIPS, QUOTES, AND QUANTA, helps readers to understand how physicists think about and look at the world. Starting with the discovery and investigation of cosmic rays, the book proceeds to cover some major areas of modern physics in laymen's terms. Unlike other books that deal with the history of physics, this volume concentrates on anecdotes about the physicists who created the new ideas, with a heavy emphasis on personal incidents and quotes. At the same time it presents, in every day language, the ideas created by these physicists. Both thematic and biographical in nature, readers will be entertained with humorous events in the lives of some famous scientists. Readers will also learn quite a lot about modern physics without the mathematical details, but with the important concepts intact.Table of ContentsPrologue; The Birthcry of Atoms; The Dirac Equation; Quantum Field Theory; The Strongest Force; Loss of Innocence: The Atom Bomb; Elementary Particles; Of Matter Liquid and Solid; Cosmology; Black Holes; Epilogue; Glossary and Timeline.

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Book SynopsisSince the mid-1820s, a series of lectures has been delivered each year over the Christmas period in the world-famous Faraday Lecture Theatre at The Royal Institution of Great Britain by prominent scientists, addressed specifically to an audience of children. Initially made accessible in book form, the lectures have been nationally televised throughout the UK and distributed worldwide since the 1960s, making them accessible to an even larger audience. The importance of these lectures in promoting science to a broad audience is perhaps best gauged by the fact that an image of one of Faraday's lectures appeared on the Bank of England £20 note in the 1990s.This anthology brings together, for the first time, a carefully chosen selection of 11 lectures from the 1860s to the 1990s. The selection includes lectures by Michael Faraday, arguably the most important and influential 19th-century physicist, and Lawrence Bragg, the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Prize. Through this work, readers will come to grips with the changing nature of popular science lectures over the past 140 years.Table of ContentsThe Correlation of the Physical Forces (M Faraday); Carbon or Charcoal -- Coal Gas -- Respiration and Its Analogy to the Burning of a Candle -- Conclusion (M Faraday); The Forms of Water: Sections 1-10 (J Tyndall); Lessons in Electricity: Sections 29-32 (J Tyndall); Stars (R S Ball); Rontgen Light (S P Thompson); The Great Extinct Reptiles -- Dinosaurs from the Oolites -- The Pariasaurus and Inostransevia from the Trias of North Russia and South Africa -- Marine Reptiles (E R Lankester); The Atoms of Which Things Are Made (W H Bragg); Our Electrical Supply (W L Bragg); Objects and Pictures (R L Gregory); Gallery of Monsters (I Stewart).

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Book SynopsisSince the mid-1820s, a series of lectures has been delivered each year over the Christmas period in the world-famous Faraday Lecture Theatre at The Royal Institution of Great Britain by prominent scientists, addressed specifically to an audience of children. Initially made accessible in book form, the lectures have been nationally televised throughout the UK and distributed worldwide since the 1960s, making them accessible to an even larger audience. The importance of these lectures in promoting science to a broad audience is perhaps best gauged by the fact that an image of one of Faraday's lectures appeared on the Bank of England £20 note in the 1990s.This anthology brings together, for the first time, a carefully chosen selection of 11 lectures from the 1860s to the 1990s. The selection includes lectures by Michael Faraday, arguably the most important and influential 19th-century physicist, and Lawrence Bragg, the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Prize. Through this work, readers will come to grips with the changing nature of popular science lectures over the past 140 years.Table of ContentsThe Correlation of the Physical Forces (M Faraday); Carbon or Charcoal -- Coal Gas -- Respiration and Its Analogy to the Burning of a Candle -- Conclusion (M Faraday); The Forms of Water: Sections 1-10 (J Tyndall); Lessons in Electricity: Sections 29-32 (J Tyndall); Stars (R S Ball); Rontgen Light (S P Thompson); The Great Extinct Reptiles -- Dinosaurs from the Oolites -- The Pariasaurus and Inostransevia from the Trias of North Russia and South Africa -- Marine Reptiles (E R Lankester); The Atoms of Which Things Are Made (W H Bragg); Our Electrical Supply (W L Bragg); Objects and Pictures (R L Gregory); Gallery of Monsters (I Stewart).

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Book SynopsisAll earnest and honest human quests for knowledge are efforts to understand Nature, which includes both human and nonhuman systems, the objects of study in science. Thus, broadly speaking, all these quests are in the science domain. The methods and tools used may be different; for example, the literary people use mainly their bodily sensors and their brain as the information processor, while natural scientists may use, in addition, measuring instruments and computers. Yet, all these activities could be viewed in a unified perspective — they are scientific developments at varying stages of maturity and have a lot to learn from each other.That “everything in Nature is part of science” was well recognized by Aristotle, da Vinci and many others. Yet, it is only recently, with the advent of modern science and experiences gathered in the study of statistical physics, complex systems and other disciplines, that we know how the human-related disciplines can be studied scientifically.Science Matters is about all human-dependent knowledge, wherein humans (the material system of Homo sapiens) are studied scientifically from the perspective of complex systems. It includes all the topics covered in the humanities and social sciences. Containing contributions from knowledgeable humanists, social scientists and physicists, the book is intended for those — from artists to scientists — who are curious about the world and are interested in understanding it with a unified perspective.Table of ContentsScience Matters: A Unified Perspective (L Lam); Art and Culture: Culture THROUGH Science: A New World of Images and Stories (P Caro); Physiognomy in Science and Art: Properties of a Natural Body Inferred from Its Appearance (B Hoppe); Has Neuroscience Any Theological Consequence? (A Dinis); SciComm, PopSci and The Real World (L Lam); Philosophy and History of Science: The Tripod of Science: Communication, Philosophy and Education (N Sanitt); History and Philosophy of Science: Towards a New Epistemology (M Burguete); Philosophy of Science and Chinese Sciences: The Multicultural View of Science and a Unified Ontological Perspective (B Liu); Evolution of the Concept of Science Communication in China (D-G Li); History of Science in Globalizing Time (D Liu); Raising Scientific Level: Why Markets are Moral (M Shermer); Towards the Understanding of Human Dynamics (T Zhao et al.); Human History: A Science Matter (L Lam).

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Book SynopsisThis is the international edition of Prof Rao's popular science book, an elementary introduction intended for high school students and others interested in appreciation of chemistry. Ideas and facts are presented, and a few questions raised, in order to interest the reader in the subject and to arouse curiosity. The book covers essential aspects of chemistry, features of the modern periodic table, bonding between atoms in molecules and substances, shapes and structures of molecules, metals and materials, alkalis and acids, carbon compounds, electronic structure of atoms, classification of elements, simple chemical reactions, biopolymers and man-made polymers and aspects of energy. There are also life sketches of chemists and procedures for a few experiments.

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 2006 two books attacking string theory, a prominent theory in physics, appeared: Peter Woit's 'Not Even Wrong' and Lee Smolin's 'The Trouble with Physics'. A fierce public debate, much of it on weblogs, ensued.Gina is very curious about science blogs. Can they be useful for learning about or discussing science? What happens in these blogs and who participates in them? Gina is eager to learn the issues and to form her own opinion about the string theory controversy. She is equipped with some academic background, including in mathematics, and has some familiarity with academic life. Her knowledge of physics is derived mainly from popular accounts. Gina likes to debate and to argue. She is fascinated by questions about rationality and philosophy, and was exposed to various other scientific controversies in the past.This book uses the blog debate on string theory to discuss blogs, science, and mathematics. Meandering over various topics from children's dyscalculia to Chomskian linguistics, the reader may get some sense of the chaotic and often confusing scientific experience. The book tries to show the immense difficulty involved in getting the factual matters right, and interpreting fragmented and partial information.

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 2006 two books attacking string theory, a prominent theory in physics, appeared: Peter Woit's 'Not Even Wrong' and Lee Smolin's 'The Trouble with Physics'. A fierce public debate, much of it on weblogs, ensued.Gina is very curious about science blogs. Can they be useful for learning about or discussing science? What happens in these blogs and who participates in them? Gina is eager to learn the issues and to form her own opinion about the string theory controversy. She is equipped with some academic background, including in mathematics, and has some familiarity with academic life. Her knowledge of physics is derived mainly from popular accounts. Gina likes to debate and to argue. She is fascinated by questions about rationality and philosophy, and was exposed to various other scientific controversies in the past.This book uses the blog debate on string theory to discuss blogs, science, and mathematics. Meandering over various topics from children's dyscalculia to Chomskian linguistics, the reader may get some sense of the chaotic and often confusing scientific experience. The book tries to show the immense difficulty involved in getting the factual matters right, and interpreting fragmented and partial information.

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Book SynopsisInfluenza, AIDS, and Ebola: Viruses are normally defined as pathogens. Most viruses are, however, not enemies or killers. Well-known virologist and cancer researcher Karin Moelling describes surprising insights about a completely new and unexpected world of viruses. Viruses are ubiquitous, in the oceans, our environment, in animals, plants, bacteria, in our body, even in our genomes. They influence our weather, can contribute to control obesity, and can surprisingly be applied against threatening multi-resistant bacteria. The success story of the viruses started more than 3.5 billion years ago in the dawn of life when even cells did not exist. They are the superpower of life. There are more viruses on earth than stars in the sky. Viruses are everywhere. Some of them are incredibly ancient. Many viruses are hundredfold smaller than bacteria, but others are tenfold bigger and they were discovered only recently — the giant viruses, even deep within the permafrost where they were reactivated after 30,000 years.The author talks about a completely new world of viruses, which are based on the most recent, in part her own research results. Could viruses have been our oldest ancestors? Have viruses even 'invented' social behavior, do they lead to geniuses such as Mozart or Einstein — or alternatively to cancer? They can help to cure cancer. In this book, the author made a clear distinction between what is fact and what is her vision. This book is written for a general audience and not just for the experts. Its aim is to stimulate thinking, and perhaps to attract more young scientists to enter this field of research.Table of ContentsViruses - Not as You Pictured Them; Viruses - How They Make Us Ill; Retroviruses and Immortality; Viruses and Cancer; Viruses That Do Not Make Us Ill; Viruses - "Giant" as Cells; Viruses as Fossils; Viruses - Our Oldest Ancestors?; Viruses and Antiviral Defense; Viruses or Phages for Survival?; Viruses for Gene Therapy; Viruses and The Future;

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Book SynopsisInfluenza, AIDS, and Ebola: Viruses are normally defined as pathogens. Most viruses are, however, not enemies or killers. Well-known virologist and cancer researcher Karin Moelling describes surprising insights about a completely new and unexpected world of viruses. Viruses are ubiquitous, in the oceans, our environment, in animals, plants, bacteria, in our body, even in our genomes. They influence our weather, can contribute to control obesity, and can surprisingly be applied against threatening multi-resistant bacteria. The success story of the viruses started more than 3.5 billion years ago in the dawn of life when even cells did not exist. They are the superpower of life. There are more viruses on earth than stars in the sky. Viruses are everywhere. Some of them are incredibly ancient. Many viruses are hundredfold smaller than bacteria, but others are tenfold bigger and they were discovered only recently — the giant viruses, even deep within the permafrost where they were reactivated after 30,000 years.The author talks about a completely new world of viruses, which are based on the most recent, in part her own research results. Could viruses have been our oldest ancestors? Have viruses even 'invented' social behavior, do they lead to geniuses such as Mozart or Einstein — or alternatively to cancer? They can help to cure cancer. In this book, the author made a clear distinction between what is fact and what is her vision. This book is written for a general audience and not just for the experts. Its aim is to stimulate thinking, and perhaps to attract more young scientists to enter this field of research.Table of ContentsViruses - Not as You Pictured Them; Viruses - How They Make Us Ill; Retroviruses and Immortality; Viruses and Cancer; Viruses That Do Not Make Us Ill; Viruses - "Giant" as Cells; Viruses as Fossils; Viruses - Our Oldest Ancestors?; Viruses and Antiviral Defense; Viruses or Phages for Survival?; Viruses for Gene Therapy; Viruses and The Future;

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Book SynopsisCoping with the complexities of the social world in the 21st century requires deeper quantitative and predictive understanding. Forty-three internationally acclaimed scientists and thinkers share their vision for complexity science in the next decade in this invaluable book. Topics cover how complexity and big data science could help society to tackle the great challenges ahead, and how the newly established Complexity Science Hub Vienna might be a facilitator on this path.Published in collaboration with Institute Para Limes.

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Book Synopsis'The four laws that do not drive the universe: elements of thermodynamics for the curious and intelligent. The second purpose of Ben-Naim’s book is to explain thermodynamics and show its relationship to information theory. This explanation makes the present book worth reading in its own right. Ben-Naim’s discussion of the information basis of the second law is lucid and well worth reading.'CHOICEThis book provides a clear and mystery-free presentation of the central concepts in thermodynamics — probability, entropy, Helmholtz energy and Gibbs energy. It presents the concepts of entropy, free energy and various formulations of the Second Law in a friendly, simple language. It is devoid of all kinds of fancy and pompous statements made by authors of popular science books who write on this subject.The book focuses on the Four Laws of Thermodynamics. As it is said in the dedication page, this book is addressed to readers who might have already been exposed to Atkins' book having a similar title. It challenges both the title, and the contents of Atkins' book, Four Laws That Drive The Universe. One can glean from the title of this new book that the author's views are diametrically opposed to the views of Atkins.The book is addressed to any curious and intelligent reader. It aims to tickle, and hopefully to satisfy your curiosity. It also aims to challenge your gray matter, and to enrich your knowledge by telling you some facts and ideas regarding the Four Laws of Thermodynamics.

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Book SynopsisThis book contains the most interesting problems from the first 24 years of the 'Mathematical Duel', an annual international mathematics competition between the students of four schools: the Gymnázium Mikuláše Koperníka in Bílovec, Czech Republic, the Akademicki Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących in Chorzów, Poland, the Bundesrealgymnasium Kepler in Graz, Austria and the Gymnázium Jakuba Škody in Přerov, Czech Republic.The problems are presented by topic, grouped under the headings Geometry, Combinatorics, Number Theory and Algebra, which is typical for olympiad-style competitions.Above all, it is of interest to students preparing for mathematics competitions as well as teachers looking for material to prepare their students, as well as mathematically interested enthusiasts from all walks of life looking for an intellectual challenge.

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Book SynopsisThis book contains the most interesting problems from the first 24 years of the 'Mathematical Duel', an annual international mathematics competition between the students of four schools: the Gymnázium Mikuláše Koperníka in Bílovec, Czech Republic, the Akademicki Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących in Chorzów, Poland, the Bundesrealgymnasium Kepler in Graz, Austria and the Gymnázium Jakuba Škody in Přerov, Czech Republic.The problems are presented by topic, grouped under the headings Geometry, Combinatorics, Number Theory and Algebra, which is typical for olympiad-style competitions.Above all, it is of interest to students preparing for mathematics competitions as well as teachers looking for material to prepare their students, as well as mathematically interested enthusiasts from all walks of life looking for an intellectual challenge.

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Book SynopsisThis is a popular science book exploring the limits of scientific explanation. In particular, it debates if all sciences will ultimately be reducible to physics. The journey starts with physics itself, where there is a gap between the micro (quantum) and the macro (classical) and moves into chemistry, biology and the social sciences. Written by a practising scientist, this volume offers a personal perspective on various topics and incorporates the latest research.

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Book SynopsisThis is a popular science book exploring the limits of scientific explanation. In particular, it debates if all sciences will ultimately be reducible to physics. The journey starts with physics itself, where there is a gap between the micro (quantum) and the macro (classical) and moves into chemistry, biology and the social sciences. Written by a practising scientist, this volume offers a personal perspective on various topics and incorporates the latest research.

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Book SynopsisAre you considering to test your own DNA? Do you want to learn more about your health and ancestry? Understand your DNA — A Guide is about what you can use genetics for. For a few hundred dollars, you can now scan your own genes. Millions of people all over the world have already done so. Everyone wants to see what they can get to know about themselves, and the market growing rapidly. But what does it require from you? And what can you really use a DNA test for? Understand your DNA — A Guide helps you put the plots and charts of consumer genetics into perspective and enables you to figure out what's up and down in the media headlines. The book is also a key input for today's debate about what we as a society can and want to do with medical genetics. Genetics will play a growing role in the future. Understand your DNA — A Guide is an easy-to-read and necessary guide to that future. The book is provided with a foreword by Professor Sham Pak-Chung of Hong Kong University.While there are many books about genetics, they typically take the perspective of a scientist wanting to understand the molecular levels. At the same time, direct-to-consumer genetics is a booming market, with millions of people already tested. Very little has been published that will guide them for real, because the need here is more focused on medical and practical understanding, than focussed on molecules.This book therefore aims to hit that vacant spot in the market. It's a walk-through of all concepts that are necessary to understand in your own analysis. Meanwhile, it is also limited in scope to only those concepts — thus distinguishing it from broader works.The book is appropriate for the readerships in modern multi-ethnic metropolises because it mixes European and Asian examples, both from the collaboration between the author from Europe and the foreword-writer, Prof. Pak Sham of Hong Kong University. But also, because many of the examples in the book concerns differences and similarities between Asian and European ethnicities, something the author believes is a trend in time.Related Link(s)

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Book SynopsisThis unique volume applies physics and basic science to the mountain environment and is written in a non-technical language for curious laypeople who wonder why or how natural phenomena happen, and what their scientific explanation may be. The book discusses physics in a non-specialized way. Alpine Physics is mostly organized in categories relevant for non-scientists with an interest in alpine environments.Intuitive decision-making is often just grounded in plain common sense, to which mountain and nature lovers relate easily, especially when involving high-stakes decisions based on the estimation of such a treacherous environment. The book highlights how this intuitive decision-making can be complemented and augmented by basic scientific knowledge, and with better understanding it leads one to become a rational decision-maker.The book stimulates its readers to reason and discover why things are the way they are, at high altitudes, where many risk factors are aggravated, often dramatically, by steep gradients. The writing style marries that of the conventional science textbook and that of the informal North-American climbing guidebooks.

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Book SynopsisThis book recalls, for nonscientific readers, the history of quantum mechanics, the main points of its interpretation, and Einstein's objections to it, together with the responses engendered by his arguments. Most popular discussions on the strange aspects of quantum mechanics ignore the fundamental fact that Einstein was correct in his insistence that the theory does not directly describe reality. While that fact does not remove the theory's counterintuitive features, it casts them in a different light.Context is provided by following the history of two central aspects of physics: the elucidation of the basic structure of the world made up of particles, and the explanation, as well as the prediction, of how objects move. This history, prior to quantum mechanics, reveals that whereas theories and discoveries concerning the structure of nature became increasingly realistic, the laws of motion, even as they became more powerful, became more and more abstract and remote from intuitive notions of reality. Newton's laws of motion gained their abstract power by sacrificing direct and intuitive contact with real experience. Arriving 250 years after Newton, the break with a direct description of reality embodied in quantum mechanics was nevertheless profound.Table of ContentsSome Quantum History; Rules and Interpretations; Einstein's Defection; From Atomism to Real Particles; Laws of Motion; Fields; New Particles and Their Quantum Origins; Atoms, Inside and Out; Methods and Underpinnings.

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Book SynopsisThis book recalls, for nonscientific readers, the history of quantum mechanics, the main points of its interpretation, and Einstein's objections to it, together with the responses engendered by his arguments. Most popular discussions on the strange aspects of quantum mechanics ignore the fundamental fact that Einstein was correct in his insistence that the theory does not directly describe reality. While that fact does not remove the theory's counterintuitive features, it casts them in a different light.Context is provided by following the history of two central aspects of physics: the elucidation of the basic structure of the world made up of particles, and the explanation, as well as the prediction, of how objects move. This history, prior to quantum mechanics, reveals that whereas theories and discoveries concerning the structure of nature became increasingly realistic, the laws of motion, even as they became more powerful, became more and more abstract and remote from intuitive notions of reality. Newton's laws of motion gained their abstract power by sacrificing direct and intuitive contact with real experience. Arriving 250 years after Newton, the break with a direct description of reality embodied in quantum mechanics was nevertheless profound.Table of ContentsSome Quantum History; Rules and Interpretations; Einstein's Defection; From Atomism to Real Particles; Laws of Motion; Fields; New Particles and Their Quantum Origins; Atoms, Inside and Out; Methods and Underpinnings.

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Book SynopsisThis book addresses some of the baffling questions encountered at the final frontier of space and time related to particle physics and cosmology in the context of recent iconoclastic observations and developments. When particle physics stagnated in the early seventies, a new development emerged — String Theory.For the past 25 years, String Theory, popularly called the “Theory of Everything”, has mesmerized not just scientists, but also the general public. Yet a closer scrutiny today reveals that it is no more than a mathematical marvel. It has neither predicted anything nor has it been anywhere near verification. We are essentially where we were in the early seventies.Another chronic problem that Einstein had abandoned was the unified description of his theory of General Relativity that deals with the Universe at large and Electromagnetism which is to do with particles. Such a description is necessary even if it warrants a radical departure from our time-honoured ideas of space and time. A bright spot has now appeared in Cosmology. Iconoclastic observations in the past years have shown that the Universe is actually accelerating, driven by a mysterious Dark Energy. This book takes the lay reader through these uncharted waters and mind-boggling developments on an unimaginable journey from the ultra small to the farthest stretches conceivable, via such imagination defying concepts as extra dimensions and multiple universes.Table of ContentsThe Lord is Subtle, but Defies Common Sense!; You Can Be Younger than Your Grandson; Time is Running Backwards, Isn't It?; God Does Not Play Dice - or Does He?; On a Collision Course; Law without Law; When the Universe Took a U Turn.

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Book SynopsisDuring a sequence of meals, the author relates the principal features of physics in easy-to-understand conversations with his wife Beth. Beginning with the studies of motion by Galileo and Newton through to the revolutionary theories of relativity and quantum mechanics in the 20th century, all important aspects of electricity, energy, magnetism, gravity and the structure of matter and atoms are explained and illustrated.The second edition similarly recounts the more recent application of these theories to nanoparticles, Bose-Einstein condensates, quantum entanglement and quantum computers. By including accurate measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background and supernovae in near and distant galaxies, an understanding of how the universe was formed in an Inflationary Big Bang is now possible. We've also gained a much better picture of the life of stars and how they may turn into red giants, white dwarfs, black holes, neutron stars or pulsars.Table of ContentsIntroduction: What Keeps Us Going?Physicists, and Other People;; Hard Boiled Eggs with Inertia:How It All Began - with Rolling Balls;; Eggs Bene-Bricked:What Keeps the Ball Rolling?;; Apple-Gravity Pancakes:Why Does an Apple Fall from a Tree?;; Cereal and Calories:But It Takes Energy to Keep Moving;; Hot Cakes with Energy: How Hot is It?;Putting Heat to Work;; French Toast: First Law: You Can't Win;Second Law: Nor Can You Break Even;; Cold Cuts:Go Fly a Kite!;Storing Electricity;; Blueberry Muffins: Electricity in Matter;a.c./d.c.;; Apple Fritters and Love: Magnetic Forces;Magnetic Fields; What Maxwell Wrought;; Eggs and Crisp Bacon: Making Waves;What Waves Can Do;; Oat Meal with Light Cream: What is Light?;How and What We See;It's a Colorful World!;; Lox and Bagels: What's the Speed of Light?;Is It Really Relative?;The Paradoxes of Relativity and Black Holes;; Farina: Does Anyone Believe in Quanta?;What About Atoms?;; Danish Pastry: What's a Wave Function?;Born and Heisenberg have the Answer;; Waffles: Atoms can be Fun;What Attracts Atoms to Each Other?;; O. J. Donuts, and Coffee: Surrounded by Fluids;We Depend on Solids;; Rice Krispies: Who's Afraid of Radioactivity?;What's Inside the Nucleus?;For Better or for Worse -Nuclear Energy;Our Nuclear Legacy;; Corn Fritters: A Mess of Particles;What, More Conservation Laws?;Quarks and More Quarks;The GUTS of Physics;; Breakfast at the Beach: Einstein Centennial;A Promising Nanotechnology;Quantum Entanglement;Quantum Computers;; Lunch at the Beach: Bose-Einstein Condensates;; Lunch at Venetian Bay: Our Energy Problems;Energy Wastes; The Good News About Nukes;; Breakfast at the Beach: How It All Began;Cosmic Microwave Background;Big Bang;Inflationary Universe;Probing the Microwave Background;;

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Book SynopsisWhat is the origin of the universe? Are we alone in the Universe? Using clear and plain language, the author explores these two interesting scientific-philosophical themes with a broad range of studies, including astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, geology and planet science.The first part discusses the origins of everything, from the Big Bang to humankind. It follows the long course of evolution — from original matter to the formation of more complex structures, from the furthest galaxies to the nearest stars, from planets to organic molecules, from the first and most elementary forms of life through to the reptiles, the dinosaurs and the advent of man.The second part traces the history of the Earth and evaluates the risks of extinction in the future as predicted by scientists. Is the Earth the only habitable planet in the Universe? This question initiates the discussion on the importance of the Earth's position in the solar system and the significance of our geologically alive planet.The final part is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial beings with identifiable life forms. It also describes attempts for searching, from the past to the near future.This remarkable book provides the best answers we have to the epic questions about us and our place in the universe.Table of ContentsOur Origins; The Origin of Everything; The Origin of Stars and Planets; The Origin of the Elements; The Origin of Life; The History of the Earth; Extinctions; A Habitable Planet; The Importance of Continental Drift; Is The Earth a Rare Planet?; The Search for Another Gaia; The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence; Measurements;

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Book SynopsisWhat is the origin of the universe? Are we alone in the Universe? Using clear and plain language, the author explores these two interesting scientific-philosophical themes with a broad range of studies, including astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, geology and planet science.The first part discusses the origins of everything, from the Big Bang to humankind. It follows the long course of evolution — from original matter to the formation of more complex structures, from the furthest galaxies to the nearest stars, from planets to organic molecules, from the first and most elementary forms of life through to the reptiles, the dinosaurs and the advent of man.The second part traces the history of the Earth and evaluates the risks of extinction in the future as predicted by scientists. Is the Earth the only habitable planet in the Universe? This question initiates the discussion on the importance of the Earth's position in the solar system and the significance of our geologically alive planet.The final part is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial beings with identifiable life forms. It also describes attempts for searching, from the past to the near future.This remarkable book provides the best answers we have to the epic questions about us and our place in the universe.Table of ContentsOur Origins; The Origin of Everything; The Origin of Stars and Planets; The Origin of the Elements; The Origin of Life; The History of the Earth; Extinctions; A Habitable Planet; The Importance of Continental Drift; Is The Earth a Rare Planet?; The Search for Another Gaia; The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence; Measurements;

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a lens through which modern society is shown to depend on complex networks for its stability. One way to achieve this understanding is through the development of a new kind of science, one that is not explicitly dependent on the traditional disciplines of biology, economics, physics, sociology and so on; a science of networks. This text reviews, in non-mathematical language, what we know about the development of science in the twenty-first century and how that knowledge influences our world. In addition, it distinguishes the two-tiered science of the twentieth century, based on experiment and theory (data and knowledge) from the three-tiered science of experiment, computation and theory (data, information and knowledge) of the twenty-first century in everything from psychophysics to climate change.This book is unique in that it addresses two parallel lines of argument. The first line is general and intended for a lay audience, but one that is scientifically sophisticated, explaining how the paradigm of science has been changed to accommodate the computer and large-scale computation. The second line of argument addresses what some consider the seminal scientific problem of climate change. The authors show how a misunderstanding of the change in the scientific paradigm has led to a misunderstanding of complex phenomena in general, and the causes of global warming in particular.Table of ContentsWhy a Science of Networks?; Data; Information; Knowledge; A World of Disrupted Networks.

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Book SynopsisIt is naturally important for any of us to have a correct view of the universe we are in. Having realized that the Newtonian world-view is untenable, this book joins others that are searching for an alternative world-view. It is unique in using quantum physics to promote this search.One aim of the book is to present a lucid exposition of quantum mechanics in terms accessible to the general reader. Another aim is to show that realism (the belief that the outside world exists “from its own side” regardless of acts of consciousness) and locality (the belief that nothing moves faster than light) are invalid, and should be replaced by a new paradigm according to which the universe is alive. A third aim is to show that the thinking of quantum physicists evokes the philosophies of Plato and Plotinus.The revised edition will include a conversation between two fictional characters to elucidate the discussion of the meaning of wave functions.Table of ContentsThe Quandary: Mach's Shadow; Einstein's Dilemma; the Call of Complementarity; Waves of Nothingness; Paul Dirac and the Spin of the Electron; An Irresistible Force Meets an Immovable Rock; Nature Loves to HideA"; From a Universe of Objects to a Universe of Experience: The Elusive Obvious; Objectivation; In and Out of Space and Time; Nature Makes a ChoiceA"; Nature Alive; Flashes of Existence; The Expression of Knowledge; A Universe of Experience; The Potential and the Actual; Physics and the One: Levels of Being; Our Place in the Universe; Physics and the One.

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Book SynopsisIt is naturally important for any of us to have a correct view of the universe we are in. Having realized that the Newtonian world-view is untenable, this book joins others that are searching for an alternative world-view. It is unique in using quantum physics to promote this search.One aim of the book is to present a lucid exposition of quantum mechanics in terms accessible to the general reader. Another aim is to show that realism (the belief that the outside world exists “from its own side” regardless of acts of consciousness) and locality (the belief that nothing moves faster than light) are invalid, and should be replaced by a new paradigm according to which the universe is alive. A third aim is to show that the thinking of quantum physicists evokes the philosophies of Plato and Plotinus.The revised edition will include a conversation between two fictional characters to elucidate the discussion of the meaning of wave functions.Table of ContentsThe Quandary: Mach's Shadow; Einstein's Dilemma; the Call of Complementarity; Waves of Nothingness; Paul Dirac and the Spin of the Electron; An Irresistible Force Meets an Immovable Rock; Nature Loves to HideA"; From a Universe of Objects to a Universe of Experience: The Elusive Obvious; Objectivation; In and Out of Space and Time; Nature Makes a ChoiceA"; Nature Alive; Flashes of Existence; The Expression of Knowledge; A Universe of Experience; The Potential and the Actual; Physics and the One: Levels of Being; Our Place in the Universe; Physics and the One.

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Book SynopsisThis book treats arts as part of science, from the unified perspective of Science Matters. It contains 17 chapters, with 18 contributors who are prominent humanists, professional artists, or scientists. It consists of three parts: Part I: Philosophy and History of Arts; Part II: Arts in Action; Part III: Understanding Arts. The book is aimed at both research scholars and laypeople, and is unique in two important aspects. It is probably the first and only book that academic professionals and practicing artists contribute to the same book, as equals, on the common theme of creating and understanding arts. (Artists here include Cristina Leiria whose huge Kun Iam (Goddess of Mercy) sculpture is an important landmark in Macau, and the famous movie director, Hark Tsui, who is publishing his first ever article on movie-making). Perhaps more importantly, a new understanding of the origin and nature of arts is offered for the first time, which is more convincing than all the other hypotheses put forth in the last two thousand years.Table of ContentsArts: A Science Matter (L Lam); Philosophy and History of Arts: The Latin ArtesA" and the Origin of Modern ArtsA" (B Hoppe); Science and Art: A Philosophical Perspective (G-S Wu); Neuroarthistory: Reuniting Ancient Traditions in a New Scientific Approach to the Understanding of Art (J Onians); Science and Art in China (B Liu); The Development of Science Theater (I Schneider); Arts in Action: The Silence of Art (C Leiria); Linsen's Art (L Ngai); From Curiosity to Creation: The Art Work of Holly Lane (H Lane); ChemArt and BioArt (M Burguete); Making Movies and Making Physics (H Tsui & L Lam); A Journey along the Borderland: A Critical Approach to Artificial Intelligence-Based Literary Practice (J-C Zhu & D F Harrell); Understanding Arts: On the Origin of Literary Narrative and Its Relation to Adaptation (P Hogan); Emotion, Cognition and Aesthetic Form in Vishal Bhardwaj's Omkara and Shakespeare's Othello (L Hogan); Danmei Novels and Rotten Women (T-T Wang); Objects in Art and Science (N Sanitt); Su Dong-Po's Bamboo and Paul Cezanne's Apple (L Lam & L-M Qiu).

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Book SynopsisFeynman once selected, as the single most important statement in science, that everything is made of atoms. It follows that the properties of everything depend on how these atoms are joined together, giving rise to the vast field we know of today as chemistry. In this unique book specifically written to bridge the gap between chemistry and the layman, Braterman has put together a series of linked essays on chemistry related themes that are particularly engaging.The book begins with the age of the earth, and concludes with the life cycle of stars. In between, there are atoms old and new, the ozone hole mystery and how it was solved, synthetic fertilisers and explosives, reading the climate record, the extraction of metals, the wetness of water, and how the greenhouse effect on climate really works. A chapter in praise of uncertainty leads on to the “fuzziness” and sharing of electrons, and from there to molecular shape, grass-green and blood-red, the wetness of water, and molecular recognition as the basis of life.Organised in such a way as to illustrate and develop underlying principles and approaches, this book will appeal to anyone interested in chemistry, as well as its history and key personalities. Where many other titles have failed, this book succeeds brilliantly in capturing the spirit and essence of chemistry and delivering the science in easily digestible terms.Table of ContentsThe Age of the Earth, An Age-Old Question; Atoms Old and New; The Banker Who Lost His Head; The Discovery Of The Noble Gases; The Tragedy Of Fritz Haber; Making Metal; In Praise of Uncertainty; Left Hand, Right Hand; Why Grass is Green or Why Our Blood is Red; The Wetness of Water; Sunshine; Inside The Greenhouse; and other papers.

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Book SynopsisThis volume consists of a selection of the Albert Einstein Memorial Lectures presented annually at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Delivered by eminent scientists and scholars, including Nobel laureates, they cover a broad spectrum of subjects in physics, chemistry, life science, mathematics, historiography and social issues.This distinguished memorial lecture series was inaugurated by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities following an international symposium held in Jerusalem in March 1979 to commemorate the centenary of Albert Einstein's birth. Considering that Einstein's interests, activities and influence were not restricted to theoretical physics but spanned broad fields affecting society and the welfare of humankind, it was felt that these memorial lectures should be addressed to scientists, scholars and erudite laypersons rather than to physicists alone.Table of ContentsChemistry and Life Science: Supramolecular Chemistry: From Molecular Information toward Self-Organization and Complex Matter (J-M Lehn, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry); Chromatin and Transcription (R D Kornberg, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry); Historiography: Res Ipsa Loquitur: History and Mimesis (J Wansbrough, Professor of Oriental and African Studies, University of London); Mathematics: What Can Pure Mathematics Offer to Society? (W Timothy Gowers, Fields Medalist); General Covariance and the Passive Equations of Physics (Shlomo Sternberg, Professor of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Harvard University); Physics: The Structure of Quarks and Leptons (H Harari, Professor of Nuclear Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science); Harmless Energy from Nuclei (C Rubbia, Nobel Laureate in Physics); Beautiful Theories (S Weinberg, Nobel Laureate in Physics); Social Issues: Energy, Environment, and the Responsibility of Scientists (Y T Lee, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry).

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Book SynopsisThis volume consists of a selection of the Albert Einstein Memorial Lectures presented annually at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Delivered by eminent scientists and scholars, including Nobel laureates, they cover a broad spectrum of subjects in physics, chemistry, life science, mathematics, historiography and social issues.This distinguished memorial lecture series was inaugurated by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities following an international symposium held in Jerusalem in March 1979 to commemorate the centenary of Albert Einstein's birth. Considering that Einstein's interests, activities and influence were not restricted to theoretical physics but spanned broad fields affecting society and the welfare of humankind, it was felt that these memorial lectures should be addressed to scientists, scholars and erudite laypersons rather than to physicists alone.Table of ContentsChemistry and Life Science: Supramolecular Chemistry: From Molecular Information toward Self-Organization and Complex Matter (J-M Lehn, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry); Chromatin and Transcription (R D Kornberg, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry); Historiography: Res Ipsa Loquitur: History and Mimesis (J Wansbrough, Professor of Oriental and African Studies, University of London); Mathematics: What Can Pure Mathematics Offer to Society? (W Timothy Gowers, Fields Medalist); General Covariance and the Passive Equations of Physics (Shlomo Sternberg, Professor of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Harvard University); Physics: The Structure of Quarks and Leptons (H Harari, Professor of Nuclear Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science); Harmless Energy from Nuclei (C Rubbia, Nobel Laureate in Physics); Beautiful Theories (S Weinberg, Nobel Laureate in Physics); Social Issues: Energy, Environment, and the Responsibility of Scientists (Y T Lee, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry).

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Book SynopsisWhen a ship's surgeon during a routine episode of bloodletting noticed that the sailors' blood was brighter in the tropics than in the north, he hypothesized that heat was a form of energy.When a young boy tried to visualize what a beam of light would look like by riding alongside it at the same speed, he began thinking along lines that eventually changed our views of space and time.When a student caught hay fever and went to recover on Heligoland, he started a major revolution in physics. These are but just some of the stories covered in this entertaining book that deals with the history of physics from the end of the 19th-century to about 1930.Quips, Quotes and Quanta (2nd Edition) is unique in that it contains anecdotes on physicists creating new ideas. Often the thinking of the creators of what is now called “modern physics” is revealed through quotes. Thematic and biographical in nature, this book also includes many personal incidents.This second edition has been revised to include new material: a prologue, epilogue, glossary and chronology, and photographs as well as additional quotes and anecdotes.Table of ContentsThermodynamics: Founders and Flounderers; Cracks Appear in Classical Physics; It's About Time and Space; Space Becomes Curved; Kilns and Quanta; The Hydrogen Atom: Plum-Pudding or Planet; Action in Physics: The Old Quantum Theory; Particles are Waves are Particles; Schrodinger Makes Waves; Boys' Physics and Quantum Jumping; Matrix Mechanics is Born; The Purest Soul's Beautiful Quantum Mechanics; Quantum Mechanics is Complete; The Electron Spins.

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