Popular science Books

Book SynopsisThis is a book unique in structure — a collection of ideas noted on index cards over a period of 40 years.Acclaimed mathematician Lloyd N Trefethen, Professor of Numerical Analysis at Oxford University, has created an intellectual diary, marking the development of his interests and ideas, from his teenage years to the present. These thoughts stand as signposts, directing us through a mind that applies the same scientific discipline and rigor in everyday life as that needed for success in science and academia. Informative and entertaining, Professor Trefethen's Index Cards is a collage of observations of rare clarity, in subjects ranging from astronomy to family life, and from music to politics.The book will be of interest not only to other scientists and mathematicians, but to anyone in the general public interested in discerning how a scientific outlook informs the way we see broader issues in the societies we live in.Table of ContentsEgo; Kids; Aging and Death; Sex; Living with Others; The Meaning of Life; Politics and Society; Cold War Nukes; Education; Britain; Famous People; Optimizing Your Life; The Life of the Professor; Music; Words; Writing and Literature; Memory; Misperceptions; Knowledge and Truth; Analogies; Bad Logic; God and Religion; Good and Evil; Science; Stars and Planets; Mathematics; Big Numbers; Mathematics and Science in Everyday Life; Inventions; Computers; Life and DNA; Hearts, Minds and Bodies.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides the readers with a broad introduction to the field of particle physics through fictional discussions between three prominent physicists — Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, and Murray Gell-Mann — together with a modern physicist.Matter is composed of quarks and electrons. The forces between quarks are generated by exchanges of gluons and are so strong that they result in the confinement of quarks in atomic nuclei, whereas the forces between electrons and atomic nuclei are generated by exchanges of photons, and the forces between quarks and electrons (or any other leptons) are generated by exchanges of weak bosons.The book is suitable for non-experts in physics.Table of ContentsFrom Isospin to SU(3); Quarks with Color; Electroweak Interactions; Oscillating Neutrinos; Grand Unification; Constants of Nature; Big Bang.

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Book SynopsisFrom Black Holes and Big Bangs to the Higgs boson and the infinitesimal building blocks of all matter, modern science has been spectacularly successful, with one glaring exception — intelligence. Intelligence still remains as one of the greatest mysteries in science.How do you chat so effortlessly? How do you remember, and why do you forget? From a basis of ten maxims What Makes You Clever explains the difficulties as well as the persuasive and persistent over-estimations of progress in Artificial Intelligence. Computers have transformed our lives, and will continue to do so for many years to come. But ever since the Turing Test proposed in 1950 up to IBM's Deep Blue computer that won the second six-game match against world champion Garry Kasparov, the science of artificial intelligence has struggled to make progress.The reader's expertise is engaged to probe human language, machine learning, neural computing, holistic systems and emergent phenomenon. What Makes You Clever reveals the difficulties that scientists grapple with in their efforts to understand your cleverness, and points to possible ways forward.Table of ContentsA Singular Enigma; Scanning for Gold; Are Brainwaves All They're Cracked Up to Be?; Whole Parts of Minds; Meaningful Principles - The Search Continues; Holism, An Unholy Problem; Hoping for a Knee Up Soon; Self-Organizing Systems; The Knowledge Web; Learning Systems - Climbing Lost and Blindfold; Hot Technologies - The Doomed and the Dubious; Mind Recursion; Ultra-Intelligence; Semantic Mirages; Hopeware Science; The Glass is Half Full.

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Book SynopsisFrom Black Holes and Big Bangs to the Higgs boson and the infinitesimal building blocks of all matter, modern science has been spectacularly successful, with one glaring exception — intelligence. Intelligence still remains as one of the greatest mysteries in science.How do you chat so effortlessly? How do you remember, and why do you forget? From a basis of ten maxims What Makes You Clever explains the difficulties as well as the persuasive and persistent over-estimations of progress in Artificial Intelligence. Computers have transformed our lives, and will continue to do so for many years to come. But ever since the Turing Test proposed in 1950 up to IBM's Deep Blue computer that won the second six-game match against world champion Garry Kasparov, the science of artificial intelligence has struggled to make progress.The reader's expertise is engaged to probe human language, machine learning, neural computing, holistic systems and emergent phenomenon. What Makes You Clever reveals the difficulties that scientists grapple with in their efforts to understand your cleverness, and points to possible ways forward.

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Book SynopsisQuantum physics has, on the one hand, drastically changed our theoretical description of the physical world and has, on the other hand, revolutionized everyday life, by allowing us to build lasers, atomic clocks used in GPS, and semiconductor-based devices such as laptop computers and smartphones. The object of this book is to give a self-contained introduction to both aspects. It contains a detailed account of the foundational principles: superposition, entanglement, quantum non-locality, decoherence and measurement theory, and of some selected applications: quantum cryptography and quantum computers, cold atoms, light emitting and laser diodes, and atomic clocks. The book is aimed at a general audience and the only prerequisite is a high-school background in mathematics.Table of ContentsAn Inconvenient Principle; Secure Communications; Einstein, Bohr, and Bell; Atoms, Light, and Lasers; Cold Atoms; The Kingdom of Semiconductors; Relativistic Quantum Physics; Towards a Quantum Computer; The Environment is Watching; Interpretations.

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Book Synopsis'Outstanding Academic Title for 2014' by CHOICEEinstein Relatively Simple brings together for the first time an exceptionally clear explanation of both special and general relativity. It is for people who always wanted to understand Einstein's ideas but never thought they could.Told with humor, enthusiasm, and rare clarity, this entertaining book reveals how a former high school drop-out revolutionized our understanding of space and time. From E=mc2 and everyday time travel to black holes and the big bang, Einstein Relatively Simple takes us all, regardless of our scientific backgrounds, on a mind-boggling journey through the depths of Einstein's universe. Along the way, we track Einstein through the perils and triumphs of his life — follow his thinking, his logic, and his insights — and chronicle the audacity, imagination, and sheer genius of the man recognized as the greatest scientist of the modern era.In Part I on special relativity we learn how time slows and space shrinks with motion, and how mass and energy are equivalent. Part II on general relativity reveals a cosmos where black holes trap light and stop time, where wormholes form gravitational time machines, where space itself is continually expanding, and where some 13.7 billion years ago our universe was born in the ultimate cosmic event — the Big Bang.Table of ContentsSpecial Relativity: The Newton - Maxwell Conflict; Einstein's Light and Relativity Postulates; How Time Slows and Space Shrinks with Motion; Simultaneity; The Equivalence of Mass and Energy Per E=mc2; The Unification of Space and Time in the Spacetime Interval; The Twins Paradox; General Relativity: The Equivalence Principle; Gravitational Time Dilation; Ehrenfest's Paradox; The Warping of Time and Space; Time Travel; Local and Global Gravity; Spacetime Curvature; The Einstein Equation; Black Holes; Gravitational Lensing; Gravity Waves; Frame Dragging; Wormholes; The Expansion of the Universe; The Big Bang; Cosmic Inflation; Dark Matter; Dark Energy; The Future of the Universe.

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Book Synopsis'Outstanding Academic Title for 2014' by CHOICEEinstein Relatively Simple brings together for the first time an exceptionally clear explanation of both special and general relativity. It is for people who always wanted to understand Einstein's ideas but never thought they could.Told with humor, enthusiasm, and rare clarity, this entertaining book reveals how a former high school drop-out revolutionized our understanding of space and time. From E=mc2 and everyday time travel to black holes and the big bang, Einstein Relatively Simple takes us all, regardless of our scientific backgrounds, on a mind-boggling journey through the depths of Einstein's universe. Along the way, we track Einstein through the perils and triumphs of his life — follow his thinking, his logic, and his insights — and chronicle the audacity, imagination, and sheer genius of the man recognized as the greatest scientist of the modern era.In Part I on special relativity we learn how time slows and space shrinks with motion, and how mass and energy are equivalent. Part II on general relativity reveals a cosmos where black holes trap light and stop time, where wormholes form gravitational time machines, where space itself is continually expanding, and where some 13.7 billion years ago our universe was born in the ultimate cosmic event — the Big Bang.Table of ContentsSpecial Relativity: The Newton - Maxwell Conflict; Einstein's Light and Relativity Postulates; How Time Slows and Space Shrinks with Motion; Simultaneity; The Equivalence of Mass and Energy Per E=mc2; The Unification of Space and Time in the Spacetime Interval; The Twins Paradox; General Relativity: The Equivalence Principle; Gravitational Time Dilation; Ehrenfest's Paradox; The Warping of Time and Space; Time Travel; Local and Global Gravity; Spacetime Curvature; The Einstein Equation; Black Holes; Gravitational Lensing; Gravity Waves; Frame Dragging; Wormholes; The Expansion of the Universe; The Big Bang; Cosmic Inflation; Dark Matter; Dark Energy; The Future of the Universe.

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Book SynopsisThis book is the result of a unique experience: a research mathematician teaching in an elementary school. It tells about a fascinating discovery made by the author — that elementary mathematics has a lot of depth and beauty, and that the secret to its teaching is in understanding its deep points.The first part of the book discusses the nature of mathematics and its beauty. The second part tells about the teaching principles the author distilled from his experience. The third part is an excursion through the arithmetic studied in elementary school, accompanied by personal stories, historical anecdotes and teaching suggestions. The appendix relates the fascinating story of modern day politics of mathematical education.The book was a bestseller in Israel, and has been translated into many languages. The extraordinary combination of mathematical and didactic insights makes it an essential guide for parents and teachers alike.Table of ContentsWhat I Learnt in Elementary School; What is Mathematics; Why is Mathematics Beautiful; Teaching Principles; What is Learnt in Arithmetic of Elementary School; The Decimal System and Its Power; Fractions; Proportion; Three Educational Reforms;

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Book SynopsisThis book is the result of a unique experience: a research mathematician teaching in an elementary school. It tells about a fascinating discovery made by the author — that elementary mathematics has a lot of depth and beauty, and that the secret to its teaching is in understanding its deep points.The first part of the book discusses the nature of mathematics and its beauty. The second part tells about the teaching principles the author distilled from his experience. The third part is an excursion through the arithmetic studied in elementary school, accompanied by personal stories, historical anecdotes and teaching suggestions. The appendix relates the fascinating story of modern day politics of mathematical education.The book was a bestseller in Israel, and has been translated into many languages. The extraordinary combination of mathematical and didactic insights makes it an essential guide for parents and teachers alike.Table of ContentsWhat I Learnt in Elementary School; What is Mathematics; Why is Mathematics Beautiful; Teaching Principles; What is Learnt in Arithmetic of Elementary School; The Decimal System and Its Power; Fractions; Proportion; Three Educational Reforms;

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Book SynopsisWhat does mathematics have to do with poetry? Seemingly, nothing. Mathematics deals with abstractions while poetry with emotions. And yet, the two share something essential: Beauty. “Euclid alone has looked on beauty bare,” says the title of a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay.A winner of the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2015, “Mathematics, Poetry and Beauty” tries to solve the secret of the similarity between the two domains. It tries to explain how a mathematical argument and a poem can move us in the same way. Mathematical and poetic techniques are compared, with the aim of showing how they evoke the same sense of beauty.The reader may find that, as Bertrand Russell said, “Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty — a beauty hold and austere, like that of sculpture … sublimely pure, and capable of a stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.”Table of ContentsThe Magic of Poetry and of Mathematics; Condensation; Order; How Mathematicians and Poets Think; Poetic Image; Mathematical Image; Paradoxes and Oxymorons; Self Reference and Godel's Theorem;

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Book SynopsisJohn Holland is one of the few scientists, who all by themselves and by their pursuits, helped change the course of science and the wealth of human knowledge. There is hardly a field of science or problems, that is not affected by John's work on complexity and in particular, complex adaptive systems. On the occasion of his 85th birthday, many of his friends wrote about John, about facets of this remarkable man that only people close to him can know and tell.This book collects those stories highlighting aspects of the creation of complexity science that will most likely not be found in the books on John's works.The stories and anecdotes about his quests, his collaborators, and his friends, show his incredible mind, his boyish curiosity and explorative energy, his philosophy of life, his enormous hospitality and natural inclination to make friends.Published in collaboration with Institute Para Limes.Table of ContentsJohn Holland as Brother, Father, Uncle, Friend, Youngest Man, Poker Player, Boss, Colleague, Teacher and Evolutionary Paradox; About Self Reproducing Automata, The World of Economics, Genetic Algorithms, Complex Adaptive Systems, Agent Based Modeling; Poem, Poetry, His Style, Shoshin, A Tribute, First Encounter, Source of Inspiration, BACH Group, Para Limes;

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Book SynopsisThis informative and entertaining book provides a broad look at the fascinating history of CERN, and the physicists working in different areas at CERN who were active in the discovery of the Higgs Boson. Profound and well-structured, the contents combine present day interviews with the scientists of CERN, the world's largest laboratory dedicated to the pursuit of fundamental science, with important figures in the history of science (e.g., Maxwell, Faraday, Einstein), and also gives a lot of information on the history of quantum mechanics and the history of physics from its beginnings.It is an easy-to-read book on a complex topic, providing a very personal insight into the personalities of top scientists and the history of science as well. This invaluable book will capture the interest of the curious reader, telling the story of one of the greatest scientific endeavors ever.Table of ContentsHistory of CERN, from 1954 until today; Interviews with scientists of CERN: Rolf-Dieter Heuer (CERN Director General), Carlo Rubbia (Nobel Laureate in Physics, 1984), John Ellis (CERN Theory Division), Tejinder Virdee (CMS Experiment), Lyn Evans (LHC Project Leader), et al.; Vignettes about the history of physics, quantum mechanics, and portraits of the key figures in the history of physical science (Democritos, Copernicus, Galilei, Faraday, Maxwell, Einstein, et al.);

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Book SynopsisSolutions to the 25th & 26th International Young Physicists' Tournament provides original, quantitative solutions in fulfilling seemingly impossible tasks. The book expands on the solutions required by the problems. Many of the articles include modification, extension to existing models in references, or derivation and computation based on fundamental physics, and are not confined to the models and methods in present literatures.The International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT) is one of the most prestigious international physics contests among high school students. This book is based on the solutions of 2012 and 2013 IYPT problems. The young authors provide quantitative solutions to practical problems in everyday life, such as the 2013 problem “Bouncing ball” that shows “how the nature of the collision changes if the ball contains liquid”, “Colored plastic” (2013 problem 6) and “Helmholtz carousel” (2013 problem 12) etc.This book is intended as a college-level solutions guide to the challenging open-ended problems. It is a good reference book for undergraduates, advanced high-school students, physics educators and the curious public interested in the intriguing phenomenon encountered in daily life.Table of ContentsSolutions to 2012 Problems: Gaussian Cannon; String of Beads; Bright Waves; Woodpecker Toy; Bubbles; Rocking Bottle; Misty Glass; Frustrating Golf Ball; Solutions to 2013 Problems: Elastic Space; Bouncing Ball; Levitation; Coloured Plastic; Jet and Film; Helmholtz Carousel; Honey Coils; Flying Chimney; Hoops; Fire Hose; Problems of 25th-26th IYPT; Regulation of IYPT;

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Book SynopsisHuman diversity, with its myriad of different conditions involving biology, psychology, and social structures, remains one of the biggest challenges — and opportunities — facing the species. With many government and private firms now having diversity or equality officers, programmes or committees, it is clear that human diversity is a cornerstone of policy-making at the very highest echelons. All this points to a need for proper scientific and medical information on this topic — not soft 'politically correct' sociology.This book provides the hard facts on human similarities and differences, their causes and effects on people. It covers the whole range from normal to extreme human types, and presents — for the first time — much of the author's 25 years of original research on the subject. It can also act as a family medical guide to aspects of human function, structure and disease. It covers many human topics in a humane and understandable fashion, providing much material for information and discussion. It can be used as a handbook or textbook on human diversity, but is mainly popular science for the general public. A special feature of this book is the 140 colour photos that illustrate the diversity of human life, nearly all taken by the author himself.Given the vast nature of the subject, the book seamlessly integrates relevant data from multiple disciplines including medicine, biology, anthropology, genetics, psychology, evolution, languages, sociology, history and geography. Even controversial subjects such as race, class and culture are tackled head-on with no-nonsense scientific rigour.

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Book SynopsisIn the early 21st century, the advances of science, followed by technology, have been very impressive and opened up hither to unthought-of prospects in every domain. Scientific 'Previsionists' believe it will lay the foundation for deep changes in the human being. This is in no way a matter of science fiction but rather rational and foreseeable extrapolations of many recent results in various scientific fields. Will Man become a mutating GMO, a humanoid robot, a hybrid of both? Will his life be extended much longer or even indefinitely? Will he reproduce in vitro in the near future? These are questions we should begin to ask now, for our children will likely experience these changes, but our grandchildren will live in a quite different world.Table of ContentsTheory of Evolution and Forecasting; Nanotechnologies; Information and Communications; Internet; Robotics and Artificial Intelligence; Virtual Worlds; Biological Worlds; Stem Cells; Cancer; Brain and Cognitive Science; Big Google; About Life; Repaired Men or Transhumans; Zero Defect Baby; Is God to Survive?;

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Book SynopsisIn the early 21st century, the advances of science, followed by technology, have been very impressive and opened up hither to unthought-of prospects in every domain. Scientific 'Previsionists' believe it will lay the foundation for deep changes in the human being. This is in no way a matter of science fiction but rather rational and foreseeable extrapolations of many recent results in various scientific fields. Will Man become a mutating GMO, a humanoid robot, a hybrid of both? Will his life be extended much longer or even indefinitely? Will he reproduce in vitro in the near future? These are questions we should begin to ask now, for our children will likely experience these changes, but our grandchildren will live in a quite different world.Table of ContentsTheory of Evolution and Forecasting; Nanotechnologies; Information and Communications; Internet; Robotics and Artificial Intelligence; Virtual Worlds; Biological Worlds; Stem Cells; Cancer; Brain and Cognitive Science; Big Google; About Life; Repaired Men or Transhumans; Zero Defect Baby; Is God to Survive?;

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Book SynopsisThis is an exciting if not rambling account of events of Raymond Smullyan's four lives — as a mathematical logician, musician, magician, and author — together with thoughts that come to his mind as he recalls them. This book includes topics from some of Smullyan's twenty-six books, as well as many of his favorite anecdotes and jokes. It also presents some generalizations of theorems of the great logicians Gödel and Tarski, and discusses logic in general, and how he won his wife with a logic trick! Smullyan also relates some of his teaching experiences, and expresses his views on mathematical education, and how our present textbooks are primarily responsible for its decline! About his life as a pianist, Smullyan relates a good deal about his experiences with the Piano Society — a wonderful organization to which he is a staunch contributor, and how he has had such delightful relations with many of its members. Last but not least, Smullyan recounts how he has known some lovely ladies over the years.Table of ContentsEarly Childhood; Later Childhood; High School; Beginning College; Chicago, University, Music, Magic; Dartmouth, Princeton; After Graduation; Diagonalization, Love, Logic, Letters; The Piano Society; Lovely Ladies I Have Known;

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Book SynopsisThe book aims to explain the historical development of particle physics, with special emphasis on CERN and collider physics. It describes in detail the LHC accelerator and its detectors, describing the science involved as well as the sociology of big collaborations, culminating with the discovery of the Higgs boson. Readers are led step-by-step to understanding why we do particle physics, as well as the tools and problems involved in the field. It provides an insider's view on the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider.Table of ContentsThe LHC in a Snapshot; The Main Design Ideas of the Accelerator; A Matter of Cooling; Small Historical Summary: Before Particle Physics; The Beginning of the Particle Century; Relativity: A Short Encounter with Einstein; The Strange Quantum World: Particles, Waves and Uncertainties; What is Antimatter?; The Particle Zoo; They are Neutral, They are Small: Let's Call Them Neutrinos; Some Order in the Zoo and Force Unification; Let's Break the Symmetry with the Higgs Boson; Searching for New Physics; A Short Story of CERN; Main Principles of Particle Detectors; The LHC Detectors; What are We Searching for in the World's Largest Collider?; How Data Collected at the LHC are Analysed; The Higgs Boson Discovery; The Computing Infrastructure and Technological Spinoffs; The Human Aspects of the Big Collider; The Experience of Some LHC Physicists; What About the Next Large Collider?;

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Book Synopsis'Michael Day's insightful ‘philosophical biography’ of J Robert Oppenheimer stands out from other works on the so-called ‘father of the atomic bomb’ by its focus on the post-war period and by the depth of its philosophical engagement with his humanistic thought on science and culture.'Centaurus ReviewIncorporating elements from history, science, philosophy and international relations theory, this book takes a fresh look at the life and thought of Robert Oppenheimer.The author argues that not only are Oppenheimer's ideas important, engaging and relevant, but also more coherent than generally assumed. He makes a convincing case that Oppenheimer has much to say about 21st century issues, and his voice should be brought back into the public forum.The book recovers and reconstructs what Oppenheimer said and wrote during the 1940s, 50s and 60s (i.e., his hope and vision) with the goal of identifying what might be of general philosophical interest today. It considers not only Oppenheimer's thought, but also his life using philosophical ideas developed by contemporary philosophers.In addition, to deepen and broaden the discussion and demonstrate the relevance of Oppenheimer's vision for the present, the author analyzes his views using contemporary international relations theory with a special emphasis on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. This examination reveals ways in which Oppenheimer's reasoning was prescient of current work being carried out to control, and possibly move beyond, the nuclear revolution.Table of ContentsBiographical Overview of Oppenheimer; Development of Oppenheimer's Thought on Science and Culture in the Form of a Hope and Vision; Comparison of Oppenheimer's Outlook to the Outlooks of the Physicist I. I. Rabi and the Poet Archibald MacLeish; Connections between Oppenheimer's Philosophical Outlook and Current Philosophical Themes; Connections between Oppenheimer's Hope and Vision and Contemporary International Relations Theory with Special Emphasis on Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament; Exploration of Oppenheimer Himself Using Philosophical Ideas;

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Book Synopsis'Michael Day's insightful ‘philosophical biography’ of J Robert Oppenheimer stands out from other works on the so-called ‘father of the atomic bomb’ by its focus on the post-war period and by the depth of its philosophical engagement with his humanistic thought on science and culture.'Centaurus ReviewIncorporating elements from history, science, philosophy and international relations theory, this book takes a fresh look at the life and thought of Robert Oppenheimer.The author argues that not only are Oppenheimer's ideas important, engaging and relevant, but also more coherent than generally assumed. He makes a convincing case that Oppenheimer has much to say about 21st century issues, and his voice should be brought back into the public forum.The book recovers and reconstructs what Oppenheimer said and wrote during the 1940s, 50s and 60s (i.e., his hope and vision) with the goal of identifying what might be of general philosophical interest today. It considers not only Oppenheimer's thought, but also his life using philosophical ideas developed by contemporary philosophers.In addition, to deepen and broaden the discussion and demonstrate the relevance of Oppenheimer's vision for the present, the author analyzes his views using contemporary international relations theory with a special emphasis on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. This examination reveals ways in which Oppenheimer's reasoning was prescient of current work being carried out to control, and possibly move beyond, the nuclear revolution.Table of ContentsBiographical Overview of Oppenheimer; Development of Oppenheimer's Thought on Science and Culture in the Form of a Hope and Vision; Comparison of Oppenheimer's Outlook to the Outlooks of the Physicist I. I. Rabi and the Poet Archibald MacLeish; Connections between Oppenheimer's Philosophical Outlook and Current Philosophical Themes; Connections between Oppenheimer's Hope and Vision and Contemporary International Relations Theory with Special Emphasis on Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament; Exploration of Oppenheimer Himself Using Philosophical Ideas;

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Book SynopsisThis is an exciting if not rambling account of events of Raymond Smullyan's four lives — as a mathematical logician, musician, magician, and author — together with thoughts that come to his mind as he recalls them. This book includes topics from some of Smullyan's twenty-six books, as well as many of his favorite anecdotes and jokes. It also presents some generalizations of theorems of the great logicians Gödel and Tarski, and discusses logic in general, and how he won his wife with a logic trick! Smullyan also relates some of his teaching experiences, and expresses his views on mathematical education, and how our present textbooks are primarily responsible for its decline! About his life as a pianist, Smullyan relates a good deal about his experiences with the Piano Society — a wonderful organization to which he is a staunch contributor, and how he has had such delightful relations with many of its members. Last but not least, Smullyan recounts how he has known some lovely ladies over the years.Table of ContentsEarly Childhood; Later Childhood; High School; Beginning College; Chicago, University, Music, Magic; Dartmouth, Princeton; After Graduation; Diagonalization, Love, Logic, Letters; The Piano Society; Lovely Ladies I Have Known;

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Book SynopsisThis book will present a collection of mathematical problems — lighthearted in nature — intended to entertain the general readership. Problems will be selected largely for the unusual and unexpected solutions to which they lend themselves. Some interesting contents included: All in all, the book is meant to entertain the general readership and to convince them about the power and beauty of mathematics.Table of ContentsThis book will present a collection of mathematical problems - lighthearted in nature - intended to entertain the general readership. Problems will be selected largely for the unusual and unexpected solutions to which they lend themselves. Some interesting contents included: counterintuitive solutions to simple mathematical problems; entertaining mathematical problems; important and useful mathematical solutions to problems; problem solutions for mathematics to general usage; visual mathematical problems; timely mathematical problems.All in all, the book is meant to entertain the general readership and to convince them about the power and beauty of mathematics.

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Book Synopsis'The collection contains many delightful and enjoyable problems that are either original or taken from old books, which are no longer easily accessible. I especially like the detailed solutions, which make it clear that the author has carefully re-examined all the old problems and often discovered that the previously published solutions were incomplete. Some problems are best solved with the help of a computer, and can serve as original exercises in computer programming. The book provides an enjoyable read, and should not be missing in the library of any metagrobologist.'zbMATHDefinition of metagrobolize: puzzle, mystify; puzzle out. Hence, metagrobology is the study of puzzles and metagrobologist an expert in such study. David Singmaster is possibly the world's best known metagrobologist. He gained prominence in the 1980s with a booklet on how to solve the Rubik's Cube.This book is a collection of over 200 problems that David Singmaster has composed since 1987. Some of the math problems have appeared in his various puzzle columns for BBC Radio and TV, Canadian Broadcasting, Focus (the UK popular science magazine), Games and Puzzles, the Los Angeles Times, Micromath, the Puzzle a Day memo pad and the Weekend Telegraph. While some of these are already classics, many of the puzzles have not been published elsewhere previously.Puzzle enthusiasts of all ages will find here arithmetic problems, properties of digits; monetary problems; alpha-metics; Diophantine problems; magic figures; sequence problems; logical problems; geometric problems; physics problems; combinatorial problems; geographic problems; calendar problems; clock problems; dissection problems and verbal problems.Can you solve it? Are you smarter than a metagrobologist? Check out Alex Bellos's Monday Puzzle on The Guardian as he features two sequence puzzles from the book.Table of ContentsArithmetic Problems; Properties of Digits; Monetary Problems; Alphametics; Diophantine Problems; Magic Figures; Sequence Problems; Logical Problems; Geometric Problems; Physics Problems; Combinatorial Problems; Geographic Problems; Calendar Problems; Clock Problems; Dissection Problems; Verbal Problems;

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Book SynopsisFreeman Dyson has designed nuclear reactors and bomb-powered spacecraft; he has studied the origins of life and the possibilities for the long-term future; he showed quantum mechanics to be consistent with electrodynamics and started cosmological eschatology; he has won international recognition for his work in science and for his work in reconciling science to religion; he has advised generals and congressional committees. An STS (Science, Technology, Society) curriculum or discussion group that engages topics such as nuclear policies, genetic technologies, environmental sustainability, the role of religion in a scientific society, and a hard look towards the future, would count itself privileged to include Professor Dyson as a class participant and mentor. In this book, STS topics are not discussed as objectified abstractions, but through personal stories.The reader is invited to observe Dyson's influence on a generation of young people as they wrestle with issues of science, technology, society, life in general and our place in the universe. The book is filled with personal anecdotes, student questions and responses, honest doubts and passions.Table of ContentsWalking with Grandfather; Living in the Questions; A Hexagonal Mountain; Martha and Mary; Engines With Souls; Steered From Afar; The Swamp Angel; Rapid Rupture; Arsenals of Folly; To Touch the Face of the Stars; Silence; The Chainsaw and the White Oak; "Why Should I Care?"; Playing God; Bonds of Kinship; Two Windows; Doubt and Faith; Dreams of Earth and Sky; Family First;

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Book SynopsisThis book won the INDIEFAB 2015 Bronze Award for Science (Adult nonfiction).Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) including plants and the foods made from them, are a hot topic of debate today, but soon related technology could go much further and literally change what it means to be human. Scientists are on the verge of being able to create people who are GMOs.Should they do it? Could we become a healthier and 'better' species or might eugenics go viral leading to a real, new world of genetic dystopia? GMO Sapiens tackles such questions by taking a fresh look at the cutting-edge biotech discoveries that have made genetically modified people possible.Bioengineering, genomics, synthetic biology, and stem cells are changing sci-fi into reality before our eyes. This book will capture your imagination with its clear, approachable writing style. It will draw you into the fascinating discussion of the life-changing science of human genetic modification.Table of ContentsIntroduction: GMO OMG; The History of GMOs; GMO People; The Possible Risks of GMO People; The Potential Benefits of Human Genetic Modification; The Cloning Connection; Stem Cells and GMOs; GMO Sapien Economics; Gene Therapy; GMO People in Pop Culture; GMO Myths; Big Green Men: Designer People and Eugenics; The Ethics of Human Genetic Modification;

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Book SynopsisNever Lose Your Nerve! chronicles the ups and downs of a Nobel Laureate's life. Professor Alan J Heeger was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 together with Professor Alan G MacDiarmid and Professor Hideki Shirakawa. Filled with humor, this book tells Professor Heeger's story — his love for his family, especially how his wife's love has always been his guiding light, his progress from a young student to an eminent scientist, his passion for the theatre and its impact on his science, his adventures as a successful entrepreneur, and his personal losses. Many think of scientists as risk-adverse individuals but Professor Heeger shows the absolute necessity of risk in research and that scientists are, in fact, risk-addicted, as taking the first, risky step into unfamiliar territory is a step in the right direction towards creativity and great discoveries. Never lose your nerve and you will be rewarded. Life is an exciting adventure and this book clearly demonstrates it, and is for those who are looking to impact others.'Perhaps the greatest pleasure of being a scientist is to have an abstract idea, then to do an experiment (more often a series of experiments is required) that demonstrates the idea was correct; that is, Nature actually behaves as conceived in the mind of the scientist. This process is the essence of creativity in science. I have been fortunate to have experienced this intense pleasure many times in my life.'Alan J HeegerTable of ContentsPerfect Days - and Some Not so Perfect; The First Indication of Creativity; Miracles Actually Happen!; Coming to Acceptance of My Mortality; The Wart and the Penny - The Importance of Uncorrelated Events; "Whither thou goest, I will go"; Passion for a Career as a Physicist; From Novice to Professor; The Pathway to Great Science; "Fire and Rain"; Risk, Creativity and Discovery - Again; The Nobel Prize in Chemistry; The Creativity Continues: High Mobility Polymer Thin Film Transistors; Decision to Go West - Was it the KGB?; Life and Science in Santa Barbara; California Entrepreneur: UNIAX Corporation; The Impact of Theatre in our Lives; Low Cost "Plastic" Solar Cells - A Dream Becoming Reality; The Serial Entrepreneur: Cynvenio Biosystems, CytomX and CBRITE Inc.; The Delicacy of the Creative Mind; The Joy of Life; Final Comments: Mentoring Young Scientists;

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Book SynopsisNever Lose Your Nerve! chronicles the ups and downs of a Nobel Laureate's life. Professor Alan J Heeger was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 together with Professor Alan G MacDiarmid and Professor Hideki Shirakawa. Filled with humor, this book tells Professor Heeger's story — his love for his family, especially how his wife's love has always been his guiding light, his progress from a young student to an eminent scientist, his passion for the theatre and its impact on his science, his adventures as a successful entrepreneur, and his personal losses. Many think of scientists as risk-adverse individuals but Professor Heeger shows the absolute necessity of risk in research and that scientists are, in fact, risk-addicted, as taking the first, risky step into unfamiliar territory is a step in the right direction towards creativity and great discoveries. Never lose your nerve and you will be rewarded. Life is an exciting adventure and this book clearly demonstrates it, and is for those who are looking to impact others.'Perhaps the greatest pleasure of being a scientist is to have an abstract idea, then to do an experiment (more often a series of experiments is required) that demonstrates the idea was correct; that is, Nature actually behaves as conceived in the mind of the scientist. This process is the essence of creativity in science. I have been fortunate to have experienced this intense pleasure many times in my life.'Alan J HeegerTable of ContentsPerfect Days - and Some Not so Perfect; The First Indication of Creativity; Miracles Actually Happen!; Coming to Acceptance of My Mortality; The Wart and the Penny - The Importance of Uncorrelated Events; "Whither thou goest, I will go"; Passion for a Career as a Physicist; From Novice to Professor; The Pathway to Great Science; "Fire and Rain"; Risk, Creativity and Discovery - Again; The Nobel Prize in Chemistry; The Creativity Continues: High Mobility Polymer Thin Film Transistors; Decision to Go West - Was it the KGB?; Life and Science in Santa Barbara; California Entrepreneur: UNIAX Corporation; The Impact of Theatre in our Lives; Low Cost "Plastic" Solar Cells - A Dream Becoming Reality; The Serial Entrepreneur: Cynvenio Biosystems, CytomX and CBRITE Inc.; The Delicacy of the Creative Mind; The Joy of Life; Final Comments: Mentoring Young Scientists;

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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.

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Book SynopsisWisdom of the Martians of Science refers to five scientists whose brilliance contributed to shaping the modern world. John von Neumann was a pioneer of the modern computer; Theodore von Kármán was the scientist behind the US Air Force; Leo Szilard initiated the development of nuclear weapons; the Nobel laureate Eugene P Wigner was the world's first nuclear engineer; and Edward Teller was the father of the hydrogen bomb. They were born and raised in Budapest, were forced out of Hungary and then from Germany, they became Americans, and devoted themselves to the defense of the United States and the Free World.They contributed significant discoveries to fundamental science ranging from the properties of materials to the application of the symmetry principle in physics, to creating information theory, to game theory. The areas in which we can learn about their wisdom include applications of science to past, present and future real-world needs; defense; education; environment; human nature; humor; politics; religion; weather modification, and others.This book shows the wisdom of the Martians by presenting their thoughts and ideas in their own words and placing them into context. Their wisdom is intriguing, witty, provocative and thought provoking. It extended over many aspects of life and culture that impinge on our existence. While we cannot always agree with what they say, they are never boring. The power of their words and their philosophies will inspire the readers to pursue their own dreams.Table of ContentsIntroduction; John von Neumann's Wisdom; Theodore von Karman's Wisdom; Leo Szilard's Wisdom; Edward Teller's Wisdom; Eugene P Wigner's Wisdom; Final Thoughts;

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Book SynopsisWisdom of the Martians of Science refers to five scientists whose brilliance contributed to shaping the modern world. John von Neumann was a pioneer of the modern computer; Theodore von Kármán was the scientist behind the US Air Force; Leo Szilard initiated the development of nuclear weapons; the Nobel laureate Eugene P Wigner was the world's first nuclear engineer; and Edward Teller was the father of the hydrogen bomb. They were born and raised in Budapest, were forced out of Hungary and then from Germany, they became Americans, and devoted themselves to the defense of the United States and the Free World.They contributed significant discoveries to fundamental science ranging from the properties of materials to the application of the symmetry principle in physics, to creating information theory, to game theory. The areas in which we can learn about their wisdom include applications of science to past, present and future real-world needs; defense; education; environment; human nature; humor; politics; religion; weather modification, and others.This book shows the wisdom of the Martians by presenting their thoughts and ideas in their own words and placing them into context. Their wisdom is intriguing, witty, provocative and thought provoking. It extended over many aspects of life and culture that impinge on our existence. While we cannot always agree with what they say, they are never boring. The power of their words and their philosophies will inspire the readers to pursue their own dreams.Table of ContentsIntroduction; John von Neumann's Wisdom; Theodore von Karman's Wisdom; Leo Szilard's Wisdom; Edward Teller's Wisdom; Eugene P Wigner's Wisdom; Final Thoughts;

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Book Synopsis'This is a thought-provoking book that would be of interest to anyone wanting to ponder the concept of time, and to develop more critical thinking skills that may be useful when reading popular science books or articles.'IEEE Electrical Insulation MagazineThe aim of this book is to explain in simple language what we know about time and about the history of time. It is shown that the briefest (as well as the lengthiest) history of time can be described in one or two pages.The second purpose of the book is to show that neither entropy, nor the Second Law of Thermodynamics has anything to do with time. The third purpose is to educate the lay reader how to read popular science books, critically. Towards this goal, detailed reviews of four books on time are presented.There are many popular science books on Time, on the beginning of Time and the end of Time. This book is unique in the following two senses:Table of ContentsPreface; List of Abbreviations; Acknowledgements; What is Time?; What is a History of Something?; The Briefest History of Space; The Briefest History of Time; Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics; The History of Histories of Time; Epilogue; Notes; Bibliography; Index;

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Book SynopsisThis book is an essay collection, along with short stories, which attempts to explain some scientific ideas.Jeremy Bernstein was a long time staff writer for The New Yorker Magazine as well as a theoretical physicist. He has received several awards for his writing.Table of ContentsA Bouquet of Flowers for Olivia; Was Einstein Smart?; A Love Story; Topology; Deuteromomy; An Unsolved Mystery; Einstein and His Teacher; Einstein vs Einstein; Wien's Law; A Quantum of Education; Sommerfeld's Footnote; Quantum Mechanics; A Song for Molly; A Schroedinger Equation; The Life of a Cell; Who was Hall?; An Encore Song for Molly; Entropy; A Letter to My Fellow Quantum Mechanists;

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Book SynopsisThis book is an essay collection, along with short stories, which attempts to explain some scientific ideas.Jeremy Bernstein was a long time staff writer for The New Yorker Magazine as well as a theoretical physicist. He has received several awards for his writing.Table of ContentsA Bouquet of Flowers for Olivia; Was Einstein Smart?; A Love Story; Topology; Deuteromomy; An Unsolved Mystery; Einstein and His Teacher; Einstein vs Einstein; Wien's Law; A Quantum of Education; Sommerfeld's Footnote; Quantum Mechanics; A Song for Molly; A Schroedinger Equation; The Life of a Cell; Who was Hall?; An Encore Song for Molly; Entropy; A Letter to My Fellow Quantum Mechanists;

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