Science: general issues Books

Book SynopsisThis book will take you on a journey through our physical universe, based on current, established science. The journey starts with the simplest fundamental particles, such as quarks and electrons, and ends with the most complex of all material objects our human brains.Our universe has evolved through forming communities of things, with simpler things coming together in new groupings to make more complex things. So, every thing in the universe is a community of things, and at every level a community is greater than the sum of its separate parts.If we view the universe in terms of communities, it takes the form of a hierarchy of eight levels of communities, from protons and neutrons to human societies. And at every level in this universal hierarchy, the communities are bound together by ceaseless interactive exchanges.So, our universe reveals itself as a dynamic hierarchy, sustained by endless exchanges between members of the communities at every level. Each of us is the universe in microcosm, for we each embody all eight levels of the universal hierarchy.It is through things coming together and forming communities that the universe, with us now in it, has come to be what it is.Andrew McNeil has a PhD in metallurgy. He first worked in university research and then, for twenty years, he taught secondary school science.

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Quantum theory confronts us with bizarre paradoxes which contradict the logic of classical physics. At the subatomic level, one particle seems to know what the others are doing, and according to Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle", there is a limit on how accurately nature can be observed. And yet the theory is amazingly accurate and widely applied, explaining all of chemistry and most of physics. Introducing Quantum Theory takes us on a step-by-step tour with the key figures, including Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger. Each contributed at least one crucial concept to the theory. The puzzle of the wave-particle duality is here, along with descriptions of the two questions raised against Bohr's "Copenhagen Interpretation" - the famous "dead and alive cat" and the EPR paradox. Both remain unresolved.

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Book SynopsisSCIENCE IS ON ITS DEATH BEDLies, specious argument and fraud abound in a variety of scientific endeavours including the treatment and vaccines for Covid-19. Managers and politicians have taken over where previously the scientists were in charge. They have been able to utilise the bizarre language and contradictory processes of political correctness, making themselves into the high priests of a new religion, one which spawns more politically correct managers and despises experts, but there is hope and possible answers are proposed.Recent tragedies have pinpointed how managerial and political control do not advance the pursuit of knowledge. This book analyses the ways in which science has been undermined in areas as diverse as medicine, archaeology, climatology, cosmology and physics.Trade Review"We are following the science was the strap line that led in the UK to a national catastrophe from which we are still recovering." -- Professor Karol Sikora"... alleged scientific certainty is today being scandalously exploited to serve a perception of truth... The views expressed in this book are timely and important..." -- Sir Richard Dearlove KCMG OBE

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Book SynopsisExam Board: AQALevel: GCSE Grade 9-1 FoundationSubject: Combined ScienceSuitable for the 2025 examsComplete revision and practice to fully prepare for the GCSE grade 9-1 examsRevision that Sticks! Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Combined Science Foundation Complete All-in-One Revision and Practice uses a revision method that really works: repeated practice throughout.A revision guide, workbook and practice paper in one book!With clear and concise revision for every topic, plus seven practice opportunities, Collins offers the best revision at the best price.For even more practice QR codes link directly from the topics in the revision guide to online interactive quick recall quizzes and to worked solution videos in the workbook.Includes: grading guidance on the page to indicate different levels quick tests as you go end-of-topic practice questions topic review questions later in the book mixed practice questions at the end of the book more topic-by-topic practice in the workbook a complete exam-styTrade Review“Generally excellent. Attractive layout, clear and easy to access. There is necessary focus on exam skills, but presented in an interesting, step-by-step format.” Susan Stirrup, King’s Ely “I like the clear layout, especially the spacing of the questions – it is very accessible.” Fiona Hall, Sheringham High School “Colourful and informative.” Jane Hamilton, Alsager School

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Book SynopsisLevel: GCSESubject: AQA GCSE Combined Science (Foundation)Knowledge organisers and retrieval practice together in one pocket-sized book! Embed the essentials across all topics in AQA GCSE 9-1 Combined Science (Foundation).Just the key knowledge needed for AQA GCSE 9-1 Combined Science (Foundation) to help students know more and remember more.Key knowledge to learn for the AQA GCSE 9-1 Combined Science (Foundation) examsQuestions to lock-in knowledge and strengthen memoryTopics organised in the order of the exam papersIncludes required practicals and maths skills for scienceAnswers included

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Book SynopsisIn his monumental 1687 work, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, known familiarly as the Principia, Isaac Newton laid out in mathematical terms the principles of time, force, and motion that have guided the development of modern physical science. This is a modern translation based on the 1726 edition.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of CHOICE’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2017"

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Book SynopsisPresents the principles of genetics - classical and modern - in a cartoon format. Anecdotes about how the ancients tried to explain sex determination and inheritance abound, making the learning of the concepts of Mendel's Laws, mutations, DNA and gene splicing easier to understand.

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Book SynopsisAsimov tells the stories behind the science: the men and women who made the important discoveries and how they did it. Ranging from Galilei, Achimedes, Newton and Einstein, he takes the most complex concepts and explains it in such a way that a first-time reader on the subject feels confident on his/her understanding.

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Book SynopsisObservation is the most pervasive and fundamental practice of all the modern sciences, both natural and human. This collection offers an examination of the history of scientific observation in its own right, as both epistemic category and scientific practice.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDynamic explanations break down difficult topics, and DK's classic visual approach makes these subjects accessible to all inquisitive young minds. * City Kids *

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Book SynopsisCombined into one volume for the first time, the updated and clarified Exercises for the Feynman Lectures on Physics provides comprehensive, hands-on practice in all the most important areas of physicsâ??from Newtonian mechanics through the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.A perfect complement to The Feynman Lectures on Physics, these exercises have all been assigned in Caltech's mandatory two-year introductory physics course, either when Richard Feynman was teaching it, or during the nearly two decades that followed when The Feynman Lectures on Physics was used as the textbook. With this modern, easy-to-use volume, students of physics will have a chance to apply what they have learned in the Lectures and to enhance and reinforce the concepts taught by the inimitable Richard Feynman.

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Book SynopsisAnyone who gambles, plays cards, loves puzzles, or simply seeks an intellectual challenge will love this amusing and thought-provoking book. With wit and clarity, the authors deftly progress from simple arithmetic to calculus and non-Euclidean geometry. Charming and exciting. Saturday Review of Literature. Includes 169 figures.

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Book SynopsisThe Faber Book of Science introduces hunting spiders and black holes, gorillas and stardust, protons, photons and neutrinos. In his acclaimed anthology, John Carey plots the development of modern science from Leonardo da Vinci to Chaos Theory. The emphasis is on the scientists themselves and their own accounts of their breakthroughs and achievements. The classic science-writers are included - Darwin, T.H. Huxley and Jean Henri Fabre tracking insects through the Provencal countryside. So too are today''s experts - Steve Jones on the Human Genome Project, Richard Dawkins on DNA and many other representatives of the contemporary genre of popular science-writing which, John Carey argues, challenges modern poetry and fiction in its imaginative power.

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Book SynopsisWhy have island ecosystems always suffered such high rates of extinction? Over the past eight years, David Quammen has followed the threads of island biogeography on a globe-encircling journey of discovery.Trade ReviewNot only is this book compulsively readable - a masterpiece - it is maybe the masterpiece of science journalism -- Bill Mckibben * Audobon Magazine *A moving book... Quammen is a good writer who has taken the time to master an important subject and do it justice -- Richard Dawkins * The Times *Not since Gerald Durrell's books 30 years ago have I encountered such writing about the natural world. The witty, pithy, modest prose and the clever interweaving of science and storytelling are of a quality unrivalled in th field -- Matt Ridley * Sunday Telegraph *Impressive and deeply moving...blends first-rate science journalism with superb travel and nature writing * Financial Times *David Quammen is a brilliant young star of nature writing... His book is an important example of the genre, written in an enchanting style. His knowledge, based on years of research and adventure around the world, is truly impressive -- Edward O. Wilson, author of 'The Diversity of Life'

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Book SynopsisWHEN DID YOU LAST SEE THE STARS?''Look at a satellite image of the Earth. Where it was once as dark as night, it is now lit up like a Christmas tree. If you zoom in on a city, you''ll see floodlights, neon lights, car lights, and streetlamps. If you zoom in even further, to your own bedroom, you might see lamps and TV, tablet, and phone screens.Humans have always struggled with the dark, but isn''t it light enough now? What is all this artificial light doing to us and everything else that lives? What is it doing to our sleep patterns and rhythms and bodies?AN ODE TO DARKNESS explores our intimate relationship with the dark: why we are scared of it, why we need it and why the ever-encroaching light is damaging our well-being. Under the dark polar night of northern Norway, journalist Sigri Sandberg meditates on the cultural, historical, psychological and scientific me

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Book SynopsisGenius demystified, the Dummies way! In 1905, Albert Einstein revolutionized modern physics with his theory of relativity. He went on to become a twentieth--century icon--a man whose name and face are synonymous with "genius. " Now, at last, ordinary readers can explore Einstein's life and work in this new For Dummies guide.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: A Genius Awakens 5 Chapter 1: Who Was Einstein? 7 Chapter 2: Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Man 17 Chapter 3: 1905: Einstein’s Miracle Year 37 Part II: On the Shoulders of Giants: What Einstein Learned in School 47 Chapter 4: A Clockwork Universe 49 Chapter 5: The Arrow of Time 69 Chapter 6: Einstein’s Most Fascinating Subject 81 Chapter 7: And There Was Light 97 Part III: The Special Theory of Relativity 111 Chapter 8: Relativity Before Einstein 113 Chapter 9: Riding on a Beam of Light 123 Chapter 10: Clocks, Trains, and Automobiles: Exploring Space and Time 135 Chapter 11: The Equation 147 Part IV: The General Theory of Relativity 161 Chapter 12: Einstein’s Second Theory of Relativity 163 Chapter 13: “Black Holes Ain’t So Black” 187 Chapter 14: Was Einstein Right about Relativity? 211 Part V: The Quantum and the Universe 229 Chapter 15: Atoms Before Einstein 231 Chapter 16: Quantum Leap: God Plays Dice 247 Chapter 17: Einstein and the Bomb 269 Chapter 18: Einstein’s Greatest Blunder 289 Chapter 19: Not a Blunder After All 303 Part VI: The Part of Tens 319 Chapter 20: Ten Insights into Einstein’s Beliefs on Religion and Philosophy 321 Chapter 21: Ten Women Who Influenced Einstein 329 Appendix A: Glossary 339 Appendix B: Einstein Timeline 343 Index 349

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction V Part I Chemistry 1 Matter 2 Elements 3 01 The Periodic Table 3 02 Element Symbols 5 03 Atomic Structure 8 04 Lewis Dot Diagrams 10 05 Ions 12 Compounds 14 06 Chemical Formulas 14 07 Ionic Compounds 16 08 Covalent Compounds 18 09 Atoms vs. Molecules 21 Mixtures 23 10 Heterogeneous Mixtures 23 11 Solution: Concentration 25 12 Solubility 27 13 True Solutions 30 14 Colloids 33 15 Emulsions 35 16 Suspensions 37 17 Saturated Solutions 39 18 Diffusion 41 Physical Properties and Physical Changes 43 19 Matter Has Mass 44 20 Matter Has Volume 46 21 Relative Density 48 22 States of Matter 50 Chemical Properties and Chemical Changes 53 Acids and Bases 54 23 Acids 54 24 Bases 56 25 pH Scale 58 Chemical Reactions 61 26 Combination and Decomposition Reactions 61 27 Leavening Agent 63 28 Balancing Chemical Equations 65 29 Combustion: Burning 68 30 Exothermic Chemical Reactions 70 31 Explosions 72 32 Polymers: Slime 74 Part II Physics 76 Newton’s Laws of Motion 78 33 Newton’s First Law of Motion: Inertia 80 34 Newton’s Second Law of Motion 82 35 Newton’s Third Law of Motion 84 Forces 86 Noncontact Forces 87 36 Freefall 87 37 Gravity 89 38 Momentum 91 39 Apparent Weightlessness 94 Contact Forces 96 40 Buoyancy 96 41 Buoyant Force 98 42 Friction 100 Turning Forces 102 43 Torque 102 44 Center of Gravity 104 45 Stability 106 Heat 109 46 Conduction of Heat 110 47 Convection 112 48 Conductors vs. Insulators 114 49 Heat Capacity 116 Light 118 Energy 119 50 Electromagnetic Spectrum 119 51 Photons 121 52 Phosphors 124 53 Fluorescence 126 54 Phosphorescence 128 Incident Light 130 55 Colors You See 130 56 Convex Lenses: Focal Length 132 57 Convex Lenses: Rules of Refraction 134 58 Convex vs. Concave Lenses 137 Electricity 139 59 Series Circuit 140 60 Parallel Circuit 142 61 Energy Ball 144 Part III Astronomy 146 Space Measurements 148 62 Models of the Universe 149 63 Space Measurements 151 64 Apparent Sizes of Celestial Objects 153 65 Angular Distances 155 66 Sun Shadows 157 67 Albedo 159 The Moon 161 68 Moon Phases 162 69 The Terminator 164 70 Barycenter 167 71 Moon Motion 169 Constellations 171 72 Circumpolar Constellations 172 73 Location of Polaris 175 74 Zodiac Constellations 177 Part IV Earth Science 180 Geology 182 75 Density of Earth’s Layers 183 76 Volcanoes 185 77 Evaporites 187 78 Fossils 189 Geological Stress 191 79 Tectonic Plates 191 80 Deformation 194 81 Fold Mountains 196 82 Tension 198 83 Normal and Reverse Faults 201 Meteorology 204 84 Climate 205 85 Atmospheric Pressure 207 86 Sea and Land Breezes 209 87 Rayleigh Scattering 212 88 Seasons 215 89 Coriolis Effect 218 Part V Biology 221 The Nervous System 222 90 Eukaryotic Cells 223 91 Muscles 225 92 Afterimage 228 93 Perception of Color 230 94 Reaction Time 232 95 Sensory Receptors 234 Physical and Biochemical Changes 237 96 Chromatography 238 97 Denaturing Egg Protein 241 98 Denaturing Milk Protein 243 99 Ripening Hormone 245 100 Bioluminescence 247 Glossary 250 Index 279

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Book SynopsisUnderstand the real-life science behind crime scene investigation Forensics For Dummiestakes you inside the world of crime scene investigation to give you the low down on this exciting field. Written by a doctor and former Law & Order consultant, this guide will have you solving crimes along with your favorite TV shows in no time. From fingerprints and fibers to blood and ballistics, you''ll walk through the processes that yield significant information from the smallest clues. You''ll learn how Hollywood gets it wrong, and how real-world forensics experts work every day in fields as diverse as biology, psychology, anthropology, medicine, information technology, and more. If you''re interested in a forensics career, you''ll find out how to break in?and the education you''ll need to do the type of forensics work that interests you the most. Written for the true forensics fan, this book doesn''t shy away from the details; you''ll learn what goes on at the morgue asTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Part 1: Cracking Open the Case 5 Chapter 1: Understanding the World of Forensic Science 7 Defining Forensics: The Science of Catching Criminals 8 Integrating science into the practice of law 8 Drawing from other sciences 9 Getting the Big Picture: Forensic Science in Action 9 Starting out small: Basic forensic services 10 Looking at physical forensic science 11 Delving into biological forensic science 11 Investigating the Crime Lab 12 Creating the first crime lab 12 Identifying common procedures 13 Peeking Inside the Criminalist’s Toolbox 15 The Cornerstone of Forensic Science: Locard’s Exchange Principle 15 Looking at Locard’s principle in action 16 Reading the trace evidence 17 Determining who did what where 17 Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Forensics Team 19 Gathering the Evidence: The Criminalist at Work 20 From Analyzing Blood to Identifying Bugs: Forensic Science Specialists 22 Forensic Investigation’s Head Honcho: The Medical Examiner 24 Looking at two forensic systems 24 Checking out the duties of a coroner or medical examiner 25 Following the medical examiner in action 26 Dealing with the Dead: The Coroner’s Technician 27 Testifying as an Expert 28 Understanding the court system 28 Getting to the heart of the “truth” 30 Understanding the role of expert testimony 30 Chapter 3: Collecting and Protecting the Evidence 33 Assessing the Scene of the Crime 33 Distinguishing between primary and secondary crime scenes 34 Arriving at a crime scene 34 Preserving and processing the scene 35 Documenting the procedure 36 Reconstructing the crime scene 37 Recognizing a staged crime scene 39 Classifying the Evidence 39 Determining whether evidence is direct or circumstantial 40 Discerning physical from biological evidence 40 Understanding reconstructive evidence 41 Identifying associative evidence 41 Differentiating class and individual evidence 41 Analyzing the evidence 43 Locating the Evidence 43 Obtaining a search warrant 44 Searching without a warrant 45 Collecting and Preserving the Evidence 46 Searching the area 46 Gathering the evidence 47 Packaging the evidence 48 Collecting control samples 48 Protecting the chain of custody 49 Locating a Missing Corpse 50 Chapter 4: Delving into the Criminal Mind 53 Defining the Role of the Forensic Psychiatric Professional 53 Differentiating forensic from clinical psychiatry 54 How the mind matters in forensics 55 Assessing the Brain 55 Getting started with a medical history and physical exam 56 Digging into the psyche 57 Asking the right questions 58 Employing dubious techniques 58 Dealing with Deception 59 Recognizing lying perps 59 Debunking the eyewitness 60 Dealing with false confessions 61 Assessing Competence and Sanity 62 Determining a defendant’s competence 63 Defining insanity, loosely 63 Tracking Serial Offenders 64 Classifying the multiple murderer 65 Making the monsters 65 Profiling the Perpetrator 68 Assessing the perpetrator’s psyche 70 Taking trophies and souvenirs 72 Distinguishing MO from signature 72 Profiling the victim: Victimology 74 Drawing boundaries: The killer’s domain 75 Linking Criminals and Crime Scenes 76 Part 2: Analyzing the Evidence 77 Chapter 5: Fingerprints: Your Personal Signature 79 Getting a Grip on Fingerprints 79 Measuring bodies: A precursor to fingerprinting 80 Using ridge patterns 83 Making Matching Easier: Classifying Prints 84 Grouping by arches, loops, and whorls 84 Developing the Henry System 86 Speeding up identification: AFIS 86 Locating Those Sneaky Prints 88 Seeking latent prints 89 Powdering the print 89 Using chemistry to expose prints 90 Cleaning up the print: Digital techniques 91 Chapter 6: Painting A Gruesome Picture: Bloodstain Analysis 93 Understanding Blood’s Character 94 Thicker than water 94 Looking into blood clotting 95 Oozing, gushing, and dripping 95 Analyzing Bloodstain Patterns 96 Finding clues in passive bloodstains 96 Analyzing projected blood spatters 98 Classifying projected spatters 100 Latching on to transfer patterns 103 Reconstructing the crime scene from bloodstains 105 Putting It All Together: A Hypothetical Case 106 Chapter 7: Leaving Impressive Impressions: Shoes, Tires, and Tools 109 Stepping Out: Shoeprints as Evidence 110 Characterizing and using shoeprints 111 Matching sole to soul — so to speak 111 Collecting shoe impressions 113 Making the match 115 Tracking Down Tires 116 Analyzing tire-track evidence 117 Obtaining tire impressions 119 Prying Clues from Tool Marks 120 Characterizing and using tool marks 120 Capturing tool impressions 121 Finding Facts in Fabrics 123 Chapter 8: Burning Down the House: Is It Arson? 125 Striking the Match: Looking into Fire-Starters 126 Determining Where and How the Fire Started 127 Using other people’s eyes and ears 128 Locating the point of origin 128 Figuring out how it happened 129 Igniting the blaze 130 Heating Things Up: Accelerants 131 Collecting samples at the scene 131 Taking it to the lab 132 Digging deeper into iffy samples 133 Drawing conclusions from testing 135 Investigating Homicidal Fires 135 Location, location, location 135 Poisoned by air 136 Evaluating Explosive Situations 137 Defining explosives 137 Investigating a bombing scene 138 Part 3: Examining the Body 139 Chapter 9: Determining the Cause and Manner of Death: Forensic Autopsies 141 Defining Death and Declaring It as Such 141 Searching for a definitive method 142 Determining the causes and mechanisms of death 143 Uncovering the four manners of death 144 Shadowing the Forensic Pathologist 145 Discovering what makes an autopsy forensic 146 Deciding who gets autopsied 146 Performing an Autopsy 148 Identifying the body 148 Conducting an external examination 148 Dissecting the body 152 Sniffing out clues in chemicals: Toxicology 155 Filing the Official Autopsy Report 155 Chapter 10: Identifying Unknown Victims 157 Identifying the Body 158 Sifting through the artifacts 159 Examining scars, birthmarks, and tattoos 160 Finding evidence of wounds or disease 160 Fingerprinting the dead 162 Checking out the choppers 162 Using DNA To Make the ID 164 Dem Bones, Dem Bones: Working with Skeletons 164 Determining whether bones are human 165 Determining age 165 Estimating stature 166 Determining sex 167 Determining race 168 Seeking individual characteristics 169 Estimating time since death 170 Handling burned bones 171 Determining cause and manner of death 171 Reconstructing Faces 173 Comparing Photographs 174 Chapter 11: Estimating the Time of Death 177 Defining Time of Death 178 Examining the Body to Estimate Time of Death 178 Measuring body temperature 178 Stiffening up: Rigor mortis 179 Getting the blues: Lividity 181 Determining the rate of decay 182 Dealing with other possibilities 186 Breaking the surface: When sinkers become floaters 186 Gazing into the eyes 187 Gathering Other Clues 187 Discovering what was on the menu 187 Getting buggy 188 Checking other scene markers 189 Chapter 12: Ouch! That Hurts: Traumatic Injuries and Deaths 191 Unleashing the Power of Guns and Gun Evidence 192 Tracking those tricky bullets 192 Studying entry and exit wounds 192 Analyzing shotgun patterns 194 Slicing, Dicing, and Stabbing 195 Taking the Hit: Blunt-Force Trauma 197 Scraping and abrading 197 Bruising and battering 198 Breaking bones 200 Getting toothy: Bite marks 202 Moaning and groaning: My aching head 204 A Shocking Situation: Electrocution 207 Wreaking havoc: Electricity’s path through your body 207 Assessing the damage 208 The R Word: Dealing with Rape 209 Conducting a rape exam 210 Dealing with fatal assaults 212 Chapter 13: Gasping for Air: Asphyxia 213 Understanding Asphyxia 213 Gasping for Oxygen: Suffocation 214 Suffocating environments 214 Smothering 215 Choking sensations 215 Applying pressure: Mechanical asphyxia 216 Suffocating gases 216 Grasping Strangulation 217 Finding common threads in strangulations 218 Hands on: Manual strangulation 218 Applying a ligature 220 Hangings 221 Inhaling Deadly Air: Toxic Gases 223 That sneaky carbon monoxide 223 Deadly cyanide 224 Getting down with sewer gas 226 Drowning: Water, Water Everywhere 226 Finding the manner of death 226 Diving deeper to identify drownings 227 Part 4: Utilizing the Crime Lab 229 Chapter 14: Analyzing Blood and Other Bodily Fluids: Serology 231 Blood: Life’s Most Precious Fluid 231 Understanding blood 232 Blood typing: The ABO system 232 Identifying a Bloodstain’s Source 233 Answering the first question: Is it blood? 234 Knowing when blood’s really human 235 Narrowing the focus: Whose blood is it? 237 Testing for Paternity 239 Inheriting your blood type 239 Determining fatherhood 240 Looking at Other Bodily Fluids 241 Checking for semen 241 Checking for saliva 243 Detecting vaginal fluid 244 Chapter 15: Looking Deep Inside: DNA Analysis 245 Opening an Instruction Manual for Your Cells 245 Understanding the nuts and bolts of DNA 246 Mine, mine, all mine: Uniqueness and DNA 247 Fingering Criminals Using DNA Fingerprints 248 Tracking down and preserving DNA 249 Looking into the genome 249 Repeating yourself: How duplication identifies you 251 Understanding the DNA Fingerprinting Process 252 Getting even smaller with SNPs 253 Making the match 254 Shedding cells: Touch DNA 256 Keeping it in the family: Familial DNA 256 Using DNA to Determine Lineage 256 Who’s yer daddy? Paternity testing 257 Who’s yer granny and granddaddy? Mitochondrial and Y-STR DNA 258 Indexing DNA: The CODIS system 261 Chapter 16: Testing for Drugs and Poisons: The Toxicology Lab 263 Understanding Poisons 263 Defining Toxicology 264 Seeking Toxins 265 Collecting samples 266 Determining the cause and manner of death 268 Examining the Testing Procedures 269 Presuming the results 270 Confirming the results 271 Interpreting the results 272 Looking at Common Drugs 274 Understanding alcohol 275 Getting down with depressants 277 Hopping up: Stimulants 278 Taking a trip with hallucinogens 279 Dirty deeds: Date rape drugs 281 Sniffing and huffing 282 Bulking up 282 Checking Out Familiar Poisons 283 Chapter 17: Picking Apart Trace Evidence 287 Defining Trace Evidence 287 Understanding Analytical Instruments 288 Peering through the microscope 289 Testing the chemical makeup of trace materials 290 Splitting Hairs: Linking Crime to Coiffure 291 Dissecting hair’s anatomy 291 Matching criminal to curly lock 292 Fiddling with Fibers 296 Classifying fibers 296 Collecting fibers 297 Comparing fibers 297 Breaking down the fiber 298 Cracking the Mysteries of Glass 298 Looking into how glass becomes evidence 299 Analyzing and matching glass 299 Breaking glass 300 Puttering with Paints 302 Dissecting paint 303 Solving the puzzle 304 Getting Down and Dirty: Soils and Plants 304 Identifying soils 304 Looking at plants and seeds 305 Chapter 18: Bang! Bang!: Analyzing Firearms Evidence 307 Figuring Out Firearms 308 Extracting Info from Ammo 309 Handling bullets 310 Breaking down bullets 310 Determining caliber and gauge 311 Shuffling through shell casings 312 Getting Groovy: Comparing Rifling Patterns 312 Understanding rifling 313 Reading the ridges 314 Searching for answers in databases 315 The Proof’s in the Powder: Gunshot Residues 316 Tracing gasses and particles 316 Testing for GSR 317 Determining distance 318 Chapter 19: Questioning the Validity of Documents 321 Analyzing Handwriting 322 Obtaining standards 323 Comparing handwriting 324 Fingering forgers 326 Exposing Alterations 327 Wiping away writing 327 Eradicating the original 327 Adding words 328 Looking for Indentions 329 Examining Papers and Inks 329 Distinguishing papers 330 Identifying inks 330 Dissecting Typewriters and Photocopiers 332 Hunting and pecking for clues 332 Finding distinctive traits in copies 333 Part 5: The Part of Tens 335 Chapter 20: Ten Famous Forensic Cases 337 Using a Homemade Ladder: The Lindbergh Kidnapping 337 Sacco and Vanzetti and Sacco’s Gun 339 Ted Bundy’s Bite Marks 340 Stella Nickell’s Trail of Fingerprints 341 Finding Fibers on Jeffrey MacDonald 342 Georgi Markov and the Lethal Umbrella 344 The Hendricks Family’s Last Meal 345 Picturing John List 346 Being Anastasia Romanov 347 Faking Hitler’s Diaries 348 Chapter 21: Ten Ways Hollywood Gets It Wrong 351 The Quick Death 351 The Pretty Death 352 The Bleeding Corpse 352 The Exact Time of Death 353 The One-Punch Knockout 353 The Disappearing Black Eye 354 The Fast-Acting Poison 354 The Untraceable Poison 355 The Instant Athlete 355 The High-Tech Lab 356 Chapter 22: Ten Great Forensic Careers 357 Criminalist 358 Crime Scene Investigator 359 Forensic Investigator 359 Forensic Pathologist 360 Forensic Pathology Technician 360 Forensic Anthropologist 361 Forensic Toxicologist 361 Fingerprint Examiner 362 Forensic Document Examiner 362 Forensic DNA Analyst 363 Index 365

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Book SynopsisA vibrant exploration of the world's newest languagewhere it came from, how it works and where it's going

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Book SynopsisPaul Bierman's realization that Greenland's ice sheet melted when Earth was no warmer than today sounds an alarm for our planet.

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Book SynopsisAchieve the best possible standard with this landmark book of practice and guidance.First Aid in Science provides all the help and support needed for learning and practising Science. It offers a comprehensive guide to core topics using language that has been controlled for clarity and accessibility. It can be used in class, or as a reference and revision book.- Develops a strong basis of understanding with core topics covered in clear and accessible language- Improves student''s ability to work through problems with plenty of practice exercises and revision tests- Reflects its international readership with terms and information that are appropriate for students worldwideTable of Contents : Living Things : 1. Living things, plants and animals : 2. Plant systems (inc reproduction and nutrition) : 3. Human systems (inc digestive system) : 4. Health : 5. Food and nutrition - types and uses : 6. Food chains : 7. Sense organs - skin, tongue, nose, eye, ear : Energy, Forces, and Motion : 8. Machines - pulleys, levers, wheels, inclined planes : 9. Forces (inc Friction) : 10. Sources of Energy : 11. Forms of Energy : The World around us : 12. Rocks, minerals and soils : 13. Water and the water cycle : 14. Air : 15. Our weather and climate : 16. The Environment (inc drought, floods) : 17. Our place in the solar system

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Book SynopsisIn Don’t Be Such a Scientist, Randy Olson recounts the lessons from his own hilarious—and at times humiliating—evolution from science professor to Hollywood filmmaker, sharing the secrets of talking substance in an age of style. The key, he argued, is to stay true to the facts while tapping into something more primordial, more irrational—and ultimately more human. Now, in this second edition of his provocative and groundbreaking book, Olson builds upon the lessons and storytelling of Don’t Be Such a Scientist, providing an epilogue to each chapter for the current times, and adding a fresh introduction and new chapter on the importance of listening for science communicators (and beyond).Don’t Be Such a Scientist, Second Edition is a cutting and irreverent manual to speaking out and making your voice heard in an age of attacks on science.Invaluable for anyone looking to break out of the boxes of academia or research, Olson’s writing will inspire readers to “make science human”—and to enjoy the ride along the way.

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Book Synopsis'Gribbin casts a wide net and displays his breadth of knowledge in packing a lot into each chapter . . . a brief read, but one that may inspire readers to dig deeper.' Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night MagazineA mind-warping excursion into the wildly improbable truths of science.Echoing Sherlock Holmes' famous dictum, John Gribbin tells us: 'Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever is left, however improbable, is certainly possible, in the light of present scientific knowledge.' With that in mind, in his sequel to the hugely popular Six Impossible Things and Seven Pillars of Science, Gribbin turns his attention to some of the mind-bendingly improbable truths of science. For example:We know that the Universe had a beginning, and when it was - and also that the expansion of the Universe is speeding up. We can detect ripples in space that are one ten-thousandth the width of a proton, made by colliding black holes billions of light years from Earth.And, most importantly from our perspective, all complex life on Earth today is descended from a single cell - but without the stabilising influence of the Moon, life forms like us could never have evolved.Trade Review'We loved this book ... deeply thought provoking and a book that we want to share with as many people as possible.' * Irish Tech News *A fascinating journey into the world of scientific oddities and improbabilities. * Lily Pagano, Reaction *'Gribbin casts a wide net and displays his breadth of knowledge in packing a lot into each chapter . . . a brief read, but one that may inspire readers to dig deeper.' -- Giles Sparrow * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *[Gribbin] deftly joins the dots to reveal a bigger picture that is even more awe-inspiring than the sum of its parts. * Physics World *

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Book SynopsisBook of the Year in The Economist, Guardian, New Statesman, Wall Street Journal and New York Times.Shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize, the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography and the British Society for the History of Science Hughes Prize.'A wonderful book about one of the most important, brilliant and flawed scientists of the 20th century.' Peter Frankopan'Superb' Matt Ridley, The Times'Fascinating... The best Haldane biography yet.' New York TimesJ.B.S. Haldane's life was rich and strange, never short on genius, never lacking for drama. He is best remembered as a geneticist who revolutionized our understanding of evolution, but his peers thought him a polymath; one student called him 'the last man who knew all there was to be known'.Beginning in the 1930s, Haldane was also a staunch Communist - a stance that enhanced his public profile, led him into trouble, and even drew suspicions that he was spying for the Soviets. He wrote copiously on science and politics for the layman, in newspapers and magazines, and he gave speeches in town halls and on the radio, all of which made him, in his day, as famous in Britain as Einstein. Arthur C. Clarke called Haldane 'the most brilliant science popularizer of his generation'. He frequently narrated aspects of his life: of his childhood, as the son of a famous scientist; of his time in the trenches in the First World War and in Spain during the Civil War; of his experiments upon himself; of his secret research for the British Admiralty; of his final move to India, in 1957. A Dominant Character unpacks Haldane's boisterous life in detail, and it examines the questions he raised about the intersections of genetics and politics - questions that resonate all the more strongly today.Trade ReviewDeliciously full of danger, adventure and scandal. * 'Science Books of the Year', Guardian *Superb... Subramanian does a masterly job of summarising a rich and rough life. He uses sharp analogies and arresting images... Haldane deserves a biographer who is eloquent, intelligent, fair, but unsparing and as good at explaining science as politics. Not an easy combination, but he has got one. -- Matt Ridley * The Times *A master biographer brings this original, impulsive and politically misguided figure into sharp focus in this rare account of intellect and temperament in action. * 'Top Ten Books of 2020'. Wall Street Journal *It's hard to recommend a single science book from 2020, but the one I've kept returning to, mentally, is Samanth Subramanian's A Dominant Character... Beautifully written, it's a reminder that no scientist can be extracted from his or her time. * Laura Spinney, 'Books of the Year', New Statesman *Fascinating... The best Haldane biography yet. * New York Times *Samanth Subramanian is a crisp, elegant writer who has produced a compelling biography of this dazzling man. A Dominant Character is perfectly paced... It can be read with the utmost pleasure by everyone who likes to admire a fine intellect in action and to see respect paid to outstanding intelligence. -- Richard Davenport-Hines * Wall Street Journal *A wonderful book about one of the most important, brilliant and flawed scientists of the 20th century - that explains much not only about J.B.S. Haldane but about the complex times he lived in. -- Peter Frankopan, bestselling author of THE SILK ROADSEven if there had been no scientific legacy, the rich and at times outrageous life of J.B.S. Haldane would justify a biography... Intelligent and energetic. * Sunday Times *Sympathetic and astute * The Economist *The 20th century British geneticist J.B.S. Haldane remains one of the most influential scientists of modern times. And this remarkable biography by Samanth Subramanian, which brings to life Haldane at his brilliant, unpredictable, outspoken, visionary best, will make you see exactly why his light still shines so brightly today. -- Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of THE POISON SQUADA wholly delightful, even brilliant, exploration of the scientific mind. Subramanian brings alive J.B.S. Haldane's rollicking, unbelievable life journey from privileged English childhood to Indian asylum. He writes with grace and confidence about both the science and the man, a "Darwinian preacher" whose life explains why scientists in our age of artificial intelligence and revolutionary genetics need to think politically. A Dominant Character is a captivating story of prickly genius, sexual scandal, and radical politics. -- Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning co-author of AMERICAN PROMETHEUSA marvellous, comprehensive, and entertaining biography of J.B.S. Haldane, who made major contributions to many fields. His biggest impact was on evolutionary biology, as a major founder of the theory of population genetics. Subramanian has done impressive research on Haldane's background, scientific contributions, and political controversies - this will be the definitive work on his life from now on. -- Joe Felsenstein, Professor Emeritus of Genome Sciences and of Biology, University of WashingtonExcellent.... Full of insight and felicitous writing. -- David Brown * American Scholar *If you were looking for a model protagonist for a ripping yarn, you could do a lot worse than John Burdon Sanderson Haldane... A Dominant Character turns on the Lysenko affair, examining how scientists wedded to both their work and their political ideals can be forced to choose between them. * Literary Review *Insightful...This portrait of a brilliant, egotistical contrarian illustrates how science and politics can collide, a subject with ample relevance for the modern world. * Publishers Weekly *A rich biography of a central figure in the 20th-century genetics revolution... Succeeds superbly. * Kirkus Reviews *Captures Haldane's outsize character, productive scientific career, and communist convictions.... Explaining clearly Haldane's science and discerning astutely Haldane's personality, Subramanian delivers a well-judged biography. * Booklist *Attempting to encompass the entirety of the polymath that was J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964) is no easy task.... Social historians will appreciate the emphasis on the man and his politics, over an emphasis solely on the science, in this excellent biography. * Library Journal *Balanced and modern ... [A Dominant Character] should prove engaging to readers interested in the birth of genetics and in the intersection of science and political belief. * Science *A fascinating portrait of Haldane's life. Subramanian succeeds in capturing his public life, fame, and influence, while giving readers a sense of Haldane as a person and as a groundbreaking scientist. * American Scientist *Table of Contents1: The Scientific Method 2: The Deep End 3: Synthesis 4: Red Haldane 5: The War at Home 6: India 7: Ten Thousand Years

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Biology students will find this material helpful, and those with a desire to learn more about the history of life, genes, evolutionary processes, and the like might also find this a worthwhile title to peruse. A comprehensive guide to all aspects of evolution. Great for students and teachers of the subject."--Library Journal "This comprehensive reference covers an enormous breadth of information on the major subjects and key concepts in evolutionary biology... The list of international contributors consists of leading evolutionary biologists from a variety of academic institutions."--Booklist "The writers have worked hard (and succeeded) to make the text as easily readable to the non-specialist reader ... losing the textbook rigor that will be required by the specialist, who wants an up to date and comprehensive reference. I would thoroughly recommend this book both for those who are struggling with epigenetics and for experts who need all the arguments for the facts about evolution easily to hand."--Brian Livingstone, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society "This massive compendium of 107 chapters covers just about everything there is to know about evolution... Overall, an excellent starting point for deeper investigation."--Choice "Princeton University Press, together with the editors and contributors to The Princeton Guide to Evolution, deserve massive congratulations for having produced an exhaustive and fascinating guide to one of the most important of all scientific truths."--Charles H. Middleburgh, Charles Middleburgh Blog "All in all, a good and useful book."--John Goodier, Reference Reviews "I will make extensive use ofThe Princeton Guide to Evolution, and I recommend it to everyone who has questions (and answers) about evolution--what it is, and how it works. Congratulations to the editors and the contributors for a work that will serve a very broad readership well."--Marvalee H. Wake, Reports of the National Center for Science Education "A fascinating tour de force through the multifaceted ideas and facts of one of the most important scientific fields."--Christoph Oberprieler, Journal of Plant PhysiologyTable of Contents837

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Book SynopsisExam Board: AQALevel: GCSE 9-1Subject: Combined Science: Trilogy HigherSuitable for the 2024 examsTargeted practice questions covering the GCSE grade 9-1 curriculumThis Collins AQA Combined Science Trilogy GCSE 9-1 Higher Workbook contains topic-based questions as well as a full practice paper and answers, with lots of realistic practice opportunities.With a workbook and practice exam paper in one book, it contains plenty of practice opportunities to ensure the best results.For even more practice QR codes link directly from the topics in the workbook to online worked solution videos.Includes: grading guidance on the page to indicate different levels selection of questions covering each topic topic-by-topic practice complete exam-style paper online video solutions for every topic

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Book SynopsisWhether you are a student struggling to fulfil a maths or science course or you are embarking on a career change that requires a higher level of maths competency, A MIND FOR NUMBERS offers the tools you need to get a better grasp of that intimidating but inescapable field. Engineering professor, Barbara Oakley, knows firsthand how it feels to struggle with maths. She flunked her way through secondary school maths and science courses, before enlisting in the army immediately after graduation. When she saw how her lack of mathematical and technical savvy severely limited her options - both to rise in the military and to explore other careers - she returned to school with a newfound determination to re-tool her brain to master the very subjects that had given her so much trouble throughout her entire life.In A MIND FOR NUMBERS, Dr. Oakley lets us in on the secrets to effectively learning maths and science - secrets that even dedicated and successful students wish they''d known earlier. Co

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Book SynopsisCovers the fundamental concepts and twenty-first-century applications of six major areas of classical physics that every masters- or PhD-level physicist should be exposed to, but often isn't: statistical physics, optics (waves of all sorts), elastodynamics, fluid mechanics, plasma physics, and special and general relativity and cosmology.Trade Review"Winner of the 2018 PROSE Award in Textbook / Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Association of American Publishers""Kip S. Thorne, Co-Winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics""Roger D. Blandford, Co-Winner of the 2016 Crafoord Prize in Astronomy and Winner of the 2020 Shaw Prize in Astronomy""It is a matter for celebration when two illustrious theoreticians such as Kip Thorne and Roger Blandford provide an in-depth description of the fundamentals of classical physics. . . . The sheer amount of material covered and the effort that has gone into condensing it into a single, beautifully produced volume is extraordinarily impressive."---Malcolm Longair, Nature"A tour through macroscopic physics that features modern treatments of classical topics and insightful treatments of modern ones. . . . Modern Classical Physics is a magnificent achievement."---Edward Witten, Physics Today"An excellent tool for students and researchers as an introduction to classical subjects usually missing from most modern physics curricula. . . . A valuable reference for physicists about modern approaches of the development and applications of classical physics."---Miguel A. F. Sanjuán, Contemporary Physics

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Book SynopsisIn the 1990s Richard B. Alley and his colleagues made headlines with the discovery that the last ice age came to an abrupt end over a period of only three years. In The Two-Mile Time Machine, Alley tells the fascinating history of global climate changes as revealed by reading the annual rings of ice from cores drilled in Greenland. He explains thatTrade ReviewWinner of the 2001 Book Award in Science, Phi Beta Kappa One of Choices Outstanding Academic Titles for 2001 "Although not all scientists will agree with Alley's conclusions, [this] engaging book--a brilliant combination of scientific thriller, memoir and environmental science--provides instructive glimpses into our climatic past and global future ... "--Publisher's Weekly "Alley's ... striking finding is that the earth's climate has always been wildly variable and subject to dramatic swings--except during the past 10,000 years. So the period during which humankind has established itself across the globe and made the transition from grubby bands of hunter-gatherers to the dubious majesty of global capitalism corresponds exactly to a freakishly stable period in the earth's climate."--Angus Clarke, The Times of London "With a highly readable style designed to capture and stimulate the imagination of his students, Alley explains some of the complexities of Earth system science with a minimum of jargon. This book is not just for students: it will be readily accessible to a wide audience that should be aware of its contents."--David Peel, New Scientist "[A] provocative little book ... a compelling tale of climate sleuthing ...[Alley] is authoritative without being dogmatic, concerned without being alarmist."--Robert C. Cowen, Christian Science Monitor "A fascinating journey into the geologic past and the history of the Earth's climate ... Alley ends his entertaining book by polishing his crystal ball, envisioning what the future climate will be, and what we might do about it."--J.A. Rial, American Scientist "A superlative account of a complex topic ... It is refreshingly straightforward to read, often humorous, yet still deadly serious, complete with anecdotes and understandable explanations of complex processes."--Choice "Books in which scientists write about their professional experience and describe in lay terms the stuff that makes them excited about science rarely disappoint. Richard Alley's The Two Mile Time Machine is no exception. It describes a fascinating journey into the geologic past and the history of the Earth's climate... Alley ends his entertaining book by polishing his crystal ball, envisioning what the future climate will be, and what we might do about it."--J.A. Rial, American Scientist "[A] superb book... Alley demonstrates that the scientific understanding of climate is both a lot more complex, and a lot simpler, than public perceptions might indicate...The Two-Mile Time Machine restores some of the joy of discovery that has always been present in scientific work, but is often lost amidst today's furious research pace and compressed news cycles."--Cathering H. Crouch, Books and Culture "A fascinating first-hand story... [A]n engaging narrative about the processes of obtaining, analyzing, and interpreting the ice cores... Scientists, students, and the general public all need to know the present state of our incomplete understanding of the global climate system. This book provides an excellent foundation"--Al Bartlett, American Journal of Physics "It is ... refreshing to read a book that tells us in easy words, but with sufficient depth, how scientists have obtained the information about past climate change that is the basis for worries about the future. Richard Alley is a world authority in the science of ice cores and climate, and his book fills the large gap between technical and scholarly words for students of climate science and the short articles about these topics that are often found in the popular science magazines. The book addresses the interested layperson; following the story does not require special scientific knowledge. [It] is an excellent messenger of scientific endeavor and the enrichment this brings to society."--Thomas Stocker, Bulletin of the American Meteorological SocietyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface to the New Paperback Edition ix PART I SETTING THE STAGE 1 Fast Forward 3 2 Pointers to the Past 11 PART II READING THE RECORD 3 Going to Greenland 17 4 The Icy Archives-Ice Sheets and Glaciers 31 5 Ice Age through the Ice Age 41 6 How Cold of Old? 59 7 Dust in the Wind 71 8 Tiny Bubbles in the Ice 77 PART III CRAZY CLIMATES 9 The Saurian Sauna 83 10 The Solar System Swing 91 11 Dancing to the Orbital Band 99 12 What the Worms Turned 109 PART IV WHY THE WEIRDNESS? 13 How Climate Works 131 14 A Chaotic Conveyor? 147 15 Shoving the System 159 PART V COMING CRAZINESS? 16 Fuelish 169 17 Down the Road 181 18 An Ice-Core View of the Future 185 APPENDIXES 1 A Cast of Characters 193 2 Usage of Units 199 Sources and Related Information 201 Acknowledgments 223 Index 225

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Longlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, PEN America""One of Waterstones' Books of the Year 2020: Popular Science""Longlisted for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books for Young Adults""The role of happenstance in determining the fate of the world may seem a matter for philosophy more than science, but Carroll, a biologist, shows how central the idea is to everyday existence." * New York Times Book Review *"With conversational wit, Carroll encourages us to embrace the randomness of the world."---Scott Hershberger, Scientific American"The Yucatan asteroid is an epic example of the sheer randomness which, as Sean B. Carroll argues in this short but thought-provoking book, rules both the universe and our own lives."---Nick Rennison, Daily Mail"Carroll takes readers on an entertaining tour of biological discovery that emphasizes the dominant role played by chance in shaping the conditions for life on Earth. Along the way, he provides insights and humor that make the book a quick, lively read that both educates and entertains. . . . Books such as this remind us to make our unlikely time here count."---Ivor Knight, Science"Carroll’s work renders hefty topics accessible, exploring the perfect storm of events responsible for evolution, the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and every living person’s conception."---Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine"It is to biologist Sean B. Carroll’s credit that he’s found a way of taking a puzzle that could easily fill volumes (and probably has filled volumes), and presenting it to us in a slim, non-technical, and fun little book."---Dan Falk, Undark"A history book about humanity told with wit and style."---John Brandon, Forbes"A short, sweet, and scientifically solid view of life." * Kirkus, starred review *"I couldn’t put it down. If you’re at all interested in science, you’ll keep turning these pages."---Flora Taylor, American Scientist"If you enjoyed Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, you'll like this breezy, equally amusing trip through time. . . . A stellar little book about science.""---Jenny Nicholls, Waiheke Weekender"In Carroll, three traits that are rare in themselves conjoin in an even rarer alignment: a command of multiple scientific fields, an unrivaled ability to clearly explain complex scientific concepts, and a deep instinct for storytelling. It is only fitting that such an unlikely combination produced A Series of Fortunate Events, since this discipline-spanning, highly engaging volume is all about the unlikely combinations that gave rise to all life, to the human species, and to each of us as unique individuals."---Barbara N. Horowitz, The Quarterly Review of Biology"Entertaining and informative, Carroll’s latest is a real eye-opener."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Golf games, coincidental immunity, and pandemics: A Series of Fortunate Events ranges from examining trivial events to sobering ones, but remains relevant throughout, revealing how chance affects everyday life."---Rebecca Foster, Foreword Reviews"Entertaining and informative, Carroll’s latest is a real eye-opener."---Dr Alyson Hitch, The Bay"This book lays bare how often unpredictable events have shaped our world; it educates, engages, and entertains."---R. M. Denome, Choice"A short and charming book that will give you a new appreciation of the vagaries of life and their influence."---Ian Simmons, Fortean Times"This is an accessible and fun book but be forewarned that it might leave you wanting more. Personally, I take that as a good sign."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist

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