Science: general issues Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover the real-life inspirations behind history’s most infamous serial killers: John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson, and so many more. Gothic media moguls Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, authors of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, and The Science of Stephen King, and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast called “the best horror film podcast out there” by Film Daddy, present a guide to the serial killers who inspired the movies and media we all know and love. Delve into the brutal truth behind horror’s secret: many monsters portrayed on the silver screen are based on true murderers. Uncover the truth behind the real monsters of horror, answering such questions as: What is the science behind serial killers’ motivations like Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy? How did detectives discover the identities of criminals like the Boston Strangler and the BTK Strangler? Has science made it possible to unmask Jack the Ripper and the Zodiac Killer? What is the science behind female versus male serial killers? Through interviews, film analysis, and bone-chilling discoveries, join Kelly and Meg as they learn about the horrors of true crime through the decades.Trade Review"An outstanding addition to science and cinema studies collections."—Midwest Book Review“Hafdahl and Florence have written a page-turner probing into the most notorious killers and their influence on film and TV. They wisely dive into a variety of fascinating angles with Hollywood’s fascination, and the psychology and science behind what made them tick. By the end, you’ll have plenty of movies to add to your streaming queue.” —Paul McGuire Grimes, film critic and entertainment reporter“Hafdahl and Florence have done it again. The Science of Serial Killers is an engaging, informative dive into the forensic, environmental, and legal peripherals of notorious crimes that have inspired the horror genre’s most celebrated films.” —Anya Stanley, writer and film critic for Fangoria magazine and AVClub.com"Hafdahl and Florence once again deliver a compulsive read, this time to explore the fascinating cross-section of horror movies and the true crimes that inspired them. Through easily digestible forensic science, interviews, keen insight, and unwavering empathy for victims and survivors, the authors offer a deft examination of the steadfast fascination with the world’s most infamous killers." —Meagan Navarro, film critic and horror journalist"Close attention to how events are translated, represented, or interpreted makes this an outstanding addition to science and cinema studies collections."—Diane Donovan, author of San Francisco Relocated

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisANTONIO DAMASIO is University Professor, David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Neurology, and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. Damasio's other books include Descartes' Error; The Feeling of What Happens; and Looking for Spinoza. He has received the Honda Prize, the Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research, and, shared with his wife Hanna, the Pessoa, Signoret, and Cozzarelli prizes. Damasio is a fellow of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He lives in Los Angeles.Trade ReviewBreathtakingly original * Financial Times *Awareness may be mostly mystery, but Damasio shapes its hints and glimmerings into an imaginative, informed narrative * Kirkus *The marvel of reading Damasio's book is to be convinced one can follow the brain at work as it makes the private reality that is the deepest self * V. S. Naipaul *Damasio's most ambitious work yet. It is a lucid and important work * Word *The epicenter of Self Comes to Mind concerns the neurological basis for cognition and the issue of the superposition of a "self' onto the construct which we address as reality. Damasio is both eloquent and scholarly. His command of the themes he approaches is impressive, as is the vigor with which he tackles such recondite issues as the elusive "self," inside the head. A wonderful read, and a recommended one! -- Rodolfo R. Llinás, New York University

Read more less

Book SynopsisDaniel C. Dennett''s Freedom Evolves tackles the most important question of human existence - is there really such a thing as free will? How can humans make genuinely independent choices if we are just a cluster of cells and genes in a world determined by scientific laws? Here, Daniel Dennett provides an impassioned defense of free will. But rather than freedom being an eternal, unchanging condition of our existence, in reality, he reveals, it has evolved: just like life on the planet and the air we breathe. Evolution is the key to resolving this greatest of philosophical questions - and to understanding our place in the world as uniquely free agents. Dennett shows that far from there being an incompatibility between contemporary science and the traditional vision of freedom and morality, it is only recently that science has advanced to the point where we can see how we came to have our unique kind of freedom. ''A serious book with a

Read more less

Book SynopsisScientists have long counseled against interpreting animal behavior in terms of human emotions, warning that such anthropomorphizing limits our ability to understand animals as they really are. This book challenges this long-held view. It reveals that animals exhibit a range of moral behaviors, including fairness, empathy, trust, and reciprocity.Trade Review"This provocative and well-argued view of animal morality may surprise some readers as it challenges outdated assumptions about animals.... Written as much for other academics as for interested lay readers, this lucid book is highly recommended." - Library Journal "The authors contend that, in order to understand the moral compass by which animals live, we must first expand our definition of morality to include moral behavior unique to each species. Studies done by the authors, as well as experts in the fields of psychology, human social intelligence, zoology, and other branches of relevant science excellently bolster their claim." - Publishers Weekly "Wild Justice makes a compelling argument for open-mindedness regarding nonhuman animals." - New Scientist "Humans think of themselves as the only moral animals. But what about... the rat who refuses to shock another to earn a reward, and the magpie who grieves for her young? Cognitive animal behaviorist Bekoff and philosopher Pierce argue that nonhuman animals also are moral beings - with not just building blocks or precursors of morality but the real deal. The research gathered here makes a compelling case that it is time to reconsider yet another of the traits we have claimed as uniquely our own." - Discover"

Read more less

Book SynopsisSeparating hype from fact, this text investigates the fate of embodiment in an information age. It relates three issues: information as an entity separate from the material forms that carry it; the construction of the Cyborg; and the dismantling of the humanist "subject" in cybernetic discourse.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA much-needed antidote to the "AGENDA 21" nonsense promulgated by Glenn Beck and the far right, Oreskes and Conway provide us with a glimpse of the dystopian future we may ACTUALLY face should we fail to heed the warning of the world's scientists regarding the looming climate change crisis. -- Michael E. Mann, director, Penn State Earth System Science Center, and author of The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines Oreskes and Conway's startling and all-too-plausible history of the century to come is in the spirit of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley and all the writers who have turned to prophecy in the attempt to ward off an oncoming disaster. Witty in its details and disturbing in its plausibility, this is an account of the Long Emergency we're entering that you will not soon forget. -- Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Shaman, 2312, Science In the Capital, and the Mars trilogy A chilling view of what our history could be. Ignore it and it becomes more likely. Read this book, heed its warning, and perhaps we can avoid its dire predictions. -- Timothy Wirth, vice chairman, United Nations Foundation, and former U.S. Senator and Member, U.S. House of Representatives Regret, Oreskes and Conway argue, is an equal-opportunity employer. Yes, climate change will be a nightmare for environmentalists. But global warming also threatens free marketeers, because unabated, it guarantees big government intervention. And that's the great service of this short but brilliant parable: it creates bipartisan empathy for our future selves. From that gift, perhaps we can summon the will to act today. -- Auden Schendler, Vice President, Sustainability, Aspen Skiing Company Provocative and grimly fascinating, The Collapse of Western Civilization offers a glimpse into a future that, with farsighted leadership, still might be avoided. It should be required reading for anyone who works-or hopes to-in Washington. -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History The scenario portrayed in this valuable little book is scarily possible. It would be apt if readers took action to keep it from, you know, happening. -- Bill McKibben, founder 350.org Packed with salient science, smart speculation and flashes of mordant humour. Nature This science-historical fantasy is thought-provoking, but is it prescient? Scientific American [A] must-read... What is science fiction today will someday be the history of real, live people - billions of them. Kudos to Oreskes and Conway for finding a creative way to talk about the immoral choice we are making today and how those billions of people will suffer for it. Climate Progress Blog Though short, Collapse provides a detailed examination of how we've failed our environment - and a call to action to save what's left. Discover The authors' creative attack, ahead of the 2014 U.S. midterm elections, on those who today deny climate change and advocate a hands-off approach by government, is what makes this work a must-read in the politics of climate change. Its gift -- the real reason why everyone should read it -- is that it gives us an opportunity to imagine the world as our grandchildren will encounter it. Haaretz ... Oreskes and Conway have carved out a new space for historians to use their knowledge of alternative pasts to help imagine alternative futures. Public Books A gripping and deeply disturbing account... Based on sound scholarship and yet unafraid to speak boldly, this book provides a welcome moment of clarity amid the cacophony of climate change literature.All Things Environmental All Things Environmental Excellent... The Collapse of Western Civilization is a very readable and effective way of communicating the catastrophic implications of where we are heading under the climate crisis. Climate, People & Organizations Oreskes and Conway do justice to the full seriousness of climate change. That seems to me prime among the many values of their book... For all its dispassion the book is a call to arms. Hot Topic Oreskes and Conway's book contains potent, thoughtful analysis... Huffington Post The Collapse of Western Civilization illustrates the potential dangers from climate change, which can help readers think more clearly about the risk management choices society faces. The book may also encourage scientists to reflect on their role in society. If it helps scientists engage more effectively with the public by focusing on the key strengths of science, the book could help improve a flawed political system and enhance the potential for all branches of science to further benefit society. -- Paul A. T. Higgins Issues in Science and TechnologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Coming of the Penumbral Age 2. The Frenzy of Fossil Fuels 3. Market Failure Epilogue Lexicon of Archaic Terms Interview with the Authors Notes About the Authors

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fascinating lives and puzzling demise of some of the largest animals on earth.Trade Review"Ross McPhee's End of the Megafauna is a marvellous survey of what we know about the magnificent creatures who shared our world just 12,000 years ago, and he is brilliantly served by the superb illustrations of Australian artist Peter Schouten. There are also excellent maps and diagrams, helping you remember the difference between your Pleistocene and Holocene. The book is also a compelling, sometimes demanding and scientifically rigorous detective story." -- The Sunday Times"Palaeomammalogist Ross MacPhee examines the theories, such as human over-hunting, climate change, emergent infections and food-web disruption; articulates the ongoing debate around them and what that might tell us about today’s biodiversity crisis; and takes a look at de-extinction. Packed with evocative artwork by Peter Schouten." -- Nature"In End of the Megafauna, palaeontologist Ross MacPhee explores the current hypotheses, weighing up the evidence with academic rigour and delivering it with pop-science clarity." -- BBC Wildlife"Delving far deeper into the subject matter than anything you would have likely experienced before, this is a fascinating examination of a long-forgotten past and proof that giant life didn't end with the dinosaurs. A great gift for those who like their history with bite." -- How It Works"... highly readable book..." -- The British Association of Nature Conservationists Magazine

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Meticulously researched and unapologetically romantic, How the Hippies Saved Physics makes the history of science fun again."-ScienceTrade Review"It’s rare to find quantum physics mentioned in the same breath with sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll…I heartily enjoyed How the Hippies Saved Physics." -- John Gribbin - Wall Street Journal"It is hard to write a book about quantum mechanics that is at once intellectually serious and a page-turner. But David Kaiser succeeds…Illuminating." -- Hugh Gusterson - Nature"Meticulously researched and unapologetically romantic, How the Hippies Saved Physics makes the history of science fun again." -- Matthew Wisnioski - Science"[Kaiser] does an admirable job of making the very concepts of quantum mechanics palpable." -- Christian Science Monitor"An entertaining tale." -- Philadelphia Inquirer"Exhaustively and carefully researched. [Kaiser] has uncovered a wealth of revealing detail about the physicists involved, making for a very lively tale.…Fascinating." -- American Scientist"This book takes us deep into the kaleidoscopic culture of the 1970s with its pop-metaphysicians, dabblers in Eastern mysticism, and counterculture gurus some of whom, it turns out, were also physicists seeking to challenge the foundations of their discipline. In David Kaiser’s hands, the story of how they succeeded albeit in ways they never intended makes a tremendously fun and eye-opening tale." -- Ken Alder, author of The Measure of All Things and The Lie Detectors"At first it sounds impossible, then like the opening line of a joke: What do the CIA, Werner Erhard’s EST, Bay Area hippie explorations, and the legacy of Einstein, Heisenberg, and Schroedinger have in common? It turns out, as David Kaiser shows, quite a lot. Here is a book that is immensely fun to read, gives insight into deep and increasingly consequential questions of physics, and transports the reader back into the heart of North Beach zaniness in the long 1960s. Put down your calculators and pick up this book!" -- Peter Galison, author of Einstein’s Clocks, Poincaré’s Maps"David Kaiser’s masterly ability to explain the most subtle and counterintuitive quantum effects, together with his ability to spin a ripping good yarn, make him the perfect guide to this far-off and far-out era of scientific wackiness." -- Seth Lloyd, author of Programming the Universe

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith ease and originality, Tyson illuminates topics ranging from the linguistic merits of astrophysics to the limits of our five senses to the search for life in the universe.Trade Review"In this highly enjoyable collection of essays, the ever charismatic astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson offers us a peek at the scientific mind in action..." -- New Scientist"[Tyson] tackles a great range of subjects... with great humor, humility, and—most important—humanity." -- Entertainment Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisSurvival narrative meets scientific, natural and social history in the riveting story of a volcanic disaster.Trade Review"With 1,500 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, this is an urgent reminder of the need for advances in the field." -- Nature"... Olson is a gifted science communicator…" -- Physics World"Steve Olson not only tells their personal stories, but also turns the tension between the science and the cultural assumptions at play on that day into a drama that reads like a tragic thriller." -- Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature 2016 Shortlist - UKClimbing.com"In Mr. Olson’s telling, [the survivors’] stories read like urgent fiction… These vignettes lend a human face to an event that has become associated largely with geology." -- The Wall Street Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisFlatland is a unique, delightful satire that has charmed readers for over a century. Published in 1884 by the English clergyman and headmaster Edwin A. Abbott, it is the fanciful tale of A. Square, a two-dimensional being who is whisked away by a mysterious visitor to The Land of Three Dimensions, an experience that forever alters his worldview. Like the original, Ian Stewart''s commentary takes readers on a strange and wonderful journey. With clarity and wit, Stewart illuminates Abbott''s numerous Victorian references and touches on such diverse topics as ancient Babylon, Karl Marx, Mary Shelley''s Frankenstein , Mt. Everest, H.G. Wells, and phrenology. The Annotated Flatland makes fascinating connections between Flatland and Abbott''s era, resulting in a classic to rival Abbott''s own, and a book that will inspire and delight curious readers for generations to come.Trade Review"Stewart... is renowned for his popular science books, but Why Beauty is Truth is without a doubt the finest." Nature "Stewart, long a class act in popular maths, does not shy from presenting equations, illuminating them with imagistic explanations and sympathetic character sketches of heroes past and present." Guardian "I resorted to hiding (Why Beauty is Truth) from other members of the family until I'd finished and am confident that those on the 'waiting list' will not be disappointed. Inspirational." TLS"

Read more less

Book SynopsisEverything you need for a quick tour of everything You are here.Trade Review"…it makes you feel smarter with little eureka moments that are real page turners." (Bedfordshire on Sunday, Borough edition, Sunday 2nd March)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: In the Beginning: Early Ideas About Our Universe 7 Chapter 1: Exploring the Early Universe 9 Chapter 2: Looking Up at the Stars: Early Beliefs 17 Chapter 3: The Apple Drops: Newton, Gravity, and the Rotation of the Planets 27 Part II: Modern Cosmology: Going Off with a Bang 49 Chapter 4: Bending the Universe: Magnets and Gravity 51 Chapter 5: Measuring the Universe 73 Chapter 6: Cooking Up a Big Bang 95 Chapter 7: Letting It Rise: Expanding and Inflating the Universe 107 Chapter 8: Thinking Differently About the Universe 119 Part III: Building Your Own Universe 129 Chapter 9: Building Things from Scratch 131 Chapter 10: Forcing the Pace: The Roles of Natural Forces in the Universe 153 Chapter 11: Shedding Light on Dark Matter and Pinging Strings 169 Chapter 12: Playing with the Universe’s Chemistry Set 181 Chapter 13: Making Stars, Solar Systems, Galaxies, and More 197 Chapter 14: Giving Birth to Life 211 Chapter 15: Travelling Through Time 225 Part IV: Asking the Tough Questions 239 Chapter 16: Explaining the Unexplainable 241 Chapter 17: Finding Life Elsewhere 253 Chapter 18: Coming to an End 265 Part V: The Part of Tens 275 Chapter 19: Ten Different Beliefs about the Origins of the Universe 277 Chapter 20: Ten Greatest Cosmological Advances 285 Appendix: Understanding Scientific Units and Equations 295 Index 303

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany of the things discovered by accident are important in our everyday lives: Teflon, Velcro, nylon, x-rays, penicillin, safety glass, sugar substitutes, and polyethylene and other plastics. And we owe a debt to accident for some of our deepest scientific knowledge, including Newton''s theory of gravitation, the Big Bang theory of Creation, and the discovery of DNA. Even the Rosetta Stone, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the ruins of Pompeii came to light through chance. This book tells the fascinating stories of these and other discoveries and reveals how the inquisitive human mind turns accident into discovery. Written for the layman, yet scientifically accurate, this illuminating collection of anecdotes portrays invention and discovery as quintessentially human acts, due in part to curiosity, perserverance, and luck.Table of ContentsPartial table of contents: Archimedes--The First Streaker. A Sick Indian Discovers Quinine. The Electric Battery and Electromagnetism--From a Frog's Leg andCompass. Discoveries of the Elements. Daguerre and the Invention of Photography. Nobel--the Man, the Discoveries, and the Prizes. Friedel and Crafts--A Laboratory Accident Spawns New IndustrialChemistry. Some Astronomical Serendipities. Accidental Medical Discoveries. Substitute Sugar: How Sweet It Is--And Non-Fattening. Nylon: Cold-Drawing Does the Trick. Velcro and Other Gifts from Serendipity for Modern Living. Conceptions, Misconceptions, and Accidents in OrganicSynthesis. Epilogue: How Accidents Become Discoveries. Appendix. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEnables anyone with basic math and science skills to estimate virtually anything - quickly - using plausible assumptions and elementary arithmetic. This book presents an array of estimation problems that range from devilishly simple to quite sophisticated and from real-world concerns to silly ones.Trade Review"Dr. Adam and his colleague Lawrence Weinstein, a professor of physics, offer a wide and often amusing assortment of Fermi flexes in a book that just caught my eye, Guesstimation: Solving the World's Problems on the Back of a Cocktail Napkin."--Natalie Angier, New York Times "An important skill of great use ... is the ability to derive an approximate result from insufficient data. Guesstimation is a collection of [problems] gathered from everyday life and various fields. Working out questions ... is both entertaining and enlightening. It may also help foster your career ... because making correct guesses quickly establishes your reputation as an expert."--Stephan Mertens, Science "This book is a stimulating collection that will help the reader to reach informed judgments and will be a useful source of inspiration for mathematics and physics teachers: my only concern is that if my students have read it before they arrive at university, I may have to find a new approach to my first day's teaching."--Tony Mann, Times Higher Education "While few can hope to emulate the brilliance of a Nobel Prize winner like [Enrico] Fermi, coming up with pretty good guesstimates is a skill that can be taught. And that's the aim of Guesstimation. After a quick tutorial, the authors get down to business with a host of wide-ranging worked examples, from estimating the numbers of piano tuners in Los Angeles to figuring out the impact of deforestation on greenhouse gas levels. The results are sometimes surprising."--Robert Matthews, BBC Focus Magazine "[Guesstimation is] a left-brain book that helps you approximate answers to the types of questions actually asked in some job interviews today."--Peter Coy, BusinessWeek "[A] delightful account of mathematical approximation, which instills the beauty and power of the back-of-the-envelope calculation. The puzzles make addictive confidence builders by breaking down tricky questions into manageable parts. Never again will you take a newspaper figure at face value without feeling the need, and confidence, to guesstimate your own figure."--Matthew Killeya, New Scientist "Guesstimation is both enlightening and entertaining. I recommend it to my fellow journalists both as a tool of our trade and as a mind stretcher."--Rony V. Diaz, Manila Times "Any idea what fraction of land in the US is covered by either a roof or pavement? Known as a Fermi problem, this type of question requires the use of reasonable estimation, which is the focus of the book at hand. In the initial chapters, Weinstein and Adam briefly review good 'guesstimation' techniques involving numbers and explain why the use of the geometric mean is preferred over the arithmetic mean."--J. Johnson, Choice "How many people in the world are picking their nose right now? Weinstein and Adam 'guesstimate' the answer to this problem and 79 others, covering chemistry, physics, biology and history. The book is a step-by-step guide to problem-solving using rough-and-ready maths, the kind done on the back of a cocktail napkin. And the authors have kindly left additional questions at the end to get readers started on their own problem-solving expedition."--Cosmos "Physics educators can use this book as a guide to including the important skill of estimation in their courses. Students may find the power of estimation to be a valuable skill and will want to work their way through this book."--Arthur Eisenkrafr, American Journal of Physics "A source of imaginative problems, this book would make a nice addition to a mathematics department library."--Diane Resek, Mathematics Teacher "[I]t's quite obvious that the authors intend their book to be fun, nonthreatening, and user-friendly. There's very little not to like... [T]he book can be for everybody, 'higher-up professionals' who might know math but not physics, as well as students wrestling with 'word problems.' Teachers could very well recommend it to math majors and nonmajors alike, or even use it in the classroom, in some cases as supplementary reading for the course."--Marion Deutsche Cohen, Mathematical Intelligencer "The cumulative effect of fairly simple paths to estimating solutions to a dizzying array of difficult problems is fascinating."--Ray Bert, Civil Engineering "This book will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in estimation, but is also targeted at those applying for jobs at companies like Google, where the kind of questions considered in the book are often used in the interview process."--Paul Taylor, Mathematics TodayTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Preface xiii Chapter 1: How to Solve Problems 1 Chapter 2: Dealing with Large Numbers 11 2.1 Scientific Notation 11 2.2 Accuracy 14 2.3 A Note on Units 16 2.4 Unit Conversion 17 Chapter 3: General Questions 19 3.1 One big family 21 3.2 Fore! 25 3.3 This is a fine pickle you've got us into, Patty 29 3.4 Throwing in the towel 31 3.5 Hey buddy, can you fill a dome? 35 3.6 A mole of cats 39 3.7 Massive MongaMillions 41 3.8 Tons of trash 43 3.9 Mt. Trashmore 47 3.10 Juggling people 51 3.11 Shelving the problem 53 Chapter 4: Animals and People 55 4.1 More numerous than the stars in the sky 57 4.2 Laboring in vein 61 4.3 Unzipping your skin 65 4.4 Hair today, gone tomorrow 69 4.5 Hot dawg! 73 4.6 Playing the field 75 4.7 Ewww... gross! 77 4.8 Going potty 79 4.9 Let's get one thing straight! 83 Chapter 5: Transportation 87 5.1 Driving past Saturn 89 5.2 Drowning in gasoline 91 5.3 Slowly on the highway 95 5.4 Rickshaws and automobiles 99 5.5 Horse exhaust 103 5.6 Tire tracks 107 5.7 Working for the car 109 Chapter 6: Energy and Work 113 6.1 Energy of height 114 6.1.1 Mountain climbing 115 6.1.2 Flattening the Alps 119 6.1.3 Raising a building 123 6.2 Energy of motion 126 6.2.1 At your service 127 6.2.2 Kinetic trucking 129 6.2.3 Racing continents 131 6.2.4 "To boldly go... " 135 6.3 Work 138 6.3.1 Crash! 139 6.3.2 Spider-Man and the subway car 143 Chapter 7: Hydrocarbons and Carbohydrates 145 7.1 Chemical energy 145 7.1.1 Energy in gasoline 147 7.1.2 Battery energy 151 7.1.3 Battery energy density 155 7.1.4 Batteries vs. gas tanks 159 7.2 Food is energy 162 7.2.1 Eat here, get gas 163 7.2.2 Farmland for ethanol 167 7.3 Power! 170 7.3.1 Hot humans 171 7.3.2 Fill 'er up with gasoline 173 7.3.3 Fill 'er up with electricity 175 Chapter 8: The Earth, the Moon, and Lots of Gerbils 179 8.1 "And yet it moves" (e pur si muove) 181 8.2 Duck! 185 8.3 Super-sized Sun 189 8.4 Sun power 193 8.5 Gerbils 1, Sun 0 197 8.6 Chemical Sun 201 8.7 Nearby supernova 205 8.8 Melting ice caps 209 Chapter 9: Energy and the Environment 213 9.1 Power to the people 215 9.2 Continental power 219 9.3 Solar energy 223 9.4 Land for solar energy 225 9.5 Tilting at windmills 229 9.6 The power of coal 233 9.7 The power of nuclei 237 9.8 Hard surfaces 239 Chapter 10: The Atmosphere 243 10.1 Into thin air 245 10.2 Ancient air 247 10.3 Suck it up 251 10.4 CO2 from coal 255 10.5 A healthy glow 259 10.6 CO2 from cars 261 10.7 Turning gas into trees 265 10.8 Turning trees into gas 269 Chapter 11: Risk 273 11.1 Gambling on the road 275 11.2 The plane truth 277 11.3 Life's a beach 279 11.4 Up in smoke 281 Chapter 12: Unanswered Questions 285 Appendix: Needed Numbers and Formulas 289 A.1 Useful Numbers 289 A.2 Handy Formulas 289 A.3 Metric Prefixes 290 B Pegs to Hang Things On 291 Bibliography 295 Index 299

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Biology Laboratory Manual by Vodopich and Moore was designed for an introductory biology course with a broad survey of basic laboratory techniques. The experiments and procedures are simple, safe, easy to perform, and especially appropriate for large classes. Few experiments require more than one class meeting to complete the procedure. Each exercise includes many photographs, traditional topics, and experiments that help students learn about life. Procedures within each exercise are numerous and discrete so that an exercise can be tailored to the needs of the students, the style of the instructor, and the facilities available.Additionally, with McGraw Hill Connect, powerful digital tools augment lab instruction by helping students apply their knowledge in a laboratory setting. Connect Virtual Labs can be implemented in a hybrid or fully online setting to help students prepare for the wet lab and strengthening their lab experience.Table of ContentsExercise 1-Scientific Method: The Process of ScienceExercise 2-Measurements in Biology: The Metric System and Data AnalysisExercise 3-The Microscope: Basic Skills of Light MicroscopyExercise 4-The Cell: Structure and FunctionExercise 5-Solutions, Acids, and Bases: The pH ScaleExercise 6- Biologically Important Molecules: Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic AcidsExercise 7- Separating Organic Compounds: Column Chromatography, Paper Chromatography, and Gel ElectrophoresisExercise 8- Spectrophotometry: Identifying Solutes and Determining Their ConcentrationExercise 9- Diffusion and Osmosis: Passive Movement of Molecules in Biological SystemsExercise 10- Cellular Membranes: Effects of Physical and Chemical StressExercise 11- Enzymes: Factors Affecting the Rate of ActivityExercise 12- Respiration: Aerobic and Anaerobic Oxidation of Organic Molecules Exercise 13- Photosynthesis: Pigment Separation, Starch Production, and CO2 UptakeExercise 14- Mitosis: Replication of Eukaryotic CellsExercise 15- Meiosis: Reduction Division and Gametogenesis Exercise 16- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: DNA Isolation and Genetic Transformation Exercise 17- Genetics: The Principles of MendelExercise 18- Evolution: Natural Selection and Morphological Change in Green AlgaeExercise 19- Human Evolution: Skull ExaminationExercise 20- Ecology: Diversity and Interaction in Plant CommunitiesExercise 21- Community SuccessionExercise 22- Population Growth: Limitations of the EnvironmentExercise 23- Pollution: The Effects of Chemical, Thermal, and Acidic PollutionExercise 24- Survey of Prokaryotes: Domains Archaea and BacteriaExercise 25- Survey of Protists: Algal AutotrophsExercise 26- Survey of Protists: Protozoan HeterotrophsExercise 27- Survey of the Kingdom Fungi: Molds, Sac Fungi, Mushrooms, and LichensExercise 28- Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Liverworts, Mosses, and Hornworts of Phyla Hepatophyta, Bryophyta, and AnthocerophytaExercise 29- Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Seedless Vascular Plants of Phyla Pterophyta and LycophytaExercise 30- Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Gymnosperms of Phyla Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Coniferophyta, and Gnetophyta Exercise 31- Survey of the Plant Kingdom: Angiosperms Exercise 32- Plant Anatomy: Vegetative Structure of Vascular PlantsExercise 33- Plant Physiology: TranspirationExercise 34- Plant Physiology: Tropisms, Nutrition, and Growth RegulatorsExercise 35- Bioassay: Measuring Physiologically Active SubstancesExercise 36- Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Porifera and Cnidaria Exercise 37- Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Platyhelminthes and Mollusca Exercise 38- Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Annelida and NematodaExercise 39- Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phylum ArthropodaExercise 40- Survey of the Animal Kingdom: Phyla Echinodermata and ChordataExercise 41- Vertebrate Animal Tissues: Epithelial, Connective, Muscular, and Nervous TissuesExercise 42- Human Biology: The Human Skeletal SystemExercise 43- Human Biology: Muscles and Muscle ContractionExercise 44- Human Biology: BreathingExercise 45- Human Biology: Circulation and Blood Pressure Exercise 46- Human Biology: Sensory PerceptionExercise 47- Vertebrate Anatomy: External Features and Skeletal System of the RatExercise 48- Vertebrate Anatomy: Muscles and Internal Organs of the RatExercise 49- Vertebrate Anatomy: Urogenital and Circulatory Systems of the RatExercise 50- Embryology: Comparative Morphologies and Strategies of DevelopmentExercise 51- Animal Behavior: Taxis, Kinesis, and Agonistic BehaviorAppendix I- Dissection of a Fetal Pig Appendix II- Conversion of Metric Units to English Units

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive, eye-opening exploration of what dreams are, where they come from, what they mean and why we have them.Trade Review"Where do we go in our dreams at night? And why do we dream in the first place? Are we the only species that dreams? When Brains Dream provides a truly comprehensive, scientifically rigorous and utterly fascinating account of when, how, and why we dream. Put simply, When Brains Dream is the essential guide to dreaming." -- Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep"Drawing on decades of research, sleep scientists Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold detail their new model of how and why we dream – a model that they call NEXTUP, the Network Exploration to Understand Possibilities." -- The best popular science books to read in January 2021 - Science Focus"... Bob and Tony have an answer to a problem that’s been puzzling people for 200 years: why do we dream? They explain why we daydream too; why it’s vital for sanity, so for me When Brains Dream has acted as an intervention." -- The Spectator"Reports of bizarre night-time visions have surged during the pandemic… Dreams are vivid and memorable, [Stickgold] points out, and we have a sense that they are telling us something. But what? Since Covid-19 struck, a lot of us are asking that question… The pandemic has caused people to feel more anxious about everything from health to finance. The brain tags such concerns for processing during sleep, according to Stickgold and Zadra in When Brains Dream..." -- Hilary Rose - The Times"A remarkable account of what we know and don’t know about this mysterious thing that happens during the night… When Brains Dream is a rarity among popular science books, one that neither dumbs down the research nor steps outside of what we know," -- Daniel Levitin, author of The Changing Mind

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisScientific research should be interesting and exciting. When you finally get your data and, even better it makes sense! There's nothing quite like it. Your final research project will give you a flavour of what it will be like if you decide you would like to make a career in scientific research. This book will help you get the most out of that experience. In her years of work with students, Jess Bownes has answered countless questions about conducting and writing about scientific research. In this book, she distils her advice into one essential guide to writing dissertations and research projects and addresses the most common concerns and questions that science students have. This book supports students through the entire process of working on a dissertation, from the early but crucial planning stages, through to undertaking practical work and collecting data, researching literature, and writing up one's findings. The structure of the book mirrors key stages of a research project Trade Review‘A highly recommended and approachable book that demystifies the transition from student to researcher and empowers students writing their dissertations with a great deal of very useful and practical advice.’ -- Professor Frédéric Blanc, Department of Chemistry * University of Liverpool, UK *‘Clear and comprehensive. The guidelines presented within this book should help anyone strengthen their science dissertation from start to finish.’ -- Joshua Thorpe, Faculty of Natural Sciences * University of Stirling, UK *‘An informative, useful handbook to accompany writing a dissertation. Highly recommended for students and any non-specialist staff who may need to support students during this process.’ -- Nancy Carter, School of Applied Sciences * University of Brighton, UK *'This helpful book takes the student through every stage of the dissertation journey, from choosing a topic, through research planning and writing to proof-reading the final product. It is thorough, clearly written and with excellent explanations throughout. It will be valuable to any dissertation student, and also dissertation supervisors.' -- Jo Buckberry, Reader in Biological Anthropology * University of Bradford, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction 2. Using the Marking Criteria to Get the Best Possible Grade 3. Working with Your Supervisor 4. Planning Your Work 5. Collecting Your Data 6. Finding and Analysing the Literature 7. Using Evidence in Your Dissertation 8. Writing a Science Dissertation 9. Avoiding Plagiarism 10.Editing and Proofreading Glossary

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A very funny, important and only moderately terrifying clarion call of a book'' - Adam Kay''HOT MESS provides loads of laughs about the climate situation and will position you at the right point between fear and determination'' - Mark Watson ''Hilarious, informative and worrying in equal measure. And that''s just the bits about having a baby'' - Josie LongFor fans of Randall Munro''s WHAT IF? Matt Parker''s HUMBLE PI and anyone looking for practical tips on how to stop the end of the world!Dr Matt Winning is a stand-up comedian and environmental economist with a PHD in climate change policy, which means he''s the sort of doctor who will rush to your side if you fall ill on a plane, but only to berate you for flying. We are currently facing a global climate emergency. You''ve probably noticed. But why does the end of the world need to be so depressing? HOT MESS aims to both lighTrade ReviewClimate change is no laughing matter - oh yes it is - with Matt Winning's superb, hilarious, side-splitting book that makes you take a whole new look at the climate crisis, surviving having children and life in general. * Mark Maslin, author of How to Save Our Planet *A very funny, important and only moderately terrifying clarion call of a book. * Adam Kay *HOT MESS provides loads of laughs about "the climate situation" and will position you at the right point between fear and determination. * Mark Watson *Hilarious, informative and worrying in equal measure. And that's just the bits about having a baby. * Josie Long *The first book about climate change that made me laugh out loud. If you've been too freaked out to subject yourself to the climate crisis, Hot Mess is the kick in the pants you need to start making yourself useful. * ' Prof. Kimberly Nicholas, author of Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World *Everything a Fringe show should be: hilarious, personal, inventive, and something that will stay with you for some time to come. * EdFestMag *Winning's sharp wit and intelligence allows him to educate as he entertains. * Sunday Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThink you can't have fun learning statistics? Think again. The Manga Guide to Statistics will teach you everything you need to know about this essential discipline, while entertaining you at the same time. With its unique combination of Japanese-style comics called manga and serious educational content, the EduManga format is already a hit in Japan. In The Manga Guide to Statistics, our heroine Rui is determined to learn about statistics to impress the dreamy Mr. Igarashi and begs her father for a tutor. Soon she's spending her Saturdays with geeky, bespectacled Mr. Yamamoto, who patiently teaches her all about the fundamentals of statistics: topics like data categorization, averages, graphing, and standard deviation. After all her studying, Rui is confident in her knowledge of statistics, including complex concepts like probability, coefficients of correlation, hypothesis tests, and tests of independence. But is it enough to impress her dream guy? Or maybe there's someone better, rigTrade Review"The art is charming and the humor engaging. Readers will enjoy following Rui as she struggles with math concepts while showing off her new school uniform and realizing her romantic feelings for her tutor."—School Library Journal"Provides accurate, clearly related statistical content as the underlying schoolgirl-crush story line unfolds...Recommended."—Choice MagazineTable of Contents1: Determining Data Types 2: Getting the Big Picture: Understanding Numerical Data 3: Getting the Big Picture: Understanding Categorical Data 4: Standard Score and Deviation Score 5: Let's Obtain the Probability 6: Let's Look at the Relationship Between Two Variables 7: Let's Explore the Hypothesis Tests

Read more less

Book SynopsisRadioà andà microà wavesà areà theà nextà phaseà ofà ionizingà ourà atmosphereà toà createà theà methodà toà controlà human DNA.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the perfect introduction for those who have a lingering fear of maths. If you think that maths is difficult, confusing, dull or just plain scary, then The Maths Handbook is your ideal companion. Covering all the basics including fractions, equations, primes, squares and square roots, geometry and fractals, Dr Richard Elwes will lead you gently towards a greater understanding of this fascinating subject. Even apparently daunting concepts are explained simply, with the assistance of useful diagrams, and with a refreshing lack of jargon. So whether you're an adult or a student, whether you like Sudoku but hate doing sums, or whether you've always been daunted by numbers at work, school or in everyday life, you won't find a better way of overcoming your nervousness about numbers and learning to enjoy making the most of mathematics.Trade Review'Elwes takes the key concepts, perfectly illustrates them with practical examples and easy-to-follow explanations, tests us with quizzes, and applies the principles to everyday situations. The effect is strangely liberating, and you might soon find yourself acquiring a love of logarithms and a respect for reflex quadrilaterals' Good Book Guide. * Good Book Guide *Table of ContentsIntroduction. The language of mathematics. Addition. Subtraction. Multiplication. Division. Primes, factors and multiples. Negative numbers and the number line. Decimals. Fractions. Arithmetic with fractions. Powers. The power of 10. Roots and logs. Percentages and proportions. Algebra. Equations. Angles. Triangles. Circles. Area and volume. Polygons and solids. Pythagoras' theorem. Trigonometry. Coordinates. Graphs. Statistics. Probability. Charts. Answers to quizzes. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Gribbin, author of Six Impossible Things, shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, presents a tour of seven fundamental scientific truths that underpin our very existence.These 'pillars of science' also defy common sense. For example, solid things are mostly empty space, so how do they hold together? There appears to be no special 'life force', so how do we distinguish living things from inanimate objects? And why does ice float on water, when most solids don't? You might think that question hardly needs asking, and yet if ice didn't float, life on Earth would never have happened.The answers to all of these questions were sensational in their day, and some still are. Throughout history, science has been able to think the unthinkable - and Gribbin brilliantly shows the surprising secrets on which our understanding of life is based.Trade Review[In] the last couple of years we have seen a string of books that pack bags of science in a digestible form into a small space. John Gribbin has already proved himself a master of this approach with his Six Impossible Things, and he's done it again ... [Seven Pillars of Science is] light, to the point and hugely informative. ... It packs in the science, tells an intriguing story and is beautifully packaged. * Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.uk *'[Gribbin] deftly joins the dots to reveal a bigger picture that is even more awe-inspiring than the sum of its parts.' -- Laura Hiscott * Physics World *

Read more less

Book SynopsisInstant Science pulls together all the pivotal scientific knowledge and thought into one concise volume. Each page contains a discrete 'cheat sheet', which tells you the most important facts in bite-sized chunks, meaning you can become an expert in an instant. From Copernicus to Curie, gravity to climate change, atom bombs to the International Space Station, every key figure, discovery or invention is explained with succinct and lively text and graphics. Perfect for the knowledge hungry and time poor, this collection of graphic-led lessons makes science interesting and accessible. Everything you need to know is here. Table of ContentsCopernicus • Galileo Galilei • Ada Lovelace • Isaac Newton • Charles Darwin • Marie Curie • Albert Einstein • Nikola Tesla • Rosalind Franklin • Stephen Hawking • Jocelyn Bell Burnell • Tim Berners-Lee • Gravity • Tides • Particles • Elements and the periodic table • Light • Sound • Optics • Electricity • Antibiotics • Comets and meteors • The solar system • The Universe • The Big Bang • Hubble's Law of cosmic expansion • Keplar's Law of planetary motion • Newton's Laws of motion • Archimedes' Buoyancy Principle (Eureka!) • Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle • Thermodynamics • Radioactivity • Relativity • Quantum theory • Evolution and natural selection • Chaos theory • The Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio • DNA and the genome • Genetically modified organisms • Stem cells • Cloning • Flight • Semiconductors • Climate change • The atom bomb • The International Space Station • Megastructures • The Internet • Big data • 3D printing • Geometry: angles • Identifying metals.

Read more less

Science communication is a rapidly expanding area, and a key component of many final year undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Authored by a highly regarded chemist and science communicator, this textbook pulls together all aspects of science communication. Complete Science Communication focusses on four major aspects of science communication: writing for non-technical audiences and science journalism; writing for technical audiences and peer-reviewed journal writing; public speaking of science; and public relations. It first showcases how writing in a journalistic style is done and provides a guide for colloquially communicating science. Then, the art of writing scientific papers is conjoined to this idea to make technical manuscripts more digestible, readable, and, hence, citable. These ideas are next taken into the spoken word so that the scientist can engage in telling their science like that natural human art of campfire stories. Finally, all of these communication concepts are wrapped together in a discussion of public relations, providing the scientist with an appreciation for the marketing directors and news disseminators with whom they will work. Written in an accessible way, this textbook will provide science students with an appreciative understanding of communication, marketing, journalism, and public relations. They can incorporate these aspects into their own practices as scientists, allowing them to liaise with practitioners in the communication field.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Strap in and enjoy the ride!' JOHN GRIBBIN'A window seat on a flight to our galaxy's sites of outstanding beauty' MARCUS CHOWN, AUTHOR OF THE ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW'His best yet!' HENRY GEE, WINNER OF THE 2022 ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 'Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime' PHILIP BALL, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF MINDS AND BEYOND WEIRDTake a voyage into space to explore the wonders of the galaxy and beyond.With award-winning science writer Brian Clegg as your deep space guide, step on board the starship Endurance and marvel at the fascinating sights of deepest, darkest space.Although our vessel is fictional, the phenomena you will visit, from the vast nebulae that are birthplaces of stars to stellar explosions in vast supernovas, creating the elements necessary for life - or from the planets of other solar systems to the unbelievably supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way - all reflect the best picture current science has to offer.Accompanying Interstellar Tours is an online gallery with over fifty images and videos in full colour, each directly accessible from the page using QR codes.It may never be possible to undertake a voyage through the stars for real. But with Interstellar Tours, you can enjoy the ultimate cruise across the Milky Way.Trade ReviewBargain! For less than the price of a budget airline ticket, you can have a window seat on a flight to our galaxy's sites of outstanding beauty in this delightfully informative guide by Brian Clegg -- Marcus Chown, author of The One Thing You Need to Know"The old elephant has performed his trick again," as Albert Einstein reputedly said after posing for his umpteenth photograph. Brian Clegg is neither Einstein nor an elephant, but he is one of the best explainers of science around, and he has performed his trick again, this time covering most of the mysteries of the cosmos in an entertaining series of essays dressed up as part of the voyages of the starship Endurance. We are figuratively taken on a tour of the universe, getting up close and personal to black holes, supernovae and other cosmological beasts while our guide explains their nature in clear and accessible language. Strap in and enjoy the ride! -- John GribbinBuckle up for the ride of a lifetime. With his characteristic clarity, care and charm, Brian Clegg is your guide on a tour of the galaxy, stopping at all the favourite tourist stops: planets around our Sun and other stars, nebulae where stars are born and supernovae and black holes where they die. Thanks to 22nd-century technology, you'll witness the science of the cosmos in a way that people could only dream about a hundred years ago. After this experience, the night sky will never seem the same again! -- Philip Ball, author of The Book of Minds and Beyond WeirdWelcome aboard the starship Endurance for a luxury cruise like no other. Join Captain Brian Clegg on a guided tour around the amazing sights of our galaxy, from black holes to supernovas, amazing new planets and a refreshing new look at our own corner of space. His best yet! -- Henry Gee, winner of the 2022 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book PrizeSo full of fun facts and cool physics that this book should be compulsory reading for any sci-fi writer or movie director who wants to get their science right - but you'll love it even if you're neither. -- Professor Jim Al-Khalili, presenter of BBC's The Life ScientificInteresting and well written. * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrainjacking explores the psychology of storytelling - the ability that makes us human. To discover how science intersects with our desires and decisions, the book pulls together three ways that we use story to modify others'' brains: informing, influencing and manipulating. Running through education and politics, advertising and marketing we discover how techniques can range from subtle nudges and subliminal influences to powerful emotional manipulation. With Brian Clegg as your guide, this is a book that will help you unpick the insidious world of brainjacking. Expertly pulling together different strands on disparate topics including AI, Big Data, social media and more, this essential investigation shows how new and old technology and science can be combined to influence human behavior and beliefs.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A work of sheer brilliance, beauty and bravery' Andrew Sean Greer, author of Less'Masterly... Her essays have a clarity and prescience that imply a sort of distant, retrospective view, like postcards sent from the near future' New York TimesWe stare at our phones. We keep multiple tabs open. Our chats and conversations are full of the phrase "Did you see?" The feeling that we're living in the worst of times seems to be intensifying, alongside a desire to know precisely how bad things have gotten.Poet and essayist Elisa Gabbert's The Unreality of Memory consists of a series of lyrical and deeply researched meditations on what our culture of catastrophe has done to public discourse and our own inner lives. In these tender and prophetic essays, she focuses in on our daily preoccupation and favorite pasttime: desperate distraction from disaster by way of a desperate obsession with the disastrous.Moving from public trauma to personal tragedy, from the Titanic and Chernobyl to illness and loss, The Unreality of Memory alternately rips away the facade of our fascination with destruction and gently identifies itself with the age of rubbernecking. A balm, not a burr, Gabbert's essays are a hauntingly perceptive analysis of the anxiety intrinsic in our new, digital ways of being, and also a means of reconciling ourselves to this new world.'One of those joyful books that send you to your notebook every page or so, desperate not to lose either the thought the author has deftly placed in your mind or the title of a work she has now compelled you to read.' Paris ReviewTrade ReviewA work of sheer brilliance, beauty and bravery. * Andrew Sean Greer, author of Less *Moves fluidly from disaster to dislocation to political upheaval, offering a kind of literary road map to our tumultuous era. * Kirkus, starred review *With poetic precision, The Unreality of Memory lays bare the truth, beauty, and pain of living in our era. Examining disasters both manmade and natural, Gabbert's essays perform a beautiful autopsy of our fears, showing us what it means to exist in a time of eternal apocalypse. Breathtaking in its scope and thought and captivating prose, Unreality is a necessary and vital handbook for anyone experiencing the existential dread of everyday modern life. * Lyz Lenz, author of Belabored *Wildly fun and casually brilliant, this book will make you feel happier while you're reading it and smarter once you finish. * Sandra Newman, author of The Heavens *Amid impending disasters too vast even to be perceived, what can we do-cognitively, morally, and practically? Gabbert, a tenacious researcher and a ruthless self-examiner, probes this ultimate abstraction in her essays, goes past wordless dread and comes up with enough reasoned consideration to lead us through. Do you feel-and how can you not-as if your emotional endurance is exhausted by horrors already well underway? Then you should read this book. * Sarah Manguso, author of 300 Arguments *Elisa Gabbert is one of my favorite writers, but how I wish her new book wasn't so timely! I mean this as the highest praise: I had to go lie down in between essays. * Austin Kleon, bestselling author of Steal Like an Artist *Whatever the chosen topic, Gabbert's essays manage to be by turns poetic, philosophical, and exhaustively researched. This is a superb collection. * Publishers Weekly *Elisa Gabbert's essays are always worth reading ... Not necessarily uplifting, but personally, I find reading the meditations of a brilliant writer, particularly meditations about the dread I can't shake, both soothing and invigorating. * Lit Hub *Elisa Gabbert's The Unreality of Memory is one of those joyful books that send you to your notebook every page or so, desperate not to lose either the thought the author has deftly placed in your mind or the title of a work she has now compelled you to read. The essays encompass sickness and trauma, anesthesia and memory, politics and political apathy, but owing to the force of Gabbert's attention, the book remains determinedly cohesive. Written before COVID-19 altered all our lives so irretrievably, it is also a work of uncanny prescience. * Paris Review *[A] searing essay collection that takes place at the intersection of devastation, technology, and memory. In shattering essays, Gabbert explores if and how and why certain threats register more than others, and how even seemingly immutable facts are subject to spin from our imprecise recollections. * Vulture *The true mark of a timeless book is that it feels timely no matter when you read it; Elisa Gabbert's new essay collection - full of provocative, prescient meditations about politics and illness and memory and identity- has just that kind of exquisite urgency. Gabbert looks at both the past and present to contemplate and probe at what may become our future. Unafraid to explore the darkest reaches of our minds and behaviors, Gabbert still offers a glimmer of hope amid all the anxiety and terror of our age. After all, if there's writing like this to keep us company, maybe things aren't so bad after all? * Refinery 29 *Absolutely stunning... a book for our times. * BookPage *Masterly... Her essays have a clarity and prescience that imply a sort of distant, retrospective view, like postcards sent from the near future * New York Times *The worst thing about neverending eschatological dread is how lonely it makes you feel. This book by Elisa Gabbert is like having a calm, brilliant, clear-eyed companion to talk you through your end-times horror. (I needed it.) * Lauren Groff, via Twitter *Poet and essayist Elisa Gabbert's voice is calm, playfully engaging and clear - a voice for our anxious, wired times, if ever there was one. This second book of nonfiction functions as a field guide to digital anxiety, its subjects ranging from computer-animated recreations of the sinking of the Titanic to "mirror delusions" and a history of psychosomatic disorders. Each diligently researched essay seems to evolve organically and if she doomscrolls her way down a rabbit hole, you know it will lead somewhere not just pertinent, but poetic and philosophical too. * Observer *Table of Contents1: MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION 2: DOOMSDAY PATTERN 3: THREATS 4: BIG AND SLOW 5: THE GREAT MORTALITY 6: THE LITTLE ROOM (OR, THE UNREALITY OF MEMORY) 7: VANITY PROJECT 8: WITCHES AND WHIPLASH 9: SLEEP NO MORE 10: TRUE CRIME 11: I'M SO TIRED 12: IN OUR MIDST 13: EPILOGUE: THE UNREALITY OF TIME

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWant to know how to improve your TSA scores and get that place at the top university of your dreams?From UniAdmissions, the UK’s leading University and Oxbridge Admissions company, The Ultimate TSA Collection contains all FIVE of our bestselling TSA books in ONE volume, giving you the best and most fully comprehensive guide to your revision, practice, and TSA success.Used as an admissions test for a range of different subjects at Oxford, Cambridge, and UCL, the TSA is a notoriously difficult test, consisting of two sections that test your critical thinking, logical reasoning, and ability to argue persuasively and with a sophisticated line of thinking – all under time pressure. Your score in the TSA is taken strongly into consideration by top universities as it tests many of the skills required in your degree, and therefore it’s essential to score as highly as possible on this crucial exam.Written by TSA specialists and top Oxbridge tutors, and full of insider knowledge and tips, The Ultimate TSA Collection is designed to help you make the most of your preparation, approach the test with confidence, and get those top scores. The Ultimate TSA Guide – contains comprehensive information about the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA), including tips, techniques and strategies to save you time and maximise your scores. Covers both the multiple choice questions (Section A) and the essay writing question (Section B) in detail, and prepares you for all question types that you’ll face in the exam, and how to approach them successfully. Also includes 300 questions and fully worked solutions and model essays so you can practice your skills and understand how to improve. TSA Practice Papers Volume 1 – contains mock papers updated for 2019 entry: 150 questions with fully worked solutions to help you improve your scores. TSA Worked Solutions Volume 1 – clear, thorough, and extensive solutions to the practice papers, written by experts: worked solutions and sample answers to ensure you can put your learning into practice. TSA Practice Papers Volume 2 – contains mock papers updated for 2019 entry: 250 questions with fully worked solutions to help you improve your scores. TSA Worked Solutions Volume 2 – clear, thorough, and extensive solutions to the practice papers, written by experts: worked solutions and sample answers to ensure you can put your learning into practice. Hungry for more? Visit the Uni Admissions website for even more admissions test tips, personal statement resources, and application support.

Read more less

Book Synopsis*How I Rescued My Brain* tells the story of David's neurological difficulties, and of his emotional and cognitive recovery. This is an amazing story of a man's resilience, and his determination to overcome one of the most frightening situations imaginable - the fear that he had lost his mind, and may not get it back.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn Elementary Study of Insects is a foundational work within the subject of entomology authored by using Leonard Haseman, a distinguished entomologist. This book, while not well known in famous literature, is distinctly appeared among students, researchers, and lovers interested by the take a look at of insects. Published throughout a generation whilst entomological understanding become still evolving, Haseman's work served as a vital aid for the ones in search of a complete introduction to the world of insects. The book offers a meticulous exam of insect anatomy, behavior, ecology, and class, making it accessible to both beginners and extra pro entomologists. Haseman's ardour for the subject count number shines via in his writing, as he conveys the marvel and intricacies of the insect world to his readers. He offers treasured insights into the life cycles, adaptations, and ecological roles of numerous insect species, fostering a deeper appreciation for these creatures. While An Elementary Study of Insects might not be a literary masterpiece within the traditional feel, it stands as a testament to Haseman's willpower to the sphere of entomology and his dedication to training. His paintings maintains to function a valuable reference for everybody interested in the have a look at of bugs, contributing notably to the understanding of these vital and various organisms in the herbal world.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSkylark Three is a interesting science fiction novel written by means of Edward E. Smith, a pioneering creator acknowledged for his contributions to the gap opera style. This book is the second one installment within the Skylark collection. The tale continues the adventures of Richard Seaton and Martin Crane, who within the preceding novel, The Skylark of Space, advanced a powerful spacecraft able to interstellar tour. In Skylark Three, the duo embarks on an epic journey to discover some distance reaches of the universe. They come across a large number of alien species, both pleasant and hostile, as they traverse the cosmos. As Seaton and Crane navigate a complicated net of interstellar politics and confront powerful adversaries, they become embroiled in a quest to guard humanity from a looming cosmic risk. The novel is filled with epic area battles, superb technological feats, and the exploration of alien civilizations, prepared against the backdrop of an expansive and ingenious universe. Edward E. Smith's storytelling in Skylark Three is characterised by means of his capacity to create a feel of marvel and journey, drawing readers right into a richly distinctive and action-packed international. The novel is a classic example of space opera, proposing daring heroes, advanced technology, and epic conflicts on a galactic scale.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMicrographia is a groundbreaking paintings authored by means of Robert Hooke, a seventeenth-century English scientist and polymath. This book is a tremendous exploration of the microscopic global, marking a pivotal moment within the records of science and microscopy. Hooke's Micrographia is widely known for its meticulous observations made through the usage of microscopes, which had been highly new instruments at the time. Through targeted illustrations and descriptions, Hooke found out the intricate systems and patterns in diverse herbal substances, which includes insects, plants, and minerals. His observations of cork cells brought about the coining of the time period cellular, laying the inspiration for the sector of cellular biology. Moreover, Micrographia provided a wealth of know-how about the bodily and organic international, starting new horizons for scientific inquiry. Hooke's paintings no longer most effective multiplied our knowledge of the hidden intricacies of nature however additionally emphasized the importance of empirical commentary in clinical studies. Beyond its clinical significance, Micrographia is a testomony to Hooke's curiosity and ingenuity as a scientist. His capacity to carry complex thoughts through reachable prose and captivating illustrations made the microscopic international available to a much wider target audience, inspiring future generations of scientists and researchers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis open access book addresses challenges related to women in STEM in higher education, presenting research, experiences, studies, and good practices associated with the engagement, access, and retention of women in the STEM disciplines. It also discusses strategies implemented by universities and policymakers to reduce the existing gender gap in these areas. The chapters provide an overview of implementations in different regions of the world and provide numerous examples that can be transferred to other higher education institutions.Table of ContentsA model for bridging the gender gap in STEM in higher education institutions.- A Review of Irish National Strategy for Gender Equality in Higher Education 2010-2021.- Making and taking leadership in the promotion of gender desegregation in STEM.- Reflections on Selected Gender Equality in STEM Initiatives in an Irish University.- Balance4Better: "We Are HERe" more than a gender campaign.- Promoting the participation of women in STEM: A methodological view.- Women retention in STEM Higher Education: Systematic Mapping of Gender Issues.- Mentoring of female students in engineering as a way of caring.- Gender perspective in STEM disciplines in Spain universities.- Examples of good practices in Erasmus+ projects that integrate gender and STEM in Higher Education.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLarry S. Sherman, a neuroscientist and lifelong musician, and Dennis Plies, a professional musician and teacher, collaborate to show how our brains and music work in harmony. Written for both musical and nonmusical people, including newcomers to brain science, this book is a lively and easy-to-read exploration of the neuroscience of music.Trade ReviewEngaging and insightful, Every Brain Needs Music illuminates the connection between art and science and shows us the miraculous way our bodies and brains listen to, practice, and create music. From the architecture of music and the brain to the artistry of a transcendent musical performance, each chapter reveals why, for many of us, music is as essential as breathing or eating. -- Valerie Day, lead singer of Nu Shooz and Grammy nomineeWitty and brilliantly informative, Every Brain Needs Music evokes the love of music in all ways, and is the first book I will recommend to everyone who wants a deeper appreciation of music and life. From the deeply detailed description of our brains to concrete examples and strategies of improvement and learning, this book will benefit beginners and seasoned musicians alike. -- Mei-Ting Sun, professor of piano, Royal Academy of Music, and winner of the first Piano-e competition and the National Chopin CompetitionEvery Brain Needs Music shares priceless information garnered from the life experiences of the authors as artists, scientists, and educators and provides unique insights and a treasure trove of knowledge that all readers can benefit from. This valuable and informative book will help readers recognize the critical need for music education and the role it serves by enriching our aesthetic and cognitive lives. -- Yakov Bergman, music director/conductor of the Portland Chamber Orchestra, the Walla Walla Symphony, the Siletz Bay Music Festival, and the McCall SummerFestEvery Brain Needs Music is a thorough, but approachable primer for music lovers, music students, music teachers, and music therapists looking to understand how music is processed in the brain. The book presents a wide scope of music neuroscience literature, but in a way that makes it feel understandable. The complex topics are presented in a way that keeps readers’ attention, and helps readers make connections to their own inherent musicality. Music students and teachers will find this book helpful, and so will music therapists as a great refresher and quick-access guide for clear explanations to communicate to others the neuroscientific mechanisms underlying our clinical work. -- Brea Murakami, director of the Music Therapy Program, Pacific UniversityEvery chapter became my favourite and this is one of my favourite books! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale, highly recommended, and I hope I get to read these authors again. * Moonglo Texas *A work of scientific popularization drawing on brain-mapping studies, insights culled from composers and performers, and the authors’ own experience with music making. Illustrators often go unheralded, but Susi B. Davis makes following the anatomical connections much easier; all due props, then. * Inside Higher Ed *Witty and informative, Every Brain Needs Music evokes the love of music in more ways than one. * The Hindu *Table of ContentsPreludeOverture1. What Is Music, and Why Does It Exist?2. How Your Brain Composes Music3. Practicing Music, Part I: The Partnership of Motivated Music Students and Motivated Music Teachers4. Practicing Music, Part II: Understanding the Neuroscience5. Practicing Music, Part III: Changing Your Brain to Get It Right6. How Your Brain Performs Music7. How Your Brain Listens to Music8. Why Your Brain Likes MusicCoda: The Final Jam with Dennis and Larry—Reflective ImprovisationAcknowledgmentsAppendix A: First SurveyAppendix B: Second SurveyNotesBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisStudying plant intelligence reveals ?humans may have been misunderstanding plants, and ourselves, for all of history??for fans of The Hidden Life of Trees (Paris Review).?A compelling story of discovery . . . It will change the way you see the world.? ?Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass In this ?phytobiography??a collection of stories written in partnership with a plant?research scientist Monica Gagliano shares genuine first-hand accounts from her research into plant communication and cognition. By transcending the view of plants as the objects of scientific materialism, Gagliano encourages us to rethink plants as people?beings with subjectivity, consciousness, and volition, and hence having the capacity for their own perspectives and voices. The book draws on up-close-and-personal encounters with the plants themselves, as well as plant shamans, indigenous elders, and mystics from around the world and integrates these experiences with an incredible research journey and the groundbreaking scientific discoveries that emerged from it. Gagliano has published numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers on how plants have a Pavlov-like response to stimuli and can learn, remember, and communicate to neighboring plants. She has pioneered the brand-new research field of plant bioacoustics, for the first time experimentally demonstrating that plants emit their own ''voices'' and, moreover, detect and respond to the sounds of their environments. By demonstrating experimentally that learning is not the exclusive province of animals, Gagliano has re-ignited the discourse on plant subjectivity and ethical and legal standing. This is the story of how she made those discoveries and how the plants helped her along the way.

Read more less