Science: general issues Books

Book SynopsisIn "Landscapes and Labscapes" Robert E. Kohler explores the people, places and practices of field biology in the United States from the 1890s to the 1950s. Using historical frontiers as models, Kohler shows how biologists created vigorous new border sciences of ecology and evolutionary biology.

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Book SynopsisReveals the diverse panoply of perils to tropical forests and their biota, with emphasis on various dangers. In addition to documenting the vulnerability of tropical rainforests, this volume focuses on strategies for mitigating and combating emerging threats. It is suitable for researchers, students, and conservation practitioners.

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Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive account of the energetics of birds and mammals. This title also provides an overview of thermal rates and explains how the basal rate of metabolism drives energy use, especially in extreme environments.Trade Review"This is a fascinating book and one that obviously represents a grand synthesis of a lifetime of data collection by the author. More than ever this type of synthesis is needed if conservation efforts are to move forward." (Terrie M. Williams, University of California, Santa Cruz)"

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Book SynopsisIn the early 1890s, the theory of evolution gained an unexpected ally: the Edison phonograph. This title charts scientific controversies over the evolution of language from Darwin's day onwards, resurrecting the forgotten debts of psychology, anthropology, and other behavioral sciences to the Victorian debate about animal roots of human language.Trade Review"The Simian Tongue ranges deftly from philosophical discussions of the nature of language to technical and business questions relating to the development of sophisticated recording equipment, and from scientific papers to the often more sensational treatments of science provided by the press. It is original in its purview, impeccable in its scholarship, and written with unusual energy, grace, and lucidity." - Richard W. Burkhardt, Jr., author of Patterns of Behavior: Konrad Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen, and the Founding of Ethology"

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Book SynopsisScientists, theologians, and philosophers have all sought to answer the questions of why we are here and where we are going. Finding this natural basis of life has proved elusive, but in the eloquent and creative Into the Cool, Eric D. Schneider and Dorion Sagan look for answers in a surprising place: the second law of thermodynamics. This second law refers to energy's inevitable tendency to change from being concentrated in one place to becoming spread out over time. In this scientific tour de force, Schneider and Sagan show how the second law is behind evolution, ecology,economics, and even life's origin. Working from the precept that nature abhors a gradient, Into the Cool details how complex systems emerge, enlarge, and reproduce in a world tending toward disorder. From hurricanes here to life on other worlds, from human evolution to the systems humans have created, this pervasive pull toward equilibrium governs life at its molecular base and at its peak in the elaborate structures

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisPrinciples of Geochemistry offers broader coverage of the field than is currently available in other texts, including an in-depth discussion of the geochemistry of the solid state and trace element geochemistry.Table of ContentsI: Geochemistry of Crystal Phases 1: Elemental Properties and Crystal Chemistry 2: Concepts of Chemical Thermodynamics 3: Thermochemistry of Crystalline Solids 4: Some Concepts of Defect Chemistry 5: Silicates II: Geochemistry of Silicate Melts 6: Thermochemistry of Silicate Melts 7: Introduction to Petrogenetic Systems III: Geochemistry of Fluids 8: Geochemistry of Aqueous Phases 9: Geochemistry of Gaseous Phases IV: Methods 10: Trace Element Geochemistry 11: Isotope Geochemistry Appendix 1: Constants, Units and Conversion Factors Appendix 2: Review of Mathematics

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Book SynopsisFrom the scorching center of Earth's core to the outer limits of its atmosphere, from the gradual process of erosion that carved the Grand Canyon to the earth-shaking fury of volcanoes and earthquakes, this book tells the story of the evolution of our planet and of the science that makes it work.Trade ReviewThis companion volume to the American Museum of Natural History's award-winning Hall of Planet Earth exhibit by Mathez and Webster, the original co-curators, offers readers an accessible guided tour of how our planet works from interdisciplinary and scientific perspectives. Library Journal A handsome and well-written book, in full colour and jammed full of geological information about the earth... I commend the authors for the thoroughness, accuracy and detail they give to so many parts of the Earth Sciences.New Scientist -- Simon Lamb New Scientist This book is your engaging and scientific tour guide. Natural History This informative book... explores the major forces and factors that shaped and continue to shape our planet. Rotunda A highly recommended text for any who would wonder what climates were like in past times. Bookwatch This book...is outstanding among the many fine books on the subject available today...A book of unusually widespread appeal. Highly recommended. -- T. L. T. Gross Choice By means of well-chosen examples taken from nature as we find it, they provide the best of contemporary approaches to, and conclusions about, the major issues. Science Books & Films A thorough and yet easy-to-understand account of the origins of Earth... The authors definitely know their stuff... But true to their vocations as educators, as well as scientists, they do more than just educate in this volume; they also thoroughly entertain. -- Beth Norton Science EditorTable of ContentsPreface Part I. How Has Earth Evolved? 1. The Birth of Planet Earth From Meteorites to Earth The Formation of the Moon Early Earth Organizes Itself The Emergence of an Atmosphere and an Ocean 2. Learning the Age of Earth The Seeds of Doubt The Emergence of the Revolutionary Concept of an Old Earth Radioactivity and the Age of Earth 3. The Evolution of the Continents Earth: The Only Planet with a Continental Crust The Continents and Continental Crust The First Continental Crust The Assembly of the Continents 4. Life and Conditions on Early Earth Ancient Microbes Banded Iron Formations and Oxygenation of the Atmosphere and Ocean A Warm Early Earth? The Appearance of Animals and Explosion of Life in the Cambrian 5. Reading Rocks: The Story of the Grand Canyon How Sedimentary Rocks Describe Ancient Environments Evidence of Missing Rock How Old Is the Grand Canyon? Part II. Why Are There Ocean Basins, Continents, and Mountains? 6. Internal Earth The Core The Magnetic Field Convection in the Core and Origin of the Geomagnetic Field Earth's Internal Heat The Mantle Convection in the Mantle 7. Plate Tectonics Continental Drift: An Idea Proposed Before Its Time Wegener's Theory of Continental Drift From Continental Drift to Plate Tectonics Plate Boundaries: Where the Action Is Plate Motions and Continental Reconstruction 8. Lavas from the Depths of Earth Hawaii Kilauea Volcano Volcanoes of the Mid-Ocean Ridges Great Lava Floods and the Columbia River Basalts 9. Great Explosive Volcanoes The Nature of Explosive Volcanism How Gases Drive Explosive Eruptions Vesuvius: The Anatomy of an Explosive Eruption Tambora: Volcanoes and Climate Change Krakatau: An Explosion that Reverberated Around the World Great Prehistoric Eruptions Granite 10. Earthquakes Why Do Earthquakes Occur? How Earthquakes Are Measured How Earthquakes Destroy Fault Behavior and Calculating the Odds Short-term Predictions The San Andreas Fault Zone, California The Great Alaska Earthquake 11. Mountains The Shape of Earth and Why Mountains Are High The Importance of Erosion The Folding of Rocks The Metamorphism of Rocks 12. The Alps The Beginnings of Alpine Research The Formation and Structure of the Alps Part III. What Causes Earth's Climate and Climate Change? 13. The Atmosphere The Structure of the Atmosphere Global Atmospheric Circulation Greenhouse Earth: The Troposphere Story Ozone: The Stratosphere Story The Importance of Clouds 14. The World Ocean The Important Properties of Water Why Is the Ocean Salty? The Global Ocean Conveyor System Ocean Surface Currents Upwelling and Downwelling El Nio and La Nia 15. The Geological Record of Climate Change Climate Forcing Factors The Climate Record in Greenland Ice Some Other Indicators of Past Climate The Ice Age Part IV. Why Is Earth Habitable? 16. Conditions for Life Water: The Essential Ingredient The Carbon Cycle Earth, Venus, and Mars Earth's Intangible Shields 17. Black Smokers from the Deep How Hydrothermal Vent Fields Form Life at Hydrothermal Vents Did Life Originate in Deep-Sea Vents? Heat and Water: What Goes In, and What Goes Out 18. Some Natural Resources and How They Form What Salt, Gold, and Coal Have in Common Ore Deposits from Hot Water An Ancient Analogue of the Black Smokers Ore Deposits from Magmas Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall explain how science has been misused to sustain belief in the biological basis of racial classification. Troublesome Science draws on the tools of taxonomy to show that while the diversity that exists within our species is a real phenomenon, it nevertheless defeats any attempt to recognize discrete units within it.Trade ReviewWhy do we need another book on the refuted belief that human beings are naturally divided into biological races? Because this myth is recirculating in prestigious scientific journals and popular media, as well as on white nationalist websites, threatening to rationalize and reinforce persistent social inequities. By revealing the unscientific basis for contemporary racial claims, DeSalle and Tattersall leave no excuse for letting this dangerous fallacy continue to masquerade as science. Troublesome Science is an urgent and important defense against the modern resurgence of racial science. -- Dorothy Roberts, author of Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-First CenturyTroublesome Science provides one of the most lucid expositions in the scientific literature of how taxonomies of human populations have developed—and most important, the authors use this explication to take us on a fascinating 200,000-year journey to demonstrate the flaws in any attempt to use a genetic boundary for racial categories. -- Troy Duster, Chancellor’s Professor at the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, University of California, Berkeley, and author of Backdoor to EugenicsIn Troublesome Science, DeSalle and Tattersall tackle the contentious and important subject of human genetic diversity and its relationship to the definition of human groups. This bold, beautiful, thorough, and up-to-date demolition of the biological concept of race is based on excellent history and the latest science. Think of this clearly written and approachable book as a user’s guide to your own DNA and ancestry. -- Nina G. Jablonski, Evan Pugh University Professor of Anthropology, associate director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State UniversityIn the current atmosphere denigrating truth and wisdom, the resurgence of racism is the worst case of rejection of both morality and science. It is a profound relief and pleasure to read this masterful synthesis of data on human biological variation and evolution, melding results on everything from genomics to the anatomical features of living and ancient populations. The result is a powerful and compelling picture of the generation of diversity, the historical migrations of populations, and the continual mixing of human beings that decisively refutes the notion that our species is compartmentalized into rigidly separate racial subdivisions. It is unscientific, and thus racist, to maintain that there are separate human races! -- Niles Eldredge, curator emeritus, Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural HistoryThis timely book sheds a good deal of scholarly light on genetic studies of human variation, which are widely misrepresented in popular science venues. Geneticist Rob DeSalle and anthropologist Ian Tattersall bring some helpfully critical eyes to the research in this biopolitical minefield, and to what genomics really says about the patterns in the human gene pool. This is very important book for anyone interested in race, and why it is not the same as human biodiversity! -- Jonathan Marks, professor of anthropology, University of North Carolina at CharlotteTroublesome Science provides a deeper analysis than one usually finds in discussions of racial classifications. It brings clarity to the field of systematics and in so doing reveals the hollowness of claims to the scientific legitimacy of race. Clear, assertive, and well argued, it demonstrates that scientific taxonomy cannot draw racial boundaries in human populations from genetic-clustering studies. More than a takedown of a popular journalistic account, it is an important contribution to our understanding of the science behind the classification of species and subspecies. -- Sheldon Krimsky, author of Stem Cell Dialogues: A Philosophical and Scientific Inquiry Into Medical FrontiersA masterclass in taxonomy and its methods, evolutionary theory, population and molecular genetics, ancient DNA sequencing, palaeoanthropology and patterns of human migration. -- Steven Rose * Times Higher Education *Genetically, race is a meaningless concept, yet our society seems far from ready to stop dividing people into racial categories. Evolutionary biologist DeSalle and paleoanthropologist Tattersall debunk the idea as a useful scientific classification, explaining how the technique of taxonomy—the grouping of organisms based on shared characteristics—fails to find significant genetic differences among the groups we commonly call races. -- Clara Moskowitz * Scientific American *A necessary response to recently published misguided and troublesome books on the topic of biological race in our species. * American Journal of Human Biology *[Troublesome Science] should be widely read by evolutionary biologists, geneticists, and biomedical researchers. -- Joseph L. Graves Jr. * Evolution: Education & Outreach *The book does an excellent job of describing the approaches to our understanding of how our species has moved out of Africa in waves to fill the continents over a 200,000-year span. * Quarterly Review of Biology *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. Evolutionary Lessons2. Species and How to Recognize Them3. Phylogenetic Trees4. The Name Game: Modern Zoological Nomenclature and the Rules of Naming Things 5. DNA Fingerprinting and Barcoding6. Early Biological Notions of Human Divergence 7. Mitochondrial Eve and Y-Chromosome Adam8. The Other 99 Percent of the Genome 9. ABBA/BABA and the Genomes of Our Ancient Relatives10. Human Migration and Neolithic Genomes 11. Gene Genealogies and Species Trees12. Clustering Humans?13. STRUCTUREing Humans?14. Mr. Murray Loses His BetEpilogue: Race and SocietyNotes and BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe fantasies that underpin common perceptions of Virtual Reality and what we need to know about VR s potential risks as well as its opportunities.

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Book SynopsisEmbodied Approaches to Supervision presents innovative approaches to working with the body in supervision.The authors, who are all experts in their field, bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to each chapter, raising the reader's awareness of the value of working with the body in the supervisory relationship. With the help of case vignettes, the book offers reflections on the intimate and dynamic interaction between mind and body and how to work with this in supervision. It presents diverse approaches to practice, where the body is at the centre of facilitating reflection and containment of supervisees, either in one-to-one or group contexts, in person and online. Readers gain insight about how embodiment is attended to within as well as outside of the session in the context of self-supervision.This text will be of value to supervisors and supervisors-in-training, practitioners seeking supervision and anyone keen to learn more about embodied approaches iTrade ReviewMany psychotherapists today realise the importance of attending to nonverbal embodied communications in psychotherapy. However, supervision still tends to rely on the verbal exchange; the supervisee presents a case, and the supervisor provides comments verbally. Many years of experience with embodied approaches to supervision have convinced me that supervisees hold important unconscious knowledge about themselves and their patients in their bodies. I believe it is the supervisor´s responsibility to help the supervisee to gain access to her/his own experience. In this volume on embodied approaches to supervision Céline Butté and Tasha Colbert have collected several innovative ways to engage the body in the supervision process. I therefore highly recommend this book to those who wish to learn how body-based approaches enhance psychotherapy supervision.Jon Sletvold, Author of The Embodied Analyst – From Freud and Reich to RelationalityThe hybrid nature of this book reflects the increased interest in cross-modalities in supervision. It presents diverse approaches with the body as the site of reflection and containment illustrated by case vignettes. This rich collection of inspiring chapters makes a very valuable contribution to all psychotherapists and counsellors who wish to learn more about creative embodied approaches in supervision.Helen Payne, Professor, PhD, Reg. ADMP UK & UKCP, Chair in Psychotherapy, University of Hertfordshire, UK, Author in, and Editor of Essentials of Dance Movement Psychotherapy: International Perspectives from Theory, Research and PracticeA valuable addition to the literature which rightfully gives prominence to the body, and shows that it is possible to work somatically on line. Robin and Joan Shohet co-authors of In Love with SupervisionThe creativity of the authors contributing to this book is based on rich and profound knowledge; their wealth of ideas, theoretical and practical is remarkable. Their focus is clear: the embodied care in the supervisory context. My experience of reading this book is of being moved, touched and inspired as well as feeling a resonance with my own thinking and practice.Hilda Wengrower, DMT, Ph.D. Co-editor of Dance and Creativity within Dance Movement Therapy. International PerspectivesTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION, Céline Butté & Tasha Colbert; 1. Perspective-Taking in Creative Supervision, ANNA CHESNER; 2. The Dialogical Dance: A relational embodied approach to supervision, YEVA FELDMAN; 3. Multimodal and Liminal Perspectives (MLP): The role of liminality in the dynamic of the supervisory relationship, BRYN JONES; 4. Eco Supervision: Embodied, Embedded, Emergence in Supervision, THERESE O’DRISCOLL; 5. The ‘Four Chair Method’: An integrative approach to creative supervision, HANNAH SHERBERSKY & MARTIN GILL; 6. Mirroring Within Supervision, JULIE JOSEPH; 7. Reflections on Thresholds and Containers in Supervision, CÉLINE BUTTÉ; 8. Supervision Beyond Supervision: widening and nourishing embodied reflexivity as part of self-supervision, ROZ CARROLL; 9. Holding Sacred: The Woman’s Body in Supervision, ANNETTE SCHWALBE, SUE CURTIS & CHRISTINA GREENLAND; 10. Supervision or Co-vision? Co-activating a receptive and responsive container for reflection and restoration, KATY DYMOKE

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Book Synopsis"Fresh…solid…full of suspense and intrigue." —Publishers WeeklyTrade Review"A two-part thriller. The first describes Lavoisier’s successful effort to win the race to explain how chemical processes work; the second, his pursuit by French revolutionaries." -- Jacob Heilbrunn - New York Times Book Review"Bell succeeds, not only in depicting the rigorousness of Lavoisier’s method, but also in conveying a sense of his character, as revealed most affectingly by the quietly heroic composure with which he faced his own death." -- Merle Rubin - Los Angeles Times Book Review

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Book SynopsisFrom leading scientists, lawyers, and educators-a decisive rebuttal to those who undermine science in the name of religion.

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Book SynopsisThe sheer volume of talk about energy, energy prices, and energy policy on both sides of the political aisle suggests that we must know something about these subjects. But according to Peter W. Huber and Mark P. Mills, the things we think we know are mostly myths. A better understanding of energy will radically change our views and policies on a number of very controversial issues. In The Bottomless Well , Huber and Mills show why energy is not scarce, why the price of energy doesn''t matter very much, and why waste of energy is both necessary and desirable. Across the board, energy isn''t the problem energy is the solution.Trade Review"This is the only book I've seen that really explains energy, its history, and what it will be like going forward." Bill Gates"

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Book SynopsisIn this age of superstring theories and Big Bang cosmology, we''re used to thinking of the unknown as impossibly distant from our everyday lives. But in A Different Universe , Nobel Laureate Robert Laughlin argues that the scientific frontier is right under our fingers. Instead of looking for ultimate theories, Laughlin considers the world of emergent properties-meaning the properties, such as the hardness and shape of a crystal, that result from the organization of large numbers of atoms. Laughlin shows us how the most fundamental laws of physics are in fact emergent. A Different Universe is a truly mind-bending book that shows us why everything we think about fundamental physical laws needs to change.Trade Review"I started reading, and cliche though it be I couldn't stop... A Different Universe should be required reading for physics researchers, teachers and students..." New Scientist "An important, brain-tickling new book.' New York Times"

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Book SynopsisThe detection of gravitational waves—ripples in spacetime—has already been called the scientific coup of this century. Govert Schilling recounts the struggles that threatened to derail the quest and describes the detector’s astounding precision, weaving far-reaching discoveries about the universe into a gripping story of ambition and perseverance.Trade ReviewIn a sweeping new book, Ripples in Spacetime: Einstein, Gravitational Waves, and the Future of Astronomy, prolific science writer Govert Schilling has achieved the fascinating trifecta of historical and scientific accuracy, a grand sense of wonder and curiosity, and brilliantly accessible storytelling…Ripples in Spacetime goes far beyond the gravitational wave story you've heard over the past few years…It belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in learning the scientific, historical, and personal stories behind some of the most incredible scientific advances of the 21st century. As our scientific progress continues, this book will serve as a reminder of how far we’ve already come, how we got there, and what we’re looking forward to with our most hopeful ambitions. -- Ethan Siegel * Forbes *A succinct, accessible, and remarkably timely survey of gravitational-wave astronomy as it developed over the past century…This book is a rare find…The book’s remarkable breadth and accessibility should make it the first piece of reading material for anyone—from high school students to policymakers—with an interest in gravitational waves…Ripples in Spacetime sets itself apart by putting the entire field into perspective—past, present, and future. It conveys a sense of awe about a century of scientific investment and achievement and a sense of excitement for what’s to come. -- Richard O’Shaughnessy * Physics Today *Schilling gives us a lively and readable account of the [gravitational] waves’ discovery... Schilling underlines that this discovery is the opening of a new window on the universe, the beginning of a new branch of science. Astronomers will no longer be limited to observing space through the waves of electricity and magnetism (for example, visible light) entering telescopes, but will be able to observe it through waves of gravity. Galileo would have been amazed. -- Graham Farmelo * The Guardian *A detailed account of the quest to detect gravitational waves. -- James Ryerson * New York Times Book Review *Ripples in Spacetime provides a comprehensive and approachable guide to a complex subject. -- Monica Young * Sky & Telescope *[Ripples in Spacetime] explains complex ideas clearly and entertainingly…It details the personalities, rivalries, collaborations, controversies, setbacks and successes of the century-long quest to test Einstein’s theories. Bang up to date, the book describes science in progress and as a process: how ideas are developed and discoveries made and rejected or confirmed. The best part for me was the detail the book goes into about the first detection and the meticulous protocols in place to scrutinize and eliminate every possible error. Schilling also looks ahead to what we can expect in this whole new field of astronomy. This is a book for everyone who was as excited as I was when the [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory] discovery first broke, but also for anyone who wants to know what all the fuss was about. -- Jenny Winder * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *In September 2015, a new frontier in astronomy beckoned with the first direct detection of gravitational waves, confirming Albert Einstein's prediction almost a century before. Govert Schilling's deliciously nerdy grand tour takes us through compelling backstory, current research, and future expectations. -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *[Ripples in Spacetime] offers the reader a journey that goes beyond its title, exploring and connecting topics such as the cosmic-microwave background and its polarization, radioastronomy and pulsars, supernovae, primordial inflation, gamma-ray bursts and even dark energy… The book gives an interesting (and sometimes surprising) glimpse into the lives, aspirations and mutual interactions of the scientific pioneers in the field of gravitational waves. -- Guillermo Ballestero * CERN Courier *A fascinating story of astronomy…Schilling walks readers through a lucid history of the universe, of general relativity, and of the bumpy search for Einstein’s last major unconfirmed prediction: the existence of gravitational waves…Schilling delivers a lively, expert, mostly comprehensible account, equal parts politics, personality, and science, of the search that ended two years ago…Schilling emphasizes that this is not simply another feather in Einstein’s cap, but a valuable new tool. The early universe was opaque to radiation until 380,000 years after the Big Bang, but gravity waves poured out from almost the beginning, so a new field of ‘gravitational wave astronomy’ can look back almost to the birth of the cosmos. An exciting history of the second great breakthrough of 21st-century physics. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *In this elegant and captivating book Govert Schilling takes us by the hand through a century of scientific adventures to one of the biggest discoveries of history. -- Robbert Dijkgraaf, Director and Leon Levy Professor, Institute for Advanced StudyI read with great pleasure this friendly book. The placement of the detection of gravitational waves in the greater history of astronomy and physics is nicely done, and readers not yet familiar with many of the concepts will come away from the book having really learned some of the physics as well as having a sense of what real science and real scientists are like. The scope and organization makes it entertaining and leaves room for surprises. -- David Shoemaker, Spokesperson, LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Senior Research Scientist, MIT Kavli InstituteEngaging. -- Manjit Kumar * New Statesman *Govert’s blend of storytelling, interviews, science, and history creates a fantastic read, and for anyone curious about the development of LIGO and what the future holds, you couldn’t ask for a better story. -- Ethan Siegel * Forbes *

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Book SynopsisExplores the origins and development of geographic variation, divergence, and speciation. This work shows how geographic differentiation and speciation may develop in spite of continuous gene flow. It discusses the relationships among gene flow, dispersal, and migration.

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Book SynopsisHomology - a similar trait shared by different species and derived from common ancestry, such as a seal's fin and a bird's wing - is one of the most fundamental yet challenging concepts in evolutionary biology. This book provides a mechanistically based theory of what homology is and how it arises in evolution.Trade Review"Homology, Genes, and Evolutionary Innovation makes a seminal contribution to evolutionary biology. As Wagner argues, his view provides an opportunity for a major research program on the study of novelty as distinct from adaptation."--Carl Simpson and Douglas H. Erwin, Science "There is much information that is good here."--Choice "The book is beautifully written, in a precise yet conversational and often humorous tone; still, it is not light reading. Like the chocolate tortes of the author's native Vienna, it requires time to savor. Buy it, and find a seat in your favorite library or cafe in which to appreciate its richness."--J. A. Bolker, Evolution and Development "This is a book I've waited for all of my professional life (plus a bit--I'm 80)."--Gorkana Group, Biologist "[A]s a treatise on the homology concept in relation to evolutionary morphological novelties, we cannot think of a better current treatment. We congratulate the author for having written a truly inspiring book that will influence the field for many years to come."--Lennart Olsson, Systematic Biology "It is with great pleasure that readers may learn in the pages of Gunter Wagner's book how to solve such recalcitrant de Beerian puzzles by their own, guided by the author's expertise both as a gifted philosopher and first rank scientist... Wagner's beautifully written four hundred and twenty five pages are full of important qualifications of the framework and excellent illustrations of each and every of the author's points."--Guillermo Lorenzo Gonzalez, Theorema "[A]s a treatise on the homology concept in relation to evolutionary morphological novelties, we cannot think of a better current treatment. We congratulate the author for having written a truly inspiring book that will influence the field for many years to come."--Systematic Biology "Deeply thought provoking... This survey of homology in the light of modern genetic research ... is timely and helpful."--Peter Moore, The BulletinTable of ContentsPreface xi Introduction What This Book Aims to Do and What It Is Not 1 PART I: Concepts and Mechanisms CHAPTER 1 The Intellectual Challenge of Morphological Evolution: A Case for Variational Structuralism 7 Contrasting Ontologies 9 Facts and Ideas about Bodies 20 Re-focusing on the Role of Development 26 The Emergence of Molecular Structuralism 29 The Enigma of Developmental Variation 37 CHAPTER 2 A Conceptual Roadmap to Homology 39 Two Observations: Sameness and Continuity 40 A Detour into Genetics: Homologous Genes 44 Character Identity and Character States 51 Characters and Character States: Who Is Who? 54 Variational Modalities: More Than One Way of Being a Certain Character 58 Character Identity and Repeated Body Parts: Serial Homology 65 Character Swarms: Persistent Cases of Partial Individuality 71 Alternative Conceptualizations of Homology 71 A Case for Conceptual Liberalism 78 Sorting Patterns of Morphological Variation 79 CHAPTER 3 A Genetic Theory of Homology 82 Why Continuity of Genetic Information Is Not Enough 82 Lessons from the Variable Development of Homologs 90 Homeotic Genes and Character Identity 93 A Model: Character Identity Networks 96 Variation and Conservation of Segment Development 98 Eye Development and the ey/so/eya/dac (ESED) Networks 102 The Role of Protein-Protein Interactions 114 Characteristics of Character Identity Networks 117 CHAPTER 4 Evolutionary Novelties: The Origin of Homologs 119 Modes of Evolution 120 Revisiting the Conceptual Roadmap: Which Way to Novelty? 123 Phenomenological Modes for the Origin of Type I Novelties 127 From Phenomenology to Explanation 135 Explaining Robustness and Canalization 151 Natural Selection and the Origin of Novelties: A Roundup 156 CHAPTER 5 Developmental Mechanisms for Evolutionary Novelties 158 The Environment's Role in Evolutionary Innovations 158 Where Does the Positional Information for Novel Characters Come From? 164 Derived Mechanical Stimuli and the Origin of Novelties in the Avian Hind Limb Skeleton 170 The Origin of Character Identity Networks 173 The Evolution of Novel Signaling Centers 175 The Developmental Biology of Novelties: Reflections 184 CHAPTER 6 The Genetics of Evolutionary Novelties 186 Evolution of cis-Regulatory Elements 187 Are Novel Pigment Spots Novelties, and Why Does It Matter? 195 Sex Combs: The Origin of a ChIN 199 Origin of Novel cis-R egulatory Elements: Transposable Elements 204 The Role of Gene Duplications 209 Evolution of Transcription Factor Proteins 213 The Evolution of miRNAs 224 A Material Difference between Innovation and Adaptation? 227 CHAPTER 7 The Long Shadow of Metaphysics on Research Programs 229 Metaphysics as the Sister of Science 230 Classes and Individuals 232 Individuals and Natural Kinds 238 Definitions and Models 240 PART II : Paradigms and Research Programs CHAPTER 8 Cell Types and Their Origins 250 Developmental Genetics of Cell Types 253 The Evolutionary Origin of Cell Types 272 Case Studies of Cell Typogenesis 280 Concluding Reflections 292 CHAPTER 9 Skin and a Few of Its Derivatives 294 Developmental Evolution of Amniote Skin and Skin Appendages 296 Mammalian Skin Derivatives: Hairs and Breasts 304 Devo-Evo of Bird Skin: Scales into Feathers 308 Origin of Feathers 313 CHAPTER 10 Fins and Limbs 327 Paired Fins 327 From Fins to Limbs 333 Concluding Reflection on the Nature of Character Identity 354 CHAPTER 11 Digits and Digit Identity 356 The Origin of Digits 356 Digits Come and Go: Is There a Pentadactyl Ground Plan? 357 Developmental and Morphological Heterogeneity of the Tetrapod Hand 359 Digit Loss and Re-evolution in Amniotes 365 The Pentadactyl Autopodium (PDA) Type 366 Developmental Genetics of Digit Identity 369 Digit Identity: Real or Imaginary? 374 A Fingerpost on the Nature of Character Identity 382 CHAPTER 12 Flowers 385 What Is a Flower? 386 Angiosperm Phylogeny and Flower Character Evolution 389 Genetics of Canonical Flower Development 391 The Developmental Genetic Architecture of the Flower Bauplan 396 Flower Variation and Novel Flower Organ Identities 398 The Origin of the Bisexual Flower Developmental Type 401 Perianth Evolution and the Origin of Petals 407 Genetics of Organ Identity: Challenges from Gene Duplication 412 Summary and Conclusions 414 CHAPTER 13 Lessons and Challenges 416 What Are the Core Claims of This Model of Homology? 416 Characters Are Real But Historically Limited 418 Homology Is Not Hierarchical 420 The Quasi-C artesian Model of Character Identity 421 Character Individuality and Gene Regulatory Network Cooperativity 422 Open Questions and Difficulties 423 Population, Tree, and Homology Thinking 424 References 427 Index 467

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Book SynopsisCichlid fishes are amazing creatures. In terms of sheer number of species, they are the most successful of all families of vertebrate animals, and the extent and speed with which they have evolved in some African lakes has made them the darlings of evolutionary biologists. With warmth and wit, Barlow describes the remarkably high intelligence of these fishes, their complex mating and parenting rituals, their bizarre feeding and fighting habits, and their highly unusual adaptations. A celebration of their diversity, The Cichlid Fishes is also a marvellous exploration of how these animals might help resolve the age-old puzzle of how species arise and evolve.

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Book SynopsisParker has done an outstanding job of pulling together the current scientific understanding of life on Earth and the possibilities of life elsewhere.- Christopher P. McKay, Research Scientist, NASA Ames Research centre

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Book Synopsis1. Study Background.- The International Project.- The U. S. Studies.- Methodology.- 2. The General Context for Reform.- Why Reform?.- Strategies for Reform.- Roles and Actors.- Dissemination and Definitions of Success.- Micro Forces Shaping Individual Projects.- 3. The Changing Conceptions of Science, Mathematics, and Instruction.- Changes in the Fields of Science and Mathematics.- Changes in School Science and Mathematics.- Operationalizing the Views of Science.- Operationalizing the Views of Mathematics.- Changing Conceptions of Teaching and Learning.- Who Owns School Science and Mathematics in the 1990s?.- 4. The Changing Roles of Teachers.- Traditional Roles of Teachers.- New Roles for Teachers.- Conclusion.- 5. The Changing Conceptions of Reform.- Lessons From Research and Experience.- Systemic Reform.- Standards as Goals for Reform.- Partnerships and Collaboration.- Dissemination Strategies.- Technology Issues.- 6. Underplayed Issues.- Assessment of Student Achievement.- Evaluation of the Innovation Itself.- Issues of Equity and Diversity.- Summary.- 7. Assessing the Implementation of Innovations in Mathematics and Science Education.- The Macro and Micro Innovations.- Tracing Enactments: First Steps.- Adoption of the Innovations.- Enactments: A Closer Look.- Assistance.- Student Perceptions.- Stabilization and Continuation.- Concluding Comments.- Coda: New Paths for Bold Ventures.- A Sobering Heritage of Reform.- Studying Bold Ventures in Real Time.- New Roles and Strategic Alliances.- Systems and Particle Clouds.- How Much Reform, Anyway?.- The Future of the Present.- References.Table of Contents1. Study Background.- The International Project.- The U. S. Studies.- Methodology.- The Research Questions.- The Case Study Research Cycle.- Two Examples of Research Methodology.- Summary Comments on Methodology.- 2. The General Context for Reform.- Why Reform?.- National Policy.- Scientists and Educators.- Strategies for Reform.- Standards.- Systemic Approaches.- Assessment in the Service of Reform.- Roles and Actors.- The Role of States.- The Role of Associations.- The Roles of Private Foundations, Business, and Industry.- The Role of Technology.- Dissemination and Definitions of Success.- Dissemination Strategies.- Criteria for Successful Dissemination and Implementation.- Micro Forces Shaping Individual Projects.- The Role of Teachers.- The Role of Leaders.- Funding Sources.- Problem Formulation.- Project Organization.- 3. The Changing Conceptions of Science, Mathematics, and Instruction.- Changes in the Fields of Science and Mathematics.- Changes in School Science and Mathematics.- An Applications Orientation.- An Integrated Curriculum.- Sources of School Science and Mathematics.- Operationalizing the Views of Science.- Integration: Making Meaningful Connections.- Forward to the Basics.- Applications of Science.- The Processes of Science.- ChemCom: A Special Case.- Operationalizing the Views of Mathematics.- Applications.- Technology.- Mathematical Processes.- Changing Conceptions of Teaching and Learning.- A Socially Relevant Pedagogy.- A Scientifically Authentic Pedagogy.- A Learner-Centered Pedagogy.- Who Owns School Science and Mathematics in the 1990s?.- 4. The Changing Roles of Teachers.- Traditional Roles of Teachers.- Teacher Isolation.- Teacher Status.- Historical Significance of Teachers’ Changing Roles.- The Diverse Teaching Force.- Resisting Forces.- New Roles for Teachers.- Teachers’ Changing Positions Within Innovations.- Teachers as Designers of Change.- Teachers as Objects of Change.- Teachers’ Changing Role in the Classroom.- Teachers’ Changing Role as Colleagues.- Conclusion.- 5. The Changing Conceptions of Reform.- Lessons From Research and Experience.- Models of Educational Change.- Lessons From the 1960s.- Systemic Reform.- California’s Example.- Project 2061.- The Power of Metaphors.- Standards as Goals for Reform.- Why Nationally Developed Standards?.- What Are Standards?.- Roles of Standards Documents.- Partnerships and Collaboration.- Dissemination Strategies.- The NCTM Standards.- Materials Development Projects.- Developer-Publisher Relationships.- Technology Issues.- 6. Underplayed Issues.- Assessment of Student Achievement.- What Kind of Assessment?.- Assessment in the Innovations.- Assessment Approaches in Other Countries— Testing to Help Learning.- Evaluation of the Innovation Itself.- Program Evaluation in the Curriculum Development Projects.- Program Evaluation in the Comprehensive Projects.- Program Evaluation as Part of a Rational Change Strategy.- Issues of Equity and Diversity.- The Curriculum Development Projects.- The Comprehensive Projects.- Equity Issues and Science Education Reform.- Some Examples From Other Countries.- Summary.- 7. Assessing the Implementation of Innovations in Mathematics and Science Education.- The Macro and Micro Innovations.- Tracing Enactments: First Steps.- Comprehensive Projects: The Audacity of Reform.- Curriculum Materials Projects: An Apparent Loss of Audacity.- Reforming in Time Warps.- Adoption of the Innovations.- Strategies and Vehicles: The Comprehensive Projects.- The Adoption Process at Local Levels.- Leadership.- Teacher Background in Mathematics and Science.- The Role of Teachers’ Beliefs.- The Burden of Change.- Changes in Teacher Capacity.- Enactments: A Closer Look.- Mimi Enactments.- The Kids Network.- The Precalculus Project.- The UMC Project.- Assistance.- Student Perceptions.- Stabilization and Continuation.- Concluding Comments.- Coda: New Paths for Bold Ventures.- A Sobering Heritage of Reform.- Studying Bold Ventures in Real Time.- New Roles and Strategic Alliances.- Systems and Particle Clouds.- How Much Reform, Anyway?.- The Future of the Present.- References.

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Book SynopsisDemonstrates how science and technology have been as important to 007 as good looks, martinis, and women. Using entertaining sketches and nontechnical language, this book explains the basic physics behind the gadgets, cars, and stunts in the Bond films, from the jet packs in "Thunderball" to the dynamics of daredevil bungee jumping in "Goldeneye".Trade ReviewIn an entertaining narrative, Parker explores which aspects of Ian Fleming's Bond stories are scientifically sound and which are purely fiction or movie magic. Science News 2005 A very successful and entirely charming book that belongs in all college libraries. Highly recommended. Choice 2006 A fun romp with a handful of equations, charts, and diagrams. College and Research Libraries News 2006 Thorough and clearly written. -- Stephen Baxter Nature 2006 Parker has a terrific idea here-to scrutinize the science of the special effects on parade in the James Bond movies. -- Eve Lichtgarn AssociatedContent.com 2005 A book that's sure to appeal to teens with an interest in gadgets, cars, stunts, trick cinematography, and sports. School Library Journal 2006 For anyone moderately interested in both James Bond and physics, this is an entertaining and relatively easy read. -- Joanna Barstow Observatory Magazine 2006 A very enjoyable book with some very well handled physics. -- John L. Hubisz Physics Teacher 2007Table of ContentsAcknowldgmentsIntroduction1. Bond for Beginners2. Wow, What a Stunt!3. Death Rays and Ghosts4. How'd They Do That?: Amazing Devices5. Bond's Gadgets and Gizmos6. The Incredible Bond Cars7. The Race Is On: Car Chases8. Bond in Space9. Nuclear Weapons and Reactors10. Water Sports and GunsAppendixBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe science/faith discussion is often hindered by a fundamental misunderstanding of the role and function of science. This misunderstand was made most evident, with tragic consequences, during the recent pandemic. The ways that science has gone wrong, and the underlying causes of how it goes wrong, will be illustrated here with a series of historical essays describing ideas about the universe, planet Earth, and the evolution of life that were all based on ideas that were reasonablebut ultimately wrong. Some are amusing in retrospect; others are tragic.Theology, philosophy, or even mathematics may lay claim to eternal truths, but in science our very cosmologies change. Just as the major religions have adapted in the face of changing cultural cosmologies, so too has science adapted in the face of challenging new observations and new ideas. Religions and science are strengthened by experiencing a shift in our assumptions; that''s where we find out what''s essential, and what is

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThere is a major demand for people with scientific training in a wide range of professions based on and maintaining relations with science. However, there is a lack of good first-hand information about alternative career paths to research. From entrepreneurship, industry and the media to government, public relations, activism and teaching, this is a readable guide to science based skills, lifestyles and career paths. The ever-narrowing pyramid of opportunities within an academic career structure, or the prospect of a life in the laboratory losing its attraction, mean that many who trained in science and engineering now look for alternative careers. Thirty role models who began by studying many different disciplines give personal guidance for graduates, postgraduates and early-career scientists in the life sciences, physical sciences and engineering. This book is an entertaining resource for ideas about, and directions into, the many fields which they may not be aware of or may not haveTrade Review'This excellent book is directed at those for whom a conventional academic and research career is not necessarily their cup of tea. In it, you can learn how many other opportunities there are for scientists outside the usual academic route. The book is full of first-rate practical advice, emphasising the value of a self-assessment of your skills and interests, and illustrating that there is a major demand for people with training in science in many areas ranging from entrepreneurship and policy to PR and politics. Above all, do something you enjoy and believe is worthwhile, and do not consider yourself a failure because you have not continued in academic research.' Sir Walter Bodmer, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine'The enthusiastic and positive accounts in this book provide ample evidence that there is life beyond the lab, and that it can be a good life: rewarding, fulfilling and richly varied. To take that decision to go where the grass might be greener requires careful thought and the application of your best research skills - to research your own future. This book provides one major source of information, advice and a great range of personal words of guidance to help inform your next step.' Gordon Chesterman, University of Cambridge Careers Service'… offers students and early career scientists the indispensable personal experience of more than thirty skilled professionals who started out as academics and ended up in the most varied array of successful professions. Reading about the many routes that a scientist can choose, from becoming an EU-level regulatory expert and lobbyist, to a company founder and multi-millionaire, this book is not only insightful but also inspirational for those eager to branch out from the confines of their science. I wish I had had the opportunity of feasting my eyes on this a quarter of a century ago as I scratched my head as to which way to turn once I left the lab.' Nathalie Moll, European Association for Bioindustries, Belgium'If there's one valuable message here it's 'know thyself - but don't dismiss serendipity'. While the advice of careers professionals to analyse skills and preferences is important, the personal stories show just how important it is to keep an open mind and that even the most successful career isn't really planned but relies on a willingness to grasp opportunities. For women, as a minority in the UK STEM workforce, these personal case studies offer reassurance that it's good to take risks and great careers await us all.' Averil Macdonald, OBE, University of ReadingTable of ContentsForeword Sir Tom Blundell; Part I. Career Services', Recruiters' and Students' Viewpoints: 1. What type of scientist are you? Nalayini Thambar and Clare Jones; 2. Researching my career: from science to career education Lori Conlan; 3. Career enlightenment for the twenty-first century Stephen Isherwood; 4. Doctoral graduates in policy and advocacy Adam Wright; Part II. Industry and Related Occupations: 5. Opportunities for entrepreneurial scientists and engineers in the post-genomic era Darrin M. Disley; 6. From monkeys to medicines and beyond - navigating careers in industry and academia Jackie Hunter; 7. Lessons from evolution on how to build a business Jonathan Milner; 8. Entrepreneurship, management, public relations and consulting Nick Scott-Ram; 9. From science to engineering and business: the converging stories of three friends Ermeena Malik; 10. From lab bench to board room: the patent attorney's tale Robert Stephen; 11. From molecular biology to GMO regulation and policy Delphine Carron; 12. Rebel with a cause? From physics to activism Philip Webber; 13. Science public relations - it needs to be in your genes Richard Hayhurst; Part III. The Public Sector: 14. From rock pools to Whitehall Miles Parker; 15. Science for global good - a polymath's approach Jasdeep Sandhu; 16. Skills, networks and luck David Cleevely; 17. Politics and policy Julian Huppert; Part IV. Journalism and the Media: 18. The wonderful world of reporting, or the marsupial mole revisited Tim Radford; 19. Reflections of a thinking pinball: the surprises, challenges and rewards of a career in radio Peter Evans; 20. From science to storytelling Madhumita Murgia; 21. Propelled by science: a life on camera Vivienne Parry OBE; 22. A career in science radio and podcasting Chris Smith and Kat Arney; Part V. Science Communication, Teaching and Ethics: 23. What to do when you don't know what you're doing; or, my first twenty-five years in science communication John Durant; 24. A butterfly career in science and beyond to public engagement Nicola Buckley; 25. A lifetime's fun and interest with teaching and allied matters Ian Harvey; 26. In search of the ethical path Stuart Parkinson; 27. Environmental policy, politics and science - not always an easy ride Julie Hill; Further sources of information.

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Book SynopsisDesigned for researchers and graduate students in machine learning, this book introduces the theory of variational Bayesian learning, a popular machine learning method, and suggests how to make use of it in practice. Detailed derivations allow readers to follow along without prior knowledge of the specific mathematical techniques.

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