Science & Nature Books

Book SynopsisEverything the first time fish-keeper needs to know to set up a tank. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions help you create and develop your aquarium - whether it''s coldwater, tropical or marine. Charts and tables show how to deal with ailments and diseases, and there''s a guide to the most common fish. There are profiles of over 100 tropical, marine and coldwater fish, as well as plants and invertebrates.Table of ContentsIntroduction 6; 1 What type of aquarium do you want? 8; Coldwater, tropical or marine?; styles of aquarium; cost implications; the demands on your time; conservation and care; your duty; 2 Choosing and locating the tank 22; Aquarium size; aquarium designs; tank construction; aquarium furniture; positioning the aquarium; 3 Equipment 32; Filtration; aeration; heating; lighting; 4 Aquarium Decoration 50; Materials; plants; aquascaping; 5 Setting up your first aquarium 80; Safety issues; water preparation; tank set ups, step by step; tank maturation; 6 Water Quality 100; Water testing; the nitrogen cycle; new tank syndrome; 7 Choosing the fish 114; Fish adaptations; compatibility; buying fish; freshwater fish profiles; introducing fish; 8 Basic fish care 162; Feeding; cleaning regimes; equipment maintenance; problem solving; 9 Health Care 176; Fish anatomy; what makes a healthy fish; disease diagnosis; treating sick fish; quarantining; 10 Breeding 188; Fish reproduction; seperating fish; fry rearing; 11 Marine fish care 198; Marine basics; marine equipment; marine decor; salt mixing; tank set ups; livestock profiles; Index.

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Book SynopsisSeventy years ago, Erwin Schrödinger posed a profound question: ''What is life, and how did it emerge from non-life?'' This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging field of ''systems chemistry'' are unlocking the problem. Addy Pross shows how the different kind of stability that operates among replicating molecules results in a tendency for chemical systems to become more complex and acquire the properties of life. Strikingly, he demonstrates that Darwinian evolution is the biological expression of a deeper, well-defined chemical concept: the whole story from replicating molecules to complex life is one continuous process governed by an underlying physical principle. The gulf between biology and the physical sciences is finally becoming bridged.This new edition includes an Epilogue describing developments in the concepts of fundamental forms of stability discussed in the book, and their profound implications.Oxford Landmark Science books are ''must-read'' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.Trade ReviewIn this inspiring book, Pross provides an engaging account of the view that systems chemistry can bridge the hitherto unassailable abiogenic/biogenic divide. In a carefully constructed, almost forensic, analysis, he confronts crucial issues, such as the conceptual gulf between the biochemist's chicken and egg problem...and the fundamental role of dynamic kinetic stability in the process of life. * Ben Mepham, The Biologist *Table of ContentsPrologue 1: Living things are so very strange 2: Historic quest for a theory of life 3: Understanding 'understanding' 4: Stability and instability 5: The knotty origin of life problem 6: Biology's crisis of identity 7: Biology is chemistry 8: What is Life? References and Notes Index

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Book Synopsis“This useful title, which will also work well as a circulating item, presents that something extra for fitness enthusiasts who want to become serious about their conditioning.” —Library Journal (starred review). The revolutionary series Anatomy of Exercise includes eight specialized titles that followed the first title, Anatomy of Exercise, each focusing on a specific sport or exercise programme. Since the release of the first book, the titles in this innovative series have sold over 250,000 copies. Compiling content from all nine titles, Encyclopedia of Exercise Anatomy enables the reader to tailor a personalized and professional programme that will meet specific needs. A runner can dip into yoga to improve his breathing; a muscle builder can shape her legs with cycling workouts; a gymnast can combine yoga with core stability and strength exercises, and a woman over 50 can design a programme that fits into her busy life. Comprehensive and informative, this big compendium includes these standard features: Full-body anatomy illustrations, front and back; Annotated full-colour anatomical illustrations for all exercises; Full-colour photographs of exercises; Visual identification of active and stabilizing muscles; Concise step-by-step how-to instructions and guidance; Level-of-difficulty modifications; “Best For” information boxes; Safety tips boxes; Pre-designed workouts; Visual index of exercises; Glossary of anatomical terms. For anyone who works on their fitness routines, whether at a gym, health club or in a sport personally, professionally or academically, Encyclopedia of Exercise Anatomy is the ideal resource for a lifetime of healthy living.Trade Review[Review of hardcover edition: ] [starred review] Fitness magazine editor and national bodybuilding champion Liebman's no-nonsense title goes back to the basics, educating users on how to do specific exercises, illustrating in anatomical sketches how the body is affected by them, and listing which exercises best prepare the body for various sports. Part 1 offers general comments and tips on exercise and nutrition as well as large-format computer-generated images (CGI) of the human body with its muscles labeled. The other sections of the book show exercises and stretches in a spread each, with one page offering a photo-illustrated how-to, and the opposite page featuring a CGI of the body at work with the relevant muscles highlighted. Most helpful is the segment of workouts, with instructions for two routines each for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners who want to focus on a particular part of the body or prepare for a particular sport. The sports-specific entries ready readers for common pastimes such as baseball, cycling, and various martial arts but also for sports such as archery, hurling, and water polo. Closing the book are glossaries of English and Latin terms. VERDICT This useful title, which will also work well as a circulating item, presents that something extra for fitness enthusiasts who want to become serious about their conditioning.-- (10/15/2014)

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Book SynopsisThe eighth edition of the highly regarded botany textbook Raven Biology of Plants by Ray F. Evert and Susan E. Eichhorn offers the most significant revision in the book''s history.   Every topic has been updated with information from the most recent primary literature. The chapters have been carefully reorganized, with extensive updating of the Diversity Section and the Angiosperm Plant Body Section. The text also includes new photos, illustrations and chapter openers, making the text even more accessible and engaging.Biology of Plants presents an emphasis on the interrelationships of growth and development, structure and function, and evolution and ecology. A highlight of the new edition is a set of 8 new ecology essays that showcase ecologically relevant stories to bring the concepts to life. They cover a range of topics, from Google Earth: A Tool for Discovering and Protecting Biodiversity to the Doomsday Seed Vault: Securing Crop Diversity and

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPart I: AN INTRODUCTION TO INQUIRY. 1. Human Inquiry and Science. 2. Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research. 3. The Ethics and Politics of Social Research. Part II: THE STRUCTURING OF INQUIRY: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 4. Research Design. 5. Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement. 6. Indexes, Scales, and Typologies. 7. The Logic of Sampling. Part III: MODES OF OPERATION: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 8. Experiments. 9. Survey Research. 10. Qualitative Field Research. 11. Unobtrusive Research. 12. Evaluation Research. Part IV: ANALYSIS OF DATA: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 13. Qualitative Data Analysis. 14. Quantitative Data Analysis. 15. The Logic of Multivariate Analysis. 16. Statistical Analyses. 17. Reading and Writing Social Research. APPENDICES. A. Using the Library. B. GSS Household Enumeration Questionnaire. C. Random Numbers. D. Distribution of Chi Square. E. Normal Curve Areas. F. Estimated Sampling Error. Preface. Acknowledgments.

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Book SynopsisApplying his controversial theory of evolution to the origins of the human species, Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man was the culmination of his life's work. In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too 'surrounded with prejudices'. He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by 'sexual selection' - Darwin's provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Named by Sigmund Freud as 'one of the ten most significant books' ever written, Darwin's Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human. In their introduction, James Moore and Adrian Desmond, acclaimed biographers of Charles Darwin, call for a radicalTrade Review“[Darwin’s] second great book . . . An intellectually daring feat.” —Richard O. Prum, in The Evolution of Beauty

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Book SynopsisChronicling the development of scientific ideas, practices, and institutions from pre-Socratic Greek philosophy to late-medieval scholasticism, this title surveys the themes in the history of science, including developments in cosmology, astronomy, mechanics, optics, alchemy, natural history, and medicine.Trade Review"As entertaining and educational as that organized by the best tour operator." - Charles Burnett, New York Times Book Review "Solidly based on a competent knowledge of a huge variety of primary sources and secondary studies, engagingly written, and well produced, it provides us for the first time with an authoritative account of Western science from its beginnings to the height of medieval scientific achievement." - Richard C. Dales, American Historical Review"

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Book SynopsisThis title, filled with case studies, illustrations and photographs, draws on interviews with police personnel and forensic scientists to uncover the vast and detailed under-workings of criminal investigation. Topics covered include: the stages of a body's decay and criminal science career paths.Trade ReviewThe Famous Five would have cracked their cases sooner if they had packed this in their haversacks. The budding crime writer will reach for it when writing a police procedural. * The Times *The ultimate guide to the art of detection * Crime Time *

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents Introduction, Measurement, Estimating Describing Motion: Kinematics in One Dimension Kinematics in Two Dimensions; Vectors Dynamics: Newton’s Laws of Motion Circular Motion; Gravitation Work and Energy Linear Momentum Rotational Motion Static Equilibrium; Elasticity and Fracture Fluids Oscillations and Waves Sound Temperature and Kinetic Theory Heat The Laws of Thermodynamics Electric Charge and Electric Field Electric Potential Electric Currents DC Circuits Magnetism Electromagnetic Induction and Faraday’s Law Electromagnetic Waves Light: Geometric Optics The Wave Nature of Light Optical Instruments The Special Theory of Relativity Early Quantum Theory and Models of the Atom Quantum Mechanics of Atoms Molecules and Solids Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity Nuclear Energy; Effects and Uses of Radiation Elementary Particles Astrophysics and Cosmology

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Book SynopsisLisa Randall is an American theoretical physicist and the Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University. She has received numerous awards and honors and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics. She is the author of several acclaimed books on physics.Trade ReviewA bold intellectual synthesis from one of the world’s leading theoretical physicists, blending cosmology, astronomy, particle physics and the history of life on Earth to suggest the existence of an entirely new force of nature. This book certainly ventures into the unknown, but that's where great physicists like to be. -- Professor Brian CoxFascinating… Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs is a sign that readers of popular science have finally grown up… A very grown-up quest… Randall’s writing is as laid back and unfussy as ever. If you appreciated her clear, straightforward style in Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven’s Door, you won’t be disappointed by Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs. -- Michael Brooks * New Scientist *Weird and wonderful new book. -- Michael Hanlon * The Sunday Times *Splendid book. -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Only Lisa Randall can take us on such a thrilling scientific journey—from dinosaurs to DNA to comets to dark matter and to the past and future of our species. Randall’s research is so thorough, the story so powerful, and her storytelling so compelling that I could not put this book down. -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All Maladies

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Book SynopsisFlight is the story of humankind''s most ambitious undertaking. From thousand-year-old flying machines and the trailblazing ''birdmen'' who risked their lives to test them, to the Wright brothers'' legendary first flight and the iconic spacecraft of the modern era, Flight weaves together the extraordinary history of aviation with an in-depth look at the mechanics of how planes work. Sumptuously illustrated and written by a former RAF technician, this is the definitive guide to how we conquered the skies.

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Book SynopsisExplore the star-studded cosmos with this fully updated, user-friendly skywatcher's guide, filled with charts, graphics, photographs, and expert tips for viewing -- and understanding -- the wonders of space. Stargazing's too much fun to leave to astronomers. In these inviting pages, 'Night Sky Guy' Andrew Fazekas takes an expert but easygoing approach that will delight would-be astronomers of all levels. Essential information, organized logically, brings the solar system, stars, and planets to life in your own backyard. Start with the easiest constellations and then 'star-hop' across the night sky to find others nearby. Learn about the dark side of the moon, how to pick Mars out of a planetary lineup, and which kinds of stars twinkle in your favorite constellations. Hands-on tips and techniques for observing with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope help make the most out of sightings and astronomical phenomena such as eclipses and meteor showers. Photographs aTrade Review“This guide is beautifully illustrated. It’s a nice size to throw in a purse or bag for taking to your local observatory or up into the treehouse…There’s even a section on stargazing with your children.” –Just a Secular Homeschooler “Chock full of photographs, graphics, tips, and information - this book is THE book to read if you want to learn about watching the night sky and what's in it. You can find out about what telescope to use and the various star patterns that make up the constellations. Its so interesting, you can't help but get lost in the pages of this book - learning so much about the beautiful night sky that mesmerizes us. I found myself completely engaged in this book - it was so much fun to read. I loved it!” –A Bookish Way of Life “I have to get this book, star gazing is one of my favorite summertime activities.” –Instagram: createexploreread “If you have any interest at all in ordering the stars when you look up this book will be a perfect start.” –Broken Teepee “It is a great educational tool, beautifully illustrated, and jam packed with information on anything you could see up in the night sky…The book itself is the perfect size to throw in a bag, or even keep in the car if you are going on a road trip or somewhere to stare up at the sky.” –Diary of a Stay at Home Mom “The book is an easy read, and very interesting. It’s not just about star constellations, but about many heavenly bodies (like asteroids). After reading the book, it’s easier to know what to look for in the night sky – even for an amateur.” –Man of La Book “If you are even just casually thinking about stargazing this summer, this guide is a MUST HAVE. We (my husband and I) know just enough to seem like experts to our children – though it could now be argued that my older son knows more astronomy facts than I do. But now I have this book.” –Sarah Reads Too Much

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Book SynopsisHoneybees make decisions collectively - and democratically. This book reveals that these incredible insects have much to teach us when it comes to collective wisdom and effective decision making. It presents an account of scientific discovery. It investigates how evolution has honed the decision-making methods of honeybees over millions of years.Trade ReviewOne of Financial Times (FT.com)'s Books of the Year in Nonfiction Round-Up in the Science & Environment list for 2010 "Dr. Seeley is an engaging guide. His enthusiasm and admiration for honeybees is infectious. His accumulated research seems truly masterly, doing for bees what E.O. Wilson did for ants."--Katherine Bouton, New York Times "Although the details are complicated, Seeley's explanations are remarkably clear. The text is abundantly illustrated with figures that are cleverly simplified in comparison to how they might appear in scientific journals. For readers who may be less passionate about the particulars of honeybee life, Seeley also reveals parallels between the way swarms make decisions and how the human brain sorts through conflicting neuron signals to reach decisions. He also provides a few pointers on how rules of honeybee democracy may be applied to decision-making in human groups, with minimal dependence on a leader, vigorous competition among a diversity of viewpoints, and a method for determining a majority-based resolution."--May Berenbaum, Times Literary Supplement "Seeley's work--extended over years and summarized clearly and engagingly here--is a model of biological research that builds bridges to the social sciences, and to the practical arts of institutional design for humans."--Adrian Vermeule, New Republic's The Book "[S]plendid."--John Whitfield, Nature "[E]ngaging and fascinating... Seeley writes with infectious enthusiasm... Honeybee Democracy offers wonderful testament to his career of careful investigation of a remarkable natural phenomenon. The breadth and depth of the studies reported in it should inspire all students of animal behavior."--Science "To illustrate bee decision making, Seeley details how swarms choose a new home. Seeley presents his material with charm, and the bees' system of house-hunting becomes surprising and awe-inspiring."--Science News "In Honeybee Democracy, Seeley carefully narrates his many seasons of experiments using plywood next boxes that could be moved and modified at will. He discovered what bees like in a home, how scouts measure the dark interiors of these boxes and most of all, how the swarm 'votes' to decide which nest to occupy... Honeybee Democracy is a brilliant display of science at work, with each experiment explained and illustrated."--New Scientist "[I]t is a book well worth studying. Within its pages we find out about an important aspect of the life of the honeybee (with some practical implications for beekeepers), how researchers work both in the field and in the laboratory, the objective way in which the experiments are carried out but, most of all, how in the seeking of a new home bees provide us with a model of true democratic behaviour which any group could use to its advantage. Indeed, the last chapter alone, 'Swarm Starts' would make an excellent minibook for anyone who is involved in decision making no matter what position they hold."--Beekeepers Quarterly "Rather than presenting a dry review of his findings, Seeley intertwines them with his thought processes, anecdotes and generous appraisals of students and fellow scientists. His skill in writing a book with so much science in such simple language is admirable. Even a non-beekeeper can understand what he is trying to convey. The photographs are beautiful and the illustrations elegant."--Zachary Huang, Times Higher Education "The year's most enchanting science book."--Financial Times (FT Critics Pick 2010) "Honeybee Democracy, by Thomas D. Seeley, will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about one of the world's most beneficial insects... Seeley, a biologist and beekeeper, presents his excellent understanding of what makes the bees' society work for the survival of the species."--Washington Post "His argument is seductive... [R]eading Honeybee Democracy is a delightful way to spend an evening."--National Post "[O]ne cannot help but be inspired by the beauty of Seeley's hypothesis-driven experimental work. The book is beautifully presented with illustrations, photographs, charts and anecdotes, and succeeds in making the whole field of investigation accessible to the non-specialist... [O]ne is swept away by Thomas Seeley's enthusiasm for a subject that is clearly his passion."--Philippine Rudolf, British Politics and Policy "Seeley shares his 35-plus years of experience working with bees. He presents a very interesting treatise about his research (as well as that of other scientists) on these eusocial insects and their fast and accurate group decision making when choosing the colony's new dwelling place. This very well-written book is also beautifully illustrated, highly informative, and educational."--Choice "[T]his work makes an important contribution to a growing body of literature in disciplines removed from political science or sociology (such as biology in this case). It is felt that this may help us to understand what this enigmatic term or concept 'democracy' might actually be. To finish, this book comes highly recommended to any interested in learning about a new non-human democratic typology."--Jean-Paul Gagnon, Journal of Democratic Theory "Princeton University Press is to be congratulated in producing a book that is great value for the money and beautifully produced. The author is to be congratulated in writing a book that in its content and voice will reach and satisfy both scientists and nonscientists, both bee people and those not yet bitten (or stung). Honeybee Democracy is both easy and enjoyable to read."--Francis L. W. Ratnieks, Animal Behaviour "Seeley writes in an engaging and entertaining style. He also manages to explain complicated facts in easily understandable prose without compromising on the scientific information, and his comparisons with human behaviour and democratic practices are telling... The author aimed to bolster, 'an appreciation of these little creatures'. Mission accomplished. It's hard to not be fascinated by the, 'little six-legged beauties.'"--Uli Ernst, Lab Times "[Honeybee Democracy is] an exceptional combination of memoir, entomology, and political philosophy."--Carl Zimmer, DiscoverMagazine.com's The Loom blog "Reading Tom Seeley's book will give you an understanding of bees which will help your beekeeping... Like all the author's books and papers, this one is worth a place in your bee library."--Adrian Waring, Bee CraftTable of ContentsPrologue 1 Chapter 1: Introdu ction 3 Chapter 2: Life in a Honeybee Colony 20 Chapter 3: Dream Home for Honeybees 43 Chapter 4: Scout Bees' Debate 73 Chapter 5: A greement on Best Site 99 Chapter 6: Buildi ng a Consensus 118 Chapter 7: Initiating the Move to New Home 146 Chapter 8: Steering the Flying Swarm 175 Chapter 9: Swarm as Cognitive Entity 198 Chapter 10: Swarm Smarts 218 EPILOGUE 233 Notes 237 Acknowledgments 261 Illustration Credits 265 Index 271

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Book SynopsisAda Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron was born in 1815 just after the Battle of Waterloo, and died aged 36, soon after the Great Exhibition of 1851. She was connected with some of the most influential and colourful characters of the age: Charles Dickens, Michael Faraday, Charles Darwin and Charles Babbage. It was her work with Babbage that led to her being credited with the invention of computer programming and to her name being adopted for the programming language that controls the US military machine. Ada personified the seismic historical changes taking place over her lifetime. This was the era when fissures began to open up in culture: romance split away from reason, instinct from intellect, art from science. Ada came to embody these new polarities and her life heralded a new era: the machine age.Reissued to coincide with the bicentenary of Ada's birth, The Bride of Science is a fascinating examination of an extraordinary life offering devastating iTrade ReviewWoolley has a great story to tell and does it with racy vigour -- Maggie Gee * Daily Telegraph *A splendid and enthralling portrait -- Miranda Seymour * Sunday Times *An amazing story * Independent *An entertaining and thoughtful biography * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe paperback of the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals how the earth became the shape it is today. This book will change the way you see the world permanently.The face of the earth, criss-crossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed constantly over billions of years. Its shape records a remote past of earthquakes, volcanos and continental drift, and the ongoing subtle shifts that bring our planet alive.Richard Fortey introduces us to the earth's distinct character, revealing the life that it leads when humans aren't watching. He follows the continual movement of seabeds, valleys, mountain ranges and ice caps and shows how everything our culture, natural history, even the formation of our cities has its roots in geology. In Richard Fortey's hands, geology becomes vital and exhilarating and unmistakably informs our lives in the most intimate way.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘The Earth’: ‘A dazzling achievement. Richard Fortey is without peer among science writers.’ Bill Bryson ‘Books with a title this ambitious generally do not live up to their billing. This one does.’ New Scientist ‘“The Earth” is a true delight: full of awe-inspiring details…it blends travel, history, reportage and science to create an unforgettable picture of our ancient earth.’ Sunday Times ‘Read this book because it is, indeed, the best natural history of the first four billion years of life on earth.’ John Gribbin, Sunday Times Praise for ‘The Hidden Landscape’: ‘Don’t drop dead until you have read “The Hidden Landscape”.’ Jonathan Keates, Observer Praise for ‘Life: An unauthorised Biography’: ‘This is not a book for people who like science books. It is a book for people who love books, and life…[Fortey] has written a wonderful book.’ Tim Radford, Guardian

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Book SynopsisLike fast food, fast science is quickly prepared, not particularly good, and it clogs up the system. Efforts to tackle our most pressing issues have been stymied by conflict within the scientific community and mixed messages symptomatic of a rushed approach. What is more, scientific research is being shaped by the bubbles and crashes associated with economic speculation and the market. A focus on conformism, competitiveness, opportunism and flexibility has made it extremely difficult to present cases of failure to the public, for fear that it will lose confidence in science altogether. In this bold new book, distinguished philosopher Isabelle Stengers shows that research is deeply intertwined with broader social interests, which means that science cannot race ahead in isolation but must learn instead to slow down. Stengers offers a path to an alternative science, arguing that researchers should stop seeing themselves as the 'thinking, rational brain of humanity' and refuse to allow their expertise to be used to shut down the concerns of the public, or to spread the belief that scientific progress is inevitable and will resolve all of society's problems. Rather, science must engage openly and honestly with an intelligent public and be clear about the kind of knowledge it is capable of producing. This timely and accessible book will be of great interest to students, scholars and policymakers in a wide range of fields, as well anyone concerned with the role of science and its future.Trade Review"Today, more than ever before, we need this book. Stengers, a philosopher known internationally for her willingness to tackle the big questions of our time, insists that Another Science is Possible. Toughly and tightly argued her book spells out how 'slow science' could get us there. One key point she raises, missed by so many, is the disillusion and distress, Marx might well have said alienation, of the young scientists who find that the science they believed they were going to be part of, is not the science they are working within. Only crack heads can deny climate change and its threat to life itself, but flinching, and looking away from the necessity of transforming science is politically and ethically inadequate. Stengers offers the new generation that is rising up with its new political narrative, intellectual weaponry in the formidable project of turning science away from its destructive collaboration with neoliberal capital to help build - yes - a better world. And don't we need one!"—Hilary Rose, Emerita Professor of Social Policy, University of Bradford "Stengers's slow science manifesto is timely, trenchant and thoughtful."—NatureTable of Contents1 Towards a Public Intelligence of the Sciences 1 2 Researchers with the Right Stuff 23 3 Sciences and Values: How Can we Slow Down? 48 4 Ludwik Fleck, Thomas Kuhn and the Challenge of Slowing Down the Sciences 83 5 ‘Another Science is Possible!’ A Plea for Slow Science 106 6 Cosmopolitics: Civilising Modern Practices 133 Notes 157

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Book SynopsisWhat is your dog really thinking?How do dogs see the world about them?How do they hear, learn and relate to their owners?Why do they suffer from stress and anxiety, and how can we help them cope?The Dog''s Mind is the answer to all your questions on how the canine mind works. Engaging, entertaining and essential, this book is not only the key text of many dog behaviour diploma and degree courses, but also a joyful and insightful read for any dog owner. Combining almost 50 years of practical experience as a veterinarian with an extensive understanding of the relevant research, Dr Bruce Fogle has written the definitive book for anyone who wants to understand their dog.

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Book SynopsisPart of the new Ladybird Expert series, Bubbles is a clear, surprising and entertaining introduction to the science of bubbles. Bubbles are beautiful, ephemeral, fun, fragile, jolly and slightly unpredictable. We''re all familiar with them, but we don''t often ask what they actually are. The great scientists of the Western world - Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton, Lord Rayleigh and more - studied bubbles seriously. They recognised that they had a lot to say about the nature of the physical world, and they poked, prodded and listened to find out what it was. In the years since, we''ve learned that this bulbous arrangement of liquid and gas does things that neither the gas or the liquid could do by itself. Written by the celebrated physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski, Bubbles explores how everything from the way drinks taste to the Earth''s temperature are influenced by bubbles. This book has a message: never underestimate a bubble!Written by the leading lights and most outstanding communicators in their fields, the Ladybird Expert books provide clear, accessible and authoritative introductions to subjects drawn from science, history and culture.For an adult readership, the Ladybird Expert series is produced in the same iconic small hardback format pioneered by the original Ladybirds. Each beautifully illustrated book features the first new illustrations produced in the original Ladybird style for nearly forty years.Trade ReviewThe artwork is gloriously retro, echoing the original Ladybird house style but containing completely up to date information. * Shiny New Books *

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Book SynopsisWhat would happen if you fell into a Black Hole?Black holes are found throughout the universe. They can be microscopic. They can be billions of times larger than our Sun. They are dark on the outside but not on the inside. Anything that enters them can never escape, and yet they contain nothing at all.In Black Hole Survival Guide physicist and novelist Janna Levin takes you on a journey into a black hole, explaining what would happen to you and why. In the process you'll come to see how their mysteries contain answers to some of the most profound questions ever asked about the nature of our universe.'Astrophysics at its sexiest...hugely enjoyable' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewA superb storyteller * Financial Times *Just like its subject this book is a seemingly miraculous compression of a vast amount of material into an implausibly small space. It's packed with revelations ... hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *Wonderful ... Janna Levin has a talent for explaining mind-boggling concepts ... the language is conversational and, in places, rather poetic ... Perhaps the book's greatest draw is the book's survival guide element ... This book will really get you thinking, scratching your head, and eventually understanding the nature of black holes * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *Gripping, heartbreaking, brilliant * Sunday Times (on Black Hole Blues) *Spectacular ... a near-perfect balance of science, storytelling and insight * New Statesman (on Black Hole Blues) *

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Book SynopsisThe Higgs boson is the rock star of fundamental particles, catapulting CERN, the laboratory where it was found, into the global spotlight. But what is it, why does it matter, and what exactly is CERN? In the late 1940s, a handful of visionaries were working to steer Europe towards a more peaceful future through science, and CERN, the European particle physics laboratory, was duly born. James Gillies tells the gripping story of particle physics, from the original atomists of ancient Greece, through the people who made the crucial breakthroughs, to CERN itself, one of the most ambitious scientific undertakings of our time, and its eventual confirmation of the Higgs boson. Weaving together the scientific and political stories of CERN's development, the book reveals how particle physics has evolved from being the realm of solitary genius to a global field of human endeavour, with CERN's Large Hadron Collider as its frontier research tool.

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Book SynopsisBoldly go where no man has gone before and discover the real science behind the cyborgs, starships, aliens, and antimatter of the Star Trek galaxy.Star Trek is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. It has changed our cultural landscape in so many ways since it first aired in 1966. The franchise has generated billions of dollars in revenue, leading to a wide range of spin-off games, novels, toys, and comics. Star Trek is noted for its social science, too, with its progressive civil rights stances and its celebration of future diversity that began with The Original Series, one of television's first multiracial casts. The Science of Star Trek explores one of the greatest science-fiction universes ever created and showcases the visionary tech that inspired and influenced the real-world science of today. The perfect Star Trek gift for fans of the franchise, this book addresses many unanswered, burning questions, including: What can Star Trek tell us about aliens in our Milky Way? How has Star Trek influenced space culture? What can Star Trek tell us about planet hunting? What Star Trek machines came true? When will we boldly go? Learn more about one of our favorite modern epics with The Science of Star Trek!

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of the heretical thinkers who challenged the establishment to rethink quantum physics and the nature of realityTrade ReviewA thorough, illuminating exploration of the most consequential controversy raging in modern science . . . Becker leads us through an impressive account of the rise of competing interpretations, grounding them in the human stories, which are naturally messy and full of contingencies. He makes a convincing case that it's wrong to imagine the Copenhagen interpretation as a single official or even coherent statement * New York Times *[A] fresh debut . . . Vivid biographical portraits enliven even dense theoretical explanations with wit and bite . . . With his crisp voice, Becker lucidly relates the complicated history of quantum foundations * Publishers Weekly, starred review *A useful introduction to the history of quantum theory for scientifically inclined readers * Kirkus *...an impressive account of the rise of competing interpretations, grounding them in the human stories, which are naturally messy and full of contingencies. He makes a convincing case that it's wrong to imagine the Copenhagen interpretation as a single official or even coherent statement. * The New York Times *Becker handles the physics with aplomb... The cast is colourful and expansive, and provides engaging drama... The subtext running through this hugely enjoyable book is that, if we still have a long way to go before we understand reality... The story so far is of dazzling insights, flawed male scientists - and very few female ones. It's a key acknowledgement that should help to ensure that writing the next chapters of the quantum tale is open to all. -- Michael Brooks * The New Scientist *Adam Becker has written an excellent, accessible account of an intricate story. * The Wall Street Journal *What Is Real? is an argument for keeping an open mind. Becker reminds us that we need humility as we investigate the myriad interpretations and narratives that explain the same data. * Nature *Becker has done a great service in putting this fascinating story together into a single easily-digestible volume that is gripping, authoritative, and true. * Quantum Times *[A] tremendously appealing new book ...Becker is a perfect choice to make sense of it all (or at least whatever sense is possible). He smoothly, easily dramatizes the great debates and the outsized personalities of quantum physics and fits it all into an enthusiastic, readable narrative, and along the way he digresses wonderfully on a wide variety of scientific phenomena. * Open Letters Review *Adam Becker sets out to explore why the physics community is still arguing today about quantum mechanics's true meaning...A riveting storyteller, Becker brings to life physicists who have too long remained in the shadow of Bohr and Einstein...an engaging and accessible overview of the debates. * Science Magazine *Spellbinding....This very book could prove to be a watershed moment for the physics community if it faces up to its own past and its present....If you have any interest in the implications of quantum theory, or in the suppression of scientific curiosity, What is Real? is required reading. There is no more reliable, careful, and readable account of the whole history of quantum theory in all its scandalous detail. * Boston Review *

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. A framework for mind and brain 2. The Brain 3. Observing the Brain 4. The Art of Seeing 5. Sound, Speech, and Music Perception 6. Language and Thought 7. Learning and Remembering 8. Attention and Consciousness 9. Decisions, Goals, and Actions 10. Humans are Social Beings 11. Feelings 12. Sleep and levels of consciousness 13. Disorders of Consciousness 14. Growing Up

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Book SynopsisConsciousness, ''the last great mystery for science'', remains a hot topic. How can a physical brain create our experience of the world? What creates our identity? Do we really have free will? Could consciousness itself be an illusion? Exciting new developments in brain science are continuing the debates on these issues, and the field has now expanded to include biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers. This controversial book clarifies the potentially confusing arguments, and the major theories, whilst also outlining the amazing pace of discoveries in neuroscience. Covering areas such as the construction of self in the brain, mechanisms of attention, the neural correlates of consciousness, and the physiology of altered states of consciousness, Susan Blackmore highlights our latest findings.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewFascinating. * Jonathan Cowie, Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisReiji wants two things in life: a black belt in karate and Misa, the girl of his dreams. Luckily, Misa's big brother is the captain of the university karate club and is ready to strike a deal: Reiji can join the club if he tutors Misa in linear algebra. Follow along in The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra as Reiji takes Misa from the absolute basics of this tricky subject through mind-bending operations like performing linear transformations, calculating determinants, and finding eigenvectors and eigenvalues. With memorable examples like miniature golf games and karate tournaments, Reiji transforms abstract concepts into something concrete, understandable, and even fun. As you follow Misa through her linear algebra crash course, you'll learn about: Basic vector and matrix operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication Linear dependence, independence, and bases Using Gaussian elimination to calculate inverse matrices Subspaces, dimension, and linear span Practical appliTrade Review"I'm glad to have found this . . . it puts in two of my favorite things, which is math and manga."—Math Thrive Tutoring, YouTube"[The Manga style] makes the material easy to leaf through and learn in a quick, enjoyable fashion."—Dr. Dobb's"The images are incredibly helpful in visualizing the examples and concepts."—Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading"The Manga Guides are highly recommended to parents who wish to offer an alternative to the often staid presentations of this material."—Greg Barbrick, Blog Critics"I believe this book is something quite a few students will find useful in their study arsenal and a perfect complement to study notes and other available resources."—Sam Worboys, The Otaku's Study"Whether you're a student needing some help or a parent trying to help their child, the Manga Guide books are a great asset. Not everyone learns the same way, and these books are a wonderful, alternative learning tool."—Sheena McNeil, Sequential Tart"I think you could hand this to any good student in algebra or beyond and they would be able to figure a lot of this stuff out on their own."—Tom DeRosa, Teach Forever"This is an impressive series that consistently makes very difficult academic topics more interesting and a little easier for students."—Matthew Helmke"I just wish they'd had this book when I was in school!"—Cute Everything"I would wholeheartedly recommend [The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra] to students just learning the subject as well as to anyone needing to brush up."—Gail Carmichael, The Female Perspective of Computer Science BlogTable of ContentsPrologue: Let the Training Begin! Chapter 1: What Is Linear Algebra? Chapter 2: The Fundamentals Chapter 3: Intro to Matrices Chapter 4: More Matrices Chapter 5: Intro to Vectors Chapter 6: More Vectors Chapter 7: Linear Transformations Chapter 8: Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors Epilogue Index

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Book SynopsisDiscover the incredible possibilities of the female brain in midlife, redefine the menopause and access your most vital, confident and wise phase yet.‘This is an important book. I want all women to read it. I wish I had read it years ago!’ Jane FondaMidlife doesn't have to mean crisis, chaos or confusion. In fact, research shows that women become happier with every decade of their lives. Discover the incredible possibilities of the female brain during the second half of life, redefine the perimenopause and menopause, and access your most vital, confident phase yet. Bestselling author and clinical professor of psychiatry Dr Louann Brizendine dives deep into how the female brain changes for the better during midlife and debunks myths and misinformation to create a revolutionary new framework for this life stage. Packed full of real-life examples, accessible scientific studies and practical advice, The Upgrade shows you how to unlock power, clarity and a profound sense of purpose. You'll discover how to:· find freedom and self-confidence with your neurobiology, explained in an approachable way· see hormones as a positive influence on your cognition, memory and mood· protect yourself from dementia and increase longevity and wellbeing· change the conversation in culture about midlife and, more importantly, change the conversation in your own head to reclaim this time in your lifeIt’s time to embrace and step purposefully into a more authentic powerful version of YOU, full of wisdom, stability and courage.

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Book SynopsisThe incredible story of one man''s obsession to find and protect the world''s largest flowers As a child, Chris Thorogood dreamed of seeing Rafflesia - the plant with the world''s largest flowers. He crafted life-size replicas in an abandoned cemetery, carefully bringing them to life with paper and paint. Today he is a botanist at the University of Oxford''s Botanic Garden and has dedicated his life to studying the biology of such extraordinary plants, working alongside botanists and foresters in Southeast Asia to document these huge, mysterious blooms.Pathless Forest is the story of his journey to study and protect this remarkable plant - a biological enigma, still little understood, which invades vines as a leafless parasite and steals its food from them. We join him on a mind-bending adventure, as he faces a seemingly impenetrable barrier of weird, wonderful and sometimes fearsome flora; finds himself smacking off leeches, hanging off vines,

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Book SynopsisThe 12th edition of Zoology continues to offer students an introductory general zoology text that is manageable in size and adaptable to a variety of course formats. It is a principles-oriented text written for the non-majors or the combined course, presented at the freshman and sophomore level.Table of Contents1 Zoology: An Evolutionary and Ecological Perspective2 The Structure and Function of Animal Cells3 Cell Division and Inheritance4 Evolution: History and Evidence5 Evolution and Gene Frequencies6 Ecology: Preserving the Animal Kingdom7 Animal Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and Organization8 Animal Origins and Phylogenetic Highlights9 The Basal Animal Phyla10 The Smaller Lophotrochozoan Phyla11 Molluscan Success12 Annelida: The Metameric Body Form13 The Smaller Ecdysozoan Phyla14 The Arthropods: Blueprint for Success15 The Pancrustacea: Crustacea and Hexapoda16 Ambulacraria: Echinoderms and Hemichordates17 Chordata: Urochordata and Cephalochordata18 The Fishes: Vertebrate Success in Water19 Amphibians: The First Terrestrial Vertebrates20 Nonavian Reptiles: Diapsid Amniotes21 Birds: The Avian Reptiles22 Mammals: Synapsid Amniotes23 Protection, Support, and Movement24 Communication I: Nervous and Sensory Systems25 Communication II: The Endocrine System and Chemical Messengers26 Circulation and Gas Exchange27 Nutrition and Digestion28 Temperature and Body Fluid Regulation29 Reproduction and Development

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Book SynopsisComprehensive yet portable, this concise field-guide edition of Australian Bird Guide is an essential companion for every birdwatcher visiting AustraliaThis new, fully updated concise edition of the award-winning Australian Bird Guide brings the authority and clarity of ABG into a portable format ideal for field use. Its compact format features more than 700 bird species that are residents of or regular visitors to the Australian mainland and Tasmania, and surrounding seas. Easy to use and beautifully illustrated, the book's content has been carefully designed to provide the reader with key information to enable rapid identification of any bird. Australian Bird Guide: Concise Edition includes up-to-date species descriptions, distribution maps, illustrations and comparison pages for major groups. Portable and pocket-friendly yet comprehensive and authoritative, it's an essential companion for any birdwatcher visiting Australia.Trade ReviewFor residents of Australia, the completeness of the full-sized edition makes it an essential reference to have; but for those of us who are visiting and perhaps don’t require such in-depth coverage of vagrants and subspecific variation in the country, this new concise edition makes for the perfect birding companion. The quality remains top class, and the guide’s reasonable price and remarkably small size only add to its appeal. * British Birds *Anyone interested in the birds of Australia should get the full guide, but if you are just visiting, leave that at home and buy this excellent complementary concise guide to take with you! I really can’t recommend it highly enough. * Scottish Birds *

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Book SynopsisBLACKWELLS' BOTM A 2022 BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR: NEW SCIENTIST * WATERSTONES * SUNDAY TIMES 'A splendid idea, vividly carried out: I enjoyed this book enormously’ PHILIP PULLMAN 'A rich history of beautiful discoveries' ROBIN INCE 'An all-action thriller, laced with some of the most profound ideas humans have ever had’ BRIAN ENO How did a piece of gold foil completely change our understanding of atoms? What part did a hot air balloon play in the discovery of cosmic rays? How do we know all that we know about the world today? It’s not simply because we have the maths – it’s because we have done the experiments. Accelerator physicist Suzie Sheehy introduces us to the creative and curious people who, through a combination of genius, tenacity and luck, staged the groundbreaking experiments of the twentieth century. From the serendipitous discovery of X-rays in a German laboratory, to the scientists trying to prove Einstein wrong (and inadvertently proving him right), The Matter of Everything takes us on a journey through the history of experiments that transformed our world.Trade ReviewVividly described . . . A sweeping but detailed and pacy account of 100 years of scientific advancement, The Matter of Everything has a cheering takeaway. What such leaps lie ahead? What questions seem intractable now that we won’t give a thought to in the future? Sheehy mounts the case that – with persistence, curiosity and collaboration – we may yet overcome challenges that now seem impossible * New Scientist *The Matter of Everything . . . brings out the stars of experimental physics, the people who directly observe, hypothesise and build machines firing beams of matter and energy to test theory against reality . . . Give[s] a real sense of the thrill of scientific discovery * The Times *The perfect bedside book for anyone who wants to ponder the remarkable achievements of physics. A rich history of beautiful discoveries -- Robin InceIt’s a rare writer that can pluck the biggest ideas in science out of the sky, and bring them down to earth in a way that anyone can understand. In her first fantastic book, Suzie takes on the seemingly unreachable inner life of atoms, and places it directly into our hands. More than just a history of particle physics, this is an interconnected web of experiments, people and stories that are simultaneously passionate and profound -- Helen ArneyThis is a book about the fundamental problems of physics written from a viewpoint I hadn’t come across before: that of the experimenter. Someone first thought of the cloud chamber, or the cyclotron, or the MRI scanner, and that person (or that team) had to build one: you couldn’t buy one off the shelf. The actual sequence of experiments, and failures, and more experiments, and success, is a fascinating one, especially for any readers excited, as I am, by the thought of making things. A splendid idea, vividly carried out: I enjoyed this book enormously -- Philip PullmanThis fascinating and highly readable book captures the radical excitement of experimental science as it's being made. It’s an all-action thriller, laced with some of the most profound ideas humans have ever had -- Brian EnoA wonderful telling of the history of particle physics . . . Suzie has written a book that makes these important stories and ideas from the history of science accessible, and genuinely enjoyable to read -- Alom ShahaA magical tour of the great experiments defining the most incredible century in physics . . . Sheehy seamlessly weaves the science and history with why this matters to all of us: as she expertly illustrates, our quest to understand the tiniest of particles has had an enormous impact on technology, health and society, reaching far beyond the lab -- Andrew Steele, author of AGELESSAn impassioned, elegant history of particle physics and its applications. Dr Sheehy adroitly brings together a glittering cast of characters – from the famous giants of the field to the unjustly overlooked scientists whose shoulders they stood on – to tell the story of the most fundamental of all sciences -- Ananyo Bhattacharya, author of THE MAN FROM THE FUTUREA fabulous read, tracing the history of twelve experiments in particle physics from idea to impact, critically through the eyes of the scientists. The stories in and of themselves are fascinating, and together illustrate a larger story about science: the power of international collaboration and competition, the generations its takes for science to translate from the lab to social benefit, the interdependency between basic and applied and the unwritten contribution of many women scientists -- Jonathan Grant, Director of Different Angles and author of THE NEW POWER UNIVERSITYThis is storytelling at its very best and why I fell in love with physics. Sheehy's attention to detail shines through every story and yet there's a lightness of touch in the way she highlights the passion, drive, ingenuity and, ultimately, the sheer triumph of science in unlocking nature's secrets -- Jim Al-KhaliliA thrilling ride through ingenious experiments that changed the world: this book matters! -- Dr Karl

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Book Synopsis''Superb'' Sunday Times''Revolutionary'' Alice Roberts''Hugely important'' Jim Al-Khalili_______________A radical retelling of the history of science that foregrounds the scientists erased from history In this major retelling of the history of science from 1450 to the present day, James Poskett explodes the myth that science began in Europe.The blinkered Western gaze focusing on individual ''genius'' - Copernicus, Newton, Darwin, Einstein - was only one part of the story. The reality was an utterly global, non-linear pattern of cross-fertilization, competition, cooperation and outright conflict. Each rupture in history carved fresh channels for global exchange.Here, for the first time, Poskett celebrates how scientists from Africa, America, Asia and the Pacific were integral to this very human story. We meet Graman Kwasi, the African botanist who discovered a new cure for malaria; Hantaro Nagaoka, the Japanese scientist who first described the structure of the atom; and Zhao Zhongyao, the Chinese physicist who discovered antimatter._______________''Remarkable. Challenges almost everything we know about science in the West'' Jerry Brotton, author of A History of the World in 12 Maps''Perspective-shattering'' Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller, ''Editor''s Choice''''Horizons upends traditional accounts of the history of science'' Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred''Poskett deftly blends the achievements of little-known figures into the wider history of science . . . brims with clarity'' Chris Allnutt, Financial TimesTrade ReviewSuperb . . . Poskett rightly highlights the shamefully overlooked contributions of Indian, Chinese and Japanese scientists -- Stephen Bleach * Sunday Times *A fundamental retelling of the story of science . . . Poskett deftly blends the achievements of little-known figures into the wider history of science . . . brims with clarity -- Chris Allnutt * Financial Times *An honest conversation about the history of science is therefore not just of moral importance - it is part of what makes discovery possible -- Will Dunn * New Statesman *I've been really impressed by Horizons: A Global History of Science by James Poskett. The book is exactly what it says on the cover: it's a way of looking at the world of science and the development of technology from a genuinely global perspective. The narrative starts with the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan [on the site of modern-day Mexico City] and the engineering marvels that were present there, built long before the Spanish turned up during their conquest in the early modern era. Poskett also discusses Arab science, Chinese science and the story of science in the west, which is better known. So it's a truly global and really well-written and engaging account -- Rana Mitter * BBC History Magazine, Books of the Year 2022 *A lively story of global collaboration in the study of nature from 1500 to the present day . . . rich and lucid -- Dmitri Levitin * Literary Review *European scientists for centuries served the political goals of empire building, which was based on slave trading, military power, oppression and violence . . . Poskett hopes for a future where the historic truth about how scientific progress has been made is universally accepted, where all cultures are valued, and where global scientific collaboration unleashes the creativity to solve problems such as climate change -- Sean Duke * Irish Times *Horizons shows that the story of science has always been a planetary one: a non-linear process of cross-fertilisation, competition, cooperation and conflict . . . What makes the book so engrossing is that Poskett's grasp of historical contexts is as firm as his scientific knowledge -- Matthew d'Ancona * Tortoise *Generation after generation, people in western countries have been educated to believe that the history of modern science began primarily in the 17th century in western Europe. In a book of breathtaking range and high quality, Poskett dismantles that narrow version of events and produces a genuinely global history -- Best Summer Books of 2022: History' * Financial Times *This treasure trove of a book puts the case persuasively and compellingly that modern science did not develop solely in Europe. Hugely important -- Jim Al-Khalili, author of ParadoxBrilliant . . . In this revolutionary and revelatory book, James Poskett not only gives us a truly worldwide history of science, but explains how international connections have stimulated scientific advances through time -- Alice Roberts, author of AncestorsScience's internationalism is well recognized. But scientists tend to regard it as a recent phenomenon that arose from the 'big science' of the twentieth century, rather than one with a history of more than 500 years going back to the Islamic science that inspired astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, and beyond, observes historian James Poskett. His revisionary "global history" boldly rebuts this -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *Poskett's book is invaluable, an important and timely reminder that the world we live in has never been small or unknown, but that sharing knowledge, as well as credit, and working together, is the key to a better future -- Matt Lewis * History Hit *From palatial Aztec botanic gardens to Qing Dynasty evolutionary theories, Horizons upends traditional accounts of the history of science, showing how curiosity and intellectual exploration was, and is, a global phenomenon -- Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of KindredRemarkable. Challenges almost everything we know about science in the West -- Jerry Brotton, author of A History of the World in 12 MapsThis perspective-shattering book challenges our Eurocentric narrative by spotlighting the work of historically neglected scientists -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller, 'Editor's Choice' *A useful corrective that brings us closer to a more accurate history of Western science - one which recognises Europe, not as exceptional, but as learning from the world -- Angela Saini, author of SuperiorThe righting of the historical record makes Horizons a deeply satisfying read. We learn about a fascinating group of people engaged in scientific inquiry all over the world. Even more satisfyingly, Horizons demonstrates that the most famous scientists - Copernicus, Darwin and Einstein among them - couldn't have made their discoveries without the help of their global contacts -- Valerie Hansen, author of The Year 1000A provocative examination of major contributions to science made outside Europe and the USA, from ancient to modern times, explained in relation to global historical events. I particularly enjoyed the stories of individuals whose work tends to be omitted from standard histories of science -- Ian Stewart, author of Significant FiguresA wonderful, timely reminder that scientific advancement is, and has always been, a global endeavour -- Patrick Roberts, author of JungleThis is the kind of history we need: it opens our eyes to the ways in which what we know today has been uncovered thanks to a worldwide team effort -- Michael Scott, author of Ancient WorldsAn important milestone * British Journal for the History of Science, on Materials of the Mind *The freshest history of the strangest science -- Alison Bashford, author of Global Population, on Materials of the MindAmbitious, riveting, Poskett tracks the global in so many senses . . . vital reading on some of the most urgent concerns facing the world history of science -- Sujit Sivasundaram, University of Cambridge, on Materials of the MindTerrific . . . [Makes] a substantial contribution to understanding the universalizing properties of science and technology in history -- Janet Browne, Harvard University, on Materials of the MindHorizons forces me to think outside my Eurocentric box and puts science at the centre of world history -- David Reynolds * New Statesman, Books of the Year 2022 *

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as A History of the Universe in 21 Stars.'A delight and triumph ... A thing of beauty ... Truly, truly magical' talkRADIOLook up on a clear evening, and you'll see thousands of stars shining in the night sky, each telling a story of their own. With star maps to help easily identify key celestial bodies, astronomer Giles Sparrow takes 21 stars (and three imposters) to look at what each pinprick of light can tell us about the birth, life and death of our universe.From red giants to supernovae and from stellar cities to our own Sun, The History of Our Universe in 21 Stars shows how the lights we see in the sky can help us unravel the mysteries of the cosmos.Trade Review'A delight and a triumph ... A thing of beauty ... Truly, truly magical' -- Mark Dolan * talkRADIO *Table of ContentsPolaris • Mizar • 61 Cygni • Aldebaran • Alcyone/The Pleiades • The Trapezium • T Tauri • The Sun • Proxima Centauri • Tau Ceti • Algol • Mira • Sirius A and B • RS Ophiuchi • Betelgeuse • Eta Carinae • The Crab Pulsar • Cygnus X-1 • Omega Centauri • Delta Cephei • Andromeda Nebula • S2 • 3C 48 • Supernova 1944D.

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'A book that will make the night sky your lifelong passion. An invitation to immerse yourself in the nature around you and the universe beyond.' - Professor Brian CoxThe Secret World of Stargazing is the ultimate astronomy book to set you on your epic journey around the cosmos - it's a simple guide to the skies and makes stargazing fun, easy and enjoyable for all - absolutely no equipment is required! Adrian West, AKA the internet sensation VirtualAstro, will take you through the seasons, showing you exactly what you can spot in the sky throughout the year, whether you're in your back garden or sitting on an exotic beach somewhere! While you're learning how to spot constellations, meteors and comets, you will be switching off your busy mind, sitting still in nature and paying attention to the small details that make up the big picture of life. You'll finish reading this beautiful book and come away with a sense of grounding, connection, knowledge and a whole new appreciation of the sky above and the world outside your own - it will soothe your soul.'An excellent, readable, bright guide to the night sky.' - Dara O'Briain'A superb introduction to astronomy.' - Chris Packham

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This pocket guide is perfect for those on a budget, for those wanting something they will have to hand when out and about, as well as to just marvel at the shear diversity of sharks and to learn more about how to identify them. I know it will be in my bag on every trip!"---Caroline Robertson-Brown, Scubaverse"Stunning and a much-needed resource on these much maligned and beautiful creatures."---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association

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Book SynopsisA lively account of how Darwin's work on natural selection transformed science and society, and an investigation into the mysterious illness that plagued its author

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Book SynopsisOtters by Nicola Chester is an accessible and lively account of an intriguing and much-loved animal that, surprisingly, is still endangered and rarely seen despite a recent resurgence that has seen it expand from the remote countryside into our cities.Nicola's charming, informed text brings this elusive and exciting mammal into sharper focus revealing what an otter is, and how they live, feed, play and breed. Nicola reflects on how otters exist in our imaginations culturally and how that has changed over the years. She also examines the many challenges otters have faced, exposing what brought them to the brink of extinction, and explores the challenges we face in trying to find and watch otters in the wild.Each Spotlight title is carefully designed to introduce readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite birds and mammals.Trade ReviewA slim, stylish volume. * Scotland Outdoors *Table of Contents1) Meet the Otter 2) A Riverine Life 3) Family Play 4) Tarka 5) Mij and Mouse 6) Threats 7) Conservation 8) Spotting an Otter 9) Salty dogs 10) An Ottery Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisThe weird and wonderful life of John Whiteside Parsons - a pioneering rocket scientist who also delved into the occult'Forget geek stereotypes. Parsons' life seems straight out of a Hollywood thriller ' Los Angeles MagazineTrade ReviewPendle's superbly detailed and addictively readable book makes the reader fall in love with these young men's energy and enthusiasm, and the blazing trail that Parsons left behind him as he finally fell to earth * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Readable and engrossing -- Bryan Appleyard * LITERARY REVIEW *Elegantly written ... Pendle with his graceful, measured prose... skilfully steers us through the quagmire of Parson's personal life to place him on the pedestal that he deserves, so that we may admire his remarkable legacy to modern rocket science * OBSERVER *You couldn't make it up * PHYSICS WORLD *A case of truth being stranger than fiction in all its glory. The whole mix is fascinating. Parsons' struggle to achieve a working rocket would make a good story in its own right, but add in the science fiction, add in the strange religion and characters like Hubbard - and finally, throw into the mix Parsons' horrendous death in an apparently accidental explosion at home ... It's a cracker, that rarest of things a popular science book that's a page turner too * POPULARSCIENCE.CO.UK *Fascinating ... we are introduced to a surreal 1930s world where dreams of space flight were inspired by popular science fiction * FOCUS *Entertaining... intriguing * CHEMISTRY WORLD *As a history of space travel, STRANGE ANGEL is a cornerstone ... Highly recommended -- Ray BradburyForget geek stereotypes. Parsons' life seems straight out of a Hollywood thriller ... Pendle's book leaves us with a taste of genius's energy and fragility * LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE *Fascinating ... he deftly and seemingly effortlessly leads his readers through the technical aspects of Parsons' work. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy it * SEATTLE TIMES *A riveting tale of rocketry, the occult, and boom-and-bust 1920s and 1930s Los Angeles * BOOKLIST *An engaging treatment of a time when the modern world moved at the same speed as crazed mania * THE ONION *Offers glimpses not only of the history of a lab, a science and a group of extraordinary people but also of America's rapidly changing political and cultural assumptions ... Parsons' story is an intriguing one, full of contradictions that seem quintessentially of their time * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *Spellbinding ... STRANGE ANGEL has a strong narrative drive and reads like a novel - except that novels need to be plausible, whereas the life of Jack Parsons, poet, magician and rocket pioneer, had no such constraint * AMERICAN SCIENTIST *STRANGE ANGEL could be a hybrid sired by GRAVITY'S RAINBOW out of FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM. Explosively fascinating * GLOBE & MAIL *

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Book SynopsisAn Introduction to Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics returns with a second edition which includes new chapters, further explorations, and updated information into the study of statistical mechanics and thermal dynamics.The first part of the book derives the entropy of the classical ideal gas, using only classical statistical mechanics and an analysis of multiple systems first suggested by Boltzmann. The properties of the entropy are then expressed as postulates of thermodynamics in the second part of the book. From these postulates, the formal structure of thermodynamics is developed. The third part of the book introduces the canonical and grand canonical ensembles, which are shown to facilitate calculations for many model systems. An explanation of irreversible phenomena that is consistent with time-reversal invariance in a closed system is presented. The fourth part of the book is devoted to quantum statistical mechanics, including black-body radiation, the harmonic solid, Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics, and an introduction to band theory, including metals, insulators, and semiconductors. The final chapter gives a brief introduction to the theory of phase transitions. Throughout the book, there is a strong emphasis on computational methods to make abstract concepts more concrete.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition In his innovative new text, Carnegie Mellon University physics professor Robert Swendsen presents the foundations of statistical mechanics with, as he puts it, a detour through thermodynamics. That's a desirable strategy because the statistical approach is more fundamental than the classical thermodynamics approach and has many applications to current research problems. [] The mathematical notation is carefully introduced and useful; the selected mathematical techniques are clearly explained in a conversational style that both graduate and advanced undergraduate students will find easy to follow. The author's subject organization and conceptual viewpoint address some of the shortcomings of conventional developments of thermal physics and will be helpful to students and researchers seeking a deep appreciation of statistical physics. * Physics Today, August 2013 *Bob Swendsen's book is very well thought out, educationally sound, and more original than other texts. * Jan Tobochnik, Kalamazoo College, USA *Robert Swendsen is a well-respected researcher who has developed many novel algorithms that illustrate his deep understanding of statistical mechanics. His textbook reflects his deep understanding and will likely have a major impact on the way statistical mechanics and thermodynamics is taught. Particularly noteworthy is Swendsen's treatment of entropy, following Boltzmann's original definition in terms of probability, and his comprehensive discussion of the fundamental principles and applications of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. Students and instructors will enjoy reading the book as much as Swendsen obviously enjoyed writing it. * Harvey Gould, Clark University, USA *In this reader-friendly, excellent text, the author provides a unique combination of the best of two worlds: traditional thermodynamics (following Callen's footsteps) and modern statistical mechanics (including VPython codes for simulations). * Royce Zia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA *Swendsen is famous for developing Monte Carlo algorithms which dramatically speed up the simulation of many systems near a phase transition. The ideas for those algorithms required deep understanding of statistical mechanics, an understanding which is now fully applied to this excellent textbook. * Peter Young, University of California, USA *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction1: Part 1 Entropy 2: The Classical Ideal Gas 3: Discrete Probability Theory 4: The Classical Ideal Gas: Configurational Entropy 5: Continuous Random Numbers 6: The Classical Ideal Gas: Energy-Dependence of Entropy 7: Classical Gasses: Ideal and Otherwise 8: Temperature Pressure, Chemical Potential, and All That Part 2 Thermodynamics 9: The Postulates and Laws of Thermodynamics 10: Perturbations of Thermodynamic State Functions 11: Thermodynamics Processes 12: Thermodynamic Potentials 13: The Consequences of Extensivity 14: Thermodynamic Identities 15: Extremum Principles 16: Stability Conditions 17: Phase Transitions 18: The Nernst Postulate: the Third Law of Thermodynamics Part 3 Classical Statistical Mechanics 19: Ensembles in Classical Statistical Mechanics 20: Classical Ensembles: Grand and Otherwise 21: Refining the Definition of Entropy 22: Irreversibility Part 4 Quantum Statistical Mechanics 23: Quantum Ensembles 24: Quantum Canonical Ensemble 25: Black-Body Radiation 26: The Harmonic Solid 27: Ideal Quantum Gases 28: Bose-Einstein Statistics 29: Fermi-Dirac Statistics 30: Insulators and Semiconductors 31: Phase Transitions and the Ising Model Appendix Appendix: Computer Calculations and VPython Index Index Free

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Book SynopsisBased on meticulous research in original sources Goodman illustrates vividly how adept [Banks] was Shining a light on individuals whose achievements are relatively uncelebrated'Jenny Uglow, New York Review of BooksA bold new history of how botany and global plant collecting centred at Kew Gardens and driven by Joseph Banks transformed the earth.Botany was the darling and the powerhouse of the eighteenth century. As European ships ventured across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, discovery bloomed. Bounties of new plants were brought back, and their arrival meant much more than improved flowerbeds it offered a new scientific frontier that would transform Europe's industry, medicine, eating and drinking habits, and even fashion.Joseph Banks was the dynamo for this momentous change. As botanist for James Cook's great voyage to the South Pacific on the Endeavour, Banks collected plants on a vast scale, armed with the vision as a child of the Enlightenment that to travel physically was to advance intellectually. His thinking was as intrepid as Cook's seafaring: he commissioned radically influential and physically daring expeditions such as those of Francis Masson to the Cape Colony, George Staunton to China, George Caley to Australia, William Bligh to Tahiti and Jamaica, among many others.Jordan Goodman's epic history follows these high seas adventurers and their influence in Europe, as well as taking us back to the early years of Kew Gardens, which Banks developed devotedly across the course of his life, transforming it into one of the world's largest and most diverse botanical gardens.In a rip-roaring global expedition, based on original sources in many languages, Goodman gives a momentous history of how the discoveries made by Banks and his collectors advanced scientific understanding around the world.Trade Review PRAISE FOR PLANTING THE WORLD ‘Goodman turns his attention to the “adventurous history” of the botanists, naturalists, gardeners, and ship captains who carried out his vicarious plant-hunting across the world, shining a light on individuals whose achievements are relatively uncelebrated. The book is particularly strong on the minutiae of planning, negotiating, and financing these ventures, and on the disasters that so often beset them … For each expedition, Goodman builds up a picture based on meticulous research in original sources … Goodman illustrates vividly how adept [Banks] was, all through his career, at piggybacking on different government, diplomatic, and mercantile ventures … Planting the World tracks Banks’s projects in detail and illustrates dramatically how difficult it was to move plants around the world’Jenny Uglow, New York Review of Books ‘A brilliant and authoritative insight into the global reach of Joseph Banks, one of the great figures of the Enlightenment, through the lives of the intrepid botanists, gardeners, and nurserymen whose explorations and adventures made it all possible’Peter Crane 'The story of 18th century European botanists, their ships and voyages, united by the mind and extraordinary energy of Joseph Banks as he developed both the science and gardens of England. It is a marvellous history packed with naval explorations, plant collecting, and the role of individuals in making Britain a major centre for global botany'Janet Browne

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Book SynopsisInferior is more than just a book. It's a battle cry and right now, it's having a galvanising effect on its core fanbase' ObserverAre women more nurturing than men?Are men more promiscuous than women?Are males the naturally dominant sex?And can science give us an impartial answer to these questions?Taking us on an eye-opening journey through science, Inferior challenges our preconceptions about men and women, investigating the ferocious gender wars that burn in biology, psychology and anthropology. Angela Saini revisits the landmark experiments that have informed our understanding, lays bare the problem of bias in research, and speaks to the scientists finally exploring the truth about the female sex.The result is an enlightening and deeply empowering account of women's minds, bodies and evolutionary history. Interrogating what these revelations mean for us as individuals and as a society, Inferior unveils a fresh view of science in which women are included, rather than excluded.Trade Review‘Angela Saini has written a powerful, compelling and much needed account that challenges deeply rooted preconceptions about sex differences’ Adam Rutherford, author of Creation 'An immensely readable and compelling book, providing up to date and evidence-based ammunition for readers who want to rebuff tired myths stereotyping men and women's brains and bodies' Professor Athene Donald 'This is an important book, beautifully written, and with compelling narratives and hard evidence researched through the lenses of anthropology, evolutionary history, psychology, and neuroscience' Aarathi Prasad, author of Like a Virgin ‘An enlightening account that shatters gender stereotypes… Armed with a heavy arsenal of data, Saini provides a gripping and much-needed account of how even the most impartial fields of scientific study have for centuries fallen prey to the biases of the patriarchal foundations they have been built upon…Saini’s work also presents the rest of the scientific community with an important challenge: to acknowledge and correct a deep-rooted bias – and to help rewrite the role of women in the story of human evolution’ Independent ‘Illuminating’ Economist ‘Saini is a meticulous researcher whose attention to detail is evident in her interviews with scientists behind some of the biggest results in neuroscience and psychology … It is my hope that this important book encourages scientists and educationists of the need for more evidence-based approaches to ensure equality and diversity in science’ Physics World

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