Search results for ""Planet!""

Get ready to meet some fascinating animals and find out all about their incredible homes in this beautiful and informative non-fiction picture book written by wildlife expert and BBC presenter Chris Packham. Just like us, animals need a place to call home. From a beaver’s dam and a honey bee’s hive to a red ovenbird’s nest and a snail’s shell, explore the amazing homes of some incredible creatures from all over the world. Uncover extra information about these fascinating animals in the Find Out More section at the back of the book. An excellent source of expert wildlife information for all young nature lovers, this animal book is the perfect introduction to the natural world for children. Collect more fascinating books in the series: Amazing Animal Journeys and Amazing Animal Babies Chris Packham presented the BBC children's series The Really Wild Show before setting up his own TV company and making wildlife shows for ITV, National Geographic, Animal Planet and the BBC. He also presents BBC's Springwatch and Autumnwatch. Award-winning illustrator Jason Cockcroft is best known for his internationally acclaimed picture book illustrations and his cover artwork for the final three Harry Potter books. He has a Blue Peter Award and has also been nominated for the Kate Greenaway award.

Read more less

Applying Earth science knowledge to sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, and climate action Data and insights from Earth observations are critical for assessing the health of our planet, monitoring change, and addressing societal challenges from the local to the global scale. Earth Observation Applications and Global Policy Frameworks presents case studies of Earth science information integrated with statistics and socioeconomic data for managing development targets, improving disaster resilience, and mitigating and adapting to climate change. It also showcases open collaboration among researchers, United Nations and government officials, entrepreneurs, and the public. Volume highlights include: Case studies of projects working with local and national governments, and through public-private partnerships, to make the most of the large volume of complex and diverse Earth science information sources Applications from diverse disciplines including wetland preservation, food security, water quality, marine conservation, disasters, urbanization, drought and land degradation, and greenhouse gas monitoring Examples of internationally coordinated initiatives that are driving progress on three landmark United Nations agreements Resources for decision-makers and practitioners in local and national governments The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.Find out more in this Q&A with the lead editor.

Read more less

Through the lens of culture, The Internet of Elsewhere looks at the role of the Internet as a catalyst in transforming communications, politics, and economics. Cyrus Farivar explores the Internet's history and effects in four distinct and, to some, surprising societies—Iran, Estonia, South Korea, and Senegal. He profiles Web pioneers in these countries and, at the same time, surveys the environments in which they each work. After all, contends Farivar, despite California's great success in creating the Internet and spawning companies like Apple and Google, in some areas the United States is still years behind other nations.Surprised? You won't be for long as Farivar proves there are reasons that: Skype was invented in Estonia—the same country that developed a digital ID system and e-voting; Iran was the first country in the world to arrest a blogger, in 2003; South Korea is the most wired country on the planet, with faster and less expensive broadband than anywhere in the United States; Senegal may be one of sub-Saharan Africa's best chances for greater Internet access. The Internet of Elsewhere brings forth a new complex and modern understanding of how the Internet spreads globally, with both good and bad effects.

Read more less

Global financial crisis, global environmental crisis -- what connects them? Stuart Sim claims they are both symptoms of the end of modernity, the cultural system that has prevailed in the West from the Enlightenment onwards. In this provocative book, Sim argues that the modern world's insatiable need for technologically driven economic progress is unsustainable, and potentially destructive of the planet and its socio-economic systems. The new landscape this creates - socially, politically, economically, intellectually - is explored through an interdisciplinary approach, providing a wide-ranging assessment of the collapse of modernity and the challenges it poses us. Sim calls for a radical alteration in our world view and for purposeful changes both to our economic and intellectual life: we need to jettison the free market, rein in conspicuous consumption, reinvigorate public service, and develop talents other than the entrepreneurial if we are to reconstruct our society satisfactorily. Key Features * Brings out the broader cultural dimensions of the global financial crisis * Reveals the contradictions at the heart of modernity and its cult of progress * Offers a thought-provoking interdisciplinary analysis of late modernity and its aftermath * Provides a detailed reassessment of the value of postmodern thought in the new cultural situation * Outlines the ideological adjustments we shall have to make in a post-progress world

Read more less

A captivating A–Z treasury for the tree hugger in all of usTreepedia is an entertaining and fact-filled illustrated compendium of tree lore. Featuring nearly 100 entries—on topics ranging from tree ecology and conservation to the role of trees in religion, literature, art, and movies—this enticing collection is a celebration of all things arboreal.In this charming book, Joan Maloof explains the difference between a cedar and a cypress, and reveals where to find the most remarkable trees on the planet. She tells the story behind the venerable Bodhi Tree, and describes peculiar species like baobabs and Fitzroya. Maloof profiles legendary conservationists such as Julia "Butterfly" Hill, John Muir, Wangari Maathai, and Ken Wu. She discusses reforestation, proforestation, emerald ash borers, the ents from The Lord of the Rings, culturally modified trees, the ill-fated and controversial Redwood Summer, and much more. The book's portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your love of the forest may lead you.With enchanting illustrations by Maren Westfall, Treepedia is a fun and informative book that is guaranteed to inspire anyone who has ever enjoyed a walk in the woods. Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design Uses 100 percent recycled, uncoated, wood-free paper

Read more less

For almost four billion years, microbes had the primordial oceans all to themselves. The stewards of Earth, these organisms transformed the chemistry of our planet to make it habitable for plants, animals, and us. Life's Engines takes readers deep into the microscopic world to explore how these marvelous creatures made life on Earth possible--and how human life today would cease to exist without them. Paul Falkowski looks "under the hood" of microbes to find the engines of life, the actual working parts that do the biochemical heavy lifting for every living organism on Earth. With insight and humor, he explains how these miniature engines are built--and how they have been appropriated by and assembled like Lego sets within every creature that walks, swims, or flies. Falkowski shows how evolution works to maintain this core machinery of life, and how we and other animals are veritable conglomerations of microbes. A vibrantly entertaining book about the microbes that support our very existence, Life's Engines will inspire wonder about these elegantly complex nanomachines that have driven life since its origin. It also issues a timely warning about the dangers of tinkering with that machinery to make it more "efficient" at meeting the ever-growing demands of humans in the coming century.

Read more less

Functional Biology of Plants provides students and researchers with a clearly written, well structured whole plant physiology text. Early in the text, it provides essential information on molecular and cellular processes so that the reader can understand how they are integrated into the development and function of the plant at whole-plant level. Thus, this beautifully illustrated book, presents a modern, applied integration of whole plant and molecular approaches to the study of plants. It is divided into four parts: Part 1: Genes and Cells, looks at the origins of plants, cell structure, biochemical processes and genes and development. Part 2: The Functioning Plant, describes the structure and function of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seed and fruit development. Part 3: Interactions and Adaptations, examines environmental and biotic stresses and how plants adapt and acclimatise to these conditions. Part 4: Future Directions, illustrates the great importance of plant research by looking at some well chosen, topical examples such as GM crops, biomass and bio-fuels, loss of plant biodiversity and the question of how to feed the planet. Throughout the book there are text boxes to illustrate particular aspects of how humans make use of plants, and a comprehensive glossary proves invaluable to those coming to the subject from other areas of life science.

Read more less

This second edition of Climate Change is an accessible and comprehensive guide to the science behind global warming. Exquisitely illustrated, the text is geared toward students at a variety of levels. Edmond A. Mathez and Jason E. Smerdon provide a broad, informative introduction to the science that underlies our understanding of the climate system and the effects of human activity on the warming of our planet.Mathez and Smerdon describe the roles that the atmosphere and ocean play in our climate, introduce the concept of radiation balance, and explain climate changes that occurred in the past. They also detail the human activities that influence the climate, such as greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions and deforestation, as well as the effects of natural phenomena. Climate Change concludes with a look toward the future, discussing climate model projections, exploring the economic and technological realities of energy production, and presenting a view of the global warming challenge through the lens of risk. Each chapter features profiles of scientists who advanced our understanding of the material discussed. This new edition expands on the first edition’s presentation of scientific concepts, making it ideal for classroom use for a wide swath of undergraduate and masters students with both science and nonscience backgrounds.

Read more less

Howard T. Odum possessed one of the most innovative minds of the twentieth century. He pioneered the fields of ecological engineering, ecological economics, and environmental accounting, working throughout his life to better understand the interrelationships of energy, environment, and society and their importance to the well-being of humanity and the planet. This volume is a major modernization of Odum's classic work on the significance of power and its role in society, bringing his approach and insight to a whole new generation of students and scholars. For this edition Odum refines his original theories and introduces two new measures: emergy and transformity. These concepts can be used to evaluate and compare systems and their transformation and use of resources by accounting for all the energies and materials that flow in and out and expressing them in equivalent ability to do work. Natural energies such as solar radiation and the cycling of water, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen are diagrammed in terms of energy and emergy flow. Through this method Odum reveals the similarities between human economic and social systems and the ecosystems of the natural world. In the process, we discover that our survival and prosperity are regulated as much by the laws of energetics as are systems of the physical and chemical world.

Read more less

Ecologists, although they acknowledge the problems involved, generally conduct their research on too few species, in too small an area, over too short a period of time. In The Balance of Nature?, a work sure to stir controversy, the distinguished theoretical ecologist Stuart L. Pimm argues that ecology therefore fails in many ways to address the enormous ecological problems now facing our planet. Ecologists describing phenomena on larger scales often use terms like "stability," "balance of nature," and "fragility," and Pimm begins by considering the various specific meanings of these terms. He addresses five kinds of ecological stability--stability in the strict sense, resilience, variability, persistence, and resistance--and shows how they provide ways of comparing natural populations and communities as well as theories about them. Each type of stability depends on characteristics of the species studied and also on the structure of the food web in which the species is embedded and the physical features of the environment. The Balance of Nature? provides theoretical ecology with a rich array of questions--questions that also underpin pressing problems in practical conservation biology. Pimm calls for nothing less than new approaches to ecology and a new alliance between theoretical and empirical studies.

Read more less

The Collins Cambridge Primary Global Perspectives series offers a skills-building approach to the Cambridge Primary Global Perspectives curriculum framework (0838) from 2022. We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title for the Cambridge Primary Global Perspectives curriculum framework (0838) from 2022.· Focused on developing the six Global Perspectives skill strands, the Student’s book provides full coverage of the Stage 1 Cambridge Primary Global Perspectives curriculum framework.· Each chapter enables students to develop their Global Perspectives skills through practical exploration of one of sixteen global topics. Stage 1 explores Families, friends, community and culture, Health and wellbeing, Water, food and farming, Looking after planet Earth, and Improving communication.· Students will investigate issues relating to the topics within their school, family, local surroundings and culture. Learners will build skills to support their work in the final task of each unit, which draws their learning together, allowing them to undertake a piece of research, analysis or an action in their school or learning community.· There are regular opportunities for reflection and self-assessment.· The rich and engaging Student’s Book content provides students with a variety of sources, with an international focus, to support their learning.· Prepare students for a seamless transition to Stage 2.

Read more less

Young people are inheriting a world of climate catastrophe. Young people are also one of the strongest forces leading movements for climate justice, and to halt the fossil fuel emissions that are making our Earth unlivable. As Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for the Future movement have made clear, solutions offered by adults are far too little, far too late: the measures in unenforceable international agreements won't halt our reliance on fossil fuels, or take the drastic steps humans need to take in order to keep our planet livable.What kinds of drastic steps are needed? What kind of bold actions can the climate justice begin using to bring a stop to climate destruction, and that can be employed alongside existing strategies of mass protest, awareness, and legal appeals? Why does our society consider profit for oil companies more important than the future of young people and the health of our shared environment? In this adaptation of Andreas Malm's best-selling book on the need for a bolder, more confrontational climate justice movement, How to Blow Up a Pipeline these urgent questions are brought to the most important audience of all: those who are growing up in a world on fire.

Read more less

This title looks at the fascinating world of crocodiles, alligators, caimans and gharials, shown in over 180 exciting images. You can find out about one of the most ancient and deadly reptiles on the planet. You can see how crocodiles work, their different shapes and sizes, their teeth and senses, and how they interact. It is packed with over 180 stunning pictures from renowned wildlife photographers and artists. Detailed cross-sections and diagrams reveal the complex inner workings of a crocodilian's body. It is ideal for home and school use for 8- to 12-year-olds. It is the winner of the Key Stage 2 non-fiction category of the English Association's 4-11 Awards for best children's illustrated book. In the murky swamps of the world's tropical regions dwells a group of primitive but fearsome predators - the crocodilians. This exciting and informative book investigates every aspect of their lifestyles, and the differences between alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gharials. It reveals the gentle, nurturing side of crocodilian nature, and how they enjoy social get-togethers, as well as their lethal hunting skills. This is the perfect book to inspire young readers for school projects, home study, or just to learn for fun.

Read more less

In Coffin Honey, his seventh book of poems, celebrated poet Todd Davis explores the many forms of violence we do to each other and to the other living beings with whom we share the planet. Here racism, climate collapse, and pandemic, as well as the very real threat of extinction—both personal and across ecosystems—are dramatized in intimate portraits of Rust-Belt Appalachia: a young boy who has been sexually assaulted struggles with dreams of revenge and the possible solace that nature might provide; a girl whose boyfriend has enlisted in the military faces pregnancy alone; and a bear named Ursus navigates the fecundity of the forest after his own mother’s death, literally crashing into the encroaching human world. Each poem in Coffin Honey seeks to illuminate beauty and suffering, the harrowing precipice we find ourselves walking nearer to in the twenty-first century. As with his past prize-winning volumes, Davis, whose work Orion Magazine likens to that of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver, names the world with love and care, demonstrating what one reviewer describes as his knowledge of “Latin names, common names, habitats, and habits . . . steeped in the exactness of the earth and the science that unfolds in wildness.”

Read more less

“A new series that promises to be just as engrossing [as Frontlines]…the action just as exciting, the science just as solid, the tension just as high. I gulped down the first book in a day, and I am already eager for the next one.” —George R. R. Martin Across the six-planet expanse of the Gaia system, the Earthlike Gretia struggles to stabilize in the wake of an interplanetary war. Amid an uneasy alliance to maintain economies, resources, and populations, Aden Robertson reemerges. After devoting twelve years of his life to the reviled losing side, with the blood of half a million casualties on his hands, Aden is looking for a way to move on. He’s not the only one. A naval officer has borne witness to inconceivable attacks on a salvaged fleet. A sergeant with the occupation forces is treading increasingly hostile ground. And a young woman, thrust into responsibility as vice president of her family’s raw materials empire, faces a threat she never anticipated. Now, on the cusp of an explosive and wide-reaching insurrection, Aden plunges once again into the brutal life he longed to forget. He’s been on the wrong side of war before. But this time, the new enemy has yet to reveal themselves…or their dangerous endgame.

Read more less

Humans are mammals. Most of us appreciate that at some level. But what does it mean for us to have more in common with a horse and an elephant than we do with a parrot, snake or frog? After a misdirected football left new father Liam Drew clutching a uniquely mammalian part of his anatomy, he decided to find out more. Considering himself as a mammal first and a human second, Liam delves into ancient biological history to understand what it means to be mammalian. In his humorous and engaging style, Liam explores the different characteristics that distinguish mammals from other types of animals. He charts the evolution of milk, warm blood and burgeoning brains, and examines the emergence of sophisticated teeth, exquisite ears, and elaborate reproductive biology, plus a host of other mammalian innovations. Entwined are tales of zoological peculiarities and reflections on how being a mammal has shaped the author’s life. I, Mammal is a history of mammals and their ancestors and of how science came to grasp mammalian evolution. And in celebrating our mammalian-ness, Liam Drew binds us a little more tightly to the five and a half thousand other species of mammal on this planet and reveals the deep roots of many traits humans hold dear.

Read more less

Beatrice dreams of becoming a tree. She grows roots and leaves, and she stretches her branches toward the sky. From Joyce Hesselberth, the award-winning creator of Mapping Sam and Pitter Pattern, Beatrice Was a Tree introduces young readers to everything there is to know about trees. This beautifully illustrated informational picture book is an exceptional choice for home as well as classroom sharing. Includes backmatter about the science of trees.When it’s time to go to bed, Beatrice imagines how much fun it would be to stay outside with the trees all night long. If she were a tree, she would have a trunk and branches and lots of leaves. Her roots would reach deep. She would catch the morning sun with her limbs and cradle a bird’s nest in her branches. And when the air turned crisp, Beatrice would wait patiently for spring.Beatrice Was a Tree is a great read-aloud that illuminates the importance of trees to our planet. This picture book includes information about tree anatomy, shows how trees change with each season, gives a simple explanation of photosynthesis, and includes a checklist of animals that appear throughout the story. A perfect pick for language arts and science classrooms, as well as story time.

Read more less

Why do stars twinkle? Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet? Who was the first animal in space? Is a day on Venus really longer than a year on Venus? What really is a shooting star? Curious to find out the answers to these questions? Join Astro the asteroid on an exciting journey and learn all about space. The I'm a Future Scientist! series is based on the Science Centre Singapore's longstanding and highly popular Young Scientist badge programme. This exciting series of full-colour books for 6-12 year olds will spark sustained interest in scientific fields, such as botany, zoology, marine biology, conservation and the environment, astronomy, and many more, with delivering primary-school-level Science learning points in an engaging and relatable way! Through clearly written educational articles, fun cartoons, suggested hands-on activities, as well as full-colour photographs and illustrations, these books are the perfect companions for budding scientists to delve further into a wide range of fields of Science. In addition, Augmented Reality (AR) elements will also help to bring Science alive for children, helping them to retain the information provided better, and inspiring better learning! And, as a bonus, earn points for the Young Scientist Badge programme from Science Centre Singapore, using the links inside!SERIES DISTINCTIVES:

Read more less

Why do so any children run and hide from multiplications and decimal numbers? Perhaps because they haven't yet found out just how much fun there is to be had in math ... In particular, with these two new books in the series Mad for Math, children will find out that math problems can be surprisingly fun when done with the entertaining monsters from the planet Zot, and that fractions are completely different when you learn them together with a band of pirates and Greg the parrot! Thanks to the brightly coloured and exciting places, young readers will have to help the characters to solve enigmas and problems with mathematical calculations. The journeys are structured in a gradual and intuitive way: the main aim of these innovative activity books is, in fact, to help children learn independently, encouraging them to use their brains to understand the mathematical rules while playing. This is why there are no definitions or abstract formulas in these books. Children can however check their answers against the solutions found at the back of the books. This series of didactic and educational books will teach children that not only can you play with math ... you can even have fun! Ages: 10 plus

Read more less

Blossom is an account of Scotland at the grassroots through the stories of people I’ve had the good fortune to know – the most stubborn, talented and resilient people on the planet. They’ve had to be. Some have transformed their parts of Scotland. Some have tried and failed. But all have something in common – they know what it takes for Scotland to blossom. We should too… /em>Weeding out vital components of Scottish identity from decades of political and social tangle is no mean task, but it’s one journalist Lesley Riddoch has undertaken.Dispensing with the tired, yo-yoing jousts over fiscal commissions, Devo Something and EU in-or-out, Blossom pinpoints both the buds of growth and the blight that’s holding Scotland back. Drawing from its people and history as well as the experience of the Nordic countries, and the author’s own passionate and outspoken perspective, this is a plain-speaking but incisive call to restore equality and control to local communities and let Scotland flourish.A brilliant, moving, well written, informative, important and valuable piece of work. ELAINE C SMITHNot so much an intervention in the independence debate as a heartfelt manifesto for a better democracy. ESTHER BREITENBACH, Scotsman

Read more less

Woven & Worn offers a fascinating insight into the workings of innovative global craftspeople who create environmentally-conscious clothing in a bid to protect the planet from the ruinous effects of a toxic industry. Within this book, talented artisan makers such as weavers, dressmakers, dyers, and jewellers give consumers the power to alter the tired fabric of the fashion industry and embrace the energetic campaign for a sustainable circular economy. Marking a potential revival of the make-do-and-mend era, Woven & Worn showcases the variety of materials and processes used to craft wearables with both longevity and soul. Demonstrating the diversity within sustainable garment making, this title highlights ground-breaking renewable materials created from by-products of the food industry, such as banana and fish skins, as well as ingenious techniques, and "zero waste" production methods, including utilising offcut materials and upcycling vintage fabrics. Discover tactile vegan leather rucksacks, painterly plant-dyed textiles, and intricate reclaimed plastic adornment alongside traditional repair techniques such as darning and sashiko. Delve into the unseen creative workspaces of skilled crafters; admire their unique tools and processes, and absorb their intriguing stories. Sustainability is tightly woven into their creative practices as they tackle the wasteful industry, one beautifully-crafted garment at a time.

Read more less

Ancient civilizations routinely relied on shackled human muscle. It took the energy of slaves to plant crops, clothe emperors, and build cities. In the early 19th century, the slave trade became one of the most profitable enterprises on the planet. Economists described the system as necessary for progress. Slaveholders viewed religious critics as hostilely as oil companies now regard environmentalists. Yet the abolition movement that triumphed in the 1850s had an invisible ally: coal and oil. As the world's most portable and versatile workers, fossil fuels replenished slavery's ranks with combustion engines and other labor-saving tools. Since then, oil has changed the course of human life on a global scale, transforming politics, economics, science, agriculture, gender, and even our concept of happiness. But as best-selling author Andrew Nikiforuk argues in this provocative book, we still behave like slaveholders in the way we use energy, and that urgently needs to change. Cheap oil transformed the United States from a resilient republic into a global petroleum evangelical, then a sickly addict. Modern economics owes its unrealistic models to fossil fuels. On the global stage, petroleum has fueled a demographic explosion, turning 1 billion people into 7 billion in just a hundred years.

Read more less

"Jewish Food Hero blogger Alfond charms in this cheerful guide to vegan Jewish cooking...This vegan twist on Jewish cuisine hits all of the right notes." –Publishers Weekly Jewish food’s “greatest hits” receive a makeover in the newest recipe collection from the author of the Jewish Food Hero Cookbook and Feeding Women of the Bible, Feeding Ourselves. Beyond Chopped Liver: 59 Jewish Recipes Get a Vegan Health Makeover shares new and better ways to enjoy quintessentially Jewish food with delicious, plant-based recipes– from challah to matzo ball soup! The Jewish recipes in this cookbook are inspired by recipes from Jewish pre-modern Diaspora communities: Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi, Beta Israel/Ethiopian and Indian Jewish communities, and from modern Israel and American Jewish food cultures. The updates in this collection speak to the Jewish community today, as we seek to honor inherited Jewish food traditions while living in ways that are healthier for our bodies and our planet. Communal meals are essential for family and community cohesion and health, and there should be no conflict between Jewish life and ethical eating. Offering healthier plant-based and vegan Jewish recipes is author Kenden Alfond’s way of problem-solving and providing resources for the community so that everyone can share delicious, healthy meals.

Read more less

In humanity's more than 100,000 year history, we have evolved from vulnerable creatures clawing sustenance from Earth to a sophisticated global society manipulating every inch of it. In short, we have become the dominant animal. Why, then, are we creating a world that threatens our own species? What can we do to change the current trajectory toward more climate change, increased famine, and epidemic disease? Renowned scientists Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich believe that intelligently addressing those questions depends on a clear understanding of how we evolved and how and why were changing the planet in ways that darken our descendants' future. "The Dominant Animal" arms readers with that knowledge, tracing the interplay between environmental change and genetic and cultural evolution since the dawn of humanity. In lucid and engaging prose, they describe how Homo sapiens adapted to their surroundings, eventually developing the vibrant cultures, vast scientific knowledge, and technological wizardry we know today. This classroom edition includes: updated and expanded set of suggested readings; glossary, key terms and concepts; selected, Annotated Bibliography that includes recent important works; and, Comprehensive Web site with ancillary materials such as: classroom relevant articles, study questions, discussion questions, instructor's guide, and author PowerPoint slides.

Read more less

Thousands of years ago the elves were enslaved by the Wytch Lords. Murdered in their thousands, worked to death in slave gangs and divided against themselves, the wounds inflicted by man run deep - and elves have very long memories. Two of them - Auum and Takaar - led the rise against their enslavers, and united their people against men in order to free their nation. Now Calaius is at peace ... but that doesn't mean their nation is safe.Men need their help.The Wytch Lords have rallied, men's magic has grown more powerful, and their politics have become altogether more dangerous. Especially now: one of the mages has created a spell, called Dawnthief, which has the potential to destroy all living things on the planet. All four magical colleges are fighting to seize it and, in the background, the Wytch Lords have schemes of their own. Schemes which involve crushing the elven nation for good. Whoever seizes the spell, it places the elves in tremendous danger. But can Auum and Takaar overcome their differences and work together to save Calaius? And even if they can, is it not already too late ... ?Find out more on his website, www.jamesbarclay.com, or you can follow @barculator on Twitter.

Read more less

A superb standalone novel from the awesome imagination of Iain M. Banks, a master of modern science fiction. Sharrow was once the leader of a personality-attuned combat team in one of the sporadic little commercial wars in the civilisation based around the planet Golter. Now she is hunted by the Huhsz, a religious cult which believes that she is the last obstacle before the faith's apotheosis, and her only hope of escape is to find the last of the apocalyptically powerful Lazy Guns before the Huhsz find her.Her journey through the exotic Golterian system is a destructive and savage odyssey into her past, and that of her family and of the system itself.Praise for Iain M. Banks:'Epic in scope, ambitious in its ideas and absorbing in its execution' Independent on Sunday'Banks has created one of the most enduring and endearing visions of the future' Guardian'Jam-packed with extraordinary invention' Scotsman'Compulsive reading' Sunday Telegraph The Culture series:Consider PhlebasThe Player of GamesUse of WeaponsThe State of the ArtExcessionInversionsLook to WindwardMatterSurface DetailThe Hydrogen SonataOther books by Iain M. Banks:Against a Dark BackgroundFeersum EndjinnThe Algebraist

Read more less

Discover dramatic landscapes and the most spectacular sights. From sea to shining sea, America is host to some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth. Whether you are a camper or a nature buff, you will find here such spectacular sights as the tallest trees of the Redwood, the desert of Death Valley, the gorge of Grand Canyon, the snowy mountains of Mount Rainier and the jagged peaks of the Grand Teton.With facts and trivia that reveal the majesty and diversity of these national treasures, along with inspiring nature quotes, The Little Book of US National Parks covers all 63 parks, highlighting the most-visited conservation areas. Among them are Acadia, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion. For nature-lovers, hikers and visitors, this journey through the nation's natural wonders, their landmarks and inhabitants, is both armchair tourism and inspiration to get out there and explore.SAMPLE QUOTE: 'National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.' Wallace Stegner, novelist and environmentalistSAMPLE FACT: At Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota, visitors can see and touch rocks that are half as old as the planet Earth. (Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2015)

Read more less

This book argues that road-building was naturalised in the twentieth century to the point of common sense, integrating roadbuilding into a system of climate change denial hidden within a broad international development imperative. But if we can 'read' South Asian roads as forms of governance and knowledge, we can challenge the region's established geopolitical narratives, and the idea of a never-ending future. Highways to the End of the World explores the political economy of these ideas by focusing on the history of this phenomenon, and on the road-builders of South Asia themselves. How do these flamboyant and controversial 'roadmen' think about their work and the future of the planet? What do roads do, and why? And how did they become central to the region's nationalist and developmental projects in the first place? Edward Simpson's fascinating ethnographic account takes us from fume-filled toll booths in the heart of India, via overworked government offices in Pakistan, to pharaonic bridges in the Indian Ocean. Simpson follows the money, explores the politics of evidence, and argues against the utopian hyperbole of present-day 'road talk', finding both humanitarian crises and freewheeling international capital in the hedgerows. Roads have never been so interesting, or so controversial.

Read more less

Connect with the dragons as they support you to clear negative energies, find inspiration for your visions and goals, and progress on your ascension path. Dragons are beautiful, wise, open-hearted etheric beings of the angelic realms who are sent here by Source to help and assist us. They operate on a different vibrational frequency to us, which is why most people can't see them, but they are very willing to connect with us if we are ready to tune in to their wavelength. Their guidance can help us to block lower energies, flow around challenging situations and inspire us in our life visions. The 44 cards in this beautiful and unique deck will offer you advice about your daily life, your soul mission and how you can serve the planet. Also included is a guidebook which shows you how to conduct readings with the deck, reveals the in-depth meaning of each of the cards and explains the unique roles and energies of earth, air, fire and water Dragons. As you work with these cards you will discover many ways in which the Dragons can support your life, assist your spiritual growth and illuminate your ascension path. Allow them to inspire and guide you!

Read more less

Horror devastates the DC Universe, and this volume details how DC’s brightest heroes—Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash—navigate the terror of the Nightmare Realm!In Knight Terrors, DC’s heroes are taken past the land of the living, beyond the land of the dead, and directly to a new villain called Insomnia...who uses his powers to engulf every single hero and villain in their own dark and twisted nightmares. In this companion collection, see how Insomnia’s Nightmare Wave affects Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash! Trapped in the Nightmare Realm, Superman goes searching for his family… and finds the Super-Reaper! Cyborg Superman is scarier than ever and targeting the Super-Twins! Free from a cosmic prison, Barry Allen is back home, but there’s no time to rest—as he’s immediately thrust into a new nightmare! Wonder Woman reunites with the Justice League Dark to save the world from its waking nightmare! And Hal Jordan is confronted by his greatest fear… in the form of a hostile planet!This volume collects Knight Terrors: Action Comics #1-2, Knight Terrors: Green Lantern #1-2, Knight Terrors: Superman #1-2, Knight Terrors: The Flash #1-2, and Knight Terrors: Wonder Woman #1-2.

Read more less

A Post-Apocalyptic Fable Told In Three Parts For Fans of Saga!In this decades spanning post-apocalyptic tale, Maceo and Mezzy have never met anyone like each other, and they’ll need all the help they can get to survive a planet ravaged by environmental catastrophe. “Love in the Wasteland” kicks off the first arc of this epic trilogy that spans a lifetime as the dark mysteries of a ruined world and their own stark differences tear at the threads holding Mezzy and Maceo together. As they endure the horrors of plastic tornadoes and frozen sludge, Maceo proves to be more than just a burden, and they make an unlikely connection. But to their peril… they might not be as alone as they thought… New York Times bestselling, Eisner and Harvey Award-winning writer Jason Aaron (Thor, The Avengers, Southern Bastards) launches his most ambitious original series to date with three distinct artistic partners – Eisner Award-winning artist Alexandre Tefenkgi (The Good Asian), acclaimed artists Leila del Duca (Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed, Sleepless), and Nick Dragotta (East of West, Ghost Cage) – to take on a vision of the end of the world that’s brutal and nostalgic, whimsical and grounded… and ultimately, timeless. Collects Once Upon A Time At The End Of The World #1-5.

Read more less

A fascinating look at the cutting-edge science and technologies that are on the cusp of changing everything from where we’ll live, how we’ll look, and who we’ll be, by the popular science broadcaster and bestselling author Jay Ingram. Where will we live? How will we get around? What will we look like? These are just some of the questions bestselling author and popular science broadcaster Jay Ingram answers in this exciting examination of the science and technologies that will affect every aspect of human life. In these pages, Ingram explores the future of our technological civilization. He reports on cutting-edge research in organ and limb regeneration, advances in prosthetics, the merging of the human and the synthetic, and gene editing. Vertical farming and lab-grown food might help feed millions and alleviate pressure on the planet. Cities could accommodate green space and the long-awaited flying car. Finally, he speculates on the future of artificial general intelligence, even artificial superintelligence, as well as our place on Earth and in the universe. The potential impact of these developments in science and technology will be powerful and wide-ranging, complicated by ethics and social equity. And they will inevitably revolutionize every aspect of life and even who we are. This is The Future of Us.

Read more less

From the award-winning master of sci-fi Adrian Tchaikovsky, Children of Memory is the unmissable follow-up space opera to the highly acclaimed Children of Time and Children of Ruin.They dreamed of a new home.They woke to a nightmare.On Imir, Captain Holt founded a new colony on an empty world. In the process, he created hope and a new future for humanity. But, generations later, his descendants are struggling to survive. As harvests worsen and equipment fails, strangers appear in a town where everyone knows their neighbour. Now the inexplicable lurks in the woods and the community fears that it's being observed – that they’re not alone.They’d be right, as explorers from the stars have arrived in secret to help this lost outpost. Confident of their superior technology, and overseen by the all-knowing construct of Doctor Avrana Kern, they begin to study their long-lost cousins from Earth.Yet the planet hides deeper mysteries. It seems the visitors aren’t the only watchers. And when the starfarers discover the scale of their mistake, it will be far too late to escape.Children of Memory by Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky is a far-reaching space opera spanning generations, species and galaxies.

Read more less

TheNew York Timesbestselling "manifesto for the future that is grounded in practical solutions addressing the world's most pressing concerns: overpopulation, food, water, energy, education, health care and freedom" (The Wall Street Journal). Since the dawn of humanity, a privileged few have lived in stark contrast to the hardscrabble majority. Conventional wisdom says this gap cannot be closed. But it is closing-fast. InAbundance, space entrepreneur turned innovation pioneer Peter H. Diamandis and award-winning science writer Steven Kotler document how progress in artificial intelligence, robotics, digital manufacturing synthetic biology, and other exponentially growing technologies will enable us to make greater gains in the next two decades than we have in the previous 200 years. We will soon have the ability to meet and exceed the basic needs of every person on the planet. Abundance for all is within our grasp. Breaking down human needs by category-water, food, energy, healthcare, education, freedom-Diamandis and Kotler introduce us to innovators and industry captains making tremendous strides in each area. "Not only isAbundancea riveting page-turner…but it's a book that gives us a future worth fighting for. And even more than that, it shows us our place in that fight" (The Christian Science Monitor).

Read more less

Animal Explorers is a wonderful picture book series that will inspire all budding travellers and explorers to follow their dreams. Lola the polar bear has a passion for plants. She's determined to find the rarest ones on the planet. So Lola makes a grand decision: she's going to trek to the Amazon jungle! It's hard work for a polar bear, but nothing holds Lola back. And there's a prize for her at the end of it, when she discovers the elusive Singing Orchid! Animal Explorers is a witty, entertaining picture-book series that will inspire children to follow their dreams. Sharon Rentta's glowing illustrations are packed withfabulous characters and funny details to point out and share Mini biographies at the end of the book tell the amazing stories of three real-life explorers Also in the Animal Explorers series: Stella the Astronaut, in which an adventurous squirrel dreams of being the first of her kind in space. Toby the Deep-Sea Diver, in which a young tiger longs to explore the deepest, darkest depths of the ocean. Praise for Sharon Rentta's books: "Rentta's illustrations are first class . . . destined to become a favourite." Carousel "full of colour and joy . . . great to read out loud" Books for Keeps

Read more less

Celebrated landscape architect Gilles Clément may be best known for his public parks in Paris, including the Parc André Citroën and the garden of the Musée du Quai Branly, but he describes himself as a gardener. To care for and cultivate a plot of land, a capable gardener must observe in order to act and work with, rather than against, the natural ecosystem of the garden. In this sense, he suggests, we should think of the entire planet as a garden, and ourselves as its keepers, responsible for the care of its complexity and diversity of life. "The Planetary Garden" is an environmental manifesto that outlines Clément's interpretation of the laws that govern the natural world and the principles that should guide our stewardship of the global garden of Earth. These are among the tenets of a humanist ecology, which posits that the natural world and humankind cannot be understood as separate from one another. This philosophy forms a thread that is woven through the accompanying essays of this volume: "Life, Constantly Inventive: Reflections of a Humanist Ecologist" and "The Wisdom of the Gardener." Brought together and translated into English for the first time, these three texts make a powerful statement about the nature of the world and humanity's place within it.

Read more less

Discover how energy is part of our daily lives with Everyday STEM Science – Energy. Energy is all around us! But where does it come from and how is it used? Explore the different types of energy, from the electromagnetic energy that keeps us connected, to the geothermal energy deep inside Earth. Discover how we can all be more energy efficient, the renewable energies that will transform our planet, and the scientists who brought energy to life, including Marie Curie, Christina Lampe-Önnerud and Sophie Blanchard. Readers can also carry out cool energy experiments at home.With easy-to-understand text written by STEM expert Dr Shini Somara and lots of colourful artworks, photos and diagrams, readers can best explore where we encounter energy and why it’s even important at all. The Everyday STEM series makes science relevant to tweens. Instead of telling kids STEM is important and is the key to their future success, these books show readers how we use science, technology, engineering and maths in our everyday lives. While the topics sound high-level and complex, this series makes these concepts age-appropriate and accessible. So, while we can’t promise to teach 9 to 11-year-olds quantum physics, we can explain in the simplest terms the practical applications of STEM.

Read more less

A compact edition of this landmark publication, which celebrates humanity’s ability to create buildings that for millennia have responded ingeniously to cultural and environmental conditions. There has never been a more important time to understand how to make the best use of local natural resources and create buildings that do not rely on stripping our planet or transporting materials across the globe. First published in 2017, this major book gathers together the world’s leading experts on vernacular architecture to examine how local buildings have stood the test of time and offer lessons for the future. The core of the book is arranged by climate zone, from desert to tropical, temperate to arctic. Within each section, buildings are presented regionally, showing how climatic conditions and vegetation affect the evolution of building styles. This central part is bookended by a range of essays exploring the economic and anthropological aspects, while the reference section offers information on materials science and engineering, including how buildings have been adapted to contend with natural disasters. The traditions of vernacular architecture have much to teach us. Given our ecosystem’s increasing frailty, the architecture and building trade’s new role in a post-digital era, and the desperate need to record fading cultural traditions, the relevance of this book is greater than ever.

Read more less

NATIONAL BESTSELLERIn Rooted, cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists, mystics, and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: life on this planet is radically interconnected. Our bodies, thoughts, minds, and spirits are affected by the whole of nature, and they affect this whole in return. In this time of crisis, how can we best live upon our imperilled, beloved earth?Award-winning writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt's highly personal new book is a brilliant invitation to live with the earth in both simple and profound ways-from walking barefoot in the woods and reimagining our relationship with animals and trees, to examining the very language we use to describe and think about nature. She invokes rootedness as a way of being in concert with the wilderness-and wildness-that sustains humans and all of life.In the tradition of Rachel Carson, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Mary Oliver, Haupt writes with urgency and grace, reminding us that at the crossroads of science, nature, and spirit we find true hope. Each chapter provides tools for bringing our unique gifts to the fore and transforming our sense of belonging within the magic and wonder of the natural world.

Read more less

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR ‘The most successful novelist on Planet Earth’ Washington Post Liz Palmer runs a dive business in the quiet tranquillity of a Caribbean island. Tranquil, that is, until a routine trip over the reef reveals the body of her newest employee – diver Jerry Sharpe. But when his brother, Jonas, shows up asking questions, Liz can’t see how she can help. She barely knew Jerry. Then someone breaks into Liz’s apartment, intent on her murder. Liz realises that she is already more involved in Jonas’s quest to unravel Jerry’s murky past than she wanted to be. And now Jonas and Liz will be drawn into a dangerous criminal underworld that could cost them both their lives… Nora Roberts is a publishing phenomenon; this New York Times bestselling author of over 200 novels has more than 450 million of her books in print worldwide. Praise for Nora Roberts ‘A storyteller of immeasurable diversity and talent’ Publisher’s Weekly ‘You can’t bottle wish fulfilment, but Nora Roberts certainly knows how to put it on the page.’ New York Times ‘Everything Nora Roberts writes turns to gold.’ Romantic Times. ‘Roberts’ bestselling novels are… thoughtfully plotted, well-written stories featuring fascinating characters.’ USA Today

Read more less

Data is an integral part of our lives. It helps us to unlock hidden mysteries and even predict the future. The Expanding World of Data uncovers the world of data in a way that is accessible, engaging and thought-provoking, using colourful artwork, illustrations, comic strips, 'Speak like a Scientist' and data hero sections. This book is the perfect resource for those curious minds who want to know more about data, what it is and what it does. Data can even help us to make the planet a better place. This title is one of an exciting series from Oxford, giving accessible introductions to the ideas, facts, and vocabulary behind an absorbing range of subjects. Meticulously researched and written by experts in their fields, curious young readers will quickly get to grips with the basic principles and terminology of each subject. Author Tom Jackson has been a writer for 25 years, written about 200 books and specializes in science and technology. Consultant Dr Bran Knowles is a Senior Lecturer in the Data Science Institute at Lancaster University where she leads the Data and Society theme. The Expanding World of Data is part of a wider collectible set. If you love this title, why not collect them all?

Read more less

When London is lost beneath the rising tides, unconscious desires rush to the surface in this apocalyptic tale from the author of ‘Crash’ and ‘Empire of the Sun’, reissued here with a new introduction from Martin Amis. Fluctuations in solar radiation have melted the ice caps, sending the planet into a new Triassic Age of unendurable heat. London is a swamp; lush tropical vegetation grows up the walls of the Ritz and primeval reptiles are sighted, swimming through the newly-formed lagoons. Some flee the capital; others remain to pursue reckless schemes, either in the name of science or profit. While the submerged streets of London are drained in search of treasure, Dr Robert Kerans – part of a group of intrepid scientists – comes to accept this submarine city and finds himself strangely resistant to the idea of saving it. First published in 1962, Ballard’s mesmerising and ferociously imaginative novel gained him widespread critical acclaim and established his reputation as one of Britain’s finest writers of science fiction. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard’s works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Robert Macfarlane, Martin Amis, James Lever and Ali Smith) and brand-new cover designs.

Read more less

This book outlines the current development of geoethical thinking, proposing to the general public reflections and categories useful for understanding the ethical, cultural, and societal dimensions of anthropogenic global changes. Geoethics identifies and orients responsible behaviors and actions in the management of natural processes, redefining the human interaction with the Earth system based on a critical, scientifically grounded, and pragmatic approach. Solid scientific knowledge and a philosophical reference framework are crucial to face the current ecological disruption. The scientific perspective must be structured to help different human contexts while respecting social and cultural diversity. It is impossible to respond to global problems with disconnected local actions, which cannot be proposed as standard and effective operational models. Geoethics tries to overcome this fragmentation, presenting Earth sciences as the foundation of responsible human action toward the planet. Geoethics is conceived as a rational and multidisciplinary language that can bind and concretely support the international community, engaged in resolving global environmental imbalances and complex challenges, which have no national, cultural, or religious boundaries that require shared governance. Geoethics is proposed as a new reading key to rethinking the Earth as a system of complex relationships, in which the human being is an integral part of natural interactions.

Read more less

During a decade that defined progressive rock, 1973 was a pivotal year. Influential bands like Yes, Genesis, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull, The Electric Light Orchestra and King Crimson released some of their best-selling albums and there was a plethora of releases from less well known but equally worthy acts. This book is a journey through this creative period; stopping off on route to explore symphonic rock, the Canterbury scene, Krautrock, fusion, progressive folk, art rock, space rock, album artwork and much more. As well as the big names from the year when progressive rock was arguably at its commercial and artistic peak, the book also looks in depth at albums by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Greenslade, Rick Wakeman, Gong, Le Orme, Can, Kayak, Gentle Giant, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Renaissance, Caravan, Nektar, Manfred Mann's Earth Band and Magma. But this book is much more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It's a comprehensive and knowledgeable guide to an era when music incorporated multiple sections, rich textures, intricate time signatures, inspired arrangements and diverse influences performed by skilled musicians. It was possible to take a dip in topographic oceans, encounter pot head pixies from a distant planet and still be home in time for larks' tongues in aspic.

Read more less

The Doctor and Mel land in what appears to be an orbiting warehouse, a delivery facility with a dangerously eratic computer. Whilst Mel is helping with repairs, the Doctor begins to realise that not everything in the warehouse is as it seems. Why do no goods ever seem to leave the shelves? Why are the staff so obsessed with the stocktake? And who is the mysterious Supervisor? On the planet below, the Doctor discovers that the computer might be the least of their problems - and that they should be more concerned with the spacestation's mould and vermin...Sylvester McCoy played the Doctor from 1987 to 1996, but is also familiar to modern cinema audiences as Radagast the Brown from Peter Jackson's The Hobbit movies. Bonnie Langford played a companion to both the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and Seven Doctor (Sylvester McCoy), and her subsequent career has included Chicago on stage, and Dancing on Ice. Written by Mike Tucker, who was part of the Model Unit working on BBC's Doctor Who over the last thirty years. CAST: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie Bush), Phillip Franks (Supervisor/Acolyte), Dillie Keane (Lydek), Clara Buckfield (Ann/Darl), Barry McCarthy (Fred/Terminal), Anna Bentinck (Jean/Computer), Barnaby Edwards (Reef).

Read more less

An impassioned defence of global immigration from the acclaimed author of Maximum City.Drawing on his family’s own experience emigrating from India to Britain and America, and years of reporting around the world, Suketu Mehta subjects the worldwide anti-immigrant backlash to withering scrutiny. The West, he argues, is being destroyed not by immigrants but by the fear of immigrants. He juxtaposes the phony narratives of populist ideologues with the ordinary heroism of labourers, nannies and others, from Dubai to New York, and explains why more people are on the move today than ever before. As civil strife and climate change reshape large parts of the planet, it is little surprise that borders have become so porous. This Land is Our Land also stresses the destructive legacies of colonialism and global inequality on large swathes of the world. When today’s immigrants are asked, ‘Why are you here?’, they can justly respond, ‘We are here because you were there.’ And now that they are here, as Mehta demonstrates, immigrants bring great benefits, enabling countries and communities to flourish. Impassioned, rigorous, and richly stocked with memorable stories and characters, This Land Is Our Land is a timely and necessary intervention, and literary polemic of the highest order.

Read more less

*First published as The Mara Crossing, now with new and updated material*'A prodigy, a book of wonders. Wonder, pity and terror, the searing section of voices in transit coercing compassion - and beyond that, empathy' IndependentHome is where you start from, but where is a swallow's real home? And what does 'native' mean if the English oak is an immigrant from Spain?In ninety richly varied poems and illuminating prose interludes, Ruth Padel weaves science, myth, wild nature and human history to conjure a world created and sustained by migration - from the millennia-old journeys of cells, trees, birds and beasts to Geese battle raging winds over Mount Everest, lemurs skim precipices in Madagascar and wildebeest, at the climax of their epic trek from Tanzania, braving a river filled with the largest crocodiles in Africa. Human migration has shaped civilisation but today is one of the greatest challenges the world faces. In a series of incisive portraits, Padel turns to the struggles of human displacement - the Flight into Egypt, John James Audubon emigrating to America (feeding migrant birds en route), migrant workers in Mumbai and refugees labouring over a drastically changing planet - to show how the purpose of migration, for both humans and animals, is survival.

Read more less

Guides to eco-friendly living and how the choices we make can help sustain Earth's future.In The Food We Eat, learn about food waste and lack of food in different parts of the world, the reduciton of food packaging, growing your own food and eating more fruit and veg.The We Go Eco series is a child-friendly introduction to eco-living and understanding the world through the choices we make and the shared responsibilities we have. As well as scientific learning, "Go Eco" panels throughout the books make practical suggestions on what we can all do to help make a difference in our daily lives. An activist spread at the back of each book takes a look at inspiring young people from around the world who have already made a difference in a particular environmental theme.Informative, approachable text is supported by buzzing, bold artwork - perfect for children aged 5-7 or those reading at book band 9 Gold.Titles in the series: The Journeys We MakeThe Planet We ShareThe Climate We ChangeThe Energy We UseThe Crops We GrowThe Food We EatThe Cities We Live InThe Homes We BuildThe Animals We SaveThe Things We Recycle

Read more less