Search results for ""Planet!""

What was the most important step in civilization? Alan Butler's answer is that it was when we began capturing wild sheep, domesticating and breeding them. Sheep were the mainstay of ancient cultures, by far the most important of the domesticated animals. Able to survive almost anywhere, over-wintering successfully, they provided not just milk, meat and skin, but warm clothing. This is why so many of the earliest gods and their myths are sheep related, from the Egyptian Ra (ram) to the later Christian Lamb of God. But sheep have not only sustained us for thousands of years. Sheep farming also underpinned the growth of European nation states, international trade and modern economies. In effect sheep built the modern world. The demands of the woollen textile industry both drove and financed the Industrial Revolution. The British Empire was founded on wool. The space needed for sheep drove millions off the land, many of whom took them to Australasia and the Americas. With over a billion sheep in the world today the humanity-sheep relationship represents the most successful example of mammalian symbiosis on the planet. The story of the sheep is the story of humanity, a surprisingly exciting and gripping tale that deserves to be told. Spanning a vast period of time, it includes some of the most famous names that have been left to us by history, and many that deserve to better recognised.

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'A gripping blockbuster... Thomas researches meticulously and writes with simmering even-handed anger' TELEGRAPH. Fashionopolis is the definitive book on the cost of fast fashion, and a blueprint for how we get to a more sustainable future. Fashion has blighted our planet. Today, one out of six people on earth work in fashion, churning out 100 billion garments a year. Yet 98 percent of them do not earn a living wage, and 2.1 billion tonnes of clothing is thrown away annually. The clothing industry's exploitation of fellow humans and the environment has reached epic levels. What should we do? Bestselling author and veteran journalist Dana Thomas has travelled the globe to find the answers. In Fashionopolis, she details the damage wrought by fashion's behemoths, and celebrates the visionaries – including activists, artisans, designers, and tech entrepreneurs – fighting for change. We all have been casual about our clothes. It's time to get dressed with intention. Fashionopolis is the first comprehensive look at how to start. Reviews: 'Fascinating... Powerful... Thomas has succeeded in calling attention to the major problems of the fashion industry' New York Times 'Thomas takes a story most of us think we know, but tells it better and in compelling, readable detail' The Times 'Engaging and thorough... Fashionopolis has implications beyond cloth and thread' Financial Times 'Thomas is a conscientious reporter – as evidenced in her research, which is studded with statistics' Times Literary Supplement

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Ten years after the publication of the first edition of this influential book, the evidence is even stronger that human economies are overwhelming the regenerative capacity of the planet. This book explains why long-term economic growth is infeasible, and why, especially in advanced economies, it is also undesirable. Simulations based on real data show that managing without growth is a better alternative. The book tells how the recent idea of economic growth emerged from the idea of progress, itself only a few hundred years old. Many reasons for questioning growth are given based on an extensive review of the data as well as on conceptual and methodological considerations. The experience of growth in several countries is documented, compared and found wanting. Possibilities for managing without growth in high income economies are simulated with a new, comprehensive systems model with many novel features. Three 50 year scenarios are compared: a base case, an ambitious greenhouse gas reduction scenario, and a sustainable prosperity scenario with broader environmental objectives, reduced income inequality, shorter working hours and the cessation of economic growth. The book closes with a review of policies to make this scenario a reality. This updated book is a valuable resource for a broad academic audience, including students and researchers in economics, environmental studies, environmental science, business studies, and geography, as well as social justice groups and NGOs concerned with the environment, inequality and employment.

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The decaying remnants of obselete industries and defunct commerce – whether coal mines, shipyards, factories, shopping centres, power plants, warehouses or mills – lie scattered in desolate locations throughout the world. These left-over structures still hold memories of the life that was once there. Transience was built in from the start. When a mine was worked out, it was abandoned; sometimes its machinery was removed to another mine, but often it was easier to equip the new place with more up-to-date equipment. Abandoned Industrial Places explores the discarded detritus of our modern mechanized age. Discover the grand Ore Dock in Marquette, USA, squatting isolated in the waters of Lake Superior; or the abandoned Caspian Sea oil rigs and drilling gear in Azerbaijan; or the enormous, gaping pit of the 1200m (3900ft) wide Mirny diamond mine in Sakha Republic, Russia; or the 700m (765yd) high wall of latticed steel towers of the Duga radar in Chernobyl, Ukraine; or the Domino Sugar Refinery, Brooklyn, New York – formerly the world’s largest sugar refinery when built in 1882; or the still contaminated Fisher Body Plant 21 in Detroit, USA, a place where General Motors created some of their great marques for almost a hundred years. Filled with more than 200 memorable photographs from every part of the planet, Abandoned Industrial Places provides a strange and often spooky insight into the life and workings of industries long since ceased.

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Voice is the next technology - remarkably similar in potential impact to the internet and mobile computing - poised to change the way the world works. Tobias Dengel is in the vanguard of this breakthrough, understanding the deep, wide-ranging implications voice will have for every industry. In The Sound of the Future, he connects the dots about this emerging paradigm to vividly illustrate how business leaders can stay ahead of the game, rather than scrambling to catch up, as voice technology gradually reveals its power, creating a host of new winners and losers. Using fascinating, colorful stories, Dengel explains how the "voice-first" experience is becoming part of the global technology mainstream, exploring the ways voice will do a better job of serving basic human needs such as safety, speed, accuracy, convenience, and fun, as well as making it possible for hundreds of millions of people around the planet to participate more fully and productively in today's high-tech world by making interactions with technology virtually effortless. A pervasive technology like the internet and mobile, voice, with applications in marketing, sales, service, manufacturing, and logistics, will change the way we work at every level and every function, driving down costs, boosting productivity, and enabling the creation of entirely new business models.This is not simply about Siri and Alexa. They are the tantalizing but incomplete precursors of the ultimate interface that will make technology easier, faster, more accurate, and more human.

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A comprehensive look into how Macau’s recent decades of gambling-related growth produced one of the wealthiest territories on the planetBetting on Macau delves into the radical transformation of what was formerly the last remaining European territory in Asia, returned to the People’s Republic of China in 1999 after nearly half a millennium of Portuguese rule. Examining the unprecedented scale of its development and its key role in China’s economic revolution, Tim Simpson follows Macau’s emergence from historical obscurity to become the most profitable casino gaming locale in the world. Identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and renowned for its unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese colonial-era architecture, contemporary Macau has metamorphosed into a surreal, hypermodern urban landscape augmented by massive casino megaresorts, including two of the world’s largest buildings. Simpson situates Macau’s origins as a strategic trading port and its ensuing history alongside the emergence of the global capitalist system, charting the massive influx of foreign investment, construction, and tourism in the past two decades that helped generate the territory’s enormous wealth. Presented through a cross section of postcolonial studies and social theory with extensive insight into the global gambling industry, Betting on Macau uncovers the various roots of the territory’s lucrative casino capitalism. In turn, its trenchant analysis provides a distinctive view into China’s broader project of urbanization, its post-Mao economic reforms, and the continued rise of its consumer culture.

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Find out about caring for nature and saving the planet with our team of helpful kids, Anjali, Lulu, Mason and Noah!In Nature Needs You, these four friends discover an injured fox in the garden and need to take it to an animal rescue centre. There, they begin a year of discovery learning about the amazing animals, plants and places that make up our natural world.As the year goes on, the children talk to lots of different people, from park rangers and environmentalists, to teachers and grandparents. They learn lots of things about the natural world, from facts about biodiversity, food chains and climate change to pollination, plastic pollution and ecosystems.Throughout the book, there are Take Action advice panels, which give examples of small ways that people can get involved to help protect nature.Get Busy activity suggestions encourage children to be actively engaged with nature, by birdwatching or planting wild flowers. There are also full-page, step-by-step activities for how to make a bug hotel and a bird feeder. Perfect for keeping your keen naturalist busy this summer! Take this book to the back garden, the beach or the park and start helping nature now!By the end of the book, readers have a better understanding of the importance of nature, humans' impact on nature and what can be done to help protect it.Look out for the other titles in this series: Go Green!, Wild Weather! and Save the Seas!

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Change your perspective: get BIGAfter years of training and adventure, Goku has become Earth's ultimate warrior. And his son, Gohan, shows even greater promise. But the stakes are increasing as even deadlier enemies threaten the planet. DRAGON BALL Z is the ultimate science fiction/martial arts manga.A Collection of Volumes 22 - 24!Kaiô-Shin--the Lord of Lords, the mightiest deity in the universe--has summoned Son Goku and pals to try to avert certain doom for the entire universe. A djinn created eons ago by the wicked warlock Bibiddi is about to be resurrected by Bibiddi's son, Bobiddi. The djinn possesses unfathomable power and is virtually indestructible once unleashed. Even his name strikes fear in the hearts of all humans: Boo! Kaiô-Shin leads Goku to Bobiddi's spaceship, where Boo is gestating until he comes to full power. The crew battles Bobiddi's minions while the clock is ticking, but Dabra, the king of the demon plane, spots a weakness in their midst that he can easily manipulate: Vegeta's pride. The former prince of the Saiyans has been waiting impatiently to prove that he is the supreme member of his race--not Goku. Vegeta allows Bobiddi to enter his heart and feed him strength, just as long as that will allow him to finally defeat Goku. Vegeta's antics give Bobiddi all the time he needs to introduce the universe to its demise: a bouncing baby Boo!

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A twisty middle-grade graphic novel about a mysterious island, long-lost secrets, and one girl’s quest to free a mad scientist from a crystal prison!In Linette Moore’s debut, middle-grade graphic novel, The Prisoner of Shiverstone, 11-year-old Helga Sharp is found unconscious in a drifting rowboat near the coast of Utley Island. Utley, as Helga finds out when she awakens in the infirmary, is forbidden territory: it’s a prison island to which the Mainland has exiled troublesome mad scientists for generations. Helga is questioned by the island’s guards, and though they’re suspicious of her story, they agree to let her stay on the island until they find her family. Once she’s alone, Helga switches on her clunky, old-fashioned radio, and a mysterious voice praises her for reaching the island and convincing the guards of her innocence.The truth is, it’s no accident that Helga landed on the shores of Utley. She is a keen inventor, but science and technology are shunned on the Mainland. While working on her projects in secret, Helga made radio contact with Erasmus Lope, a mad genius who disappeared many years before. Now Helga must find a way to rescue Lope from Utley Island without getting caught. There’s only one problem—he’s trapped inside a giant crystal in the Utley Museum! Fans of Red’s Planet and Suee and the Shadow are sure to love The Prisoner of Shiverstone, a charismatically illustrated mad science adventure for readers of all ages.

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The compelling promise of progressing profits, purpose and the planet is what drives sustainable investing. Yet the field is also packed with challenges and pitfalls for the finance industry. Sustainable Investing in Practice provides a pragmatic steer for how finance professionals can navigate the realities of ESG investing so they can achieve the impact they desire. It addresses the obvious problems - a lack of common standards, opaque vocabulary, irrelevant data - that investors face. And it explains the skewed incentives and compromises that have held sustainable investing back. Yet it does not dwell on obstacles and defeat. Instead, it shows readers how to develop sustainable strategies and improve outcomes, covering critical topics such as ESG ratings, data and disclosure policies and multi-asset portfolios, while also documenting successful practices and pointing out how to modify inadequate ones. Packed full of insightful examples, analysis and interviews from expert commentators such as Paul Polman KBE, Richard Curtis OBE, and Gillian Tett, the book provides useful ideas and plans for how to take sustainable finance forward while balancing credibility and commerciality in equal measure. Written by two pioneering leaders within sustainable investing, this is a must-read for every finance professional, investor and regulator-whether they are seeking to fast track their careers, bring commercial and sustainable learning to their organization, or upgrade their understanding of this crucial but complex topic. It will also be of interest to students taking modules on sustainable finance.

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The compelling promise of progressing profits, purpose and the planet is what drives sustainable investing. Yet the field is also packed with challenges and pitfalls for the finance industry. Sustainable Investing in Practice provides a pragmatic steer for how finance professionals can navigate the realities of ESG investing so they can achieve the impact they desire. It addresses the obvious problems - a lack of common standards, opaque vocabulary, irrelevant data - that investors face. And it explains the skewed incentives and compromises that have held sustainable investing back. Yet it does not dwell on obstacles and defeat. Instead, it shows readers how to develop sustainable strategies and improve outcomes, covering critical topics such as ESG ratings, data and disclosure policies and multi-asset portfolios, while also documenting successful practices and pointing out how to modify inadequate ones. Packed full of insightful examples, analysis and interviews from expert commentators such as Paul Polman KBE, Richard Curtis OBE, and Gillian Tett, the book provides useful ideas and plans for how to take sustainable finance forward while balancing credibility and commerciality in equal measure. Written by two pioneering leaders within sustainable investing, this is a must-read for every finance professional, investor and regulator-whether they are seeking to fast track their careers, bring commercial and sustainable learning to their organization, or upgrade their understanding of this crucial but complex topic. It will also be of interest to students taking modules on sustainable finance.

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Praised forits clarity of presentation and accessibility, Introduction to Modern Virology has been a successful student text for over 30 years. It provides a broad introduction to virology, which includes the nature of viruses, the interaction of viruses with their hosts and the consequences of those interactions that lead to the diseases we see. This new edition contains a number of important changes and innovations including: The consideration of immunology now covers two chapters, one on innate immunity and the other on adaptive immunity, reflecting the explosion in knowledge of viral interactions with these systems. The coverage of vaccines and antivirals has been expanded and separated into two new chapters to reflect the importance of these approaches to prevention and treatment. Virus infections in humans are considered in more detail with new chapters on viral hepatitis, influenza, vector-borne diseases, and exotic and emerging viral infections, complementing an updated chapter on HIV. The final section includes three new chapters on the broader aspects of the influence of viruses on our lives, focussing on the economic impact of virus infections, the ways we can use viruses in clinical and other spheres, and the impact that viruses have on the planet and almost every aspect of our lives. A good basic understanding of viruses is important for generalists and specialists alike. The aim of this book is to make such understanding as accessible as possible, allowing students across the biosciences spectrum to improve their knowledge of these fascinating entities.

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What does it mean for human beings to exist in an era of dronified state violence? How can we understand the rise of robotic systems of power and domination? Focusing on U.S. drone warfare and its broader implications as no other book has to date, Predator Empire argues that we are witnessing a transition from a labor-intensive “American empire” to a machine-intensive “Predator Empire.” Moving from the Vietnam War to the War on Terror and beyond, Ian G. R. Shaw reveals how changes in military strategy, domestic policing, and state surveillance have come together to enclose our planet in a robotic system of control. The rise of drones presents a series of “existential crises,” he suggests, that are reengineering not only spaces of violence but also the character of the modern state. Positioning drone warfare as part of a much longer project to watch and enclose the human species, he shows that for decades—centuries even—human existence has slowly but surely been brought within the artificial worlds of “technological civilization.” Instead of incarcerating us in prisons or colonizing territory directly, the Predator Empire locks us inside a worldwide system of electromagnetic enclosure—in which democratic ideals give way to a system of totalitarian control, a machinic “rule by Nobody.” As accessibly written as it is theoretically ambitious, Predator Empire provides up-to-date information about U.S. drone warfare, as well as an in-depth history of the rise of drones.

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Since the 1927 release of Fritz Lang’s pioneer film Metropolis, science fiction cinema has largely been regarded a Western genre. In Simultaneous Worlds, Jennifer L. Feeley and Sarah Ann Wells showcase authors who challenge this notion by focusing on cinemas and cultures, from Cuba to North Korea, not traditionally associated with science fiction. This collection introduces films about a metal-eating monster who helps peasants overthrow an exploitative court, an inflatable sex doll who comes to life, a desert planet where matchsticks are more valuable than money, and more.Simultaneous Worlds is the first volume to bring a transnational, interdisciplinary lens to science fiction cinema. Encountering some of the best emerging and established voices in the field, readers will become immersed in discussions of well-known works such as the Ghost in the Shell franchise and Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 alongside lesser-known but equally fascinating works by African, Asian, European, and South American filmmakers. Divided into five parts that cover theoretical concerns such as new media economies, translation, the Global South, cyborgs, and socialist and postsocialist cinema, these essays trace cinema’s role in imagining global communities and power struggles.Considering both individual films and the broader networks of production, distribution, and exhibition, Simultaneous Worlds illustrates how film industries across the globe take part in visualizing the perils of globalization and technological modernity. Ultimately, this book opens new ways of thinking about world cinema and our understanding of the world at large.

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Bigfoot sightings have been reported in every state except Hawaii. Interest in this creature, which many believe to be as mythical as a leprechaun, is as strong today as ever, with the wildly popular show Finding Bigfoot persisting on the Animal Planet network and references to bigfoot appearing throughout popular culture. What is it about bigfoot that causes some people to devote a chunk of their lives to finding one?In Monster Trek, Joe Gisondi brings to life the celebrities in bigfoot culture: people such as Matt Moneymaker, Jeff Meldrum, and Cliff Barackman, who explore remote wooded areas of the country for weeks at a time and spend thousands of dollars on infrared imagers, cameras, and high-end camping equipment. Pursuing the answer to why these seekers of bigfoot do what they do, Gisondi brings to the reader their most interesting—and in many cases, harrowing—expeditions.Gisondi travels to eight locations across the country, trekking into swamps, mountains, state parks, and remote woods with people in search of bigfoot as well as fame, fortune, adventure, and shared camaraderie. Many of the people who look for bigfoot, however, go counter to stereotypes and include teachers, engineers, and bankers. Some are private and guarded about their explorations, seeking solitude during a deeply personal quest. While there are those who might arguably be labeled “crazy,” Gisondi discovers that the bigfoot research network is far bigger and more diverse than he ever imagined.

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Discover what Little Chimpanzee gets up to and explore its world, in this fun and informative title from the Really Wild Families series. Little Chimpanzee has a large, sociable and very intelligent family and can't wait to introduce you to its parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Little Chimpanzee plays all day with their family: are you excited to join in with the fun?Quirky and vibrant illustrations will make this informative book a hit with children of all ages! This charming celebration of chimpanzees will show children just how amazing nature is and is a reminder that it is up to us to care for the planet and all its creatures. Learn all about our closest living relatives in the natural world, by exploring:- What happens in the chimpanzee community- How they care for and groom each other - The social structures and relationships in the group - Why chimpanzees are endangered This adorable story is followed by a fun factivity section packed with craft projects, case studies and a quiz section at the back of the book, so you can put everything you have learned about Little Chimpanzee and their family to the test. In the Really Wild Families series, based on the everyday adventures of wild animals, discover what the littlest members of the family get up to! Through their eyes we will explore their habitats, family dynamics and how they play, grow and survive as a family.

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A marvelously illustrated look at the most deadly predators on the planetTooth and Claw presents the world’s top predators as you have never seen them before, from big cats and wild dogs to sharks, reptiles, and killer whales. Blending gorgeous photos and illustrations with spellbinding storytelling, this book is packed with the latest facts about these fearsome but often misunderstood animals. It covers apex and other top predators in each major vertebrate family, discussing where and how they live, how they are faring in the modern world, and why they matter. Along the way, the authors share informative and entertaining anecdotes from their decades in the field learning about predators and reveal hard truths about the role humans continue to play in their fate. Tooth and Claw also describes conservation successes and lays out some simple but crucial steps each of us can take to protect these magnificent beasts. Are humans top predators, too? Read this amazing book and find out. Offers an unparalleled look at a side of nature rarely witnessed up close Stunningly illustrated throughout and brimming with fun facts Describes ultimate vertebrate predators ranging from sharks and reptiles to raptors, cats, dogs, bears, and marine mammals Provides rare insights into the biology, ecology, and conservation of top predators Draws on the latest findings from habitats around the world Conveys the wonders of the natural world with engaging storytelling and lively personal anecdotes

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Jung’s lectures on the history of psychology—in English for the first timeBetween 1933 and 1941, C. G. Jung delivered a series of public lectures at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. Intended for a general audience, these lectures addressed a broad range of topics, from dream analysis to yoga and meditation. Here for the first time in English are Jung’s lectures on the history of modern psychology from the Enlightenment to his own time, delivered in the fall and winter of 1933–34.In these inaugural lectures, Jung emphasizes the development of concepts of the unconscious and offers a comparative study of movements in French, German, British, and American thought. He also gives detailed analyses of Justinus Kerner’s The Seeress of Prevorst and Théodore Flournoy’s From India to the Planet Mars. These lectures present the history of psychology from the perspective of one of the field’s most legendary figures. They provide a unique opportunity to encounter Jung speaking for specialists and nonspecialists alike and are the primary source for understanding his late work.Featuring cross-references to the Jung canon and explanations of concepts and terminology, History of Modern Psychology painstakingly reconstructs and translates these lectures from manuscripts, summaries, and recently recovered shorthand notes of attendees. It is the first volume of a series that will make the ETH lectures available in their entirety to English readers.

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When a leaf falls on a windy day, it drifts and tumbles, tossed every which way on the breeze. This is chaos in action. In Fly Me to the Moon, Edward Belbruno shows how to harness the same principle for low-fuel space travel--or, as he puts it, "surfing the gravitational field." Belbruno devised one of the most exciting concepts now being used in space flight, that of swinging through the cosmos on the subtle fluctuations of the planets' gravitational pulls. His idea was met with skepticism until 1991, when he used it to get a stray Japanese satellite back on course to the Moon. The successful rescue represented the first application of chaos to space travel and ushered in an emerging new field. Part memoir, part scientific adventure story, Fly Me to the Moon gives a gripping insider's account of that mission and of Belbruno's personal struggles with the science establishment. Along the way, Belbruno introduces readers to recent breathtaking advances in American space exploration. He discusses ways to capture and redirect asteroids; presents new research on the origin of the Moon; weighs in on discoveries like 2003 UB313 (now named Eris), a dwarf planet detected in the far outer reaches of our solar system--and much more. Grounded in Belbruno's own rigorous theoretical research but written for a general audience, Fly Me to the Moon is for anybody who has ever felt moved by the spirit of discovery.

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Among all the large whales on Earth, the most unusual and least studied is the narwhal, the northernmost whale on the planet and the one most threatened by global warming. Narwhals thrive in the fjords and inlets of northern Canada and Greenland. These elusive whales, whose long tusks were the stuff of medieval European myths and Inuit legends, are uniquely adapted to the Arctic ecosystem and are able to dive below thick sheets of ice to depths of up to 1,500 meters in search of their prey-halibut, cod, and squid. Join Todd McLeish as he travels high above the Arctic circle to meet: Teams of scientific researchers studying the narwhal's life cycle and the mysteries of its tusk Inuit storytellers and hunters Animals that share the narwhals' habitat: walruses, polar bears, bowhead and beluga whales, ivory gulls, and two kinds of seals McLeish consults logbooks kept by whalers and explorers and interviews folklorists and historians to tease out the relationship between the real narwhal and the mythical unicorn. In Colorado, he visits climatologists studying changes in the seasonal cycles of the Arctic ice. From a history of the trade in narwhal tusks to descriptions of narwhals' vocalizations as heard through hydrophones, Narwhals reveals the beauty and thrill of the narwhal and its habitat, and the threat it faces from a rapidly changing world. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHwaqdKyLCQ&list=UUge4MONgLFncQ1w1C_BnHcw&index=9&feature=plcp

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THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR ‘The most successful novelist on Planet Earth’ – Washington Post The first time single-father and music professor Spencer Kimball set eyes on Natasha Stanislaski, he was floored by her exotic beauty. But the former dancer now toy shop owner has a fiery passionate temperament and keeps all men safely at bay… Until Spence and his little girl find their way into her guarded heart. Is she brave enough to risk heartbreak for them? Home is where the heart is Kate Kimball has turned her back on glamour and fame and has come home for Christmas and forever. She’s fallen in love with the dilapidated building she’s bought for her dance school and could also fall for Brody O’Connell, the frustrating and fascinating contractor she’s hired to restore it. But Brody is resisting Kate’s allure. She’s Natasha Stanislaski’s perfect daughter and out of his league. Still, he longs to make her his… 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

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About a Boy is Nick Hornby's comic and heart-warming million-copy bestseller 'How cool was Will Freeman?'Too cool! At thirty-six, he's as hip as a teenager. He's single, child-free, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He's also found a great way to score with women: attend single parents' groups full of available (and grateful) mothers, all hoping to meet a Nice Guy.Which is how Will meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old on the planet. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Joni Mitchell and Mozart, looks after his mum and has never owned a pair of trainers. But Marcus latches on to Will - and won't let go. Can Will teach Marcus how to grow up cool? And can Marcus help Will just to grow up?This astonishing novel, now a modern classic, was adapted for the acclaimed 2002 film About A Boy, starring Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult. Fans of One Day by David Nicholls and Any Human Heart by William Boyd will devour this book, as will lovers of fiction everywhere.'A stunner of a novel. Utterly read-in-one-day, forget-where-you-are-on-the-tube-gripping' Marie Claire'About the awful, hilarious, embarrassing places where children and adults meet, and Hornby has captured it with delightful precision' Irish Times'It takes a writer with real talent to make this work, and Hornby has it - in buckets' Literary Review

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Every fossil tells a story. Best-selling paleontology author Donald R. Prothero describes twenty-five famous, beautifully preserved fossils in a gripping scientific history of life on Earth. Recounting the adventures behind the discovery of these objects and fully interpreting their significance within the larger fossil record, Prothero creates a riveting history of life on our planet. The twenty-five fossils portrayed in this book catch animals in their evolutionary splendor as they transition from one kind of organism to another. We witness extinct plants and animals of microscopic and immense size and thrilling diversity. We learn about fantastic land and sea creatures that have no match in nature today. Along the way, we encounter such fascinating fossils as the earliest trilobite, Olenellus; the giant shark Carcharocles; the "fishibian" Tiktaalik; the "Frogamander" and the "Turtle on the Half-Shell"; enormous marine reptiles and the biggest dinosaurs known; the first bird, Archaeopteryx; the walking whale Ambulocetus; the gigantic hornless rhinoceros Paraceratherium, the largest land mammal that ever lived; and the Australopithecus nicknamed "Lucy," the oldest human skeleton. We meet the scientists and adventurers who pioneered paleontology and learn about the larger intellectual and social contexts in which their discoveries were made. Finally, we find out where to see these splendid fossils in the world's great museums. Ideal for all who love prehistoric landscapes and delight in the history of science, this book makes a treasured addition to any bookshelf, stoking curiosity in the evolution of life on Earth.

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The U.S. Marines Corps is the greatest fighting force on the planet, but it’s so much more than that: it’s a factory for producing first-rate leaders, problem-solvers, and innovators. In 2006, John Warren and John Thompson led Marines into combat in the world’s most dangerous city: Ramadi, Iraq. But when they got home, employers didn’t understand what they had to offer. Undeterred, they founded their own specialty mortgage company, growing it from scratch into a national powerhouse over the course of a decade.When the two decorated veterans applied the values and training of the U.S. Marine Corps to build a thriving business, they defied corporate America’s expectations. That’s because they realized that, far from producing mindless drones, the Corps trains its warriors in adaptability, initiative, and courage—ideal traits for anyone in leadership. In Lead Like a Marine, Warren and Thompson lay out the simple, universal rules that helped them succeed, from valuing grit and potential over pedigree, to condensing large groups into resilient “fireteams,” to cross-training team members so that anyone can step up to the plate in a crisis. While the corporate world is mired in maintaining the status quo, respecting status, and flattering ego, Warren and Thompson stripped away the fat that prevents organizations from innovating and excelling.Full of smart, actionable advice, gripping combat stories, and entrepreneurial lessons, this book will give you the tools and the training you need to truly lead like a Marine.

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Professor Bernice Summerfield was a character created as a companion to the Seventh Doctor by writer Paul Cornell for the popular 1990s Doctor Who novels. Since then she’s found a whole new audio life through plays for Big Finish. In these four new adventures, Bernice is back with a Timelord you could bring home to meet your universe! 1) Pride of the Lampian by Alyson Leeds. Bernice Summerfield finds the last relic of a lost civilisation, one that the Doctor is worried may never have existed. 2) Clear History by Doris V Sutherland. The people of Civitas-G have retreated into an idyllic recreation of their home world and they’re refusing to believe that it is now breaking down. 3) Dead and Breakfast by April McCaffrey. Bernice and the Doctor are trapped on a planet where people who are unusual have a habit of dying. They’re in trouble. 4) Burrowed Time by Lani Woodward. Centuries ago the Byrinthians were wiped out - apart from one underground train which is still travelling the tunnels of this long-dead world. With a passenger on board! CAST: Lisa Bowerman (Bernice Summerfield), David Warner (The Doctor), Zaraah Abrahams (Daphne), Laura Aikman (Young Anita), Heider Ali (Lloyd), Vikash Bhai (Gariff), Julia Deakin (Old Anita), Sam Hallion (Rylan), Jessica Hayles (Drolla), Jacqueline King (Flor), Richard Lumsden (Professor Landren), Gavin Swift (The Administrator), Josie White (Zeta). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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At a New Year’s Eve party, a dead woman turns up alive again, after passing through a mysterious post-mortem way station located on another planet, and much to the disbelief of her old flame, who interprets the night’s events with the help of his reading of Kafka. A priest is sent by the Vatican to investigate a strange development in the American cattle market: a breed of cows identical in all physical respects to human women. A man leaves his wife and flees to the north of Spain, where he meets a sickly woman in an empty café, introduces himself as Jorge Walser, and makes plans with her to disappear. Aboard a trans-atlantic cruise, a door-to-door vacuum salesman bumps into a woman who appears to be Natassja Kinski, and they swap tall tales as the ship floats them asymptotically toward world’s end. Christ turns out to be a girl who fronts a punk band. The words of such writers as Beckett, Walser, Chekhov, Gombrowicz, Bolaño, Kafka, Blanchot, and Borges are characters in themselves. The Irish Sea is a novel masquerading as a book of short stories. A meditation on the paradox of nostalgia, which always seems to pine for what never was. A fevered search for order through writing, of truth through literature, of the nodal point where life and literature intersect. A strange personal gallery curated by a razor-sharp reader and his other, unknown self.

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What is "compleating"? Completely eating every part of a fruit or vegetable! Plant-based diets are a wonderful way to protect the planet, but fruits and vegetables still have carbon footprints, and often the parts we throw away or compost are the most nutritious and delicious bits. Ellen Tout, sustainability expert and dedicated vegan, is passionate about maximizing the benefits of veganism, and through just a few simple tips, tricks and ingenious recipes she can revolutionize the way you cook. Transform banana skins into pulled "pork"; make amazing vegan butter from the liquid in a can of chickpeas; give new life to leftover wine by making your own vinegar; forget everything you knew about kiwi by whipping up a batch of "whole kiwi" salsa for tacos. Arranged alphabetically, not only does each section include internationally-inspired recipes, but also tried-and-tested, environmentally-friendly alternatives to household cleaning, beauty products, and pet food. Dye fabrics pink with avocado skins; or transform a coconut half into a houseplant pot. "Compleat recipes" show how to make dishes that use every part of the ingredient, such as Pumpkin Pie with Caramelized Seeds or Carrot Top Tabouleh, while techniques such as pickling, fermenting and off-cuts broths can save pretty much anything from the bin. Whether you're an experienced vegan cook, or just starting to explore plant-based eating, you're sure to find inspiration from this encyclopaedic guide.

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Metallurgical slags are generated as a by-product of smelting during ironmaking, steelmaking, and the production of ferroalloys and non-ferrous metals. The formation conditions result in complex chemical and mineralogical characteristics unique to slags alone. Historically slags have been discarded as a waste product and, through release of potentially toxic trace elements, represent a hazard to the environment and human health. However, increasingly we are realizing the resource potential of what was previously thought of as waste, thus reducing the environmental impact and taking a step closer to a circular economy. This book is a definitive reference on the environmental geochemistry and resource potential of metallurgical slags by summarizing processes for the generation of slags, describing their chemical and mineralogical characteristics, outlining the fundamental geochemistry that propels slag weathering, and illustrating the utilization of slags. Particular attention is given to the value of slags in modern society as they are widely used as construction materials in civil engineering, and as an irreplaceable filter in sequestering excess nutrients, pathogens, metal and/or organic contaminants, and even greenhouse gases. The latest developments on recovering residual valuable metals in slags, including new techniques for extracting by-product elements needed for green and frontier technologies, are revealed. This book is essential reading for environmental geochemists, geologists, metallurgists, mining and civil engineers, waste and resource managers, and all those interested and inspired by a circular economy and minimizing our environmental footprint on planet Earth.

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From the Industrial Revolution to the internet, capitalism has been a great engine of human progress. But now it stands accused of allowing the greedy few to run riot over the rest of society, exploiting workers and suppliers and recklessly damaging the planet in pursuit of profit. Where did these accusations come from – and are they true? In this lively critique, Spectator business editor Martin Vander Weyer argues that capitalism has indeed lost its moral compass, has lost public trust and is in urgent need of repair. But this is no far-left analysis seeking to champion a thinly veiled Marxist platform. Written from the point of view of a deep admirer of entrepreneurship and private-sector investment as a proven path to innovation and prosperity, The Good, the Bad and the Greedy argues that businesses always operate in a social context and that a ‘good’ business in a moral sense can also, in a perfect world, be a business that richly rewards its creators and backers. From the writer whom Boris Johnson called ‘the most oracular and entertaining business commentator’ in London, this thoughtful critique of 21st-century capitalism formulates core principles that separate the good from the bad and the greedy and warns that the system must be reformed and faith in it restored – before the next generation commit the ultimate act of self-harm by rejecting capitalism in favour of something worse

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Interstellar Vehicle Archimedes has been hurtling through space for more than five generations, an oasis of heat and light in the middle of absolutely nowhere. But now the ageing starship is preparing to brake, for it is arriving at Destination Star: Tau Ceti, the new home for the space-born descendants of the First Crew.For trainee engineer Ravinder MacLeod, the world he knows is coming to an end. Once Archimedes succumbs to the gravitational pull of the Destination Star and its (hopefully) habitable planet, there will be no going back - or anywhere else. As Braking Day approaches, Ravi finds himself caught between the rigid requirements of the officer class to which he aspires and his blue-collar, ne'er-do-well family. Unfortunately for Ravi, Boz, his brilliant ex-con cousin, seems determined to make his life difficult - not least by her experiments with forbidden technology.Then Ravi is assigned to routine maintenance deep in the massive engines of the Archimedes, where, alone and out of contact, he comes face to face with something impossible - mind-breakingly impossible.Plagued by nightmares and visions and worried that his grip on reality is slipping, Ravi turns to Boz for help. Their search for answers takes them to the jagged place where the ship's future intersects with its long past. For not everyone is excited to be reaching journey's end, and the ghosts of the First Crew may not have been fully laid to rest.

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"In the book… we get a fantastic look at those alternative viewpoints that you're unlikely to find in your Lonely Planet or Rough guide. They've called the books 'Unseen' for a reason, because you're far less likely to have already viewed the kinds of pictures taken within it." — Amateur Photographer Berlin Unseen is, like the first two parts of the Unseen series (London Unseen and New York Unseen), an authentic approach to the character of the German capital. At the same time, the images by Martin U. Waltz breathe the atmosphere of the metropolis on the Spree as authentically as few others. The star photographer of the German street photography scene has always been close to the pulse of the city; knows where Berlin life meets; in which places and squares the soul of the city is best reflected. Yet it is not the city's tourist highlights that interest Martin U. Waltz. It is the streets and the faces of the "real" Berlin, the hidden architecture, the backyards, party basements and subcultures of the city. His images smell and taste of Berlin, and not (only) of the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and TV Tower. Berlin Unseen thus becomes a photographic smorgasbord of glances, gestures, situations that capture the soul of Berlin. The city is seen from its edges, and at the same time from its innermost - an unprecedented view of probably the most moving metropolis in the world. Text in English and German.

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Named by James Gunn as an influence for Gods and Monsters, the first chapter of the new DC Universe film and television slate! This story will be adapted as the upcoming film SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW. It s Supergirl like you ve never seen her before, in a character-defining sci-fi/fantasy masterpiece from Mister Miracle writer Tom King and Wonder Woman artist Bilquis Evely! Kara Zor-El has seen some epic adventures over the years, but she now finds her life without meaning or purpose. Here she is, a young woman who saw her planet destroyed and was sent to Earth to protect a baby cousin who ended up not needing her. What was it all for? Wherever she goes, people only see her through the lens of Superman s fame. Just when Supergirl thinks she s had enough, everything changes. An alien girl seeks her out for a vicious mission. Her world has been destroyed, and the bad guys responsible are still out there. She wants revenge, and if Supergirl doesn t help her, she ll do it herself, whatever the cost. Now a Kryptonian, a dog, and an angry, heartbroken child head out into space on a journey that will shake them to their very core. This volume collects Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1-8, the complete story. Finalist - 2023 Hugo Award, Best Graphic Story or Comic. One of NYPL's Best Books for Adults 2022.

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Saints, spiritual warriors, bodhisattvas, zaddikim - no matter how they are named in a given tradition, they all share a profound altruistic wish to free others from suffering. Saints are not beings of stained glass or carved stone. “Each of us can be a new saint,” says Lama Rod Owens. “In our pain, our trauma, and all our complexity, we all can - and must - awaken the virtue of our compassion for the benefit of our communities, our planet, and our own souls.” With The New Saints, Lama Rod shares a guidebook for becoming an effective agent of justice, peace, and change. Combining personal stories, spiritual teachings, and instructions for contemplative and somatic practices, he shares inspiring resources for self-exploration and wise action. Each chapter reinforces the truth of our interdependency - allowing us to be of service to the collective well-being, and to call on the support and strength of the countless souls who share our struggles and hopes. The status quo of our society is crumbling, and rightly so. But what future will emerge to replace it? Lama Rod says that the difference will be decided by us, if we have the willingness to let our hearts break open, disrupt systems of violence, and let goodness guide our actions instead of fear and hate. Here is a guide to become a warrior of kindness - a human refreshed, serving a vision of a world shaped by love.

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REACH FOR THE STARS and learn all about SPACE in this fact-packed new book from the bestselling creator of the FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN series! Mixing STEM topics with a sweet story of figuring out your place in the world, this is the perfect introduction to space for the next generation of space travellers, whoever they may be. Budding astronaut Luna Scope wants nothing more than to blast off into space and explore the cosmos, but how does she go from a cardboard rocket in her room to running experiments on the International Space Station? Enter Granny, who’s about to teach Luna just how to make her dream a reality. From discovering what shooting stars are really made of and learning how to complete a spacewalk, to rocket building lessons by Mary Jackson and space shuttle trips with Mae Jemison– Luna and her Granny take us on a crash course adventure into how to become a successful astronaut. Meeting incredible female space pioneers along the way, Granny takes Luna on a fact-filled space adventure showing her that ANYONE can be an astronaut if they dream big enough. In fact, just by standing on planet Earth, you’re already closer than you think... From Kate Pankhurst, award-winning creator of FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN, this is the first in a new series tackling popular non-fiction topics in fun new ways. Inspiring young readers to aim high, dream big and see that they too can reach for the stars!

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The Anarchist Roots of Geography sets the stage for a radical politics of possibility and freedom through a discussion of the insurrectionary geographies that suffuse our daily experiences. By embracing anarchist geographies as kaleidoscopic spatialities that allow for nonhierarchical connections between autonomous entities, Simon Springer configures a new political imagination.Experimentation in and through space is the story of humanity’s place on the planet, and the stasis and control that now supersede ongoing organizing experiments are an affront to our survival. Singular ontological modes that favor one particular way of doing things disavow geography by failing to understand the spatial as a mutable assemblage intimately bound to temporality. Even worse, such stagnant ideas often align to the parochial interests of an elite minority and thereby threaten to be our collective undoing. What is needed is the development of new relationships with our world and, crucially, with each other. By infusing our geographies with anarchism we unleash a spirit of rebellion that foregoes a politics of waiting for change to come at the behest of elected leaders and instead engages new possibilities of mutual aid through direct action now. We can no longer accept the decaying, archaic geographies of hierarchy that chain us to statism, capitalism, gender domination, racial oppression, and imperialism. We must reorient geographical thinking towards anarchist horizons of possibility. Geography must become beautiful, wherein the entirety of its embrace is aligned to emancipation.

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Discover what Little Whale gets up to and explore its world, in this fun and informative title from the Really Wild Families series. Little Whale has a small and loving pod but a much wider family in the big ocean, and can't wait to introduce you to all these friends. Little Whale explores the ocean all day with its mum, are you excited to swim along with them?Carmen Saldaña's charming illustrations will make this informative book a hit with children of all ages! This charming celebration of humpback whales will show children just how amazing nature is and is a reminder that it is up to us to care for the planet and all its creatures. Learn all about the gentle giant of the ocean, by exploring:- Their mesmerizing whale songs that can be heard for thousands of miles- The huge annual migrations they undertake - The relationships within their pods - The flips, jumps and tricks humpback whales perform This adorable story is followed by a fun factivity section packed with craft projects, case studies and a quiz section at the back of the book, so you can put everything you have learned about Little Whale and their family to the test. In the Really Wild Families series, based on the everyday adventures of wild animals, discover what the littlest members of the family get up to! Through their eyes we will explore their habitats, family dynamics and how they play, grow and survive as a family.

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A sweeping new account of the role of power in the evolution of all life on EarthPower has many dimensions, from individual attributes such as strength and speed to the collective advantages of groups. The Evolution of Power takes readers on a breathtaking journey across history and the natural world, revealing how the concept of power unifies a vast range of phenomena in the evolution of life—and how natural selection has placed humanity and the planet itself on a trajectory of ever-increasing power.Drawing on evidence from fossils, living organisms, and contemporary society, Geerat Vermeij documents increases in power at all scales, from body size, locomotor performance, and the use of force in competition to efficiency in production and consumption within ecosystems. He shows how power—which he defines as the rate at which organisms acquire and apply energy—is tied to the emergence of cooperation, and how the modern economy, which for the first time has established a monopoly over the biosphere by a single species, is a continuation of evolutionary trends stretching back to the dawn of life. Vermeij persuasively argues that we can find solutions to the many problems arising from this extreme concentration of power by broadening our exclusively human-centered perspective.A masterful work by one of today’s most innovative and forward-thinking naturalists, The Evolution of Power offers a new understanding of our place in the grand sweep of evolutionary history.

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A critical analysis of Karl Marx’s Capital, which is without question one of the most influential books to be published in the course of the past two centuries. Controversial in its politics, and arriving at conclusions that are passionately debated to this day, it is nonetheless a fine example of the creative combination of a philosophical method (the dialectic) with historical and economic information to produce a new interpretation of history. Capitalism, thought Marx, works by exploiting the working class. Their wages do not reflect the value of their labor. Marx concluded that capitalism would fail because of this contradiction at the heart of the capitalist system. He wrote Capital to give activists the theories and language they needed to criticize the system. But the work also outlines the new communist society that Marx hoped would rise in its place, and it helped to inspire the rise of states that largely shaped the modern history of our planet. Today, after a century of conflict, Marx’s analysis still offers valuable tools that help us analyze the modern world. Marx's belief that he had arrived at a scientific way of describing the present and predicting the future may not be shared by many of his modern interpreters. But his ability to connect things together in new ways is not in doubt – and nor is the influence of the new hypotheses that he generated as a result of so much careful analysis.

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A new coronavirus, most likely spilled over from an animal species, has plunged us into the third epidemic of this kind in the last twenty years, against which there were neither vaccines nor therapies.While we argue over the future of humanity, vulnerable to the ecological and environmental degradation that has enabled the pandemic, extraordinary technologies have been developed to combat infectious diseases. In just eleven months it was possible to develop, test and produce the vaccines that are gradually enabling us to escape the SARS-CoV-2 nightmare. In addition, with the legacy of the technologies developed against COVID-19, we will be able to overcome antimicrobial resistance—a slow but inexorable pandemic.As vaccinologists are churning out increasingly precise and effective solutions, vaccine acceptance seems to be receding. Outbreaks of preventable diseases have prompted the health authorities of several countries to make childhood vaccinations mandatory again. Much remains to be done, but a public capable of distinguishing authoritative voices from misleading ones will be able to enjoy the vaccines of tomorrow more widely. Vaccines in the Global Era is an easy-to-read book that can be read by virtually anyone who wants to learn about the importance, effectiveness and safety of vaccines in preventing infectious diseases.Vaccines are cheap, save countless lives, and are more effective than the best medicines. Let's try to make the best use of them for the health of the people and animals living together on this beautiful planet.

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As featured on ITV News and Radio 4's Today programme'This book could not come at a more appropriate moment . . . Matchless man: hugely important book' Joanna Lumley'A great champion of environmental activism . . . His extensive travels have given him many insights' Sir Ranulph Fiennes'This is a fabulous book . . . It's like pumping a mountain stream through your head' Sir Tim SmitA powerful polemic on the major threats facing the world today and how they can be overcome. Our world is facing catastrophes of many kinds, from the climate crisis to global outbreaks of deadly diseases. But could we look back at the collapse of previous civilisations to see what lessons might be learned?The explorer and campaigner Robin Hanbury-Tenison believes we urgently need to tackle the four harbingers of catastrophe:The White Horse of Pestilence and Pandemics – many remote tribal societies have lives that are healthier than ours – what can we learn from them?The Red Horse of War – can we avoid conflict through promoting prosperity and renewable energy for all?The Black Horse of Famine – is now the time to use technology we’ve had since World War II to influence the weather?The Pale Horse of Death – will geoengineering help to undo the appalling pollution we are inflicting on the planet, especially the oceans?The lessons of Taming The Four Horsemen are clear: if we humans are to survive we need to make transformative changes now.

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This cruising guide for ocean voyagers provides invaluable passage-planning information for tried and tested routes around the world. Climates and weather patterns, currents, seasons and timings are key to selecting routes, but just as important is knowing something about the countries that you will arrive in. Details of the expected formalities and regulations are followed by essential information on key landfalls, accompanied by the first-hand observations of well-known world sailors and authors Rod Heikell and Andy O’Grady. Text and plans have been updated for this third edition which is illustrated with a number of new photographs to inspire both dreamers and passagemakers. “I have recently been planning a voyage from Trinidad to New Zealand using Ocean Passages and Landfalls by Rod Heikell and Andy O'Grady. The book has been an exceptional resource. The mass of information on a wealth of subjects is excellent. The layout is beautifully put together and very accessible. The pilotage and chartlets will be invaluable. The book will certainly be travelling with me and I cannot recommend it highly enough to anybody who is planning ocean voyaging.” Theresa Kewell, S/Y Mr Blue ‘This is a ‘blue planet’ book. Its scope is awe-inspiring as it takes an overview of the globe as the yachtsman’s potential cruising ground… It is of course possible to glean all the macro information from scientific geophysical sources, but the personality and experience of the authors adds an indispensable ingredient.’

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Look around. Clearly, we humans are radically different from the other creatures on this planet. But why? Where are the Bronze Age beavers? The Iron Age iguanas? In Stories, Dice, and Rocks That Think, Byron Reese argues that we owe our special status to our ability to imagine the future and recall the past, escaping the perpetual present that all other living creatures are trapped in. Envisioning human history as the development of a societal superorganism he names Agora, Reese shows us how this escape enabled us to share knowledge on an unprecedented scale, and predict - and eventually master - the future. Thoughtful, witty, and compulsively readable, Reese unravels our history as an intelligent species in three acts: Act I: Ancient humans undergo “the awakening,” developing the cognitive ability to mentally time-travel using language Act II: In 17th century France, the mathematical framework known as 'probability theory' is born - a science for seeing into the future that we used to build the modern world Act III: Beginning with the invention of the computer chip, humanity creates machines to gaze into the future with even more precision, overcoming the limits of our brains A fresh new look at the history and destiny of humanity, readers will come away from Stories, Dice, and Rocks that Think with a new understanding of what they are—not just another animal, but a creature with a mastery of time itself.

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Murder for hire. Drug trafficking. Embezzlement. Money laundering... These might sound like plot lines of a thriller, but they are true stories from the short history of cryptocurrencies - digital currencies conceived by computer hackers and cryptographers that represent a completely new sort of financial transaction that could soon become mainstream. The most famous - or infamous - cryptocurrency is bitcoin. But look beyond its tarnished reputation and something much shinier emerges. The technology that underlies bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies - the blockchain - is hailed as the greatest advancement since the invention of the internet. It is now moving away from being the backbone for a digital currency and making inroads into other core concepts of society: identity, ownership and even the rule of law.The End of Money is your essential introduction to this transformative new technology that has governments, entrepreneurs and forward-thinking people from all walks of life sitting up and taking notice.ABOUT THE SERIESNew Scientist Instant Expert books are definitive and accessible entry points to the most important subjects in science; subjects that challenge, attract debate, invite controversy and engage the most enquiring minds. Designed for curious readers who want to know how things work and why, the Instant Expert series explores the topics that really matter and their impact on individuals, society, and the planet, translating the scientific complexities around us into language that's open to everyone, and putting new ideas and discoveries into perspective and context.

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'Joyous, wise, reassuring and laugh-out-loud funny. I love these two women so much.' Elizabeth Day'The two funniest women on planet earth right now.' Dolly Alderton'I want to be Fi and Jane when I grow up.' Clare Balding'A book like no other. Honest and very, very funny. Some bits made me want to cheer.' Sara Cox'If you loved the late, great Victoria Wood, then you'll love Fi and Jane too.' Red magazineAward-winning broadcasters Fi Glover and Jane Garvey don't claim to have all the answers (what was the question?), but in these hilarious and perceptive essays they take modern life by its elasticated waist and give it a brisk going over with a stiff brush.They riff together on the chuff of life, from pet deaths to broadcasting hierarchies, via the importance of hair dye, the perils and pleasures of judging other women, and the perplexing overconfidence of chino-wearing middle-aged white men named Roger. Did I Say That Out Loud? covers essential life skills (never buy an acrylic jumper, always decline the offer of a limoncello), ponders the prudence of orgasm merchandise and suggests the disconcerting possibility that Christmas is a hereditary disease, passed down the maternal line. At a time of constant uncertainty, what we all need is the wisdom of two women who haven't got a clue what's going on either.

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From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship.When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to support her friend and secret love interest, Leo. After all, she knows who she is already: avid photographer, injury-prone tree climber, best friend to Leo and Connie.When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.'A YA contemporary set at summer camp? Count us in.' - BuzzFeed'Heartfelt and engaging, You Have a Match is a masterclass on love in all its forms.' - Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated and Perfect on Paper

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NOW A MAJOR NEW TV SERIES: CAROL DRINKWATER'S SECRET PROVENCELife and love, olive groves and bee hives in Provence - further adventures in the bestselling Olive Farm series from the author of THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER'Drinkwater is a rare writer who tackles other people brilliantly...Vibrant, intoxicating and heart-warming' SUNDAY EXPRESS'She writes so well you can almost smell the sun-baked countryside' BELLAAfter sixteen months of travelling round the Mediterranean in search of the ancient secrets of the olive tree, Carol returns to her beloved olive farm in the south of France, to her husband Michel and his burgeoning family. However, the homecoming celebrations are overshadowed by disturbing discoveries.The plight of the honey bee has become an international crisis and Carol is faced with unsettling news about the hives on her own olive farm.While the multinational companies are pushing for 'bigger, better, bumper' crops, a small band of farmers and ecologists are calling for a halt to many of the modern farming malpractices that are endangering the planet. Carol is amongst them. But it puts her own farm, her idyll, under threat. At what point do you turn your back on all that you believe in and all that you have been fighting for?This is the story of how Carol and Michel struggle with some difficult choices, and how they decide to deal with the unavoidable disappointments and inevitable responsibilities that come with running an organic farm.

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A captivating all-action tale of otherworldly magic, death, destruction and a fight for survival by the Sunday Times bestselling author David Gemmell, perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, Duncan M. Hamilton and Nicholas Eames."Gemmell's great reading - the action never lets up. He's several rungs above the good - right into the fabulous!" -- ANNE MCCAFFREY"In my pantheon of literary greats, David Gemmell stands alone . . . he put me on the path I still walk today" -- CONN IGGULDEN"Gemmell has every right to take his place among the SF and fantasy greats." -- SFX"When it comes to heroic fantasy, few do it better than David Gemmell." -- TIME OUT"One of my most favourite books of all time" -- ***** Reader review"Gemmell at his finest" -- *****Reader review"Great fantasy, great story, great author" -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************The Great Bear will descend from the skies, and with his paw, lash at the ocean. He will devour all the works of Man. Then he will sleep for ten thousand years, and the breath of his sleep will be death.The prophecy had come true. The world spun. Tidal waves lashed the planet, and a new ice age dawned.The few survivors of a once great empire struggled to rebuild, to hold their ground against the rising barbarian tide.Then two moons appeared in the skies, unleashing a terrible evil that threatened not only the new empire, but the survival of the world itself.

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Dying planets, dangerous conspiracies, and secret romance abound in the second book of the Devoured Worlds trilogy by rising space opera star Megan E. O'Keefe.Naira and Tarquin have escaped vicious counter-revolutionaries, misprinted monsters and the pull of a dying planet. Now, bound together to find the truth behind the blight that has been killing habitable planets, they need to hunt out the Mercator family secrets. But, when the head of Mercator disappears, taking the universe's remaining supply of starship fuel with him, chaos breaks loose between the ruling families. Naira's revolution must be put aside for the sake of humanity's immediate survival.Praise for the series:'Character-driven science fiction at its best - a taut novel with human questions at its heart'E. J. Beaton, author of The Councillor'Smart, incisive and utterly gripping. Megan E. O'Keefe's masterful storytelling will draw you into a complex, brutal, yet hope-charged world, break your heart, and leave you begging for more'Rowenna Miller, author of Torn'A delightfully twisty space opera filled with unique worldbuilding and deft explorations of humanity, family and power. Add in a dash of rebellion and a hint of romance, and I'm hooked - I can't wait for the next book!'Jessie Mihalik, author of Hunt the Stars'This is space opera for the ages, wrapped in complicated and delicious layers of family and loyalty and science and love and duty. I couldn't put it down!Karen Osborne, author of Architects of Memory

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