Search results for ""Author Frank Ryan""

In this enchanting work of scientific exploration, acclaimed science author Frank Ryan explains how metamorphosis - the intricate trick of nature by which caterpillars transform into butterflies - reveals secrets that are shaking the scientific world. Ryan brings to life the work of pioneering naturalists who have traced metamorphosis in myriad species, from amphibians to marine creatures, even human puberty, to rewrite some of our longest-held beliefs about evolution. Lyrical and provocative, The Mystery of Metamorphosis offers a new understanding of some of the most ancient miracles of the nature.

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Develop rock-solid willpower with evidence-based techniques Willpower For Dummies shows you how to train, strengthen, and improve your willpower in seven easy steps! Written by a clinical psychologist and cognitive therapist, the book proves that willpower can be learned like any other skill, and provides tons of practical exercises and strategies you can start using today. You'll learn how willpower works inside the brain, and how choosing goals and identifying challenges can affect your success. The book stresses the importance of patience, rewards and being kind to yourself, and walks you through the techniques that will keep you on the right track, even on your worst days. The mind works in two different ways: the long view and the short view. Controlling which aspect wins out is the key to willpower. Willpower For Dummies breaks this complex science down into easily digestible bits, written in plain English with a dash of humour. You'll find scientifically robust guidance toward strengthening your willpower just like a muscle, and expert advice on training your brain to work with you instead of against you. Discover the most important factors in building self-discipline Learn how to set goals and how to train your willpower Practice simple willpower-strengthening exercises Employ coping strategies for when you're about to break Whether you're trying to lose weight, quit smoking or just work harder, rest assured that you can do it—regardless of past failures and false starts. Willpower is not a trait, but a skill. Everyone can learn it, and everyone can make it stronger. Willpower For Dummies walks you through the process, teaching you the skills you need for lasting success.

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An innovative new approach to addiction treatment that pairs cognitive behavioural therapy with cognitive neuroscience, to directly target the core mechanisms of addiction. Offers a focus on addiction that is lacking in existing cognitive therapy accounts Utilizes various approaches, including mindfulness, 12-step facilitation, cognitive bias modification, motivational enhancement and goal-setting and, to combat common road blocks on the road to addiction recovery Uses neuroscientific findings to explain how willpower becomes compromised-and how it can be effectively utilized in the clinical arena

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The extraordinary role of viruses in evolution and how this is revolutionising biology and medicine. Darwin's theory of evolution is still the greatest breakthrough in biological science. His explanation of the role of natural selection in driving the evolution of life on earth depended on steady variation of living things over time – but he was unable to explain how this variation occurred. In the 150 years since publication of the Origin of Species, we have discovered three main sources for this variation – mutation, hybridisation and epigenetics. Then on Sunday, 12th February, 2001 the evidence for perhaps the most extraordinary cause of variation was simultaneously released by two organisations – the code for the entire human genome. Not only was the human genome unbelievably simple (it is only ten times more complicated than a bacteria), but embedded in the code were large fragments that were derived from viruses – fragments that were vital to evolution of all organisms and the evidence for a fourth and vital source of variation – viruses. Virolution is the product of Dr Frank Ryan's decade of research at the frontiers of this new science – now called viral symbiosis – and the amazing revolution that it has had in these few years. As scientists begin to look for evidence of viral involvement in more and more processes, they have discovered that they are vital in nearly every case. And with this understanding comes the possibility of manipulating the role of the viruses to help fight a huge range of diseases.

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The human genome is indeed a mysterious world, but, as this fascinating book shows, its vital secrets are now being uncovered. The latest studiesare revealing exciting new discoveries, such as how the DNA and related chemical compounds in our cells work together to direct the processes of life. Scientists are not only unraveling how life evolved in the ancient past, but are also finding the keys to creating a healthier future. How does the minuscule chemical cluster in each of our 100 trillion cells accomplish the amazing feat of creating and maintaining our bodies? Frank Ryan, a physician and an evolutionary biologist, describes the complex ways in which the genome operates as a holistic system and not solely through genes coding for proteins-the building blocks of life. Also involved are elaborate switching mechanisms that regulate and control portions of our DNA, as well as the interplay of retroviruses and bacteria. This groundbreaking book explains thatwe are on the cusp of an amazing era of disease treatment and eradication.

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A virologist’s insight into how viruses evolve and why global epidemics are inevitable In 1993 a previously healthy young man was drowning in the middle of a desert, in fluids produced by his own lungs. This was the beginning of the terrifying Sin Nombre hantavirus epidemic and the start of a scientific journey that would forever change our understanding of what it means to be human. After witnessing the Sin Nombre outbreak, Dr Frank Ryan began researching viral evolution and was astonished to discover that it’s inextricable from the evolution of all life on Earth. From AIDS and Ebola to the common cold, Ryan explores the role of the virus within every ecosystem on the planet. His gripping conclusions shed new light on the natural world, proving that what doesn’t kill you really does make you (and your species) stronger.

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A fascinating and long overdue examination of viruses - from what they are and what they do, to the vital role they have played in human history. What are viruses? Do they rely on genes, like all other forms of life? Do they follow the same patterns of evolution as plants and animals? Dr. Frank Ryan answers these questions and many more in a sweeping tour of illnesses caused by viruses. He examines the common cold, measles, chicken pox, herpes, mumps, and rubella, as well as less familiar maladies, such as rabies, "breakbone fever," hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola, and virus-induced cancers. Along the way, readers will learn about the behaviors of viruses and what drives them to infect a human host. Ryan explains the role of viruses in the evolution of life, revealing how viruses have changed us at the most intimate level, helping to make us quintessentially human.

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