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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Life sciences: general issues
The fastest growing realization everywhere is that humanity can't
go on the way it is going. Indeed, the great fear is we're entering
endgame where we appear to have lost the race between
self-destruction and self-discovery-the race to find the
psychologically relieving understanding of our `good and
evil'-afflicted human condition. Well, astonishing as it is, this
book by Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith presents the 11th hour
breakthrough biological explanation of the human condition
necessary for the psychological rehabilitation and transformation
of our species! The culmination of 40 years of studying and writing
about our species' psychosis, FREEDOM delivers nothing less than
the holy grail of insight we have needed to free ourselves from the
human condition. It is, in short, as Professor Harry Prosen, a
former president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, asserts
in his Introduction, "The book that saves the world!". Griffith has
been able to venture right to the bottom of the dark depths of what
it is to be human and return with the fully accountable, true
explanation of our seemingly imperfect lives. At long last we have
the redeeming and thus transforming understanding of human
behaviour! And with that explanation found all the other great
outstanding scientific mysteries about our existence are now also
able to be truthfully explained-of the meaning of our existence, of
the origin of our unconditionally selfless moral instincts, and of
why we humans became conscious when other animals haven't. Yes, the
full story of life on Earth can finally be told-and all of these
incredible breakthroughs and insights are presented here in this
`greatest of all books'.
A wildly fun and scientifically sound exploration of what alien
life must be like Scientists are confident that life exists
elsewhere in the universe. Yet rather than taking a realistic
approach to what aliens might be like, we imagine that life on
other planets is the stuff of science fiction. The time has come to
abandon our fantasies of space invaders and movie monsters and
place our expectations on solid scientific footing. Using his own
expert understanding of life on Earth and Darwin's theory of
evolution--which applies throughout the universe--Cambridge
zoologist Dr. Arik Kershenbaum explains what alien life must be
like: how these creatures will move, socialize, and communicate.
Might there be an alien planet with supersonic animals? A moon
where creatures have a language composed of smells? Will aliens
scream with fear, act honestly, or have technology? The Zoologist's
Guide to the Galaxy answers these questions using the latest
science to tell the story of how life really works, on Earth and in
space.
William LaFleur (1936-2010), an eminent scholar of Japanese
studies, left behind a substantial number of influential
publications, as well as several unpublished works. The most
significant of these examines debates concerning the practice of
organ transplantation in Japan and the United States, and is
published here for the first time. This provocative book challenges
the North American medical and bioethical consensus that considers
the transplantation of organs from brain dead donors as an
unalloyed good. It joins a growing chorus of voices that question
the assumption that brain death can be equated facilely with death.
It provides a deep investigation of debates in Japan, introducing
numerous Japanese bioethicists whose work has never been treated in
English. It also provides a history of similar debates in the
United States, problematizing the commonly held view that the
American public was quick and eager to accept the redefinition of
death. A work of intellectual and social history, this book also
directly engages with questions that grow ever more relevant as the
technologies we develop to extend life continue to advance. While
the benefits of these technologies are obvious, their costs are
often more difficult to articulate. Calling attention to the risks
associated with our current biotech trajectory, LaFleur stakes out
a highly original position that does not fall neatly onto either
side of contemporary US ideological divides.
The 12th edition of Introduction to Genetic Analysis takes this
cornerstone textbook to the next level. The hallmark focus on
genetic analysis, quantitative problem solving, and experimentation
continues in this new edition. The 12th edition also introduces
SaplingPlus, the best online resource to teach students the problem
solving skills they need to succeed in genetics. SaplingPlus
combines Sapling's acclaimed automatically graded online homework
with an extensive suite of engaging multimedia learning resources.
How did time begin? What conditions led to humans evolving on
Earth? Will we survive the Anthropocene? And is it really true that
we're all made from stars? Combining knowledge from chemistry,
biology, and physics, with insights from the social sciences and
humanities, A Brief History of the Last 13.8 Billion Years follows
the continuum of historical change in the cosmos - from the Big
Bang, through the evolution of life, to human history. In this
compelling and revealing book, David Baker traces the rise of
complexity in the cosmos, from the first atoms to the first life
and then to humans and the things we have made. He shows us how
simple clumps of hydrogen gas transformed into complex human
societies. This approach - Big History - allows us to see beyond
the chaos of human affairs to the overall trajectory. Finally,
Baker looks at the dramatic and sudden changes we're making to our
planet and its biosphere and how history hints at what might come
next.
Many people have written biographies of Charles Darwin, but the
story of his family and roots in Shrewsbury is little known. This
book, containing original research, fills that gap. The key player
is Charles' father, Dr Robert Darwin, a larger-than-life character
whose financial acumen enabled Charles to spend his whole life on
research unencumbered by money worries. Through Susannah, Charles'
mother, we are introduced to the Wedgwood family, whose history was
so closely interwoven with the Darwins. The stories of Charles'
five siblings are detailed, and there is a wealth of local
material, such as information on Shrewsbury School and its
illustrious headmaster, Samuel Butler. The book is fully
illustrated with contemporary and modern pictures, and will be of
interest to anyone wanting to discover more about the development
of Shrewsbury's most famous son.
With Genetics Essentials: Concepts and Connections, Ben Pierce
presents an approachable genetics text that focuses on major
genetic concepts and how they connect, giving students a foothold
in a complex subject. Similar in approach to Ben Pierce's popular
and acclaimed Genetics: A Conceptual Approach, this streamlined
text covers basic transmission, molecular, and population genetics
in just 18 chapters, helping students uncover major concepts of
genetics and make connections among those concepts as a way of
gaining a richer understanding of the essentials of genetics. The
new edition of Genetics Essentials is now supported in Achieve,
Macmillan's new online learning platform. The new 5th edition
continues this mission by expanding upon the powerful pedagogy and
tools that have made this title so successful. New question types,
more learning guidelines for students, and an updated art program
round out a powerful text, and improvements to the online resources
in our newest platform, Achieve, give students the conceptual and
problem solving understanding they need for success. Achieve is
Macmillan's new online learning platform that supports educators
and students throughout the full range of instruction, including
assets suitable for pre-class preparation, in-class active
learning, and post-class study and assessment. The pairing of a
powerful new platform with outstanding biology content provides an
unrivaled learning experience.
Ecology: The Economy of Nature teaches students the basic concepts
in ecology through an evolutionary perspective with an emphasis on
data analytic skill building, and new in class activities designed
to improve student engagement. Available for the first time with
Macmillan's new online learning tool, Achieve, Ecology: The Economy
of Nature takes students through all of the key concepts of an
ecology course. It challenges them along the way with questions
that encourage critical thinking, whether about chapter concepts,
quantitative tools, or figures. Achieve for Ecology: The Economy of
Nature connects the interactive features and real-world examples in
the book to rich digital resources that foster further
understanding and application of ecology. Assets in Achieve support
learning before, during, and after class for students, while
providing instructors with class performance analytics in an
easy-to-use interface.
A completely up-to-date introduction to the most common group of
bees in Britain. Bees, for most people, mean honey or bumble bees,
but in fact these social species make up only a small proportion of
the species that live in Britain. Open your eyes to the so-called
‘solitary’ bees, and discover a wonderfully diverse population
– miners, leafcutters, carpenters and masons – many of which
can be found in your own back garden. Solitary bees come in a
variety of colours and sizes, with some as large as bumblebees and
some only a few millimetres long, and many are key pollinators for
our crops and wildflowers. This comprehensive book will tell the
story of how these bees live, reproduce and thrive: discover the
numerous strategies used by male bees to find females and persuade
them to mate; follow the females as they build their nests – or
in the case of ‘cuckoo’ species, sneak into the nests of their
neighbours – and watch as the new generation appears. Explore the
interactions between flowering plants and their bee visitors,
asking what the plants get from the relationship, as well as how
the bees select the plants they visit, and the ingenuity required
to extract pollen, nectar and other rewards. Finally, learn places
where bees flourish and what can be done to encourage them and
ensure they continue to pollinate our flowers and crops. Drawing on
all the latest research as well as the authors’ own observations
in the field, this timely New Naturalist gives a wonderful insight
into the complicated lives of solitary bees, and the complexity of
the behaviour and ecology of this remarkable group of insects.
The brain is an absolute marvel-the seat of our consciousness, the
pinnacle (so far) of evolutionary progress, and the engine of human
experience. But it's also messy, fallible, and about 50,000 years
out of date. We cling to superstitions, remember faces but not
names, miss things sitting right in front of us, and lie awake at
night while our brains endlessly replay our greatest fears. Idiot
Brain is for anyone who has ever wondered why their brain appears
to be sabotaging their life-and what on earth it is really up to. A
Library Journal Science Bestseller and a Finalist for the Goodreads
Choice Award in Science & Technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every human being on the planet
and forced us all to reflect on the bioethical issues it raises. In
this timely book, Gregory Pence examines a number of relevant
issues, including the fair allocation of scarce medical resources,
immunity passports, tradeoffs between protecting senior citizens
and allowing children to flourish, discrimination against
minorities and the disabled, and the myriad issues raised by
vaccines. KEY FEATURES A thorough overview of the many ethical
issues connected with the COVID-19 pandemic. Engages with empirical
data and the real-world practical problems that bear on pandemic
response. Informed by foundational ideas in ethics as well as the
latest in bioethics scholarship. Examines COVID-19 in the context
of other historical pandemics. A portion of the revenue from this
book's sales will be donated to Doctors Without Borders to assist
the humanitarian work of nurses, doctors, and other health care
providers in the fight against COVID-19 and beyond.
Wetlands are vital for human survival. They are among the world's
most productive environments as they are cradles of biological
diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which
countless species of plants and animals depend for survival.
Wetlands provide habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and
terrestrial plants and animals as well as a number of societal
benefits such as food and habitat for fish and wildlife, water
quality improvement, flood storage, shoreline erosion control,
economically beneficial natural products for human use, and
opportunities for recreation, education, and research. According to
the Federal Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wetlands,
more than one-third of the United States' threatened and endangered
species live only in wetlands, and nearly half use wetlands at some
point in their lives. This book offers a comprehensive look at the
importance of wetland conservation, its challenges, and future
aspects. The book highlights the challenges of wetland conservation
and current scenarios of existing wetlands; the importance of the
inland wetland and its conservation is particularly highlighted as
it is critical and very important in the current existing wetland
scenario. This book is critical for industries, academics, research
scholars, and environmental consultants who are practicing wetland
management.
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