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Books > Science & Mathematics > Science: general issues > Popular science
Learn about the Big Bang theory, astrophysics and gravity in The
Physics Book.
An overview of the processes that drive social cohesion. The text offers a quick guide to Complex Systems, and how communication technologies have shaped the cohesion of society.
From the wooden teeth of George Washington to the Bly prosthesis, popular in the 1860s and boasting easy uniform motions of the limb, to today's lifelike approximations, prosthetic devices reveal the extent to which the evolution and design of technologies of the body are intertwined with both the practical and subjective needs of human beings. The peculiar history of prosthetic devices sheds light on the relationship between technological change and the civilizing process of modernity, and analyzes the concrete materials of prosthetics which carry with them ideologies of body, ideals, body politics, and culture. Simultaneously critiquing, historicizing, and theorizing prosthetics, Artificial Parts, Practical Lives lays out a balanced and complex picture of its subject, neither vilifying nor celebrating the merger of flesh and machine.
"Animals in Translation" is the culmination of Temple Grandin's extraordinary life's work, drawing upon the latest research, her distinguished career as an animal scientist and her own experience of being autistic. With co-author Catherine Johnson, Grandin argues that while 'normal people' convert experience into words and abstractions, animals and autistics process the world as sensory information - specific pictures, sights and sounds. This difference is the key to understanding how animals see, think and feel. As much a revelation about life with autism as it is about life with animals, "Animals in Translation" explores pain, fear, aggression, love, friendship, communication and learning in a startling book that will change the way you think about animals.
* PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY * The compelling and moving memoir of forensic psychiatrist Dr Duncan Harding
This book aims to popularize physics by emphasizing conceptual ideas of physics and their interconnections, while avoiding mathematics entirely. The approach is to explore intriguing topics by asking and discussing questions, thereby the reader can participate in developing answers, which enables a deeper understanding than is achievable with memorization.The topic of this volume, 'Colors, light and Optical Illusions', is chosen because we face colors and light every waking minute of our lives, and we experience optical illusions much more often than we realize.This book will attract all those with a curious mind about nature and with a desire to understand how nature works, especially the younger generation of secondary-school children and their teachers.
Today we all take for granted the many technological marvels that
have sprung from quantum physics without ever appreciating the
radical paradigm shift that led to these discoveries. The story of
the physicists who made the quantum leaps that have so altered our
world is a provocative and intriguing one. And there is no better
person to describe the history of this quantum revolution in terms
that everyone can understand than award-winning physicist and
science writer Barry Parker.
Learn to: * Master maths with more than 2,000 practice questions * Add, subtract, multiply and divide with confidence * Work with decimals, fractions and percentages * Size up weights and measures Fun, friendly coaching and all the practice you need to tackle maths problems with confidence and ease In his popular Basic Maths For Dummies, professional maths tutor Colin Beveridge proved that he could turn anyone even the most maths-phobic person into a natural-born number cruncher. In this book he supplies more of his unique brand of maths-made-easy coaching, plus 2,000 practice problems to help you master what you learn. Whether you're prepping for a numeracy test or an employability exam, thinking of returning to school, or you'd just like to be one of those know-it-alls who says, 'Oh, that's easy!' about any maths problem that comes your way, this book is for you. *Master basic arithmetic, fast in no time, solving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems will seem as easy as tying your shoes *Face down fractions you'll never again feel shy around fractions, decimals, percentages and ratios *Juggle weights and measures like a pro whether it's a question of how much it weighs, how long (or far) it is, or how much it costs, you'll never be at a loss for an answer *Make shapes your playthings circles, squares, triangles and rectangles you'll measure them, draw them and manipulate them with ease Open the book and find: *2,000 pencil-and-paper practice problems * The keys to mastering addition, subtraction, multiplication and division * The lowdown on fractions, decimals and percentages * Basic geometry made easy * How to handle weights, measures and money problems * How to read charts, tables and graphs at a glance
Darwin takes a look at the life of this incredible man, from his birth, his ground-breaking publications and far-flung travels, Darwinism and his theories on evolution, all the way to his final days. Over 160 stunning images and illustrations are included within Darwin, ranging from personal diary entries (such as those he made when deciding whether to marry or not), letters and handwritten notes, as well as sketches from Darwin's famous works. Revealing the famous scientist's life in compelling detail, Darwin covers not only his scientific career and On the Origin of Species but his personal struggles also, allowing us to see what truly made the man.
What on earth do bananas have to do with quantum mechanics? From a modern perspective, quantum mechanics is about strangely counterintuitive correlations between separated systems, which can be exploited in feats like quantum teleportation, unbreakable cryptographic schemes, and computers with enormously enhanced computing power. Schro?dinger coined the term "entanglement" to describe these bizarre correlations. Bananaworld - an imaginary island with "entangled" bananas - brings to life the fascinating discoveries of the new field of quantum information without the mathematical machinery of quantum mechanics. The connection with quantum correlations is fully explained in sections written for the non-physicist reader with a serious interest in understanding the mysteries of the quantum world. The result is a subversive but entertaining book that is accessible and interesting to a wide range of readers, with the novel thesis that quantum mechanics is about the structure of information. What we have discovered is that the possibilities for representing, manipulating, and communicating information are very different than we thought.
In this sweeping book, applied mathematician and popular author David Orrell questions the promises and pitfalls of associating beauty with truth, showing how ideas of mathematical elegance have inspired-and have sometimes misled-scientists attempting to understand nature. Orrell shows how the ancient Greeks constructed a concept of the world based on musical harmony; later thinkers replaced this model with a program, based on Newton's "rational mechanics," to reduce the universe to a few simple equations. He then turns to current physical theories, such as supersymmetric string theory-again influenced by deep aesthetic principles. The book sheds new light on historical investigations and also recent research, including the examinations ongoing at the Large Hadron Collider. Finally, broadening his discussion to other fields of research, including economics, architecture, and health, Orrell questions whether these aesthetic principles reflect an accurate way to explain and understand the structure of our world.
Provides an overview of the complex history of the interaction of science and religion. Can science and religious belief co-exist? Many people - including many practicing scientists - insist that one can simultaneously follow the principles of the scientific method and believe in a particular spiritual tradition. But throughout history there have been people for whom science challenges the very validity of religious belief. Whether called atheists, agnostics, skeptics, or infidels, these individuals use the naturalism of modern science to deny the existence of any supernatural power. This book chronicles, in a balanced and accessible way, the long history of the battle between adherents of religious doctrines and the nonbelievers who adhere to the naturalism of modern science. Science and Nonbelief provides a nontechnical introduction to the leading questions that concern science and religion today: what place does evolution hold in the arguments of nonbelievers?; what does modern physics tell us about the place of humanity in the natural world?; how do modern neurosciences challenge traditional beliefs about mind and matter?; what can scientific research about religion tell us and psychics? The volume also addresses the political context of debates over science and nonbelief, and questions about the nature of morality. It includes a selection of provocative primary source documents that illustrate the complexity and varieties of nonbelief. Part of the Greenwood Guides to Science and Religion series, this book includes a discussion of scientific attitudes to pseudo-science and the paranormal. A primary source section illustrates views on the relationship between science and belief. It adopts a balanced approach to the questions raised.
"Inspiring and informative...deserves to be widely read." -Wall Street Journal "This fun book offers a philosophical take on number systems and revels in the beauty of math." -Science News Because we have ten fingers, grouping by ten seems natural, but twelve would be better for divisibility, and eight is well suited to repeated halving. Grouping by two, as in binary code, has turned out to have its own remarkable advantages. Paul Lockhart presents arithmetic not as rote manipulation of numbers-a practical if mundane branch of knowledge best suited for filling out tax forms-but as a fascinating, sometimes surprising intellectual craft that arises from our desire to add, divide, and multiply important things. Passionate and entertaining, Arithmetic invites us to experience the beauty of mathematics through the eyes of a beguiling teacher. "A nuanced understanding of working with numbers, gently connecting procedures that we once learned by rote with intuitions long since muddled by education... Lockhart presents arithmetic as a pleasurable pastime, and describes it as a craft like knitting." -Jonathon Keats, New Scientist "What are numbers, how did they arise, why did our ancestors invent them, and how did they represent them? They are, after all, one of humankind's most brilliant inventions, arguably having greater impact on our lives than the wheel. Lockhart recounts their fascinating story... A wonderful book." -Keith Devlin, author of Finding Fibonacci
From the 1950s to the digital age, Americans have pushed their childrento live science-minded lives, cementing scientific discovery and youthfulcuriosity as inseparable ideals. In this multifaceted work, historian RebeccaOnion examines the rise of informal children's science education in thetwentieth century, from the proliferation of home chemistry sets after WorldWar I to the century-long boom in child-centred science museums. Onionlooks at how the United States has increasingly focused its energies over thelast century into producing young scientists outside of the classroom. Sheshows that although Americans profess to believe that success in the sciencesis synonymous with good citizenship, this idea is deeply complicated inan era when scientific data is hotly contested and many Americans have aconflicted view of science itself. These contradictions, Onion explains, can be understood by examiningconnections between the histories of popular science and the developmentof ideas about American childhood. She shows how the idealised concept of"science" has moved through the public consciousness and how the drive tomake child scientists has deeply influenced American culture.
AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY COLLOQUIUM PUBLICATIONS VOLUME XXXI FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND SEMI-GROUPS BY EINAR HILLE PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS YALE UNIVERSITY PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY 531 WEST 116iH STREET, NEW YORK CITY 1948 To KIRSTI And each man hears as the twilight nears, to the beat of his dying hearty The Devil drum on the darkened pane You did it, but was it Art FOREWORD The analytical theory of semi-groups is a recent addition to the ever-growing list of mathematical disciplines. It was my good fortune to take an early interest in this disci pline and to see it reach maturity. It has been a pleasant association I hail a semi-group when I see one and I seem to see them every where Friends have observed, however, that there are mathematical objects which are not semi-groups. The present book is an elaboration of my Colloquium Lectures delivered before the American Mathematical Society at its August, 1944 meeting at Wellesley College. I wish to thank the Society and its officers for their invitation to present and publish these lectures. The book is divided into three parts plus an appendix. My desire to give a practically self-contained presentation of the theory required the inclusion of an elaborate introduc tion to modern functional analysis with special emphasis on function theory in Banach spaces and algebras. This occupies Part One of the book and the Appendix these portions can be read separately from the rest and may be used as a text in a course on operator theory. It is possible to cover most of the material in these six chapters in two terms. The analytical theory of one-parameter semi-groups occupies Part Two while Part Three deals with theapplications to analysis. The latter include such varied topics as trigonometric series and integrals, summability, fractional integration, stochastic theory, and the problem of Cauchy for partial differential equations. In the general theory the reader will also find an alternate approach to ergodic theory. All semi-groups studied in this treatise are referred to a normed topology semi-groups without topology figure in a few places but no details are given. The task of developing an adequate theory of trans formation semi-groups operating in partially ordered spaces is left to more competent hands. The literature has been covered rather incompletely owing to recent war conditions and to the wide range of topics touched upon, which have made it exceedingly difficult to give the proper credits. This investigation has been supported by grants from the American Philosophical Society and from Yale University which are gratefully acknowledged. On the personal side, it is a great pleasure to express my gratitude to the many friends who have aided me in pre paring this book. J. D. Tamarkin, who read and criticized my early work in the field and who vigorously urged its inclusion in the Colloquium Series is beyond the reach of my grati tude. I am deeply indebted to Nelson Dunford and to Max Zorn who have contributed extensively to the book, the former chiefly to Chapters II, III, V, VIII, IX, and XIV, the latter to Chapters IV, VII, and XXII. Both have given me generously of their time and special experience. Various portions of the manuscript have been critically examined and amended by Warren Ambrose, E. G. Begle, H. Cramdr, J. L. Doob, W. Feller, N. Jacobson, D. S. Miller, II. Pollard, C.E. Rickart, and I. E. Segal. To all helpers, named and un named, I extend my warmest thanks. EINAK HILLE New Haven, Conn., December, 1946 CONVENTIONS Each Part of the book starts with a Summary, each Chapter with an Orientation. The chapters are divided into sections and the sections, except orientations, are grouped into paragraphs. Cross references are normally to sections, rarely to paragraphs. Section 3.10 is the tenth section of Chapter III it belongs to 2 which is referred to as 3.2 when necessary...
This book explains - in simple terms and with almost no mathematics - the physics behind recent and glamorous discoveries in Cosmology, Quantum Mechanics, Elementary Particles (e.g. Higgs bosons) and Complexity Theory. En route it delves into the historical landmarks and revolutions that brought about our current understanding of the universe. The book is written mainly for those with little scientific background, both college students and lay readers alike, who are curious about the world of modern physics. Unsolved problems are highlighted and the philosophical implications of the sometimes astounding modern discoveries are discussed. Along the way the reader gains an insight into the mindset and methodology of a physicist.
**A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022** 'Powerful... a clarion call for change', New Statesman 'Poetic and philosophical at times, intimate and expansive at others', Daily Telegraph How much light is too much light? The Darkness Manifesto urges us to cherish natural darkness for the sake of the environment, our own wellbeing, and all life on earth. The world's flora and fauna have evolved to operate in the natural cycle of day and night. But constant illumination has made light pollution a major issue. From space, our planet glows brightly, 24/7. By extending our day, we have forced out the inhabitants of the night and disrupted the circadian rhythms necessary to sustain all living things. Our cities' streetlamps and neon signs are altering entire ecosystems. Johan Ekloef encourages us to appreciate natural darkness and its unique benefits. He also writes passionately about the domino effect of damage we inflict by keeping the lights on: insects failing to reproduce; birds blinded and bewildered; bats starving as they wait in vain for insects that only come out in the dark. And humans can find that our hormones, weight and mental well-being are all impacted. Eye-opening and ultimately encouraging, The Darkness Manifesto offers simple steps that can benefit ourselves and the planet. The light bulb - long the symbol of progress - needs to be turned off. To ensure a bright future, we must embrace the darkness
The Internet Revolution in the Sciences and Humanities takes a new look at C.P. Snow's distinction between the two cultures, a distinction that provides the driving force for a book that contends that the Internet revolution has sown the seeds for transformative changes in both the sciences and the humanities. It is because of this common situation that the humanities can learn from the sciences, as well as the sciences from the humanities, in matters central to both: generating, evaluating, and communicating knowledge on the Internet. In a succession of chapters, the authors deal with the state of the art in web-based journal articles and books, web sites, peer review, and post-publication review. In the final chapter, they address the obstacles the academy and scientific organizations face in taking full advantage of the Internet: outmoded tenure and promotion procedures, the cost of open access, and restrictive patent and copyright law. They also argue that overcoming these obstacles does not require revolutionary institutional change. In their view, change must be incremental, making use of the powers and prerogatives scientific and academic organizations already have.
The Inside Out of Flies is a look under the bonnet at the astonishing mechanics of fly anatomy. Erica McAlister reveals the engineering miracles embodied in numerous species of fly and some of the fascinating implications they hold for human technology. Discover the physics of the mysterious 'scuba diving fly', marvel at the venomous horse fly larvae which prey on frogs, and glimpse the golden ratio in these creatures' spiral flight patterns. McAlister touches on the emerging field of biomimetics - the study of evolutionary adaptations to devise new technology - and anticipates everything from medical needles based on the mosquito's proboscis to hearing aids inspired by Ormia ochracea, a tiny fly with ears on its thorax. At every juncture she uncovers unique and surprising science lessons encapsulated in the form and function of the humble fly.
Right now, you are orbiting a black hole. The Earth orbits the Sun, and the Sun orbits the centre of the Milky Way: a supermassive black hole, the strangest and most misunderstood phenomenon in the galaxy. In A Brief History of Black Holes, the award-winning University of Oxford researcher Dr Becky Smethurst charts five hundred years of scientific breakthroughs in astronomy and astrophysics. She takes us from the earliest observations of the universe and the collapse of massive stars, to the iconic first photographs of a black hole and her own published findings. A cosmic tale of discovery, Becky explains why black holes aren't really 'black', that you never ever want to be 'spaghettified', how black holes are more like sofa cushions than hoovers and why, beyond the event horizon, the future is a direction in space rather than in time. Told with humour and wisdom, this captivating book describes the secrets behind the most profound questions about our universe, all hidden inside black holes. 'A jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop-culture references' - BBC Sky At Night Magazine
New York Times bestseller Journey into the universe through the most spectacular sights in astronomy in stereoscopic 3D Welcome to the Universe in 3D takes you on a grand tour of the observable universe, guiding you through the most spectacular sights in the cosmos-in breathtaking 3D. Presenting a rich array of stereoscopic color images, which can be viewed in 3D using a special stereo viewer that folds easily out of the cover of the book, this book reveals your cosmic environment as you have never seen it before. Astronomy is the story of how humankind's perception of the two-dimensional dome of the sky evolved into a far deeper comprehension of an expanding three-dimensional cosmos. This book invites you to take part in this story by exploring the universe in depth, as revealed by cutting-edge astronomical research and observations. You will journey from the Moon through the solar system, out to exoplanets, distant nebulas, and galaxy clusters, until you finally reach the cosmic microwave background radiation (or CMB), the most distant light we can observe. The distances to these celestial wonders range from 1.3 light-seconds to 13.8 billion light-years. Along the way, the authors explain the fascinating features of what you are seeing, including how the 3D images were made using the same technique that early astronomers devised to measure distances to objects in space. The dramatic 3D images in this one-of-a-kind book will astonish you, extending your vision out to the farthest reaches of the universe. You will never look up into the night sky the same way again.
In its first English-language edition, this book introduces the many-faceted interactions of animal populations with their habitats. From soil fauna, ants and termites to small and large herbivores, burrowing mammals and birds, the author presents a comprehensive analysis of animals and ecosystems that is as broad and varied as all nature. Chapter 2 addresses the functional role of animals in landscape ecosystems, emphasizing fluxes of energy and matter within and between ecosystems, and the effects of animals on qualitative and structural habitat change. Discussion includes chapters on the role of animal population density and the impacts of native herbivores on vegetation and habitats from the tropics to the polar regions. Cyclic mass outbreaks of species such as the larch bud moth in Switzerland, the mountain pine beetle and the African red-billed weaver bird are described and analyzed. Other chapters discuss Zoochory - the dispersal of seeds by ants, mammals and birds - and the influence of burrowing animals on soil development and geomorphology. Consideration extends to the impact of feral domestic animals. Chapter 5 focuses on problems resulting from introduction of alien animals and from re-introduction of animal species to their original habitats, discusses the effects on ecosystems of burrowing, digging and trampling by animals. The author also addresses keystone species such as kangaroo rats, termites and beavers. Chapter 6 addresses the role of animals in landscape management and nature conservation, with chapters on the impact of newcomer species such as animals introduced into Australia, New Zealand and Europe, and the consequences of reintroduction of species to original habitat. It also discusses the carrying capacity of natural habit, public attitudes toward conversation and more. The final section ponders the effects of climate on interactions between animals and their habitats.
This book pursues a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach in order to analyze the relationship between water and food security. It demonstrates that most of the world's economies lack sufficient water resources to secure their populations' food requirements and are thus virtual importers of water. One of the most inspiring cases, which this book is rooted in, is Italy: the third largest net virtual water importer on earth. The book also shows that the sustainability of water depends on the extent to which societies recognize and take into account its value and contribution to agricultural production. Due to the large volumes of water required for food production, water and food security are in fact inextricably linked. Contributions from leading international experts and scholars in the field use the concepts of virtual water and water footprints to explain this relationship, with an eye to the empirical examples of wine, tomato and pasta production in Italy. This book provides a valuable resource for all researchers, professionals, policymakers and everyone else interested in water and food security.
First Snow White encounters one of the Little People, then one of the Even Smaller People, and finally one of the Truly Infinitesimal People. And no matter how diligently she searches, the only dwarves she can find are collapsed stars! Clearly, she's not at home in her well-known Brothers Grimm fairy tale, but instead in a strange new landscape that features quantum behavior, the wavelike properties of particles, and the Uncertainty Principle. She (and we) must have entered, in short, one of the worlds created by Robert Gilmore, physicist and fabulist.
For those who have always wanted to discover the joy of physics,
this is the book that they've been waiting for. |
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