Author of the best-selling book "The Elements" Theodore Gray demonstrates essential scientific principles through thrilling daredevil experiments.
"What a magnificent book. It's gorgeous, playful, and draws you in." Adam Savage, cohost of "Mythbusters"
"Theodore Gray has attained a level of near superhuman geekery that the rest of us can only mutely admire." Cecil Adams, ""The" "Straight Dope""
"Gray's encyclopedic knowledge and contagious enthusiasm transport us to deep intellectual realms while never sacrificing a sense of wonder and, above all, fun." Oliver Sacks, author of "Awakenings," "Musicophilia," and "Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood"
In "Mad Science," Theodore Gray launches a toy rocket using the energy released from an Oreo cookie, ignites a phosphorus sun by suspending half a gram of white phosphorus in a globe filled with pure oxygen and creates a homemade hot tub by adding 500 pounds of quicklime to water. These are just a few of the 54 experiments included in this astonishing book that demonstrates essential scientific principles in ways you were likely never exposed to in school.
Every experiment in "Mad Science" is accompanied by full-color photographs that provide a front-row seat to rarely seen chemical reactions and glorious subatomic activity. To further enhance the hands-on experience, Gray includes step-by-step instructions for nearly every experiment. Following all of the safety guidelines, readers can even re-create some of the experiments in the book.
"Mad Science" is the perfect book for anyone fascinated by all things chemical, electrical, or explosive, and who loves a vicarious thrill.

"

Develop and manage chemical information systems
This text provides a comprehensive overview of analyzing chemical problems using computer-aided methods for both newcomers and advanced computer scientists and chemists. In addition to practical how-to information and step-by-step descriptions, this resource includes case studies from Merck & Co., Inc., to further aid your understanding.
This guide covers a wide range of cheminformatics topics, including:
* Software development principles
* Object-oriented approach
* Building and buying
* Agile and Iterative Development Process
* UML Modeling
* Deployment and Software Architecture
* Presentation, Business, and Data Persistence Layer
* Producing an entity dictionary
* Chemistry Intelligence API
* Plug and play--integrating with third-party tools
Written by a former lead architect on the design of said systems at Merck & Co., Inc., this text not only lays out information, but also shares the author's experiences and advice on cheminformatics.

DIATOM MICROSCOPY The main goal of the book is to demonstrate the wide variety of microscopy methods being used to investigate natural and altered diatom structures. This book on Diatom Microscopy gives an introduction to the wide panoply of microscopy methods being used to investigate diatom structure and biology, marking considerable advances in recent technology including optical, fluorescence, confocal and electron microscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopy as applied to diatoms. Each chapter includes a tutorial on a microscopy technique and reviews its applications in diatom nanotechnology and diatom research. The number of diatomists, diatom research, and their publications are increasing rapidly. Although many books have dealt with various aspects of diatom biotechnology, nanotechnology, and morphology, to our knowledge, no volume exists that summarizes advanced microscopic approaches to diatoms. Audience The intended audience is academic and industry researchers as well as graduate students working on diatoms and diatom nanotechnology, including biosensors, biomedical engineering, solar panels, batteries, drug delivery, insect control, and biofuels.

This book offers a beginner's guide to using light microscopes. It begins with a brief introduction to the physics of optics, which will give the reader a basic grasp of the behaviors of light. In turn, each part of the microscope is explained using clear and simple English, together withdetailed photographs and diagrams. The reader will learn the function, care and correct use of each part. A troubleshooting section also helps resolve some of the most common issues encountered in light microscopy. Most people have a general idea of how to use a microscope, but many never get the full benefit, because they receive no training. With easy-to-follow steps and detailed images, this guide will help everyone achieve the best results, and be confident using their microscope. This book is intended for anyone using a light microscope, such as university students, people in lab environments, hobbyists, educators who teach science to young children, and anyone with a general interest in these valuable tools.

"I want to get at the blown glass of the early cloud chambers and the oozing noodles of wet nuclear emulsion; to the resounding crack of a high-voltage spark arcing across a high-tension chamber and leaving the lab stinking of ozone; to the silent, darkened room, with row after row of scanners sliding trackballs across projected bubble-chamber images. Pictures and pulses--I want to know where they came from, how pictures and counts got to be the bottom-line data of physics." (from the preface)
"Image and Logic" is the most detailed engagement to date with the impact of modern technology on what it means to "do" physics and to be a physicist. At the beginning of this century, physics was usually done by a lone researcher who put together experimental apparatus on a benchtop. Now experiments frequently are larger than a city block, and experimental physicists live very different lives: programming computers, working with industry, coordinating vast teams of scientists and engineers, and playing politics.
Peter L. Galison probes the material culture of experimental microphysics to reveal how the ever-increasing scale and complexity of apparatus have distanced physicists from the very science that drew them into experimenting, and have fragmented microphysics into different technical traditions much as apparatus have fragmented atoms to get at the fundamental building blocks of matter. At the same time, the necessity for teamwork in operating multimillion-dollar machines has created dynamic "trading zones," where instrument makers, theorists, and experimentalists meet, share knowledge, and coordinate the extraordinarily diverse pieces of the culture of modern microphysics: work, machines, evidence, and argument.

In addition to the issues constituting the basis of microbial biotechnology, such as microorganisms culturing or their use in industry and environmental protection, the book includes modern analytical techniques known as "omics", as well as digital techniques used to record adverse changes in the environment those resulting from the harmful activity of bacteria and fungi. A color atlas (Chapter 8) with photos of the fungi discussed in each chapter was also included. The book was prepared with the use of many years of scientific and didactic experience of the authors who conduct classes in various fields and specializations of natural sciences. This resulted in the interdisciplinary nature of the publication. It will be useful not only for PhD students and students of biotechnology and microbiology, but also environmental protection, ecological biotechnology, urban revitalization, as well as all those interested in applying the latest achievements of these areas of science in practice.

Micro-organisms play a major role in the geochemistry of the planet, forming the basic stage in the food chain, and thus sustaining the existence of higher evolutionary life. The continuing interaction between these living organisms and the environment, combined with their exploitation by man are shaping the material world today. Over the last few years our understanding has increased considerably due to the development of new technology and the emergence of new paradigms which have enabled the microbiologist to view the microbial world, and its significance to life, with new eyes. Combining the basics of science with the most up-to-date new material, and incorporating high quality photographs and graphics, this book is valuable as both a textbook and reference guide for students and professionals.

A good working knowledge of statistical principles is needed for both the design and analysis of biological experiments and the subsequent handling of the large amounts of data generated if worthwhile, reliable conclusions are to be reached.

Practical Statistics for Experimental Biologists, Second Edition provides biologists with a user-friendly, non-technical introduction to the basics of statistics. The book has been thoroughly revised and updated to incorporate:

• Worked examples and printouts from MINITAB
• Relevant case studies and applications
• Further Notes section for background explanations

Review of the First Edition

"...strongly recommended as the current first choice both for students and established research workers." Society for General Microbiology Quarterly

"...the book is refreshingly free from jargon, is well illustrated and is to be recommended." Trends in Biochemical Sciences

"It is written in an easy style, and can be thoroughly recommended..." Trends in Pharmacological Sciences

We may learn from our mistakes, but Deborah Mayo argues that, where experimental knowledge is concerned, we haven't begun to learn enough. "Error and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge" launches a vigorous critique of the subjective Bayesian view of statistical inference, and proposes Mayo's own error-statistical approach as a more robust framework for the epistemology of experiment. Mayo genuinely addresses the needs of researchers who work with statistical analysis, and simultaneously engages the basic philosophical problems of objectivity and rationality.
Mayo has long argued for an account of learning from error that goes far beyond detecting logical inconsistencies. In this book, she presents her complete program for how we learn about the world by being "shrewd inquisitors of error, white gloves off." Her tough, practical approach will be important to philosophers, historians, and sociologists of science, and will be welcomed by researchers in the physical, biological, and social sciences whose work depends upon statistical analysis.

The design and analysis of experiments is typically taught as part of a second level course in statistics. Many different types and levels of students will require this information in order to progress with their studies and research. This text is thus offered as an introduction to this wide ranging and important subject. It has the advantage of explaining in an accessible way the basic principles behind good experimental thinking, planning and action. The authors have used their experience in teaching related courses to separate out what seem to be the essential basic contents for everyone, and to combine with these some of the most useful additional topics in biological, industrial, medical, and environmental experimentation.

This manual covers the latest laboratory techniques, state-of-the-art instrumentation, laboratory safety, and quality assurance and quality control requirements. In addition to complete coverage of laboratory techniques, it also provides an introduction to the inorganic nonmetallic constituents in environmental samples, their chemistry, and their control by regulations and standards.
Environmental Sampling and Analysis Laboratory Manual is perfect for college and graduate students learning laboratory practices, as well as consultants and regulators who make evaluations and quality control decisions. Anyone performing laboratory procedures in an environmental lab will appreciate this unique and valuable text.

This text provides the veterinary practitioner with an explanation of the meaning of laboratory results (biochemical, haematological and urinary) in the diagnosis of disorders in small animals. It enables veterinary surgeons in small animal practice to interpret the results of those laboratory tests that are commonly performed in order to arrive at a diagnosis or prognosis. Research has shown that this is one skill in which many veterinarians believe themselves to be deficient and would welcolm guidance; this volume explains the possible meanings of the values that could be obtained. The book covers the areas of haematology, plasma/serum biochemistry and urinalysis. Advice is given on the influence of drugs, sample collection and handling, how to check the accuracy of results, how to assess the reliability of a laboratory and the additional tests that would be indicated to confirm a diagnosis together with normal reference ranges and conversion ranges.

This updated edition provides an introduction to computational physics in order to perform physics experiments on the computer. Computers can be used for a wide variety of scientific tasks, from the simple manipulation of data to simulations of real-world events. This book is designed to provide the reader with a grounding in scientific programming. It contains many examples and exercises developed in the context of physics problems. The new edition now uses C++ as the primary language. The book covers topics such as interpolation, integration, and the numerical solutions to both ordinary and partial differential equations. It discusses simple ideas, such as linear interpolation and root finding through bisection, to more advanced concepts in order to solve complex differential equations. It also contains a chapter on high performance computing which provides an introduction to parallel programming. Features Includes some advanced material as well as the customary introductory topics Uses a comprehensive C++ library and several C++ sample programs ready to use and build into a library of scientific programs Features problem-solving aspects to show how problems are approached and to demonstrate the methods of constructing models and solutions

A popular book in its first edition, The Food Chemistry Laboratory: A Manual for Experimental Foods, Dietetics, and Food Scientists, Second Edition continues to provide students with practical knowledge of the fundamentals of designing, executing, and reporting the results of a research project. Presenting experiments that can be completed, in many cases, without requiring extensive student laboratory facilities, the authors include new exercises in the areas of physical properties, lipids, proteins, and gelatin. Also new in this edition are a brief introduction to each laboratory exercise and a listing of materials needed, approximate time needed for completion, and possible complications and/or pitfalls.

Tested and refined for over 20 years, and performed by thousands of students, experiments are presented within 12 planned laboratory sessions. This flexible format allows you to create your own laboratory sessions by choosing the number and order of sessions and experiments to be performed. In addition to the well-tested experiments, The Food Chemistry Laboratory, Second Edition provides students with information on accessing food chemistry literature, research proposal preparation, preparing oral and written technical reports, and an evaluation score sheet. Guidelines for preparing laboratory notebooks are also included and a handy appendix allows rapid access to directions for setting up a difference testing experiment.

A publication of the French Society of Microscopies, Large-Angle Convergent-Beam Electron Diffraction Applications to Crystal Defects is devoted to an important aspect of electron diffraction. Convergent-beam diffraction is capable of furnishing remarkably accurate crystallographic information. In this book, the author goes well beyond a simple presentation of the method. The description of convergent-beam electron diffraction and especially of LACBED is preceded by several preparatory chapters, in which the principles of diffraction and the nature of electron-matter interactions are clearly set out. An entire chapter is concerned with instrumentation. Another on the interpretation of diffraction patterns enables the reader to master all stages in the process. The book ends with a long chapter in which numerous applications concerned with the characterization of crystal defects are examined and analyzed.

This text is a compilation of practical information on the analysis of mineral type materials and products by the fused, cast bead method. It discusses the necessary equipment and its use; the processes involved in loss of ignition and decomposition by fusion and their chemistry. The book is also concerned with spectrometric parameters and the analytical procedures for a wide range of materials which, together with tables in the appendices, aim to allow easy reference to the parameters to be adopted to follow a defined procedure for most types of sample. The overall aim of the work is to help towards standardizing procedures, equipment and software, which should help to reduce costs and make for a better inter-laboratory comparison of results.

This new fourth edition of the standard text on atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) retains previous material on the fundamentals of electron optics and aberration correction, linear imaging theory (including wave aberrations to fifth order) with partial coherence, and multiple-scattering theory. Also preserved are updated earlier sections on practical methods, with detailed step-by-step accounts of the procedures needed to obtain the highest quality images of atoms and molecules using a modern TEM or STEM electron microscope. Applications sections have been updated - these include the semiconductor industry, superconductor research, solid state chemistry and nanoscience, and metallurgy, mineralogy, condensed matter physics, materials science and material on cryo-electron microscopy for structural biology. New or expanded sections have been added on electron holography, aberration correction, field-emission guns, imaging filters, super-resolution methods, Ptychography, Ronchigrams, tomography, image quantification and simulation, radiation damage, the measurement of electron-optical parameters, and detectors (CCD cameras, Image plates and direct-injection solid state detectors). The theory of Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and Z-contrast are treated comprehensively. Chapters are devoted to associated techniques, such as energy-loss spectroscopy, Alchemi, nanodiffraction, environmental TEM, twisty beams for magnetic imaging, and cathodoluminescence. Sources of software for image interpretation and electron-optical design are given.

Designed to stimulate curiosity & insight, & to clearly connect lecture & laboratory concepts & techniques, this volume contains experiements that maximise a discovery-orientated approach & minimize personal hazards & ecological impact. Use of chromates, barium, lead, mercury & nickel salts has been avoided.

This book contains all the necessary information and advice for anyone wishing to obtain electron micrographs showing the most accurate ultrastructural detail in thin sections of any type of biological specimen. The guidelines for the choice of preparative methods are based on an extensive survey of current laboratory practice. For the first time, in a textbook of this kind, the molecular events occurring during fixation and embedding are analysed in detail. The reasons for choosing particular specimen preparation methods are explained and guidance is given on how to modify established techniques to suit individual requirements. All the practical methods advocated are clearly described, with accompanying tables and the results obtainable are illustrated with many electron micrographs. Portland Press Series: Practical Methods in Electron Microscopy, Volume 17, Audrey M. Glauert, Editor Originally published in 1999. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

The scanning tunneling microscope and the atomic force microscope, both capable of imaging and manipulating individual atoms, were crowned with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986, and are the cornerstones of nanotechnology today. The first edition of this book has nurtured numerous beginners and experts since 1993. The second edition is a thoroughly updated version of this 'bible' in the field. The second edition includes a number of new developments in the field. Non-contact atomic-force microscopy has demonstrated true atomic resolution. It enables direct observation and mapping of individual chemical bonds. A new chapter about the underlying physics, atomic forces, is added. The chapter on atomic force microscopy is substantially expanded. Spin-polarized STM has enabled the observation of local magnetic phenomena down to atomic scale. A pedagogical presentation of the basic concepts is included. Inelastic scanning tunneling microscopy has shown the capability of studying vibrational modes of individual molecules. The underlying theory and new instrumentation are added. For biological research, to increase the speed of scanning to observe life phenomena in real time is a key. Advances in this direction are presented as well. The capability of STM to manipulate individual atoms is one of the cornerstones of nanotechnology. The theoretical basis and in particular the relation between tunneling and interaction energy are thoroughly presented, together with experimental facts.

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Physics brings together cutting-edge writing by more than twenty leading authorities on the history of physics from the seventeenth century to the present day. By presenting a wide diversity of studies in a single volume, it provides authoritative introductions to scholarly contributions that have tended to be dispersed in journals and books not easily accessible to the general reader. While the core thread remains the theories and experimental practices of physics, the Handbook contains chapters on other dimensions that have their place in any rounded history. These include the role of lecturing and textbooks in the communication of knowledge, the contribution of instrument-makers and instrument-making companies in providing for the needs of both research and lecture demonstrations, and the growing importance of the many interfaces between academic physics, industry, and the military.

A revealing and provocative look at the current state of global science We take the advance of science as given. But how does science really work? Is it truly as healthy as we tend to think? How does the system itself shape what scientists do? The Secret Life of Science takes a clear-eyed and provocative look at the current state of global science, shedding light on a cutthroat and tightly tensioned enterprise that even scientists themselves often don't fully understand. The Secret Life of Science is a dispatch from the front lines of modern science. It paints a startling picture of a complex scientific ecosystem that has become the most competitive free-market environment on the planet. It reveals how big this ecosystem really is, what motivates its participants, and who reaps the rewards. Are there too few scientists in the world or too many? Are some fields expanding at the expense of others? What science is shared or published, and who determines what the public gets to hear about? What is the future of science? Answering these and other questions, this controversial book explains why globalization is not necessarily good for science, nor is the continued growth in the number of scientists. It portrays a scientific community engaged in a race for limited resources that determines whether careers are lost or won, whose research visions become the mainstream, and whose vested interests end up in control. The Secret Life of Science explains why this hypercompetitive environment is stifling the diversity of research and the resiliency of science itself, and why new ideas are needed to ensure that the scientific enterprise remains healthy and vibrant.

Most lab manuals assume a high level of knowledge among biochemistry students, as well as a large amount of experience combining knowledge from separate scientific disciplines. Biochemistry in the Lab: A Manual for Undergraduates expects little more than basic chemistry. It explains procedures clearly, as well as giving a clear explanation of the theoretical reason for those steps. Key Features: Presents a comprehensive approach to modern biochemistry laboratory teaching, together with a complete experimental experience Includes chemical biology as its foundation, teaching readers experimental methods specific to the field Provides instructor experiments that are easy to prepare and execute, at comparatively low cost Supersedes existing, older texts with information that is adjusted to modern experimental biochemistry Is written by an expert in the field This textbook presents a foundational approach to modern biochemistry laboratory teaching together with a complete experimental experience, from protein purification and characterization to advanced analytical techniques. It has modules to help instructors present the techniques used in a time critical manner, as well as several modules to study protein chemistry, including gel techniques, enzymology, crystal growth, unfolding studies, and fluorescence. It proceeds from the simplest and most important techniques to the most difficult and specialized ones. It offers instructors experiments that are easy to prepare and execute, at comparatively low cost.

This concise introductory guide explains the values that should inform the responsible conduct of scientific research in today's global setting. Featuring accessible discussions and ample real-world scenarios, Doing Global Science covers proper conduct, fraud and bias, the researcher's responsibilities to society, communication with the public, and much more. The book places special emphasis on the international and highly networked environment in which modern research is done, presenting science as an enterprise that is being transformed by globalization, interdisciplinary research projects, team science, and information technologies. Accessibly written by an InterAcademy Partnership committee comprised of leading scientists from around the world, Doing Global Science is required reading for students, practitioners, and anyone concerned about the responsible conduct of science today. * Provides practical guidance and instructions for doing scientific research in today's global setting * Covers everything from responsible conduct to communication with the public * Features numerous real-world scenarios drawn from an array of disciplines and national contexts * Focuses on issues commonly encountered in international collaborations * Written by a panel of leading experts from around the world * An essential guide for practicing scientists and anyone concerned about fostering research integrity

Succeed in biology with LABORATORY MANUAL FOR NON-MAJORS BIOLOGY! Through hands-on lab experience, this biology laboratory manual reinforces biology concepts to help you get a better grade. Exercises, pre-lab questions, and post-lab questions enhance your understanding and make lab assignments easy to complete and easy to comprehend.