This work is a unique introductory A-Z resource detailing the scientific achievements of the contemporary world and analyzing the key scientific trends, discoveries, and personalities of the modern age. Space exploration. Cloning. The Internet. In the past, such modern scientific marvels would have been dismissed as the wildest excesses of science fiction. Yet the age in which humans discovered DNA-the blueprint of all life on earth-has also seen the development of terrifying weapons capable of destroying all such life, as well as a heightened public consciousness about science and technology. An authoritative reference survey of the modern age of scientific discovery, Science in the Contemporary World is a scholarly yet accessible chronicle of scientific achievement from the discovery of penicillin to the latest developments in space exploration and cloning. Over 200 A-Z entries cover the full spectrum of contemporary science, with emphasis on its diverse nature.

The computer is the great technological and scientific innovation of the last half of the twentieth century. It has revolutionized how we organize information, how we communicate with each other, and even the way that we think about the human mind. Computers have eased the drudgery of such tasks as calculating sums and clerical work, making them both more bearable and more efficient. The computer has become ubiquitous in many aspects of business, recreation, and everyday life, and the trend is that they are becoming both more powerful and easier to use. Computers: The Life Story of a Technology provides an accessible overview of this ever changing technology history, giving students and lay readers an understanding of the complete scope of its history from ancient times to the present day. In addition to providing a concise biography of how this technology developed, this book provides insights into how the computer has changed our lives: * Demonstrates how, just as the invention of the steam engine in the 1700s stimulated scientists to think of the laws of nature in terms of machines, the success of the computer in the late 1900s prompted scientists to think of the basic laws of the universe as being similar to the operation of a computer. * Provides a worldwide examination of computing, and how such needs as security and defense during the Cold War drove the development of computing technology. * Shows how the computer has entered almost every aspect of daily life in the 21st century The volume includes a glossary of terms, a timeline of important events, and a selected bibliography of useful resources for further information.

This book, aimed at general readers, covers the entirety of computing history from antiquity to the present, placing the story of computing into the broader context of politics, economics, society, and more. Computers dominate the world we live in, and this book describes how we got here. The Computer: A Brief History of the Machine That Changed the World covers topics from early efforts at mathematical computation back in ancient times, such as the abacus and the Antikythera device, through Babbage's Difference Engine and the Hollerith Tabulating Machines of the 19th century, to the eventual invention of the modern computer during World War II and its aftermath. The scope of the text reaches into the modern day, with chapters on social media and the influence of computers and technology on recent elections. The information in this book, perfect for readers new to the topic or those looking to delve into the history of computers in greater detail, can be accessed both chronologically and topically. With chapters focusing on larger time periods as well as shorter subsections covering specific people and topics, this book is designed to make the history of computing as approachable as possible. Includes 10 chapters covering topics from antiquity to the present day Tells the stories of those who made computing happen as well as specific inventions Prioritizes the contextualization of scientific information in order to make it more accessible to readers interested in politics, economics, sociology, and more Offers a glimpse into how computing will continue to progress and what that progress might look like in the future

A great technological and scientific innovation of the last half of the twentieth century, the computer has revolutionized how we organize information, how we communicate with each other, and even the way we think about the human mind. Computers have eased the drudgery of such tasks as calculating sums and clerical work, making them both more bearable and more efficient, whatever the occasional frustration they carry with them. The computer has become a standard fixture in our culture, a necessity for many aspects of business, recreation, and everyday life. In this book, Eric G. Swedin and David L. Ferro offer an accessible short history of this dynamic technology, covering its central themes from ancient times to the present day.

The prevalence of science fiction readership among those who create and program computers is so well-known that it has become a cliche, but the phenomenon has remained largely unexplored by scholars. What role has science fiction played in the actual development of computers and computing? Given the decline in students entering scientific, engineering and mathematical disciplines in the United States, this is a particularly important question within the realm of computer science. The 18 chapters in this critical work explore the importance of science fiction as a body of literature that has, through various means, facilitated the invention and use of computers, and continues to do so.

James Barash is a psychiatrist with a unique ability to place copies of himself into other people with just a touch. This makes him an unusually effective therapist. Over the centuries Barash has lived within the bodies of many men and women, yet he does not know his own origins. A sensitive person who has seen too much misery, he suppresses his memories of the past in order to fully live only in present, trying to do as much good as he can. When he meets another person with similar abilities, but who is completely malevolent, Barash is forced to flee and learn who he really is--only to find that the past may not be what it seems. Another riveting SF adventure by the author of Anasazi Exile and When Angels Wept

The time: 1945. The place: Germany during the final days of the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. When Major John Carter and Sergeant Carson Napier discover a barracks at the Dachau concentration camp full of young, beautiful women being prepared as pagan sacrifices to the Norse god Odin, they embark upon a quest to defeat the German "priest" who's determined to reverse the course of the war--even at this late date. The key is finding Valhalla, the near-mythical green valley in the Arctic where Yggdrasil, the world tree, emerges from the hollow Earth; its fruit, when consumed, is said to grant the eater his greatest wish. With the help of an Irish women, Aoife, an enigmatic "occult science officer," and several others, Carter pursues the Nazi SS officer to the frozen North, where the final battle must take place. Can the forces of evil be overcome? A rousing science fiction novel in the old style

Archeology wasn't supposed to get him killed. For two decades, Harry Deacon had served as a skilled and loyal soldier, and it'd cost him his marriage and many dead friends. His new career of digging for artifacts and esoteric knowledge seems safe enough--until he finds an Anasazi tomb in Chaco Canyon that shouldn't be there. Only hours after Harry emails news of his discovery to a fellow archeologist at a conference in Scotland, his colleague and her students are murdered--and Harry and his assistant are attacked by two hired killers. Harry must turn to his old skills as his life becomes a frenzied struggle for survival when more assassins close in. Who was buried in the tomb and where did he come from? What was in the strange container housed in the coffin? As Harry begins to solve the mystery of Chaco Canyon, he learns an astonishing secret: the history of our planet is NOT what we've been taught A grand science fiction suspense novel.

In 1961 at the Bay of Pigs, CIA-trained and -organized Cuban exiles aiming to overthrow Fidel Castro were soundly defeated. Most were taken prisoner by Cuban armed forces. Fearing another U.S. invasion of its new ally, the Soviet Union sneaked into Cuba strategic missiles tipped with nuclear warheads and Soviet troops armed with tactical nuclear weapons. However, a U-2 spy plane flight would soon find the Soviet missile sites, thus sparking the famous missile crisis. For thirteen terrifying days, the world watched nervously as the two superpowers moved toward escalation, holding the world’s fate in their hands. Finally, Nikita Khrushchev blinked. He agreed to withdraw the weapons from Cuba in return for John F. Kennedy’s pledge not to invade the island. But what if it had not turned out this way? What if the U-2 flight had been delayed? If the confrontation had set off a nuclear war, what would have happened to the United States and Soviet Union in 1962? What kind of account would a historian have written in a world scarred by nuclear war? Eric G. Swedin draws on research made available after the Soviet Union’s collapse to examine what could have happened. Top U.S. military officers all urged stronger action against Cuba than the naval blockade, including a bombing campaign and even a full-scale invasion. Unknown to the Americans, meanwhile, the Soviet Union had tactical nuclear weapons in Cuba and were prepared to use them. The 1962 crisis had many possible outcomes. Positing an alternate history helps us better appreciate the dangers of that tense time. Such counterfactual speculation shows what the Cuban missile crisis could have wrought and how it was truly one of the most important moments of the twentieth century.