Scientific endeavor begins with asking questions about the nature of the world around us and gathering data, but this work cannot be complete without effectively communicating the conclusions and data found. "Communicating Rocks: Writing, Speaking, and Thinking about Geology "not only makes the case for balancing science with writing and speaking, but makes the case that one cannot have the former without the latter. Instruction concerning the rules and styles of writing and speaking are addressed in relation to technical concerns specific to the Earth sciences, illustrating the importance of effective communication in geologic investigations. The book includes guidance on how to write an effective research paper, and the creation of PowerPoints, posters, a thesis, funding proposals, and more is covered in detail.

A user's manual for understanding why we do the things we do, "Living With Our Genes" is the first comprehensive investigation of the crucial link between DNA and behavior.

Nowhere is the nature-nurture controversy being more arduously tested than in the labs of world-renowned molecular geneticist Dean Hamer, whose cutting-edge discoveries of specific genes linked to behavioral traits -- such as anxiety, thrill-seeking, and homosexuality -- prove without a doubt that we are in large part hardwired to behave the way we do. Hamer is one of a small group of researchers mapping the human personality, and his findings help, in part, to explain why one brother becomes a Wall Street trader while his sibling remains content as a librarian; why some people like to bungee-jump while others play Scrabble.

"Living With Our Genes" helps readers understand their particular genetic makeup and decipher the mysteries of genetically inherited behavioral traits. Hamer shows that much of our behavior -- how much we eat, weigh, drink, use drugs, and have sex -- is heavily influenced by genes. He also sheds light on some of the most compelling and vexing aspects of personality, such as shyness, aggression, depression, and intelligence.

In the tradition of Listening to Prozac, this is a wonderfully anecdote-filled book that explains how we arrive at the idea of self in an ever-changing scientific landscape.

Finding the News tells Peter Copeland's fast-paced story of becoming a distinguished journalist. Starting in Chicago as a night police reporter, Copeland went on to work as a war correspondent in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa before covering national politics in Washington, DC, where he rose to be bureau chief of the E. W. Scripps Company. The lessons he learned about accuracy and fairness during his long career are especially relevant today, given widespread concerns about the performance of the media, potential bias, and the proliferation of so-called ""fake news."" He offers an honest and revealing narrative, told with surprising humor, about how he learned the craft of news reporting. Copeland's story begins in 1980, when a colleague hastily declared him a full-fledged reporter after barely four days of training. He went on to learn the business the old-fashioned way: by chasing the news in thirty countries and across five continents. As a young person entering journalism and reporting during some of recent history's most fraught military situations, including Operation Desert Storm and the US invasions of Panama and Somalia, Copeland discovered the craft was his calling. Looking back on his career, Copeland asserts his most important lessons were not about reporting, writing, or the latest technologies, but about the core values that underlie quality journalism: accuracy, fairness, and speed. Replete with behind-the-scenes stories about learning the trade, Copeland's inspiring account builds into a heartfelt defense of journalism ""done the right way"" and serves as a call to action for today's reporters. The values he learned as a cub reporter are needed now more than ever, he argues, as the integrity and motives of even seasoned journalists are called into question by political partisans. Copeland admits that those critics are not entirely wrong but contends that exciting new technologies, combined with a return to old-school news values, could usher in a golden age of journalism.

Vivid scenes from the life of Shoshone teenager who played an important role during the Lewis and Clark expedition and the exploration of the great American Northwest (1805-06). Includes realistically rendered images of her abduction as a child by enemy tribesmen, life as a captive, and marriage to a French trader; her invaluable service during the expedition as an interpreter, food gatherer, and link with native tribes along the route; and her eventual return to the land of her childhood. Informative captions. 29 black-and-white illustrations.