A LIVELY EXPLORATION OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS IN SCIENCE How Did the Universe Begin? The Big Bang has been the accepted theory for decades, but does it explain everything? How Did Life on Earth Get Started? What triggered the cell division that started the evolutionary chain? Did life come from outer space, buried in a chunk of rock? What is Gravity? Newton's apple just got the arguments started, Einstein made things more complicated. Just how does gravity fit in with quantum theory? What Is the Inside of the Earth Like? What exactly is happening beneath our feet, and can we learn enough to help predict earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? How Do We Learn Language? Is language acquisition an inborn biological ability, or does every child have to start from scratch? Is There a Missing Link? The story of human evolution is not complete. In addition to hoaxes such as "Piltdown Man" and extraordinary finds such as "Lucy," many puzzles remain. What, in the end, do we mean by a "missing link"?
A Gripping Account Of A Physicist Whose Speculations Could Prove As Revolutionary As Those Of Albert Einstein... It Can Be Consulted As A Clear And Authoritative Guide Through Three Decades Of Hawking S Central Contributions To Cosmology. - Bernard Dixon In The New Statesman & Society Excellent... From The Opening Pages, Which Relate The Occasion When Shirley Maclaine Sought An Audience With Her Hero In A Cambridge Restaurant, To The Final Chapter On Hollywood, Fame And Fortune , The Book Is Well-Nigh Unputdownable... [It] Ought To Be Read Alongside A Brief History Of Time As A Kind Of Explanatory Supplement. - Heather Cooper In The Times Educational Supplement Fascinating... What Makes This Book So Rewarding Is The Way That The Authors Have Blended Their Account Of Hawking S Science With That Of His Life, Giving A Picture Of A Remarkable Scientist As A Remarkable Person. - Tony Osman In The Spectator It S Compulsive Reading, Maybe Because Hawking Towers Above It All, A Complex And Fascinating Character Who Remains Strangely Elusive: Boyish Yet Indomitable, Stubborn Yet Charming, A Private Man Revelling In Fame. - Clare Francis In The Sunday Express [Their Book] Conveys How Scientific Research Is Not Just A Dry Intellectual Pursuit But An Adventure Full Of Joy, Despair And Humour, And Fraught With The Sort Of Inter-Personal Problems And Rivalries Which Mark All Human Endeavours. - Bernard Carr In The Independent On Sunday Few Scientists Become Legends In Their Own Lifetime. Stephen Hawking Is One. It Is Good To Have This Well-Documented And Immensely Readable Biography To Remind Us That The Media-Hyped Mute Genius In The Wheelchair Is In Fact A Sensitive, Humorous, Ambitious And Occasionally Wilful Human Being. - Paul Davies In The Times Higher Education Supplement
“Lakes is my favorite kind of natural history: meticulously researched, timely, comprehensive, and written with imagination and verve.”—Jerry Dennis, author of The Living Great Lakes Lakes might be the most misunderstood bodies of water on earth. And while they may seem commonplace, without lakes our world would never be the same. In this revealing look at these lifegiving treasures, John Richard Saylor shows us just how deep our connection to still waters run. Lakes is an illuminating tour through the most fascinating lakes around the world. Whether it’s Lake Vostok, located more than two miles beneath the surface of Antarctica, whose water was last exposed to the atmosphere perhaps a million years ago; Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, the world’s deepest and oldest lake formed by a rift in the earth’s crust; or Lake Nyos, the so-called Killer Lake that exploded in 1986, resulting in hundreds of deaths, Saylor reveals to us the wonder that exists in lakes found throughout the world. Along the way we learn all the many forms that lakes take—how they come to be and how they feed and support ecosystems—and what happens when lakes vanish.
Here is an intimate glimpse of the greatest scientist of our day, the brilliant physicist confined to a wheelchair whose "A Brief History of Time" has become the first worldwide scientific bestseller of the century. The story of Stephen Hawking's relentless quest for the secret of the origins of the universe will change forever the way you look at the stars . . . and your place among them.
Masters of Time chronicles the sudden unraveling of modern cosmology from its heyday in the early 1980s, when the ultimate secret of the origin of the universe seemed all but in hand, to the confused scientific picture of the 1990s. By following each major theory from its origins to the point at which it is overtaken by contradictory or nonexistent evidence, Boslough offers the clearest explanation ever offered of what we know and still do not know about the origin and structure of the universe.
Stephen Hawking is no ordinary scientist. Perhaps more than any other scientist, he has broadened our basic understanding of the universe. His theoretical work on black holes and the origins and nature of the cosmos have been groundbreaking—if not downright revolutionary. He has also spent much of his adult life confined to a wheelchair, a victim of ALS. But his physical limitations have done nothing to confine him intellectually or hinder his scientific development. Hawking would already be remarkable for his cutting-edge work in theoretical physics alone. However, he has also managed to popularize science unlike any one else. Today, he is a household name and achieved almost cult-like fame with the release of A Brief History of Time. Although this book is steeped in the complexities of cosmology, millions of people were eager to learn just some of what he had to offer. Science writers White and Gribbin have painted a compelling portrait of a scientific mind that seemingly knows no bounds. Weaving together clear explanations of Hawking’s science with a detailed, balanced, and sensitive personal history, we come to know and appreciate both sides of this incredible man. Includes new updates in Hawking's biography and the recent discovery of the Higgs-Boson (or "God") particle.
In vivid biographical sketches, the author chronicles the lives and accomplishments of the world's most influential figures in science--chosen in consultation with members of the New York Academy of Sciences. Photos.
An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics, 2nd Edition, describes the rapidly developing field of near-surface geophysics. The book covers a range of applications including mineral, hydrocarbon and groundwater exploration, and emphasises the use of geophysics in civil engineering and in environmental investigations. Following on from the international popularity of the first edition, this new, revised, and much expanded edition contains additional case histories, and descriptions of geophysical techniques not previously included in such textbooks. The level of mathematics and physics is deliberately kept to a minimum but is described qualitatively within the text. Relevant mathematical expressions are separated into boxes to supplement the text. The book is profusely illustrated with many figures, photographs and line drawings, many never previously published. Key source literature is provided in an extensive reference section; a list of web addresses for key organisations is also given in an appendix as a valuable additional resource. Covers new techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Sounding, Controlled- Source EM, shear-wave seismic refraction, and airborne gravity and EM techniques Now includes radioactivity surveying and more discussions of down-hole geophysical methods; hydrographic and Sub-Bottom Profiling surveying; and UneXploded Ordnance detection Expanded to include more forensic, archaeological, glaciological, agricultural and bio-geophysical applications Includes more information on physio-chemical properties of geological, engineering and environmental materials Takes a fully global approach Companion website with additional resources available at www.wiley.com/go/reynolds/introduction2e Accessible core textbook for undergraduates as well as an ideal reference for industry professionals The second edition is ideal for students wanting a broad introduction to the subject and is also designed for practising civil and geotechnical engineers, geologists, archaeologists and environmental scientists who need an overview of modern geophysical methods relevant to their discipline. While the first edition was the first textbook to provide such a comprehensive coverage of environmental geophysics, the second edition is even more far ranging in terms of techniques, applications and case histories.
Twenty essays that argue for the truth of what C.S. Lewis called "mere Christianity." The contributors - all distinguished scholars - present their evidence from a variety of disciplines, including philosophy, archaeology, biology, history, law, and cosmology. Step by step the writers construct a convincing argument for the accuracy of the Bible and the credibility of the Christian faith.
Reason, Faith, and Purpose: The Ultimate Gamble is a guide for believers and inquiring skeptics. This book summarizes the scientific view of the origins of the universe and life and analyzes the question of the existence of god from philosophical, religious, and scientific perspectives.The material is presented in two parts. Part I presents the secular, scientific view of the origin and evolution of the physical universe and life. Part II introduces other perspectives that are representative of ideas historically prevalent around the world. The material in Reason, Faith, and Purpose is designed to provide insight into the choice each of us must make in this life: the ultimate gamble.
The bestselling author of The Scientists presents “alively and accessible look at how astronomers determined the age of our universe” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). The twentieth century gave us two great theories of physics. The general theory of relativity describes the behavior of very large things, and quantum theory the behavior of very small things. In this landmark book, John Gribbin—one of the best-known science writers of the past thirty years—presents his own version of the Holy Grail of physics, the search that has been going on for decades to find a unified “Theory of Everything” that combines these ideas into one mathematical package, a single equation that could be printed on a T-shirt, containing the answer to life, the Universe, and everything. With his inimitable mixture of science, history, and biography, Gribbin shows how—despite skepticism among many physicists—these two great theories are very compatible, and point to a deep truth about the nature of our existence. The answer lies, intriguingly, with the age of the universe: 13.8 billion years. “Gribbin is a confident, engaging guide . . . a lovingly rendered history.”—The Wall Street Journal “An exciting chronicle of a monumental scientific accomplishment by a scientist who participated in the measuring of the age of the universe.”—Kirkus Reviews “A book that hits readers with unrelenting detail. And with a story as grand as this one, that’s exactly the way a good science book should have it. Nothing will be lost here, and everything—a clear understanding—will be gained.”—Astronomy “A welcome and relatively quick read for cosmology buffs, students, and amateur astronomers.”—Booklist
Reality as we know it is bound by a set of constants—numbers and values that dictate the strengths of forces like gravity, the speed of light, and the masses of elementary particles. In The Constants of Nature, Cambridge Professor and bestselling author John D.Barrow takes us on an exploration of these governing principles. Drawing on physicists such as Einstein and Planck, Barrow illustrates with stunning clarity our dependence on the steadfastness of these principles. But he also suggests that the basic forces may have been radically different during the universe’s infancy, and suggests that they may continue a deeply hidden evolution. Perhaps most tantalizingly, Barrow theorizes about the realities that might one day be found in a universe with different parameters than our own.
This reference work chronicles and categorizes more than 23,000 Union casualties at Gettysburg by generals and staff and by state and unit. Thirteen appendices also cover information by brigade, division and corps; by engagements and skirmishes; by state; by burial at three cemeteries; and by hospitals. Casualty transports, incarceration records and civilian casualty lists are also included.
In this surprisingly timely book, Stephen Mack examines Whitman’s particular and fascinating brand of patriotism: his far-reaching vision of democracy. For Whitman, loyalty to America was loyalty to democracy. Since the idea that democracy is not just a political process but a social and cultural process as well is associated with American pragmatism, Mack relies on the pragmatic tradition of Emerson, James, Dewey, Mead, and Rorty to demonstrate the ways in which Whitman resides in this tradition. Mack analyzes Whitman's democratic vision both in its parts and as a whole; he also describes the ways in which Whitman's vision evolved throughout his career. He argues that Whitman initially viewed democratic values such as individual liberty and democratic processes such as collective decision-making as fundamental, organic principles, free and unregulated. But throughout the 1860s and 1870s Whitman came to realize that democracy entailed processes of human agency that are more deliberate and less natural—that human destiny is largely the product of human effort, and a truly humane society can be shaped only by intelligent human efforts to govern the forces that would otherwise govern us. Mack describes the foundation of Whitman’s democracy as found in the 1855 and 1856 editions of Leaves of Grass, examines the ways in which Whitman’s 1859 sexual crisis and the Civil War transformed his democratic poetics in “Sea-Drift,” “Calamus,” Drum-Taps,and Sequel to Drum-Taps, and explores Whitman’s mature vision in Democratic Vistas, concluding with observations on its moral and political implications today. Throughout, he illuminates Whitman's great achievement—learning that a full appreciation for the complexities of human life meant understanding that liberty can take many different and conflicting forms—and allows us to contemplate the relevance of that achievement at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
This third edition of Reconstructing Quaternary Environments has been completely revised and updated to provide a new account of the history and scale of environmental changes during the Quaternary. The evidence is extremely diverse ranging from landforms and sediments to fossil assemblages and geochemical data, and includes new data from terrestrial, marine and ice-core records. Dating methods are described and evaluated, while the principles and practices of Quaternary stratigraphy are also discussed. The volume concludes with a new chapter which considers some of the key questions about the nature, causes and consequences of global climatic and environmental change over a range of temporal scales. This synthesis builds on the methods and approaches described earlier in the book to show how a number of exciting ideas that have emerged over the last two decades are providing new insights into the operation of the global earth-ocean-atmosphere system, and are now central to many areas of contemporary Quaternary research. This comprehensive and dynamic textbook is richly illustrated throughout with full-colour figures and photographs. The book will be of interest to undergraduates, postgraduates and professionals in Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Geography, Geology, Botany, Zoology, Ecology, Archaeology and Anthropology
Energy Technology and Directions for the Future presents the fundamentals of energy for scientists and engineers. It is a survey of energy sources that will be available for use in the 21st century energy mix. The reader will learn about the history and science of several energy sources as well as the technology and social significance of energy. Themes in the book include thermodynamics, electricity distribution, geothermal energy, fossil fuels, solar energy, nuclear energy, alternate energy (wind, water, biomass), energy and society, energy and the environment, sustainable development, the hydrogen economy, and energy forecasting. The approach is designed to present an intellectually rich and interesting text that is also practical.This is accomplished by introducing basic concepts in the context of energy technologies and, where appropriate, in historical context. Scientific concepts are used to solve concrete engineering problems. The technical level of presentation presumes that readers have completed college level physics with calculus and mathematics through calculus of several variables. The selection of topics is designed to provide the reader with an introduction to the language, concepts and techniques used in all major energy components that are expected to contribute to the 21st century energy mix. Future energy professionals will need to understand the origin and interactions of these energy components to thrive in an energy industry that is evolving from an industry dominated by fossil fuels to an industry working with many energy sources. - Presents the fundamentals of energy production for engineers, scientists, engineering professors, students, and anyone in the field who needs a technical discussion of energy topics. - Provides engineers with a valuable expanded knowledge base using the U.S. National Academy of Sciences content standards. - Examines the energy options for the twenty-first century as older energy sources quickly become depleted.
In an emergency, you only have one chance...and usually very little time...to make the right decision. How can you be certain you have the knowledge you need? Through six editions, Rosen’s Emergency Medicine has set the standard in emergency medicine, offering unparalleled comprehensiveness, clarity, and authority. Now, the seventh edition places the latest knowledge at your fingertips, while a more streamlined format makes it easy to find the exact information you seek more rapidly and conveniently than ever before. Presents more than 1,200 exquisite color illustrations that accurately capture the real-life appearance of patient symptoms and diagnostic imaging findings, helping you to reach a definitive diagnosis more easily. Includes "Cardinal Presentations" sections that provide quick and easy guidance on differential diagnosis and directed testing. Presents greatly expanded coverage of emergency ultrasound and emergency gynecological disorders to place the latest knowledge at your fingertips, as well as state-of-the-art coverage of emergency ultrasound, management of sepsis, new airway devices, updated protocols for adult and pediatric cardiac arrest, STEMI and NSTEMI/ACS, DVT and PTE, and much, much more. Features a streamlined format that focuses on the most need-to-know information so you can find answers more quickly.
Rely on Rosen's Emergency Medicine for the latest answers on every facet of emergency medicine practice. For decades, this medical reference book has set the standard in emergency medicine, offering unparalleled comprehensiveness, clarity, and authority - to help you put the latest and best knowledge to work for your patients in the ER. Consult this title on your favorite e-reader, conduct rapid searches, and adjust font sizes for optimal readability. Compatible with Kindle®, nook®, and other popular devices. Practice confidently with easily actionable, dependable guidance on the entire breadth of emergency medicine topics. Get expert guidance on how to approach specific clinical presentations in the ER. The "Cardinal Presentations Section" provides quick and easy reference to differential diagnosis and directed testing for fever in the adult patient; dizziness and vertigo; chest pain; and over 20 other frequently seen presentations in the emergency department. Effectively apply the newest emergency medicine techniques and approaches, including evidence-based therapies for shock; high-cost imaging; evaluation and resuscitation of the trauma patient; cardiovascular emergencies; evaluation and risk stratification for transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients; and much more. Locate the answers you need quickly thanks to a user-friendly, full-color design, complete with more illustrations than ever before. Access the complete contents on the go from your laptop or mobile device at Expert Consult, fully searchable, with links to PubMed.
Here is an intimate glimpse of the greatest scientist of our day, the brilliant physicist confined to a wheelchair whose "A Brief History of Time" has become the first worldwide scientific bestseller of the century. The story of Stephen Hawking's relentless quest for the secret of the origins of the universe will change forever the way you look at the stars . . . and your place among them.
Masters of Time chronicles the sudden unraveling of modern cosmology from its heyday in the early 1980s, when the ultimate secret of the origin of the universe seemed all but in hand, to the confused scientific picture of the 1990s. By following each major theory from its origins to the point at which it is overtaken by contradictory or nonexistent evidence, Boslough offers the clearest explanation ever offered of what we know and still do not know about the origin and structure of the universe.
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