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A New York Times Bestseller A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2020 Named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR   “A fascinating scientific, cultural, spiritual and evolutionary history of the way humans breathe—and how we’ve all been doing it wrong for a long, long time.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic and Eat Pray Love No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly. There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers aren’t found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of São Paulo. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe. Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance; rejuvenate internal organs; halt snoring, asthma, and autoimmune disease; and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is. Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head. You will never breathe the same again. |
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# 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A whirlwind tour of fundamental physics and cosmology.”— The Wall Street Journal “Fascinating . . . a wealth of ideas [that] leave us with a clearer understanding of modern physics in all its invigorating complexity.”— Los Angeles Times When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? What is the nature of reality? Is the apparent “grand design” of our universe evidence of a benevolent creator who set things in motion—or does science offer another explanation? In The Grand Design , Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow present the most illuminating scientific thinking about these and other abiding mysteries of the universe, in nontechnical language marked by brilliance and simplicity. According to quantum theory, the cosmos does not have just a single existence or history. The authors explain that we ourselves are the product of quantum fluctuations in the early universe and show how quantum theory predicts the “multiverse”—the idea that ours is just one of many universes that appeared spontaneously out of nothing, each with different laws of nature. They conclude with a riveting assessment of M-theory, an explanation of the laws governing our universe that is currently the only viable candidate for a “theory of everything”: the unified theory that Einstein was looking for, which, if confirmed, would represent the ultimate triumph of human reason.   A succinct, startling, and lavishly illustrated guide to discoveries that are altering our understanding and threatening some of our most cherished belief systems, The Grand Design is a book that will inform—and provoke—like no other. |
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An electrifying memoir of one woman's extraordinary effort to save her husband's life-and the discovery of a forgotten cure that has the potential to save millions more. "A memoir that reads like a thriller." - New York Times Book Review "A fascinating and terrifying peek into the devastating outcomes of antibiotic misuse - and what happens when standard health care falls short." - Scientific American Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, psychologist Tom Patterson, were vacationing in Egypt when Tom came down with a stomach bug. What at first seemed like a case of food poisoning quickly turned critical, and by the time Tom had been transferred via emergency medevac to the world-class medical center at UC San Diego, where both he and Steffanie worked, blood work revealed why modern medicine was failing: Tom was fighting one of the most dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the world. Frantic, Steffanie combed through research old and new and came across phage therapy: the idea that the right virus, aka "the perfect predator," can kill even the most lethal bacteria. Phage treatment had fallen out of favor almost 100 years ago, after antibiotic use went mainstream. Now, with time running out, Steffanie appealed to phage researchers all over the world for help. She found allies at the FDA, researchers from Texas A&M, and a clandestine Navy biomedical center -- and together they resurrected a forgotten cure. A nail-biting medical mystery, The Perfect Predator is a story of love and survival against all odds, and the (re)discovery of a powerful new weapon in the global superbug crisis. |
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New York Times bestseller • Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize "This is a book to shake up the world." —Ann Patchett Nicholas Carr’s bestseller The Shallows has become a foundational book in one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the internet’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply? This 10th-anniversary edition includes a new afterword that brings the story up to date, with a deep examination of the cognitive and behavioral effects of smartphones and social media. |
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Descubre el apasionante mundo de la agricultura generativa urbana y aprende a transformar cualquier espacio, por pequeño que sea, en un huerto ecológico y sostenible. Nuestra guía completa te proporcionará las herramientas necesarias para regenerar el suelo, cultivar alimentos orgánicos y crear un ecosistema equilibrado en tu hogar, balcón, terraza o jardín. Desde el compostaje casero hasta la implementación de técnicas avanzadas de riego eficiente, este curso está diseñado para guiarte paso a paso en cada proceso, sin importar si eres principiante o ya tienes experiencia en jardinería. Explorarás cómo adaptar las plantaciones a los microclimas urbanos, seleccionando las mejores especies de plantas para tu entorno, y aprenderás a maximizar el uso del espacio con huertos verticales y agricultura hidropónica. Además, conocerás los beneficios de la biodiversidad y cómo integrar control natural de plagas para proteger tus cultivos sin dañar el medio ambiente. También cubrimos temas esenciales como la rotación de cultivos, la conservación de la materia orgánica y la importancia de fomentar la polinización. Ideal para quienes desean aplicar prácticas sostenibles en entornos urbanos, este curso no solo te enseñará a cultivar alimentos de manera ecológica, sino que también te ayudará a reducir tu impacto ambiental, contribuyendo al bienestar del planeta. Convierte tu hogar en un refugio verde, saludable y productivo mientras mejoras la calidad de vida en la ciudad. |
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“Everybody who is interested in the ethics of our relationship between humans and animals should read this book.” —Temple Grandin, New York Times –bestselling author A maverick scientist reveals the inconsistent and often paradoxical ways humans think, feel, and behave toward animals in this engaging, informative, and though-provoking book, now newly revised. Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat is a highly entertaining and illuminating journey through the full spectrum of human-animal relations. Drawing on his groundbreaking research in the field of anthrozoology, Dr. Hal Herzog tries to make sense of our complex relationships with animals and the challenging moral conundrums we face regarding these creatures who share our world—and some, our homes.  A blend of anthropology, behavioral economics, evolutionary psychology, and philosophy, updated to reflect evolving attitudes and the most recent findings, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat is a poignant, often challenging, and frequently laugh-out-loud funny trip through a world of animal rights activists, cockfighters, professional dog-show handlers, veterinary students, biomedical researchers, and more. It will forever change the way we think about other living creatures and, ultimately, how we see ourselves. “A fascinating, thoughtful, and thoroughly enjoyable exploration of a major dimension of human experience.” —Steven Pinker, New York Times –bestselling author “I don’t know when I’ve read anything more comprehensive about our highly involved, highly contradictory relationships with animals . . . You won’t forget it anytime soon.” —Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, New York Times –bestselling author “Reminiscent of Freakonomics . . . An agreeable guide to popular avenues of inquiry in the field of anthrozoology.” — The New Yorker |
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The classic book on systems thinking—with more than half a million copies sold worldwide! "This is a fabulous book… This book opened my mind and reshaped the way I think about investing."—Forbes "Thinking in Systems is required reading for anyone hoping to run a successful company, community, or country. Learning how to think in systems is now part of change-agent literacy. And this is the best book of its kind."—Hunter Lovins. In the years following her role as the lead author of the international bestseller, Limits to Growth—the first book to show the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet—Donella Meadows remained a pioneer of environmental and social analysis until her untimely death in 2001. Thinking in Systems is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. Edited by the Sustainability Institute’s Diana Wright, this essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life. Some of the biggest problems facing the world—war, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation—are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking. While readers will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows was known as much for nurturing positive outcomes as she was for delving into the science behind global dilemmas. She reminds readers to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable, to stay humble, and to stay a learner. In a world growing ever more complicated, crowded, and interdependent, Thinking in Systems helps readers avoid confusion and helplessness, the first step toward finding proactive and effective solutions. # ThinkinginSystems |
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An Instant New York Times Bestseller From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass , a bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world. As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.” As Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is “a great teacher, and her words are a hymn of love to the world.” The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is mutual.” Robin Wall Kimmerer is donating her advance payments from this book as a reciprocal gift, back to the land, for land protection, restoration, and justice. |
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality—not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own. “A meditation on solitude, wildness and survival.” — The Wall Street Journal In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life—why did he leave? what did he learn?—as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. |
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Would you like to be a proficient mathematician… without using numbers? There is so much more to math than geometry and calculus! It is present in almost every life aspect, from improving your communication skills to how to fit your luggage into your car. Did you always hate math because you couldn't understand complex formulas? Don't let a few equations or a bad teacher deter you from building a mathematical mind. Learn the best cognitive tools to revolutionize the way you make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Boost your critical thinking and analytical skills. Mathematical thinking involves analyzing data, patterns, and relationships and evaluating information and arguments, which can help improve critical thinking skills. Adopt a mathematician's mindset. Tinker, invent, make educated guesses, describe with precision, and use probability to your advantage. Build a Mathematical Mind – Even If You Think You Can't Have One is an action manual that will help you sharpen your everyday life skills such as: - improving your logic, - understanding how probability works, - and making estimations. This is a research-backed math manual you'll love to read. It contains examples for faster learning and greater everyday impact. Hone your problem-solving skills and make better decisions. Albert Rutherford is an internationally bestselling author whose writing derives from various sources, such as research, coaching, academic, and real-life experience. Improve your communication skills.  Mathematical thinking involves clearly and concisely explaining ideas and solutions, which can improve how you communicate. With enhanced precision, you will have a keen attention to detail and the ability to be accurate in your thinking and talking. Increase your confidence.  Developing mathematical thinking skills can increase your confidence and self-esteem, being able to solve difficult problems and understand complex ideas. If you ever felt ashamed for not getting math, this is the time to heal that wound. Give math another chance. Let it make you unstoppable! |
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A mesmerizing trip to the strange world of white holes from the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and The Order of Time Let us journey, with beloved physicist Carlo Rovelli, into the heart of a black hole. We slip beyond its horizon and tumble down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we see geometry fold. Time and space pull and stretch. And finally, at the black hole’s core, space and time dissolve, and a white hole is born.  Rovelli has dedicated his career to uniting the time-warping ideas of general relativity and the perplexing uncertainties of quantum mechanics. In White Holes , he reveals the mind of a scientist at work. He traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, investigating whether all black holes could eventually turn into white holes, equally compact objects in which the arrow of time is reversed. Rovelli writes just as compellingly about the work of a scientist as he does the marvels of the universe. He shares the fear, uncertainty, and frequent disappointment of exploring hypotheses and unknown worlds, and the delight of chasing new ideas to unexpected conclusions. Guiding us beyond the horizon, he invites us to experience the fever and the disquiet of science—and the strange and startling life of a white hole. |
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What science has gotten so shamefully wrong about women, and the fight, by both female and male scientists, to rewrite what we thought we knew For hundreds of years it was common sense: women were the inferior sex. Their bodies were weaker, their minds feebler, their role subservient. No less a scientist than Charles Darwin asserted that women were at a lower stage of evolution, and for decades, scientists—most of them male, of course—claimed to find evidence to support this. Whether looking at intelligence or emotion, cognition or behavior, science has continued to tell us that men and women are fundamentally different. Biologists claim that women are better suited to raising families or are, more gently, uniquely empathetic. Men, on the other hand, continue to be described as excelling at tasks that require logic, spatial reasoning, and motor skills. But a huge wave of research is now revealing an alternative version of what we thought we knew. The new woman revealed by this scientific data is as strong, strategic, and smart as anyone else. In Inferior , acclaimed science writer Angela Saini weaves together a fascinating—and sorely necessary—new science of women. As Saini takes readers on a journey to uncover science’s failure to understand women, she finds that we’re still living with the legacy of an establishment that’s just beginning to recover from centuries of entrenched exclusion and prejudice. Sexist assumptions are stubbornly persistent: even in recent years, researchers have insisted that women are choosy and monogamous while men are naturally promiscuous, or that the way men’s and women’s brains are wired confirms long-discredited gender stereotypes. As Saini reveals, however, groundbreaking research is finally rediscovering women’s bodies and minds. Inferior investigates the gender wars in biology, psychology, and anthropology, and delves into cutting-edge scientific studies to uncover a fascinating new portrait of women’s brains, bodies, and role in human evolution. |
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NATIONAL BESTSELLER Deepen your connection to the natural world with this inspiring meditation, "a path to the place where science and spirit meet" (Robin Wall Kimmerer). In Rooted , cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists, mystics, and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: life on this planet is radically interconnected. Our bodies, thoughts, minds, and spirits are affected by the whole of nature, and they affect this whole in return. In this time of crisis, how can we best live upon our imperiled, beloved earth? Award-winning writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s highly personal new book is a brilliant invitation to live with the earth in both simple and profound ways—from walking barefoot in the woods and reimagining our relationship with animals and trees, to examining the very language we use to describe and think about nature. She invokes rootedness as a way of being in concert with the wilderness—and wildness—that sustains humans and all of life. In the tradition of Rachel Carson, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Mary Oliver, Haupt writes with urgency and grace, reminding us that at the crossroads of science, nature, and spirit we find true hope. Each chapter provides tools for bringing our unique gifts to the fore and transforming our sense of belonging within the magic and wonder of the natural world.  |
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This overview of Joanna Macy's innovative work combines deep ecology, general systems theory, and the Buddha's teachings on interdependent co-arising. A blueprint for social change, World as Lover, World as Self shows how we can reverse the destructive attitudes that threaten our world, with concrete suggestions on how to address "An Inconvenient Truth". The essays are based on the Buddha's teachings of "Paticca samuppada" (interdependent co-arising). Reduced to deceptively simple terms this says that everything in the world- every object, feeling, emotion, and action is influenced by a huge, all-inclusive web of factors. Any change in the condition of any one thing in this web affects everything else by virtue of interconnectedness. It makes World as Lover World as Self a quintessential guide for those readers who want to integrate their Buddhist practice with concerns for social issues like global warming. It also breaches the dualities that have haunted much of both Eastern and Western thought, namely the dichotomies between mind/body, humanity/nature, reason/emotion, self/world, science/spirituality. The premise is that self-centeredness, and modern individualisms are ultimately destructive for the environment. We are not individuals separate from the world. Instead we are always "co-arising" or co-creating the world, and we cannot escape the consequence of what we do to the environment. Joanna Macy presents a re-focusing on the beauty of the natural world as personally nourishing and replenishment as one way to move away from our self-centeredness. For this revised edition the author will be adding some chapters as well as removing others. The new ones will deal largely with her new work around the "Great Turning" that will add a somewhat more visionary, future-oriented, and strategic dimension to the book. World as Lover, World as Self shows us how to realize that the earth is an extension of ourselves and how to discover the knowledge, authority and courage to respond creatively to the crises of our time. Foreword Thich Nhat Hanh |
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Charles Darwin was a British naturalist and biologist who is widely known for his theory of evolution and the process of natural selection. Born in 1809, Darwin developed an early interest in natural history and went on to study at Cambridge University. After completing his studies, he embarked on a five-year voyage aboard the HMS Beagle, during which he collected specimens and made observations that would later inform his theories. Darwin's most famous work, "On the Origin of Species," was published in 1859 and presented his theory of evolution through natural selection. In this groundbreaking work, Darwin argued that species evolve over time through a process of natural selection, in which the individuals best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This theory challenged the prevailing views of the time and sparked a heated debate among scientists and theologians alike. Darwin's work had a profound impact on the scientific community, shaping our understanding of the natural world and the origins of life on earth. His legacy continues to be felt today, with ongoing research and discoveries in the field of evolutionary biology building on his groundbreaking theories. The complete works of Charles Darwin comes with active table of contents and sub table of contents. Illustrations and inline footnotes contained in some books.  The Books of Charles Darwin. The Structure And Distribution Of Coral Reefs. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) Geological Observations On Volcanic Islands. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) Geological Observations on South America. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) Journal of Researches Vol 1&2 (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) A Monograph of The Sub-Class Cirripedia. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) A Monograph Of The Fossil Lepadidae. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) A Monograph On The Fossil Balanidæ And Verrucidæ. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) On The Tendency Of Species To Form Varieties; And On The Perpetuation Of Varieties And Species By Natural Means Of Selection. (Inline Footnotes) On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. 1st Edition (Illustrated) On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. 3rd Edition (Illustrated) On The Various Contrivances By Which British And Foreign Orchids Are Fertilised By Insects. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication — Vol 1&2. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. 6th Edition (Illustrated) The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) Insectivorous Plants. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Different Forms Of Flowers On Plants Of The Same Species. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Power of Movement in Plants. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms / With Observations on Their Habits. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Voyage of the Beagle. Journal Of Researches Into The Natural History & Geology Of The Countries Visited During The Voyage Round The World Of H.M.S. 'Beagle' (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) The Letters of Charles Darwin. Life and Letters of Charles Darwin. Vol1&2 Including An Autobiographical Chapter Edited By His Son Francis Darwin. More Letters of Charles Darwin Vol1&2 Edited By Francis Darwin And A.C. Seward. The Biographies of Charles Darwin. The Autobiography of Charles Darwin Edited by his Son Francis Darwin. Life of Charles Darwin by G.T Bettany. (Inline Footnotes) Charles Darwin by Grant Allen. (Inline Footnotes) Charles Darwin: His Life Told in an Autobiographical Chapter Edited By His Son, Francis Darwin. (Illustrated / Inline Footnotes) Famous Men of Science by Sarah. K. Knowles.  The Criticism, Essays and Reviews of Charles Darwin. Essays on Darwinism by Thomas R.R Stebbing. (Inline Footnotes) What is Darwinism? by Charles Hodge. (Inline Footnotes) Essays and Reviews Pertaining to Darwinism by Asa Gray. (Inline Footnotes) The Theories of Darwin and Their Relation to Philosophy, Religion, and Morality by Rudolf Schmid. (Inline Footnotes) Darwiniana Collected Essays by Thomas Henry Huxley. (Inline Footnotes) Darwin and Modern Science by A.C Seward and Others. - Essays In Commemoration Of The Centenary Of The Birth Of Charles Darwin And Of The Fiftieth Anniversary Of The Publication Of "The Origin Of Species"  |
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Understanding math has never been easier. Combining bold, elegant graphics with easy-to-understand text, Simply Math is the perfect introduction to the subject for those who are short on time but hungry for knowledge. Covering more than 80 key mathematical theories from prime numbers and matrices to logarithms and quadratic equations, each pared-back, single-page entry explains the concept more clearly than ever before. Organized by major themes - number theory and systems; algebra, arithmetic, and calculus; probability and statistics; geometry and topology; logic, game theory, and computer science - entries demystify the groundbreaking ideas of famous mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Pierre de Fermat, Fibonacci, and Henri Poincaré, explaining the essentials of each key mathematical theory. Whether you are studying math in high school or college, or simply want a jargon-free overview of the subject, this indispensable guide includes everything you need to understand the basics quickly and easily. |
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"There's something intriguing to be learned on practically every page... [ How to Astronaut ] captures the details of an extraordinary job and turns even the mundane aspects of space travel into something fascinating."–– Publishers Weekly  Ride shotgun on a trip to space   with astronaut Terry Virts. A born storyteller with a gift for the surprising turn of phrase and eye for the perfect you-are-there details, he captures all the highs, lows, humor, and wonder of an experience few will ever know firsthand. Featuring stories covering survival training, space shuttle emergencies, bad bosses, the art of putting on a spacesuit, time travel, and much more!  |
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In this unprecedented history of a scientific revolution, award-winning author and journalist Carl Zimmer tells the definitive story of the dawn of the age of the brain and modern consciousness. Told here for the first time, the dramatic tale of how the secrets of the brain were discovered in seventeenth-century England unfolds against a turbulent backdrop of civil war, the Great Fire of London, and plague. At the beginning of that chaotic century, no one knew how the brain worked or even what it looked like intact. But by the century's close, even the most common conceptions and dominant philosophies had been completely overturned, supplanted by a radical new vision of man, God, and the universe. Presiding over the rise of this new scientific paradigm was the founder of modern neurology, Thomas Willis, a fascinating, sympathetic, even heroic figure at the center of an extraordinary group of scientists and philosophers known as the Oxford circle. Chronicled here in vivid detail are their groundbreaking revelations and the often gory experiments that first enshrined the brain as the physical seat of intelligence -- and the seat of the human soul. Soul Made Flesh conveys a contagious appreciation for the brain, its structure, and its many marvelous functions, and the implications for human identity, mind, and morality. |
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This text is designed for students and anyone else with an interest in the history of life on our planet. The author describes the biological evolution of Earth’s organisms, and reconstructs their adaptations to the life they led, and the ecology and environment in which they functioned. On the grand scale, Earth is a constantly changing planet, continually presenting organisms with challenges. Changing geography, climate, atmosphere, oceanic and land environments set a stage in which organisms interact with their environments and one another, with evolutionary change an inevitable result. The organisms themselves in turn can change global environments: oxygen in our atmosphere is all produced by photosynthesis, for example. The interplay between a changing Earth and its evolving organisms is the underlying theme of the book.   The book has a dedicated website which explores additional enriching information and discussion, and provides or points to the art for the book and many other images useful for teaching. See: www.wiley.com/go/cowen/historyoflife. |
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Sidis entertains the idea that life originated on Earth from asteroids (as put forth by Lord Kelvin and Hermann von Helmholtz) while describing his theory as a synthesis of the mechanical and vitalist life models. Sidis also claims that stars are "alive" and go through an eternally repeating light-dark cycle, with the second law reversing in the dark portion of the cycle. Sidis' theory was dismissed upon release, only to be discovered in an attic in 1979. Buckminster Fuller (a Sidis classmate) wrote to Gerard Piel in response to this discovery: Imagine my surprise and delight when I was handed a xerox of Sidis' 1925 book, in which he predicted the black hole. His book, The Animate and the Inanimate, is a tremendous cosmological work. I find him focusing on the same topics that fascinate me and reaching roughly the same conclusions that I have published in SYNERGETICS and will publish in SYNERGETICS Volume II, which has already gone to press. As a Harvard man of a later generation, I hope you are as excited as I am that Sidis went on to do the most magnificent thinking and writing after college. This is one of the few works by Sidis that was not written under a pen name. In The Animate and the Inanimate, Sidis says that the universe is endless and has parts where the laws of physics are backward, called "negative tendencies." Following these are sections where the laws of physics are forward-looking, known as "positive tendencies," which change over time. He claims there was no "origin of life"; life has always existed and only evolved. |
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"""Rogue Psi"" by James H. Schmitz is a science fiction novel first published in 1961. The story is set in a future where individuals with psychic abilities are part of a complex and often dangerous society. The plot centers on a rogue psi who defies the norms and expectations of his society. The narrative combines elements of adventure, intrigue, and psychological exploration, as the protagonist grapples with his powers and the consequences of his actions. Schmitz is known for his engaging world-building and character-driven storytelling, and ""Rogue Psi"" is a notable example of his work. ""Rogue Psi"" is distinguished by its exploration of psychic phenomena and its impact on both individuals and society, offering readers a compelling blend of science fiction and psychological drama. |
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From entomologist Barrett Klein comes a buzz-worthy exploration of the many ways insects have affected human society, history, and culture As heard on Science Friday. Insects surround us. They fuel life on Earth through their roles as pollinators, predators, and prey, but rarely do we consider the outsize influence they have had on our culture and civilization. Their anatomy and habits inform how we live, work, create art, and innovate. Featuring nearly 250 color images—from ancient etchings to avant-garde art, from bug-based meals to haute couture— The Insect Epiphany proves that our world would look very different without insects, not just because they are crucial to our ecosystems, but because they have shaped and inspired so many aspects of what makes us human. |
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By the star physicist and author of multiple #1 Sunday Times bestsellers, a major and definitive narrative work on black holes and how they can help us understand the universe.  At the heart of our galaxy lies a monster so deadly it can bend space, throwing vast jets of radiation millions of light years out into the cosmos. Its kind were the very first inhabitants of the universe, the black holes. Today, across the universe, at the heart of every galaxy, and dotted throughout, mature black holes are creating chaos. And in a quiet part of the universe, the Swift satellite has picked up evidence of a gruesome death caused by one of these dark powers. High energy X-ray flares shooting out from deep within the Draco constellation are thought to be the dying cries of a white dwarf star being ripped apart by the intense tides of a supermassive black hole – heating it to millions of degrees as it is shredded at the event horizon. They have the power to wipe out any of the universe’s other inhabitants, but no one has ever seen a black hole itself die. But 1.8 billion light years away, the LIGO instruments have recently detected something that could be the closest a black hole gets to death. Gravitational waves given off as two enormous black holes merge together. And now scientists think that these gravitational waves could be evidence of two black holes connecting to form a wormhole – a link through space and time. It seems outlandish, but today’s physicists are daring to think the unthinkable – that black holes could connect us to another universe. At their very heart, black holes are also where Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity is stretched in almost unimaginable ways, revealing black holes as the key to our understanding of the fundamentals of our universe and perhaps all other universes. Join Professors Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw in exploring our universe’s most mysterious inhabitants, how they are formed, why they are essential components of every galaxy, including our own, and what secrets they still hold, waiting to be discovered. |
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"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought." *Los Angeles Times "POWERFUL . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing." *The Washington Post Book World How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. "COMPELLING." *USA Today "A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity." *The Sciences "PASSIONATE." *San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle From the Trade Paperback edition. |
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NATIONAL BESTSELLER NEW YORK TIMES  BESTSELLER INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A  NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2019 BY Maclean's  • The Washington Post  • USA Today • Indigo  Bill Bryson, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything , takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body. As compulsively readable as it is comprehensive, this is Bryson at his very best, a must-read owner's manual for everybody. Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body--how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Bryson-esque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding of the miracle that is life in general and you, in particular. As Bill Bryson writes, "we pass our existence within this wobble of flesh and yet take it almost entirely for granted." The Body will cure that indifference with generous doses of wondrous, compulsively readable facts and information. |
