Science & Nature - Books

Sustainable Nanostrategies for Biorefineries

Science & Nature

This book examines the convergence of nanotechnology and bioenergy to develop sustainable biowaste-based biorefineries, offering solutions to growing concerns about fossil fuel depletion, waste accumulation, and environmental degradation. It highlights how organic waste, particularly from agriculture and food industries, can be transformed into valuable bioenergy, aligning with global sustainability goals. The use of nanomaterials as catalysts in biorefineries is explored in depth, with attention to their synthesis, functionality, environmental impact, and cost-efficiency. Emphasis is placed on the need for environmentally friendly nanostrategies that also support economic growth and social acceptance.The chapters provide a clear overview of current technologies, the potential of green nanotechnology, environmental and economic analyses, and the societal implications of adopting these innovations. The book also evaluates the feasibility of integrating nanotech into large-scale bioenergy production and offers insights into future directions.As part of the Clean Energy Production Technologies book series, this volume presents a timely and comprehensive perspective on advancing sustainable energy systems. It is an essential reference for researchers, students, industry professionals, and policy makers involved in biotechnology, renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable development.

Powering the Dream

Science & Nature

Few today realize that electric cabs dominated Manhattan's streets in the 1890s; that Boise, Idaho, had a geothermal heating system in 1910; or that the first megawatt turbine in the world was built in 1941 by the son of publishing magnate G. P. Putnam -- a feat that would not be duplicated for another forty years. Likewise, while many remember the oil embargo of the 1970s, few are aware that it led to a corresponding explosion in green-technology research that was only derailed when energy prices later dropped. In other words: We've been here before. Although we may have failed, America has had the chance to put our world on a more sustainable path. Americans have, in fact, been inventing green for more than a century. Half compendium of lost opportunities, half hopeful look toward the future, Powering the Dream tells the stories of the brilliant, often irascible inventors who foresaw our current problems, tried to invent cheap and energy renewable solutions, and drew the blueprint for a green future.

Why Trust Science?

Science & Nature

Why the social character of scientific knowledge makes it trustworthyAre doctors right when they tell us vaccines are safe? Should we take climate experts at their word when they warn us about the perils of global warming? Why should we trust science when so many of our political leaders don't? Naomi Oreskes offers a bold and compelling defense of science, revealing why the social character of scientific knowledge is its greatest strength—and the greatest reason we can trust it. Tracing the history and philosophy of science from the late nineteenth century to today, this timely and provocative book features a new preface by Oreskes and critical responses by climate experts Ottmar Edenhofer and Martin Kowarsch, political scientist Jon Krosnick, philosopher of science Marc Lange, and science historian Susan Lindee, as well as a foreword by political theorist Stephen Macedo.

The Complete Guide to Memory

Science & Nature

A comprehensive guide to understanding how memory works, how memory forms, the mind-body connection, and more! In the busy, information-filled world in which we live, it’s often easy to forget things and hard to keep track of how details get stored in our brain. The Complete Guide to Memory serves to provide a one-stop resource that covers the essentials on memory. World-renowned memory expert, Dr. Richard Restak, addresses the following topics in detail: • How memories form• The different kinds of memory• Changes in brain structure• The mind-body connection• The relationship between memory and emotional regulation• And much more! With tips and tricks to manage memory well for people of all ages and personal examples of the techniques used, this book leaves no stone unturned.

Advanced Starch Modification

Science & Nature

This book comprehensively reviews the advanced modification techniques of starch and applications in food packaging and 3D/4D printing. The initial chapter provides an overview of the primary sources of starch, including cereals, tubers, and roots, and discusses global trends in starch production and consumption. The book examines the molecular architecture of starch granules and their inherent functional properties. It covers traditional chemical, enzymatic, and biotechnological modification methods, alongside innovative techniques such as nanotechnology, microwave, cold plasma, and ultrasound treatments. Additionally, the book presents the development of smart starches and starch nanoparticles, discussing their extraction, modification, characterization, and applications, particularly in food packaging and 3D/4D printing. The book also explores responsive and smart starches that change properties in response to environmental stimuli, discussing their development and applications. Towards the end, the book presents the functional and nutritional benefits of modified starches, as well as their regulatory and safety aspects. This book is an important resource for researchers, industry professionals, and students in food science, materials science, and biotechnology.Key features Discusses traditional chemical, enzymatic, and biotechnological methods and innovative approaches for starch modification Provides an overview of primary starch sources, such as cereals, tubers, and roots, and discusses global production and consumption trends Analyzes the molecular architecture and inherent functional properties of starch granules, setting a foundation for modification techniques Presents the development of smart starches and starch nanoparticles, including their extraction, modification, characterization, and applications, particularly in food packaging and 3D/4D printing Explores the functional and nutritional benefits of modified starches, emphasizing their roles in health and wellness Provides a comprehensive overview of regulatory standards and safety assessments for the use of modified starches in food and other applications

Game-playing for active ageing and healthy lifestyles

Science & Nature

Given the increase in the ageing population and the evolvement of the Human-Computer Interaction field to a much more humanistic approach, debate is ongoing about designing technology-enabled products for active ageing and healthy lifestyles. Indeed, the mainstream game industry has been challenged with the emergence of an older target group, the advancements in gamification and the proliferation of SMART devices.Previous experience in the field has revealed that for many older adult gamers, games had a therapeutic effect through them being both cognitively challenged and rewarded. However it has also revealed that the gaming industry was not fulfilling their other motivations and accessibility needs.Furthermore, research to date has focused on the physical and cognitive effects of video games in the aging process. Up to now, the use of other active ageing dimensions that go beyond the health domains (i.e. sense of security, and participation in society) in games addressed to this target group remain unexplored.This book differs from current books on the market by focusing on games and the main implications to design for active ageing in terms of the market perspective, the information and communication society, behavioral design, mobility, urban and city planning, accessibility and assessment.

Mesagerul stelar

Science & Nature

Printr-o perspectivă cosmică asupra civilizației pe Pământ, Neil deGrasse Tyson pune într-o lumină nouă liniile de falie cruciale ale timpului nostru – război, politică, religie, adevăr, frumusețe, gen și rasă – reușind totodată să intensifice sentimentul profund al unității lumii.Într-o perioadă în care opiniile noastre politice și culturale par a fi mai polarizate ca oricând, Tyson oferă antidotul necesar pentru multe dintre lucrurile care ne despart, pledând cu pasiune pentru cele două componente îngemănate ale iluminării - perspectiva cosmică și raționalitateaștiinței.După o analiză profundă asupra modului în care știința vede lumea și asupra planetei Pământ, creierul uman are capacitatea de a reseta și a recalibra prioritățile vieții, modelându-ne, în consecință, acțiunile și capacitatea de reacție. Nicio perspectivă asupra culturii, societății sau civilizației nu rămâne neatinsă.Cu un condei precis și clar, Mesagerul stelar ne îndrumă să descoperim lumea altfel. De la aspecte legate de rezolvarea conflictelor globale până la îndemnuri de a aprecia viața la adevărata ei valoare, Tyson dezvăluie, cu căldură și elocvență, o serie de adevăruri mărețe și frumoase valabile pentru noi toți – informați și iluminați de cunoașterea locului nostru în univers.

Time Loops

Science & Nature

"Time Loops" explores the captivating, yet speculative, realm of theoretical physics, focusing on the possibility of time repeating itself through closed timelike curves. The book delves into the scientific theories that both support and challenge the concept of time loops, offering a comprehensive overview of this perplexing area. Intrigued readers will learn about the implications of time travel, which has profound effects on causality, determinism, and the very fabric of reality.The book begins by grounding readers in established physics, including Einstein's theory of relativity and spacetime, before moving into theoretical constructs like wormholes and cosmic strings that might permit time loops.A significant portion of the book examines the paradoxes that arise from time travel, such as the grandfather paradox, and the proposed resolutions, including the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. The approach emphasizes the inherent limitations of our current models, highlighting the speculative nature of time loops and the many unanswered questions that remain.It concludes by examining the implications of time loops for our understanding of determinism and free will.

La vita segreta degli alberi

Science & Nature

Scopri la vita segreta degli alberiGli alberi ci somigliano molto più di quanto pensiamo. Quello che per molti è solo un bosco, è in realtà una comunità molto ben organizzata e coesa.In questo libro scoprirete che gli alberi sentono il dolore, hanno ricordi, sentimenti, parlano tra di loro e si prendono cura dei propri figli.Peter Wohlleben, celebre guardia forestale, grazie alla sua esperienza e agli studi durati una vita intera ci introduce alla vita nascosta degli alberi, portandoci in un mondo che mai avreste immaginato: gli alberi sono esseri sociali.Nei boschi secolari gli alberi si aiutano e si sostengono a vicenda come una vera e propria comunità, sono molto uniti tra di loro, tanto da condividere in momenti estremi il cibo, soprattutto con i vicini più in difficoltà.Questo libro, bestseller in Germania con oltre 350.000 copie vendute e in tutto il mondo dove è pubblicato in 20 paesi, risponde a molto domande:-perché il bosco è verde;-come si misura l'età di un albero;-cosa mangia un albero;-quanto beve;-perché si ammala;-come si proteggee tante altre scoperte sorprendenti.Il guardaboschi Peter Wohlleben ci racconta e ci fa scoprire una realtà tutta nuova, facendoci vedere il bosco con occhi nuovi e con rinnovato stupore per la magnificenza e la complessità della natura.Scoprirete che nei boschi secolari gli alberi hanno una vita molto più lunga e socialmente attiva rispetto agli alberi dei boschi piantati dagli umani, in cui ogni albero ha una vita a sè stante e molto più breve.“Gli alberi parlano tra loro… per provarlo, e soprattutto spiegarlo con un linguaggio che potesse suscitare emozioni, Peter Wohlleben ha scritto questo libro che in Germania è in testa alle classifiche dei bestseller”.Corriere della Sera - Sette“Peter in questo libro ha la capacità di risvegliare nei lettori un’intensa curiosità quasi infantile su come funziona il mondo”.The New York Times“Peter ci svela come gli alberi parlano gli uni agli altri, che hanno sentimenti, coltivano amicizie, educano i figli, sentono il dolore e la paura”.BildUn libro alla portata di tutti grazie allo stile chiaro e coinvolgente dell'autore; un'opera per gli appassionati della natura e per chi ci lavora a stretto contatto, ma anche per tutti coloro che vogliono riscoprire la magia del bosco.L'autorePeter WohllebenPeter Wohlleben, oggi cinquantenne, voleva diventare ambientalista fin da bambino. Ha studiato scienze forestali e ha prestato servizio per più di vent’anni presso il Corpo Forestale.Dopo essersi licenziato per mettere in pratica le sue convinzioni ecologiche, oggi dirige un’azienda forestale ambientalista in cui pratica il ritorno alla foresta vergine.È ospite di diverse trasmissioni televisive, tiene conferenze e seminari ed è autore di libri sui temi del bosco e della protezione ambientale.

Risk Assessment and Management for Ships and Offshore Structures

Science & Nature

The volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) nature of environmental and operational conditions is still the major cause of marine accidents, with knock-on effects in terms of casualties, property damage, and marine pollution. Recognized as the most effective approach to navigate VUCA environments, risk-based assessment methods provide a solution to address challenges associated with health, safety, and environmental protection in extreme conditions and when accidents involving engineering structures and infrastructure occur. This book serves as a comprehensive guide to the foundational principles, current practices, and cuttingedge trends in quantitative risk assessment and management for ships and offshore structures. With six partsencompassing a total of 35 chapters, it covers risk assessment and management for offshore installations, oil and gas leaks, collisions and grounding, and fires and explosions. Tailored for ship and offshore structural engineers, naval architects, as well as mechanical and civil engineers involved in advanced safety studies, this book is an invaluable resource for both practicing engineers and researchers in this field. - Offers insights into quantitative risk assessment and asset management for ships and offshore structures in extreme conditions and in the event of accidents - Equips engineers with valuable statistical data sets and enhances data assimilation techniques for precise hazard frequency calculations - Seamlessly integrates fundamental principles with practical applications, addressing emerging challenges and leveraging the latest technological advances in the field

How to Prevent Dementia

Science & Nature

A comprehensive guide to preventing Alzheimer’s and other thinking disorders from bestselling author and renowned authority Dr. Richard Restak!How to Prevent Dementia begins with the principle that the more we know about dementia, the easier it is to prevent or delay it. A better foundation of knowledge also helps people to understand and interact thoughtfully with family members and other loved ones who may have Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Dr. Restak examines the basic thinking of normal everyday people and progresses to people with thinking disorders. In understanding that dementias exist along a continuum, starting with perfectly normal performance and ending at the extremes of mental dysfunction, we learn how our attention to everyday habits, choices, and behaviors can affect where we are located along that continuum, as well as whether or how we will progress from one part to another. As can be gleaned from recent reports, researchers may be on the cusp of a meaningful treatment or cure for Alzheimer’s. Dr. Restak also helps the reader to grasp both the positive and challenging consequences of the new medications that will soon be available. At the end of the book, the reader will understand what practical steps can be taken each day to lessen the odds of dementia and how to take advantage of new medications, while gaining a better understanding of thinking and what it is like to have it falter.

Proceedings of Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference 2013

Science & Nature

The Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference 2013 on “Qatar’s Cross-cutting Research Grand Challenges” began with a reminder that Qatar had taken upon itself the commitment to be a leadership center for innovation, research and development. This year, Qatar continues its mission, with a goal of regional prosperity. The audience was challenged to work side-by-side to discuss pivotal issues such as protecting cyber infrastructure, developing solar energy solutions, guaranteeing the provision of food in a sustainable way, and supporting Arab culture in the arts, media and language.

A Circular Economy for Manufacturing Waste Management

Science & Nature

This book explores the impact of circular economy ideas on waste management in manufacturing industries. It highlights the need for a shift from linear to circular models, reducing waste, recycling materials, and creating efficient goods. The book also discusses the use of technologies like blockchain, IoT, and artificial intelligence in improving recycling and garbage monitoring. It also highlights the financial benefits of implementing circular economy principles, including reduced production costs and environmental compliance. It offers doable approaches to cost-cutting, technology adoption, and the application of circular economy principles in actual production settings. It also offers structures and procedures for integrating circular economy principles into business plans and coordinating corporate sustainability objectives with international sustainability goals and industry norms. It is a useful tool for researchers and academics, providing both theoretical and practical insights into models of the circular economy. Additionally, it offers case studies for fresh investment prospects in waste-reduction technology and entrepreneurs in the circular economy. The book offers a thorough manual to support the manufacturing sector's shift to a more sustainable, circular economy.

Beyond the Stars

Science & Nature

What is the origin of the universe? Are we alone in the Universe? Using clear and plain language, the author explores these two interesting scientific-philosophical themes with a broad range of studies, including astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, geology and planet science.The first part discusses the origins of everything, from the Big Bang to humankind. It follows the long course of evolution — from original matter to the formation of more complex structures, from the furthest galaxies to the nearest stars, from planets to organic molecules, from the first and most elementary forms of life through to the reptiles, the dinosaurs and the advent of man.The second part traces the history of the Earth and evaluates the risks of extinction in the future as predicted by scientists. Is the Earth the only habitable planet in the Universe? This question initiates the discussion on the importance of the Earth's position in the solar system and the significance of our geologically alive planet.The final part is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial beings with identifiable life forms. It also describes attempts for searching, from the past to the near future.This remarkable book provides the best answers we have to the epic questions about us and our place in the universe.

Why Democracies Need Science

Science & Nature

We live in times of increasing public distrust of the main institutions of modern society. Experts, including scientists, are suspected of working to hidden agendas or serving vested interests. The solution is usually seen as more public scrutiny and more control by democratic institutions – experts must be subservient to social and political life. In this book, Harry Collins and Robert Evans take a radically different view. They argue that, rather than democracies needing to be protected from science, democratic societies need to learn how to value science in this new age of uncertainty. By emphasizing that science is a moral enterprise, guided by values that should matter to all, they show how science can support democracy without destroying it and propose a new institution – The Owls – that can mediate between science and society and improve technological decision-making for the benefit of all.

Biofuels

Science & Nature

Offering a comprehensive overview of biofuels and bioenergy systems, Biofuels: Technologies, Policies, and Opportunities describes advances in technologies and global policies around biofuels as a renewable energy source. It discusses the basics of biofuel and bioenergy systems and current status and potential challenges in developed and developing countries. The book also highlights the questions that should be asked, available options, and processes (conventional and advanced) to enhance biofuel production. Details how technological interventions can influence the operation of an effective bioenergy system. Presents information regarding renewable energy directives and global policies related to energy chains, energy models, market status, and appropriateness of technology selection for different generations of biofuel generation. Covers socio-economic aspects and techno-economic feasibility as well as a detailed life cycle simulations (LCS) approach, revealing the real constraints being faced in the biofuels sector. Helps bioenergy professionals to prepare a roadmap for day-to-day operations. Describes recent advances such as biohythane, advanced oxidation process, and nanocatalyzed pretreatment for biofuel generation from wastewater. Addresses the most commonly discussed issues in the biofuel sector and the rationales underpinning them. Written for professionals, academic researchers, decision makers, and policymakers in the biofuel sector, this book provides readers with a wide-ranging review of current research and developments in the respective field.

Le fascinant nombre pi

Science & Nature

Le nombre ? est une star incontournable, omniprésente en mathématiques et en physique comme dans la culture populaire. Et c'est à juste titre ! On a très tôt cherché à l'apprivoiser. La quadrature du cercle a suscité bien des efforts, même après que l'on a prouvé son impossibilité. Et sur l'océan des décimales de ? se défient aujourd'hui d'étranges navigateurs, faisant appel tant à l'informatique qu'aux mathématiques. Ce livre retrace l’histoire de son exploration, en insistant sur les épisodes les plus récents qui nous font percevoir tout le mystère de ce nombre : plus on connaît ?, plus il se dérobe.

Are We All Scientific Experts Now?

Science & Nature

To ordinary people, science used to seem infallible. Scientists were heroes, selflessly pursuing knowledge for the common good. More recently, a series of scientific scandals, frauds and failures have led us to question science’s pre-eminence. Revelations such as Climategate, or debates about the safety of the MMR vaccine, have dented our confidence in science.In this provocative new book Harry Collins seeks to redeem scientific expertise, and reasserts science’s special status. Despite the messy realities of day-to-day scientific endeavor, he emphasizes the superior moral qualities of science, dismissing the dubious “default” expertise displayed by many of those outside the scientific community. Science, he argues, should serve as an example to ordinary citizens of how to think and act, and not the other way round.

Dark Matter Basics

Science & Nature

Dark Matter Basics explores the compelling mystery of dark matter, which makes up approximately 85% of the universe's matter. The book investigates the evidence for its existence, primarily through observations like galaxy rotation curves, where galaxies rotate faster than expected based on visible matter alone. It also examines how dark matter influences the cosmos' large-scale structure and evolution. The book provides necessary background in Newtonian gravity and general relativity, setting the stage for in-depth discussions. The book explores cosmological evidence from sources like the cosmic microwave background and gravitational lensing, alongside leading particle candidates such as WIMPs, axions, and sterile neutrinos. It also assesses alternative theories like Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND).The book uniquely bridges theoretical models with experimental searches, explaining techniques used in dark matter detection, including experiments at CERN. It provides a comprehensive overview of the ongoing controversies, presenting different viewpoints to encourage informed conclusions. The book's approach is designed to be accessible, avoiding jargon and offering clear definitions. It progresses by first establishing the foundational knowledge, then exploring the evidence and theories, and finally analyzing alternative explanations. This makes complex topics in science, physics, astrophysics, and cosmology understandable for students, enthusiasts, and anyone intrigued by the universe's enigmas.

Writing Science in Plain English, Second Edition

Science & Nature

An updated edition of the essential guide for all scientists—from undergraduates to senior scholars—who want to produce prose that anyone can understand. Scientific writing is often dry, wordy, and difficult to understand. But, as biologist and experienced teacher of scientific writing Anne E. Greene shows in Writing Science in Plain English, writers from all scientific disciplines can learn to produce clear, concise prose by mastering just a few simple principles. This short, focused guide presents roughly a dozen such principles based on what readers need to understand complex information, including concrete subjects, strong verbs, consistent terms, organized paragraphs, and correct sentence structure. Greene illustrates each principle with real-life examples of both good and bad writing and shows how bad writing might be improved. She ends each chapter with revision exercises (and provides suggested answers in a separate key) so that readers can come away with new writing skills after just one sitting. To help readers understand the grammatical terms used in the book, an appendix offers a refresher course on basic grammar. For this second edition, Greene has incorporated the latest research on what makes writing effective and engaging and has revised or replaced exercises and exercise keys where needed. She has also added new features that make it easier to navigate the book. A new resource for instructors who use Writing Science in Plain English in their classes is a free, online teacher’s guide. Drawn from Greene’s long experience teaching students how to write science clearly, the teacher’s guide provides additional lectures, assignments, and activities that will inform and enliven any class.

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