Science & Nature - Books

La Sierra Madre occidentale

Science & Nature

L'eau est rare au nord du Mexique, et la gestion de cette ressource limitée est devenue une priorité nationale. Dans ce contexte, la Sierra Madré occidentale, château d'eau pour tout le nord du pays, est un espace particulièrement convoité. La relative abondance en eau y a entraîné le développement de pâturages et d'exploitations forestières, provoquant une surexploitation des milieux et des ressources. La déglaciation des sols liée au surpâturage et au déboisement conduit de fait inévitablement à celle de l'eau et menace aujourd'hui le potentiel de toute cette région. À travers des études de cas précises, cet ouvrage montre comment la gestion de l'eau est liée à celle de l'espace et nécessite la prise en compte des besoins de l'ensemble des usagers, du bûcheron au gardien de troupeaux. Cette gestion patrimoniale, qui permet de régler les nombreux conflits d'usage, forme un modèle de développement dont de nombreux pays de montagne pourraient s'inspirer.

Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Science & Nature

In the vibrant discourse of urbanization and climate change, Sustainable Urban Agriculture: New Frontiers investigates emerging needs, rising challenges, and opportunities to support urban agriculture. Navigating the dynamic interplay of urbanization and environmental challenges, the book introduces two pivotal agendas for urban sustainability—the "green" agenda, focusing on environmental health, and the "brown" agenda, emphasizing human well-being and social justice. The book embraces a global perspective by confronting geographical biases and advocating for context-specific understanding and early interventions in small and medium cities. This transformative journey guides readers through uncharted territories, fostering profound awareness of urban agriculture's role in shaping a sustainable and resilient future in agriculture.FeaturesPresents information on socio-ecological resilience, shaping a sustainable urban future Unveils practical implications, traversing frontiers where urban cultivation extends beyond crops, cultivating a thriving urban ecosystem Discusses diverse urban agriculture practices, from traditional methods to cutting-edge technologies Providing readers with an understanding of the multifaceted layers inherent in urban agriculture, this volume in the NextGen Agriculture: Novel Concepts and Innovative Strategies series is essential for academics, students, practitioners, and experts in urban agriculture and planning, horticulture, landscape architecture, and plant sciences.

Smart Agriculture

Science & Nature

Smart Agriculture: Concepts, Strategies, and Case Studies showcases improvements in agricultural technology, bringing together work from leading experts in the field. It explores techniques and disciplines essential for the widespread adoption of precision agriculture, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), Agriculture 5.0, smart spraying systems, and decision support tools that are transforming modern farming practices.Designed to introduce readers to the vast potential of data-driven agriculture, this book presents information on smart agriculture through practical, real-world applications. It features a diverse range of case studies across various crops and agricultural operations, offering actionable insights into innovative solutions. Highlights include variable-rate orchard spraying for high-density canopies like olives and oranges, image analysis for evaluating apple and grape properties, digital tools for optimizing irrigation, geostatistical modelling of Xylella fastidiosa, UAV-assisted fertilization of olive trees, automated wheat growth monitoring, smart agriculture techniques for peach production, greenhouse data management, digital twins for strawberry cultivation, deep learning for obstacle detection in robotic rice harvesters, and IoT middleware solutions for arable crops and livestock.A book in the NextGen Agriculture: Novel Concepts & Innovative Strategies series, this comprehensive resource is ideal for professional engineers, researchers in agricultural engineering, computer science, machine vision, and remote sensing, as well as technology developers. Graduate students specializing in digital agriculture and precision farming will also find this book invaluable for understanding the transformative power of modern agricultural technologies.

The Skeptics' Guide to the Future

Science & Nature

From the bestselling authors and hosts of "The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe," a high-tech roadmap of the future in their beloved voice, cracking open the follies of futurists past and how technology will profoundly change our world, redefining what it means to be human.Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the ‘60s, which didn’t anticipate the sexual revolution or women’s liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations. The best we can do is try to absorb the lessons from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better.In THE SKEPTICS' GUIDE TO THE FUTURE, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Applying their trademark skepticism, they carefully extrapolate upon each scientific development, leaving no stone unturned as they lay out a vision for the future.

Neutron Star Core

Science & Nature

Neutron Star Core explores the ultra-dense heart of neutron stars, objects so compact that a mere teaspoonful would weigh billions of tons on Earth. This interdisciplinary study blends physics and astronomy to unravel the mysteries of matter under extreme conditions, specifically at supranuclear density. One intriguing fact is the potential presence of exotic particles like hyperons and deconfined quarks within the core, challenging our current understanding of nuclear physics. The book emphasizes the equation of state (EoS) as a crucial, yet unresolved, problem, demonstrating how different EoS models impact observable neutron star properties like mass and radius.The book starts with stellar evolution and essential nuclear physics, gradually building to the complexities of the neutron star core. It presents the subject in three parts: the theoretical framework, observational constraints from X-ray telescopes and gravitational waves, and the implications of various EoS models on astrophysical phenomena like pulsar glitches. By integrating theoretical developments with cutting-edge observational data, Neutron Star Core provides a comprehensive overview for advanced students and researchers, fostering a critical understanding of these cosmic enigmas.

L'elemento del diavolo

Science & Nature

“L’elemento del diavolo” è un interessantissimo lavoro di giornalismo scientifico, un resoconto essenziale e illuminante che ci spinge a prestare attenzione a una delle questioni ambientali più pericolose ma meno conosciute del nostro tempo, in cui la competenza e lo stile impeccabile della penna di Dan Egan, due volte finalista al premio Pulitzer, fanno la differenza. La storia del fosforo abbraccia tutto il mondo e diverse epoche, dal passato a oggi. Scoperto per la prima volta in un laboratorio alchemico del XVII secolo ad Amburgo, divenne presto una risorsa molto ambita. La corsa all’estrazione del fosforo è passata dai campi di battaglia di Waterloo, che venivano saccheggiati in cerca delle ossa dei soldati caduti, alle leggendarie isole del guano al largo del Perù, dalla Bone Valley della Florida e alle dune di sabbia del Sahara occidentale. Nel secolo scorso, il fosforo ha reso l’agricoltura molto più produttiva, contribuendo all’enorme aumento della popolazione umana. Eppure, come Egan riporta in maniera straziante, la nostra dipendenza eccessiva da questo nutriente vitale per le colture sta oggi causando fioriture di alghe tossiche e “zone morte” nei corsi d’acqua. Il fosforo, oggi, è prezioso e ambito come i combustibili fossili, ma stiamo esaurendo la sua disponibilità ad una velocità tale che, proprio come per il petrolio, alcuni scienziati temono che raggiungeremo “il picco del fosforo” nel giro di pochi decenni, con un impatto determinante sulla futura scarsità di cibo, una seria minaccia che rischia di aumentare i conflitti e persino le guerre. È il paradosso del fosforo: stiamo consumando le nostre sempre più scarse riserve di roccia fosforica estraibile, ma allo stesso tempo stiamo drogando le nostre acque con delle dosi eccessive di fosforo, nocive per l’ambiente e per la nostra salute. Senza fosforo non c’è vita sulla Terra. Lo stesso vale per azoto e potassio, con una differenza però sostanziale: il fosforo si sta esaurendo. Una notizia allarmante se pensiamo che è l’elemento che completa il cerchio della vita e nient’altro può svolgere la sua funzione… Un’indagine sul passato, il presente e il futuro del “petrolio del nostro tempo”.

Fossili fantastici e chi li ha trovati

Science & Nature

Al giorno d’oggi ogni ragazzino saprebbe citare una lunga lista di nomi di dinosauri. Ma ci sono voluti secoli di sforzi e ricerche scientifiche – e anche una buona dose di fortuna – per arrivare a scoprire e distinguere le diverse specie di dinosauri che conosciamo oggi. Come siamo riusciti a sapere che il triceratopo aveva tre corna? Perché non tutti i paleontologi considerano il brontosauro una specie? Che cosa ha portato gli scienziati a credere che alcuni uccelli siano i lontanissimi parenti del velociraptor? In Fossili fantastici e chi li ha trovati Donald R. Prothero ci racconta non solo le storie affascinanti e sconosciute che si celano dietro le scoperte dei più importanti fossili ma anche le vite degli intrepidi ricercatori che hanno compiuto quelle imprese. Un viaggio in venticinque tappe fra i ritrovamenti più straordinari, da quando nel XVIII secolo furono rinvenute delle ossa mastodontiche e si credette fossero quelle dei giganti biblici, fino agli scavi più recenti che hanno rivelato l’esistenza di enormi predatori, molto più grandi del tirannosauro. Senza tralasciare le aspre rivalità fra i protagonisti che hanno fatto la storia della moderna paleontologia e i dibattiti controversi ancora in corso: i dinosauri, ad esempio, avevano le piume? Un saggio accurato e rigoroso, una lettura imprescindibile per ogni amante dei dinosauri: questo libro ci insegnerà a guardare il mondo preistorico con occhi completamente diversi…

Dix scénarios pour la fin du monde

Science & Nature

Connaissez-vous les différentes manières dont la Terre et la vie qu'elle abrite pourraient disparaître ? Nous allons tous mourir, c'est une certitude. Un jour lointain, même le Soleil cessera de briller. Mais la vie sur Terre n'attendra pas ce moment pour disparaître. En mourant de froid ? C'est peu probable. C'est plutôt la chaleur, la soif, la suffocation ou l'irradiation qui sonneront le glas de la biosphère, dans une série de catastrophes dévastatrices. Et pourtant, ce ne sera pas la fin de l'histoire. Que deviendra l'Univers après notre départ ? Combien de temps encore avant que tout ne s'efface ?Un voyage fascinant au coeur de l'avenir cosmique, là où le néant et l'éternité se rencontrent.

Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals

Science & Nature

This book investigates the critical relationship and interactions between two major environmental agendas of this century: the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through numerous global case studies, this book provides extensive evidence explaining the synergies and trade-offs that exist between these two agendas and illustrates the varying approaches employed by governments and institutions while implementing them. It highlights essential lessons learned, key policy and regulatory measures focused on potential mitigation and adaptation solutions, and the pivotal role played by a diverse range of stakeholders in achieving the goals of both agendas.FeaturesExplains how to create synergies among the SDGs and the Climate Goals for the betterment of the planet Raises awareness on urgent global issues through comprehensive analysis of policy measures and decision-making Provides in-depth case studies from various regions with diverse perspectives and successful implementation strategies Discusses financing gaps and solutions to guide financial planning and resource allocation Addresses monitoring and verification mechanisms that will enhance accountability and transparency This book is an insightful, comprehensive reference for professionals, researchers, senior undergraduates, and graduate students working on projects in support of climate change and sustainable development. It's also an excellent book for policymakers and NGOs involved with UN SDGs.

Transportation and Power Grid in Smart Cities

Science & Nature

With the increasing worldwide trend in population migration into urban centers, we are beginning to see the emergence of the kinds of mega-cities which were once the stuff of science fiction. It is clear to most urban planners and developers that accommodating the needs of the tens of millions of inhabitants of those megalopolises in an orderly and uninterrupted manner will require the seamless integration of and real-time monitoring and response services for public utilities and transportation systems. Part speculative look into the future of the world’s urban centers, part technical blueprint, this visionary book helps lay the groundwork for the communication networks and services on which tomorrow’s “smart cities” will run. Written by a uniquely well-qualified author team, this book provides detailed insights into the technical requirements for the wireless sensor and actuator networks required to make smart cities a reality.

Race for Space 7: Gemini Paves the Way

Science & Nature

To get to the Moon, NASA needed to master techniques like rendezvous, docking and spacewalking – and to do that it needed a new two-seat spacecraft to fill the gap between Mercury and Apollo. Book 6 in the Race for Space series describes the birth and early tests of Project Gemini, culminating in Colonel Ed White's amazingly photographed walk in Earth orbit.

Sewage and Biomass from Wastewater to Energy

Science & Nature

Written and edited by a team of industry experts, this exciting new volume covers clean energy production from sewage and biomass while achieving a zero-waste strategy. Wastewater treatment plants are critical in protecting both the environment’s resources and human health. A wastewater treatment plant’s technological system focuses not only on the effectiveness of the treatment but on the costs and energy consumption of the entire system. Municipal wastewater treatment produces a significant amount of sewage sludge all over the world. The majority of this sludge’s dry matter content is made up of organic compounds which are not toxic, and they consist of both primary and secondary (microbiological) sludge. There is also a substantial quantity of inorganic substances in the sludge, along with a small quantity of toxic matter. Also, various raw sewage treatment options can include energy production (heat, electricity, or biofuel) to reduce dependence on external energy supply during treatment. The most important options used for energy production from sewage and biomass can use the following approaches: anaerobic digestion, co-digestion, incineration with energy recovery, co-incineration, pyrolysis, gasification, supercritical (wet) oxidation, and hydrolysis. Generally, these processes or methods are cost-effective, but they can still have some setbacks related to the nature of the methods or the raw material used for conversion. There are also operating conditions to comply with to get a successful outcome. This book combines information from many disciplines related to wastewater treatment technologies to show how the circular economy approach can be used to achieve zero waste and produce energy that can be useful for plants and communities. This approach focuses on clean technologies for green energy resources such as biohydrogen, biofuels, and biogas from biomass and sewage sludge for zero waste production. This is aimed to also integrate the issue of energy demand and the one of energy production.

The Wild Excellence: Notes from Untamed America

Science & Nature

The Wild Excellence provides a personal look at an extraordinary landscape. Living on the edge of Yellowstone National Park, Leslie Patten weaves myth and science with history. She vividly relates her experiences as she digs out her clogged spring system, hikes and explores, copes with weather and isolation, and grows an intimate relationship with a place that her heart recognized on first sight as home. The author's curiosity leads her to investigate ancient Shoshone Indian sheep traps, help on a local wolf study, as well as learn about her wildlife neighbors—grizzly bears, elk and deer, coyotes and badgers. Patten speaks with scientists, land managers, archeologists and ordinary folk. In the doing, Patten poses valid questions about how we inhabit this earth, about the role of big expanses of wild land with intact populations of predators and other wildlife, and about what is really important in our lives.

Race for Space 12: “The Eagle Has Landed”

Science & Nature

It had taken eight years, involved some 450,000 people, and mobilised the industrial and technological resources of virtually the entire nation – but now the moment had come. The final book in the Race for Space series takes the reader step by step through Apollo 11's historic lunar landing, including the crew's triumphant return, the conspiracy theories surrounding the mission, and an appraisal of the Apollo program's value from a 21st-century perspective.

Designing Sorghum Genome for NextGen Agriculture

Science & Nature

With increasing global food demand and changing climatic conditions, sorghum is an important crop for sustainable agriculture. Its inherent resilience to drought, heat, and poor soils makes it a promising solution for enhancing food security and climate adaptation. To further harness its potential, Designing Sorghum Genome for NextGen Agriculture, authored by leading researchers and experts, explores the latest advancements aimed at improving sorghum’s resilience and productivity. This comprehensive resource provides cutting-edge insights into how modern scientific tools and methods are being leveraged to design the sorghum genome for enhanced yield, stress tolerance, and nutritional value.This book takes a multidisciplinary approach, integrating diverse strategies to enhance sorghum’s resilience. It highlights current achievements and outlines future directions to harness sorghum’s genetic potential as a climate-resilient crop for next-generation agriculture.Key Features:Examines sorghum’s global agricultural significance and its role in addressing future climatic challenges Covers genomics, pan-genomics, mutagenesis, and targeted gene editing for sorghum improvement Highlights physiological, molecular, and microbiome-based strategies to enhance sorghum’s abiotic stress tolerance Explores the synergy between genomic selection and phenomics for accelerated genetic gain Discusses omics approaches and systems biology for advancing sorghum research Showcases artificial intelligence and crop simulation modeling as tools for sorghum breeding for enhanced stress tolerance and yield potential This book serves as a valuable resource for researchers, breeders, agronomists, and students working in sorghum genetics, genomics, crop improvement, and sustainable agriculture. By bridging fundamental research with translational breeding strategies, it offers a forward-looking perspective on leveraging genomics for the future of sorghum production.

Green Extraction and Valorization of By-Products from Food Processing

Science & Nature

Generating of agricultural wastes and by-products during the production, processing and consumption of agricultural commodities is unavoidable and over the last decades, an increased public interest has been shown in the challenge of food wastage. Apart from its significant quantities, the physicochemical characteristics of the various agricultural waste and by-products denote that there is immense potential for their reuse, recycle, and valorisation through various different processes. Green Extraction and Valorization of By-Products from Food Processing provides an overview about the valorization or reuse of agricultural wastes and by-products during the production, processing and consumption of agricultural commodities. Waste disposal and by-product management in food processing industry pose problems in the areas of environmental protection and sustainability. However, they could be a great source of valuable nutraceuticals, which can be used to deal with the prospects of feeding fast growing population in 21st century.Features: Gives detailed guidance and presents case-studies about valorization of food wastes and by-products Shows the main conventional and innovative extraction techniques for food waste and by-products valorization Provides an estimated idea regarding the recovery of high-added value compounds Discusses the recovery of high-added value compounds Perspectives originated from the enormous amounts of food related materials that are discharged worldwide and the existing technologies, which promise the recovery, recycling and sustainability of high-added value ingredients inside food chain will be discussed in this book. This book is of value to academics, research institutes, and food industry engineers particularly the research and development professionals who are looking for effective management and utilization of food processing wastes and byproducts. In addition, it is suitable for undergraduate, post- graduate students, research scholars, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members from universities and colleges who pursue academic careers in Food Technology, Food Biotechnology, Fermentation and Bioengineering, Bioprocess Technology, Food science and Technology.

Race for Space 1: Dawn of the Space Age

Science & Nature

The mid-20th century saw America and the Soviet Union embark on one of the most remarkable endeavors the world has ever seen – the race to conquer space and land a man on the Moon. Now, in a series of 12 enhanced multi-touch eBooks, ex-NASA scientist David Baker and Russian space expert Anatoly Zak give their own unique perspective on the events leading up to the historic landing of Apollo 11 in July 1969. This amazing story has been told many times over the last 50 years – but never in the kind of visual and audio-visual detail that you’ll find in RACE FOR SPACE. It's an absorbing read that debunks many of the myths left over from the Cold War and sets the record straight about who did what in the space race. And as well as reading about it, you can watch the story unfold as it happened thanks to the movie snippets, newsreels and rare archive photos embedded within each title. There are also slideshows, cutaways and interactive illustrations to help fill in the all-important details. It all adds up to a package that’s inspiring, informative and educational on so many different levels – the perfect gift, in fact, for anyone interested in space exploration. The series comprises 12 titles that break down as follows: 1 Dawn of the space age Space pioneers and visionaries of the 19th century; the Nazi's V-2 – the first space rocket; Cold War ballistic missile development 2 Sputnik launches The story of the world's first artificial satellite; America responds to Sputnik; preparing for manned spaceflight 3 First man in space Training for spaceflight; Yuri Gagarin in Vostok 1 orbits the Earth; the later Vostoks and Valentina Tereshkova, first woman in space 4 America plays catch-up Development of the Mercury spacecraft; early Mercury flights; John Glenn reaches orbit; Mercury bows out 5 Fly Me to the Moon The genesis of Project Apollo – U.S. Army plans for a base on the Moon; development of the Saturn rocket; President Kennedy's promise to land a man on the Moon; the expansion of Cape Canaveral 6 Stepping into the void The story of the Soviet Voskhod spacecraft; NASA's interim Gemini spacecraft; Alexei Leonov’s first spacewalk 7 Gemini paves the way Manned Gemini flights begin; the USSR joins the race to the Moon; Gemini crews find their feet in orbit and Ed White walks in space 8 A step further NASA's post-Apollo plans for a lunar base; the mid-Gemini flights practice rendezvous and docking; the later Gemini flights perfect the art of spacewalking and adjusting orbital height 9 Baptisms of fire The Apollo 1 and Soyuz 1 disasters; Saturn V test flights get underway, the Apollo spacecraft is redesigned 10 Apollo draws closer Apollo goes “live”; the U.S. and USSR send probes to Venus and Mars; the Soviet unmanned Zond spacecraft loops around the Moon; Apollo 8 orbits the Moon 11 Almost there Training for the Moon; the Soviet lunar landing program; Apollo 9 proves itself in Earth orbit; Apollo 10 completes a dress rehearsal for a lunar landing. 12 “The Eagle has landed” The complete story of Apollo 11's historic lunar landing in July 1969 and its aftermath

Why Don't Spiders Stick to Their Webs?

Science & Nature

What happens if you fall into a black hole? Which properties give you the best chance of winning Monopoly? And why is it always so difficult to get ketchup to come out of a full bottle? Award winning science writer Robert Matthews provides answers to the most baffling, intriguing, and occasionally downright trivial questions submitted by members of the general public. From the mysterious fate of odd socks to the farthest reaches of the universe, this collection unravels the science behind the world around us. Entertaining, enlightening, and often inspired, this book is a must-read for all inquisitive minds.

Blow the Man Down

Science & Nature

Danger and determination collide in this thrilling science fiction story. Charles L. Fontenay delivers a fast-paced narrative filled with tension, action, and the will to survive against overwhelming odds.

Race for Space 10: Apollo Draws Closer

Science & Nature

With the Apollo spacecraft redesigned from the ground up, and amid fears that the USSR was about to send a manned spacecraft around the Moon, NASA took a massive but calculated gamble: to combine the first manned test of the giant Saturn V Moon rocket with a flight into lunar orbit. Book 10 in the Race for Space series looks at the build-up to the unforgettable events of Christmas 1968, when TV viewers on Earth were given their first close-up glimpses of the Moon.

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