Science & Nature Books
Introduction to Modern Scientific Programming and Numerical Methods
The ability to use computers to solve mathematical relationships is a fundamental skill for anyone planning for a career in science or engineering. For this reason, numerical analysis is part of the core curriculum for just about every undergraduate physics and engineering department. But for most physics and engineering students, practical programming is a self-taught process.This book introduces the reader not only to the mathematical foundation but also to the programming paradigms encountered in modern hybrid software-hardware scientific computing. After completing the text, the reader will be well-versed in the use of different numerical techniques, programming languages, and hardware architectures, and will be able to select the appropriate software and hardware tool for their analysis.It can serve as a textbook for undergraduate courses on numerical analysis and scientific computing courses within engineering and physical sciences departments. It will also be a valuable guidebook for researchers with experimental backgrounds interested in working with numerical simulations, or to any new personnel working in scientific computing or data analysis.Key Features: Includes examples of solving numerical problems in multiple programming languages, including MATLAB, Python, Fortran, C++, Arduino, Javascript, and Verilog Provides an introduction to modern high-performance computing technologies including multithreading, distributed computing, GPUs, microcontrollers, FPGAs, and web "cloud computing" Contains an overview of numerical techniques not found in other introductory texts including particle methods, finite volume and finite element methods, Vlasov solvers, and molecular dynamics
A Poison Like No Other
“Informed, utterly blindsiding account.” - Booklist, starred reviewIt’s falling from the sky and in the air we breathe. It’s in our food, our clothes, and our homes. It’s microplastic and it’s everywhere—including our own bodies. Scientists are just beginning to discover how these tiny particles threaten health, but the studies are alarming.In A Poison Like No Other, Matt Simon reveals a whole new dimension to the plastic crisis, one even more disturbing than plastic bottles washing up on shores and grocery bags dumped in landfills. Dealing with discarded plastic is bad enough, but when it starts to break down, the real trouble begins. The very thing that makes plastic so useful and ubiquitous – its toughness – means it never really goes away. It just gets smaller and smaller: eventually small enough to enter your lungs or be absorbed by crops or penetrate a fish’s muscle tissue before it becomes dinner.Unlike other pollutants that are single elements or simple chemical compounds, microplastics represent a cocktail of toxicity: plastics contain at least 10,000 different chemicals. Those chemicals are linked to diseases from diabetes to hormone disruption to cancers.A Poison Like No Other is the first book to fully explore this new dimension of the plastic crisis, following the intrepid scientists who travel to the ends of the earth and the bottom of the ocean to understand the consequences of our dependence on plastic. As Simon learns from these researchers, there is no easy fix. But we will never curb our plastic addiction until we begin to recognize the invisible particles all around us.
The Book of Seeds
“Deftly showcases 600 unique species from across the globe and reveals the wonders of nature. . . . Recommended.” —Library JournalSeeds are nature’s consummate survivors. The next time you admire a field of waving green grassland or a stunning grove of acacia, stop to consider how it got that way—often against incredible odds. Seeds can survive freezing temperatures and drought. They can pass through our digestive systems without damage and weather a trip across the ocean, hitching a ride on marine debris. The Book of Seeds takes readers through six hundred of the world’s seed species, revealing their extraordinary beauty and rich diversity. Each page pairs a beautifully composed photo of a seed—life-size, and, in some cases, enlarged to display fine detail—with a short description, a map showing distribution, and information on conservation status. The whole spectrum of seeds is covered here. There are prolific species like corn and less widely distributed species, like the brilliant blue seeds of the traveler’s palm or the bird of paradise flower. There are tiny seeds and seeds weighing up to forty pounds. And while seeds in all their shapes, sizes, and colors grant us sustenance, there are even some we would be wise to treat with caution, such as the rosary pea, whose seeds are considered toxic.The essential guide to these complex plant creations, The Book of Seeds offers readers a rare, up-close look that will inspire scientists and nature lovers alike.“Handsome and handy.” —New York Times“A well-written primer on seed anatomy, evolution, and use, including conservation.” —Huntia
Acoustic Microscopy
Acoustic microscopy enables the elastic properties of materials to be imaged and measured with the resolution of a good microscope. By using frequencies in the microwave regime, it is possible to make the acoustic wavelength comparable with the wavelength of light, and hence to achieve a resolution comparable with an optical microscope. Solids can support both longitudinal and transverse acoustic waves. At surfaces a unique combination of the two known as Raleigh waves can propagate, and in many circumstances these dominate the contrast in acoustic microscopy. Following the invention of scanning probe microscopes, it is now possible to use an atomic force microscope to detect the acoustic vibration of a surface with resolution in the nanometre range, thus beating the diffraction limit by operating in the extreme near-field. This second edition of Acoustic Microscopy has a major new chapter on the technique and applications of acoustically excited probe microscopy.
Μαύρες τρύπες και στρεβλώσεις του χρόνου (Τόμος Β)
Από την εμφάνιση της γενικής θεωρίας της σχετικότητας, το 1915, έως σήμερα, ορισμένοι από τους λαμπρότερους επιστήμονες του 20ού αιώνα έχουν καταβάλει προσπάθειες να αποκρυπτογραφήσουν τα μυστήρια που μας κληροδότησε η εν λόγω θεωρία. Η κληρονομιά αυτή έχει ορισμένες απροσδόκητες συνέπειες, ώστε ακόμη και ο ίδιος ο Αϊνστάιν την αποποιήθηκε. Ποιο από τα παρακάτω αλλόκοτα αντικείμενα μπορεί πράγματι να υπάρχει στο Σύμπαν μας; • Οι μαύρες τρύπες, όπου μπορεί να εισέλθει οτιδήποτε, αλλά από όπου δεν μπορεί να εξέλθει τίποτε. • Οι κοσμικές σκουληκότρυπες, που αποτελούν στρεβλώσεις του χώρου και συνδέουν δύο περιοχές του Σύμπαντος. • Οι χωροχρονικές ανωμαλίες, στις οποίες ο χωρόχρονος στρεβλώνεται τόσο έντονα ώστε ο μεν χρόνος παύει να υπάρχει ο δε χώρος αντικαθίσταται από ένα είδος κβαντικού αφρού. • Τα βαρυτικά κύματα, τα οποία μεταφέρουν περιγραφές συγκρούσεων μαύρων τρυπών που έλαβαν χώρα δισεκατομμύρια χρόνια πριν. • Οι μηχανές του χρόνου, με τις οποίες μπορεί κανείς να ταξιδέψει τόσο στο παρελθόν όσο και στο μέλλον. Ο Kip Thorne (Βραβείο Νόμπελ Φυσικής για το 2017), παράλληλα με τους μεγάλους θεωρητικούς Stephen Hawking και Roger Penrose, πολλούς σοβιετικούς επιστήμονες αλλά και παλαιότερους φυσικούς, όπως οι Oppenheimer, Wheeler και Chandrasekhar, έχει βρεθεί στην καρδιά της αναζήτησης ασφαλών απαντήσεων για τα παραπάνω ερωτήματα. Σε αυτό το αριστοτεχνικά γραμμένο και εξαιρετικά ενημερωμένο βιβλίο, μέσα από έναν κομψό συνδυασμό επιστημονικών και ιστορικών στοιχείων, οδηγεί τους αναγνώστες στο μεγάλο ερώτημα: Ποιες αρχές διέπουν το Σύμπαν μας και γιατί είναι αυτό που είναι; • «Κανείς δεν έχει περιγράψει καλύτερα απ’ ό,τι ο Kip σε τούτο το βιβλίο —και, μάλιστα, με περισσότερη σαφήνεια, εγκυρότητα και απλότητα ύφους— τις σημαντικότερες στιγμές στην προσπάθεια των επιστημόνων να αποκρυπτογραφήσουν την πνευματική κληρονομιά τού Αϊνστάιν.» —John Archibald Wheeler, καθηγητής θεωρητικής φυσικής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Πρίνστον • «... Μοναδικό βιβλίο. Έτσι θα έπρεπε να έχουν γραφτεί όλα τα βιβλία που σχετίζονται με τη γενική θεωρία της σχετικότητας, τις μαύρες τρύπες και τα βαρυτικά κύματα, τα βιβλία που προσπαθούν να μας πληροφορήσουν γιατί το Σύμπαν μας είναι αυτό που είναι. Συνδυάζει στοιχεία από την ιστορία της επιστήμης με παραστατικές και επιμελημένες επιστημονικές περιγραφές και επεξηγηματικά σχόλια. Τα ανέκδοτα στοιχεία που παραθέτει, ειδικότερα εκείνα που αφορούν τη σοβιετική επιστήμη, είναι εξαιρετικά διαφωτιστικά. [...]» —Carl Sagan, καθηγητής αστροφυσικής και κοσμολογίας, Πανεπιστήμιο Cornell • «Παραστατική και κατανοητή περιγραφή της γενικής σχετικότητας και των επιδράσεών της στη σύγχρονη αστροφυσική και κοσμολογία από έναν εκ των κορυφαίων ειδικών...» —Roger Penrose, καθηγητής μαθηματικής φυσικής, Πανεπιστήμιο της Οξφόρδης • «Το βιβλίο του Kip Thorne, εκτός από πηγή επιστημονικών πληροφοριών, πιστεύουμε ότι στα χρόνια που έρχονται θα αποτελέσει και πηγή έμπνευσης για πολλούς αναγνώστες του.» —Physics Today
How Music Works
“An exceptionally informative discussion of the hows and whys of music. . . . Enjoyable . . . with a wealth of information written in a most engaging style." —Seattle Post-IntelligencerWhat makes a musical note different from any other sound? How can you tell if you have perfect pitch? Why do ten violins sound only twice as loud as one? Do your Bob Dylan albums sound better on CD or vinyl? John Powell, a scientist and musician, answers these questions and many more in How Music Works, an intriguing and original guide to acoustics.In a clear and engaging voice, Powell leads you on a fascinating journey through the world of music, with lively discussions of the secrets behind harmony timbre, keys, chords, loudness, musical composition, and more. From how musical notes came to be (you can thank a group of stodgy men in 1939 London for that one), to how scales help you memorize songs, to how to make an oboe from a drinking straw, John Powell distills the science and psychology of music with wit and charm.“Enlightening.” —Publishers Weekly"Readers . . . should glean some useful background for music study while simultaneously being entertained." —Library Journal"By reading Powell's book we can gain a more solid knowledge of the foundations of music and therefore be better able to appreciate it." —New York Journal of Books"Any readers whose love of music has somehow not led them to explore the technical side before will surely find the result a thoroughly accessible, and occasionally revelatory, primer.” —The Spectator
Hovercraft Science
"Hovercraft Science" explores the fascinating technology behind vehicles that glide over land and water. It delves into the air cushion technology that enables hovercrafts to float, examining the relationship between air pressure, lift, and skirt design. The book also highlights their innovative use in rescue missions, particularly in challenging environments like swamps and flood zones, where conventional vehicles struggle.The book progresses logically, starting with the fundamental physics principles governing lift and air pressure. It then moves into the engineering aspects of hovercraft design, analyzing components like the engine, fan, and control systems. Real-world applications are showcased through case studies and performance data, providing a balanced assessment of hovercraft technology's capabilities and limitations.Unique to this book is its focus on practical considerations, analyzing how hovercrafts perform in emergency response and transportation scenarios. It also touches on related fields like fluid dynamics and materials science, offering a comprehensive look at the science and engineering behind these innovative transportation technologies. The book culminates with the challenges and future directions of hovercraft technology.
Timpul renascut
Traducere de Walter Fotescu Lui Lee Smolin, fără îndoială, nu-i lipsește nici curajul intelectual, nici creativitatea. Dacă mulți fizicieni (între care Carlo Rovelli) consideră că la nivel fundamental timpul nu există, că apare abia la scara experienței noastre, Smolin se situează pe poziția opusă. Pentru el, timpul e singurul lucru real, iar la această idee ajunge pornind de la cosmologie – în încercarea de a găsi legile fizicii care se aplică întregului univers, nu numai unei părți a lui bine delimitate. Smolin crede că legile fizicii evoluează în timp, urmând un tipar asemănător evoluției din biologie. În șirul raționamentelor sale, se încumetă să conteste valabilitatea teoriei relativității la scara întregului univers și, în privința mecanicii cuantice, să adopte o perspectivă care se abate de la interpretările standard. Ca o contrapondere însă la caracterul profund speculativ al ideilor lui, Smolin e permanent preocupat de posibilitatea ca ele să fie efectiv testate, iar problemele pe care le pune țin deopotrivă de fizică și de filozofie. Timpul renăscut este una dintre cele mai incitante cărți de știință apărute în ultimele decenii. „Smolin susține cu vehemență o schimbare de paradigmă care ar putea produce o revoluție extraordinară în modul nostru de a percepe lumea.“ — Publishers Weekly „Ce este timpul? Întrebarea aceasta de o simplitate înșelătoare este cea mai importantă problemă cu care se confruntă știința atunci când examinăm mai în profunzime aspectele fundamentale ale universului. Toate misterele cu care se confruntă fizicienii și cosmologii – de la Big Bang la viitorul universului, de la enigmele fizicii cuantice la unificarea forțelor și particulelor – se reduc în ultimă instanță la natura timpului.“ — LEE SMOLIN
Μαύρες τρύπες και στρεβλώσεις του χρόνου (Τόμος Α)
Από την εμφάνιση της γενικής θεωρίας της σχετικότητας, το 1915, έως σήμερα, ορισμένοι από τους λαμπρότερους επιστήμονες του 20ού αιώνα έχουν καταβάλει προσπάθειες να αποκρυπτογραφήσουν τα μυστήρια που μας κληροδότησε η εν λόγω θεωρία. Η κληρονομιά αυτή έχει ορισμένες απροσδόκητες συνέπειες, ώστε ακόμη και ο ίδιος ο Αϊνστάιν την αποποιήθηκε. Ποιο από τα παρακάτω αλλόκοτα αντικείμενα μπορεί πράγματι να υπάρχει στο Σύμπαν μας; • Οι μαύρες τρύπες, όπου μπορεί να εισέλθει οτιδήποτε, αλλά από όπου δεν μπορεί να εξέλθει τίποτε. • Οι κοσμικές σκουληκότρυπες, που αποτελούν στρεβλώσεις του χώρου και συνδέουν δύο περιοχές του Σύμπαντος. • Οι χωροχρονικές ανωμαλίες, στις οποίες ο χωρόχρονος στρεβλώνεται τόσο έντονα ώστε ο μεν χρόνος παύει να υπάρχει ο δε χώρος αντικαθίσταται από ένα είδος κβαντικού αφρού. • Τα βαρυτικά κύματα, τα οποία μεταφέρουν περιγραφές συγκρούσεων μαύρων τρυπών που έλαβαν χώρα δισεκατομμύρια χρόνια πριν. • Οι μηχανές του χρόνου, με τις οποίες μπορεί κανείς να ταξιδέψει τόσο στο παρελθόν όσο και στο μέλλον. Ο Kip Thorne (Βραβείο Νόμπελ Φυσικής για το 2017), παράλληλα με τους μεγάλους θεωρητικούς Stephen Hawking και Roger Penrose, πολλούς σοβιετικούς επιστήμονες αλλά και παλαιότερους φυσικούς, όπως οι Oppenheimer, Wheeler και Chandrasekhar, έχει βρεθεί στην καρδιά της αναζήτησης ασφαλών απαντήσεων για τα παραπάνω ερωτήματα. Σε αυτό το αριστοτεχνικά γραμμένο και εξαιρετικά ενημερωμένο βιβλίο, μέσα από έναν κομψό συνδυασμό επιστημονικών και ιστορικών στοιχείων, οδηγεί τους αναγνώστες στο μεγάλο ερώτημα: Ποιες αρχές διέπουν το Σύμπαν μας και γιατί είναι αυτό που είναι; • «Κανείς δεν έχει περιγράψει καλύτερα απ’ ό,τι ο Kip σε τούτο το βιβλίο —και, μάλιστα, με περισσότερη σαφήνεια, εγκυρότητα και απλότητα ύφους— τις σημαντικότερες στιγμές στην προσπάθεια των επιστημόνων να αποκρυπτογραφήσουν την πνευματική κληρονομιά τού Αϊνστάιν.» —John Archibald Wheeler, καθηγητής θεωρητικής φυσικής, Πανεπιστήμιο του Πρίνστον • «... Μοναδικό βιβλίο. Έτσι θα έπρεπε να έχουν γραφτεί όλα τα βιβλία που σχετίζονται με τη γενική θεωρία της σχετικότητας, τις μαύρες τρύπες και τα βαρυτικά κύματα, τα βιβλία που προσπαθούν να μας πληροφορήσουν γιατί το Σύμπαν μας είναι αυτό που είναι. Συνδυάζει στοιχεία από την ιστορία της επιστήμης με παραστατικές και επιμελημένες επιστημονικές περιγραφές και επεξηγηματικά σχόλια. Τα ανέκδοτα στοιχεία που παραθέτει, ειδικότερα εκείνα που αφορούν τη σοβιετική επιστήμη, είναι εξαιρετικά διαφωτιστικά. [...]» —Carl Sagan, καθηγητής αστροφυσικής και κοσμολογίας, Πανεπιστήμιο Cornell • «Παραστατική και κατανοητή περιγραφή της γενικής σχετικότητας και των επιδράσεών της στη σύγχρονη αστροφυσική και κοσμολογία από έναν εκ των κορυφαίων ειδικών...» —Roger Penrose, καθηγητής μαθηματικής φυσικής, Πανεπιστήμιο της Οξφόρδης • «Το βιβλίο του Kip Thorne, εκτός από πηγή επιστημονικών πληροφοριών, πιστεύουμε ότι στα χρόνια που έρχονται θα αποτελέσει και πηγή έμπνευσης για πολλούς αναγνώστες του.» —Physics Today
Aerospace Technologies and Applications for Dual Use
The events occurred in the last years have shown how the threat related to both intentional and natural disasters could bring the civil and the military worlds closer in the conceivement and deployment of countermeasures as well as in the identification of effective strategies for enhancing the Planet safety and security. In this frame, the concept of dual use ? the set of technologies and applications that can be exploited for both civil and military purposes - becomes a key-topic. In addition, the aerospace is a strategic building block in the deployment of a network centric environment that aims at the global protection of the mankind. Aerospace is also a natural environment for dual use: many of the related enabling technologies have been first developed for the military world and then applied to civil ? including commercial - purposes.On September 12-14, 2007 an International Symposium has been held in Roma, Italy, joining the dual use approach with the aerospace technology: the international community has been gathered around the key-topic: aerospace technologies and applications for dual use. The event has called experts and operators from the military and civil community, belonging to industry, scientific and governmental institutions. The common aim was an effective convergence between the available and perspected technologies for the civil and military worlds as well as the conceivement of applications that can take the maximum benefit from the dual approach, optimizing the available economic resources. The Symposium has included invited-only contributions and an industrial panel. The main results of the Symposium, derived from key-note speeches, invited lectures, panel discussions and conclusions have created the starting material to develop this Edited Book.
Solar Flares Impact
Solar Flares Impact explores the science and potential consequences of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on our planet and its technology. This book sheds light on how events 93 million miles away can disrupt satellite communication, power grids, and even aviation. It highlights that our increasing reliance on technology makes us more vulnerable to space weather events, emphasizing the need to understand and mitigate these risks, as a powerful solar flare could potentially cause widespread blackouts or cripple essential space-based infrastructure.The book begins by explaining the basic physics behind solar flares, including the roles of sunspots and magnetic fields. It then examines the impacts of these flares on various technologies and sectors, such as telecommunications engineering and space exploration. Finally, it discusses current and future mitigation strategies, like space weather forecasting and hardening satellites, to protect against these solar storms.By combining rigorous scientific analysis with practical considerations, Solar Flares Impact provides a balanced view suitable for policymakers, engineers, and the general public. It connects insights from diverse fields, including atmospheric science and risk management, to offer a holistic understanding of the challenges and potential solutions, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in addressing this global challenge.
Mirror, Mirror
As our first technology for contemplation of the self, the mirror is arguably as important an invention as the wheel and perhaps even more universal. Mirror Mirror is the fascinating story of the mirror's invention, refinement, and use in an astonishing range of human activities-from the bloodthirsty smoking gods of the Toltecs, to the fantastic mirrored rooms wealthy Romans created for their orgies, to the mirror's key role in the use and understanding of light. From Archimedes to Isaac Newton to Max Factor to David Hockney, this is the fascinating tale of one of the most remarkable inventions in human history and its effects on myth, religion, science, manners, and the arts.
La amenaza más letal
Nuestra guerra contra las pandemias y cómo evitar la próxima Este libro, escrito por uno de los mayores expertos mundiales en epidemiología, anticipaba paso a paso la pandemia que está azotando el planeta. Esta edición actualizada incluye un prólogo en el que se analiza a fondo la crisis del coronavirus: qué es el covid-19, qué deberían hacer las autoridades y cómo afrontar la próxima crisis. A diferencia de los desastres naturales, cuya afectación está limitada a un territorio y un periodo de tiempo determinados, las pandemias tienen la capacidad de alterar para siempre y a escala global la vida de las personas: el trabajo, el transporte, la economía y hasta la vida social de la gente pueden cambiar radicalmente. Como el ébola, el zica, la fiebre amarilla o ahora el coronavirus han demostrado, no estamos preparados para gestionar una crisis pandémica. ¿Qué podemos hacer para protegernos de nuestro enemigo más letal? A partir de los últimos descubrimientos científicos, Osterholm explora las causas y las consecuencias de una pandemia y las maneras de atajarla a escala global e individual. El autor ahonda en los problemas que se ciernen sobre nosotros ante el riesgo de la propagación de un virus sin cura y de la complejidad que conlleva la búsqueda de esa cura. Escrito como si de un thriller médico se tratara, el libro nos ayudará a entender los peligros de la situación actual y del plan de acción que debemos seguir. El profético libro que primero alertó contra la crisis del coronavirus. N.01 en EE. UU. «Si los responsables políticos encargados de tomar decisiones leyeran este libro, se salvarían muchas vidas. No solo es sólido, sino que tiene un ritmo narrativo y un subtexto propios del mejor Stephen King.» John Barry, autor de The Great Influenza«Michael Osterholm es uno de los mejores epidemiólogos del mundo. Su libro aborda las amenazas que nos acucian con claridad y realismo, y nos ofrece planes sensatos para evitarlas en el futuro.» Richard Preston, autor de Zona calienteEn la lista de los más vendidos del New York Times«Osterholm ha escrito un brillante, inteligente y persuasivo libro que nos invita a pensar de una forma distinta en las amenazas naturales que se ciernen sobre nosotros. (...) Es un manual que establece cuáles deben ser las prioridades a partir de ahora y cómo se deben reconfigurar las instituciones de salud pública.» Financial Times
The Future of Us
A fascinating look at the cutting-edge science and technologies that are on the cusp of changing everything from where we’ll live, how we’ll look, and who we’ll be, by the popular science broadcaster and bestselling author Jay Ingram.Where will we live? How will we get around? What will we look like? These are just some of the questions bestselling author and popular science broadcaster Jay Ingram answers in this exciting examination of the science and technologies that will affect every aspect of human life.In these pages, Ingram explores the future of our technological civilization. He reports on cutting-edge research in organ and limb regeneration, advances in prosthetics, the merging of the human and the synthetic, and gene editing. Vertical farming and lab-grown food might help feed millions and alleviate pressure on the planet. Cities could accommodate green space and the long-awaited flying car. Finally, he speculates on the future of artificial general intelligence, even artificial superintelligence, as well as our place on Earth and in the universe.The potential impact of these developments in science and technology will be powerful and wide-ranging, complicated by ethics and social equity. And they will inevitably revolutionize every aspect of life and even who we are. This is The Future of Us.
Science and the Modern World
The famed mathematician and philosopher takes readers on a journey into a new scientific age, exploring topics from relativity to religion. Alfred North Whitehead, one of the great figures in the philosophy of science, wrote this prescient work nearly a century ago. Yet, in an era that has us reckoning with science and technology's place and meaning in our lives, it remains as relevant as ever. Science and the Modern World puts scientific discovery into historical and cultural context—exploring the effects of science and people on each other. "It is a work not only of the first importance but also of great beauty. . . . Vivid writing." —Nature
Le bot qui murmurait à l'oreille de la vieille dame
Quand votre bot s’appelle Fanny et possède la belle voix grave de Fanny Ardant, et que vous voulez le déconnecter définitivement, activer le fameux code 777 suffit-il vraiment ? Pas facile de redevenir un Universel anonyme... Nouvelle après nouvelle, Serge Abiteboul explore ce que pourrait être notre vie future, entre objets hyperconnectés, greffes de cerveau artificiel et robots presque aussi insaisissables que certains de nos semblables… La science et l’imagination s’allient pour nous faire réfléchir aux possibles – et au souhaitable. Après tout, ce monde futur, c’est nous qui le construisons.
Projections
A groundbreaking tour of the human mind that illuminates the biological nature of our inner worlds and emotions, through gripping, moving—and, at times, harrowing—clinical stories“[A] scintillating and moving analysis of the human brain and emotions.”—Nature“Beautifully connects the inner feelings within all human beings to deep insights from modern psychiatry and neuroscience.”—Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel LaureateKarl Deisseroth has spent his life pursuing truths about the human mind, both as a renowned clinical psychiatrist and as a researcher creating and developing the revolutionary field of optogenetics, which uses light to help decipher the brain’s workings. In Projections, he combines his knowledge of the brain’s inner circuitry with a deep empathy for his patients to examine what mental illness reveals about the human mind and the origin of human feelings—how the broken can illuminate the unbroken.Through cutting-edge research and gripping case studies from Deisseroth’s own patients, Projections tells a larger story about the material origins of human emotion, bridging the gap between the ancient circuits of our brain and the poignant moments of suffering in our daily lives. The stories of Deisseroth’s patients are rich with humanity and shine an unprecedented light on the self—and the ways in which it can break down. A young woman with an eating disorder reveals how the mind can rebel against the brain’s most primitive drives of hunger and thirst; an older man, smothered into silence by depression and dementia, shows how humans evolved to feel not only joy but also its absence; and a lonely Uighur woman far from her homeland teaches both the importance—and challenges—of deep social bonds.Illuminating, literary, and essential, Projections is a revelatory, immensely powerful work. It transforms our understanding not only of the brain but of ourselves as social beings—giving vivid illustrations through science and resonant human stories of our yearning for connection and meaning.
The Edge of Knowledge
Lawrence Krauss explores the greatest unanswered questions at the forefront of science today, and likely for the coming century and beyond.Internationally known theoretical physicist and bestselling author Lawrence Krauss explores science’s greatest unanswered questions. Three of the most important words in science are “I don't know.” Not knowing implies a Universe of opportunities—the possibility of discovery and surprise. Our understanding of science has advanced immeasurably over the last five hundred years, yet many fundamental mysteries of existence persist: How did our Universe begin? How big is the Universe? Is time travel possible? What’s at the center of a black hole? How did life on Earth arise? Are we alone? What is consciousness, and can we create it? These mysteries define the scientific forefront—the threshold of the unknown. To explore that threshold is to gain a deeper understanding of just how far science has progressed. Covering time, space, matter, life, and consciousness, Krauss introduces readers to topics that will shape the state of science for the next century, providing us all passport to our own journeys of exploration and discovery.
Monkey Girl
What should we teach our children about where we come from? Is evolution a lie or good science? Is it incompatible with faith? Have scientists really detected evidence of a creator in nature? From bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Humes comes a dramatic story of faith, science, and courage unlike any since the famous Scopes Monkey Trial. Monkey Girl takes you behind the scenes of the recent war on evolution in Dover, Pennsylvania, when the town's school board decision to confront the controversy head-on thrust its students, then the entire community, onto the front lines of America's culture wars. Told from the perspectives of all sides of the battle, it is a riveting true story about an epic court case on the teaching of "intelligent design," and what happens when science and religion collide.