Science & Nature - Books

La Promesse des arbres - Comment la forêt nous sauvera si nous la laissons faire

Science & Nature

Comment la forêt nous sauvera si nous la laissons faire.Peter Wohlleben est forestier depuis vingt ans. Grâce à ses livres, traduits dans le monde entier, il a fait découvrir la vie secrète des arbres et ses enseignements à des millions de lecteurs.Dans sa forêt en Allemagne, qui est comme un laboratoire à ciel ouvert, il est le témoin des bienfaits de l'écosystème forestier, de son action sur le cycle de l'eau, les sols et la qualité de l'air que nous respirons, surtout quand le climat change.Peter Wohlleben nous montre ainsi comment les arbres s'adaptent déjà au changement climatique et comment la forêt peut compenser ses effets. Mais les arbres sont aussi une matière première ; ils font l'objet d'une exploitation intensive, dont les conséquences menacent directement notre avenir. En s'appuyant sur la science, la nature et son expérience unique, Peter Wohlleben dénonce les pratiques de l'industrie forestière et lance un appel à laisser se développer librement les forêts du futur.La forêt peut être notre meilleure alliée pour préserver une planète vivable... mais seulement si nous la laissons faire.

Fundamentele lumii fizice

Science & Nature

La nivel fundamental, lumea fizică arată altfel decât ne spun simțurile și intuițiile cu ajutorul cărora ne descurcăm în viața de zi cu zi, iar pentru a o înțelege trebuie să ne naștem a doua oară și să învățăm felul în care funcționează universul la scară microscopică și la scară cosmică așa cum bebelușii învață să meargă și să vorbească. În această aventură a dezvățării și învățării ne călăuzește laureatul Nobel Frank Wilczek, unul dintre cei mai inventivi fizicieni contemporani, cu contribuții esențiale la descifrarea comportamentului particulelor elementare. Privit de la altitudinea sa intelectuală, peisajul lumii fizice se simplifică și capătă pregnanță. Wilczek discută zece principii generale pe baza cărora explică bogăția și complexitatea cosmosului, ne prezintă câte o temă din perspective diferite (abundența spațiului și a timpului, numărul mic de particule și de legi, materia, energia, evoluția cosmosului…), mereu fidel noțiunii de complementaritate, și face predicții legate de viitoarele descoperiri – toate acestea în termeni perfect accesibili cititorului fără pregătire științifică. Nu în ultimul rând, Fundamentele lumii fizice este cartea unui umanist care pledează deopotrivă pentru modestie și respect de sine în raportarea noastră la univers. „Aceasta e o carte despre lecțiile fundamentale pe care le putem învăța studiind lumea fizică. Am întâlnit mulți oameni curioși să afle mai mult despre lumea fizică și dornici să știe ce are de spus despre ea fizica modernă. Fie că e vorba de avocați, medici, artiști, studenți, profesori, părinți sau pur și simplu oameni curioși, cu toții sunt înzestrați cu inteligență, dar le lipsesc informațiile. Am încercat în această carte să prezint principalele teorii ale fizicii moderne într-un mod cât mai simplu, dar fără să fac rabat de la rigoare. Am scris-o avându-i în minte pe prietenii mei curioși și gândindu-mă la întrebările lor.“ — FRANK WILCZEK „Wilczek scrie cu o extraordinară simplitate și claritate, iar plăcerea cu care abordează subiectul e frapantă.“ — The New York Times Book Review

Has It Come to This?

Science & Nature

Geoengineering is the deliberate and large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system in an attempt to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming. Now that climate emergency is upon us, claims that geoengineering is inevitable are rapidly proliferating. How did we get into this situation where the most extreme path now seems a plausible development? Is it an accurate representation of where we are at? Who is this “we” who is talking? What options make it onto the table? Which are left out? Whom does geoengineering serve? Why is the ensemble of projects that goes by that name so salient, even though the community of researchers and advocates is remarkably small? These are some of the questions that the thinkers contributing to this volume are exploring from perspectives ranging from sociology and geography to ethics and Indigenous studies. The editors set out this diverse collection of voices not as a monolithic, unified take on geoengineering, but as a place where creative thinkers, students, and interested environmental and social justice advocates can explore nuanced ideas in more than 240 characters.

Race for Space 11: Almost There

Science & Nature

With the clock ticking, NASA left itself just two more flights to clear the Apollo hardware for a lunar landing. Meanwhile in the USSR, Soviet hopes of putting a cosmonaut on the Moon were fading fast following a disastrous first test of the giant but fatally flawed N1. Race for Space book 9 covers these events and more as the race to the Moon arches its thrilling climax.

Realization and Model Reduction of Dynamical Systems

Science & Nature

This book celebrates Professor Thanos Antoulas's 70th birthday, marking his fundamental contributions to systems and control theory, especially model reduction and, more recently, data-driven modeling and system identification. Model reduction is a prominent research topic with wide ranging scientific and engineering applications.

I nuovi limiti dello sviluppo

Science & Nature

Nel 1972 tre giovani scienziati, pionieri delle scienze informatiche, pubblicarono I limiti dello sviluppo: un rapporto destinato a fare epoca, in cui gettavano uno sguardo verso il futuro e, grazie a modelli di calcolo computerizzati, riuscivano a mostrare le conseguenze della crescita incontrollata su un pianeta dalle risorse non infinite. Parecchi anni dopo, armati di strumenti informatici ben più raffinati e di una mole enorme di dati statistici, quegli stessi autori lanciano ancora il loro grido d'allarme, confermando le previsioni e mettendoci in guardia sui devastanti effetti dell'azione umana sul clima, la qualità delle acque, la biodiversità marina, le foreste e tutte le altre risorse naturali. Prima che sia troppo tardi.

The Secret Lives of Glaciers

Science & Nature

Geographer, adventurer, environmental educator, 2018 TED Fellow and National Geographic Society Emerging Explorer Dr. M Jackson studies and writes about glaciers and climate change worldwide. Seeking to understand the wild diversity and complexity that exists between people and ice, Jackson lived for a year on the south-eastern coast of Iceland, chronicling in The Secret Lives of Glaciers the cultural and societal impacts of glacier change on local communities. Jackson interviewed hundreds of Icelanders living in close proximity to ice, seeking to understand just what was at stake as the island’s ice disappeared. Painstakingly detailed, Jackson recounts stories of glaciers told by people throughout the region, stories exploring the often conflicting and controversial plasticity of glaciers, the power glaciers enact in society, the possible sentience of glaciers, and the range of intertwined positive and negative consequences glacier change produces throughout Iceland. The Secret Lives of Glaciers reaches beyond Iceland and touches on changing glaciers everywhere, revealing oft-overlooked interactions between people and ice throughout human history.The Secret Lives of Glaciers delivers a critical message: understanding glaciers and people together teaches us about how human society worldwide experiences being in the world today amidst increasing climatic changes and anthropogenic transformation of all of Earth’s systems. Instead of creating another catalogue of all the ice the world is losing, The Secret Lives of Glaciers explores what we may yet find with glaciers: hope for humanity, and the possibility of saving this world’s glaciers.

Manipular Darwin

Science & Nature

Um livro fundamental sobre o futuro da nossa espécie. Depois de 3,8 mil milhões de anos, a Humanidade está prestes a evoluir segundo novas regras. Com a atual revolução genética, o nosso ADN está a tornar-se tão legível e manipulável como as tecnologias da informação. Porém, à medida que começamos a desvendar o nosso próprio código genético, as escolhas que fazemos atualmente irão marcar a diferença entre testemunhar avanços espetaculares no bem-estar humano… ou entrar numa perigosa corrida às armas genéticas.

Confessions of an Eco-Sinner

Science & Nature

A 2008 Indie Next Pick In Confessions of an Eco-Sinner, Fred Pearce surveys his home and then sets out to track down the people behind the production and distribution of everything in his daily life, from his socks to his computer to the food in his fridge. It’s a fascinating portrait, by turns sobering and hopeful, of the effects the world’s more than six billion inhabitants have on our planet—and of the working and living conditions of the people who produce most of these goods.

海底两万里

Science & Nature

《海底两万里》这部作品叙述法国生物学者阿龙纳斯在海洋深处旅行的故事。这事发生在1866年,当时海上发现了一只被断定为独角鲸的大怪物,他接受邀请参加追捕,在追捕过程中不幸落水,泅到怪物的脊背上。其实这怪物并非什么独角鲸,而是一艘构造奇妙的潜水船,潜水船是船长尼摩在大洋中的一座荒岛上秘密建造的,船身坚固,利用海洋发电。尼摩船长邀请阿龙纳斯作海底旅行。他们从太平洋出发,经过珊瑚岛、印度洋、红海、地中海,进入大西洋,看到许多罕见的海生动植物和水中的奇异景象,又经历了搁浅、土人围攻、同鲨鱼搏斗、冰山封路、章鱼袭击等许多险情。最后,当潜水船到达挪威海岸时,阿龙纳斯不辞而别,把他所知道的海底秘密公布于世。这部作品集中了凡尔纳科幻小说的所有特点。曲折紧张、扑朔迷离的故事情节,瞬息万变的人物命运,丰富详尽的科学知识和细节逼真的美妙幻想融于一炉。作者独具匠心,巧妙布局,在漫长的旅行中,时而将读者推入险象环生的险恶环境,时而又带进充满诗情画意的美妙境界;波澜壮阔的场面描绘和细致入微的细节刻画交替出现。读来引人入胜、欲罢不能。

Neuro-Rehabilitation with Brain Interface

Science & Nature

In recent years, major results were reported on Brain-Computer Interface / Brain-Machine Interface (BCI/BMI) applied to rehabilitation in scientific reports and papers. This subject received much attention within the Society on Communication, Navigation, Sensing and Services (CONASENSE) during the period 2013-2015. Describing the state of the art on various BCI/BMI activities related to neuro-rehabilitation is the central theme of this book.The latest insights coming from neurophysiologists, neuropsychologists, ICT experts specialized in clinical data management and from representatives of patient organizations are elucidated and new ways for “BCI/BMI applied to rehabilitation” using advanced ICT are introduced. The book describes the latest progress in and is an appeal for an approach leading to more cost-saving multi-disciplinary neuro-rehabilitation. This book covers the following topics: • Overview on BCI/BMI applied to rehabilitation• ICT for Neuro-rehabilitation• ICT for new generation prostheses• Gaze tracking, facial orientation determination, face and emotion recognition in 3D space for neuro-rehabilitation applications• Integrated perspective for future wide spread integration of motor neuro-rehabilitation• Ethical issues in the use of Information and Communication Technologies in the health care of patients with neurological disorders

Nanofluid Heat Transfer

Science & Nature

Future-proof your thermal system designs with this essential guide, providing a comprehensive, cutting-edge exploration of nanofluids to drive innovation and efficiency in heat transfer. The development and application of nanofluids aligns with the broader trend towards miniaturization and higher efficiency in thermal systems. As industries continue to push the boundaries of performance and efficiency, the integration of nanofluids into thermal management solutions represents a forward-thinking approach that addresses these demands. In the context of disciplinary development, the study of nanofluids is situated at the intersection of nanotechnology, materials science, and thermal engineering. The unique properties of nanofluids have prompted extensive research aimed at understanding their behavior and optimizing their use in practical applications. This book contributes to this growing body of knowledge by providing comprehensive insights into the preparation, stability, and thermophysical properties of nanofluids. It also explores advanced computational models and experimental techniques essential for predicting and analyzing the heat transfer performance of nanofluids. This book, by providing a detailed exploration of the theoretical and practical aspects of nanofluids, serves as a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and industry professionals aiming to harness the potential of this cutting-edge technology to drive innovation and efficiency in thermal systems.

International Language and Science

Science & Nature

The language barriers in science can cost a lot of time and money. It can ruin years of research, and all the efforts and finances put in use for it can go down the drain. With that and several other practical reasons in mind, the book's five authors from five different countries belonging to three distinct languages have attempted to explain the necessity of having an international auxiliary language for science. Contents include: The need for a common scientific language, by L. Pfaundler The Délégation pour l'adoption d'une langue auxiliaire internationale, by R. Lorenz Linguistic principles necessary for the construction of an international auxiliary language, with an appendix on the criticism of Esperanto, by O. Jespersen On the application of logic to the problem of an international language, by L. Couturat The relationship of the international language to science, by R. Lorenz The question of nomenclature, by W. Ostwald Conclusion; Reading, Writing, and Speaking, by L. Pfaundler

Cartas a los filósofos, los artistas y los políticos

Science & Nature

Bautizado el " Rousseau del siglo XIX ", Pierre Leroux (1797-1871) inventó la palabra "socialismo" y fue fuente de inspiración para un vasto conjunto de escritores, entre quienes se cuentan a Proudhon, Blanqui, Baudelaire, Heine, Renan, Durkheim y Marx, quien en 1843 no dudó en calificarlo de "genial". Es que con anterioridad a Marx y Engels, Leroux había ya iniciado sólidamente la crítica de la religión cristiana y de la economía política inglesa, como formas antiguas de concebir a la humanidad.Olvidado por las diversas ortodoxias socialistas, en los escritos de este "Pensador de la humanidad" –como también fue caracterizado-, se destila de manera original, una teoría que aúna un comunismo primitivo junto a la utopía de una sociedad libertaria. En estas reflexiones dirigidas A los filósofos, los artistas y los políticos, Leroux sitúa a la libertad moderna como el núcleo de una nueva síntesis de la humanidad, en la cual la igualdad habrá por fin de abarcar a la clase obrera y las mujeres.Un socialismo místico y feminista que coloca la cuestión de la emancipación como un acto a la vez filosófico, político, económico, religioso y estético. Se trata por medio de estos textos -como ha señalado Miguel Abensour- de retomar la cuestión de la emancipación, no para abandonarla sino para complicarla.

Whole Earth Discipline

Science & Nature

An icon of the environmental movement outlines a provocative approach for reclaiming our planet According to Stewart Brand, a lifelong environmentalist who sees everything in terms of solvable design problems, three profound transformations are under way on Earth right now. Climate change is real and is pushing us toward managing the planet as a whole. Urbanization?half the world?s population now lives in cities, and eighty percent will by midcentury?is altering humanity?s land impact and wealth. And biotechnology is becoming the world?s dominant engineering tool. In light of these changes, Brand suggests that environmentalists are going to have to reverse some longheld opinions and embrace tools that they have traditionally distrusted. Only a radical rethinking of traditional green pieties will allow us to forestall the cataclysmic deterioration of the earth?s resources. Whole Earth Discipline shatters a number of myths and presents counterintuitive observations on why cities are actually greener than countryside, how nuclear power is the future of energy, and why genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. With a combination of scientific rigor and passionate advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie and offers a bold and inventive set of policies and solutions for creating a more sustainable society. In the end, says Brand, the environmental movement must become newly responsive to fast-moving science and take up the tools and discipline of engineering. We have to learn how to manage the planet?s global-scale natural infrastructure with as light a touch as possible and as much intervention as necessary.

Materials for Hydrogen Production, Conversion, and Storage

Science & Nature

MATERIALS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION, CONVERSION, AND STORAGE Edited by one of the most well-respected and prolific engineers in the world and his team, this book provides a comprehensive overview of hydrogen production, conversion, and storage, offering the scientific literature a comprehensive coverage of this important fuel. Continually growing environmental concerns are driving every, or almost every, country on the planet towards cleaner and greener energy production. This ultimately leaves no option other than using hydrogen as a fuel that has almost no adverse environmental impact. But hydrogen poses several hazards in terms of human safety as its mixture of air is prone to potential detonations and fires. In addition, the permeability of cryogenic storage can induce frostbite as it leaks through metal pipes. In short, there are many challenges at every step to strive for emission-free fuel. In addition to these challenges, there are many emerging technologies in this area. For example, as the density of hydrogen is very low, efficient methods are being developed and engineered to store it in small volumes. This groundbreaking new volume describes the production of hydrogen from various sources along with the protagonist materials involved. Further, the extensive and novel materials involved in conversion technologies are discussed. Also covered here are the details of the storage materials of hydrogen for both physical and chemical systems. Both renewal and non-renewal sources are examined as feedstocks for the production of hydrogen. The non-renewal feedstocks, mainly petroleum, are the major contributor to date but there is a future perspective in a renewal source comprising mainly of water splitting via electrolysis, radiolysis, thermolysis, photocatalytic water splitting, and biohydrogen routes. Whether for the student, veteran engineer, new hire, or other industry professionals, this is a must-have for any library.

Handbook of Algal Biofuels

Science & Nature

Handbook of Algal Biofuels: Aspects of Cultivation, Conversion and Biorefinery comprehensively covers the cultivation, harvesting, conversion, and utilization of microalgae and seaweeds for different kinds of biofuels. The book addresses four main topics in the algal biofuel value-chain. First, it explores algal diversity and composition, covering micro- and macroalgal diversity, classification, and composition, their cultivation, biotechnological applications, current use within industry for biofuels and value-added products, and their application in CO2 sequestration, wastewater treatment, and water desalination. Next, the book addresses algal biofuel production, presenting detailed guidelines and protocols for different production routes of biodiesel, biogas, bioethanol, biobutanol, biohydrogen, jet fuel, and thermochemical conversation methods. Then, the authors discuss integrated approaches for enhanced biofuel production. This includes updates on the recent advances, breakthroughs, and challenges of algal biomass utilization as a feedstock for alternative biofuels, process intensification techniques, life cycle analysis, and integrated approaches such as wastewater treatment with CO2 sequestration using cost-effective and eco-friendly techniques. In addition, different routes for waste recycling for enhanced biofuel production are discussed alongside economic analyses. Finally, this book presents case studies for algal biomass and biofuel production including BIQ algae house, Renewable Energy Laboratory project, Aquatic Species Program, and the current status of algal industry for biofuel production.Handbook of Algal Biofuels offers an all-in-one resource for researchers, graduate students, and industry professionals working in the areas of biofuels and phycology and will be of interest to engineers working in renewable energy, bioenergy, alternative fuels, biotechnology, and chemical engineering. Furthermore, this book includes structured foundational content on algae and algal biofuels for undergraduate and graduate students working in biology and life sciences. Provides complete coverage of the biofuel production process, from cultivation to biorefinery Includes a detailed discussion of process intensification, lifecycle analysis and biofuel byproducts Describes key aspects of algal diversity and composition, including their cultivation, harvesting and advantages over conventional biomass

Building the H Bomb

Science & Nature

In this engaging scientific memoir, Kenneth Ford recounts the time when, in his mid-twenties, he was a member of the team that designed and built the first hydrogen bomb. He worked with - and relaxed with - scientific giants of that time such as Edward Teller, Enrico Fermi, Stan Ulam, John von Neumann, and John Wheeler, and here offers illuminating insights into the personalities, the strengths, and the quirks of these men. Well known for his ability to explain physics to nonspecialists, Ford also brings to life the physics of fission and fusion and provides a brief history of nuclear science from the discovery of radioactivity in 1896 to the ten-megaton explosion of “Mike” that obliterated a Pacific Island in 1952.Ford worked at both Los Alamos and Princeton's Project Matterhorn, and brings out Matterhorn's major, but previously unheralded contribution to the development of the H bomb. Outside the lab, he drove a battered Chevrolet around New Mexico, a bantam motorcycle across the country, and a British roadster around New Jersey. Part of the charm of Ford's book is the way in which he leavens his well-researched descriptions of the scientific work with brief tales of his life away from weapons.Contents: The Big Idea The Protagonists The Choice The Scientists, the Officials, and the President Nuclear Energy Some Physics Going West A New World The Classical Super Calculating and Testing Constructing Matterhorn Academia Cowers New Mexico, New York, and New Jersey The Garwin Design Climbing Matterhorn It's More Than a BoyReadership: A memoir for general readership in the history of science.Key Features: It contains real physics, clearly presented for non-specialists Combining historical scholarship and his own recollections, the author offers important insights into the people and the work that led to the first H bomb Personal anecdotes enliven the book

Oceans and Marine Resources in a Changing Climate

Science & Nature

Prepared for the 2013 National Climate Assessment and a landmark study in terms of its breadth and depth of coverage, Oceans and Marine Resources in a Changing Climate is the result of a collaboration among numerous local, state, federal, and nongovernmental agencies to develop a comprehensive, state of the art look at the effects of climate change on the oceans and marine ecosystems under U.S. jurisdiction.This book provides an assessment of scientific knowledge of the current and projected impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on the physical, chemical, and biological components and human uses of marine ecosystems under U.S. jurisdiction. It also provides assessment of the international implications for the U.S. due to climate impacts on ocean ecosystems and of efforts to prepare for and adapt to climate and acidification impacts on ocean ecosystem, including· Climate-Driven Physical and Chemical Changes in Marine Ecosystems· Impacts of Climate Change on Marine Organisms· Impacts of Climate Change on Human Uses of the Ocean· International Implications of Climate Change· Ocean Management Challenges, Adaptation Approaches, and Opportunities in a Changing Climate· Sustaining the Assessment of Climate Impacts on Oceans and Marine ResourcesRich in science and case studies, it examines the latest climate change impacts, scenarios, vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacity and offers decision makers and stakeholders a substantial basis from which to make informed choices that will affect the well-being of the region’s inhabitants in the decades to come.

Recent Advances in Nonlinear Dynamics and Synchronization

Science & Nature

This book focuses on modelling and simulation, control and optimization, signal processing, and forecasting in selected nonlinear dynamical systems, presenting both literature reviews and novel concepts. It develops analytical or numerical approaches, which are simple to use, robust, stable, flexible and universally applicable to the analysis of complex nonlinear dynamical systems. As such it addresses key challenges are addressed, e.g. efficient handling of time-varying dynamics, efficient design, faster numerical computations, robustness, stability and convergence of algorithms. The book provides a series of contributions discussing either the design or analysis of complex systems in sciences and engineering, and the concepts developed involve nonlinear dynamics, synchronization, optimization, machine learning, and forecasting. Both theoretical and practical aspects of diverse areas are investigated, specifically neurocomputing,transportation engineering, theoretical electrical engineering, signal processing, communications engineering, and computational intelligence. It is a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in nonlinear dynamics and synchronization with applications in selected areas.

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