Science & Nature - Books

Artifictional Intelligence

Science & Nature

Recent startling successes in machine intelligence using a technique called ‘deep learning’ seem to blur the line between human and machine as never before. Are computers on the cusp of becoming so intelligent that they will render humans obsolete? Harry Collins argues we are getting ahead of ourselves, caught up in images of a fantastical future dreamt up in fictional portrayals. The greater present danger is that we lose sight of the very real limitations of artificial intelligence and readily enslave ourselves to stupid computers: the ‘Surrender’. By dissecting the intricacies of language use and meaning, Collins shows how far we have to go before we cannot distinguish between the social understanding of humans and computers. When the stakes are so high, we need to set the bar higher: to rethink ‘intelligence’ and recognize its inherent social basis. Only if machine learning succeeds on this count can we congratulate ourselves on having produced artificial intelligence.

Thinking 101

Science & Nature

“An INVALUABLE RESOURCE to anyone who wants to think better.” —Gretchen RubinAward-winning YALE PROFESSOR Woo-kyoung Ahn delivers “A MUST-READ—a smart and compellingly readable guide to cutting-edge research into how people think.” (Paul Bloom)“A FUN exploration.” —Dax ShepardPsychologist Woo-kyoung Ahn devised a course at Yale called “Thinking” to help students examine the biases that cause so many problems in their daily lives. It quickly became one of the university’s most popular courses. Now, for the first time, Ahn presents key insights from her years of teaching and research in a book for everyone.She shows how “thinking problems” stand behind a wide range of challenges, from common, self-inflicted daily aggravations to our most pressing societal issues and inequities. Throughout, Ahn draws on decades of research from other cognitive psychologists, as well as from her own groundbreaking studies. And she presents it all in a compellingly readable style that uses fun examples from pop culture, anecdotes from her own life, and illuminating stories from history and the headlines.Thinking 101 is a book that goes far beyond other books on thinking, showing how we can improve not just our own daily lives through better awareness of our biases but also the lives of everyone around us. It is, quite simply, required reading for everyone who wants to think—and live—better.

Story of The Automobile

Science & Nature

Story of the Automobile: Its History and Development from 1760 to 1917, with an Analysis of the Standing and Prospects of the Automobile Industry.

I Live in the Future & Here's How It Works

Science & Nature

Are we driving off a digital cliff and heading for disaster, unable to focus, maintain concentration, or form the human bonds that make life worth living? Are media and business doomed and about to be replaced by amateur hour?The world, as Nick Bilton—with tongue-in-cheek—shows, has been going to hell for a long, long time, and what we are experiencing is the twenty-first-century version of the fear that always takes hold as new technology replaces the old. In fact, as Bilton shows, the digital era we are part of is, in all its creative and disruptive forms, the foundation for exciting and engaging experiences not only for business but society as well.Both visionary and practical, I Live in the Future & Here’s How It Works captures the zeitgeist of an emerging age, providing the understanding of how a radically changed media world is influencing human behavior: • With a walk on the wild side—through the porn industry—we see how this business model is leading the way, adapting product to consumer needs and preferences and beating piracy. • By understanding how the Internet is creating a new type of consumer, the “consumnivore,” living in a world where immediacy trumps quality and quantity, we see who is dictating the type of content being created. • Through exploring the way our brains are adapting, we gain a new understanding of the positive effect of new media narratives on thinking and action. One fascinating study, for example, shows that surgeons who play video games are more skillful than their nonplaying counterparts. • Why social networks, the openness of the Internet, and handy new gadgets are not just vehicles for telling the world what you had for breakfast but are becoming the foundation for “anchoring communities” that tame information overload and help determine what news and information to trust and consume and what to ignore. • Why the map of tomorrow is centered on “Me,” and why that simple fact means a totally new approach to the way media companies shape content. • Why people pay for experiences, not content; and why great storytelling and extended relationships will prevail and enable businesses to engage with customers in new ways that go beyond merely selling information, instead creating unique and meaningful experiences. I Live in the Future & Here’s How It Works walks its own talk by creating a unique reader experience: Semacodes embedded in both print and eBook versions will take readers directly to Bilton’s website (www.NickBilton.com), where they can access videos of the author further developing his point of view and also delve into the research that was key to shaping the central ideas of the book. The website will also offer links to related content and the ability to comment on a chapter, allowing the reader to join the conversation.

Nanotechnology In Food

Science & Nature

Nanotechnology In Food explores how manipulating materials at the nanoscale could revolutionize the food industry. This technology, involving dimensions of 1 to 100 nanometers, promises advancements in food preservation, safety, and nutrient delivery. For example, nano-based food packaging can extend shelf life and detect contamination, while nanoparticles can enhance nutrient bioavailability, potentially improving the effectiveness of vitamins and minerals.The book takes a balanced approach, starting with foundational concepts and the regulatory landscape before delving into specific applications like nano-encapsulation and antimicrobial nano-coatings. It then addresses potential risks and ethical considerations, offering a complete view of nanotechnology in food. The book emphasizes the importance of careful consideration of potential risks and ethical implications alongside technological advancements.Ultimately, this book provides a comprehensive, evidence-based overview, steering clear of hype to inform food scientists, nutritionists, policymakers, and consumers about the benefits and risks of nano food science. By connecting to toxicology, environmental science, and public policy, it enriches the analysis and provides a holistic understanding of the subject matter.

Gila

Science & Nature

For sixty million years, the Gila River, longer than the Hudson and the Delaware combined, has shaped the ecology of the Southwest from its source in New Mexico to its confluence with the Colorado River in Arizona. Today, for at least half its length, the Gila is dead, like so many of the West’s great rivers, owing to overgrazing, damming, and other practices. This richly documented cautionary tale narrates the Gila’s natural and human history. Now updated, McNamee’s study traces recent efforts to resuscitate portions of this important riparian corridor.

Language at the Speed of Sight

Science & Nature

In this "important and alarming" (New York Times) book, see why so many American students are falling behind in their reading skills while others around the world excel. The way we teach reading is not working, and it cannot continue. We have largely abandoned phones-based reading instruction, despite research that supports its importance for word recognition. Rather than treating Black English as a valid dialect and recognizing that speaking one dialect can impact the ability to learn to read in another, teachers simply dismiss it as "incorrect English." And while we press children to develop large vocabularies because we think being a good reader means knowing more words, studies have found that a large vocabulary is only an indication of better pattern recognition. Understanding the science of reading is more important than ever--for us, and for our children. Seidenberg helps us do so by drawing on cutting-edge research in machine learning, linguistics, and early childhood development. Language at the Speed of Sight offers an erudite and scathing examination of this most human of activities, and concrete proposals for how our society can produce better readers.

Thermodynamique

Science & Nature

1. La découverte du principe de l’équivalence. — Il est difficile de dire à qui appartient l’honneur d’avoir découvert le principe de l’équivalence de la chaleur et du travail mécanique.Sadi Carnot semble l’avoir reconnu vers la fin de sa vie ; mais ses recherches sur ce sujet, consignées dans des Notes manuscrites publiées seulement dans ces dernières années, restèrent longtemps ignorées et ne furent d’aucun profit pour la Science.Fruit d’une sélection réalisée au sein des fonds de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, Collection XIX a pour ambition de faire découvrir des textes classiques et moins classiques dans les meilleures éditions du XIXe siècle.

The Fraternity of the Rose Cross

Science & Nature

The Fraternity of the Rose Cross by Manly Palmer Hall will give the answers to the reader of philosophical secret society have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. Rosicrucianism is sympholized by the Rosy Cross or Rose Cross. The main doctrine or theology of that is built on esoteric truths of the ancient past which comes from the average man, provides insight into the nature and physical universe and the spiritual realm.

An Analysis of Tarot Cards

Science & Nature

Have you ever heard about Tarot cards? The tarot cards is a pack of playing cards (most commonly numbering 78) used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe. But after the late 18th century until the present time they are found to be used as mystics and occultists for divination as well as a map of mental and spiritual pathways. So this work by Manly Palmer Hall gives a lots of opinions and authorities widely concerning the origin of these playing cards and the purpose for which they were intended.

Production of Biofuels and Chemicals from Sustainable Recycling of Organic Solid Waste

Science & Nature

This book covers sustainable recycling processes (e.g. physical, biological, chemical, and thermo-chemical) of multiple organic solid wastes, provides methods for material recycle of wastes into value-added products including fuels and commodity chemicals that are able to be directly applied to promote manufacturing processes. Aimed at improving the awareness of effective conversion protocols and for developing innovative biomass conversion processes, this text was conceived as a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques and know-how for production of biofuels and chemicals from sustainable recycling of organic solid wastes. Topics in the text are discussed in terms of addressing recent advances, assessing and highlighting promising new methods or new technological strategies and direct conversion of organic solid wastes to process feeds. Highly-recognized authorities, experts and professionals have contributed individual chapters in selected areas to cover the overall topic in a comprehensive manner.

Rhythms of Existence: From Cosmos to Human Experience

Science & Nature

This book is a multidisciplinary exploration of the concept of rhythm in diverse fields that are closely connected with our life and felt experience, namely, spirituality, language and literature, ecology, socio-cultural contexts, music, visual arts, and well-being. Bringing together a collection of 24 essays by both eminent and young scholars which cover these diverse fields, its uniqueness lies in the way that each essay provides insight into the concept of rhythm and also links itself to other related disciplines. A book bridges the divide between humanities, social, and behavioral sciences, and it is a must read book for anyone who is interested either in the concepts of rhythm, cycle, harmony, and their ubiquitous presence in all fields of knowledge.

The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged): Adventures in Math and Science

Science & Nature

"Multifaceted, surprising, and full of wonders…You really owe it to yourself to read it." —Tim Harford, author of How to Make the World Add Up The complete story of the universe and absolutely everything in it (minus the boring parts).Despite our clever linguistic abilities, humans are spectacularly ill-equipped to comprehend what’s happening in the universe. Our senses and intuition routinely mislead us. The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) tells the story of how we came to suppress our monkey minds and perceive the true nature of reality. Written with wit and humor, this brief book tells the story of science—tales of fumbles and missteps, errors and egos, hard work, accidents, and some really bad decisions—all of which have created the sum total of human knowledge.Geneticist Adam Rutherford and mathematician Hannah Fry guide readers through time and space, through our bodies and brains, showing how emotions shape our view of reality, how our minds tell us lies, and why a mostly bald and curious ape decided to begin poking at the fabric of the universe.Rutherford and Fry shine as science sleuths, wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions: Where did time come from? Do we have free will? Does my dog love me? Hilarious sidebars present memorable scientific oddities: for example, hypnotized snails, human-sized ants, and the average time it takes most animals to evacuate their bladders. (A surprisingly consistent twenty-one seconds, if you must know.)Both rigorous and playful, The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans, and the joys and follies of scientific discovery.

OLIVIER DE SERRES et l'évolution de l'agriculture

Science & Nature

On a célébré en 2000 le quatrième centenaire de la publication du Théâtre d'Agriculture et Mesnage des Champs, d'Olivier de Serres. A elle seule, elle suffit à faire la renommée de l'auteur à la fin du siècle des Lumières. Après une période d'oubli, le livre inspira les Physiocrates et l'agronomie débutante. L'édition de 1804 eut un énorme succès qui ne s'est plus jamais démenti et son auteur devint le porte-drapeau de l'agronomie moderne. Le présent livre est une introduction à l'œuvre d'Olivier de Serres et une réflexion méthodologique.

Instrucciones para contagiar la ciencia

Science & Nature

Y, como con el bostezo, la risa, el frío o la juventud, aquí estamos, proponiendo contagiar la gran aventura humana: la ciencia. En lugar de abrir la boca bostezando, contagiar el reflejo por el que se nos caen la mandíbulas frente a un descubrimiento, compartir la risa de un experimento, el escalofrío de saber que, por un momento, hay un secreto de la naturaleza que sólo conocemos nosotros (y la naturaleza, claro), la juventud que implica estar siempre a la caza de preguntas. Más allá de la ciencia profesional, aquí nos centramos en contagiar el pensamiento científico, aquella porción de la cultura que nos despierta curiosidades, inquietudes, cosquillas. Las herramientas de este contagio —sus virus y bacterias— son el objeto de este libro. Así, algunos de los más importantes contagiadores de Iberoamérica nos comparten sus secretos, sus pócimas y sus instrucciones confidenciales a la hora de esparcir brotes de ciencia. Todos los escenarios son lícitos, y por esta crónica hospitalaria circulan museos, libros, diarios, aulas, revistas, televisores, artes, radios y carnavales. No importan de dónde vengan los agentes infecciosos: tendremos científicos, periodistas, divulgadores, editores y hasta un ministro que nos dejarán entrar a la trastienda de sus métodos y nos compartirán sus misterios a la hora de inocular la ciencia, con la honestidad de comunicar eventos triunfantes… y de los otros. Si somos exitosos —y confiamos en serlo— estas páginas tendrán, a su vez, un efecto multiplicativo y sus lectores, de manera inexplicable e inmediata, se convertirán a su vez en contagiadores, en parte de una epidemia zombie que, en lugar de comer cerebros, los celebre, los ilumine y predique esta manera tan particular de ver el mundo con ojos de científico. No nos unen el amor ni el espanto, sino el contagio… de la ciencia.

Eléments d'histoire agricole et forestière

Science & Nature

Ce livre est un précis d'histoire agricole française. Il étudie l'évolution de l'agriculture en France depuis les origines jusqu'au vingtième siècle, les périodes pré et postrévolutionnaires, les progrès agricoles des dix-neuvième et vingtième siècles, la création de l'enseignement agricole et le rôle de la femme dans l'agriculture. Un "panthéon" des agriculteurs est aussi proposé.

The Elements of Style

Science & Nature

The Elements of Style is a prescriptive American English writing style guide in numerous editions. The original was composed by William Strunk Jr., in 1918, and published by Harcourt, in 1920, comprising eight "elementary rules of usage", ten "elementary principles of composition", "a few matters of form", a list of 49 "words and expressions commonly misused", and a list of 57 "words often misspelled". E. B. White much enlarged and revised the book for publication by Macmillan, in 1959. That was the first edition of the so-called "Strunk & White", which Time named in 2011 one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923

Climategate: The CRUtape Letters

Science & Nature

The Climategate scandal covered from beginning to end--from 'Hide the Decline' to the current day. Written by two authors who were on the scene--Steven Mosher and Tom Fuller--Climategate takes you behind that scene and shows what happened and why.For those who have heard that the emails were taken out of context--we provide that context and show it is worse when context is provided.For those who have heard that this is a tempest in a teacup--we show why it will swamp the conventional wisdom on climate change.And for those who have heard that this scandal is just 'boys being boys'--well, boy. It's as seamy as what happened on Wall Street.

Uncovering Student Ideas in Physical Science, Volume 2

Science & Nature

If you and your students can' t get enough of a good thing, Volume 2 of Uncovering Student Ideas in Physical Science is just what you need. The book offers 39 new formative assessment probes, this time with a focus on electric charge, electric current, and magnets and electromagnetism. It can help you do everything from demystify electromagnetic fields to explain the real reason balloons stick to the wall after you rub them on your hair.Like the other eight wildly popular books in the full series,Uncovering Student Ideas in Physical Science, Volume 2:• Provides a collection of engaging questions, or formative assessment probes. Each probe in this volume is designed to uncover what students know— or think they know— about electric or magnetic phenomena or identify misunderstandings they may develop during instruction.• Offers field-tested teacher materials that provide “ best answers” along with distracters designed to reveal misconceptions that students commonly hold. • Is easy to use by time-starved teachers like you. The new probes are short, easy-to-administer activities that come ready to reproduce. In addition to explaining the science content, the teacher materials note links to national standards and suggest grade-appropriate ways to present material so students will learn it accurately.By helping you detect and then make sound instructional decisions to address students' misconceptions, this new volume has the potential to transform your teaching.

The Secret Life of the Periodic Table

Science & Nature

Every element has character, be it volatile, aloof, gregarious or enigmatic. They also have incredible stories of how they came to be, how they were discovered and how their qualities have been harnessed to make everything we have in the world.Dr Ben Still takes you through all the groups, revealing the fascinating circumstances of their discoveries and explaining their characteristics and behaviour, often delving inside the atom to explain their structure in a way easily accessible to everyone. Insightful illustrations help you to understand even the most complex-looking aspects of quantum physics, bringing the periodic table to life.Incredibly enlightening, The Secret Life of the Periodic Table will entertain and inform in equal measure. Take a trip through the ages of exploration, enjoying the story of how Mendeleev's table came to be; it is the story of one the greatest pattern-seeking accomplishments of humankind.Contents include:- Atomic physics- The quantum atom- Trends and patterns- Alkaline earth metals- Metalloids- Future elements

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