Science & Nature - Books

Protocols used in Molecular Biology

Science & Nature

Protocols used in Molecular Biology is a compilation of several examples of molecular biology protocols. Each example is presented with a concise introduction, materials and chemicals required, a step-by-step procedure and troubleshooting tips. Information about the applications of the protocols is also provided. The techniques included in this book are essential to research in the fields of proteomics, genomics, cell culture, epigenetic modification and structural biology. The protocols can also be used by clinical researchers (neuroscientists and oncologists, for example) for medical applications (diagnostics, therapeutics and multidisciplinary projects). Techniques explained in this reference include: - Nucleic Acid (DNA/RNA) isolation - Next-generation sequencing through real time PCR - Western Blotting - 2-D gel electrophoresis - Immunohistochemistry - Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) - Live cell-culture techniques - Golgi Staining Key Features: - Recent laboratory protocols - Diverse examples of molecular biology experiments - Simple step-by-step presentation of information - Special focus on scientific and clinical applications Protocols used in Molecular Biology is essential reading for academicians, molecular biologists, as well as graduate and undergraduate students studying basic and applied research. Pharmacologists, and medical researchers can also benefit from the wide array of techniques presented in the book.

Imagining the Future

Science & Nature

From stem cell research to global warming, human cloning, evolution, and beyond, political debates about science have raged in recent years - and, to the chagrin of most observers, have increasingly fallen into the familiar categories of America's culture wars. In Imagining the Future: Science and American Democracy, Yuval Levin explores the complicated meanings of science and technology in American politics and finds that the science debates have a lot to teach us about our political life. These debates, Levin argues, reveal some serious challenges to American self-government, and put on stark display the deepest strengths and greatest weaknesses of both the left and the right. "American life has been profoundly shaped by science and technology, and will be all the more so in the coming decades, making it crucial that we understand how to think and speak about science in politics. Yuval Levin's smart and eminently well-reasoned book makes the important point that the purpose of science is a moral one -- to improve human life -- and that judging what that involves is sometimes a job for more than science alone in a democratic society. Levin's insights speak directly to today's political debates and make his book a must-read for policymakers and all those who care about science and society." --Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House "Imagining the Future goes far beyond the contemporary polarized debates over science to unpack the moral premises of the modern scientific project and its consequences for American democracy. In the process, Yuval Levin provides us with a deep understanding of policy issues from genetic engineering to global warming." --Francis Fukuyama, Johns Hopkins University "This book is important to the thinking of both progressives and conservatives. Clearly and incisively, it shows how science and technology are shaping humanity's future and world views. Levin alerts democratic societies that human dignity and equality are imperiled unless we provide political and moral guidance to prevent the submergence of humanity in its own ingenuity." --Edmund Pellegrino, Chairman, President's Council on Bioethics

The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Ethics

Science & Nature

Evolutionary ethics - the application of evolutionary ideas to moral thinking and justification - began in the nineteenth century with the work of Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer, but was subsequently criticized as an example of the naturalistic fallacy. In recent decades, however, evolutionary ethics has found new support among both the Darwinian and the Spencerian traditions. This accessible volume looks at the history of thought about evolutionary ethics as well as current debates in the subject, examining first the claims of supporters and then the responses of their critics. Topics covered include social Darwinism, moral realism, and debunking arguments. Clearly written and structured, the book guides readers through the arguments on both sides, and emphasises the continuing relevance of evolutionary theory to our understanding of ethics today.

Wild Justice

Science & Nature

Scientists have long counseled against interpreting animal behavior in terms of human emotions, warning that such anthropomorphizing limits our ability to understand animals as they really are. Yet what are we to make of a female gorilla in a German zoo who spent days mourning the death of her baby? Or a wild female elephant who cared for a younger one after she was injured by a rambunctious teenage male? Or a rat who refused to push a lever for food when he saw that doing so caused another rat to be shocked? Aren’t these clear signs that animals have recognizable emotions and moral intelligence? With Wild Justice Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce unequivocally answer yes.Marrying years of behavioral and cognitive research with compelling and moving anecdotes, Bekoff and Pierce reveal that animals exhibit a broad repertoire of moral behaviors, including fairness, empathy, trust, and reciprocity. Underlying these behaviors is a complex and nuanced range of emotions, backed by a high degree of intelligence and surprising behavioral flexibility. Animals, in short, are incredibly adept social beings, relying on rules of conduct to navigate intricate social networks that are essential to their survival. Ultimately, Bekoff and Pierce draw the astonishing conclusion that there is no moral gap between humans and other species: morality is an evolved trait that we unquestionably share with other social mammals.Sure to be controversial, Wild Justice offers not just cutting-edge science, but a provocative call to rethink our relationship with—and our responsibilities toward—our fellow animals.

The Krypto Economy

Science & Nature

The Krypto Economy elaborates on the underlying dynamics of our digital era to better create a responsible technological future. Living in a world of exponential technological advancement, we have new construction kits to create and probe possible realities. Marshall McLuan once said that first we build the tools and then the tools build us. We are designed by what we have designed. To design a utopian rather than dystopian future, we took a closer look at the status and potentials of our technological tools. Over a series of seven panel discussions — using some of the most analytical and imaginative minds — we experienced that today's digital instruments are our ultimate Kryptonite. Its benefits have the capacity to aid us exponentially. And yet, its destructive powers — mass surveillance, elimination of privacy, or virtual concentration of power — could push us down a terrifying path. With this book you can join the discourse and find the answers to the most fundamental questions to better navigate towards a responsible technological future.

Saving Orchids

Science & Nature

A gorgeously illustrated ode to the beauty and significance of orchids—and to those fighting to save these unique plants across the globe.Until recently, a myriad of lifeforms enriched our lives. In some places, listening to a nighttime chorus of frogs in the neighborhood marsh was an archetypal touchstone of childhood. Children would search for tadpoles, just steps away from native Lady’s Tresses orchids. Year by year, the chorus became quieter. Today, only a few frogs and orchids remain. Is this the world we want our children to inherit? Do we want orchids to slip through our fingers and, eventually, to vanish?For biologists Philip Seaton and Lawrence W. Zettler, and the intrepid orchid defenders they introduce in this book, the answer is no. Seaton and Zettler have traveled the world over the past three decades, studying orchids—flagship species for plant conservation. Stunningly illustrated, this book is a culmination of stories about the people—young and old alike—dedicated to protecting these remarkable plants from extinction. In the 19th century, collectors removed, shipped, and sold vast numbers of orchids from the wild. Today, scientists strive to reverse this harm—to protect and rebuild remnants of orchids’ original habitats against human disruption, including climate change. Seaton and Zettler reveal these plants’ bizarre pollination partners, risky liaisons with fungi, and adaptation to human domestication to show that learning orchids’ scientific secrets—and finding human helpers—is key to these plants’ survival.

Advance Frontier On Biotechnology

Science & Nature

The book Advanced Frontiers on Biotechnology’ carries 18 chapters and covers most of the core tools and technology developed by our distinguished scientists. The objective of the book is to draw the attention of our future budding scientist, researchers, policy makers for the exploration and development of biotechnological tools and techniques in the frontier area for the social welfare.

Doctors and Healers

Science & Nature

We think we know what healers do: they build on patients’ irrational beliefs and treat them in a ‘symbolic’ way. If they get results, it’s thanks to their capacity to listen, rather than any influence on a clinical level. At the same time, we also think we know what modern medicine is: a highly technical and rational process, but one that scarcely listens to patients at all. In this book, ethnopsychiatrist Tobie Nathan and philosopher Isabelle Stengers argue that this commonly posed opposition between traditional and modern medicine is misleading. They show instead that healers are interesting precisely because they don’t listen to patients, using techniques of ‘divination’ rather than ‘diagnosis’. Healers construct genuine therapeutic strategies by identifying the origins of symptoms in external forces, outside of the mind of the sufferer. Modern medicine, for its part, is characterized by empiricism rather than rationality. What appears to be the pursuit of rationality is ultimately only a means to dismiss and exclude other forms of treatment. Blurring the distinctions between traditional and modern practices and drawing on perspectives from across the globe, this ethnopsychiatric manifesto encourages us to think in radically new ways about illness, challenging accepted notions on the relationship between sufferer and symptom.

Star Light Guides

Science & Nature

Star Light Guides explores the enduring mystery of the Star of Bethlehem, bridging science and religion. It investigates whether a real celestial event could align with the biblical narrative, guiding individuals across vast distances. The book uniquely balances rigorous astronomical analysis with sensitivity to religious interpretations, offering a nuanced perspective.Did you know that ancient navigation heavily relied on celestial objects, making the appearance and interpretation of such a "star" incredibly significant? Or that historical astronomical records contain data that might correlate to the Star’s appearance?The book approaches this topic by first examining astronomical records from the relevant historical period, then delving into the theological context surrounding the Star, and finally considering ancient navigational practices. It methodically progresses across chapters, starting with establishing the cultural and historical significance of the Star, then analyzing astronomical possibilities, exploring the theological significance, and synthesizing the information to present credible astronomical candidates.By drawing connections to history, religious studies, and astrophysics, this book provides a comprehensive understanding for those intrigued by the intersection of science and faith.

Earth Discoveries Unveiled

Science & Nature

"Earth Discoveries Unveiled" offers middle school students a captivating journey through humanity's most significant scientific breakthroughs and their impact on our understanding of Earth. This innovative textbook weaves together historical developments and modern applications, presenting complex scientific concepts through a carefully structured approach that builds knowledge progressively across three main themes: Earth-changing inventions, scientific revelations, and discovery methods.The book distinguishes itself by combining theoretical learning with practical engagement, featuring "Try This at Home" experiments that reinforce key concepts. Beginning with fundamental principles of scientific observation, it guides readers through increasingly sophisticated topics, from early human tools to modern environmental innovations.The chronological and thematic organization helps students connect historical developments to contemporary applications, while illustrated timelines and step-by-step explanations make complex concepts accessible to young minds. What sets this textbook apart is its comprehensive integration of hands-on learning with academic content, making it both an educational resource and an engaging exploration of Earth science.Each chapter builds upon previous knowledge, examining tools and technologies, Earth science breakthroughs, and environmental innovations, while maintaining age-appropriate language and explanations. The inclusion of real-world applications, practical experiments, and cross-disciplinary connections ensures that students not only learn scientific facts but also understand their relevance to everyday life and future challenges.

Flexible Pipelines and Power Cables

Science & Nature

FLEXIBLE PIPELINES AND POWER CABLESPipelines are an important part of the world's energy infrastructure, and, without them, oil and gas, the most commonly used sources for energy today, would not be available to much of the world's countries. New theories and designs are constantly being researched and developed by scientists and engineers, to continue improving this technology and making it safer and more economical.The technology, processes, materials, and theories surrounding pipeline construction, application, and troubleshooting are constantly changing, and this groundbreaking series, "Advances in Pipes and Pipelines," has been created to meet the needs of engineers and scientists to keep them up to date and informed of all of these advances. This latest volume in the series focuses on flexible pipelines and power cables, offering the engineer the most thorough coverage of the state of the art available. The authors of this work have written numerous books and papers on these subjects and are some of the most influential authors on flexible pipes in the world, contributing much of the literature on this subject to the industry. This new volume is a presentation of some of the most cutting-edge technological advances in technical publishing.This is the most comprehensive and in-depth series on pipelines, covering not just the various materials and their aspects that make them different, but every process that goes into their installation, operation, and design. This is the future of pipelines, and it is an important breakthrough. A must-have for the veteran engineer and student alike, this volume is an important new advancement in the energy industry, a strong link in the chain of the world’s energy production.

Histoire de la navigation

Science & Nature

Cet ouvrage est une réédition numérique d’un livre paru au XXe siècle, désormais indisponible dans son format d’origine.

O Que Faz o ChatGPT e Como Funciona

Science & Nature

NINGUÉM PREVIA – NEM MESMO OS SEUS CRIADORES – QUE O ChatGPT SE TORNASSE UM DOS ASSUNTOS MAIS IMPORTANTES EM TODO O MUNDO, E MUITO MENOS FOSSE UMA FORMA DE INTELIGÊNCIA CAPAZ DE ESCREVER COM UM ESTILO TÃO SEMELHANTE A HUMANOS, DE UMA MANEIRA TÃO CONVINCENTE. Neste livro, o proeminente investigador e pioneiro de computação Stephen Wolfram oferece-nos uma simples e acessível explicação, assente numa vasta experiência nas áreas da ciência e da tecnologia. Descubra como o sucesso de ChatGPT é baseado na combinação da tecnologia neuronal.

Fantastic Realities

Science & Nature

With a contribution from Betsy Devine Podcast of Frank Wilczek and Betsy Devine's interview with Steve Mirsky of Scientific AmericanThe fantastic reality that is modern physics is open for your exploration, guided by one of its primary architects and interpreters, Nobel Prize winner Frank Wilczek.Some jokes, some poems, and extracts from wife Betsy Devine's sparkling chronicle of what it's like to live through a Nobel Prize provide easy entertainment. There's also some history, some philosophy, some exposition of frontier science, and some frontier science, for your lasting edification.49 pieces, including many from Wilczek's award-winning Reference Frame columns in Physics Today, and some never before published, are gathered by style and subject into a dozen chapters, each with a revealing, witty introduction.Profound ideas, presented with style: What could be better? Enjoy.Contents:Constructing This World, and OthersMusing on MechanicsMaking Light of MassQCD ExposedBreathless at the HeightsAt Sea in the DepthsOnce and Future HistoryMethods of Our MadnessInspired, Irritated, InspiredBig IdeasGrand OccasionsBreaking into VerseAnother DimensionReadership: Students, scientists and lay people.

Cómo crear un ser humano

Science & Nature

A todos nos han contado esa historia de que "papá pone una semillita en mamá…" y todos sabemos cómo termina: con un bebé. Sin embargo, ¿sabríamos decir realmente cómo un óvulo fecundado se convierte en un ser humano? La respuesta de la ciencia resulta incluso más asombrosa que el famoso relato. Philip Ball explica de una manera fascinante cómo se crea, efectivamente, la vida. Y, además, cómo la ciencia es hoy capaz de reproducirla en un laboratorio. Nos introduce en los últimos avances científicos que ya evitan ciertas enfermedades congénitas, ofrecen múltiples opciones de reproducción asistida, revelan nuestro linaje genético… y tantas cosas más. Tan irresistible es escudriñar la realidad a la escala microscópica del ADN como abstraernos en reflexiones filosóficas. Cómo crear un ser humano no es una mera discusión científica, sino que adquiere implicaciones morales y sociales, y nos lleva incluso a cuestionar nuestro sentido de la identidad: ¿qué significa ser humano?

Anatomie

Science & Nature

Perché presso diverse culture è il fegato, e non il cuore, la sede della vita spirituale e affettiva dell’uomo? Possiamo non essere “legalmente” proprietari del nostro corpo? Monna Lisa non ha le sopracciglia e noi non lo notiamo: com’è possibile? Gli universi culturali e simbolici del corpo umano sono infiniti, sempre diversi nel corso della storia dell’umanità. In questo libro Aldersey- Williams ne traccia un ritratto sorprendente, ricco di scoperte e clamorose smentite, soffermandosi su significati e caratteri attribuiti alle sue parti e ai suoi organi: dagli studi di Leonardo sull’armonia delle proporzioni alla presunta purezza del sangue e della razza, dal cannibalismo alla simbologia dello scheletro, da Frankenstein ai robot umanoidi, dai crani rimpiccioliti di alcune tribù amazzoniche al cervello di Einstein, conservato a Princeton e studiato ancora oggi per scoprire il segreto del suo genio. Con scarsi risultati, a dir la verità: notizie bomba sui modi in cui la genialità si manifesta nel corpo fisico per ora non ci sono arrivate. Familiare eppure misterioso, il nostro corpo ha da dirci su noi stessi molto più di quanto immaginiamo. Per questo, in una sala settoria della Oxford University, Hugh Aldersey-Williams ha deciso di guardare sotto quel sottile strato di pelle che ci separa dal mondo esterno: “Anche se ci piace credere di essere impegnati in un continuo allargamento dei confini dell’umano, di tanto in tanto, optiamo per una ritirata tattica e tracciamo i nostri confini più vicino anziché più lontano”. Esorcizziamo le nostre paure ridendone, o ignorandolo: ma il corpo è la nostra casa. E non esiste via di fuga.

Communities for Clean Energy Justice and Equity in Grid Modernization

Science & Nature

Comprehensive blueprint to understand, develop, and implement clean energy initiatives and achieve energy justice and equity worldwide Communities for Clean Energy Justice and Equity in Grid Modernization presents fundamental theories, technologies, and solutions for real-world problems in the operation and planning of clean, safe, resilient, and efficient energy communities that deliver energy justice and equity. The initial chapters of the book focus on conceptual requirements, emphasizing the definition, structure, features, and challenges of promoting energy justice and equity through the coordinated operation of clean energy communities. Subsequent chapters explore potential technologies and systems to achieve these objectives, examining functionalities in modern energy grids, including self-healing systems, sustainable energy networks, and intelligent, multidimensional communities of agents. Edited by a team of highly qualified experts, the book explores additional topics including: Decision-making tools for optimized operation and planning of multi-energy communitiesHolistic energy availability frameworks capable of dealing with changes and interactions in modern energy gridsThe role of artificial intelligence, machine learning, citizenship, and democracy in realizing energy justice and equityHybrid transitional energy markets, energy policy strategies, and business models related to localization of energy technologies Energy storage and trading solutions, hybrid energy technologies, and grid-edge solutions Communities for Clean Energy Justice and Equity in Grid Modernization is an essential reference on the subject for electrical, mechanical, civil, architectural, and environmental engineers, along with professionals working in power and energy utility companies and policy makers seeking a holistic understanding of the subject.

Darwinism as Religion

Science & Nature

The Darwinian Revolution--the change in thinking sparked by Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, which argued that all organisms including humans are the end product of a long, slow, natural process of evolution rather than the miraculous creation of an all-powerful God--is one of the truly momentous cultural events in Western Civilization. Darwinism as Religion is an innovative and exciting approach to this revolution through creative writing, showing how the theory of evolution as expressed by Darwin has, from the first, functioned as a secular religion. Drawing on a deep understanding of both the science and the history, Michael Ruse surveys the naturalistic thinking about the origins of organisms, including the origins of humankind, as portrayed in novels and in poetry, taking the story from its beginnings in the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century right up to the present. He shows that, contrary to the opinion of many historians of the era, there was indeed a revolution in thought and that the English naturalist Charles Darwin was at the heart of it. However, contrary also to what many think, this revolution was not primarily scientific as such, but more religious or metaphysical, as people were taken from the secure world of the Christian faith into a darker, more hostile world of evolutionism. In a fashion unusual for the history of ideas, Ruse turns to the novelists and poets of the period for inspiration and information. His book covers a wide range of creative writers - from novelists like Voltaire and poets like Erasmus Darwin in the eighteenth century, through the nineteenth century with novelists including Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, Henry James and H. G. Wells and poets including Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and Gerard Manley Hopkins, and on to the twentieth century with novelists including Edith Wharton, D. H. Lawrence, John Steinbeck, William Golding, Graham Greene, Ian McEwan and Marilynne Robinson, and poets including Robert Frost, Edna St Vincent Millay and Philip Appleman. Covering such topics as God, origins, humans, race and class, morality, sexuality, and sin and redemption, and written in an engaging manner and spiced with wry humor, Darwinism as Religion gives us an entirely fresh, engaging and provocative view of one of the cultural highpoints of Western thought.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Science & Nature

Alzheimer’s disease continues to present one of the foremost scientific and clinical challenges in contemporary neuroscience. Despite significant advances in molecular biology and neuroimaging, its complex etiology and progressive course remain only partially understood, and truly effective disease-modifying therapies remain elusive.This scholarly volume offers a comprehensive and integrative examination of Alzheimer’s disease, combining cutting-edge research with clinical perspectives. Alzheimer’s Disease: Diagnosis, Molecular Targets, and Therapeutic Modalities assembles contributions from leading experts, providing in-depth analysis across a wide range of critical topics:Innovative diagnostic biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring Exploration of molecular targets, including secretases, SIRT2, RAGE, calpain, caspases, NMDA receptors, and others implicated in AD pathophysiology Emerging therapeutic interventions encompassing enzyme inhibitors, immunotherapeutic strategies, metal chelation, neurotrophic modulation, and aggregation inhibitors Advances in translational research featuring nanotechnology-based delivery systems and bioactive natural compounds Evidence-based lifestyle interventions integrating nutrition and physical activity in disease management Spanning 21 rigorously curated chapters, this volume offers a multidisciplinary framework that bridges fundamental research, translational applications, and clinical relevance. It is an essential reference for neuroscientists, clinical researchers, pharmacologists, graduate students, and healthcare professionals engaged in the investigation and management of neurodegenerative disorders.By synthesizing current scientific knowledge with emerging therapeutic strategies, this volume aims to advance understanding and stimulate further research toward effective interventions for Alzheimer’s disease.

Why Trust Science?

Science & Nature

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

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