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The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material and the Construction of Civilization
by Roland EnnosA &“smart and surprising&” (Booklist) &“expansive history&” (Publishers Weekly) detailing the role that wood and trees have played in our global ecosystem—including human evolution and the rise and fall of empires—in the bestselling tradition of Yuval Harari&’s Sapiens and Mark Kurlansky&’s Salt.As the dominant species on Earth, humans have made astonishing progress since our ancestors came down from the trees. But how did the descendants of small primates manage to walk upright, become top predators, and populate the world? How were humans able to develop civilizations and produce a globalized economy? Now, in The Age of Wood, Roland Ennos shows for the first time that the key to our success has been our relationship with wood. &“A lively history of biology, mechanics, and culture that stretches back 60 million years&” (Nature) The Age of Wood reinterprets human history and shows how our ability to exploit wood&’s unique properties has profoundly shaped our bodies and minds, societies, and lives. Ennos takes us on a sweeping journey from Southeast Asia and West Africa where great apes swing among the trees, build nests, and fashion tools; to East Africa where hunter gatherers collected their food; to the structural design of wooden temples in China and Japan; and to Northern England, where archaeologists trace how coal enabled humans to build an industrial world. Addressing the effects of industrialization—including the use of fossil fuels and other energy-intensive materials to replace timber—The Age of Wood not only shows the essential role that trees play in the history and evolution of human existence, but also argues that for the benefit of our planet we must return to more traditional ways of growing, using, and understanding trees. A brilliant blend of recent research and existing scientific knowledge, this is an &“excellent, thorough history in an age of our increasingly fraught relationships with natural resources&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
The Science of Spin: How Rotational Forces Affect Everything from Your Body to Jet Engines to the Weather
by Roland EnnosA clear and captivating work of popular science that explains rotational force—a basic driver of the universe affecting everything from the cosmos to our own bodies—from the masterful author of The Age of Wood.From the time women first used rotating bobbins to twist thread and men whirled slings around their heads to throw stones, people have found spin fascinating and baffling in equal measure. Now, in The Science of Spin, Roland Ennos shows how rotational motion dominates the workings of the world around us. It has shaped the solar system, galaxies, and black holes. It controls our climate and weather—from the pattern of trade winds through to the local formation of hurricanes and tornadoes. Harnessing the power of spin helped launch civilization, from the first developments of the wheel to the systems that now power the industrial world—propellers, turbines, centrifugal pumps, and electric motors. Even our own bodies are complex systems of rotating joints and levers. But scientists have a tendency to ignore the simple and straightforward. So, 17th-century scientists developed the science of mechanics to explain the phenomenon of the orbit of the planets rather than how machines work. And Newton&’s laws have actually limited our understanding of spin because they focus on linear motion rather than on an intuitive grasp of rotation. As a result, few people realize how spin makes our planet habitable, or how it has been tamed by engineers to make our lives more comfortable. In a lively and engaging style, Ennos presents a new approach to mechanics that not only helps us better understand the world, but also reveals unlikely links between tightrope walkers and tyrannosaurs, catapults and tennis players, stunt cars and long jumpers. By opening our minds, he shows how we can all learn to move about more gracefully, play sports more successfully and safely—and ensure that, like cats, we always land on our feet. A highly entertaining and informative read, whether it be natural or engineered, spin is what really makes the world go round.
The Science of Spin: The Force Behind Everything – From Falling Cats to Jet Engines
by Roland EnnosWhy exactly is the Earth round? How is it that boomerangs can turn in mid-air? And why do cats always land on their feet? From the solar system to spinning tops; hurricanes to hula hoops; powerplants to pendulums, one mysterious force shapes almost every aspect of our lives. A force which, despite its ubiquity, continues to confound, baffle and surprise. Artfully moving between astrophysics and anthropology, The Science of Spin provides a sweeping journey through space and time, from the creation of the Earth to the advent of the &‘fidget spinner&’. Charting the development of engineering and technology from the earliest prehistoric drills to the turbine engine, critically acclaimed author and scientist Roland Ennos presents a riveting account of human ingenuity and the seemingly infinite ways spin affects our daily lives.
Vom Urknall zum Gummibärchen (Erlebnis Wissenschaft Ser.)
by Roland FullEine außergewöhnliche Kombination aus Lese-, Wissens- und Experimentierbuch vom Urknall über die Entstehung des Lebens bis zum Menschen und seiner Kultur!
Delta Theory and Psychosocial Systems: The Practice of Influence and Change
by Roland G. TharpDelta Theory establishes the foundation for a true scientific applied psychology, a theory of how human influence induces change in others. Delta Theory is unified and universal, applying to all cultures, historical periods and goals for change. It integrates concepts and research from psychology, sociology, anthropology, evolution theory, philosophy, psychoneurology, cognitive science and cultural-historical-activity theory. Yet Delta Theory is clear, economical and elegant, with a full exposition of tactics for its practices. Rich examples are drawn from professional practices, but also from the creation and operations of criminals, healing ceremonies of indigenous peoples, and cross-species comparisons. This book ultimately seeks to describe how influence works, how it could be improved and how it can be resisted.
Biophysics: An Introduction (Springer Series In Biophysics Ser. #5)
by Roland GlaserBiophysics is the science of physical principles underlying all processes of life, including the dynamics and kinetics of biological systems.This fully revised 2nd English edition is an introductory text that spans all steps of biological organization, from the molecular, to the organism level, as well as influences of environmental factors. In response to the enormous progress recently made, especially in theoretical and molecular biophysics, the author has updated the text, integrating new results and developments concerning protein folding and dynamics, molecular aspects of membrane assembly and transport, noise-enhanced processes, and photo-biophysics. The advances made in theoretical biology in the last decade call for a fully new conception of the corresponding sections. Thus, the book provides the background needed for fundamental training in biophysics and, in addition, offers a great deal of advanced biophysical knowledge.
Heilende Magnete - strahlende Handys: Bioelektromagnetismus: Fakten und Legenden (Erlebnis Wissenschaft)
by Roland GlaserWhile the other works in the "Erlebnis Wissenschaft" series have concentrated on chemical substances in everyday life, this book brings to life a passionately debated physical phenomenon that has equally become an integral part of our lives - so-called electrosmog. The term itself is misleading from the start, such that an objective scientific treatment is urgently needed. The author is one of Europe's leading experts in the field.
Introduction to Animal Behavior
by Roland J. SiiterWith more emphasis than usual on the behavior of vertebrates and primates (although the author still includes classic bird and insect studies) the book examines how wild animals live, survive, and reproduce in their natural, wild habitats. This unique approach is presented in a straightforward manner without jargon, ensuring that students find the text informative and entertaining. Well-placed examples and explanations provide students with further opportunity to understand the application of the concepts.
Open Channel Flow: Numerical Methods and Computer Applications
by Roland JeppsonA comprehensive treatment of open channel flow, Open Channel Flow: Numerical Methods and Computer Applications starts with basic principles and gradually advances to complete problems involving systems of channels with branches, controls, and outflows/ inflows that require the simultaneous solutions of systems of nonlinear algebraic equations coupled with differential equations. The book includes downloadable resources that contain a program that solves all types of simple open channel flow problems, the source programs described in the text, the executable elements of these programs, the TK-Solver and MathCad programs, and the equivalent MATLAB® scripts and functions.The book provides applied numerical methods in an appendix and also incorporates them as an integral component of the methodology in setting up and solving the governing equations. Packed with examples, the book includes problems at the end of each chapter that give readers experience in applying the principles and often expand upon the methodologies use in the text. The author uses Fortran as the software to supply the computer instruction but covers math software packages such as MathCad, TK-Solver, MATLAB, and spreadsheets so that readers can use the instruments with which they are the most familiar. He emphasizes the basic principles of conservation of mass, energy, and momentum, helping readers achieve true mastery of this important subject, rather than just learn routine techniques. With the enhanced understanding of the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics provided by this book, readers can then apply these principles to the solution of complex real-world problems. The book supplies the knowledge tools necessary to analyze and design economical and properly performing conveyance systems. Thus not only is the book useful for graduate students, but it also provides professional engineers the expertise and knowledge to design well performing and economical channel systems.
Implications and Consequences of Anthropogenic Pollution in Polar Environments
by Roland KallenbornThe first evidence on the adverse effects of organic pollutants on Arctic ecosystems was provided by international research initiatives more than 30 years ago. Today, the indigenous people of the North are considered to be affected by exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals through their traditional marine food sources. The occurrence of pollutants of emerging concern in remote Polar environments is considered an essential criterion for prioritising this (largely neglected) type of contamination in national, international and global regulation schemes. Initiated during the first international Polar Years (IPY 2007-2009) and continued afterwards, 11 representative initiatives and projects are summarised as chapters in this book, which highlights today's interdisciplinary research on POPs in the Polar environment. The individual chapters describe in detail the consequences, priorities and perspectives of international research on POPs (legacy and emerging xenobiotics), its implications for regulations and scientific priorities including societal and cultural developments in the Arctic, as well as conservation priorities in Antarctica. This book is intended for all readers interested in learning more about modern research on environmental pollutants in the Polar environments (with a strong focus on Arctic environments). The impacts of pollution and climate change on Polar regions and the world as a whole will continue to be felt for many years to come. Sound science is, thus, vital in order to underpin actions that need to be taken at the global, regional and local levels. This book contributes to this highly relevant, interdisciplinary environmental scientific endeavour.
Candid Creatures: How Camera Traps Reveal the Mysteries of Nature
by Roland KaysA riveting collection of photographs that captures wild animals in their native habitats.In Candid Creatures, the first major book to reveal the secret lives of animals through motion-sensitive game cameras, biologist Roland Kays has assembled over 600 remarkable photographs. Drawing from archives of millions of color and night-vision photographs collected by hundreds of researchers, Kays has selected images that show the unique perspectives of wildlife from throughout the world. Using these photos, he tells the stories of scientific discoveries that camera traps have enabled, such as living proof of species thought to have been extinct and details of predator-prey interactions.Each image captures a moment frozen in the camera’s flash as animals move through their wild habitats. Kays also discusses how scientists use camera traps to address conservation issues, creating solutions that allow humans and wild animals to coexist. More than just a collection of amazing animal pictures, the book’s text, maps, and illustrations work together to describe the latest findings in the fast-moving field of wildlife research. Candid Creatures is a testament to how the explosion of game cameras around the world has revolutionized the study of animal ecology. The powerful combination of pictures and stories of discovery will fascinate anyone interested in science, nature, wildlife biology, or photography.
Statistical Mechanics of Liquids and Solutions: Intermolecular Forces, Structure and Surface Interactions
by Roland KjellanderThe statistical mechanical theory of liquids and solutions is a fundamental area of physical sciences with important implications for many industrial applications. This book shows how you can start from basic laws for the interactions and motions of microscopic particles and calculate how macroscopic systems of these particles behave, thereby explaining properties of matter at the scale that we perceive. Using this microscopic, molecular approach, the text emphasizes clarity of physical explanations for phenomena and mechanisms relevant to fluids, addressing the structure and behavior of liquids and solutions under various conditions. A notable feature is the author’s treatment of forces between particles that include nanoparticles, macroparticles, and surfaces. The book also provides an expanded, in-depth treatment of polar liquids and electrolytes.
Statistical Mechanics of Liquids and Solutions: Intermolecular Forces, Structure and Surface Interactions
by Roland KjellanderThe statistical mechanical theory of liquids and solutions is a fundamental area of physical sciences with important implications in other fields of science and industrial applications. Statistical Mechanics of Liquids and Solutions: Intermolecular Forces, Structure and Surface Interactions is the second in a series of two on this subject. While the first volume introduced equilibrium statistical mechanics in general and statistical mechanics of liquids and solutions at an introductory level, the present volume presents an advanced treatment of the subject and penetrates much deeper into liquid state theory.A major theme in both books is the intimate relationship between forces in a fluid and the fluid structure - a relationship that is paramount for the understanding of the subject of interactions in dense fluids. Using this microscopic, molecular approach, the text emphasizes clarity of physical explanations for phenomena and mechanisms relevant to fluids, addressing the structure and behavior of liquids and solutions under various conditions. A notable feature is the author's treatment of intermolecular interactions in liquids and solutions that include interactions between nanoparticles, macroparticles, and surfaces. The book provides an in-depth treatment of simple liquids, molecular fluids, particle dispersions, dense ionic fluids and electrolyte solutions with molecular solvent, both in the bulk and in confinement. It contains a unified exact treatment of electrolyte solutions, ionic liquids and polar fluids as well as approximate theories and applications.Statistical Mechanics of Liquids and Solutions will be an invaluable resource for graduate and postgraduate students in physics, chemistry, soft matter science, surface and colloid science and related fields, as well as professionals and instructors in those areas of science.
Thermodynamics Kept Simple - A Molecular Approach: What is the Driving Force in the World of Molecules?
by Roland KjellanderThermodynamics Kept Simple - A Molecular Approach: What is the Driving Force in the World of Molecules? offers a truly unique way of teaching and thinking about basic thermodynamics that helps students overcome common conceptual problems. For example, the book explains the concept of entropy from the perspective of probabilities of various molecula
Therapeutic Proteins: Strategies to Modulate Their Plasma Half-lives
by Roland KontermannFor this ready reference, the internationally renowned authority in the field, Roland Kontermann, has assembled a team of outstanding contributors from industry and academia to convey the worldwide knowledge on modifying therapeutic proteins in order to optimize their pharmacological potential. The result is a comprehensive work covering all approaches and aspects of the topic in one handy volume, making this indispensable reading for companies and research institutions working on the development of biopharmaceuticals.
Abandoned in Place: Preserving America's Space History
by Roland MillerStenciled on many of the deactivated facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the evocative phrase &“abandoned in place&” indicates the structures that have been deserted. Some structures, too solid for any known method of demolition, stand empty and unused in the wake of the early period of US space exploration. Now Roland Miller&’s color photographs document the NASA, Air Force, and Army facilities across the nation that once played a crucial role in the space race.Rapidly succumbing to the elements and demolition, most of the blockhouses, launch towers, tunnels, test stands, and control rooms featured in Abandoned in Place are located at secure military or NASA facilities with little or no public access. Some have been repurposed, but over half of the facilities photographed no longer exist. The haunting images collected here impart artistic insight while preserving an important period in history.
Genetic Technology and Food Safety
by Roland NorerThe volume gives an overview on how legislators all over the world have come up with different legal solutions for governing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food security and provides a compact summary of the existing regulations in this field. In a comparative legal approach, a general report analyses and compares these various national and supranational legal systems. It closely follows the newest developments at the interface between genetic engineering law and food law. The emergence of a new technology usually leads to fundamental questions as to how the law should respond to it. The regulation of genetically modified organisms is a prime example, they have been discussed controversially ever since they were subject of legislation and regulation. In particular, this applies to the use of GMOs in food production. There is a variety of interesting legislations and a differentiated width of legal frameworks on international, supranational (EU) and national level to be found. The different regulations that thereby came to light are evidence of the various opinions and policies the societies and states have developed on this matter. It is this variety of regulations the volume examines, primarily on the basis of national reports that were handed in concerning the topic of genetic technology and food security at the occasion of the XIX International Congress of Comparative Law.
Quantum Philosophy: Understanding and Interpreting Contemporary Science
by Roland OmnèsIn this magisterial work, Roland Omnès takes us from the academies of ancient Greece to the laboratories of modern science as he seeks to do no less than rebuild the foundations of the philosophy of knowledge. One of the world's leading quantum physicists, Omnès reviews the history and recent development of mathematics, logic, and the physical sciences to show that current work in quantum theory offers new answers to questions that have puzzled philosophers for centuries: Is the world ultimately intelligible? Are all events caused? Do objects have definitive locations? Omnès addresses these profound questions with vigorous arguments and clear, colorful writing, aiming not just to advance scholarship but to enlighten readers with no background in science or philosophy. The book opens with an insightful and sweeping account of the main developments in science and the philosophy of knowledge from the pre-Socratic era to the nineteenth century. Omnès then traces the emergence in modern thought of a fracture between our intuitive, commonsense views of the world and the abstract and--for most people--incomprehensible world portrayed by advanced physics, math, and logic. He argues that the fracture appeared because the insights of Einstein and Bohr, the logical advances of Frege, Russell, and Gödel, and the necessary mathematics of infinity of Cantor and Hilbert cannot be fully expressed by words or images only. Quantum mechanics played an important role in this development, as it seemed to undermine intuitive notions of intelligibility, locality, and causality. However, Omnès argues that common sense and quantum mechanics are not as incompatible as many have thought. In fact, he makes the provocative argument that the "consistent-histories" approach to quantum mechanics, developed over the past fifteen years, places common sense (slightly reappraised and circumscribed) on a firm scientific and philosophical footing for the first time. In doing so, it provides what philosophers have sought through the ages: a sure foundation for human knowledge. Quantum Philosophy is a profound work of contemporary science and philosophy and an eloquent history of the long struggle to understand the nature of the world and of knowledge itself.
Bentonite Clay: Environmental Properties and Applications
by Roland PuschStudies the Environmental, Cosmetic, and Pharmaceutical Applications of Bentonite ClayBentonite clay, of which members of the smectite family of clay minerals are particularly important, has proven to be effective in sealing off wastes from groundwater. Bentonite Clay: Environmental Properties and Applications explores the mineralogy of clays in ge
Geological Storage of Highly Radioactive Waste
by Roland PuschThe book describes and assesses current concepts for long-term disposal of highly radioactive waste. Different types of rock are discussed and assessed with respect to practical difficulties in the construction of a repository, and the efficiency of isolating radioactive waste. Safety matters are most important and are treated in the respective chapters and in a final, conclusive chapter. Cost issues and related quality matters are discussed for the case of constructing a virgin repository and repositories in the form of converted abandoned mines.
Roboterassistierte Viszeral- und Thoraxchirurgie
by Thilo Hackert Roland S. CronerDie Möglichkeiten, die die Anwendung der Robotersysteme für die wichtigsten Indikationsbereiche in der Viszeral- und Thoraxchirurgie bietet, aber auch ihre Limitationen werden fundiert und detailliert von erfahrenen Experten beschrieben: Patientenlagerung, Zugang und schrittweise Durchführung der Operationen, Ergebnisse und Vergleich mit konventionell laparoskopischen und offenen Operationen, postoperatives Management, Lernkurve der Operateure, Vor- und Nachteile der roboterassistierten Verfahren. Zahlreiche Schemata und Fotografien veranschaulichen das operative Vorgehen. In einem eigenen Kapitel sind die Angebote für Ausbildung und Training der Operateure dargestellt; abschließend wird ein Ausblick auf absehbare Weiterentwicklungen gegeben.
They Are Here!: How Invasive Species Are Spoiling Our Ecosystems
by Roland SmithFrom the New York Times-bestselling author, Roland Smith, comes a fascinating, fact-filled resource that explores how humans have introduced—on purpose and by accident—plants and animals to parts of the world where they were previously unknown. . .sometimes with disastrous results. Did you know that brown rats were brought to the United States in the eighteenth century on a ship from England? Or that thousands of exotic pets were released into the Florida Everglades after a hurricane in 1992, leading to today’s booming Burmese python population? All over the country, non-native species from around the world have been introduced to our lands, irrevocably changing the natural balances of their new habitats. This is the story of some of those newcomers, but also of human error and nature gone wild. By looking at thirty different intrusive plants and animals, They Are Here! explores invasive species, their impact on our environment, and the steps we can take to support local ecosystems under threat.
Geheimnisvoller Kosmos: Astrophysik und Kosmologie im 21. Jahrhundert
by Roland Wengenmayr Thomas BührkeFür die dritte Auflage wurden alle Aufsätze aktualisiert und sieben neue Beiträge aufgenommen. So komplettiert ein Kapitel über spektroskopische Biomarker das nunmehr mit drei Beiträgen vertretene, hoch aktuelle Thema extrasolare Planeten. Zwei neue Artikel zur Antimaterie befassen sich mit den physikalischen Grundlagen, insbesondere der Materie-Antimaterie-Asymmetrie im Urknall, und dem Nachweis von Antiteilchen im Weltraum. Die Problematik der Dunklen Materie erhellt ein Kapitel über die derzeit laufenden Laborexperimente. Beobachtungen mit dem Weltraumteleskop Herschel haben neue Erkenntnisse zur Galaxienentwicklung gebracht. Und nicht zuletzt lassen neue, hoch empfindliche Untersuchungen von Apollo-Mondgestein die Entstehung des Erdtrabanten in einem anderen Licht erscheinen. Astrophysik und Kosmologie machen also auch im 21. Jahrhundert große Fortschritte. „Sowohl der Fachwissenschaftler als auch der Hobbyastronom, der direkt am rasanten Erkenntnisgewinn der modernen Astrophysik und Kosmologie teilhaben möchte, kommt mit diesem Buch auf seine Kosten.“ Sterne und Weltraum „… Wer sich einen schnellen, gleichwohl gründlichen Eindruck von Ergebnissen, Methoden und Problemen der Astronomie im 21. Jahrhundert verschaffen will, kommt an diesem Buch nicht vorbei.“ MaxPlanck Forschung
Empty Buckets and Overflowing Pits: Urban Water and Sanitation Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa – Acknowledging Decline, Preparing for the Unprecedented Wave of Demand (Springer Water)
by Roland WerchotaThis book provides a multi-level and multi-dimensional insight into urban water and sanitation development by analyzing sector reforms in Africa. With the recent events in mind - water shortages in Cape Town, widespread cholera in Haiti, mass-migration from low-income countries, etc. – it elaborates a pressing topic which is directly linked to the precarious living conditions of the urban poor in the developing countries. It is urgent to acknowledge the proposed findings and recommendations of the book which will help to improve the situation of potential refugees in their home countries with a realistic vision for the development of the most basic of all life supporting services.So many efforts to reverse the negative trend in water and sanitation development have failed or targets have been repeatedly missed by far without notable consequences for decision makers on different levels and institutions. It has unnecessarily consumed many young lives, contributed to keep billions in poverty until today and fostered discrimination of women. The knowledge gap and the confusion in the sector lined out in the book becomes evident when a national leader in a low-income country declares a state of emergency in urban water and sanitation while at the same time global monitoring publishes an access figure for urban water of over 90% for the same country. It is time to change this with an effective sector development concept for our partner countries and a more realistic discourse on global level.The book argues for a sweeping rethinking and combines extended local knowledge, lessons learned from history in advanced countries and thorough research on reforms in Francophone and Anglophone developing countries. This was possible because the writer was working in Sub-Saharan partner countries for almost 30 years as an integrated long term advisor in different sector institutions (ministry, regulator, financing basket and different sizes of utilities) and had the opportunity to cooperate closely with the main development partners.The reader has the opportunity to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how the sector works and sector institutions in low-income countries function and can discover the reasons behind success and failures of reforms. The book also covers issues which have a significant influence on urban water and sanitation development but are hardly the subject of discussions. It helps to make the shortcomings of the water and sanitation discourse more apparent and assist institutions to move beyond their present perceptions and agendas. All of this makes the book different from other literature about urban water and sanitation in the developing world.
Atomic- and Nanoscale Magnetism (NanoScience and Technology)
by Roland Wiesendanger<p>This book provides a comprehensive overview of the fascinating recent developments in atomic- and nanoscale magnetism, including the physics of individual magnetic adatoms and single spins, the synthesis of molecular magnets for spintronic applications, and the magnetic properties of small clusters as well as non-collinear spin textures, such as spin spirals and magnetic skyrmions in ultrathin films and nanostructures. <p>Starting from the level of atomic-scale magnetic interactions, the book addresses the emergence of many-body states in quantum magnetism and complex spin states resulting from the competition of such interactions, both experimentally and theoretically. It also introduces novel microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to reveal the exciting physics of magnetic adatom arrays and nanostructures at ultimate spatial and temporal resolution and demonstrates their applications using various insightful examples. The book is intended for researchers and graduate students interested in recent developments of one of the most fascinating fields of condensed matter physics.</p>