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The Deja Vu Experience (Essays in Cognitive Psychology)
by Alan S. BrownMost of us have been perplexed by a strange sense of familiarity when doing something for the first time. We feel that we have been here before, or done this before, but know for sure that this is impossible. In fact, according to numerous surveys, about two-thirds of us have experienced déjà vu at least once, and most of us have had multiple experiences. There are a number of credible scientific interpretations of déjà vu, and this book summarizes the broad range of published work from philosophy, religion, neurology, sociology, memory, perception, psychopathology, and psychopharmacology. This book also includes discussion of cognitive functioning in retrieval and familiarity, neuronal transmission, and double perception during the déjà vu experience.
The Déjà Vu Experience (Essays in Cognitive Psychology)
by Anne M. Cleary Alan S. BrownThe Déjà vu Experience, Second Edition covers the latest scientific discoveries regarding the strange sense of familiarity most of us have felt at one time or another when doing something for the first time. The book sheds light on this mysterious phenomenon, considering the latest neurophysiological investigations and research on possible reasons why déjà vu is often associated with a sense of predicting the future or knowing what happens next. In addition to summarizing the major historical and contemporary theoretical approaches to the déjà vu experience, this book aspires to stimulate additional research on this curious subjective phenomenon. Drawing on research from a range of fields including psychology, philosophy, and religion, it aims to demystify some of the more unsettling, spooky-seeming aspects of the déjà vu experience, elucidating possible mechanisms and underlying reasons for its occurrence. This edition has been thoroughly updated throughout to include over 200 new professional articles and book chapters related to déjà vu that have been published in the 18 years since the original book. By placing the scientific study of déjà vu within its historical context and covering a broad range of perspectives on the subject, this title will be invaluable to upper-level undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers of Cognitive Psychology, specifically those focusing on Memory Phenomena.
The Déjà Vu Enigma: A Journey Through the Anomalies of Mind, Memory, and Time
by Marie D. Jones Larry FlaxmanA deep dive into one of the most widely reported mysteries of the mind—both the scientific and paranormal theories—from the authors of The Grid.You feel like you’ve done something before . . . even as you do it for the very first time.You engage in a conversation and suddenly realize you’ve spoken those same words before . . . to the very same person. Yet you’re positive it’s the first time you’ve ever met.Déjà vu is the eerie sensation of “remembering” an experience or situation that never occurred. Scientific research into déjà vu has revealed intriguing theories, ranging from short-term memory misfires to neurophysiological disorders. Yet other theories suggest more paranormal causes for déjà vu, such as glimpses into parallel realities. Perhaps the true explanation lies somewhere in between.But déjà vu is only one of the many mysteries of the mind. The Déjà Vu Enigma also explores:Memory lapses, missing time, and fugue statesThe brain as both receiver and transmitter of realityAltered states of perception and consciousness, from hallucinations to religious visionsContagious thought, curses, demonic possession, and mass hysteriaDream states, lucid dreaming, and precognitive dreamsThe Grid and parallel universes as travel routes for mind trips, brain flips, and time slipsCome journey through a world as vast and uncharted as the Cosmos. A journey through the Inner Universe—the human mind.“From the dynamic team of Marie D. Jones & Larry Flaxman who have brought us some many wonderful books on fringe subject matter . . . a completely thought-provoking study.” —HorrorNews.net
Dehydrogenation Reactions with 3d Metals (Topics in Organometallic Chemistry #73)
by Basker SundararajuIn this book recent developments in dehydrogenation reactions catalyzed by 3d-metals are discussed. With continue efforts to develop sustainable chemical production the discovery of new catalysts and catalytic procedures for (de)hydrogenation reactions are a subject of great interest to the chemistry community. Additionally, (de)hydrogenation reactions enable the creation of closed-loop production cycles that support a circular economy. The chapters presented include the synthesis of heterocycles and tandem-multicomponent (three or more) reactions through dehydrogenative strategy, as well as the conversion of ethanol to n-butanol, higher oxidized hydrocarbons like acids, ester, amides from alcohols, α-alkylation of amines, ketones, and amides with alcohols and mechanistic understanding of dehydrogenation reactions with high-valent metals. With contributions from experts in the field, the book is a valuable resource for scholars working in the field of organometallic chemistry, catalysis, medicinal chemistry, as well as researchers in the industry.
Degrowth Decolonization and Development: When Culture Meets the Environment
by Milica Kočović De Santo Stéphanie Eileen DomptailDegrowth Decolonization and Development reveals common underlying cultural roots to the multiple current crises. It shows that culture is an essential sphere to initiate fundamental changes and solutions as it brings about transformative imaginaries on a theoretical, political and practical level. The book focusses on the interplay between culture and the environment, society and the economy. It provides a critique of concepts associated with the term “Development” and reveals knowledge and theories outside the comfort zone of the mainstream Western theoretical landscape, which will certainly be instrumental in the decolonization of both development theories and practices. The book convincingly reveals the large array of domains, which, when interpreted from a decolonization and Degrowth perspective, can be managed through logics of environmental justice, social equity and equality, and generate societally more desirable outcomes. The book presents a multidisciplinary perspective on the contemporary global crises and features interdisciplinary analyses thereof through the lenses of cultural studies, critical development studies, political economy, eco-feminist political ecology, anthropology and sociology. Degrowth Decolonization and Development unveils the fundamental role of the dichotomies characterizing the Western modern development paradigm in shaping today’s actions, and especially the dichotomies of Global North and Global South, Centre and Periphery, Developed and Developing/Underdeveloped, Man and Nature. Degrowth Decolonization and Development addresses all researchers and activists interested in sustainability transformation and decolonization processes in Development studies. Degrowth Decolonization and Development is structured as a collection of seven original case studies. These are authored by researchers who met when presenting their work in Decolonization and Degrowth panels from the ISEE-ESEE-Degrowth Conference, Manchester, July 5-8, 2021, and the 8th International Degrowth Conference in The Hague, Netherlands, August 24-28, 2021. The concluding chapter proposes a synthesis identifying key concepts and steps in cultural change for the decolonization of the Western worldview towards “pluriverse” alternatives. The book traces future imaginaries for modelling future new systemic solutions and a needed radical change.
Degrees Kelvin: A Tale Of Genius, Invention, And Tragedy
by David LindleyLORD KELVIN. In 1840, a precocious 16-year-old by the name of William Thomson spent his summer vacation studying an extraordinarily sophisticated mathematical controversy. His brilliant analysis inspired lavish praise and made the boy an instant intellectual celebrity. <P> As a young scholar William dazzled a Victorian society enthralled with the seductive authority and powerful beauty of scientific discovery. At a time when no one really understood heat, light, electricity, or magnetism, Thomson found key connections between them, laying the groundwork for two of the cornerstones of 19th century science -- the theories of electromagnetism and thermodynamics. Charismatic, confident, and boyishly handsome, Thomson was not a scientist who labored quietly in a lab, plying his trade in monkish isolation. When scores of able tinkerers were flummoxed by their inability to adapt overland telegraphic cables to underwater, intercontinental use, Thomson took to the high seas with new equipment that was to change the face of modern communications. And as the world's navies were transitioning from wooden to iron ships, they looked to Thomson to devise a compass that would hold true even when surrounded by steel. <P> Gaining fame and wealth through his inventive genius, Thomson was elevated to the peerage by Queen Victoria for his many achievements. He was the first scientist ever to be so honored. Indeed, his name survives in the designation of degrees Kelvin, the temperature scale that begins with absolute zero, the point at which atomic motion ceases and there is a complete absence of heat. <P> Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, was Great Britain's unrivaled scientific hero. But as the century drew to a close and Queen Victoria's reign ended, this legendary scientific mind began to weaken. He grudgingly gave way to others with a keener, more modern vision. But the great physicist did not go quietly. With a ready pulpit at his disposal, he publicly proclaimed his doubts over the existence of atoms. He refused to believe that radioactivity involved the transmutation of elements. And believing that the origin of life was a matter beyond the expertise of science and better left to theologians, he vehemently opposed the doctrines of evolution, repeatedly railing against Charles Darwin. Sadly, this pioneer of modern science spent his waning years arguing that the Earth and the Sun could not be more than 100 million years old. And although his early mathematical prowess had transformed our understanding of the forces of nature, he would never truly accept the revolutionary changes he had helped bring about, and it was others who took his ideas to their logical conclusion. <P> In the end Thomson came to stand for all that was old and complacent in the world of 19th century science. Once a scientific force to be reckoned with, a leader to whom others eagerly looked for answers, his peers in the end left him behind -- and then meted out the ultimate punishment for not being able to keep step with them. For while they were content to bury him in Westminster Abbey alongside Isaac Newton, they used his death as an opportunity to write him out of the scientific record, effectively denying him his place in history. Kelvin's name soon faded from the headlines, his seminal ideas forgotten, his crucial contributions overshadowed. Destined to become the definitive biography of one of the most important figures in modern science, Degrees Kelvin unravels the mystery of a life composed of equal parts triumph and tragedy, hubris and humility, yielding a surprising and compelling portrait of a complex and enigmatic man.
Degradation of Implant Materials
by Noam EliazThis book reviews the current understanding of the mechanical, chemical and biological processes that are responsible for the degradation of a variety of implant materials. All 18 chapters will be written by internationally renowned experts to address both fundamental and practical aspects of research into the field. Different failure mechanisms such as corrosion, fatigue, and wear will be reviewed, together with experimental techniques for monitoring them, either in vitro or in vivo. Procedures for implant retrieval and analysis will be presented. A variety of biomaterials (stainless steels, titanium and its alloys, nitinol, magnesium alloys, polyethylene, biodegradable polymers, silicone gel, hydrogels, calcium phosphates) and medical devices (orthopedic and dental implants, stents, heart valves, breast implants) will be analyzed in detail. The book will serve as a broad reference source for graduate students and researchers studying biomedicine, corrosion, surface science, and electrochemistry.
Degenerative Disorders of the Brain
by Darren R. Hocking John L. Bradshaw Joanne FieldingCovering a wide range of diverse age-related disorders, Degenerative Disorders of the Brain addresses disabilities that occur or have their roots in the later stages of life. The book brings together an internationally recognised group of contributors to discuss frontostriatal, fronto-cerebellar and other major brain systems and structures which control and direct normal behaviour, and which can fail during the aging process, as well as addressing behavioural, clinical, pathophysiological and technical aspects. Discussing the latest clinical and behavioural findings of disorders which are largely, though not necessarily entirely, age related, including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, and Huntington’s disease, the book covers information vital to the understanding, diagnosis, and management of degenerative disorders of the brain. It also considers the role of epigenetics, neural plasticity, and environmental enrichment in neurodegenerative disorders alongside the role of ground-breaking intervention methods, including transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation. Degenerative Disorders of the Brain will be of great interest to, and use for, clinicians, researchers, students, lecturers, and affected individuals and their relatives.
Degenerate Diffusion Operators Arising in Population Biology (Annals of Mathematics Studies #185)
by Charles L. Epstein Rafe MazzeoThis book provides the mathematical foundations for the analysis of a class of degenerate elliptic operators defined on manifolds with corners, which arise in a variety of applications such as population genetics, mathematical finance, and economics. The results discussed in this book prove the uniqueness of the solution to the Martingale problem and therefore the existence of the associated Markov process. Charles Epstein and Rafe Mazzeo use an "integral kernel method" to develop mathematical foundations for the study of such degenerate elliptic operators and the stochastic processes they define. The precise nature of the degeneracies of the principal symbol for these operators leads to solutions of the parabolic and elliptic problems that display novel regularity properties. Dually, the adjoint operator allows for rather dramatic singularities, such as measures supported on high codimensional strata of the boundary. Epstein and Mazzeo establish the uniqueness, existence, and sharp regularity properties for solutions to the homogeneous and inhomogeneous heat equations, as well as a complete analysis of the resolvent operator acting on Hölder spaces. They show that the semigroups defined by these operators have holomorphic extensions to the right half-plane. Epstein and Mazzeo also demonstrate precise asymptotic results for the long-time behavior of solutions to both the forward and backward Kolmogorov equations.
Defying Limits: Lessons from the Edge of the Universe
by Dave WilliamsAn inspirational, uplifting, and life-affirming memoir about passion, resilience and living life to the fullest, from Dr. Dave Williams, one of Canada’s most accomplished astronauts.I had dreamt about becoming an astronaut from the time I watched Alan Shepard launch on the first American sub-orbital flight on May 5, 1961. Eleven days before my seventh birthday, I committed to a new goal: one day, I would fly in outer space. Dr. Dave has led the sort of life that most people only dream of. He has set records for spacewalking. He has lived undersea for weeks at a time. He has saved lives as an emergency doctor, launched into the stratosphere twice, and performed surgery in zero gravity. But if you ask him how he became so accomplished, he’ll say: “I’m just a curious kid from Saskatchewan.” Curious indeed. Dr. Dave never lost his desire to explore nor his fascination with the world. Whether he was exploring the woods behind his childhood home or floating in space at the end of the Canadarm, Dave tried to see every moment of his life as filled with beauty and meaning. He learned to scuba dive at only twelve years old, became a doctor despite academic struggles as an undergraduate, and overcame stiff odds and fierce competition to join the ranks of the astronauts he had idolized as a child. There were setbacks and challenges along the way—the loss of friends in the Columbia disaster, a cancer diagnosis that nearly prevented him from returning to space—but through it all, Dave never lost sight of his goal. And when he finally had the chance to fly among the stars, he came to realize that although the destination can be spectacular, it’s the journey that truly matters. In Defying Limits, Dave shares the events that have defined his life, showing us that whether we’re gravity-defying astronauts or earth-bound terrestrials, we can all live an infinite, fulfilled life by relishing the value and importance of each moment. The greatest fear that we all face is not the fear of dying, but the fear of never having lived. Each of us is greater than we believe. And, together, we can exceed our limits to soar farther and higher than we ever imagined.
Defrosting Ancient Microbes: Emerging Genomes in a Warmer World
by John D. Castello Scott RogersIce is melting around the world and glaciers are disappearing. Water, which has been solid for thousands and even millions of years, is being released into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. Embedded in this new fluid water, and now being released, are ancient microbes whose effects on today's organisms and ecosystems is unknown and unpredictable. These long sleeping microbes are becoming physiologically active and may accelerate global climate change. This book explores the emergence of these microbes. The implications for terrestrial life and the life that might exist elsewhere in the universe are explored. Key Selling Points: Explores the role of long frozen ancient microbes will have when released due to global warming Describes how ice preserves microbes and microbial genomes for thousands or millions of years Reviews work done on permafrost microbiology Identifies potential health hazards and environmental risks Examines implications for the search for extraterrestrial life.
Deformations of Spacetime Symmetries: Gravity, Group-Valued Momenta, and Non-Commutative Fields (Lecture Notes in Physics #986)
by Michele Arzano Jerzy Kowalski-GlikmanThis monograph provides an introduction to deformations of Poincaré symmetries focusing on models with a Lie group momentum space and associated non-commutative space-times. The emphasis is put on the emergence of such structures from quantum gravity, their mathematical features described in terms of Hopf algebras and applications to particle kinematics and field theory. Part I of this work focuses on the link between gravity and deformed symmetries in the case of 2+1 and 3+1 space-time dimensions. Part II is devoted to the description of classical particles with group valued momenta, their phase spaces and kinematics. The last part of these notes provides an introduction to the basic features of classical and quantum field theory on κ-Minkowski space-time, the prototypical example of non-commutative space-time exhibiting deformed Poincaré symmetry. The text, being the first providing a detailed overview of these topics, is primarily intended for researchers and graduate students interested in non-commutative field theories and quantum gravity phenomenology.
Deformation Processes in TRIP/TWIP Steels: In-Situ Characterization Techniques (Springer Series in Materials Science #295)
by Anja WeidnerThis book demonstrates the potential of novel in-situ experiments, performed on microscopic and macroscopic length scales, for investigating localized deformation processes in metallic materials, particularly their kinetics and the associated evolution of local strain fields. It features a broad methodological portfolio, spanning optical and electron microscopy, digital image correlation, infrared theromgraphy and acoustic emission testing, and particularly focuses on identifying the localized microscopic deformation processes in high-strength/high-ductility CrMnNi TRIP/TWIP (TRansformation Induced Plasticity/TWinning Induced Plasticity) steels. Presenting state-of-the art methodology applied to topical and pertinent problems in materials engineering, this book is a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students working in the field of plasticity and deformation of structural materials.
Deformation and Failure Mechanism of Excavation in Clay Subjected to Hydraulic Uplift
by Lizhong Wang Yi HongThis book presents the latest experimental and numerical analysis work in the field of ground deformation and base instability of deep excavations in soft clay subjected to hydraulic uplift. The authors' latest research findings, based on dimensional analyses, well-instrumented full-scale field tests, systematic coupled-consolidation finite element analyses and centrifuge tests are reported. This book shows how to systematically approach a complex geotechnical problem, from identifying existing problems, reviewing literature, to dimensional and numerical analyses, validation through full-scale testing and centrifuge model testing. The methodologies are also introduced as major tools adopted in geotechnical research.
Deformation and Evolution of Life in Crystalline Materials: An Integrated Creep-Fatigue Theory
by Xijia WuThis book walks you through the fundamental deformation and damage mechanisms. It lends the reader the key to open the doors into the maze of deformation/fracture phenomena under various loading conditions. Furthermore it provides the solution method to material engineering design and analysis problems, for those working in the aerospace, automotive or energy industries. The book introduces the integrated creep-fatigue theory (ICFT) that considers holistic damage evolution from surface/subsurface crack nucleation to propagation in coalescence with internally-distributed damage/discontinuities.
Deformable Registration Techniques for Thoracic CT Images: An Insight into Medical Image Registration
by Ali Imam Abidi S.K. SinghThis book focuses on novel approaches for thoracic computed tomography (CT) image registration and determination of respiratory motion models in a range of patient scenarios. It discusses the use of image registration processes to remove the inconsistencies between medical images acquired using different devices. In the context of comparative research and medical analysis, these methods are of immense value in image registration procedures, not just for thoracic CT images, but for all types of medical images in multiple modalities, and also in establishing a mean respiration motion model. Combined with advanced techniques, the methods proposed have the potential to advance the field of computer vision and help improve existing methods. The book is a valuable resource for those in the scientific community involved in modeling respiratory motion for a large number of people.
Defoaming: Theory and Industrial Applications (Surfactant Science #45)
by P R. GarrettReviews all known antifoam mechanisms, and discusses the appropriate practical approaches for solving foam control problems in a variety of industrial contexts. These range from crude oil production to detergent formulation.
Definition Of Pain And Distress And Reporting Requirements For Laboratory Animals: Proceedings Of The Workshop Held June 22, 2000
by Committee on Regulatory Issues in Animal Care UseA report on the Definition Of Pain And Distress And Reporting Requirements For Laboratory Animals
Defining the Wind: The Beaufort Scale, and How a 19th-century Admiral Turned Science into Poetry
by Scott HulerA remarkable journey over land and sea into a fascinating world of explorers, mariners, scientists, and writers. Huler was so taken with the Beaufort Wind Scale that he went in search of Adm. Francis Beaufort himself: hydrographer to the British Admiralty, man of science, and author -- Huler assumed -- of the Beaufort Wind Scale. But the scale that carries Beaufort's name has a long and complex evolution, and to properly understand it means reaching farther back in history, into the lives and works of figures from Daniel Defoe and Charles Darwin to Captains Bligh and Cook. All around the world in the mid-18th and 19th century, modern science was being invented every day. A wonderfully readable story that is ultimately about how we observe the forces of nature and the world around us.
Defining Nature's Limits: The Roman Inquisition and the Boundaries of Science
by Neil TarrantA look at the history of censorship, science, and magic from the Middle Ages to the post-Reformation era. Neil Tarrant challenges conventional thinking by looking at the longer history of censorship, considering a five-hundred-year continuity of goals and methods stretching from the late eleventh century to well into the sixteenth. Unlike earlier studies, Defining Nature’s Limits engages the history of both learned and popular magic. Tarrant explains how the church developed a program that sought to codify what was proper belief through confession, inquisition, and punishment and prosecuted what they considered superstition or heresy that stretched beyond the boundaries of religion. These efforts were continued by the Roman Inquisition, established in 1542. Although it was designed primarily to combat Protestantism, from the outset the new institution investigated both practitioners of “illicit” magic and inquiries into natural philosophy, delegitimizing certain practices and thus shaping the development of early modern science. Describing the dynamics of censorship that continued well into the post-Reformation era, Defining Nature's Limits is revisionist history that will interest scholars of the history science, the history of magic, and the history of the church alike.
Defining Nature's Limits: The Roman Inquisition and the Boundaries of Science
by Neil TarrantA look at the history of censorship, science, and magic from the Middle Ages to the post-Reformation era. Neil Tarrant challenges conventional thinking by looking at the longer history of censorship, considering a five-hundred-year continuity of goals and methods stretching from the late eleventh century to well into the sixteenth. Unlike earlier studies, Defining Nature’s Limits engages the history of both learned and popular magic. Tarrant explains how the church developed a program that sought to codify what was proper belief through confession, inquisition, and punishment and prosecuted what they considered superstition or heresy that stretched beyond the boundaries of religion. These efforts were continued by the Roman Inquisition, established in 1542. Although it was designed primarily to combat Protestantism, from the outset the new institution investigated both practitioners of “illicit” magic and inquiries into natural philosophy, delegitimizing certain practices and thus shaping the development of early modern science. Describing the dynamics of censorship that continued well into the post-Reformation era, Defining Nature's Limits is revisionist history that will interest scholars of the history science, the history of magic, and the history of the church alike.
Defining Effective Transboundary Water Cooperation (Earthscan Studies in Water Resource Management)
by Melissa McCrackenThis book establishes a framework for defining transboundary water cooperation and a methodology for evaluating its effectiveness, which will contribute to more effective and therefore successful cooperation processes. With the increasing focus on transboundary cooperation as a part of the Sustainable Development Goal Framework, there is global recognition of transboundary water cooperation as a tool for improved governance and management of transboundary surface and groundwaters. However, there is not an agreed upon definition of transboundary water cooperation in the literature or in practice. This book develops the Four Frames of Transboundary Water Cooperation, which is a neutral modular framework for developing context-specific explanatory definitions of transboundary water cooperation in basins and aquifers. The Four Frames of Cooperation are legal, institutional, relational, and outcome. However, we need to move beyond defining cooperation to understand better measures of the quality and effectiveness of cooperative processes. The Weighted Model of Effective Cooperation presents a first step in qualitatively evaluating the effectiveness of transboundary water cooperation. This model defines effective transboundary water cooperation and operationalizes a method to evaluate the effectiveness of cooperative processes over internationally shared waters. Effective cooperation emphasizes the relational and outcome frames of cooperation while working towards equitability and sustainability. Together, the Four Frames of Cooperation and the Weighted Model of Effective Cooperation will improve the understanding of cooperation and encourage a detailed evaluation of the quality, success, and effectiveness of cooperative processes. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of water resource management, water governance, and environmental politics. It will also appeal to policymakers and professionals working in the fields of water conflict, water diplomacy, and international cooperation.
Deficits in EU and US Mandatory Environmental Information Disclosure
by Dirk BüngerIt is the publicity about the Pollutant Release Inventory's data which creates an incentive for firms to achieve emission reductions. Accordingly, public access to environmental information constitutes a core characteristic of the aforementioned inventory. Here, in essence, two facets arise. First, with regard to the collection, it is disputed whether such information, which may comprise confidential commercial and industrial information in the EU as well as trade secrets in the US, can be protected under fundamental and constitutional property rights respectively. Second, in the context of dissemination and utilisation, it is arguable whether the information indeed impacts polluters and produces an outcome that secures a certain level of environmental protection. The author responds to the first issue by taking the EU and US jurisdictions into account and strives to analyse how this novel form of Internet disclosure liberates market mechanisms in the quest for effective and efficient emission reductions.
Deficit Irrigation: A Remedy for Water Scarcity
by Samiha Ouda Tahany Noreldin Abd El-Hafeez ZohryThis book focuses on proving that deficit irrigation could play an important role in increasing food production in times of water scarcity. Although the application of deficit irrigation can involve loss in crop productivity, it still secures water to be use in cultivating more lands and producing more food. The following questions are discussed and the authors offer solutions to these problems:Will the production, on a national level, resulting from these new added areas compensate yield losses attained by application of deficit irrigation?Is it possible to use deficit irrigation practice to reduce the applied irrigation water to certain crops that have a surplus in their production, and direct this saved water to cultivate new areas with crops have low self-sufficiency ratios? Under climate change in 2030, would deficit irrigation practice have the same role it plays under the current conditions? This book will appeal to students and researchers involved with water scarcity and food security.
Defiant: The Untold Story of the Battle of Britain
by Robert Verkaik'Defiant is both a stirring testament to the courage of the men who flew them and a welcome new examination of one of the Second World War's most famous conflicts'Alexander Larman, ObserverIn this startling new perspective on the Battle of Britain, Robert Verkaik reveals the surprising truth about the battle's forgotten fighter, the Boulton Paul Defiant.The crucial role played by the Spitfire and the Hurricane has been exhaustively recorded, but, to date, next to nothing has been written about the third British fighter which took part in the battle. By writing from the unique perspective of the pilots who flew the Defiant and their air-gunners, Verkaik helps to set the record straight. The Air Staff regarded the Defiant as a state-of-the-art bomber destroyer and wanted to equip a third of all Fighter Command squadrons with this new plane. But the head of Fighter Command, Hugh Dowding, had other ideas and went to war with Whitehall over its plan to saddle him with hundreds of 'obsolete' turret fighters. Then at Dunkirk, a Defiant squadron scored a huge success against the Luftwaffe by shooting down more German planes in one day than any other RAF unit before or since. Fighter Command, enthusiastically urged on by the Air Ministry, now committed its third fighter to the coming air battle over southern England. In the desperate dogfights of the battle, Defiants shot down both German bombers and fighters but suffered heavy losses too - one squadron was almost wiped out when it was ambushed by a superior force of Messerschmitt 109s. On 30 August 1940 all Defiant squadrons were withdrawn from the front line. The families of the Defiant air crews believed that their husbands, brothers and sons had died in vain, but the truth is that their vital contribution to the battle over Dunkirk and their role in the Battle of Britain has been all but erased from the official history. The story of the Defiant has not been allowed to mar the glorious victory won by the Spitfire and the Hurricane.But Verkaik has uncovered new records, including top-secret memos written by Hugh Dowding and his deputy Keith Park as well as correspondence with the Air Staff, combat and squadron reports, pilot logs and recordings of the last interviews with Defiant crews. He has also succeeded in tracing relatives of Defiant pilots and gunners to tell the story of the Battle of Britain as it has never been told before. He reveals how the myths which have grown up around the Defiant mask some inconvenient truths.