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How Communities Can Use Risk Assessment Results: A Summary of the June 3, 2010 Workshop of the Disasters Roundtable
by National Research Council of the National AcademiesThe polar regions are experiencing rapid changes in climate. These changes are causing observable ecological impacts of various types and degrees of severity at all ecosystem levels, including society. Even larger changes and more significant impacts are anticipated. As species respond to changing environments over time, their interactions with the physical world and other organisms can also change. This chain of interactions can trigger cascades of impacts throughout entire ecosystems. Evaluating the interrelated physical, chemical, biological, and societal components of polar ecosystems is essential to understanding their vulnerability and resilience to climate forcing. The Polar Research Board (PRB) organized a workshop to address these issues. Experts gathered from a variety of disciplines with knowledge of both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Participants were challenged to consider what is currently known about climate change and polar ecosystems and to identify the next big questions in the field. A set of interdisciplinary "frontier questions" emerged from the workshop discussions as important topics to be addressed in the coming decades. To begin to address these questions, workshop participants discussed the need for holistic, interdisciplinary systems approach to understanding polar ecosystem responses to climate change. As an outcome of the workshop, participants brainstormed methods and technologies that are crucial to advance the understanding of polar ecosystems and to promote the next generation of polar research. These include new and emerging technologies, sustained long-term observations, data synthesis and management, and data dissemination and outreach.
How Contagion Works: Science, Awareness and Community in Times of Global Crises - The short essay that helped change the Covid-19 debate
by Paolo Giordano'Lucid, calm, informed, directly helpful in trying to think about where we are now... The literature of the time after begins here' Evening Standard'Taking a breather from bewildering statistics and terrible tales of contagion to read Giordano's book was a jolt of brevity and simplicity... It takes concepts that have been dancing away in our minds, just out of reach, and lines them up neatly' The Times'Potent and original' Sunday Times'In one short hour, in the midst of this difficult moment, Giordano reinforced my sense of hope in humanity, in the one and the many' Philippe Sands, author of East West Street and The Rat LineThe Covid-19 pandemic is the most significant health emergency of our time.Writing from Italy in lockdown, physicist and novelist Paolo Giordano explains how disease spreads in our interconnected world: why it mattershow it impacts ushow we must reactExpanding his focus to include other forms of contagion - from the environmental crisis to fake news and xenophobia - Giordano shows us not just how the coronavirus crisis got so bad so quickly, but also how we can work together to create change.Paolo Giordano is a physicist and the author of four bestselling novels. His article 'The Mathematics of Contagion' - published in Italy at the beginning of the coronavirus emergency - was shared more than 4 million times and helped shift public opinion in the early stages of the epidemic.
How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate
by Andrew J. HoffmanThough the scientific community largely agrees that climate change is underway, debates about this issue remain fiercely polarized. These conversations have become a rhetorical contest, one where opposing sides try to achieve victory through playing on fear, distrust, and intolerance. At its heart, this split no longer concerns carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, or climate modeling; rather, it is the product of contrasting, deeply entrenched worldviews. This brief examines what causes people to reject or accept the scientific consensus on climate change. Synthesizing evidence from sociology, psychology, and political science, Andrew J. Hoffman lays bare the opposing cultural lenses through which science is interpreted. He then extracts lessons from major cultural shifts in the past to engender a better understanding of the problem and motivate the public to take action. How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate makes a powerful case for a more scientifically literate public, a more socially engaged scientific community, and a more thoughtful mode of public discourse.
How Dangerous Is Lightning?
by Vladimir Rakov Christian BouquegneauLightning strikes somewhere on the surface of the earth about 100 times every second, and current observations indicate a significant increase in activity in the coming years. This illustrated survey explores the history of lightning, from ancient to modern times. Mythology and observations of lightning damage constituted the extent of lightning history until the Enlightenment period, when Benjamin Franklin, Thomas-François Dalibard, and others began applying a scientific approach. Detailed studies began at the dawn of the twentieth century, with the advent of modern instrumentation. This volume presents up-to-date views of thunderstorm clouds, lightning phenomenology and parameters, spatial distribution of lightning activity, and the global electric circuit. It explores the physical effects of lightning as well as secondary effects, lightning protection, and new frontiers in the understanding of lightning. An information-based study, this book is appropriate for classroom use as well as for popular science readers of all ages.
How Deep Is the Ocean? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)
by Kathleen Weidner ZoehfeldRead and find out about the deepest part of the ocean in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book.The ocean covers almost three-quarters of the Earth, but how deep does it go? Put on your scuba gear and explore the ocean, from its shallowest waters to its deepest, most mysterious parts. As you dive deeper, you’ll discover glowing animals, strange creatures that don’t need sunlight to survive, and even the largest hunter in the world.With beautiful illustrations and engaging text, How Deep Is the Ocean? will guide young readers into the deepest parts of the ocean. Featuring a find-out-more section with a water-pressure experiment, a lesson in making a sounding line to learn how scientists measure the depth of the ocean, a glossary of new terms, and web research prompts, this book will begin children’s explorations of the deep sea. Both the text and the artwork were vetted for accuracy by Dr. David Gruber, real-life deep sea explorer and professor of biology and environmental science at Baruch College.This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It's a Level 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series are:hands-on and visualacclaimed and trustedgreat for classroomsTop 10 reasons to love LRFOs:Entertain and educate at the same timeHave appealing, child-centered topicsDevelopmentally appropriate for emerging readersFocused; answering questions instead of using survey approachEmploy engaging picture book quality illustrationsUse simple charts and graphics to improve visual literacy skillsFeature hands-on activities to engage young scientistsMeet national science education standardsWritten/illustrated by award-winning authors/illustrators & vetted by an expert in the fieldOver 130 titles in print, meeting a wide range of kids' scientific interestsBooks in this series support the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let's-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.
How Did I Get Here?: Your Story from the Big Bang to Your Birthday
by Philip BuntingFrom the Big Bang to your birthday, and (almost) everything in between, this funny and informative book tells your story.You are one of the newest members of a family tree that goes way, way, way back to the very first life on Earth. A lot of incredible things had to happen between the beginning of the universe and today in order to make you. The fact that you (and everyone you know) are here is nothing short of mind-boggling! Read this book to discover how it happened, and prepare to be amazed by the awesomeness of you.This clever, funny, and scientific timeline of the journey of human existence is designed to get young readers asking questions, finding answers, and marveling at the many wonders of our world, from the Big Bang, to evolution, to a brand-new baby, and more.
How Did I Get Here?
by Philip BuntingThis is the unathorised biography of you. Charting your incredible journey from Big Bang to birth (in about the time it takes to eat your breakfast), Philip Bunting's hilarious and one of a kind history of evolution was created to raise more questions than it answers. Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen and Chris Haughton.
How Did Whales Get So Big?: & Other Curious Questions about Animals, Nature, Geology, and Planet Earth (MinuteEarth Explains)
by MinuteEarthSTEM for Kids ― Fun for Kids (Ages 8-10)#1 New Release in Children's Books: Environment & Ecology, Atlases, Anatomy, and Earthquake & VolcanoIn their debut illustrated science book for kids, the team behind the popular YouTube channel MinuteEarth answers all of your child’s wackiest questions about animals, nature, and science alongside engaging images of the natural world.From the scientists, writers, and illustrators at MinuteEarth. Have you ever wondered where Earth’s water came from? Or why leaves change color in the fall? Entertain and educate your kids with fun facts about animals, nature and the wonders of the earth.Amazing STEM for kids, explained simply. With over 300 million views, MinuteEarth simplifies such serious subjects as geology, ecology and biology making them fun for kids. Featuring their signature puns and fun illustrations, this first book in the MinuteEarth Explains series explores topics ranging from weird animal facts to extreme weather, making science for kids enjoyable and unforgettable.Curious questions about our awesome planet. Whether your child is obsessed with the wonder of nature, can’t learn enough interesting facts about animals, or is fascinated by volcanoes, MinuteEarth Explains captures their imagination and fosters an interest in animals, the Earth, and ocean life! By combining humor with rigorous research, this book provides fun facts about animals, nature, science and more in an equally engaging and informative way for kids.MinuteEarth Explains captivates kids with answers to:Why do some animals get gigantic?Why do rivers curve?Can plants talk?How much food is there on earth?And more!If you’re looking for nature books for kids (8-10) or earth science books for kids―or if your child loves books such as The Big Book of Birds, Why?: 1,111 Answers to Everything, or The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth―then your whole family will love this debut book by MinuteEarth!
How Do We Measure Weather? (Discover Meteorology)
by Nancy DickmannHow fast is the wind blowing? How much moisture is in the air? Meteorologists measure weather conditions to help answer these and other questions. Learn about the tools and systems they use. Find out how these measurements help people plan their days and prepare for any weather.
How Do We Predict Weather? (Discover Meteorology)
by Nancy DickmannWill tomorrow be cold or warm? Cloudy or sunny? Wet or dry? Meteorologists make predictions about how weather conditions will change. Find out how they do it and what challenges they face in trying to help people prepare for coming weather conditions.
How Do We Prepare for Severe Weather? (Discover Meteorology)
by Nancy DickmannA storm is coming! How do people prepare? What supplies and tools do we need to survive? Find out how people prepare for all kinds of severe weather. From tornadoes to hurricanes and blizzards to floods, we can be ready for anything.
How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest?: Explore Earth's Most Extreme Places Through Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch and Taste
by Leisa Stewart-SharpeDon't get too comfortable. This isn't the type of book you can snuggle up with under the covers. Not even close! You're off on the expedition of a lifetime to experience the sights, sounds, smells, feelings and tastes of the world's most extreme places. Have you ever wondered what the buzz of the rainforest sounds like on a trek through the Amazon? Or how it would feel to experience the biting cold as you voyage across Antarctica? Or how about how chocolate would taste on Mount Everest? From every heart-bursting sight to tummy-lurching bite, this is a truly immersive round-the-world adventure, where YOU are the explorer.
How Does Chocolate Taste on Everest?: Explore Earth's Most Extreme Places Through Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch, and Taste
by Leisa Stewart-SharpeAn immersive round-the-world adventure, where YOU are the explorer experiencing the most extreme places on earth and doing it all through your five senses.Have you ever wondered what the buzz of the rain forest sounds like on a trek through the Amazon? Or how it feels to experience the biting cold as you voyage across Antarctica? Or how chocolate tastes on Mount Everest? From every heart-bursting sight to tummy-lurching smell, you will experience them all–and do so without having to leave the comforts of your couch.This funny and fast-paced interactive thrill ride that young adventure-seekers are sure to enjoy is chock-full of facts, history, and survival tips peppered on every page.
How Does Earth Work?: Physical Geology and the Process of Science
by Gary Smith Aurora PunEncouraging students to observe, discover, and visualize, How Does Earth Work? Second Edition engages students with an inquiry-based learning method that develops a solid interpretation of introductory geology. Like geology detectives, students learn to think through the scientific process and uncover evidence that explains earth’s mysteries.
How Economics Can Save the World: Simple Ideas to Solve Our Biggest Problems
by Erik AngnerEconomics has the power to make the world a better, happier and safer place: this book shows you howOur world is in a mess. The challenges of climate change, inequality, hunger and a global pandemic mean our way of life seems more imperilled and society more divided than ever; but economics can help!From parenting to organ donation, housing to anti-social behaviour, economics provides the tools we need to fix the biggest issues of today. Far from being a means to predict the stock market or enrich the elite, economics provides a lens through which we can better understand how things work, design clever solutions and create the conditions in which we can all flourish.With a healthy dose of optimism, and packed with stories of economics in everyday situations, Erik Angner demonstrates the methods he and his fellow economists use to help improve our lives and the society in which we live. He shows us that economics can be a powerful force for good, awakening the possibility of a happier, more just and more sustainable world.
How Effective Negotiation Management Promotes Multilateral Cooperation: The power of process in climate, trade, and biosafety negotiations (Routledge Research in Global Environmental Governance)
by Kai MonheimMultilateral negotiations on worldwide challenges have grown in importance with rising global interdependence. Yet, they have recently proven slow to address these challenges successfully. This book discusses the questions which have arisen from the highly varying results of recent multilateral attempts to reach cooperation on some of the critical global challenges of our times. These include the long-awaited UN climate change summit in Copenhagen, which ended without official agreement in 2009; Cancún one year later, attaining at least moderate tangible results; the first salient trade negotiations after the creation of the WTO, which broke down in Seattle in 1999 and were only successfully launched in 2001 in Qatar as the Doha Development Agenda; and the biosafety negotiations to address the international handling of Living Modified Organisms, which first collapsed in 1999, before they reached the Cartagena Protocol in 2000. Using in-depth empirical analysis, the book examines the determinants of success or failure in efforts to form regimes and manage the process of multilateral negotiations. The book draws on data from 62 interviews with organizers and chief climate and trade negotiators to discover what has driven delegations in their final decision on agreement, finding that with negotiation management, organisers hold a powerful tool in their hands to influence multilateral negotiations. This comprehensive negotiation framework, its comparison across regimes and the rich and first-hand empirical material from decision-makers make this invaluable reading for students and scholars of politics, international relations, global environmental governance, climate change and international trade, as well as organizers and delegates of multilateral negotiations. This research has been awarded the German Mediation Scholarship Prize for 2014 by the Center for Mediation in Cologne.
How Energy Considerations Have Shaped Our Fundamental Modern Theories of Physics: Theory and Key Historical Moments
by E. B. ManoukianAt long last, with sufficient technical details, emphasizing key historical moments, a book that develops all of fundamental modern theoretical physics from energy considerations in a compact form. Starting with a few electron-volts of atoms in the quantum world at low energies extending up to quantum gravity and beyond to the birth of the Universe, readers will experience the entire spectrum of fundamental modern theoretical physics, with one theory leading to another in an integrated unified manner. Energy considerations lead to the development of special and general relativity, quantum field theory, renormalization theory, modern quantum electrodynamics, electro-weak theory, the standard model of particle physics, grand unified theories, string theory, the current standard model of inflationary big bang theory, and even to the birth of the Higgs field, and in developments of quantum gravity. Unfortunately, due to strong specialization within theirfields, students and many practicing physicists are exposed only to parts of the beautiful story of modern fundamental physics. Here the entire story is told! This is a must-read book for graduate students, advanced undergraduate students, instructors and professionals who are interested in all aspects of fundamental modern theoretical physics and key historical moments in its development.
How Gamification Can Help Your Business Engage in Sustainability
by Paula OwenVirtually unknown just a few years ago, gamification is fast emerging as a user engagement and behaviour change tool that succeeds where other tactics and strategies have failed. It's the new "business tech trend to watch", and is already being tested in a diverse range of sectors.Not only useful for strengthening communication and engagement and as a potent behaviour change agent, it is also being advocated as a uniquely effective tool for stimulating innovative thinking and new ideas. In the environmental sector, "eco-gamification" is showing early promise in sustainable transport, employee engagement, energy and recycling, and its potential for other sectors is clear.This book contains all the information businesses and other organizations need to make an informed decision about whether to adopt gamification as part of their own business and sustainability strategies – and the tools to get started. Owen's expert investigation outlines the latest theory, tactics and strategies, draws together emerging best practice and points to stand-out successes in the health and fitness, medical research, and financial sectors, as well as early successes in "eco-gamification".Whether the people you are engaging are customers, citizens, employees, shareholders, executives or board members, if you're an organization concerned with enhancing environmental sustainability, and you want your efforts to make a real and lasting difference, this book is for you.
How Light Makes Life: The Hidden Wonders And World-saving Powers Of Photosynthesis
by Raffael JovineA revelatory journey of discovery into the intricate, beautiful, and often surprising processes that convert energy from the sun into life, and how all-important these are to our survival—and our planet’s future It’s a clunky word for a miracle: Photosynthesis. But there’s no life on Earth without it. For biologist Raffael Jovine, it’s a consuming passion, a great unsung force of nature. He makes his case in How Light Makes Life, a catalog of living wonders—and a blueprint for a better planet. Imagine harvesting pure sunlight to use as fuel, while turning carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen. This is what a leaf does every day. And photosynthesis isn’t just for plants: Corals partner with photosynthetic organisms to create the most productive habitat on Earth. Slugs eat chloroplasts as natural green camouflage. Hornets use photosynthesis as an innovative means of air-conditioning—and much more! The revelatory vision of How Light Makes Life is how we ourselves might harness the power of photosynthesis: to repair ecosystems, stabilize the climate, and grow more food sustainably. On this vivid journey, you’ll see how every seed contains the key to our future—through the photosynthetic pigments in your own eyes!
How Likely is Extraterrestrial Life?
by J. Woods HalleyWhat does existing scientific knowledge about physics, chemistry, meteorology and biology tell us about the likelihood of extraterrestrial life and civilizations? And what does the fact that there is currently no credible scientific evidence for the existence of extraterrestrial biospheres or civilizations teach us? This book reviews the various scientific issues that arise in considering the question of how common extraterrestrial life is likely to be in our galaxy and whether humans are likely to detect it. The book stands out because of its very systematic organization and relatively unbiased treatment of the main open question. It covers all relevant aspects of many disciplines required to present the different possible answers. It has and will provide undergraduates with a stimulating introduction to many of these fields at an early stage in their university careers, when they are still choosing a specialty. The difficulties and the range of possible answers to the title question are carefully addressed in the light of present understanding. The resulting perspective is distinctly different from those suggested by most other books on this topic.
How Local Politics Shape Federal Policy
by Sarah S. ElkindFocusing on five Los Angeles environmental policy debates between 1920 and 1950, Sarah Elkind investigates how practices in American municipal government gave business groups political legitimacy at the local level as well as unanticipated influence over federal politics. Los Angeles's struggles with oil drilling, air pollution, flooding, and water and power supplies expose the clout business has had over government. Revealing the huge disparities between big business groups and individual community members in power, influence, and the ability to participate in policy debates, Elkind shows that business groups secured their political power by providing Los Angeles authorities with much-needed services, including studying emerging problems and framing public debates. As a result, government officials came to view business interests as the public interest. When federal agencies looked to local powerbrokers for project ideas and political support, local business interests influenced federal policy, too. Los Angeles, with its many environmental problems and its dependence upon the federal government, provides a distillation of national urban trends, Elkind argues, and is thus an ideal jumping-off point for understanding environmental politics and the power of business in the middle of the twentieth century.
How Mountains Are Made (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)
by Kathleen Weidner ZoehfeldRead and find out about how mountains are made in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book.A mountain might be thousands of feet high, but it can still grow taller or shorter each year. This classic picture book explores how mountains are made—including how Mount Everest grew from a flat plain under an ocean to become 29,028 feet tall.How Mountains Are Made features simple activities and fascinating cross-sections of the earth’s moving crust that clearly explain plate tectonics. Both text and artwork were vetted for accuracy by an expert in the field.This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It's a Level 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series are:hands-on and visualacclaimed and trustedgreat for classroomsTop 10 reasons to love LRFOs:Entertain and educate at the same timeHave appealing, child-centered topicsDevelopmentally appropriate for emerging readersFocused; answering questions instead of using survey approachEmploy engaging picture book quality illustrationsUse simple charts and graphics to improve visual literacy skillsFeature hands-on activities to engage young scientistsMeet national science education standardsWritten/illustrated by award-winning authors/illustrators & vetted by an expert in the fieldOver 130 titles in print, meeting a wide range of kids' scientific interestsBooks in this series support the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let's-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.
How Mountains Are Made
by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld James Graham HaleEven though Mount Everest measures 29,028 feet high, it may be growing about two inches a year. A mountain might be thousands of feet high, but it can still grow taller or shorter each year. Mountains are created when the huge plates that make up the earth's outer shell very slowly pull and push against one another. Read and find out about all the different kinds of mountains.
How Much Energy Does Your Building Use? (Doshorts Ser.)
by Kerry Mashford Liz ReasonWhy do award-winning "green" buildings so often have higher energy bills than ordinary buildings? Why do expensive refurbishments deliver outcomes that are far from the promises of improved sustainability? Why does your building have high running costs and still the occupants complain about being too cold or too hot and are otherwise dissatisfied?The failure of many countries to produce buildings that are comfortable with excellent energy performance is a scandal. Achieving low energy buildings does not involve learning rocket science: just some basic building physics, a clear language for talking meaningfully about energy-efficient outcomes with all those in the buildings cycle, and an outlook that casts a new low energy perspective on old problems. This book provides that common language. It outlines a path towards understanding what makes for a good quality low energy building, the stakeholders that need to be engaged, and encourages new ways of thinking about how to reduce energy use and costs.This book is for everyone in the buildings cycle, from CEOs of major construction companies to Sustainability, Energy, Environment, Facilities and Utilities managers in any company that aims to reduce energy use in a non-domestic building.
How Much is Enough?
by Richard K. PayneThe massive outpouring of consumer products available today might alone lead one to ask "How much is enough?" But at the same time, if we allow ourselves to see the social, political, economic and environmental consequences of the system that produces such a mass of "goods," then the question is not simply a matter of one's own personal choice, but points to the profound interconnectedness of our day to day decisions about "How much is enough?" The ease with which we can acquire massive quantities of food, clothing, kitchenware, and various electronic goods directly connects each of us with not only environmental degradation caused by strip mining in West Virginia, and with sweat shops and child labor in India or Africa, but also with the ongoing financial volatility of Western capitalist economies, and the increasing discrepancies of wealth in all countries. This interconnectedness is the human environment, a phrase intended to point toward the deep interconnection between the immediacy of our own lives, including the question of "How much is enough?," and both the social and natural worlds around us. This collection brings together essays from an international conference jointly sponsored by Ryukoku University, Kyoto, and the Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley. The effects of our own decisions and actions on the human environment is examined from several different perspectives, all informed by Buddhist thought. The contributors are all simultaneously Buddhist scholars, practitioners, and activists - thus the collection is not simply a conversation between these differing perspectives, but rather demonstrates the integral unity of theory and practice for Buddhism.