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Natural Security: A Darwinian Approach to a Dangerous World
by Raphael D. Sagarin Terence TaylorThe post 9/11 world has so far failed to exploit the insights of the greatest experiment in security of all time--the millions of successful defensive and offensive security strategies that abound in nature. Arms races among invertebrates, intelligence gathering by the immune system, alarm calls by marmots are but a few of nature's security strategies that have been tested and modified over billions of years. This provocative book applies lessons from nature to our own toughest security problems-from global terrorism to the rise of infectious disease to natural disasters. Written by a truly multi-disciplinary group including paleobiologists, anthropologists, psychologists, ecologists, and national security experts, it considers how models and ideas from evolutionary biology can improve national security strategies ranging from risk assessment, security analysis, and public policy to long-term strategic goals. Written with the aim of breaking down barriers between disparate disciplines in order to create more responsive and effective strategies,Natural Security provides a new lens through which to explore the ancient and ever present problem of how to maintain security in an unpredictable, complex, and dangerous world.
Natural Selection: Revisiting its Explanatory Role in Evolutionary Biology (Evolutionary Biology – New Perspectives on Its Development #3)
by Richard G. DelisleThis book contests the general view that natural selection constitutes the explanatory core of evolutionary biology. It invites the reader to consider an alternative view which favors a more complete and multidimensional interpretation. It is common to present the 1930-1960 period as characterized by the rise of the Modern Synthesis, an event structured around two main explanatory commitments: (1) Gradual evolution is explained by small genetic changes (variations) oriented by natural selection, a process leading to adaptation; (2) Evolutionary trends and speciational events are macroevolutionary phenomena that can be accounted for solely in terms of the extension of processes and mechanisms occurring at the previous microevolutionary level. On this view, natural selection holds a central explanatory role in evolutionary theory - one that presumably reaches back to Charles Darwin's Origin of Species - a view also accompanied by the belief that the field of evolutionary biology is organized around a profound divide: theories relying on strong selective factors and those appealing only to weak ones. If one reads the new analyses presented in this volume by biologists, historians and philosophers, this divide seems to be collapsing at a rapid pace, opening an era dedicated to the search for a new paradigm for the development of evolutionary biology. Contrary to popular belief, scholars' position on natural selection is not in itself a significant discriminatory factor between most evolutionists. In fact, the intellectual space is quite limited, if not non-existent, between, on the one hand, "Darwinists", who play down the central role of natural selection in evolutionary explanations, and, on the other hand, "non-Darwinists", who use it in a list of other evolutionary mechanisms. The "mechanism-centered" approach to evolutionary biology is too incomplete to fully make sense of its development. In this book the labels created under the traditional historiography - "Darwinian Revolution", "Eclipse of Darwinism", "Modern Synthesis", "Post-Synthetic Developments" - are thus re-evaluated. This book will not only appeal to researchers working in evolutionary biology, but also to historians and philosophers."
Natural Selections
by David P. Barash"Barash . . . brilliantly integrat[es] science, literature, and pop culture into elegant and insightful commentaries on the most interesting and important questions of our time. A delightful read."--Michael Shermer, author of The Science of Good and Evil "Entertaining and thought-provoking."--Steven Pinker, author of The Blank Slate If we are, in part, a product of our genes, can free will exist? Incisive and engaging, this indispensable tour of evolutionary biology runs the gamut of contemporary debates, from science and religion to our place in the universe.
Natural Small Molecule Drugs from Plants
by Guan-Hua DuThis book discusses 120 types of natural, small-molecule drugs derived from plants. They are grouped into 7 parts according their clinical uses, such as drugs for cardiovascular diseases, for metabolic diseases, for neuropsychiatric diseases, for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, anti-tumor drugs, and drugs for parasites and bacterial infection. Each chapter systematically summarizes one drug, including its physicochemical properties, sources, pharmacological effects and clinical applications. To help readers understand the drug better, the research and pharmacological activity for each drug is also described, which serves as a salutary lesson for future drug development. Written by frontline researchers, teachers and clinicians working in field of pharmacy and pharmacology it provides an overview of natural, small-molecule drugs derived from plants for researchers in the field.
Natural Substances for Cancer Prevention
by Jun-Ping XuNatural Substances for Cancer Prevention explores in detail how numerous investigations in chemical biology and molecular biology have established strong scientific evidence demonstrating how the properties of naturally occurring bioactive chemicals hamper all stages of cancers (from initiation to metastasis). Accordingly, important goals for cancer prevention are the modification of our dietary habits and an increase in the intake of more anticancer-related natural substances. More significantly, the bioactive chemicals presented in the functional foods should be readily available, inexpensive, non-toxic, and nutritional.
Natural Surfactants: Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by Neha Saxena Ajay MandalThis book focuses on the use of natural surfactants in enhanced oil recovery, providing an overview of surfactants, their types, and different physical–chemical properties used to analyse the efficiency of surfactants. Natural surfactants discuss the history of the surfactants, their classification, and the use of surfactants in petroleum industry. Special attention has been paid to natural surfactants and their advantages over synthetic surfactants, including analysing their properties such as emulsification, interfacial tension, and wettability and how these can be used in EOR. This book offers an overview for researchers and graduate students in the fields of petroleum and chemical engineering, as well as oil and gas industry professionals.
Natural Systems
by Markus EichhornOrganised into four sections, this text discusses the organisation of the living world. Links Ecology, Biodiversity and Biogeography Bridges modern and conventional Ecology Builds sequentially from the concept and importance of species, through patterns of diversity to help consider global patterns of biogeography Uses real data sets to help train in essential skills
Natural UV Radiation in Enhancing Survival Value and Quality of Plants
by Swati Sen MandiThisbook is the first of its kind to highlight the positive impact of natural UVradiation on plants through unique adaptations in various metabolic pathways, andprovides an evolutionary sketch of the development of molecular mechanisms forprotecting plants from solar UV ever since their migration to terrestrialhabitats. Experimental evidence is provided for establishing how plants, throughtheir stationary habit in the open field, survive and flourish by developing suitableUV acclimation strategies through the repair of damaged macromolecules and/orupregulation of screening compounds viz. flavonoids. Presenting an analysis of relatedliterature, it also highlights the importance of outdoor experiments over thosein closed chamber under artificial UV light for obtaining realistic data. The book presents a comprehensiveaccount of the stratospheric ozone layer, its formation and seasonal thinning,with particular reference to alarming anthropogenic destruction of the ozonelayer since the last quarter of the twentieth century, which has resulted in increasedUV fluence on Earth. It discusses variations in the hazardous impact of UV onlife at different latitudes through the ages, and examines altitudinal variationsin UV effects in case studies demonstrating high antioxidant content and aromastatus in Darjeeling tea leaves (at high altitudes) compared with those of the sametea clones in Assam leaves (at low altitudes), with both sites being at the samelatitude. It provides evidence which suggests that the UV effects relating tothe expression of seed vigour-viability could be epigenetic. Further, it presents recently developed microscopictechnologies for demonstrating the penetration of UV into plant cells, and discusseshow cellular metabolism can be affected either directly or via signaltransduction. Effect of damage in DNA (the key target of UV radiation) has beendemonstrated and estimated using precise techniques. The latest "FOX Hunting"technique as a useful means of transcriptome analysis that may be used fordeveloping UV tolerant plants through Marker Assisted Breeding has also beendiscussed. Using biochemical and biotechnological methods, the experimentspresented highlight the gene X environment based upregulation of specificmetabolic pathways, allowing i) value addition in plant-derived food, and ii) pavingthe way for the industrial manufacture of Alternative Medicine products. Thebook is enriched by a critical review of the available literature andappropriate case studies selected from the author's own findings, which span nearlyfour decades of active research.
Natural Wonders of the World (DK Wonders of the World)
by DKDiscover which of Earth's wonders should definitely make it onto your bucket list with this unparalleled survey of the world's natural treasures.Landscape photography combines 3D terrain models and other explanatory artworks to reveal what lies beneath the surface and how features form. To complete the all-around picture, the plants and animals that inhabit the environments are also included, making Natural Wonders of the World a celebration of our world and the most accessible-ever guide to Earth's geological processes and features.In this book about the world, you will find:-Photography of animals, nature, and sites from across the globe to create a visual celebration of our planet's natural beauty.-Artworks and digital terrain models, constructed from satellite and other data explain how features were formed and reveal their hidden sides.-Detailed chapters on different continents worldwide- including Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. -Facts, statistics, maps, and explanations about our planet&’s plants and animals. As well as information about rainforests, glaciers, and oceans. Also, explore extreme weather conditions such as Cyclones, Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, sandstorms, and dust storms in Natural wonders of the World. This book is organized continent by continent and includes the greatest natural wonders from around the world, from the Grand Canyon to the Amazon Rainforest and the Himalayas to the Antarctic Ice-sheet! Purchase the perfect gift for those who want to tick off their bucket list locations or for those who want to learn more about the planet and the incredible wonders it has to offer.
The Natural World and Science Education in the United States
by Ajay Sharma Cory BuxtonThis book focuses on the representation of nature in science education in schools in the United States. Given the importance of our relationship with the nonhuman world for the fate of our planet, this work gives special attention to the representation, instruction, and understanding of the relationship between the social and the natural world. It also proposes an alternative, sustainability science-based conceptual framework for ecology and environmental science topics in science education, which is compatible with the current social-ecological understanding of life in the Anthropocene epoch.
La naturaleza del espacio y del tiempo
by Stephen Hawking Roger PenroseUn interesante y fascinante debate entre dos gigantes de la ciencia, Stephen Hawking y Roger Penrose, sobre el origen y el futuro del universo. Einstein afirmaba que lo más incomprensible acerca del universo es que es comprensible. ¿Estaba en lo cierto? ¿Pueden la teoría cuántica de campos y la teoría de la relatividad general de Einstein, las dos teorías, más precisas y exitosas de toda la física, unirse en una única teoría cuántica de la gravedad? Aunque se ha avanzado mucho en esta búsqueda, Hawking y Penrose insisten en que es necesario llegar mucho más lejos. En La naturaleza del espacio y el tiempo, estos dos gigantes de la física entablan un debate fundamental sobre el origen del universo. Un libro escrito a cuatro manos, con un epílogo actualizado, en el que los autores resumen cómo los recientes acontecimientos han provocado que sus posturas difieran en cuestiones tan importantes como la geometría espacial del universo o la paradoja de la desaparición de información en los agujeros negros. La prensa especializada opina...«Una obra reveladora sobre dos aproximaciones distintas a algunos de los mayores problemas sin resolver de la gravitación y la cosmología.»New Scientist «Un debate entre Hawking y Penrose alimenta las expectativas del lector por asistir a un intercambio extraordinario de ideas. En este texto, animado con el sentido del humor de Hawking, las expectativas se cumplen con creces.»The Higher Education «Un magnífico y estimulante intercambio intelectual entre dos mentes de primera categoría.»Library Journal «Una lectura interesantísima para el presente que promete ser aún más interesante para las futuras generaciones de físicos.»Science «Un documento de gran rigor científico.»Physics World
Naturaleza del espacio y del tiempo
by Roger Penrose Stephen HawkingEinstein afirmaba que lo más incomprensible acerca del Universo es que es comprensible ¿estaba en lo cierto? ¿pueden la teoría cuántica de campos y la teoría de la relatividad general de Einstein, las dos teorías, más precisas y exitosas de toda la física, unirse en una única teoría cuántica de la gravedad? Aunque se ha avanzado mucho en esta búsqueda, Hawking y Penrose insisten en que es necesario llegar mucho más lejos. En La naturaleza del espacio y el tiempo , estos dos gigantes de la física entablan un debate fundamental sobre el origen del universo.Un libro escrito a cuatro manos, con un epílogo actualizado, en el que los autores resumen cómo los recientes acontecimientos han provocado que sus posturas difieran en cuestiones tan importantes como la geometría espacial del universo o la paradoja de la desaparición de información en los agujeros negros.
Naturalism and Normativity (Columbia Themes in Philosophy)
by David Macarthur Mario De CaroNormativity concerns what we ought to think or do and the evaluations we make. For example, we say that we ought to think consistently, we ought to keep our promises, or that Mozart is a better composer than Salieri. Yet what philosophical moral can we draw from the apparent absence of normativity in the scientific image of the world? For scientific naturalists, the moral is that the normative must be reduced to the nonnormative, while for nonnaturalists, the moral is that there must be a transcendent realm of norms.Naturalism and Normativity engages with both sides of this debate. Essays explore philosophical options for understanding normativity in the space between scientific naturalism and Platonic supernaturalism. They articulate a liberal conception of philosophy that is neither reducible to the sciences nor completely independent of them-yet one that maintains the right to call itself naturalism. Contributors think in new ways about the relations among the scientific worldview, our experience of norms and values, and our movements in the space of reason. Detailed discussions include the relationship between philosophy and science, physicalism and ontological pluralism, the realm of the ordinary, objectivity and subjectivity, truth and justification, and the liberal naturalisms of Donald Davidson, John Dewey, John McDowell, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Naturalism and Our Knowledge of Reality: Testing Religious Truth-claims (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)
by R. Scott SmithPhilosophical naturalism is taken to be the preferred and reigning epistemology and metaphysics that underwrites many ideas and knowledge claims. But what if we cannot know reality on that basis? What if the institution of science is threatened by its reliance on naturalism? R. Scott Smith argues in a fresh way that we cannot know reality on the basis of naturalism. Moreover, the "fact-value" split has failed to serve our interests of wanting to know reality. The author provocatively argues that since we can know reality, it must be due to a non-naturalistic ontology, best explained by the fact that human knowers are made and designed by God. The book offers fresh implications for the testing of religious truth-claims, science, ethics, education, and public policy. Consequently, naturalism and the fact-value split are shown to be false, and Christian theism is shown to be true.
Naturalism and Philosophical Anthropology: Nature, Life, and the Human between Transcendental and Empirical Perspectives
by Phillip HonenbergerWhat is a human being? Philosophical anthropology has approached this question with unusual sophistication, experimentalism, and subtlety. This volume explores the philosophical anthropologies of Scheler, Gehlen, Plessner, and Blumenberg in terms of their relevance to contemporary theories of nature, naturalism, organic life, and human affairs.
Naturalism and the Human Condition: Against Scientism
by Frederick A. OlafsonNaturalism and the Human Condition is a compelling account of why naturalism, or the 'scientific world-view' cannot provide a full account of who and what we are as human beings.Drawing on sources including Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Husserl and Sartre, Olafson exposes the limits of naturalism and stresses the importance of serious philosophical investigation of human nature.
Naturalists at Sea
by Glyn WilliamsOn the great Pacific discovery expeditions of the "long eighteenth century," naturalists for the first time were commonly found aboard ships sailing forth from European ports. Lured by intoxicating opportunities to discover exotic and perhaps lucrative flora and fauna unknown at home, these men set out eagerly to collect and catalogue, study and document an uncharted natural world. This enthralling book is the first to describe the adventures and misadventures, discoveries and dangers of this devoted and sometimes eccentric band of explorer-scholars. Their individual experiences are uniquely their own, but together their stories offer a new perspective on the extraordinary era of Pacific exploration and the achievements of an audacious generation of naturalists. Historian Glyn Williams illuminates the naturalists lot aboard ship, where danger alternated with boredom and quarrels with the ships commander were the norm. Nor did the naturalists difficulties end upon returning home, where recognition for years of work often proved elusive. Peopled with wonderful characters and major figures of Enlightenment science--among them Louis Antoine de Bouganville, Joseph Banks, John Reinhold Forster, Captain Cook, and Charles Darwin--this book is a gripping account of a small group of scientific travelers whose voyages of discovery were to change perceptions of the natural world.
Naturalists in Paradise: Wallace, Bates and Spruce in the Amazon
by John HemmingThe thrilling stories of the three pioneering English naturalists' explorations and discoveries in the world's richest ecosystem One hundred and fifty years ago, the young naturalists Alfred Wallace, Henry Walter Bates, and Richard Spruce were on a journey. Their destination, Amazonia--the world's largest tropical forest with the greatest river system and richest ecosystem--was then an almost-undiscovered environment to Western explorers and scientists. In Naturalists in Paradise, Amazon expert John Hemming weaves the riveting stories of these three men's experiences in the Amazon and assesses their valuable research that drastically changed our conception of the natural world. Each of the three naturalists is famous for a particular discovery: Wallace is credited, along with Charles Darwin, for developing the theory of evolution; Bates uncovered the phenomenon of protective mimicry among insects; and Spruce transported the quinine-bearing Cinchona tree to India, saving countless lives from malaria. Drawing on the letters and books of the three naturalists, Hemming reaches beyond the well-known narratives, offering unrivaled insight into the often lawless frontier life in South America as seen through the lives of the great pioneers of modern disciplines: anthropology, tribal linguistics, archaeology, and every branch of natural science.
A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World: The Voyage of the Beagle
by Charles DarwinWhen On the Origin of Species came out in 1859, it changed the understanding of life and was the foundation of evolutionary biology. All the material that he received for this book was from the famous expeditions he took on the Beagle during the 1830s. This is the story of that voyage.A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World follows Charles Darwin over his almost five-year journey around the world, in which he studied animals, plants, geology, and much more. From the tip of South America and the Galapagos Islands to Australia and Tahiti, Darwin set out to study geology, but ended up finding the information that would lead to his theory of evolution by natural selection.With the original images from Darwin's journal, A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World is an incredible look into the past at one of the most important documentations of a sea voyage ever. The information collected by Darwin changed our world, and now you can relive every moment in his own words and illustrations.
Naturalized Parrots of the World: Distribution, Ecology, and Impacts of the World's Most Colorful Colonizers
by Stephen Pruett-JonesA remarkable exploration of naturalized parrots, among the most widely distributed birds in the worldThere are more than 350 species of parrots in the world, and approximately 300 of these species have been transported to other countries through the caged pet trade. Whether through escaped captivity or purposeful release, many of these parrots are now breeding in new habitats. Indeed, no less than 75 species of parrots have established breeding populations in countries where they were introduced, and parrots are now among the most widely distributed group of birds. Naturalized Parrots of the World is the first book to examine this specific avian population.Bringing together the work of leading researchers in one convenient volume, this book explores the biology of naturalized parrots and their interactions with native ecosystems. Experts discuss the global distribution of parrots, their genetics, conservation implications, and human responses to these birds. They also consider debates surrounding management issues and the lack of consensus around nonnative species in the wild. Later chapters feature case studies of the two most successful species—the Rose-ringed Parakeet and Monk Parakeet—as well as studies of the introduced parrot species located in specific countries and regions, including the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, northern Europe, South Africa, and Australia.Highlighting critical aspects of conservation biology and biodiversity, Naturalized Parrots of the World will be an invaluable resource for parrot owners, ornithologists, conservation biologists, and birdwatchers.
Naturally Based Biomaterials and Therapeutics
by Sujata K. Bhatia Veda EswarappaThis book advances biomedical innovations to address the plethora of health problems afflicting the developing world. A panoply of cultural, economic, infrastructural, and other factors prevent many interventions currently popular in the developed world from being similarly effective in the developing world. This book discusses less-traditional approaches, such as naturally based biomaterials and therapeutics, an area that has traditionally been overlooked but has also demonstrated impressive potential for health applications in recent years. This book explores precisely the kinds of applications which can enable countries like India to access more effective, inexpensive treatments while also taking more ownership of their healthcare technologies and innovations.
Naturally Challenged: Contested Perceptions and Practices in Urban Green Spaces (Cities and Nature)
by Nicola Dempsey Julian DobsonThis book aims to understand how the wellbeing benefits of urban green space (UGS) are analysed and valued and why they are interpreted and translated into action or inaction, into ‘success’ and/or ‘failure’. The provision, care and use of natural landscapes in urban settings (e.g. parks, woodland, nature reserves, riverbanks) are under-researched in academia and under-resourced in practice. Our growing knowledge of the benefits of natural urban spaces for wellbeing contrasts with asset management approaches in practice that view public green spaces as liabilities. Why is there a mismatch between what we know about urban green space and what we do in practice? What makes some UGS more ‘successful’ than others? And who decides on this measure of ‘success’ and how is this constituted? This book sets out to answer these and related questions by exploring a range of approaches to designing, planning and managing different natural landscapes in urban settings.
Naturally Minded: Mental Causation, Virtual Machines, and Maps (New Directions in Philosophy and Cognitive Science)
by Simon BowesThis book is an empirically informed investigation of the philosophical problem of mental causation, and a philosophical investigation of the status of cognitive scientific generalisations. If there are mental causes which can be classified in a way useful for predicting and explaining, then they are natural kinds. First. we develop an account of natural kinds that accommodates the cognitive. Second, we show how statements using these are not reducible to statements about physical kinds, involving biological and social facts. Finally, Virtual Machine Functionalism is defended as the correct account of the relationship between cognition and the material world.
Naturally Occurring Benzodiazepines, Endozepines, and their Receptors: Implications for Benzodiazepine Therapy and Withdrawal (Frontiers in Neurotherapeutics Series)
by Robert B. Raffa Diana AmanteaUnderstanding and addressing the current opioid crisis requires knowledge of endogenous opioids (endorphins and enkephalins), but there is now evidence for a benzodiazepine crisis. Are there endogenous benzodiazepine-like substances—and what do they do? How do they affect antianxiety drugs and their adverse effects? Do they explain enigmatic prolonged benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome? This book raises important questions about the clinical consequences of ignoring the existence of or understanding the potential influence of endogenous benzodiazepines on the therapeutic effect of benzodiazepines, their adverse effects, and the problems of withdrawal from them and other benzodiazepine receptor agonists. FEATURES Discusses endogenous benzodiazepine-like substances—what do they do, and do they affect antianxiety drugs and their adverse effects? Presents information on enigmatic prolonged benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome Describes the compounds acting at the BDZ binding sites, both exogenous (classical BDZ drugs and BDZ from food and plants) and endogenous (endozepines) Assesses the putative interactions in physiology, pathology, and pharmacology of the compounds acting at the BDZ binding sites Dr. Raffa is Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy and Professor Emeritus at Temple University School of Pharmacy. He has co-authored or edited several books on pharmacology and thermodynamics, is a co-editor of two journals, is a past president of the Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society, and is the recipient of research and teaching awards. Dr. Amantea is Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences of the University of Calabria (Italy), where she is the leader of the Stroke Research Unit at the Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology operating in the frame of the Italian Stroke Organization (ISO) Basic Science. She is a member of the Editorial Board and the Guest Editor of the 2016 Neuroscience section of Current Opinion in Pharmacology (Elsevier), and the founder and the editor of the CRC Press Frontiers in Neurotherapeutics series.
Naturally Occurring Organohalogen Compounds (Progress in the Chemistry of Organic Natural Products #121)
by A. Douglas Kinghorn Heinz Falk Simon Gibbons Yoshinori Asakawa Ji-Kai Liu Verena M. DirschThe present volume is the third in a trilogy that documents naturally occurring organohalogen compounds, bringing the total number — from fewer than 25 in 1968 — to approximately 8,000 compounds to date. Nearly all of these natural products contain chlorine or bromine, with a few containing iodine and, fewer still, fluorine. Produced by ubiquitous marine (algae, sponges, corals, bryozoa, nudibranchs, fungi, bacteria) and terrestrial organisms (plants, fungi, bacteria, insects, higher animals) and universal abiotic processes (volcanos, forest fires, geothermal events), organohalogens pervade the global ecosystem. Newly identified extraterrestrial sources are also documented. In addition to chemical structures, biological activity, biohalogenation, biodegradation, natural function, and future outlook are presented.