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Pandora's Seed: Why the Hunter-Gatherer Holds the Key to Our Survival
by Spencer WellsTen thousand years ago, our species made a radical shift in its way of life: We became farmers rather than hunter-gatherers. Although this decision propelled us into the modern world, renowned geneticist and anthropologist Spencer Wells demonstrates that such a dramatic change in lifestyle had a downside that we're only now beginning to recognize. Growing grain crops ultimately made humans more sedentary and unhealthy and made the planet more crowded. The expanding population and the need to apportion limited resources created hierarchies and inequalities. Freedom of movement was replaced by a pressure to work that is the forebear of the anxiety millions feel today. Spencer Wells offers a hopeful prescription for altering a life to which we were always ill-suited. Pandora's Seed is an eye-opening book for anyone fascinated by the past and concerned about the future.
Panel Reports--New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics
by National Research Council of the National AcademiesEvery ten years the National Research Council releases a survey of astronomy and astrophysics outlining priorities for the coming decade. The most recent survey, titled New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics, provides overall priorities and recommendations for the field as a whole based on a broad and comprehensive examination of scientific opportunities, infrastructure, and organization in a national and international context. Panel Reports--New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics is a collection of reports, each of which addresses a key sub-area of the field, prepared by specialists in that subarea, and each of which played an important role in setting overall priorities for the field. The collection, published in a single volume, includes the reports of the following panels: Cosmology and Fundamental Physics Galaxies Across Cosmic Time The Galactic Neighborhood Stars and Stellar Evolution Planetary Systems and Star Formation Electromagnetic Observations from Space Optical and Infrared Astronomy from the Ground Particle Astrophysics and Gravitation Radio, Millimeter, and Submillimeter Astronomy from the Ground The Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics synthesized these reports in the preparation of its prioritized recommendations for the field as a whole. These reports provide additional depth and detail in each of their respective areas. Taken together, they form an essential companion volume to New Worlds, New Horizons: A Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The book of panel reports will be useful to managers of programs of research in the field of astronomy and astrophysics, the Congressional committees with jurisdiction over the agencies supporting this research, the scientific community, and the public.
The Panenmentalist Philosophy of Science: From the Recognition of Individual Pure Possibilities to Actual Discoveries (Synthese Library #424)
by Amihud GileadThis book presents a philosophy of science, based on panenmentalism: an original modal metaphysics, which is realist about individual pure (non-actual) possibilities and rejects the notion of possible worlds. The book systematically constructs a new and novel way of understanding and explaining scientific progress, discoveries, and creativity. It demonstrates that a metaphysics of individual pure possibilities is indispensable for explaining and understanding mathematics and natural sciences. It examines the nature of individual pure possibilities, actualities, mind-dependent and mind-independent possibilities, as well as mathematical entities. It discusses in detail the singularity of each human being as a psychical possibility. It analyses striking scientific discoveries, and illustrates by means of examples of the usefulness and vitality of individual pure possibilities in the sciences.
The Pangenome: Diversity, Dynamics and Evolution of Genomes
by Hervé Tettelin Duccio MediniThis open access book offers the first comprehensive account of the pan-genome concept and its manifold implications. The realization that the genetic repertoire of a biological species always encompasses more than the genome of each individual is one of the earliest examples of big data in biology that opened biology to the unbounded. The study of genetic variation observed within a species challenges existing views and has profound consequences for our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underpinning bacterial biology and evolution. The underlying rationale extends well beyond the initial prokaryotic focus to all kingdoms of life and evolves into similar concepts for metagenomes, phenomes and epigenomes. The book’s respective chapters address a range of topics, from the serendipitous emergence of the pan-genome concept and its impacts on the fields of microbiology, vaccinology and antimicrobial resistance, to the study of microbial communities, bioinformatic applications and mathematical models that tie in with complex systems and economic theory. Given its scope, the book will appeal to a broad readership interested in population dynamics, evolutionary biology and genomics.
Panic in Level 4: Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science
by Richard PrestonPanic in Level 4 is a grand tour through the eerie and unforgettable universe of Richard Preston, filled with incredible characters and mysteries that refuse to leave one's mind. Here are dramatic true stories from this acclaimed and award-winning author, including * the phenomenon of "self-cannibals," who suffer from a rare genetic condition caused by one wrong letter in their DNA that forces them to compulsively chew their own flesh--and why everyone may have a touch of this disease * the search for the unknown host of Ebola virus, an organism hidden somewhere in African rain forests, where the disease finds its way into the human species, causing outbreaks of unparalleled horror * the brilliant Russian brothers--"one mathematician divided between two bodies"--who built a supercomputer in their apartment from mail-order parts in an attempt to find hidden order in the number pi (π). In exhilarating detail, Preston portrays the frightening forces and constructive discoveries that are currently roiling and reordering our world, once again proving himself a master of the nonfiction narrative.
The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear
by Seth MnookinWHO DECIDES WHICH FACTS ARE TRUE? In 1998 Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist with a history of self-promotion, published a paper with a shocking allegation: the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine might cause autism. The media seized hold of the story and, in the process, helped to launch one of the most devastating health scares ever. In the years to come Wakefield would be revealed as a profiteer in league with class-action lawyers, and he would eventually lose his medical license. Meanwhile one study after another failed to find any link between childhood vaccines and autism. Yet the myth that vaccines somehow cause developmental disorders lives on. Despite the lack of corroborating evidence, it has been popularized by media personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Jenny McCarthy and legitimized by journalists who claim that they are just being fair to "both sides" of an issue about which there is little debate. Meanwhile millions of dollars have been diverted from potential breakthroughs in autism research, families have spent their savings on ineffective "miracle cures," and declining vaccination rates have led to outbreaks of deadly illnesses like Hib, measles, and whooping cough. Most tragic of all is the increasing number of children dying from vaccine-preventable diseases. In The Panic Virus Seth Mnookin draws on interviews with parents, public-health advocates, scientists, and anti-vaccine activists to tackle a fundamental question: How do we decide what the truth is? The fascinating answer helps explain everything from the persistence of conspiracy theories about 9/11 to the appeal of talk-show hosts who demand that President Obama "prove" he was born in America. The Panic Virus is a riveting and sometimes heart-breaking medical detective story that explores the limits of rational thought. It is the ultimate cautionary tale for our time.
Panicle Architecture of Rice and its Relationship with Grain Filling
by Pravat K. Mohapatra Binod Bihari SahuThis book shows the importance of rice for human consumption. It focuses on the rice panicle, its morphology and characteristics. High genetic diversity of rice has been economically profitable for mankind; the crop provides food calories to half of the human race on earth and because of its adaptability to diversified and unstable ecological conditions, the plant has an asynchronous flowering system in the panicle. The International Rice Research Institute has a collection of panicles with numerous branching phenotypes and lengths varying from 10 to 43 cm. Due to the heterogeneous architecture, grain filling depends on the position of the spikelet within a panicle. Spikelets on apical branches fertilize early and fill faster compared to their basal counterparts and therefore, individual grain weights of panicle vary widely. The discrepancy in grain filling between spikelets changes with panicle architecture but the relationship of variation in individual grain weight with panicle architecture has not been studied. Spikelet number has increased highly in the newly developed rice cultivars, but it has no benefit accrued on grain filling and yield. This book is recommended for students, researchers and teachers working in this field of expertise.
Panicum (Flora Neotropica #124)
by Fernando Zuloaga Sandra AliscioniThis work will be volume 124 in the Flora Neotropica Monograph book Series, Lawrence M. Kelly (Editor-in-Chief). Flora Neotropica volumes provide taxonomic treatments of plant groups or families growing in the Americas between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This monograph on Panicum (Poaceae), known as panicgrass, was written by the world-leading authority on this plant group. A total of one genus and 63 species are described. It also includes information on conservation, phylogenetic relationships, taxonomic history, ecology, cytology, and anatomy, among other topics. This is the first comprehensive volume on this topic since the 1920s and is lavishly illustrated with line drawings, black and white photographs, and distribution maps.
Pantheism and Ecology: Cosmological, Philosophical, and Theological Perspectives (Ecology and Ethics #6)
by Luca ValeraThis book provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between pantheism and ecology, particularly considering different cultural approaches and diverse religious, theological, and philosophical traditions. Environmental ethics arises from the dangerousness and harmfulness of human beings with respect to nonhuman species and, more generally, with respect to the environment. A common starting point for environmental ethics standpoints is that human beings are responsible for damaging nature. The famous four laws of ecology drafted by Barry Commoner precisely express this guilt on the part of human beings, who very often voluntarily violate the behavioral indications that emerge from nature itself. These aspects concern environmental ethics outlooks. Eco-theology, then, takes a further step: not only do we damage the ecosystem but also, as many authors suggest, when we humans destroy the natural world, we are wounding God. Such an idea implies a possible coincidence of God with the natural world –or the ecosystem. From this assumption, different questions may emerge: what is the kind of coincidence between God and the natural world? Are God and the ecosystem coextensive? If so, are we re-sacralizing the natural world and grounding intrinsic values in theological postulates and statements? These questions lead us to reconsider the cosmological assumptions that ground our environmental judgements, from theology to different religious traditions and cultures to philosophical worldviews. In particular, we will focus on the cosmological assumptions of pantheism (considering its differences with panentheism), discussing the symmetrical (or asymmetrical) relationships between God and the finite ways in which God manifests Godself.In this regard, the book is divided into three main parts: in the first part, the question of pantheism is approached from different traditions and with a special focus on the main thinkers in the history of thought, from Greek Stoicism to the present day. In the second part, some current ecological concerns are considered in relation to pantheistic cosmology: the authors will deepen issues from the discussion of the different “pan-conceptions” to the problem of evil, to Anthropocene. Finally, in the third part, the different chapters will focus on ethical issues in the field of the current environmental crisis with a huge connection with the pantheistic cosmologies. This book is oriented to a wide public, interested in environmental issues and looking for an approach from different cultures and traditions. Evidently, due to its “academic” nature, this book is also intended to be a great support for researchers interested in eco-theology and, more specifically, in the relationship between pantheism and ecology.It is not, in this sense, a “classic” book on environmental ethics, but a book that delves into the fundamentals of environmental philosophy, privileging the Ibero-American approach.
Panthera Tigris
by Sylvain AlzialWhile reading an encyclopedia, a highly educated scientist realizes that he doesn&’t know anything about tigers! He begins studying them until he can rattle off every tiger fact imaginable, including their habitat (jungles and marshy areas), their average weight (300-500 pounds), and their scientific name (Panthera tigris). But when he hires a guide to take him to see a tiger in person, the scientist discovers that he might not quite know everything.With deadpan humor and illustrations that perfectly complement the story, Panthera Tigris will delight nature lovers and budding scientists.
Papa's Mechanical Fish
by Candace FlemingCandace Fleming and illustrator Boris Kulikov pair up to tell a fun story about a real submarine inventor in Papa's Mechanical FishClink! Clankety-bang! Thump-whirr! That's the sound of Papa at work. Although he is an inventor, he has never made anything that works perfectly, and that's because he hasn't yet found a truly fantastic idea. But when he takes his family fishing on Lake Michigan, his daughter Virena asks, "Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a fish?"—and Papa is off to his workshop. With a lot of persistence and a little bit of help, Papa—who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips—creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Papa's Mechanical Fish
by Candace Fleming Boris KulikovClink! Clankety-bang! Thump-whirr! That's the sound of Papa at work. Although he is an inventor, he has never made anything that works perfectly, and that's because he hasn't yet found a truly fantastic idea. But when he takes his family fishing on Lake Michigan, his daughter Virena asks, "Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a fish?"―and Papa is off to his workshop. With a lot of persistence and a little bit of help, Papa―who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips―creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
The Papaya: Botany, Production and Uses (Botany, Production and Uses)
by Amalendu Ghosh Robert E Paull Víctor Galán Saúco Edward Evans Rebecca Ford S H Ahmad Christian Alcocer Fredy H Ballen Luis Barboza-Barquero Paul R Campbell A Chan Fure-Chyi Chen Nancy Jung Chen Ting-Chi Cheng Shih Wen Chin Rod Drew Franscisco Espadas Humberto Estrella João Paulo Fabi Gabriela Fuentes Amaranta Giron Julián Cuevas González Eric Guevara Marco V Gutiérrez-Soto Eudaldo Pérez Hernández Jian-Zhi Huang Víctor M Jiménez Chutchamas Kanchana-Udomkan Matiyar Rahaman Khan Chen-Yu Lee Wen-Li Lee Pauziah Muda M Munirah Usana Nantawan Eder Dutra Resende Jorge Manuel Santamaria-Fernandez S K Sharma N I Shukor N E Tajidin Carlos Talavera Lynton L Vawdrey Ziwei ZhouPapaya (Carica papaya) is an important and widely-cultivated tropical fruit, grown in more than 60 countries of the world. Global papaya production has grown significantly over the last few years, mainly as a result of increased production in India. Papaya has become an important agricultural export for developing countries where export revenues of the fruit provide a livelihood for thousands of people, especially in Asia and Latin America. This book includes coverage of recent research developments with the potential to improve crop yields and quality. New research has contributed to our understanding of the crop environment, plant growth and physiology of tree and fruit development with implications for both breeding and cultivation. It looks at how analysis of the papaya genome promises new, faster breeding techniques to improved cultivars and how these and other advances are helping to tackle disease like papaya ring spot viruses and major pests which cause significant losses. Key features include: updated information for sustainable papaya cultivation research developments in tackling the major production and post-harvest problems interdisciplinary and collaborative research With contributions from international experts, the book presents the current state of knowledge concerning the history, physiology, culture and marketing of papaya throughout the world. It is an essential resource for researchers, growers and all those involved in the papaya industry.
Paper-based Diagnostics
by Kevin J. LandThis book explores the status of paper-based diagnostic solutions, or Microfluidics 2.0. The contributors explore: how paper-based tests can be widely distributed and utilized by semi-skilled personnel; how close to commercial applications the technology has become, and what is still required to make paper-based diagnostics the game-changer it can be. The technology is examined through the lens of the World Health Organization’s ASSURED criteria for low-resource countries (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free, and Deliverable to end-users). Its applications have to include: health technology, environmental technology, food safety, and more. This book is appropriate for researchers in these areas, as well as those interested in microfluidics, and includes chapters dedicated to principles such as theory of flow and surface treatments; components such as biomarkers and detection; and current methods of manufacturing. Discusses how paper-based diagnostics can be used in developing countries by comparing current diagnostic tests with the World Health Organization's ASSURED criteriaExamines how paper-based diagnostics could be integrated with other technologies, such as printed electronics, and the Internet of Things.Outlines how semi-skilled personnel across a variety of fields can implement paper-based diagnostics
Paper-Based Medical Diagnostic Devices: As a Part of Bioanalysis-Advanced Materials, Methods, and Devices (Bioanalysis #10)
by Jeong Hoon LeeThis book disseminates information on paper-based diagnostics devices and describes novel paper materials, fabrication techniques, and Basic Paper-based microfluidics/electronics theory. The section on sample preparation, paper-based electronics/sensors for developing paper-based point-of-care (POC) systems also contains detailed descriptions. In the application sections this book covers sensing technique for DNA/RNA, bacteria/virus and integration of lateral flow assay. The book provides deep understanding and knowledge of paper-based diagnostic device development in terms of concept, materials, fabrication and applications.
The Paper Boomerang Book: Build Them, Throw Them, and Get Them to Return Every Time (Science in Motion)
by Mark LatnoA detailed reference on the latest craze in lightweight aeronautics, this manual shows how to build and throw paper boomerangs. Techniques for mastering the basics will help beginners, while techniques for impressive throws--such as the behind-the-back toss; the boomerang juggle; the under-the-leg catch; and the dreaded double-handed, backward, double-boomerang throw--will thrill even the most advanced boomeranger. A history of the device and the physics behind its circuitous flight are also included, making this the only comprehensive reference on this fascinating toy.
Paper Microfluidics: Theory and Applications (Advanced Functional Materials and Sensors)
by Shantanu Bhattacharya Sanjay Kumar Avinash K. AgarwalThis volume provides an overview of the recent advances in the field of paper microfluidics, whose innumerable research domains have stimulated considerable efforts to the development of rapid, cost-effective and simplified point-of-care diagnostic systems. The book is divided into three parts viz. theoretical background of paper microfluidics, fabrication techniques for paper-based devices, and broad applications. Each chapter of the book is self-explanatory and focuses on a specific topic and its relation to paper microfluidics and starts with a brief description of the topic’s physical background, essential definitions, and a short story of the recent progress in the relevant field. The book also covers the future outlook, remaining challenges, and emerging opportunities. This book shall be a tremendous up-to-date resource for researchers working in the area globally.
Paperboy: Confessions of a Future Engineer
by Henry PetroskiHenry Petroski has been called "the poet laureate of technology." He is one of the most eloquent and inquisitive science and engineering writers of our time, illuminating with new clarity such familiar objects as pencils, books, and bridges. In Paperboy, he turns his intellectual curiosity inward, on his own past. Petroski grew up in the Cambria Heights section of New York City's borough of Queens during the 1950s, in the midst of a close and loving family. Educated at local Catholic schools, he worked as a delivery boy for the Long Island Press. The job taught him lessons about diligence, labor, commitment, and community-mindedness, lessons that this successful student could not learn at school. From his vantage point as a professor, engineer, and writer, Petroski reflects fondly on these lessons, and on his near-idyllic boyhood. Paperboy is also the story of the intellectual maturation of an engineer. Petroski's curiosity about how things work--from bicycles to Press-books to newspaper delivery routes--was evident even in his youth. He writes with clear-eyed passion about the physical surroundings of his world, the same attitude he has brought to examining the quotidian objects of our world. Paperboy is a delightful memoir, telling the dual story of an admirable family in a more innocent, bygone America, and the making of an engineer and writer. This is a book to cherish and reread.
Papers from the 6th International Conference on Trilobites and their Relatives (Fossils and Strata Monograph Series #64)
by Alan W. Owen David L. BrutonA volume from a monograph series featuring seven papers on trilobites with brief summariesThis research volume is entitled Papers from the 6th International Conference on Trilobites and their Relatives. It's Volume 64 within the Fossils and Strata monograph series. The research compilation originated from a 2017 conference in Estonia. Seven papers on trilobites are included with summaries in the publication. The papers' topics cover trilobites from the Early Cambrian to the Late Devonian.
Parables from Nature
by Mrs Alfred GattyCollected here are twenty nine stories, originally published as four separate volumes. Parables From Nature are inspired from nature, but written in a fun and entertaining way for children to be able to read, understand, and enjoy!
Parabolic Equations in Biology
by Benoît PerthameThis book presents several fundamental questions in mathematical biology such as Turing instability, pattern formation, reaction-diffusion systems, invasion waves and Fokker-Planck equations. These are classical modeling tools for mathematical biology with applications to ecology and population dynamics, the neurosciences, enzymatic reactions, chemotaxis, invasion waves etc. The book presents these aspects from a mathematical perspective, with the aim of identifying those qualitative properties of the models that are relevant for biological applications. To do so, it uncovers the mechanisms at work behind Turing instability, pattern formation and invasion waves. This involves several mathematical tools, such as stability and instability analysis, blow-up in finite time, asymptotic methods and relative entropy properties. Given the content presented, the book is well suited as a textbook for master-level coursework.
Parabolic Wave Equations with Applications
by Michael D. Collins William L. SiegmannThis book introduces parabolic wave equations, their key methods of numerical solution, and applications in seismology and ocean acoustics. The parabolic equation method provides an appealing combination of accuracy and efficiency for many nonseparable wave propagation problems in geophysics. While the parabolic equation method was pioneered in the 1940s by Leontovich and Fock who applied it to radio wave propagation in the atmosphere, it thrived in the 1970s due to its usefulness in seismology and ocean acoustics. The book covers progress made following the parabolic equation’s ascendancy in geophysics. It begins with the necessary preliminaries on the elliptic wave equation and its analysis from which the parabolic wave equation is derived and introduced. Subsequently, the authors demonstrate the use of rational approximation techniques, the Padé solution in particular, to find numerical solutions to the energy-conserving parabolic equation, three-dimensional parabolic equations, and horizontal wave equations. The rest of the book demonstrates applications to seismology, ocean acoustics, and beyond, with coverage of elastic waves, sloping interfaces and boundaries, acousto-gravity waves, and waves in poro-elastic media. Overall, it will be of use to students and researchers in wave propagation, ocean acoustics, geophysical sciences and more.
Paracelsian Moments: Science, Medicine, and Astrology in Early Modern Europe (Sixteenth Century Essays & Studies #64)
by Gerhild Scholz Williams Charles D. Gunnoe Jr.Scientific ideas inspired by religious, magical, and alchemical themes competed alongside traditional Aristotelian science and the emerging mechanical philosophy in the early modern era. At the center of this ferment was a quirky and creative German physician, Paracelsus, whose religious-alchemical worldview served as an inspiration for countless scientific innovators.This collection is about Paracelsus and the wide range of issues he explored, and ones taken up by many who were directly or indirectly affected by the same mental universe that sustained his thought and writings. This volume includes strong contextual studies on Paracelsianism and the larger cultural history of early modern science, including groundbreaking studies on Robert Boyle, François Rabelais, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, and Johannes Praetorius.
Paracelsian Moments: Science, Medicine, and Astrology in Early Modern Europe (Sixteenth Century Essays & Studies)
by Gerhild Scholz Williams Charles D. Gunnoe Jr.Scientific ideas inspired by religious, magical, and alchemical themes competed alongside traditional Aristotelian science and the emerging mechanical philosophy in the early modern era. At the center of this ferment was a quirky and creative German physician, Paracelsus, whose religious-alchemical worldview served as an inspiration for countless scientific innovators.This collection is about Paracelsus and the wide range of issues he explored, and ones taken up by many who were directly or indirectly affected by the same mental universe that sustained his thought and writings. This volume includes strong contextual studies on Paracelsianism and the larger cultural history of early modern science, including groundbreaking studies on Robert Boyle, François Rabelais, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, and Johannes Praetorius.
Parachuting Cats into Borneo: And Other Lessons from the Change Café
by Axel Klimek Alan AtkissonA toolkit of proven strategies and practices for building capacity and creating transformation Recent years have seen a proliferation of information on how to make change--in business, in social and environmental movements, and on a more personal scale. But, even with all this attention, two out of three change efforts fail to achieve their desired result. How can you make your own effort buck this trend? In Parachuting Cats into Borneo, change-management experts Axel Klimek and Alan AtKisson offer crisp, concise, and targeted advice for success. They expose the most significant impediments--helping readers recognize their habitual patterns of thinking and perceiving a situation, critique their own beliefs regarding change, and then move beyond these unhelpful patterns using improved systems thinking. Named after a classic tale of unintended consequences, Parachuting Cats into Borneo delivers tools that help leaders and others keep their change initiatives on track. The advice imparted will help you move away from agonizing over immediate problems toward stoking action, identifying collaborators, focusing at the right level for your cause, and aiding others in pursuing their change. Klimek and AtKisson draw from their decades of helping corporations, networks, governments, and NGOs reach their change goals to demonstrate how to use system-based change tools to their maximum advantage. A closing section is devoted to change making in the realm of sustainability, where complexity abounds but the right tools, used well, can help us tackle some of the most significant challenges of our time.