- Table View
- List View
Science Museums in Transition: Unheard Voices (Museums in Focus)
by Hooley McLaughlin Judy DiamondScience Museums in Transition: Unheard Voices considers how museums can adapt their exhibits, programs, and organizational structures to the diversity of ideas, people, and cultures that speak to modern science. This collection contains individual expressions by museum insiders addressing a range of particular perspectives – Native American, African American, Latinx, Islamic, Israeli, Danish, white North American. These reflections provide guidance to the museum community as to how their institutions can become more thoughtful, more welcoming to diverse audiences, and more cognizant of the ways that different people incorporate science into their daily lives. As a whole, the book emphasizes the need for museums to engage in dialogue with their visitors – not merely to present them with information – and to offer the opportunities to share experiences, exchange perspectives, and thereby advance science learning through a dynamic and collective process. Science Museums in Transition is intended to further discussion on how museums address the political and social ramifications of science and, as such, should be of great interest to academics, researchers and postgraduate students working in the fields of museum studies, science, anthropology, education and history. It should also be essential reading for museum professionals around the globe.
The Science-Music Borderlands: Reckoning with the Past and Imagining the Future
by Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, Psyche Loui, and Deirdre LoughridgeInterdisciplinary essays on music psychology that integrate scientific, humanistic, and artistic ways of knowing in transformative ways.Researchers using scientific methods and approaches to advance our understanding of music and musicality have not yet grappled with some of the perils that humanistic fields concentrating on music have long articulated. In this edited volume, established and emerging researchers—neuroscientists and cognitive scientists, musicians, historical musicologists, and ethnomusicologists—build bridges between humanistic and scientific approaches to music studies, particularly music psychology. Deftly edited by Elizabeth H. Margulis, Psyche Loui, and Deirdre Loughridge, The Science-Music Borderlands embodies how sustained interaction among disciplines can lead to a richer understanding of musical life.The essays in this volume provide the scientific study of music with its first major reckoning, exploring the intellectual history of the field and its central debates, while charting a path forward.The Science-Music Borderlands is essential reading for music scholars from any disciplinary background. It will also interest those working at the intersection of music and science, such as music teachers, performers, composers, and music therapists.Contributors:Manuel Anglada-Tort, Salwa El-Sawan Castelo-Branco, Hu Chuan-Peng, Laura K. Cirelli, Alexander W. Cowan, Jonathan De Souza, Diana Deutsch, Diandra Duengen, Sarah Faber, Steven Feld, Shinya Fujii, Assal Habibi, Erin. E. Hannon, Shantala Hegde, Beatriz Ilari, Jason Jabbour, Nori Jacoby, Haley E. Kragness, Grace Leslie, Casey Lew-Williams, Deirdre Loughridge, Psyche Loui, Diana Mangalagiu, Elizabeth H. Margulis, Randy McIntosh, Rita McNamara, Eduardo Reck Miranda, Daniel Müllensiefen, Rachel Mundy, Florence Ewomazino Nweke, Patricia Opondo, Aniruddh D. Patel, Andrea Ravignani, Carmel Raz, Matthew Sachs, Marianne Sarfati, Patrick E. Savage, Huib Schippers, Jim Sykes, Gary Tomlinson, Jamal Williams, Maria A. G. Witek, Pamela Z
Science Mysteries Explained: In-Depth Explorations of Natural Science’s Most Fascinating Facts (Idiot's Guides)
by Anthony FordhamIdeal for the armchair science enthusiast, Idiot's Guides: Science Mysteries Explained takes a question/answer-based approach to teach readers a wide variety of topics in Earth Science, Life Science, Chemistry, Physics, and Cosmology. Using helpful full-color illustrations and expert information, this book features 130 fascinating questions and answers to satisfy any scientist wannabe.
Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Initial International Research Priorities
by Committee on Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing an Initial International RoadmapMicrobial forensics is a scientific discipline dedicated to analyzing evidence from a bioterrorism act, biocrime, or inadvertent microorganism or toxin release for attribution purposes. This emerging discipline seeks to offer investigators the tools and techniques to support efforts to identify the source of a biological threat agent and attribute a biothreat act to a particular person or group. Microbial forensics is still in the early stages of development and faces substantial scientific challenges to continue to build capacity. The unlawful use of biological agents poses substantial dangers to individuals, public health, the environment, the economies of nations, and global peace. It also is likely that scientific, political, and media-based controversy will surround any investigation of the alleged use of a biological agent, and can be expected to affect significantly the role that scientific information or evidence can play. For these reasons, building awareness of and capacity in microbial forensics can assist in our understanding of what may have occurred during a biothreat event, and international collaborations that engage the broader scientific and policy-making communities are likely to strengthen our microbial forensics capabilities. One goal would be to create a shared technical understanding of the possibilities - and limitations - of the scientific bases for microbial forensics analysis. Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing Initial International Research Priorities, based partly on a workshop held in Zabgreb, Croatia in 2013, identifies scientific needs that must be addressed to improve the capabilities of microbial forensics to investigate infectious disease outbreaks and provide evidence of sufficient quality to support legal proceedings and the development of government policies. This report discusses issues of sampling, validation, data sharing, reference collection, research priorities, global disease monitoring, and training and education to promote international collaboration and further advance the field.
Science (New York)
by Timothy Cooney Jim Cummins James Flood Barbara Kay Foots M. Jenice Goldston Shirley Gholston Key Diane Lapp Sheryl A. Mercier Karen L. Ostlund Nancy Romance William Tate Kathryn C. Thornton Leon Ukens Steve WeinbergHardbound Pupil Editions for Grades 1-6 are organized into four units-Life, Physical, Earth, and Human Body sciences. An age-appropriate workbook is available for Kindergarten students.
Science (New York City Edition)
by Michael J. Bell Michael A. Dispezio Marjorie Frank Gerald H. Krockover Joyce C. Mcleod Barbara Ten Brink Barry A. Van Deman Carol J. ValentaThis science textbook has been specially created for students in New York City. Inside there are Science Investigations, special features like Science Spin from Weekly Reader and lots of links for online exploration.
Science No Fair!: Project Droid #1 (Project Droid)
by Nancy Krulik Amanda Burwasser Mike MoranHilarious story about a slightly crazy science and engineering experimentLogan Applebaum tries to keep his new robot cousin, Java, a secretLogan’s science fair rivals steal Java, and Logan worries they’ll discover Java’s true identity If you thought your science fair experience was nerve-wracking, try being Logan Applebaum. One day, his inventor mother declares that she made a new robot cousin for Logan, Java. Java might be incredibly bright, but he’ll also be quite the handful. Logan had a picture of how the third grade would go. Java was not part of that picture. As the third grade science fair gets closer and the kids prepare for their experiments, Logan thinks Java will come in handy. He can at least help Logan beat the Silverspoon twins, who always win everything. Unfortunately for Logan, the twins Sherry and Jerry steal Java as their partner. Even worse, these kids become suspicious. Can Logan work quickly enough to keep a crazy experiment from becoming a crazier disaster? Join mother-daughter author duo Nancy Krulik and Amanda Burwasser as they introduce the comedic pair of Logan and Java. This first installment of their Project Droid #1 story reminds readers of Amelia Bedelia with a delightful modern edge. Science No Fair! is an excellent pre- bedtime book choice.
The Science of Abolition: How Slaveholders Became the Enemies of Progress
by Eric HerschthalA revealing look at how antislavery scientists and Black and white abolitionists used scientific ideas to discredit slaveholders In the context of slavery, science is usually associated with slaveholders&’ scientific justifications of racism. But abolitionists were equally adept at using scientific ideas to discredit slaveholders. Looking beyond the science of race, The Science of Abolition shows how Black and white scientists and abolitionists drew upon a host of scientific disciplines—from chemistry, botany, and geology, to medicine and technology—to portray slaveholders as the enemies of progress. From the 1770s through the 1860s, scientists and abolitionists in Britain and the United States argued that slavery stood in the way of scientific progress, blinded slaveholders to scientific evidence, and prevented enslavers from adopting labor‑saving technologies that might eradicate enslaved labor. While historians increasingly highlight slavery&’s centrality to the modern world, fueling the rise of capitalism, science, and technology, few have asked where the myth of slavery&’s backwardness comes from in the first place. This book contends that by routinely portraying slaveholders as the enemies of science, abolitionists and scientists helped generate that myth.
The Science of Agatha Christie: The Truth Behind Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and More Iconic Characters from the Queen of Crime (The Science of)
by Meg Hafdahl Kelly FlorenceUncover the theories behind Dame Agatha Christie's most thrilling mysteries: Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, The A.B.C. Murders, and so much more! Gothic media moguls Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence, authors of The Science of Stephen King and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast called &“the best horror film podcast out there&” by Film Daddy, present a guide to the Agatha Christie stories and supersleuths we all know and love. Through interviews, literary and film analysis, and bone-chilling discoveries, The Science of Agatha Christie uncovers the science behind the sixty-six detective novels and fourteen short story collections that have become an integral part of the modern murder mystery, answering such questions as: What is the science behind the poisons used to commit murders in Agatha Christie&’s stories? When did crime investigation become more common as seen in Murder on the Orient Express? Has science made it possible to uncover the truth behind the investigative powers of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple? How did Agatha Christie use isolated settings to best explore the psychology of her characters? Join Kelly and Meg as they discover why sometimes the impossible must be possible!
The Science of Agriculture: A Biological Approach (Mindtap Course List Series)
by Ray V. HerrenTHE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE: A BIOLOGICAL APPROACH, Fifth Edition, masterfully introduces the biological sciences and explores the influences of these sciences on modern agricultural practices and the agricultural industry. <p><p>Reader-friendly and superbly illustrated, this highly practical text explains not only the "how" of agriculture, but also the "why" behind agriscience, presenting information on plant and animal systems, soils, cell functions, genetics, genetic engineering, plant and animal reproduction, entomology, biotechnology, and environmental concerns. <p><p>Additionally, the text spotlights career opportunities and discusses new directions in agriculture, including topics such as no-till crops, high-pressure processing in food preservation, fracking, and more, to further engage you with today's agricultural world.
The Science of Algal Fuels
by Richard Gordon Joseph SeckbachThis volume, The Science of Algal Fuels (volume 25 of COLE), contains 26 chapters dealing with biofuels contributed by experts from numerous countries and covers several aspects of algal products, one being "oilgae from algae," mainly oils and fuels for engines. Among the prominent algal groups that participate in this process are the diatoms and green algae (Chlorophyceae). Their metabolism and breeding play an important role in biomass and extraction of crude oil and algal fuel. There is a strong relation between solar energy influencing algal culture and the photobiology of lipid metabolism. Currently, many international meetings and conferences on biofuel are taking place in many countries, and several new books and proceedings of conferences have appeared on this topic. All this indicates that this field is "hot" and in the forefront of applied bioscience.
The Science of Aliens: The Real Science Behind the Gods and Monsters from Space and Time (The Science of)
by Mark BrakeDiscover the real science behind 2001, ET, Signs, and all your favorite fictional alien civilizations.As space telescopes continue to search for life in this unearthly Universe, the crucial questions remain unanswered. Are we awake to the revolutionary effects on human society and science that alien contact will bring? And how is it possible to imagine the unknown? The Science of Aliens tells the compelling story of how the portrayal of alien life has evolved over time.Taking examples from science, film, and fiction, this book showcases how scholars, filmmakers, and authors have devoted their energies to imagining life beyond this Earth. From Copernicus to Kubrick, The Science of Aliens is a fascinating account for anyone interested in extraterrestrials.Otherworldly topics include:What Xenomorphs from Alien and Na&’vi from Avatar have in commonDarwin among aliensExtraterrestrials in Einstein&’s skyAliens in our space ageAnd so much moreVisualize the unknown and redefine your place in a changing cosmos with The Science of Aliens.
The Science of Avatar
by Stephen BaxterAudiences around the world have been enchanted by James Cameron's visionary Avatar, with its glimpse of the Na'vi on the marvelous world of Pandora. But the movie is not entirely a fantasy; there is a scientific rationale for much of what we saw on the screen, from the possibility of travel to other worlds, to the life forms seen on screen and the ecological and cybernetic concepts that underpin the 'neural networks' in which the Na'vi and their sacred trees are joined, as well as to the mind-linking to the avatars themselves.From popular science journalist and acclaimed science fiction author Stephen Baxter, THE SCIENCE OF AVATAR is a guide to the rigorous fact behind the fiction. It will enhance the readers' enjoyment of the movie experience by drawing them further into its imagined world.
The Science of Avatar
by Stephen BaxterJames Cameron's Avatar is the biggest movie of all time. Now the movie's legendary director has leant his support to an exploration of the world of Pandora with bestselling science-fiction author Stephen Baxter. From journeys into deep space to anti-gravity unobtanium, from Pandora's extraordinary flora and fauna to transferring consciousness, Baxter and Cameron reveal that we are often closer to world of Avatar than we might imagine.Stephen Baxter is the master of `what-if?' science fiction. In THE SCIENCE OF AVATAR he's written a book that will appeal to fans of both science-fiction and popular science. THE SCIENCE OF AVATAR will offer fans the unique opportunity to explore the spectacular world of Pandora, from the creator himself.
The Science Of Baking: (Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files #3) (Questioneers)
by Andrea Beaty Theanne GriffithFrom the New York Times bestselling creator of the Questioneers, Andrea Beaty, and author Theanne Griffithcomes The Science of Baking (Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files), a nonfiction early-reader book based on the Netflix series! <P><P> How does a cake bake? What’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? And why is it so important to measure the different ingredients in a recipe? Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files is the perfect nonfiction resource for all these questions and more. Based on the bestselling series and the Netflix show, this nonfiction series is perfect for the youngest scientists of tomorrow as they learn along with Ada. Designed in a scrapbook format, these books combine art from the show, illustrations, and photography to bring simple science concepts to life.
The Science of Baseball
by A. Terry BahillThis book describes the dynamic collisions between baseballs, softballs, and bats, and the intricate modeling of these interactions, using only Newton’s basic principles and the conservation laws of physics. Veteran baseball science author Terry Bahill explains models for the speed and spin of balls and bats and equations for bat-ball collisions at a level accessible to high school and undergraduate physics students, engineering students, and, most importantly, students of the science of baseball. Unlike other, more technical accounts of these phenomena that exhibit similar rigor, the models presented in this volume use only basic physical principles to describe simple collision configurations. Elucidating the most important factors for understanding bat performance—bat weight, moment of inertia, the coefficient of restitution, and characteristics of humans swinging the bats, Dr. Bahill also explains physical aspects of the ideal bat and the sweet spot.• Explains how to select or design an optimal baseball or softball bat and create models for bat-ball collisions using only fundamental principles of mechanics from high school physics;• Describes the results of the collision between baseball and bat using basic mathematics such as equations for the speed of the ball after the collision, bat speed after the collision, and bat rotation after the collision;•Accessible to high school and undergraduate students as well as non-technical aficionados of the science of baseball. “Dr. Bahill’s book is the perfect tool for teaching how to solve some of baseball’s basic science problems. Using only simple Newtonian principles and the conservation laws, Dr. Bahill explains how to model bat-ball collisions. Also, he derives equations governing the flight of the ball, and proceeds to show what factors affect air density and how this density affects the ball’s flight. And as a unique addition to his fine book, he provides advice for selecting the optimal bat—a surprising bonus!”Dave Baldwin, PhDMajor League pitcher, 1966-1973, lifetime Major League ERA, 3.08 “If I were the General Manger of a baseball team, I would tell my people to write a ten-page paper describing what this book contains that could improve our performance. I think the book provides the foundation for change.”Bruce GissingExecutive VP-Operations (retired) Boeing Commercial Airplanes“[I] had a chance to read your research, and I fully agree with your findings.”Baseball Legend Ted Williams, in a 1984 letter to the author
The Science of Baseball: Batting, Bats, Bat-Ball Collisions, and the Flight of the Ball
by A. Terry BahillThis augmented, new edition adds discussion of the bat’s vertical sweetness gradient, eye-hand cross-dominance, models for the swing of a bat, and accuracy of simulations. The book retains its description of dynamic collisions between baseballs, softballs, and bats, and the intricate modeling of these interactions, using only basic math and physical principles. Veteran baseball science author Terry Bahill explains models for the speed and spin of balls and bats and calculations for bat-ball collisions at a level accessible to most students of the science of baseball. Demystifying the most important factors for understanding bat performance—bat weight, moment of inertia, the coefficient of restitution, and characteristics of humans swinging the bats—Dr. Bahill also explains physical aspects of the optimal bat and the sweet spot.Praise for the First Edition “Dr. Bahill’s book is the perfect tool for teaching how to solve some of baseball’s basic science problems. Using only simple Newtonian principles and the conservation laws, Dr. Bahill explains how to model bat-ball collisions. Also, he derives equations governing the flight of the ball, and proceeds to show what factors affect air density and how this density affects the ball’s flight. And as a unique addition to his fine book, he provides advice for selecting the optimal bat—a surprising bonus!”Dave Baldwin, PhDMajor League pitcher, 1966-1973, lifetime Major League ERA, 3.08 “If I were the General Manger of a baseball team, I would tell my people to write a ten-page paper describing what this book contains that could improve our performance. I think the book provides the foundation for change.”Bruce GissingExecutive VP-Operations (retired) Boeing Commercial Airplanes“[I] had a chance to read your research, and I fully agree with your findings.”Baseball Legend Ted Williams, in a 1984 letter to the author
The Science of Baseball: The Math, Technology, and Data Behind the Great American Pastime
by Will CarrollIn The Science of Baseball, sportswriter and injury expert Will Carroll shows how understanding the science behind the Great American Pastime helps fans appreciate its nuances and that it enhances, not detracts from the greatest game ever invented. Carroll, as well as several experts via interviews, covers topics like what makes the ball break, bounce, and fly; how material science and physics work together to make the bat function; how hitters use physics, geometry, and force to connect; sensors and cameras; injuries; and much more. Baseball aficionados and science geeks alike will better appreciate the game--no matter which teams are playing--after reading this comprehensive book!
The Science of Brass Instruments (Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing)
by Arnold Myers Murray Campbell Joël GilbertThis book provides an in-depth account of the fascinating but far from simple actions and processes that take place when a brass instrument is played. Written by three leading researchers in brass instrument acoustics who are also experienced brass players, it draws together the many recent advances in our understanding of the subtly interrelated factors shaping the musician's control of the instrument's sound. The reader is introduced to models of sound generation, propagation and radiation. In particular, the current understanding of the behaviour of the player's lips, the modes of vibration of the air column inside the instrument, and the radiation of sound from a brass instrument bell are explained. The functions of the mouthpiece and of mutes are discussed. Spectral enrichment arising from nonlinear propagation of the internal sound wave in loud playing is shown to be an important influence on the timbre of many types of brass instrument. The characteristics of brass instruments in contemporary use (including cornets, trumpets, french horns, trombones and tubas) are identified, and related to those of the great variety of instruments at earlier stages in the evolution of the brass family. This copiously illustrated book concludes with case studies of the recreation of ancient instruments and some of the current applications of electronics and information technology to brass instrument performance. While most of the material presented is accessible by a general readership, the topic of musical instrument modelling is developed at a mathematical level which makes it a useful academic resource for advanced teaching and research. Written by three internationally acknowledged experts in the acoustics and organology of brass instruments who are also experienced brass instrument players. Provides both an accessible introduction to brass instrument science and a review of recent research results and mathematical modeling techniques Represents the first monograph on the science underlying the design and performance of musical instruments of the brass family
The Science of Breaking Bad (The\mit Press Ser.)
by Dave Trumbore Donna J. NelsonAll the science in Breaking Bad—from explosive experiments to acid-based evidence destruction—explained and analyzed for authenticity.Breaking Bad's (anti)hero Walter White (played by Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston) is a scientist, a high school chemistry teacher who displays a plaque that recognizes his “contributions to research awarded the Nobel Prize.” During the course of five seasons, Walt practices a lot of ad hoc chemistry—from experiments that explode to acid-based evidence destruction to an amazing repertoire of methodologies for illicit meth making. But how much of Walt's science is actually scientific? In The Science of “Breaking Bad,” Dave Trumbore and Donna Nelson explain, analyze, and evaluate the show's portrayal of science, from the pilot's opening credits to the final moments of the series finale. The intent is not, of course, to provide a how-to manual for wannabe meth moguls but to decode the show's most head-turning, jaw-dropping moments. Trumbore, a science and entertainment writer, and Nelson, a professor of chemistry and Breaking Bad's science advisor, are the perfect scientific tour guides.Trumbore and Nelson cover the show's portrayal of chemistry, biology, physics, and subdivisions of each area including toxicology and electromagnetism. They explain, among other things, Walt's DIY battery making; the dangers of Mylar balloons; the feasibility of using hydrofluoric acid to dissolve bodies; and the chemistry of methamphetamine itself. Nelson adds interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes and describes her work with the show's creator and writers. Marius Stan, who played Bogdan on the show (and who is a PhD scientist himself) contributes a foreword. This is a book for every science buff who appreciated the show's scientific moments and every diehard Breaking Bad fan who wondered just how smart Walt really was.
The Science of Bureaucracy: Risk Decision-Making and the US Environmental Protection Agency (Inside Technology)
by David DemortainHow the US Environmental Protection Agency designed the governance of risk and forged its legitimacy over the course of four decades.The US Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970 to protect the public health and environment, administering and enforcing a range of statutes and programs. Over four decades, the EPA has been a risk bureaucracy, formalizing many of the methods of the scientific governance of risk, from quantitative risk assessment to risk ranking. Demortain traces the creation of these methods for the governance of risk, the controversies to which they responded, and the controversies that they aroused in turn. He discusses the professional networks in which they were conceived; how they were used; and how they served to legitimize the EPA. Demortain argues that the EPA is structurally embedded in controversy, resulting in constant reevaluation of its credibility and fueling the evolution of the knowledge and technologies it uses to produce decisions and to create a legitimate image of how and why it acts on the environment. He describes the emergence and institutionalization of the risk assessment–risk management framework codified in the National Research Council's Red Book, and its subsequent unraveling as the agency's mission evolved toward environmental justice, ecological restoration, and sustainability, and as controversies over determining risk gained vigor in the 1990s. Through its rise and fall at the EPA, risk decision-making enshrines the science of a bureaucracy that learns how to make credible decisions and to reform itself, amid constant conflicts about the environment, risk, and its own legitimacy.
The Science of Can and Can't: A Physicist's Journey through the Land of Counterfactuals
by Chiara MarlettoFrom a young British scientist, a groundbreaking exploration of a radically different approach to physicsThere is a vast class of things that science has so far almost entirely neglected. They are central to the understanding of physical reality both at an everyday level and at the level of the most fundamental phenomena in physics, yet have traditionally been assumed to be impossible to incorporate into fundamental scientific explanations. They are facts not about what is (the actual) but about what could be (counterfactuals).According to physicist Chiara Marletto, laws about things being possible or impossible may generate an alternative way of providing explanations. This fascinating, far-reaching approach holds promise for revolutionizing the way fundamental physics is formulated and for providing essential tools to face existing technological challenges--from delivering the next generation of information-processing devices beyond the universal quantum computer to designing AIs. Each chapter in the book delineates how an existing vexed open problem in science can be solved by this radically different approach and it is augmented by short fictional stories that explicate the main point of the chapter. As Marletto demonstrates, contemplating what is possible can give us a more complete and hopeful picture of the physical world.
The Science of Chinese Buddhism: Early Twentieth-Century Engagements (The Sheng Yen Series in Chinese Buddhist Studies)
by Erik J. HammerstromKexue, or science, captured the Chinese imagination in the early twentieth century, promising new knowledge about the world and a dynamic path to prosperity. Chinese Buddhists embraced scientific language and ideas to carve out a place for their religion within a rapidly modernizing society. Examining dozens of previously unstudied writings from the Chinese Buddhist press, this book maps Buddhists' efforts to rethink their traditions through science in the initial decades of the twentieth century. Buddhists believed science offered an exciting, alternative route to knowledge grounded in empirical thought, much like their own. They encouraged young scholars to study subatomic and relativistic physics while still maintaining Buddhism's vital illumination of human nature and its crucial support of an ethical system rooted in radical egalitarianism. Showcasing the rich and progressive steps Chinese religious scholars took in adapting to science's rising authority, this volume offers a key perspective on how a major Eastern power transitioned to modernity in the twentieth century and how its intellectuals anticipated many of the ideas debated by scholars of science and Buddhism today.
The Science of Cities and Regions: Lectures on Mathematical Model Design
by Alan WilsonA 'science of cities and regions' is critical for meeting future challenges. The world is urbanising: huge cities are being created and are continuing to grow rapidly. There are many planning and development issues arising in different manifestations in countries across the globe. These developments can, in principle, be simulated through mathematical computer models which provide tools for forecasting and testing future scenarios and plans. These models can represent the functioning of cities and regions, predicting the spatial demography and the economy, the main flows such as journey to work or to services, and the mechanisms of future evolution. In this book, the main principles involved in the design of this range of models are articulated, providing an account of the current state of the art as well as future research challenges. Alan Wilson has over forty years working with urban and regional models and has contributed important discoveries. He has distilled this experience into what serves as both an introduction and a review of the research frontier. Topics covered include the Lowry model, the retail model, principles of account-based models and the methods rooted in Boltzmann-style statistical modelling and the Lotka-Volterra approach to system evolution. Applications range from urban and regional planning to wars and epidemics.