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The Seabird's Cry: The Lives and Loves of the Planet's Great Ocean Voyagers
by Adam NicolsonLife itself could never have been sustainable without seabirds. As Adam Nicolson writes: "They are bringers of fertility, the deliverers of life from ocean to land."A global tragedy is unfolding. Even as we are coming to understand them, the number of seabirds on our planet is in freefall, dropping by nearly 70% in the last sixty years, a billion fewer now than there were in 1950. Of the ten birds in this book, seven are in decline, at least in part of their range. Extinction stalks the ocean and there is a danger that the grand cry of the seabird colony, rolling around the bays and headlands of high latitudes, will this century become little but a memory.Seabirds have always entranced the human imagination and NYT best-selling author Adam Nicolson has been in love with them all his life: for their mastery of wind and ocean, their aerial beauty and the unmatched wildness of the coasts and islands where every summer they return to breed. The seabird’s cry comes from an elemental layer in the story of the world.Over the last couple of decades, modern science has begun to understand their epic voyages, their astonishing abilities to navigate for tens of thousands of miles on featureless seas, their ability to smell their way towards fish and home. Only the poets in the past would have thought of seabirds as creatures riding the ripples and currents of the entire planet, but that is what the scientists are seeing now today.
The Seabuckthorn Genome (Compendium of Plant Genomes)
by Prakash C. SharmaThis work is the first compilation of comprehensive deliberations on botany, cytogenetics and sex determination, genetic resources and diversity, classical breeding, molecular markers and genome sequence resources, and application of omics technology including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics resources in the multipurpose medicinal plant seabuckthorn. The book also presents a detailed narrative on antioxidative, radioprotective nutraceutical, and medicinal applications of seabuckthorn products. A detailed treatment has been included on analytical techniques and processing technologies. Altogether, the book contains about 300 pages over 17 chapters contributed by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this important plant species. This book will be useful to the research students, teachers, and scientists in the academia and private sector engaged in horticulture, genetics, breeding, molecular biology, biotechnology, and breeding. The book will also be a useful source for workers involved in the development of plant-based medicines, nutraceuticals, therapeutics, and cosmeceuticals and extension workers involved in the development of rural farmers and small-scale industries.
SeaCities: Urban Tactics for Sea-Level Rise (Cities Research Series)
by Joerg Baumeister Edoardo Bertone Paul BurtonThis book presents and discusses a strategy which includes four approaches to dealing with the risk of sea-level rise and other water hazards. It also offers opportunities for cities to explore urban extensions such as marine estates, aquatic food production systems, new sea related industries, maritime transport developments, new oceanic tourist attractions, and the designation of additional coastal ecological zones. The urban interface between Sea and Cities generates, therefore, both burning issues and valuable opportunities and raises the question of whether it is possible to solve the former by exploiting the latter?
SeaCities: Aquatic Urbanism (Cities Research Series)
by Joerg Baumeister Ioana C. Giurgiu Despina Linaraki Daniela A. OttmannThis book highlights the research outcome of Cities Research Institute's SeaCities group at Griffith University and a panel with the same title which took place at the World Expo in Dubai 2021/22 supported by the UN. It reflects on topics which are relevant for a future aquatic urbanism like the evolution of a taxonomy for aquatic urbanism, island and ecological wetland development, the planning aspects of seascapes, as well as drivers for floating communities and aquacultural urbanism. The book broadens the perspective of the previous book "SeaCities: Urban Tactics for Sea-Level Rise" published in 2021 from a terrestrial towards an amphibious and aquatic understanding of future city development.
Seaforth World Naval Review 2015: 2015
by Conrad WatersThe &“profusely illustrated&” yearly military reference that features world fleet reviews, significant ship developments, and technological advancements (Ships Monthly). Now in its seventh year, this annual has established an international reputation as an authoritative but affordable summary of all that has happened in the naval world in the previous twelve months. It combines regional surveys with one-off major articles on noteworthy new ships and other important developments. Besides the latest warship projects, it also looks at wider issues of importance to navies, such as aviation and electronics, and calls on expertise from around the globe to give a balanced picture of what is going on and to interpret its significance. The 2015 edition looks in detail at the French Navy and the Bangladesh and Myanmar navies, while significant ships include the Montford Point class mobile landing platforms, the Samuel Beckett offshore patrol vessels, and the Skjold class fast attack craft. There are technological reviews dealing with naval aviation by David Hobbs, and current mine warfare developments by Norman Friedman, while warship recycling is discussed by Ian Buxton. Intended to make interesting reading as well as providing authoritative reference, there is a strong visual emphasis, including specially commissioned drawings and the most up-to-date photographs and artists&’ impressions. For anyone with an interest in contemporary naval affairs, whether an enthusiast or a defense professional, this annual has become required reading.
Seaforth World Naval Review 2017
by Conrad Waters&“This fascinating book examines trends in maritime strategy and geopolitics . . . including technological advances and significant new ships.&”—Nautilus Telegraph This annual has an established reputation as an authoritative but affordable summary of all that has happened in the naval world in the previous twelve months. It combines regional surveys with one-off major articles on noteworthy new ships and other important developments. Besides the latest warship projects, it also looks at wider issues of importance to navies, such as aviation and electronics, and calls on expertise from around the globe to give a balanced picture of what is going on and to interpret its significance. Features of this edition include an in-depth analysis of the Royal Netherlands Navy, while Significant Ships will cover the USN&’s radical new Zumwalt class destroyers, the Republic of Korea&’s amphibious assault ship Dokdo, and the JMSDF&’s Akizuki class destroyers, among others. There are also technological reviews dealing with naval aviation by David Hobbs (with a focus on the present state of the RN&’s Fleet Air Arm), while Norman Friedman surveys naval surface-to-surface missiles. The World Naval Review is intended to make interesting reading as well as providing authoritative reference, so there is a strong visual emphasis, including specially commissioned drawings and the most up-to-date photographs and artists&’ impressions. For anyone with an interest in contemporary naval affairs, whether an enthusiast or a defense professional, this annual has become required reading. &“An extraordinarily useful annual from the point of view of a comprehensive update on the world&’s navies . . . a key resource for keeping up, whether in cabin or armchair.&”—Seaweed
Seagrasses of Australia
by Gary A. Kendrick Peter J. Ralph Anthony W. LarkumThis book takes the place of “Biology of Seagrasses: A Treatise on the Biology of Seagrasses with Special Reference to the Australian Region”, co-edited by A.W.D. Larkum, A.J. MaCComb and S.A. Shepherd and published by Elsevier in 1989. The first book has been influential, but it is now 25 years since it was published and seagrass studies have progressed and developed considerably since then. The design of the current book follows in the steps of the first book. There are chapters on taxonomy, floral biology, biogeography and regional studies. The regional studies emphasize the importance of Australia having over half of the world’s 62 species, including some ten species published for Australia since the previous book. There are a number of chapters on ecology and biogeography; fish biology and fisheries and dugong biology are prominent chapters. Physiological aspects again play an important part, including new knowledge on the role of hydrogen sulphide in sediments and on photosynthetic processes. Climate change, pollution and environmental degradation this time gain an even more important part of the book. Decline of seagrasses around Australia are also discussed in detail in several chapters. Since the first book was published two new areas have received special attention: blue carbon and genomic studies. Seagrasses are now known to be a very important player in the formation of blue carbon, i.e. carbon that has a long turnover time in soils and sediments. Alongside salt marshes and mangroves, seagrasses are now recognized as playing a very important role in the formation of blue carbon. And because Australia has such an abundance and variety of seagrasses, their role in blue carbon production and turnover is of great importance. The first whole genomes of seagrasses are now available and Australia has played an important role here. It appears that seagrasses have several different suites of genes as compared with other (land) plants and even in comparison with freshwater hydrophytes. This difference is leading to important molecular biological studies where the new knowledge will be important to the understanding and conservation of seagrass ecosystems in Australia. Thus by reason of its natural abundance of diverse seagrasses and a sophisticated seagrass research community in Australia it is possible to produce a book which will be attractive to marine biologists, coastal scientists and conservationists from many countries around the world.
Seahorses: A Life-Size Guide to Every Species
by Sara A. LourieAbsolutely captivating creatures, seahorses seem like a product of myth and imagination rather than of nature. They are small, elusive, and are named for their heads, which are shaped like miniature ponies with tiny snouts. They swim slowly upright by rapidly fanning their delicate dorsal fin, coil their tails to anchor themselves in a drift, and spend days in a dancing courtship. Afterward, it is the male who carries the female's eggs in his pouch and hatches the young. Seahorses are found worldwide, and they are highly sensitive to environmental destruction and disturbance, making them the flagship species for shallow-water habitat conservation. They are as ecologically important as they are beautiful. Seahorses celebrates the remarkable variety of seahorse species as well as their exquisiteness. 57 species, including seadragons and pipefish, are presented in lush, life-size photographs alongside descriptive drawings, and each entry includes detailed and up-to-date information on natural history and conservation. Sara Lourie, a foremost expert on seahorse taxonomy, presents captivating stories of species that range from less than an inch to over a foot in height, while highlighting recent discoveries and ecological concerns. Accessibly written, but comprehensive in scope, this book will be a stunning and invaluable reference on seahorse evolution, biology, habitat, and behavior. Masters of camouflage and rarely seen, seahorses continue to be a fascinating subject of active research. This visually rich and informative book is certain to become the authoritative guide to these charming and unusual wonders of the sea, beloved at aquariums the world over.
Seamless Learning: Grenz- und kontextübergreifendes Lehren und Lernen in der Bodenseeregion
by Bernadette Dilger Jennifer Erlemann Claude Müller Christian RappDas Konzept des «Seamless Learning» unterstützt kontextübergreifendes und barrierefreies Lehren und Lernen durch die Integration digitaler Technologien und die Berücksichtigung von Kontext und Anforderungen der jeweiligen Lehr- / Lernszenarien. Diese Publikation beschreibt wie «Seamless Learning» konzeptionell umgesetzt werden kann und die sechs beschriebenen Projekte zeigen die Umsetzung in unterschiedlichen Wissensdomänen exemplarisch auf.Dies ist ein Open-Access-Buch.
Search for a Giant Squid: Pick Your Path (Science Explorers)
by Amy Seto ForresterA new and exciting pick-your-path STEM adventure for emerging readers! <P><P> This series starter takes emerging readers on an expedition to the ocean's twilight zone in search of a giant squid. But giant squids are hard to find. Readers will need to join the expedition and help make choices along the way. <P><P> First they'll pick their submersible. And then their pilot and dive site. They'll need to be careful—not every path leads where it seems, but whatever path they pick, they';ll see and learn amazing things! <P><P> This introduction to the career of marine zoologist, and the other members of a deep-sea expedition, lets readers dip their toes into being a teuthologist—a scientist who studies cephalopods such as octopus and squid. <P><P><i>Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.</i>
Search for Charginos Nearly Mass-Degenerate with the Lightest Neutralino
by Shingo KazamaIn this book, the anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB) model is explored by searching for charged winos with their subsequent decays collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The author develops a new method, called "re-tracking," to detect charged winos that decay before reaching the Semiconductor Tracker (SCT) detector. Because the nominal tracking algorithm at the ATLAS experiment requires at least seven successive hits in the inner tracking system, the sensitivity to charged winos having a fraction of a nanosecond in the past analysis was therefore limited. However, re-tracking requires a minimum of three pixel hits and provides a fully efficient tracking capability for charged winos traversing the pixel detector, resulting in around about 100 times greater efficiency for charged winos with a lifetime ~0. 2 ns longer than that in past searches. Signal topology is characterized by a jet with large transverse momentum (pT), large missing transverse energy, and a high-pT disappearing track. There are three types of back ground tracks: interacting hadron tracks, charged leptons, and tracks with mismeasured pT. A background estimation based on the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation suffers from large uncertainties due to poor statistics and has difficulty simulating the properties of background tracks. Therefore, a data-driven approach has been developed by the author of the book to estimate the background track-pT spectrum. No significant excess above the background expectation is observed for candidate tracks with large transverse momentum, and constraints on the AMSB model are obtained. The author shows that in the AMSB model, a charged wino mass below 270 GeV is excluded at 95 % confidence level, which also directly constrains the mass of wino dark matter.
Search for Dark Matter Produced in Association with a Higgs Boson Decaying to Two Bottom Quarks at ATLAS
by Yangyang ChengThis thesis reports on the search for dark matter in data taken with the ATLAS detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The identification of dark matter and the determination of its properties are among the highest priorities in elementary particle physics and cosmology. The most likely candidate, a weakly interacting massive particle, could be produced in the high energy proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The analysis presented here is unique in looking for dark matter produced together with a Higgs boson that decays into its dominant decay mode, a pair of b quarks. If dark matter were seen in this mode, we would learn directly about the production mechanism because of the presence of the Higgs boson. This thesis develops the search technique and presents the most stringent production limit to date.
Search for Dark Matter with the ATLAS Detector: Probing Final States Of Missing Energy And An Energetic Jet Or Top Quarks (Springer Theses)
by Johanna GramlingThis book discusses searches for Dark Matter at the CERN’s LHC, the world’s most powerful accelerator. It introduces the relevant theoretical framework and includes an in-depth discussion of the Effective Field Theory approach to Dark Matter production and its validity, as well as an overview of the formalism of Simplified Dark Matter models. Despite overwhelming astrophysical evidence for Dark Matter and numerous experimental efforts to detect it, the nature of Dark Matter still remains a mystery and has become one of the hottest research topics in fundamental physics.Two searches for Dark Matter are presented, performed on data collected with the ATLAS experiment. They analyze missing-energy final states with a jet or with top quarks. The analyses are explained in detail, and the outcomes and their interpretations are discussed, also in view of the precedent analysis of theoretical approaches. Given its depth of coverage, the book represents an excellent reference guide for all physicists interested in understanding the theoretical and experimental considerations relevant to Dark Matter searches at the LHC.
A Search for Displaced Leptons in the ATLAS Detector (Springer Theses)
by Lesya HorynThis thesis presents a search for long-lived particles decaying into displaced electrons and/or muons with large impact parameters. This signature provides unique sensitivity to the production of theoretical lepton-partners, sleptons. These particles are a feature of supersymmetric theories, which seek to address unanswered questions in nature. The signature searched for in this thesis is difficult to identify, and in fact, this is the first time it has been probed at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It covers a long-standing gap in coverage of possible new physics signatures. This thesis describes the special reconstruction and identification algorithms used to select leptons with large impact parameters and the details of the background estimation. The results are consistent with background, so limits on slepton masses and lifetimes in this model are calculated at 95% CL, drastically improving on the previous best limits from the Large Electron Positron Collider (LEP).
The Search For Earth's Twin
by Stuart ClarkThe true, cutting-edge story of man's epic quest to find an Earth-like planet capable of sustaining complex life.In 1995 two Swiss astronomers discovered a planet circling a star other than our Sun. This changed our perception of the Universe forever, proving that Earth and the other celestial bodies in our Solar System are not alone in outer space. Now, after two decades of exploration, more than 860 planets have been discovered, many of which are completely unlike anything else we know. Some are blacker than coal; some are bathed in molten lava; others are perpetually scoured by hurricane-force winds; some have not one sun but two that rise in the morning, and others are perpetually drowned in global oceans. But as well as strange, uninhabitable lands, there is familiarity too. Some of these alien worlds are strikingly similar to planets in our Solar System. Astronomers now know of planets just like Jupiter, Neptune, Mars and Mercury orbiting stars similar to our Sun, both nearby and deep into space. Authoritatively written and fully up to date on this fast-moving area of science, The Search for the Earth's Twin will take you on a journey through the cosmos via frozen wastelands, slow-moving globes and fiery volcanic bodies, to planets that can - and just might - sustain complex life. The prospect of discovering the Earth's twin is now tantalisingly close.
Search for Exotic Higgs Boson Decays to Merged Diphotons: A Novel CMS Analysis Using End-to-End Deep Learning (Springer Theses)
by Michael AndrewsThis book describes the first application at CMS of deep learning algorithms trained directly on low-level, “raw” detector data, or so-called end-to-end physics reconstruction. Growing interest in searches for exotic new physics in the CMS collaboration at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN has highlighted the need for a new generation of particle reconstruction algorithms. For many exotic physics searches, sensitivity is constrained not by the ability to extract information from particle-level data but by inefficiencies in the reconstruction of the particle-level quantities themselves. The technique achieves a breakthrough in the reconstruction of highly merged photon pairs that are completely unresolved in the CMS detector. This newfound ability is used to perform the first direct search for exotic Higgs boson decays to a pair of hypothetical light scalar particles H→aa, each subsequently decaying to a pair of highly merged photons a→yy, an analysis once thought impossible to perform. The book concludes with an outlook on potential new exotic searches made accessible by this new reconstruction paradigm.
A Search for Exotic Higgs Decays: Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Long-Lived Particles (Springer Theses)
by Jackson BurzynskiThe absence of new physics at the TeV scale observed thus far at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) motivates an increasing focus on searches for weakly-coupled new particles and exotic signatures. In particular, particles with macroscopic mean proper lifetimes, known as long-lived particles (LLPs), are of significant interest due to their ability to elude the majority of searches which rely on the assumption that Beyond Standard Model particles decay close to the primary interaction point. Many models which aim to solve various issues with the Standard Model (SM) introduce new particles with lifetimes that are either unconstrained, or even shown to prefer the macroscopic regime. These theories often point to the Higgs boson as a possible portal to new physics, with exotic Higgs decays being the primary phenomenological consequence and means of discovery. It is well motivated both from theory and experimental constraints to consider the scenario in which the particles produced in these exotic decays have macroscopic proper lifetimes and give rise to unique detector signatures.This work describes a search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to two long-lived, neutral, spin-0 particles which subsequently decay to pairs of b quarks, giving the striking signature of displaced hadronic jets in the ATLAS inner detector. Several other ATLAS searches have probed this decay topology previously, excluding branching ratios of the Higgs boson to LLPs of more than 10% for proper lifetimes greater than 100mm. These searches relied on dedicated triggers designed to select events with LLPs decaying in the ATLAS calorimeter or muon spectrometer. The lack of an equivalent trigger for LLP decays in the ATLAS inner detector has been a limiting factor in probing LLP lifetimes less than 100mm. To circumvent the difficulty of triggering on LLP decays, the search presented in this thesis exploits the ZH associated production mode, relying on leptonic trigger signatures to select interesting events. This is the first search for Higgs boson decays into LLPs to exploit this analysis methodology and additionally makes use of several novel methods for both background rejection and background estimation.No excess over Standard Model predictions is observed, and upper limits are set on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to LLPs . Depending on the mass of the LLP, branching ratios greater than 10% are excluded for lifetimes as small as 4mm and as large as 100mm, probing an important gap in the ATLAS exotic Higgs decay programme. In comparison to the previous searches for Higgs decays to LLPs, these are among the most stringent limits placed on this scenario, and for LLPs with masses below 40 GeV these results represent the strongest existing constraints on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to LLPs in this lifetime regime.
Search for Exotic Mono-jet Events
by Valerio RossettiThis thesis describes in detail the search for new phenomena in mono-jet final states with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The final state is considered the golden channel in the searches for large extra dimensions (LED) but also allows access to a very rich SUSY-related phenomenology pertaining to the production of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPS), SUSY Dark Matter candidates, GMSB SUSY models with very light gravitino masses, as well as stop an sbottom pair production in compressed scenarios (with nearly degenerated squarks and the lightest neutralino), and also invisible Higgs searches, among others. Here, a number of these scenarios are explored. The measurements presented yield new powerful constraints on the existence of extra spatial dimensions, the pair production of WIMPs, and also provide the best limit to date on the gravitino mass.
The Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence: Proceedings of the 2nd SETI-INAF Meeting 2019 (Springer Proceedings in Physics #260)
by Stelio Montebugnoli Andrea Melis Nicolò AntoniettiThis book presents the latest knowledge of the newly discovered Earth-like exoplanets and reviews improvements in both radio and optical SETI. A key aim is to stimulate fresh discussion on algorithms that will be of high value in this extremely complicated search. Exoplanets resembling Earth could well be able to sustain life and support the evolution of technological civilizations, but to date, all searches for such life forms have proved fruitless. The failings of SETI observations are well recognized, and a new search approach is necessary. In this book, different detection algorithms that exploit state-of-the-art, low-cost, and extremely fast multiprocessors are examined and compared. Novel methods such as the agnostic entropy and high-sensitivity blind signal extraction algorithms should represent a quantum leap forward in SETI. The book is of interest to all researchers in the field and hopefully stimulates significant progress in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
The Search for Grace: The True Story of Murder and Reincarnation
by Bruce GoldbergAn unsolved murder mystery on the books since 1927 one modern woman's obsession with an abusive lover and a karmic journey that winds through a maze of past lives- all of these unite into the best-documented case of reincarnation in the Western world. "... There is no way that the CBS movie could reflect the powerful obsession that brought Ivy back to my office to be regressed again and again, forty-five times. Long after both of us felt that our initial therapeutic goals had been achieved, something in Ivy would not let her rest until she had relived the forty-sixth life and brought to light the circumstances of what the Buffalo, N.Y., police still listed as an unsolved homicide over sixty years later." -Dr. Bruce Goldberg
Search for Higgs Boson Decays to Charm Quarks with the ATLAS Experiment and Development of Novel Silicon Pixel Detectors (Springer Theses)
by Maria MironovaThis book explores the Higgs boson and its interactions with fermions, as well as the detector technologies used to measure it. The Standard Model of Particle Physics has been a groundbreaking theory in our understanding of the fundamental properties of the universe, but it is incomplete, and there are significant hints which require new physics. The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 was a substantial confirmation of the Standard Model, but many of its decay modes remain elusive. This book presents the latest search for Higgs boson decays into c-quarks using a proton-proton collision dataset collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This decay mode has yet to be observed and requires advanced machine learning algorithms to identify c-quarks in the experiment. The results provide an upper limit on the rate of Higgs boson decays to c-quarks and a direct measurement of the Higgs boson coupling strength to c-quarks. The book also discusses the future of particle physics and the need for significant improvements to the detector to cope with increased radiation damage and higher data rates at the High-Luminosity LHC. It presents the characterization of the ATLAS pixel detector readout chip for the inner detector upgrade (ITk). The chip was subjected to irradiations using X-rays and protons to simulate the radiation environment at the HL-LHC. The tests showed that all readout chip components, including the digital logic and analogue front-end, are sufficiently radiation-tolerant to withstand the expected radiation dose. Finally, this book describes monolithic pixel detectors as a possible technology for future pixel detectors. This book is ideal for individuals interested in exploring particle physics, the Higgs boson, and the development of silicon pixel detectors.
Search for Higgs Boson Pair Production in the bb̅ τ+ τ- Decay Channel: with the CMS detector at the LHC (Springer Theses)
by Luca CadamuroThis thesis presents innovative contributions to the CMS experiment in the new trigger system for the restart of the LHC collisions in Run II, as well as original analysis methods and important results that led to official publications of the Collaboration.The author's novel reconstruction algorithms, deployed on the Field-Programmable Gate Arrays of the new CMS trigger architecture, have brought a gain of over a factor 2 in efficiency for the identification of tau leptons, with a very significant impact on important H boson measurements, such as its decays to tau lepton pairs and the search for H boson pair production.He also describes a novel analysis of HH → bb tautau, a high priority physics topic in a difficult channel. The original strategy, optimisation of event categories, and the control of the background have made the result one of the most sensitive concerning the self-coupling of the Higgs boson among all possible channels at the LHC.
The Search for Human Chromosomes
by Wilson John WallThis book is a broadly historical account of a remarkable and very exciting scientific story-the search for the number of human chromosomes. It covers the processes and people, culminating in the realization that discovering the number of human chromosomes brought as much benefit as unraveling the genetic code itself. With the exception of red blood cells, which have no nucleus and therefore no DNA, and sex cells, humans have 46 chromosomes in every single cell. Not only do chromosomes carry all of the genes that code our inheritance, they also carry them in a specific order. It is essential that the number and structure of chromosomes remains intact, in order to pass on the correct amount of DNA to succeeding generations and for the cells to survive. Knowing the number of human chromosomes has provided a vital diagnostic tool in the prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders, and the search for this number and developing an understanding of what it means are the focus of this book.
The Search for Life on Mars: The Greatest Scientific Detective Story of All Time
by Elizabeth Howell Nicholas BoothPublished to coincide with the launch of NASA&’s Perseverance rover mission this summer, the definitive account of our quest to find life on the Red Planet. From The War of the Worlds to The Martian and to the amazing photographs sent back by the robotic rovers Curiosity and Opportunity, Mars has excited our imaginations as the most likely other habitat for life in the solar system. Now the Red Planet is coming under scrutiny as never before. As new missions are scheduled to launch this year from the United States and China, and with the European Space Agency's ExoMars mission now scheduled for 2022, this book recounts in full the greatest scientific detective story ever. For the first time in forty years, the missions heading to Mars will look for signs of ancient life on the world next door. It is the latest chapter in an age‑old quest that encompasses myth, false starts, red herrings, and bizarre coincidences—as well as triumphs and heartbreaking failures. This book, by two journalists with deep experience covering space exploration, is the definitive story of how life's discovery has eluded us to date, and how it will be found somewhere and sometime this century. The Search for Life on Mars is based on more than a hundred interviews with experts at NASA&’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and elsewhere, who share their insights and stories. While it looks back to the early Mars missions such as Viking 1 and 2, the book's focus is on the experiments and revelations from the most recent ones—including Curiosity, which continues to explore potentially habitable sites where water was once present, and the Mars Insight lander, which has recorded more than 450 marsquakes since its deployment in late 2018—as well as on the Perseverance and ExoMars rover missions ahead. And the book looks forward to the newest, most exciting frontier of all: the day, not too far away, when humans will land, make the Red Planet their home, and look for life directly.
The Search for Method in STEAM Education
by Jaime E. MartinezThis book explores various approaches to building a positive interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) learning environment, as described by educators across the K-20 educational ladder. Crucial to their success, Martinez finds, is the playful and performatory approach they employ in their teaching. Their practices are creative, improvisational, and inclusive, and are shared in detail through illustrations and interviews. Throughout the book, the author explores a Vygotskian cultural performatory approach to creating interdisciplinary STEAM learning environments, drawing out the history of this approach and its success in fostering collaboration, creativity, leadership, and communication skills, as well as its effect on social, emotional, and cognitive growth in both formal and informal educational settings.