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The Welfare of Cattle
by Bernard E. Rollin Terry Engle Donald J. Klingborg, DVMContains a selection of White Papers, commissioned to better inform the exploration of cattle welfare. These are prepared by notable experts in their field, to help provide factual context around selected topics that impact cattle welfare and production systems. Covers all aspects of cattle use in an accessible style, making this a must have volume for anyone interested in cattle welfare or cattle medicine. Provides an in-depth picture of the distinctive beef and dairy cattle welfare practices and issues, covering topics such as behavior, breeding and genetic manipulation, nutrition and feeding, housing and management, health and disease, and transport and slaughter. Written by acknowledged leaders in animal science, veterinary science, philosophy and animal welfare, presenting a truly multidisciplinary perspective on cattle welfare. Includes a section on understanding and managing animal welfare in both beef and dairy cattle, discussing how cattle perceive the world, animal handling and pain mitigation, and how to assure that the cows have a reasonably good life. The Welfare of Cattle offers an accurate, detailed account of the ethical and welfare concerns related to the human use of cattle. There is currently no significant book dealing with the welfare of cows, animals often seen as archetypal paradigms of 'farm animals'. Covering both beef and dairy cattle, the expert authors provide in-depth information on the husbandry roots of traditional agriculture, the replacement of this system of stewardship by an industrial model, and the resulting welfare challenges associated with industrial agriculture: feedlots, highly industrialized dairies, and slaughterhouses killing huge numbers of animals who have been transported great distances. This important book explores in detail the ways in which people who are providing care for cattle can take their first step, or their next step, toward enhancing the welfare of these animals. An extra chapter (online only) is available in the 'Downloads' tab on the left: Dairy Nutrition, by Michael Gamroth
The Welfare of Domestic Fowl and Other Captive Birds
by Ian J. Duncan Penny HawkinsThis book describes the welfare implications of keeping wild and domesticated birds in captivity. The environmental and social requirements of various avian species are discussed and suggestions made for appropriate housing and management techniques. Particular attention is paid to human-bird interactions and their impact on the behaviour and welfare of the birds involved. Training methods for companion birds are also described. Possible future trends in keeping birds in captivity are discussed in relation to evolving laws and codes for both wild and domesticated birds and in the light of developing ethical attitudes to animals. The book will be invaluable to all those who keep birds including poultry farmers, pet owners, and managers and caretakers of birds kept in laboratories, zoos, wildlife aviaries, and rehabilitation centres. It will also be of great interest to poultry production, zoology, wildlife and veterinary students.
The Welfare of Farmed Ratites
by Irek Malecki Christine Lunam Phil GlatzThis volume reviews, for the first time, the broad range of issues that affect the welfare of commercially farmed ratites. Although ratites incorporate several families of flightless birds this book focuses on the most commonly farmed ratites, the ostrich, emu and rhea. The readers are taken on a journey through all sectors of the industry, which include breeding, incubation, hatching, brooding, rearing, growth, transport and processing, with an emphasis on husbandry and management protocols that can impact bird welfare and health. Also discussed is the structure and sensory innervation of the skin and digits of the birds, and the potential welfare implications of industry practices on these structures. Each chapter in this volume focuses on a particular aspect of the commercial farming of ratites with contributing authors from a broad range of disciplines.
The Welfare of Fish (Animal Welfare #20)
by Tore S. Kristiansen Anders Fernö Michail A. Pavlidis Hans van de VisThis book investigates how fish experience their lives, their amazing senses and abilities, and how human actions impact their quality of life. The authors examine the concept of fish welfare and the scientific knowledge behind the inclusion of fish within the moral circle, and how this knowledge can change the way we treat fish in the future. In many countries fish are already protected by animal welfare legislation in the same way as mammals, but in practice there is still a major gap between how we ethically view these groups and how we actually treat them. The poor treatment of fish represents a massive animal welfare problem in aquaculture and fisheries, both in terms of the number of animals affected and the severity of the welfare issues. Thanks to its interdisciplinary scope, this thought-provoking book appeals to professionals, academics and students in the fields of animal welfare, cognition and physiology, as well as fisheries and aquaculture management.
The Welfare of Invertebrate Animals (Animal Welfare #18)
by Claudio Carere Jennifer MatherThis book is devoted to the welfare of invertebrates, which make up 99% of animal species on earth. Addressing animal welfare, we do not often think of invertebrates; in fact we seldom consider them to be deserving of welfare evaluation. And yet we should. Welfare is a broad concern for any animal that we house, control or utilize – and we utilize invertebrates a lot. The Authors start with an emphasis on the values of non-vertebrate animals and discuss the need for a book on the present topic. The following chapters focus on specific taxa, tackling questions that are most appropriate to each one. What is pain in crustaceans, and how might we prevent it? How do we ensure that octopuses are not bored? What do bees need to thrive, pollinate our plants and give us honey? Since invertebrates have distinct personalities and some social animals have group personalities, how do we consider this? And, as in the European Union’s application of welfare consideration to cephalopods, how do the practical regulatory issues play out?We have previously relegated invertebrates to the category ‘things’ and did not worry about their treatment. New research suggest that some invertebrates such as cephalopods and crustaceans can have pain and suffering, might also have consciousness and awareness. Also, good welfare is going to mean different things to spiders, bees, corals, etc. This book is taking animal welfare in a very different direction. Academics and students of animal welfare science, those who keep invertebrates for scientific research or in service to the goals of humans, as well as philosophers will find this work thought-provoking, instructive and informative.
The Well-Connected Animal: Social Networks and the Wondrous Complexity of Animal Societies
by Lee Alan DugatkinAn engaging exploration of the wondrous social webs that permeate life in animal societies around the world. It’s all about who you know. Whether vampire bats sharing blood meals for survival, field crickets remembering champion fighters, macaque monkeys forming grooming pacts after a deadly hurricane, or great tit birds learning the best way to steal milk—it pays to be well connected. In this tour of the animal kingdom, evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin reveals a new field of study, uncovering social networks that existed long before the dawn of human social media. He accessibly describes the latest findings from animal behavior, evolution, computer science, psychology, anthropology, genetics, and neurobiology, and incorporates interviews and insights from researchers he finds swimming with manta rays, avoiding pigeon poop, and stopping monkeys from stealing iPads. With Dugatkin as our guide, we investigate social networks in giraffes, elephants, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, whales, bats, and more. From animal networks in Australia and Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Americas, The Well-Connected Animal is an eye-opening exposé of wild friends, enemies, and everything in between.
The Well-Crafted Sentence: A Writer's Guide to Style
by Nora BaconThe Well-Crafted Sentence is designed to help undergraduates develop facility in writing smooth, clear, fully developed sentences. It is not a grammar book: it does not focus on avoiding or correcting errors, and it makes no attempt to offer a thorough description of English syntax. Instead, it asks students to examine prose written by accomplished stylists, to note the relationship between syntactic structures and their rhetorical effect, and to practice using specific structures that all adult writers can, but only the best writers often do, take advantage of in their work.
"Well, Doc, You're In": Freeman Dyson’s Journey through the Universe
by Edited by David KaiserThe life and work of Freeman Dyson—renowned scientist, visionary, and iconoclast—and his particular way of thinking about deep questions.Freeman Dyson (1923–2020)—renowned scientist, visionary, and iconoclast—helped invent modern physics. Not bound by disciplinary divisions, he went on to explore foundational topics in mathematics, astrophysics, and the origin of life. General readers were introduced to Dyson&’s roving mind and heterodox approach in his 1979 book Disturbing the Universe, a poignant autobiographical reflection on life and science. &“Well, Doc, You&’re In&” (the title quotes Richard Feynman&’s remark to Dyson at a physics conference) offers a fresh examination of Dyson&’s life and work, exploring his particular way of thinking about deep questions that range from the nature of matter to the ultimate fate of the universe. The chapters—written by leading scientists, historians, and science journalists, including some of Dyson&’s colleagues—trace Dyson&’s formative years, his budding interests and curiosities, and his wide-ranging work across the natural sciences, technology, and public policy. They describe Dyson&’s innovations at the intersection of quantum theory and relativity, his novel nuclear reactor design (and his never-realized idea of a spacecraft powered by nuclear weapons), his years at the Institute for Advanced Study, and his foray into cosmology. In the coda, Dyson&’s daughter Esther reflects on growing up in the Dyson household. &“Well, Doc, You&’re In&” assesses Dyson&’s successes, blind spots, and influence, assembling a portrait of a scientist&’s outsized legacy. ContributorsJeremy Bernstein, Robbert Dijkgraaf, Esther Dyson, George Dyson, Ann Finkbeiner, Amanda Gefter, Ashutosh Jogalekar, David Kaiser, Caleb Scharf, William Thomas
The Well-Dressed Ape: A Natural History of Myself
by Hannah HolmesDID YOU KNOW THAT * we have more hair follicles than a chimpanzee* a male boxer in top condition can punch with the force of a thirteen-pound mallet swung at twenty miles an hour* the best human endurance runners can outlast a horse* one odor above all is sexually stimulating to the human male: cinnamon buns* our home-building skills compare nicely with those of the bagworm With dry wit and penetrating insight, science journalist Hannah Holmes casts the eye of a trained researcher and reporter on . . . herself. And on our whole species. She compares the biology and behavior of humans with that of other creatures, exploring how the human animal fits into the natural world. Holmes also reveals the ways in which Homo sapiens stands apart from other mammals (and all other animals) in ways that are alternately admirable and devastating. Deftly mixing personal stories with the latest scientific research, Hannah Holmes has fashioned an engaging field guide to that oddest and most fascinating of primates: ourselves.
The Well-dressed Ape
by Hannah HolmesStiffmeetsYour Inner Fishin this surprising, humourous, and edifying look at our species as, essentially, animals. Combining personal stories, cutting-edge science, and a buoyant sense of humour, Hannah Holmes offers an intriguing and fresh way to understand our place in the world. Science journalist Hannah Holmes wryly examines the human animal, beginning with the animal she knows best: herself. What she finds is that, of course, we are indisputably animals – in some ways (smell and vision, for instance) rather inferior ones. Yet Holmes also discovers that Homo sapiens exhibit some traits and behaviours found in no other animal on earth. Our species is among the most generous, and the most thoughtful. Not so admirably, we kill ourselves any number of ways, including by eating ourselves to death. All this in addition to a patently bizarre physical appearance, and shocking lack of defences. Confronting the creature in the mirror, Holmes wrestles with the big questions: Are humans special at all? How different are men and women? (Very. ) What is our place in the kingdom of animals – and on the planet Earth?
Well-Grounded: The Neurobiology of Rational Decisions
by Kelly LambertA neuroscientist reveals unique aspects of decision making and the best strategies for protecting and enhancing the brain’s ability to navigate life’s uncertainties Contingency calculations—the ability to predict the outcomes of decisions and actions—are critical for survival and success. Our amazing brains continually process past and current experiences to enable us to make the most adaptive choices. But when the brain’s information systems are compromised—by such varying conditions as drug addiction, poverty, mental illness, or even privilege—we can lose the ability to arrive at informed decisions. In this engaging book, behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert explores a variety of the modern factors that can lead to warped neural processing, or distorted realities she terms “brain bubbles.” Individuals who define success in terms of creature comforts and immediate gratification, for instance, may interact less with the physical and social world and thereby dull their ability to imagine varied contingency scenarios. The author underscores how continuous, meaningful, and well-grounded experiences are required if we are to make the best decisions throughout our lives.
A Well-Ordered Thing: Dmitrii Mendeleev and the Shadow of the Periodic Table, Revised Edition
by Professor Michael D. GordinDmitrii Mendeleev (1834–1907) is a name we recognize, but perhaps only as the creator of the periodic table of elements. Generally, little else has been known about him. A Well-Ordered Thing is an authoritative biography of Mendeleev that draws a multifaceted portrait of his life for the first time. As Michael Gordin reveals, Mendeleev was not only a luminary in the history of science, he was also an astonishingly wide-ranging political and cultural figure. From his attack on Spiritualism to his failed voyage to the Arctic and his near-mythical hot-air balloon trip, this is the story of an extraordinary maverick. The ideals that shaped his work outside science also led Mendeleev to order the elements and, eventually, to engineer one of the most fascinating scientific developments of the nineteenth century. A Well-Ordered Thing is a classic work that tells the story of one of the world’s most important minds.
Well-Organized Inorganic Nanowire Films
by Jian-Wei LiuThis thesis presents the latest findings on macroscopic-scale nanowire thin films composed of integrated nanowires. It introduces readers to essential synthesis and assembly strategies for the design and fabrication of high-quality nanowire thin films, and discusses their underlying principles in detail. The book highlights examples specific to well-aligned nanowire systems, and explores the applications of nanowire systems, including memory devices, flexible transparent electrodes, etc. The book offers a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students working in materials science, especially in nanowire device fabrication.
Well-Posed Nonlinear Problems: A Study of Mathematical Models of Contact (Advances in Mechanics and Mathematics #50)
by Mircea SofoneaThis monograph presents an original method to unify the mathematical theories of well-posed problems and contact mechanics. The author uses a new concept called the Tykhonov triple to develop a well-posedness theory in which every convergence result can be interpreted as a well-posedness result. This will be useful for studying a wide class of nonlinear problems, including fixed-point problems, inequality problems, and optimal control problems. Another unique feature of the manuscript is the unitary treatment of mathematical models of contact, for which new variational formulations and convergence results are presented. Well-Posed Nonlinear Problems will be a valuable resource for PhD students and researchers studying contact problems. It will also be accessible to interested researchers in related fields, such as physics, mechanics, engineering, and operations research.
Wellbore Integrity: From Theory to Practice
by Arash Dahi Taleghani Livio SantosThere have been concerns about the integrity of thousands of wells drilled worldwide for different purposes ranging from oil and gas to geological carbon sequestration. This is the first book to integrate different aspects of wellbore integrity into a single volume. It looks at the energy sector's green wave movement by expanding an important topic for practitioners, regulators, and students. It is an area where petroleum and subsurface engineers will increasingly need to be involved in the future to address growing expectations regarding environmental impacts and sustainability. Coverage also includes recent developments in regulations and R&D with indications on emerging areas.Wellbore Integrity: From Theory to Practice will be a valuable resource for practicing engineers and students working on problems related to subsurface energy, subsurface disposals, and environmental impacts of oil and gas wells. In parallel, it will be a valuable reference for engineers and scientists interested in repurposing existing wells for carbon sequestration or geothermal purposes.
Wellenausbreitung: Grundlagen – Modelle – Messtechnik – Verfahren
by Bernhard RemboldDas Lehrbuch vermittelt dem Leser grundlegende Kenntnisse über das, was zwischen Sende- und Empfangsantenne geschieht, da sie für eine plangemäße Funktion entscheidend sind. Die Wellenausbreitung bestimmt maßgebend die Übertragungsverfahren in der Funkkommunikation und beeinflusst in vielen HF-Anwendungen die Systemauslegung. Ziel des Buches ist, dem Leser diese Kenntnisse zu vermitteln sowie ihn in die Lage zu versetzen, Probleme und Möglichkeiten in Zusammenhang mit der Wellenausbreitung zu verstehen und beurteilen zu können.
Welsh Armorial Porcelain: Nantgarw and Swansea Crested China
by Howell G. EdwardsArmorial porcelains comprised the output of most European ceramics factories in the 18th and 19th Centuries in response to the large quantity of armorial porcelain services that were being imported from China bearing the coats of arms and crests of aristocratic families. Whereas these armorial services have been identified and covered for most porcelain manufactories the information relevant to their production by the two relatively short-lived Nantgarw and Swansea China Works has not been addressed as a theme until now. As an integral component of the holistic forensic appraisal of porcelain, a functional and decorative artwork manifestly part of our cultural heritage and its ongoing preservation , the recording and identification of such artefacts is material for the future establishment of a database of factory production . The Nantgarw and Swansea factories only operated for a limited period in the second decade of the 19th Century and their porcelains were much appreciated for their high quality and desirability by Georgian households. Today, examples are to be found in many museums and ceramics collections and continue to excite the interest of specialists and the general public . This text provides the first comprehensive assessment of armorial porcelains from these two factories and the methodology and procedure for the identification of unknown armorial bearings and crests is illustrated; individual bearings are discussed in detail and existing incorrect assignments in the literature are re-appraised. The difficulties in attribution of armorial heraldic achievements that are only minimally depicted are considered and directions for further studies using historical documentation are invoked. This book therefore fills a currently existing gap in the ceramics literature of the 19th Century.
Welt der Bakterien: Die unsichtbaren Beherrscher unseres Planeten
by Gerhard GottschalkWritten in dialog form, Gerhard Gottschalk's book provides surprising insights into the amazing world of bacteria. These microorganisms have changed the Earth more than any other life form and turned it into an inhabitable planet. Did you know, for example, that the human body contains more bacteria cells than human ones? Or that in each animal and plant cell the remains of former symbiotic bacteria maintain the metabolism? But bacteria also have their negative aspects: they cause illnesses and produce the strongest toxins known to mankind. Backed by more than 45 contributions from famous international scientists written especially for this book.
Welt der Bakterien, Archaeen und Viren: Ein einführendes Lehrbuch der Mikrobiologie
by Gerhard GottschalkZeitgemasses Wissen in Lekture- und in Lehrbuchform. Gerhard Gottschalk vermittelt die Mikrobiologie in ihrer ganzen Breite. In 12 Teilen mit jeweils mehreren Kapiteln wird die Mikrobiologie dem Leser auf sehr verstandliche Weise nahergebracht. <P><P>Jedes Kapitel besteht aus einer leicht zu lesenden Beschreibung und darauf abgestimmter Lerneinheit samt Fragenkatalog. Daruber hinaus enthalten die meisten Kapitel Beitrage beruhmter Wissenschaftler auf dem entsprechenden Gebiet. Historische Durchbruche werden beschrieben und so den Studierenden Einblicke in Denk- und Planungsstrukturen von wissenschaftlichem Arbeiten vermittelt. So beschreibt beispielsweise Stefan Hell seine 2014 mit dem Nobelpreis gekronte STED-Mikroskopie. Alle wichtigen Gebiete der Mikrobiologie, von der Evolution uber den mikrobiellen Stoffwechsel und die technischen Anwendungen bis hin zum Gentransfer, zu den Endosymbionten und den Pathogenen werden abgedeckt. Auch wird den Archaea und den Viren entsprechend ihrer enormen Bedeutung ein eigener Teil gewidmet. Das Buch ist ein perfekter Begleiter fur die einfuhrende Vorlesung "Allgemeine Mikrobiologie" sowie ein hervorragender Studienbegleiter fur alle Naturwissenschaftler und Ingenieure, die Mikrobiologie als Nebenfach belegen.
Weltall, Neutrinos, Sterne und Leben: Faszinierendes aus der Astroforschung
by Dieter Frekers Peter BiermannDieses Sachbuch nimmt Sie mit auf eine Reise durch kosmische Epochen, beginnend mit dem Big Bang und der kosmischen Inflation. Es taucht dann ein ins Frühe Universum und die frühe Nukleosynthese und schildert, warum diese Phase bereits nach 10 Minuten wieder beendet war. Das Buch beschreibt, wie es zur kosmischen Mikrowellenstrahlung kam und welche erstaunlichen Informationen zur heutigen Zeit daraus extrahiert werden können. Es erklärt, wie die Elemente in Supernova-Explosionen entstehen und wie man mit solchen Ereignissen die Expansion des Universums bestimmt. Auch unsere Sonne und ihr voraussichtliches Schicksal werden im Detail beschrieben. Dabei werden komplexe Themen wie Relativität, Neutronensterne, Schwarze Löcher, Gravitationswellen, kosmische Strahlung und Dunkle Materie allgemeinverständlich erläutert. Darüber hinaus beschäftigt sich dieses Buch mit der Frage, wie Leben entstehen konnte, und was Neutrinos mit der Synthese von Lebensformen zu tun haben. Einige der behandelten Themen sind eingebunden in einen geschichtlichen, teilweise bis ins 18. Jh. zurückreichenden Zusammenhang, wobei die markantesten Einzelleistungen der beteiligten Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler in besonderer Weise herausgestellt sind. Das Buch entstand aus dem an der Universität Münster jährlich stattfindenden „Münsteraner Astroseminar“ und richtet sich an ein interessiertes Publikum ohne besondere Vorkenntnisse. Leserinnen und Leser mit Interesse an der Entstehung und Entwicklung des Kosmos werden in diesem Buch aktuelle und allgemeinverständliche Einblicke in die Forschung und die physikalischen Zusammenhänge finden.
Welternährung: Status quo und Ausblick zur globalen Ernährungslage
by Michael DachlerIst die globale Nahrungsmittelproduktion ausreichend, um die Ernährungssicherung für alle Menschen zu gewährleisten? Und kann sie es auch in Zukunft sein? Welcher Zusammenhang besteht zwischen Landwirtschaft und Klimawandel? Wo liegen die Ursachen für Fehlernährung und in welchen Ländern herrschen Mangel oder sogar Überfluss? Ausgehend von der erwarteten Zunahme der Weltbevölkerung beschreibt dieses Fachbuch die derzeitige Ernährungslage, die Ernährungserfordernisse (Kalorien- und Proteinbedarf) und listet unterschiedliche Methoden auf, die den Grad der Unterversorgung bestimmen, wie z. B. den Welthungerindex. Daran anschließend wird der Selbstversorgungsgrad verschiedener Länder vorgestellt und die Gefahren und Chancen von Landgrabbing erörtert.Ein besonderer Fokus liegt auf den Produktionsmitteln der Nahrungsmittelerzeugung und deren zukünftige Entwicklung: Boden, Klima, Wasser, Düngung, Pflanzenschutz, Mechanisierung der Landwirtschaft. Zudem werden wichtige pflanzliche und tierische Nahrungsmittel nach globalen Produktionsmengen vorgestellt sowie unterschiedliche landwirtschaftliche Produktionsmethoden beschrieben. Fachkräfte im Bereich der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, in NGOs, internationalen Organisationen und ernährungspolitischen Verbänden bietet dieses Fachbuch eine detaillierte Zusammenstellung an Zahlen, Daten und Fakten zur globalen Ernährungslage. Studierende der Agrar- und Ernährungswissenschaften erhalten Einsicht in die komplexen Zusammenhänge zwischen wirtschaftlicher und demografischer Entwicklung, Agrarsystemen und internationaler Ernährungssicherheit.
Wendel's Workshop
by Chris RiddellWendel is far too busy inventing things to keep his workshop tidy. So if one of his inventions doesn't work, Wendel just tosses it onto the scrap heap and starts over. Then one day he invents the magnificent Wendelbot--a mighty robot that cleans and cleans and doesn't stop. Soon poor Wendel finds himself thrown onto the scrap heap! How will Wendel win back his workshop? Let the robot battle begin! From the award-winning and always imaginative Chris Riddell comes a wonderfully funny, action-packed story full of surprises and extraordinary inventions.
Wenn das Gelbe vom Ei blau macht: Spruche mit versteckter Chemie (Erlebnis Wissenschaft)
by Georg SchwedtWer war nicht schon mal "Feuer und Flamme" fur eine neue Idee? Und musste sich sagen lassen: "Das ist doch alles kalter Kaffee!" Dann ist meistens "Hopfen und Malz verloren", und es nutzt auch nichts, dem Gesprachspartner "Honig ums Maul zu schmieren", denn er wird immer wieder ein "Haar in der Suppe" finden. Solche Spruche kennt jeder und benutzt sie, ohne zu wissen, was eigentlich dahintersteckt. Das ergibt ganz klar einen neuen Fall fur Georg Schwedt, den chemischen Detektiv, der immer wieder aufs Neue enthullt, wieviel Chemie in unserem Alltag steckt - und eben auch in unserer Alltagssprache. Seine Ermittlungsergebnisse stellt er uns exklusiv zur Verfugung: Von A wie "In den sauren Apfel bei?en" bis Z wie "Nicht aus Zucker sein" erfahren wir mehr uber Geschichte und Verwendung solcher Redensarten und lernen nebenbei eine Menge uber die darin versteckte Chemie.
Wenn Frösche vom Himmel fallen: Die verrücktesten Naturphänomene (Erlebnis Wissenschaft)
by Rolf FroböseAs incredible as it may sound, nature is still unbeatable and provides us with the most amazing inventions and phenomena, beyond human imagination. Bacteria that produce plastic or electricity, for example, or natural rocket propulsion or algae that may meet the energy needs of future generations with their supplies of hydrogen. How is it that frogs and fish fall from the sky, how does the dust from the Sahara reach the Caribbean and what lies behind the mysteries of the deep-sea methane oases? Yet nature has also invented modern technologies. A natural solar power plant, for example, provides an Antarctic lake with an agreeable water temperature, and the first functioning nuclear reactor existed in Africa two billion years ago. Nature even created the very first laser. Researchers around the globe are increasingly searching for ways of using nature's inventions for developing new products and concepts. One case in point are extremophile bacteria, which thrive at the baking temperature of 140 degrees Celsius. The resulting enzymes should prove fruitful in chemistry. But also chemosensors, which work like a dog's nose, and bulletproof jackets based on spiders' webs are visions that could profit from evolution's treasure trove.
Wer sind wir? Auf der Suche nach der Formel des Menschen
by Gerhard DanzerAnthropologie ist der Versuch des Menschen, nach seinem Wesen und seiner Natur zu fragen sowie seine Herkunft und Möglichkeiten zu ergründen. Während sich Philosophen schon immer mit diesem Thema beschäftigt haben, sind im 20. Jahrhundert viele Disziplinen hinzugekommen. Der Autor beschreibt anhand von 35 biografischen und werkanalytischen Erörterungen, wie sich Ärzte und Philosophen im 20. Jahrhundert auf die Suche nach der "Formel des Menschen" begeben haben. Dabei setzt er sich mit den verschiedenen Denkrichtungen kritisch auseinander.