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The Racecar Book: Build and Race Mousetrap Cars, Dragsters, Tri-Can Haulers & More
by Bobby MercerA project book for young readers with a need for speed, this work provides instruction on 25 easy-to-construct racecars that can be driven both indoors and out. They will learn how to use mousetraps, rubber bands, chemical reactions, gravity, and air pressure to power the cars that are made for little or no cost using recycled and repurposed materials. Readers will discover how to turn a potato chip can, a rubber band, and weights into a Chip-Can Dancer; retrofit a car with a toy plane propeller to make an air-powered Prop Car; and use an effervescent tablet in a small canister to make an impressive rocket engine for a Mini Pop Car. Each project is accompanied by a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with photos, and explanations of the science behind each racecar, including concepts such as friction, Newton's laws of motion, and kinetic and potential energy.
The Radiance of Being: Complexity, Chaos and the Evolution of Consciousness
by Allan CombsIn this ground-breaking work, Allan Combs presents a wide-ranging survey of the nature and origins of consciousness research, viewing consciousness as a dynamic and self-organizing process with evolutionary potential. Combs reviews the work of evolutionary theorists such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Ken Wilber, Jean Gebser, and Sri Aurobindo.
The Radio Hobby, Private Associations, and the Challenge of Modernity in Germany (Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology)
by Bruce B. CampbellIn the early twentieth century, the magic of radio was new, revolutionary, and poorly understood. A powerful symbol of modernity, radio was a site where individuals wrestled and came to terms with an often frightening wave of new mass technologies. Radio was the object of scientific investigation, but more importantly, it was the domain of tinkerers, “hackers,” citizen scientists, and hobbyists. This book shows how this wild and mysterious technology was appropriated by ordinary individuals in Germany in the first half of the twentieth century as a leisure activity. Clubs and hobby organizations became the locus of this process, providing many of the social structures within which individuals could come to grips with radio, apart from any media institution or government framework. In so doing, this book uncovers the vital but often overlooked social context in which technological revolutions unfold.
The Radio Sky and How to Observe It
by Jeff LashleyRadio astronomy is far from being beyond the scope of amateurs astronomers, and this practical, self-contained guide for the newcomer to practical radio astronomey is an ideal introduction. This guide is a must for anyone who wants to join the growing ranks of 21st Century backyard radio astronomers. The first part of the book provides background material and explains (in a non-mathematical way) our present knowledge of the stronger radio sources - those observable by amateurs - including the Sun, Jupiter, Meteors, Galactic and extra-galactic sources. The second part of the book deals not only with observing, but - assuming no prior technical knowledge of electronics or radio theory - takes the reader step-by-step through the process of building and using a backyard radio telescope. There are complete, detailed plans and construction information for a number of amateur radio telescopes, the simplest of which can be put together and working - using only simple tools - in a weekend. For other instruments, there are full details of circuit-board layouts, components to use and (vitally important in radio astronomy) how to construct antennae for radio astronomy.
The Radioactive Boy Scout
by Ken SilversteinGrowing up in suburban Detroit, David Hahn was fascinated by science. While he was working on his Atomic Energy badge for the Boy Scouts, David's obsessive attention turned to nuclear energy. Throwing caution to the wind, he plunged into a new project: building a model nuclear reactor in his backyard garden shed. Posing as a physics professor, David solicited information on reactor design from the U. S. government and from industry experts. Following blueprints he found in an outdated physics textbook, David cobbled together a crude device that threw off toxic levels of radiation. His wholly unsupervised project finally sparked an environmental emergency that put his town's forty thousand suburbanites at risk. The EPA ended up burying his lab at a radioactive dumpsite in Utah. This offbeat account of ambition and, ultimately, hubris has the narrative energy of a first-rate thriller.
The Radiology Technologist's Handbook to Surgical Procedures
by AnthonyC AndersonIn the past several years, the rapid development of sophisticated imaging modalities has made radiology the fastest growing specialty in medicine. It is important for the radiologic technologist to keep pace with technology's advancements. The influx of freestanding outpatient facilities and the demands of insurance companies, HMOs and third party reimbursement have brought about change. Medical facilities have begun to call upon nurses, surgical technicians, and other non-radiologic personnel to assist with patient positioning during surgical procedures requiring imaging-creating a need for a concise, how-to guide to performing surgical procedures. The Radiology Technologist's Handbook to Surgical Procedures provides a quick reference for using fluoroscopic and x-ray equipment during surgical procedures. This book includes detailed descriptions and photographs taken in actual clinical settings.By using this manual as a foundation, the radiologic technologist will be able to master many of the operating room x-ray procedures.
The Radium Girls: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark
by Kate MooreExplore the unbelievable true story of America's glowing girls and their fight for justice in the young readers edition of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The Radium Girls. This enthralling new edition includes all-new material, including a glossary, timeline, and dozens of bonus photos.Amid the excitement of the early twentieth century, hundreds of young women spend their days hard at work painting watch dials with glow-in-the-dark radium paint. The painters consider themselves lucky—until they start suffering from a mysterious illness. As the corporations try to cover up a shocking secret, these shining girls suddenly find themselves at the center of a deadly scandal.The Radium Girls: Young Readers Edition tells the unbelievable true story of these incredible women, whose determination to fight back saved countless lives.This new edition of the national bestseller is perfect for:Educators looking for history books for kids ages 9 to 12, nonfiction books for kids, biographies for kids, and real stories around the industrial revolution, chemistry, and scienceParents, educators, and librarians looking for stories about strong women, inspiring books for girls, childrens books about women in history, and famous women books for girlsYoung readers who want to read one of the most inspiring and shocking narratives of the early 20th century
The Radon Transform and Local Tomography
by Alexander G. Ramm Alex I. KatsevichOver the past decade, the field of image processing has made tremendous advances. One type of image processing that is currently of particular interest is "tomographic imaging," a technique for computing the density function of a body, or discontinuity surfaces of this function. Today, tomography is widely used, and has applications in such fields as medicine, engineering, physics, geophysics, and security. The Radon Transform and Local Tomography clearly explains the theoretical, computational, and practical aspects of applied tomography. It includes sufficient background information to make it essentially self-contained for most readers.
The Rain Wizard: The Amazing, Mysterious, True Life of Charles Mallory Hatfield
by Larry Dane BrimnerIn December 1915, San Diego's leaders claimed the town's reservoirs were nearly dry. Knowing the city would not survive and grow unless it had water, they hired Charles Mallory Hatfield, whose skills at making rain were legendary. But when torrents and torrents of rain came, disaster struck. Roads were closed, people drowned, and dams burst. The town elders blamed Hatfield and refused to pay him. Was Hatfield really a rain wizard, or simply a fraud? Renowned author Larry Dane Brimner examines the man and the myth by relying on personal recollections from growing up in California, as well as extensive research. Readers will be captivated by Hatfield--a man once known as the Frankenstein of the air--and his secret rainmaking formulas. Includes author's note, source notes, and bibliography.
The Rainbow Mystery
by Jennifer DusslingTwo curious kids conduct experiments and build a prism in order to figure out how rainbows form.
The Rainbow Mystery (Science Solves It!)
by Jennifer DusslingSolve kid-sized dilemmas and mysteries with the Science Solves It! series. These fun books for kids ages 5–8 blend clever stories with real-life science. Why did the dog turn green? Can you control a hiccup? Is that a UFO? Find the answers to these questions and more as kid characters dive into physical, life, and earth sciences. Colors on the loose! Annie and Mike are making a box fort when a bunch of little rainbows mysteriously appear on the family room wall. Are they from a sprinkler? A gas puddle? A necklace? Annie and Mike need scientific detective skills to solve this rainbow mystery! Books in this perfect STEM series will help kids think like scientists and get ahead in the classroom. Activities and experiments are included in every book! (Level Two; Science topic: Rainbows)
The Rainbow Sky
by Tony BuickThere are many more astronomical and meteorological phenomena involving color than most people are aware of, let alone have observed. Visual double stars with contrasting color are obvious targets for amateur astronomers, but there are many more - everything from colors on the Moon, through colors on the planets and in deep-sky objects, to man-made colors in the night sky. A great deal of these colored phenomena can be seen with the unaided eye, and can be visible in - and imaged with - a modest telescope, but all require preparation, anticipation and planning. The result will be some breathtaking sights, along with some amazing images. Just browsing through this book will captivate the reader. Some events are familiar but present severe challenges to photograph. Some can be captured only by using previously unfamiliar techniques. And it is almost certain that some will never have been seen before by readers. All the colored objects and phenomena are accessible by using the right techniques, for which Tony Buick provides easy-to-follow instructions.
The Rangelands of Libya
by Gustave Gintzburger Slim SaïdiLibya remains a land of mysteries with a harsh arid climate, a land rich in millenaries of troubled history, a land where the Sahara meet the Mediterranean Sea, a land where the West and the East Mediterranean merge. Libya is also a land where the desert and the sown intermingle in the steppe country where the rainfall is unpredictable, the soils are poor, rocky, saline, rendering rainfed cultivation hazardous, where grazing and rainfed cropping remained for long the only viable agricultural options. Over the past 60 years, oil resources allowed gigantic agricultural development projects, urbanization, road network expansion and well drilling. This changed the ways of life of rural populations, impacting and undoubtedly altering rangelands conditions and systems, as well as native vegetation cover, wildlife and land use. This book reviews the past and current environmental and agricultural condition of the Libyan rangelands with example of how territories and resources are used by tribal communities. It describes, explains and illustrates the landscapes, the vegetation, the wildlife, the rainfed cereal systems and livestock systems, the reasons for the rampant overstocking, the relentless land clearing for hazardous cropping and uncertain irrigation projects, the wild fuelwood collection and charcoal manufacturing, triggering land degradation and desertification. Long-tested rangeland recovery and rehabilitation techniques in Libya are reviewed using appropriate plant material and proven establishment techniques with successes and failures assessed. This book is offered in hopes of a better future for the Libyan people and the whole Mediterranean arid regions from Morocco to Pakistan.
The Ranque Hilsch Vortex Tube Demystified: Understanding the Working Principles of the Vortex Tube
by André KaufmannThe book describes the thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and working principle of the Ranque Hilsch Vortex Tube. Although vortex tubes have been around for a long time, different explications of their fundamental physics and operation can be found in literature and on the internet. This volume investigates the working principle based on thermodynamics and fluid dynamics. It provides full explication of these parameters in one single work along with results of new investigations not published elsewhere. In addition, the book features a wealth of illustrations on various aspects of the vortex tube that make it easy to read and understand.
The Rare Earth Elements
by David A. AtwoodLanthanides are of great importance for the electronic industries, this new book (from the EIBC Book Series) provides a comprehensive coverage of the basic chemistry, particularly inorganic chemistry, of the lanthanoid elements, those having a 4f shell of electrons. A chapter is describing the similarity of the Group 3 elements, Sc, Y, La, the group from which the lanthanoids originate and the group 13 elements, particularly aluminum, having similar properties. Inclusion of the group 3 and 13 elements demonstrates how the lanthanoid elements relate to other, more common, elements in the Periodic Table. Beginning chapters describe the occurrence and mineralogy of the elements, with a focus on structural features observed in compounds described in later chapters. The majority of the chapters is organized by the oxidation state of the elements, Ln(0), Ln(II), Ln(III), and Ln(IV). Within this organization the chapters are further distinguished by type of compound, inorganic (oxides and hydroxides, aqueous speciation, halides, alkoxides, amides and thiolates, and chelates) and organometallic. Concluding chapters deal with diverse and critically important applications of the lanthanoids in electronic and magnetic materials, and medical imaging.
The Rare Earth Elements
by J.H.L. VonckenThis book deals with the rare earth elements (REE), which are a series of 17 transition metals: scandium, yttrium and the lanthanide series of elements (lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium). They are relatively unknown to the wider public, despite their numerous applications and their critical role in many high-tech applications, such as high-temperature superconductors, phosphors (for energy-saving lamps, flat-screen monitors and flat-screen televisions), rechargeable batteries (household and automotive), very strong permanent magnets (used for instance in wind turbines and hard-disk drives), or even in a medical MRI application. This book describes the history of their discovery, the major REE ore minerals and the major ore deposits that are presently being exploited (or are planned to be exploited in the very near future), the physical and chemical properties of REEs, the mineral processing of REE concentrates and their extractive metallurgy, the applications of these elements, their economic aspects and the influential economical role of China, and finally the recycling of the REE, which is an emerging field.
The Rasputin Effect: When Commensals and Symbionts Become Parasitic
by Christon J. HurstThisvolume focuses on those instances when benign and even beneficial relationshipsbetween microbes and their hosts opportunistically change and becomedetrimental toward the host. It examinesthe triggering events which can factor into these changes, such as reduction inthe host's capacity for mounting an effective defensive response due tonutritional deprivation, coinfections and seemingly subtle environmentalinfluences like the amounts of sunlight, temperature, and either water or airquality. The effects of environmentalchanges can be compounded when they necessitate a physical relocation ofspecies, in turn changing the probability of encounter between microbe andhost. The change also can result whenpathogens, including virus species, either have modified the opportunist or attackedthe host's protective natural microflora. The authors discuss these opportunistic interactions and assess theiroutcomes in both aquatic as well as terrestrial ecosystems, highlighting theimpact on plant, invertebrate and vertebrate hosts.
The Rat: A Study in Behavior
by S. A. BarnettThe laws of animal behavior have been revised and revealed through research performed by zoologists, physiologists and experimental psychologists. Each has contributed much. Their main meeting ground has been the study of mammals, especially rats. This classic book is unique in bringing together the principal conclusions of these researchers in a compact, well illustrated, and lucid form.The author himself made important original contributions to wild rat behavior; his account of "white rat psychology" and of relevant work on other species is equally authoritative. Experience as a teacher enabled him to write an unusually logical and comprehensive text, suitable for students of zoology, psychology and medicine.This book belongs to no particular school of biology or psychology. Rather it admits the work of all schools and strict adherence to none. The principal topics covered include: movement in the living space; feeding behavior; social and reproductive behavior; the analysis of "instinct"; the analysis of learned behavior; "motivation" and "drive"; the brain and behavior. The book includes a full, carefully selected bibliography, current up to the time of original publication of the original edition.
The Rational Animal: How Evolution Made Us Smarter Than We Think
by Douglas T. Kenrick Vladas GriskeviciusWhy are Amazonian hunter-gatherers better at logic than Harvard students? Why did the Zambian president reject food donations during a famine? And why do billionaires work so hard-only to give their hard-earned money away? In this animated tour of the latest in behavioral science, psychologist Douglas T. Kenrick and marketing professor Vladas Griskevicius argue that while our decision making may seem superficially irrational, our misjudgments are the result of a psychological mismatch between ancestral drives for survival and our modern lifestyles. Ultimately, The Rational Animal offers an uplifting message-that while our brains may still house caveman impulses, we have evolved to be smarter than we think.
The Rationalist's Guide to the Galaxy: Superintelligent AI and the Geeks Who Are Trying to Save Humanity's Future
by Tom Chivers'A fascinating and delightfully written book about some very smart people who may not, or may, be about to transform humanity forever' JON RONSON'Beautifully written, and with wonderful humour, this is a thrilling adventure story of our own future' LEWIS DARTNELL, author of THE KNOWLEDGE and ORIGINSAre paperclips going to destroy life as we know it?What can Mickey Mouse teach us about how to programme AI?Could a more rational approach to life be what saves us all?This is a book about about a community of people who are trying to think rationally about intelligence and what insight they can and can't give us about the future of the human race. It explains why these people are worried about an AI apocalypse, why they might be right, and why they might be wrong. It is a book about the cutting edge of our thinking on intelligence and rationality right now by the people who stay up all night worrying about it.
The Rationalist's Guide to the Galaxy: Superintelligent AI and the Geeks Who Are Trying to Save Humanity's Future
by Tom Chivers'A fascinating and delightfully written book about some very smart people who may not, or may, be about to transform humanity forever' JON RONSON'The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made of atoms which it can use for something else'This is a book about AI and AI risk. But it's also more importantly about a community of people who are trying to think rationally about intelligence, and the places that these thoughts are taking them, and what insight they can and can't give us about the future of the human race over the next few years. It explains why these people are worried, why they might be right, and why they might be wrong.It isn't, on the other hand, a book about the future - it doesn't try to guess how many of us are going to be put out of work by AI, or what the operating system in your house might be able to do ten years hence. Instead, this is a book about the cutting edge of our thinking on intelligence and rationality right now by the people who stay up all night worrying about it.Along the way, we discover why we probably don't need to worry about a future AI resurrecting a perfect copy of our minds and torturing us for not inventing it sooner but we should be concerned about paperclips destroying life as we know it; how Mickey Mouse can teach us an important lesson about how to programme AI; and why Spock is not as logical as we think he is.(p) Orion Publishing Group Ltd 2019
The Rationalists: Between Tradition and Innovation
by Justin E. Smith Carlos Fraenkel Dario PerinettiThis volume draws a balanced picture of the Rationalists by bringing their intellectual contexts, sources and full range of interests into sharper focus, without neglecting their core commitment to the epistemological doctrine that earned them their traditional label. The collection of original essays addresses topics ranging from theodicy and early modern music theory to Spinoza's anti-humanism, often critically revising important aspects of the received picture of the Rationalists. Another important contribution of the volume is that it brings out aspects of Rationalist philosophers and their legacies that are not ordinarily associated with them, such as the project of a Cartesian ethics. Finally, a strong emphasis is placed on the connection of the Rationalists' philosophy to their interests in empirical science, to their engagement in the political life of their era, and to the religious background of many of their philosophical commitments.
The Rationality Quotient: Toward a Test of Rational Thinking
by Keith E. Stanovich Maggie E. Toplak Richard F. WestWhy are we surprised when smart people act foolishly? Smart people do foolish things all the time. Misjudgments and bad decisions by highly educated bankers and money managers, for example, brought us the financial crisis of 2008. Smart people do foolish things because intelligence is not the same as the capacity for rational thinking. The Rationality Quotient explains that these two traits, often (and incorrectly) thought of as one, refer to different cognitive functions. The standard IQ test, the authors argue, doesn't measure any of the broad components of rationality -- adaptive responding, good judgment, and good decision making. The authors show that rational thinking, like intelligence, is a measurable cognitive competence. Drawing on theoretical work and empirical research from the last two decades, they present the first prototype for an assessment of rational thinking analogous to the IQ test: the CART (Comprehensive Assessment of Rational Thinking).The authors describe the theoretical underpinnings of the CART, distinguishing the algorithmic mind from the reflective mind. They discuss the logic of the tasks used to measure cognitive biases, and they develop a unique typology of thinking errors. The Rationality Quotient explains the components of rational thought assessed by the CART, including probabilistic and scientific reasoning; the avoidance of "miserly" information processing; and the knowledge structures needed for rational thinking. Finally, the authors discuss studies of the CART and the social and practical implications of such a test. An appendix offers sample items from the test.
The Rationality Quotient: Toward a Test of Rational Thinking (The\mit Press Ser.)
by Keith E. Stanovich Maggie E. Toplak Richard F. WestHow to assess critical aspects of cognitive functioning that are not measured by IQ tests: rational thinking skills.Why are we surprised when smart people act foolishly? Smart people do foolish things all the time. Misjudgments and bad decisions by highly educated bankers and money managers, for example, brought us the financial crisis of 2008. Smart people do foolish things because intelligence is not the same as the capacity for rational thinking. The Rationality Quotient explains that these two traits, often (and incorrectly) thought of as one, refer to different cognitive functions. The standard IQ test, the authors argue, doesn't measure any of the broad components of rationality—adaptive responding, good judgment, and good decision making. The authors show that rational thinking, like intelligence, is a measurable cognitive competence. Drawing on theoretical work and empirical research from the last two decades, they present the first prototype for an assessment of rational thinking analogous to the IQ test: the CART (Comprehensive Assessment of Rational Thinking).The authors describe the theoretical underpinnings of the CART, distinguishing the algorithmic mind from the reflective mind. They discuss the logic of the tasks used to measure cognitive biases, and they develop a unique typology of thinking errors. The Rationality Quotient explains the components of rational thought assessed by the CART, including probabilistic and scientific reasoning; the avoidance of “miserly” information processing; and the knowledge structures needed for rational thinking. Finally, the authors discuss studies of the CART and the social and practical implications of such a test. An appendix offers sample items from the test.
The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas, and the Coming Death of America's Coastal Cities
by Mike TidwellIf, like many Americans, you believe the ongoing tragedy of Hurricane Katrina was a once-in-a-lifetime fluke, you need to read this book. In the coming years and decades, the safety of your region, your town, your home may depend on the warnings you'll encounter on these pages. That's because the exact same conditions that created the Katrina catastrophe and destroyed New Orleans are being replicated right now along virtually every inch of U. S. coastline. In The Ravaging Tide, Mike Tidwell, a renowned advocate for the environment and an award-winning journalist, issues a call to arms and confronts us with some unsettling facts. Consider: In the next seventy-five years, much of the Florida peninsula could lie under ocean water. So could much of Lower Manhattan, including all of the hallowed ground zero area. Major hurricanes like Katrina, scientists say, are becoming much more frequent and more powerful. Glacier National Park in Montana will have to change its name, as it is rapidly losing all of its thirty-five remaining glaciers. The snows atop Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, so memorably evoked in the Hemingway story, have already disappeared. The fault, Tidwell argues, lies mostly with the U. S. government and the energy choices it has encouraged Americans to make over the decades. Those policies are now actively bringing rising seas and gigantic hurricanes -- the lethal forces that killed the Big Easy -- crashing into every coastal city in the country and indeed the world. The Bush administration's own reports and studies (some of which it has tried to suppress) explicitly predict more intense storms and up to three feet of sea-level rise by 2100 due to planetary warming. The danger is clear: Whether the land sinks three feet per century (as in New Orleans over the past 100 years) or sea levels rise three feet per century (as in the rest of the world over the next 100 years), the resulting calamity is the same. Although Mike Tidwell sounds the clarion in The Ravaging Tide, this is ultimately an optimistic book, one that offers a clear path to a healthier and safer world for us and our descendants. He writes of trend-setting U. S. states like New York and California that are actively cutting greenhouse gases. And he heeds his own words: In one delightful personal chapter, he takes us on a tour of his suburban Washington, D.C., home and demonstrates how he and many of his neighbors have weaned themselves from the fossil-fuel lifestyle. Even when the government is slow to change, there are steps we as families can take to, yes, change the world.