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What Is a Complex System?
by James Ladyman Karoline WiesnerA clear, concise introduction to the quickly growing field of complexity science that explains its conceptual and mathematical foundations What is a complex system? Although &“complexity science&” is used to understand phenomena as diverse as the behavior of honeybees, the economic markets, the human brain, and the climate, there is no agreement about its foundations. In this introduction for students, academics, and general readers, philosopher of science James Ladyman and physicist Karoline Wiesner develop an account of complexity that brings the different concepts and mathematical measures applied to complex systems into a single framework. They introduce the different features of complex systems, discuss different conceptions of complexity, and develop their own account. They explain why complexity science is so important in today&’s world.
What Is a Lever (Welcome)
by Lloyd G DouglasIllustrations and text describe different examples of the use of simple machines known as levers.
What Is a Solar Eclipse? (Who HQ Now)
by Dana Meachen Rau Who HQLearn about the phenomenon of a solar eclipse just in time for the Great American Eclipse that will take place on April 8, 2024 in this title in the Who HQ Now series featuring newsmakers and trending topics.Just in time for the third North American total solar eclipse of the twenty-first century, this book explains how to safely observe solar eclipses, how long eclipses last, and why they result in a blackout period during the day. Young armchair astronomers and astronauts will be inspired by the wonders of outer space and what exists beyond our atmosphere as they learn more about the moon, the sun, and our earth. What really happens during a solar eclipse and how does it affect the energy in our atmosphere? You'll find the most up-to-date eclipse information in this exciting new book.
What is a Wave? (Unseen Science)
by Linda IvancicWhat Is a Wave? introduces readers to the science behind that question, explaining the physics behind the phenomenon through graphs and activities. Easy-to-understand summaries following each chapter highlights the most important points for review.
What Is at the End of a Black Hole?
by Lizzie WadeWho knows what is at the end of a black hole? Astrophysicists!
What Is Baby Gorilla Doing?
by Christena Nippert-EngBaby gorilla plays, looks, sits, smells, tastes, climbs, claps, smiles, and sleeps—just like the young readers of this book. Beautiful photographs capture an adorable baby gorilla in action. A gentle bedtime ending rounds out this action-word concept book.
What Is Climate Change? (What Was?)
by Gail Herman Who Hq John HinderliterLearn more about what climate change means and how it's affecting our planet.The earth is definitely getting warmer. There's no argument about that, but who or what is the cause? And why has climate change become a political issue? Are humans at fault? Is this just a natural development? While the vast majority of scientists who study the environment agree that humans play a large part in climate change, there is a counterargument. Author Gail Herman presents both sides of the debate in this fact-based, fair-minded, and well-researched book that looks at the subject from many perspectives, including scientific, social, and political.
What is Colonialism?
by Patrick Colm HoganWhat is Colonialism? develops a clear and rigorous account of what colonialism is and how it works. It draws on and synthesizes recent work in cognitive science, affective science, and social psychology, along with Marxism and related forms of analysis. Hogan begins with some fundamental conceptual distinctions, such as the degree to which a group shares beliefs, dispositions, and skills versus the degree to which they share identification with a category. Building on these distinctions, he defines colonialism in terms of political, economic, and cultural autonomy, clarifying the nature of culture and autonomy particularly. He goes on to articulate an invaluable systematic account of the varieties of colonialism. The final chapters outline the motives of imperialists, differentiating these from their ideological rationalizations, and sketching the harms caused by colonialism. The book concludes by considering when, or if, one can achieve a genuinely postcolonial condition. Hogan illustrates these analyses by examining influential literary works—by European writers (such as Joseph Conrad) and by non-Europeans (such as Athol Fugard, Kamala Markandaya, and Wole Soyinka). This accessible and informative volume is the ideal resource for students and scholars interested in colonialism and empire.
What Is Color?: The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paint, and the Wondrous World of Art
by Steven WeinbergIn this zany and vibrantly illustrated nonfiction guide to all things color, the origins of today's pigments come alive across continents and history, with oodles of art, tons of science--and extensive interactive backmatter!So what is color? A red apple? A yellow banana? The purple goo from a squished sea snail?Once you start digging, color turns out to be a lot of things--it’s messy, stinky, and even a little bit dangerous. You may already know that it’s art, but it’s science, too! What Is Color? will take readers all over the world, introducing them to talented, brilliant, creative people from scientists to famous artists and everyone in between as we take the color wheel for a spin.Perfect for curious and creative minds who love paintbrushes as much as microscopes, this clever and eye-catching full-color nonfiction book dives deep into the strange, wacky, silly, and occasionally perilous history behind the colors that paint our everyday lives.Readers will get:• A laugh-out-loud funny adventure full of gross-out facts (like how cow pee can be used to make the color yellow!).• Hilarious illustrations that encourage creativity and fun while learning!• A kid-friendly primer on global art history, from Yayoi Kusama to Van Gogh, Basquiat, and many more.• A dazzling full-color book, with rainbow edges and vibrant info-filled endpapers.• Extensive backmatter with a glossary plus art and science activities perfect for the classroom and home!
What is Creation Science?
by Dr Henry M. Morris Dr Gary ParkerWhat is the better explanation? Many Christians are not aware that a growing number of legitimate scientists now embrace the Genesis explanation of origins. In What is Creation Science, two of the most respected members of that group have given us the benefit of their knowledge: Dr. Henry Morris, who has served on the faculties of five universities, Dr. Gary Parker, a former evolutionary biologist. Their findings throw the brakes on the "evolution train."
What Is Dark Matter? (Princeton Frontiers in Physics #10)
by Peter FisherWhat we know about dark matter and what we have yet to discoverAstronomical observations have confirmed dark matter’s existence, but what exactly is dark matter? In What Is Dark Matter?, particle physicist Peter Fisher introduces readers to one of the most intriguing frontiers of physics. We cannot actually see dark matter, a mysterious, nonluminous form of matter that is believed to account for about 27 percent of the mass-energy balance in the universe. But we know dark matter is present by observing its ghostly gravitational effects on the behavior and evolution of galaxies. Fisher brings readers quickly up to speed regarding the current state of the dark matter problem, offering relevant historical context as well as a close look at the cutting-edge research focused on revealing dark matter’s true nature.Could dark matter be a new type of particle—an axion or a Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP)—or something else? What have physicists ruled out so far—and why? What experimental searches are now underway and planned for the near future, in hopes of detecting dark matter on Earth or in space? Fisher explores these questions and more, illuminating what is known and unknown, and what a triumph it will be when scientists discover dark matter’s identity at last.
What Is Density?
by Joanne BarkanWhat do a softball, a popcorn ball, and a birthday party balloon have in common? They all are made of matter and take up space. In What Is Density? young readers will find out why the baseball is heavier than the popcorn ball and why they'd better hold on to the string of that balloon!
What is DNA?
by Professor Julian Barwell Dr Neeta LakhaniA humorous introduction to DNA and genetics, helping children find out what they are made of!DNA is the building block of all life. This book helps children aged 8 plus understand the structure of the DNA chemical, how it works inside the body, how life began on Earth and how all living things are connected by their DNA. With Nigel Baines' hilarious cartoons, the book explores topics such as why some of us really don't like Brussel sprouts - and why some of us love them!; what came first - the chicken or the egg?; and how DNA can solve crimes and make our lives better.Contents: The Great Discovery! / The Code Breakers and the Machines Inside Our Bodies / Babies Come with Instructions / Is it Good to Mix Up Our DNA? / How are Twins Made? / How Did Life on Earth Begin? / What Came First - the Chicken or the Egg? / Are We 50% a Mushroom?/ Is Grandad Really a Dinosaur?/ Why Don't I Like Vegetables?/ How Did I Get Ginger Hair?/ How Much Do Our Genes Affect Us?/ Spot a Relative After 500 Years!/ Traffic Lights - Red! Green! Blue?/ Gene On, Gene Off/ DNA That Makes Diseases / Who Did It!? / Who Is In Charge? / Quiz
What Is Earth Day?: A Good Answer to a Good Question
by Who HqDirect from Who HQ, the team that brings you the New York Times Best-Selling Who Was? biography series, comes Who HQ Presents. These short illustrated e-Books provide quick, simple answers to the important questions being asked today about politics, social issues, the environment, and more!What is Earth Day? Wonder no more: Who HQ Presents answers about how this environmental celebration came about, and how you can join in.
What Is Energy?: An Answer Based on the Evolution of a Concept (History of Physics)
by Ricardo Lopes CoelhoThis book provides a solution to the problem with the energy concept. This problem manifests itself in the fact that physicists clearly diverge regarding the question of what energy is. Some define it but others state that we do not know what it is. Although this is a problem for physicists who need to explain the concept, it is not a problem for physics that can be solved by laboratory means. Penetrating into the origin of the notion of energy, this book offers a clear idea of what was discovered and what was invented to interpret the findings.Following the development of the concept, it provides an explanation of the trends in contemporary textbooks. The author's repetition, in his "History and Philosophy of Physics Laboratory", of Joule’s famous experiment – the paddle wheel experiment – with a calorimeter as originally used by Joule and with a calorimeter as proposed in textbooks, is presented, yielding new insight into the phenomenon. Thus, science teachers and students will benefit from reading the book as well as historians, philosophers, students of the history and philosophy of science, and all who are interested in knowing about what it is that we call energy.
What Is Extinction?: A Natural and Cultural History of Last Animals
by Joshua SchusterLife on Earth is facing a mass extinction event of our own making. Human activity is changing the biology and the meaning of extinction. What Is Extinction? examines several key moments that have come to define the terms of extinction over the past two centuries, exploring instances of animal and human finitude and the cultural forms used to document and interpret these events.Offering a critical theory for the critically endangered, Joshua Schuster proposes that different discourses of limits and lastness appear in specific extinction events over time as a response to changing attitudes toward species frailty. Understanding these extinction events also involves examining what happens when the conceptual and cultural forms used to account for species finitude are pressed to their limits as well. Schuster provides close readings of several case studies of extinction that bring together environmental humanities and multispecies methods with media-specific analyses at the terminus of life.What Is Extinction? delves into the development of last animal photography, the anthropological and psychoanalytic fascination with human origins and ends, the invention of new literary genres of last fictions, the rise of new extreme biopolitics in the Third Reich that attempted to change the meaning of extinction, and the current pursuit of de-extinction technologies. Schuster offers timely interpretations of how definitions and visions of extinction have changed in the past and continue to change in the present.
What Is Fire?
by Amy TaoWhat is needed to create fire? Learn about the science behind fire and how fuel, heat, and oxygen all work together to create flames.
What Is Fire?
by Amy TaoFire is what happens when you put three things together: fuel, oxygen, and heat. Using matches, a candle, and a large glass jar, you can see for yourself how these three things work together to create or destroy fire.
What Is Friction?
by Lisa TrumbauerThis Rookie Read-About Science book introduces young readers to friction. Colorful photos and simple text encourage children to read on their own as they discover what makes objects slow down and stop.
What Is Going on Inside Me? (Investigating and Questioning Our World through Science and Technology)
by Joseph S. Krajcik Brian J. Reiser LeeAnn M. Sutherland David FortusNIMAC-sourced textbook
What Is Gravity?
by Lisa TrumbauerA simple introduction to gravity, describing what it is and giving some effects of this force.
What is Health?: Allostasis and the Evolution of Human Design
by Peter SterlingAn argument that health is optimal responsiveness and is often best treated at the system level. Medical education centers on the venerable “no-fault” concept of homeostasis, whereby local mechanisms impose constancy by correcting errors, and the brain serves mainly for emergencies. Yet, it turns out that most parameters are not constant; moreover, despite the importance of local mechanisms, the brain is definitely in charge. In this book, the eminent neuroscientist Peter Sterling describes a broader concept: allostasis (coined by Sterling and Joseph Eyer in the 1980s), whereby the brain anticipates needs and efficiently mobilizes supplies to prevent errors. Allostasis evolved early, Sterling explains, to optimize energy efficiency, relying heavily on brain circuits that deliver a brief reward for each positive surprise. Modern life so reduces the opportunities for surprise that we are driven to seek it in consumption: bigger burgers, more opioids, and innumerable activities that involve higher carbon emissions. The consequences include addiction, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and climate change. Sterling concludes that solutions must go beyond the merely technical to restore possibilities for daily small rewards and revivify the capacities for egalitarianism that were hard-wired into our nature. Sterling explains that allostasis offers what is not found in any medical textbook: principled definitions of health and disease: health as the capacity for adaptive variation and disease as shrinkage of that capacity. Sterling argues that since health is optimal responsiveness, many significant conditions are best treated at the system level.
What Is Information?: A Mythological Critique (Electronic Mediations #55)
by Peter Janich Eric Hayot Lea PaoA novel way of looking at information challenges longstanding dogmas—from a preeminent German thinker It is widely agreed that we live in an “information age,” but what exactly is information? This small, seemingly facile question is in fact surprisingly difficult, and it has occupied many of the best philosophical minds of the modern age. In this wholly original addition to the quest to understand information, German philosopher Peter Janich argues that our understanding of information is based in the much broader history of scientific naturalism—the belief that science is a fundamental aspect of the world and not a human contrivance. His novel critique of this widespread dogma grounds science in human life practices and wrestles with the very fundamentals of the scientific way of understanding reality.Offering new perspectives on the major contemporary fields of communications technology, neurobiology, and artificial intelligence, What Is Information? provides a deep look into humanity in an information age. Its arguments show ways of reconciling the sciences and the humanities, shining new light on the relationship of science to the natural world.
What Is Inside a Black Hole? (Brief Answers, Big Questions)
by Stephen Hawking'If you feel you are in a black hole, don't give up. There's a way out'What is inside a black hole?Is time travel possible?Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. In What Is Inside a Black Hole? Hawking takes us on a journey to the outer reaches of our imaginations, exploring the science of time travel and black holes.'The best most mind-bending sort of physics' The TimesBrief Answers, Big Questions: this stunning paperback series offers electrifying essays from one of the greatest minds of our age, taken from the original text of the No. 1 bestselling Brief Answers to the Big Questions.
What Is It?
by Amy TaoWhen a young boy happens across a tarantula, it scares him at first! But then he and the tarantula have a conversation, and he learns about the differences between insects and spiders—like the spider’s unique body, which is comprised of a combined head/thorax, abdomen, and palps—as well as some interesting facts about other arachnids!