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This is Rocket Science
by Gloria Skurzynski. . three, two, one. . . we have liftoff! From the award-winning author ofAre We Alone?comes a title to propel young imaginations far into space. This Is Rocket Scienceexplores the past, present, and future of space travel. The compelling text-vetted by NASA scientists-is a combination of history, science, human drama, and future challenges. Readers learn how fireworks in ancient China developed into the fire arrows used by Genghis Khan; we meet Sir Isaac Newton, Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and learn how their imaginations shaped rocketry. We revisit the era of Sputnik, the satellite that launched a superpower space race, ending with moonwalks and a rendezvous in space. Finally we look forward to the future challenges of Mars and beyond. We also get a sneak peek at new technologies like space elevators, solar snails, ramjets, and more.
This Is the Voice
by John ColapintoA New York Times bestselling writer explores what our unique sonic signature reveals about our species, our culture, and each one of us. Finally, a vital topic that has never had its own book gets its due.There&’s no shortage of books about public speaking or language or song. But until now, there has been no book about the miracle that underlies them all—the human voice itself. And there are few writers who could take on this surprisingly vast topic with more artistry and expertise than John Colapinto. Beginning with the novel—and compelling—argument that our ability to speak is what made us the planet&’s dominant species, he guides us from the voice&’s beginnings in lungfish millions of years ago to its culmination in the talent of Pavoratti, Martin Luther King Jr., and Beyoncé—and each of us, every day. Along the way, he shows us why the voice is the most efficient, effective means of communication ever devised: it works in all directions, in all weathers, even in the dark, and it can be calibrated to reach one other person or thousands. He reveals why speech is the single most complex and intricate activity humans can perform. He travels up the Amazon to meet the Piraha, a reclusive tribe whose singular language, more musical than any other, can help us hear how melodic principles underpin every word we utter. He heads up to Harvard to see how professional voices are helped and healed, and he ventures out on the campaign trail to see how demagogues wield their voices as weapons. As far-reaching as this book is, much of the delight of reading it lies in how intimate it feels. Everything Colapinto tells us can be tested by our own lungs and mouths and ears and brains. He shows us that, for those who pay attention, the voice is an eloquent means of communicating not only what the speaker means, but also their mood, sexual preference, age, income, even psychological and physical illness. It overstates the case only slightly to say that anyone who talks, or sings, or listens will find a rich trove of thrills in This Is the Voice.
This is the Way to the Moon: A Children's Classic
by Miroslav SasekLike the other Sasek classics, these are facsimile editions of his original books. The brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved, remaining true to his vision more than forty years later and, where applicable, facts have been updated for the twenty-first century, appearing on a "This is . . . Today" page at the back of each book. The stylish, charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek's witty, playful narrative, make these books a perfect souvenir that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember them from their own childhood. In This is the Way to the Moon, first published in 1963, Sasek rockets readers to Cape Canaveral—the space capital of the world, a science-fiction-turned-fact spot on the Florida coast—with a nostalgic look at the electronic brains that put our man up into space and brought him down again. Also included are the updated statistics about the lunar landing and a mini history of NASA's space program.
This Is What You Just Put in Your Mouth?
by Patrick Di JustoWhat do a cup of coffee and cockroach pheromone have in common? How is Fix-A-Flat like sugarless gum? Is a Slim Jim meat stick really alive? If I Can't Believe It's Not Butter isn't butter, what is it?All of these pressing questions and more are answered in This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth? Based on his popular Wired magazine column What's Inside, Patrick Di Justo takes a cold, hard, and incredibly funny look at the shocking, disgusting, and often dumbfounding ingredients found in everyday products, from Cool Whip and Tide Pods to Spam and Play-Doh. He also shares the madcap stories of his extensive research, including tracking down a reclusive condiment heir, partnering with a cop to get his hands on heroin, and getting tight-lipped snack-food execs to talk. Along the way, he schools us on product histories, label decoding, and the highfalutin chemistry concepts behind everything from Midol to Hostess fruit pies. Packed with facts you're going to want to share immediately, this is infotainment at its best--and most fun!--which will have you giving your shampoo the side-eye and Doritos a double take, and make you the know-it-all in line at the grocery store. From the Trade Paperback edition.
This Is Why You Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life
by Rahul JandialA fascinating dive into the purpose and potential of dreamsDreaming is one of the most deeply misunderstood functions of the human brain. Yet recent science reveals that our very survival as a species has depended on it. This Is Why You Dream explores the landscape of our subconscious, showing why humans have retained the ability to dream across millennia and how we can now harness its wondrous powers in both our sleeping and waking lives.Dreaming fortifies our ability to regulate emotions. It processes and stores memories, amplifies creativity, and promotes learning. Dreams can even forecast future mental and physical ailments.Dreams can also be put to use. Tracing recent cutting-edge dream research and brain science, dual-trained neuroscientist and neurosurgeon Dr. Rahul Jandial shows how to use lucid dreaming to practice real-life skills, how to rewrite nightmares, what our dreams reveal about our deepest desires, and how to monitor dreams for signs of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. In the tradition of James Nestor's Breath and Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep, This Is Why You Dream opens the door to one of our oldest and most vital functions, and unlocks its potential to impact and radically improve our lives.
This Is Your Brain in Love: New Scientific Breakthroughs for a More Passionate and Emotionally Healthy Marriage
by Earl HenslinMake your marriage the best it can be by learning the secrets of proactive passion.Using the latest in brain research, This Is Your Brain in Love helps couples become Master Level Lovers by encouraging each mate to bring their healthiest, most balanced and joyful self to their marriage. Dr. Henslin speaks to the vital connection between spirituality and sexuality. He identifies the five types of lovers, with ground-breaking insights and effective solutions for the challenges presented by each:Scattered LoverOver-focused LoverBlue Mood LoverAgitated LoverAnxious LoverFilled with relatable stories and humor, this is not your boring brain book! Engaging and practical, Dr. Henslin provides an amazingly accurate, scientifically-based brain test to help spot typical brain imbalances. (And yes, most everyone has at least one!) Bonus material offers brain-researched strategies and new hope for women dealing with hormones and men struggling with sexual addictions.
This is Your Brain on Depression: Creating Your Path to Getting Better (Five Minute Therapy #4)
by Faith HarperPeople who have never been depressed have no idea what it's like. And people who have know all too well how tough depression can be to live with. Dr. Faith explains the brain science behind depression (complete with Zuul references) and talks you through the different options out there for getting better. Because yes there are things you can do to feel good again (including drugs but avoiding spiraling successions of drug cocktails). If you need solid expert advice from someone who can also make you laugh your ass off, this book's for you!
This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
by Daniel J. LevitinWhat can music teach us about the brain? What can the brain teach us about music? And what can both teach us about ourselves? In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin (The World in Six Songs and The Organized Mind) explores the connection between music - its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it - and the human brain. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, Levitin reveals:How composers produce some of the most pleasurable effects of listening to music by exploiting the way our brains make sense of the worldWhy we are so emotionally attached to the music we listened to as teenagers, whether it was Fleetwood Mac, U2, or Dr. DreThat practice, rather than talent, is the driving force behind musical expertiseHow those insidious little jingles (called earworms) get stuck in our headTaking on prominent thinkers who argue that music is nothing more than an evolutionary accident, Levitin poses that music is fundamental to our species, perhaps even more so than language. A Los Angeles Times Book Award finalist, This Is Your Brain on Music will attract readers of Oliver Sacks and David Byrne, as it is an unprecedented, eye-opening investigation into an obsession at the heart of human nature.
This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
by Daniel J. LevitinWhether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life - even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last becoming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Music unravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature, including: Are our musical preferences shaped in utero? Is there a cutoff point for acquiring new tastes in music? What do PET scans and MRIs reveal about the brain's response to music? Is musical pleasure different from other kinds of pleasure? This Is Your Brain on Music explores cultures in which singing is considered an essential human function, patients who have a rare disorder that prevents them from making sense of music, and scientists studying why two people may not have the same definition of pitch. At every turn, this provocative work unlocks deep secrets about how nature and nurture forge a uniquely human obsession.
This Is Your Brain On Parasites: How Tiny Creatures Manipulate Our Behavior and Shape Society
by Kathleen McAuliffe“Engrossing . . . [An] expedition through the hidden and sometimes horrifying microbial domain.” —The Wall Street Journal Parasites can live only inside another animal and, as Kathleen McAuliffe reveals, these tiny organisms have many evolutionary motives for manipulating the behavior of their hosts. With astonishing precision, parasites can coax rats to approach cats, spiders to transform the patterns of their webs, and fish to draw the attention of birds that then swoop down to feast on them. We humans are hardly immune to their influence. Organisms we pick up from our own pets are strongly suspected of changing our personality traits and contributing to recklessness and impulsivity—even suicide. Germs that cause colds and the flu may alter our behavior even before symptoms become apparent. Parasites influence our species on the cultural level, too. Drawing on a huge body of research, McAuliffe argues that our dread of contamination is an evolved defense against parasites. The horror and revulsion we are programmed to feel when we come in contact with people who appear diseased or dirty helped pave the way for civilization, but may also be the basis for major divisions in societies that persist to this day. This Is Your Brain on Parasites is both a journey into cutting-edge science and a revelatory examination of what it means to be human. “If you’ve ever doubted the power of microbes to shape society and offer us a grander view of life, read on and find yourself duly impressed.” —Bookforum “Fascinating—and full of the kind of factoids you can’t wait to share.” —Scientific American“Humorous, inspiring, and macabre, this is infectious reading in the tradition of giants like Robert S. Desowitz and Jared Diamond.” —Michael A. Huffman, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University
This Is Your Mind on Plants
by Michael PollanFrom number one New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan, a radical challenge to how we think about drugs, and an exploration into the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants—and the equally powerful taboos Of all the things humans rely on plants for—sustenance, beauty, medicine, fragrance, flavor, fiber—surely the most curious is our use of them to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. Take coffee and tea: People around the world rely on caffeine to sharpen their minds. But we do not usually think of caffeine as a drug, or our daily use as an addiction, because it is legal and socially acceptable. <P><P> So, then, what is a “drug”? And why, for example, is making tea from the leaves of a tea plant acceptable, but making tea from a seed head of an opium poppy a federal crime? In This Is Your Mind on Plants, Michael Pollan dives deep into three plant drugs—opium, caffeine, and mescaline—and throws the fundamental strangeness, and arbitrariness, of our thinking about them into sharp relief. Exploring and participating in the cultures that have grown up around these drugs while consuming (or, in the case of caffeine, trying not to consume) them, Pollan reckons with the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants. <P><P> Why do we go to such great lengths to seek these shifts in consciousness, and then why do we fence that universal desire with laws and customs and fraught feelings? In this unique blend of history, science, and memoir, as well as participatory journalism, Pollan examines and experiences these plants from several very different angles and contexts, and shines a fresh light on a subject that is all too often treated reductively—as a drug, whether licit or illicit. But that is one of the least interesting things you can say about these plants, Pollan shows, for when we take them into our bodies and let them change our minds, we are engaging with nature in one of the most profound ways we can. <P><P> Based in part on an essay published almost twenty-five years ago, this groundbreaking and singular consideration of psychoactive plants, and our attraction to them through time, holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world. <P><P><b>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
This Land Is Your Land: The Story of Field Biology in America
by Michael J. LannooField biology is enjoying a resurgence due to several factors, the most important being the realization that there is no ecology, no conservation, and no ecosystem restoration without an understanding of the basic relationships between species and their environments—an understanding gleaned only through field-based natural history. With this resurgence, modern field biologists find themselves asking fundamental existential questions such as: Where did we come from? What is our story? Are we part of a larger legacy? In This Land Is Your Land, seasoned field biologist Michael J. Lannoo answers these questions and more in a tale rooted in the people and institutions of the Midwest. It is a story told from the ground up, a rubber boot–based natural history of field biology in America. Lannoo illuminates characters such as John Wesley Powell, William Temple Hornaday, and Olaus and Adolph Murie—homegrown midwestern field biologists who either headed east to populate major research centers or went west to conduct their fieldwork along the frontier. From the pioneering work of Victor Shelford, Henry Chandler Cowles, and Aldo Leopold to contemporary insights from biologists such as Jim Furnish and historians such as William Cronon, Lannoo’s unearthing of American—and particularly midwestern—field biologists reveals how these scientists influenced American ecology, conservation biology, and restoration ecology, and in turn drove global conservation efforts through environmental legislation and land set-asides. This Land Is Your Land reveals the little-known legacy of midwestern field biologists, whose ethos and discoveries have enabled us to preserve and understand not just their land, but all lands.
This New Ocean: The Story of the First Space Age
by William E. BurrowsIn this extremely readable and interesting book, Burrows does a great job of describing the history of manned and unmanned space flight, beginning with poetic dreamers like Konstantin Tsiolkowsky to hard-nosed pragmatists like the German rocket scientists. But Burrows does even more -- he puts the history into context, giving the reader a good understanding of why the American and Russian space programs developed as they did. From the White House and the Kremlin, to astronauts walking on the moon, to geeky space scientists -- Burrows captures them perfectly in this book.
This or That Questions About Animals and Plants: You Decide! (This or That?: Science Edition)
by Kathryn ClayScientists estimate that there are 8.7 billion animal species on the planet. There are about 400,000 plant species. New plants and animals are being discovered every day. Scientists who study these species have lots of choices to make and lots to learn. Now the choice is yours. Would you rather be covered in feathers or scales? Would you want to be an oak tree or a giant water lily? Would you choose to talk to animals or understand plants? It's your turn to pick this or that!
This or That Questions About Space and Beyond: You Decide! (This or That?: Science Edition)
by Stephanie BearceSpace is full of mystery. Scientists think that the planets, stars, and other space objects we see make up just 4 percent of the universe! Scientists studying space have a lot of choices to make. Future space explorers will have many choices to consider too. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather eat pre-packaged space food or grow your own food in space? Would you rather catch a cold in space or have space sickness? Would you rather travel to Mars or Venus? It’s your turn to pick this or that!
This or That Questions About Technology: You Decide! (This or That?: Science Edition)
by Stephanie BearceTechnology is advancing rapidly. Transportation experts think self-driving cars could fill the streets someday soon. Designers are experimenting with different artificial intelligence devices. The choices designers make now will affect our future. What choices would you make in a world of new technology? Would you rather take nanobot vitamins or use a wearable health monitor? Would you rather take to the skies with a jetpack or on a flying motorcycle? Would you rather have telescopic eyesight or supersonic hearing? It’s your turn to pick this or that!
This or That Questions About the Human Body: You Decide! (This or That?: Science Edition)
by Kathryn ClayThe human body is amazing. Your blood makes up about 8% of your body weight. On average, your heart will beat more than 3 billion times in your lifetime! Doctors and scientists make choices every day about how to keep our bodies going. But what would you change if you could? Would you choose to have super strength or super speed? Would you rather have no bones or no muscles? It's your turn to pick this or that!
This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist's Path from Grief to Wonder
by Alan Townsend"[A] remarkable account of a shifting consciousness&” - Publisher&’s Weekly, starred review &“An extraordinary, powerful book&” - David Quammen, author of The Heartbeat of the Wild and Breathless A compassionate exploration of scientific wonder that offers &“a fresh perspective on life, death, and the bittersweet consequences of impermanence,&” (Jon Krakauer) as illuminated through the tragic dual cancer diagnoses of author Dr. Alan Townsend&’s wife and daughter. A decade ago, Dr. Alan Townsend&’s family received two unthinkable, catastrophic diagnoses: his 4-year-old daughter and his brilliant scientist wife developed unrelated, life-threatening forms of brain cancer. As he witnessed his young daughter fight during the courageous final months of her mother&’s life, Townsend – a lifelong scientist – was indelibly altered. He began to see scientific inquiry as more than a source of answers to a given problem, but also as a lifeboat: a lens on the world that could help him find peace with the painful realities he could not change. Through scientific wonder, he found ways to bring meaning to his darkest period. At a time when society&’s relationship with science is increasingly polarized while threats to human life on earth continue to rise, Townsend offers a balanced, moving perspective on the common ground between science and religion through the spiritual fulfillment he found in his work. Awash in Townsend's electrifying and breathtaking prose, THIS ORDINARY STARDUST offers hope that life can carry on even in the face of near-certain annihilation.
This Thing Of Darkness
by Harry ThompsonA brilliant, action-packed and gripping novel of Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle - longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. In 1831 Charles Darwin set off in HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy on a voyage that would change the world. 'An outstandingly good first novel. A page-turning action-adventure combined with subtle intellectual arguments. The meticulous research enriches this fascinating tale' Sunday Telegraph 'A master storyteller' Sunday TimesBrilliant young naval officer Robert FitzRoy is given the captaincy of HMS Beagle, surveying the wilds of Tierra del Fuego. He's a man of tradition and principle, with a firm belief in the sanctity of the individual in a world created by God. On board, is a passenger, Charles Darwin - a young trainee cleric, and amateur geologist. This is the story of a deep friendship between two men, and the twin obsessions that tear them apart, leading one to triumph, and the other to disaster.
This Thing Of Darkness
by Harry ThompsonThe 15th anniversary edition of a brilliant, action-packed and gripping novel of Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle - longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. New introduction from Daisy Goodwin.'A master storyteller' Sunday TimesIn 1831 Charles Darwin set off in HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy on a voyage that would change the world. This is the story of a deep friendship between two men, and the twin obsessions that tear them apart, leading one to triumph, and the other to disaster.'An outstandingly good first novel. A page-turning action-adventure combined with subtle intellectual arguments. The meticulous research enriches this fascinating tale' Sunday Telegraph
This Thing Of Darkness
by Harry ThompsonColin Morgan narrates the action-packed and gripping novel of Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle - longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. 'A masterpiece' Bernard Cornwell'A master storyteller' Sunday TimesIn 1831 Charles Darwin set off in HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy on a voyage that would change the world. This is the story of a deep friendship between two men, and the twin obsessions that tear them apart, leading one to triumph, and the other to disaster.'An outstandingly good first novel. A[n]... action-adventure combined with subtle intellectual arguments. The meticulous research enriches this fascinating tale' Sunday Telegraph (P) 2021 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
This View of Life: Completing the Darwinian Revolution
by David Sloan WilsonIt is widely understood that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution completely revolutionized the study of biology. Yet, according to David Sloan Wilson, the Darwinian revolution won’t be truly complete until it is applied more broadly—to everything associated with the words “human,” “culture,” and “policy.”In a series of engaging and insightful examples—from the breeding of hens to the timing of cataract surgeries to the organization of an automobile plant—Wilson shows how an evolutionary worldview provides a practical tool kit for understanding not only genetic evolution but also the fast-paced changes that are having an impact on our world and ourselves. What emerges is an incredibly empowering argument: If we can become wise managers of evolutionary processes, we can solve the problems of our age at all scales—from the efficacy of our groups to our well-being as individuals to our stewardship of the planet Earth.
This Way to the Universe: A Theoretical Physicist's Journey to the Edge of Reality
by Michael DineFor readers of Sean Carroll, Brian Greene, Katie Mack, and anyone who wants to know what theoretical physicists actually do.This Way to the Universe is a celebration of the astounding, ongoing scientific investigations that have revealed the nature of reality at its smallest, at its largest, and at the scale of our daily lives. The enigmas that Professor Michael Dine discusses are like landmarks on a fantastic journey to the edge of the universe. Asked where to find out about the Big Bang, Dark Matter, the Higgs boson particle—the long cutting edge of physics right now—Dine had no single book he could recommend. This is his accessible, authoritative, and up-to-date answer. Comprehensible to anyone with a high-school level education, with almost no equations, there is no better author to take you on this amazing odyssey.Dine is widely recognized as having made profound contributions to our understanding of matter, time, the Big Bang, and even what might have come before it. This Way to the Universe touches on many emotional, critical points in his extraordinary carreer while presenting mind-bending physics like his answer to the Dark Matter and Dark Energy mysteries as well as the ideas that explain why our universe consists of something rather than nothing. People assume String Theory can never be tested, but Dine intrepidly explores exactly how the theory might be tested experimentally, as well as the pitfalls of falling in love with math. This book reflects a lifetime pursuing the deepest mysteries of reality, by one of the most humble and warmly engaging voices you will ever read.
This Will Change Everything
by Mr John Brockman"What game-changing scientific ideas and developments do you expect to live to see?"This is the question John Brockman, publisher of Edge.org, posed to more than 100 of the world's most influential minds. Exhilarating, visionary, sometimes frightening, but always fascinating, their responses provide an eye-opening road map of our near future.
This Will Kill You: A Guide to the Ways in Which We Go
by H. P. Newquist Rich MaloofHave you been attacked by a great white shark? Gone over Niagara Falls in a barrel? Been exposed to anthrax? No, you haven't, or you'd be dead. This Will Kill You reveals the intriguing facts behind the many ways humans bite the dust in encounters with deadly bugs, hungry predators, natural disasters, and freak occurrences. Thoroughly researched and illustrated, not to mention thoroughly hilarious, this book describes in deathly detail what happens to the body when it's struck by lightning, slimed by a dart frog, or flung from a mountaintop. No other book has ever peaked under the Grim Reaper's robe in such a straightforward and irreverent way. With a foreword by a physician at the Mayo Clinic, an afterword by a funeral director, lists of history's most notable deaths, and a unique death rating system, everything you need to know about the ways in which we go are included in these pages.