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Uncertainty Analysis of Experimental Data with R
by Benjamin Shaw"This would be an excellent book for undergraduate, graduate and beyond….The style of writing is easy to read and the author does a good job of adding humor in places. The integration of basic programming in R with the data that is collected for any experiment provides a powerful platform for analysis of data…. having the understanding of data analysis that this book offers will really help researchers examine their data and consider its value from multiple perspectives – and this applies to people who have small AND large data sets alike! This book also helps people use a free and basic software system for processing and plotting simple to complex functions." Michelle Pantoya, Texas Tech University Measurements of quantities that vary in a continuous fashion, e.g., the pressure of a gas, cannot be measured exactly and there will always be some uncertainty with these measured values, so it is vital for researchers to be able to quantify this data. Uncertainty Analysis of Experimental Data with R covers methods for evaluation of uncertainties in experimental data, as well as predictions made using these data, with implementation in R. The books discusses both basic and more complex methods including linear regression, nonlinear regression, and kernel smoothing curve fits, as well as Taylor Series, Monte Carlo and Bayesian approaches. Features: 1. Extensive use of modern open source software (R). 2. Many code examples are provided. 3. The uncertainty analyses conform to accepted professional standards (ASME). 4. The book is self-contained and includes all necessary material including chapters on statistics and programming in R. Benjamin D. Shaw is a professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of California, Davis. His research interests are primarily in experimental and theoretical aspects of combustion. Along with other courses, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on engineering experimentation and uncertainty analysis. He has published widely in archival journals and became an ASME Fellow in 2003.
The Uncertainty Analysis of Model Results: A Practical Guide
by Eduard HoferThis book is a practical guide to the uncertainty analysis of computer model applications. Used in many areas, such as engineering, ecology and economics, computer models are subject to various uncertainties at the level of model formulations, parameter values and input data. Naturally, it would be advantageous to know the combined effect of these uncertainties on the model results as well as whether the state of knowledge should be improved in order to reduce the uncertainty of the results most effectively. The book supports decision-makers, model developers and users in their argumentation for an uncertainty analysis and assists them in the interpretation of the analysis results.
Uncertainty and Artificial Intelligence: Additive Manufacturing, Vibratory Control, Agro-composite, Mechatronics
by Abdelkhalak El HamiToday's information technology, along with Artificial Intelligence (AI), is moving towards total communication between all computerized systems. AI is a representation of human intelligence based on the creation and application of algorithms in specific computer environments. Its aim is to enable computers to act like human beings. For it to work, this type of technology requires computer systems, data with management systems and advanced algorithms, used by AI. In mechanical engineering, AI can offer many possibilities: in mechanical construction, predictive maintenance, plant monitoring, robotics, additive manufacturing, materials, vibration control and agro composites, among many others. This book is dedicated to Artificial Intelligence uncertainties in mechanical problems. Each chapter clearly sets out used and developed illustrative examples. Aimed at students, Uncertainty and Artificial Intelligence is also a valuable resource for practicing engineers and research lecturers.
Uncertainty and Imprecision in Decision Making and Decision Support: Selected Papers from BOS-2018, held on September 24-26, 2018, and IWIFSGN-2018, held on September 27-28, 2018 in Warsaw, Poland (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing #1081)
by Krassimir T. Atanassov Vassia Atanassova Janusz Kacprzyk Andrzej Kaluszko Maciej Krawczak Jan W. Owsinski Sotir Sotirov Evdokia Sotirova Eulalia Szmidt Slawomir ZadroznyThis book gathers selected papers from two important conferences held on October 24–28, 2018, in Warsaw, Poland: theFifteenth National Conference of Operational and Systems Research, BOS-2018, one of the leading conferences in the field of operational and systems research not only in Poland but also at the European level; andthe Seventeenth International Workshop on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets and General Nets, IWIFSGN-2018, one of thepremiere conferences on fuzzy logic.The papers presented here constitute a fair and comprehensive representation of the topics covered by both BOS-2018 and IWIFSGN-2018, includingextensions of the traditional fuzzy sets, in particular on the intuitionistic fuzzy sets, as well as other topics in uncertainty and imprecision modeling, the Generalized Nets (GNs), a powerful extension of the traditional Petri net paradigm, and InterCriteria Analysis, a new method for feature selection and analyses in multicriteria and multi-attribute decision-making problems. The Workshop was dedicated to the memory of Professor Beloslav Riečan (1936–2018), a regular participant at the IWIFSGN workshops.
Uncertainty and Imprecision in Decision Making and Decision Support: Selected papers from BOS-2020, held on December 14-15, 2020, and IWIFSGN-2020, held on December 10-11, 2020 in Warsaw, Poland (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #338)
by Krassimir T. Atanassov Vassia Atanassova Janusz Kacprzyk Andrzej Kałuszko Maciej Krawczak Jan W. Owsiński Sotir S. Sotirov Evdokia Sotirova Eulalia Szmidt Sławomir ZadrożnyThis book is composed of selected papers from the Sixteenth National Conference on Operational and Systems Research, BOS-2020, held on December 14-15, 2020, one of premiere conferences in the field of operational and systems research. The second is the Nineteenth International Workshop on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets and Generalized Nets, IWIFSGN 2020, held on December 10-11, 2020, in Warsaw, Poland, in turn—one of premiere conferences on fuzzy logic, notably on extensions of the traditional fuzzy sets, also comprising a considerable part on the generalized nets (GNs), an important extension of the traditional Petri nets. A joint publication of selected papers from the two conferences follows a long tradition of such a joint organization and—from a substantial point of view—combines systems modeling, systems analysis, broadly perceived operational research, notably optimization, decision making, and decision support, with various aspects of uncertain and imprecise information and their related tools and techniques.
Uncertainty and Imprecision in Decision Making and Decision Support - New Advances, Challenges, and Perspectives: Selected Papers from BOS/SOR-2022, Held on October 13-15, 2022, and IWIFSGN-2022, Held on October 13-14, 2022, in Warsaw, Poland (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #793)
by Krassimir T. Atanassov Vassia Atanassova Janusz Kacprzyk Andrzej Kałuszko Maciej Krawczak Jan W. Owsiński Sotir S. Sotirov Evdokia Sotirova Eulalia Szmidt Sławomir ZadrożnyThis volume is composed of selected papers from two conferences held in Warsaw, Poland on October 13-15, 2022: the BOS/SOR’2022 - National Conference on Operational and Systems Research, one of premiere conferences in the field of operational and systems research, and the Twentith International Workshop on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets and Generalized Nets, IWIFSGN-2022, one of premiere conferences on fuzzy logic, notably on extensions of the traditional fuzzy sets, also comprising a considerable part on the Generalized Nets (GNs). A joint publication of selected papers from the two conferences follows a long tradition of such a joint organization, and – from a substantial point of view – combines systems modeling, systems analysis, broadly perceived operational research, notably optimization, decision making and decision support, with various aspects of uncertain and imprecise information and their related tools and techniques.
Uncertainty and Optimization in Structural Mechanics (Focus Ser.)
by Abdelkhalak El Hami Bouchaib RadiOptimization is generally a reduction operation of a definite quantity. This process naturally takes place in our environment and through our activities. For example, many natural systems evolve, in order to minimize their potential energy. Modeling these phenomena then largely relies on our capacity to artificially reproduce these processes. In parallel, optimization problems have quickly emerged from human activities, notably from economic concerns. This book includes the most recent ideas coming from research and industry in the field of optimization, reliability and the recognition of accompanying uncertainties. It is made up of eight chapters which look at the reviewing of uncertainty tools, system reliability, optimal design of structures and their optimization (of sizing, form, topology and multi-objectives) – along with their robustness and issues on optimal safety factors. Optimization reliability coupling will also be tackled in order to take into account the uncertainties in the modeling and resolution of the problems encountered. The book is aimed at students, lecturers, engineers, PhD students and researchers. Contents 1. Uncertainty. 2. Reliability in Mechanical Systems. 3. Optimal Structural Design. 4. Multi-object Optimization with Uncertainty. 5. Robust Optimization. 6. Reliability Optimization. 7. Optimal Security Factors Approach. 8. Reliability-based Topology Optimization. About the Authors Abdelkhalak El Hami is Professor at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, Rouen, France. He is the author of many articles and books on optimization and uncertainty. Bouchaib Radi is Professor in the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Hassan Premier, Settat, Morocco. His research interests are in such areas as structural optimization, parallel computation, contact problem and metal forming. He is the author of many scientific articles and books.
Uncertainty-aware Integration of Control with Process Operations and Multi-parametric Programming Under Global Uncertainty (Springer Theses)
by Vassilis M. CharitopoulosThis book introduces models and methodologies that can be employed towards making the Industry 4.0 vision a reality within the process industries, and at the same time investigates the impact of uncertainties in such highly integrated settings. Advances in computing power along with the widespread availability of data have led process industries to consider a new paradigm for automated and more efficient operations. The book presents a theoretically proven optimal solution to multi-parametric linear and mixed-integer linear programs and efficient solutions to problems such as process scheduling and design under global uncertainty. It also proposes a systematic framework for the uncertainty-aware integration of planning, scheduling and control, based on the judicious coupling of reactive and proactive methods. Using these developments, the book demonstrates how the integration of different decision-making layers and their simultaneous optimisation can enhance industrial process operations and their economic resilience in the face of uncertainty.
Uncertainty-Based Ship Design Optimization: Theory and Method
by Xiao Wei Zuyuan Liu Baiwei Feng Haichao ChangThe book focused on the basic bottleneck issues in the ship uncertainty-based design optimization. Based on the concepts of robustness and reliability design, uncertainty classification, uncertainty modeling, uncertainty analysis and propagation methods were systematically explained, revealing the influence mechanism and rules of multi-source aleatory and epistemic uncertainty on ship design. Finally, a hull form design optimization method with mixed uncertainty was established. The theory of uncertainty design optimization is not yet mature, and this book gives a detailed introduction. The illustrations and tables in this book compared the differences between uncertainty-based optimization and traditional deterministic optimization, reflecting the advantages of uncertainty optimization. This book will be a useful reference for researchers and engineers in the field of ship design.
Uncertainty by Design: Preparing for the Future with Scenario Technology (Expertise: Cultures and Technologies of Knowledge)
by Limor Samimian-DarashIn Uncertainty by Design Limor Samimian-Darash presents cases of the use of scenario technology in the fields of security and emergency preparedness, energy, and health by analyzing scenario narratives and practices at the National Emergency Management Authority in Israel, the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Europe, and the World Energy Council. Humankind has long struggled with the uncertainty of the future, with how to foresee the future, imagine alternatives, or prepare for and guard against undesirable eventualities. Scenario—or scenario planning—emerged in recent decades to become a widespread means through which states, large corporations, and local organizations imagine and prepare for the future. The scenario technology cases examined in Uncertainty by Design provide a useful lens through which to view contemporary efforts to engage in an overall journey of discovering the future, along with the modality of governing involved in these endeavors to face future uncertainties. Collectively, they enable us to understand in depth how scenarios express a new governing modality.
Uncertainty, Constraints, and Decision Making (Studies in Systems, Decision and Control #484)
by Martine Ceberio Vladik KreinovichIn the first approximation, decision making is nothing else but an optimization problem: We want to select the best alternative. This description, however, is not fully accurate: it implicitly assumes that we know the exact consequences of each decision, and that, once we have selected a decision, no constraints prevent us from implementing it. In reality, we usually know the consequences with some uncertainty, and there are also numerous constraints that needs to be taken into account. The presence of uncertainty and constraints makes decision making challenging. To resolve these challenges, we need to go beyond simple optimization, we also need to get a good understanding of how the corresponding systems and objects operate, a good understanding of why we observe what we observe – this will help us better predict what will be the consequences of different decisions. All these problems – in relation to different application areas – are the main focus of this book.
Uncertainty in Acoustics: Measurement, Prediction and Assessment
by Robert PetersThis guide to estimating uncertainties in the measurement, prediction and assessment of noise and vibration applies across environmental noise and vibration, occupational noise and vibration exposure, and building and architectural acoustics. The book collates information from the various Standards and from research, with explanation, examples and case studies. It enables estimation of uncertainty in the measurement and prediction of acoustic quantities, suitable for use in environmental impact and occupational exposure assessments. It is for acoustic consultants, mechanical and building service engineers, architect and building professionals and environmental health officers. Bob Peters worked for more than forty years in acoustics and noise control – teaching, research, consultancy. He was a principal acoustic consultant with Applied Acoustic Design, a senior research fellow at London South Bank University, and a tutor on Institute of Acoustics distance learning courses.
Uncertainty in Complex Networked Systems: In Honor of Roberto Tempo (Systems & Control: Foundations & Applications)
by Tamer BaşarThe chapters in this volume, and the volume itself, celebrate the life and research of Roberto Tempo, a leader in the study of complex networked systems, their analysis and control under uncertainty, and robust designs. Contributors include authorities on uncertainty in systems, robustness, networked and network systems, social networks, distributed and randomized algorithms, and multi-agent systems—all fields that Roberto Tempo made vital contributions to. Additionally, at least one author of each chapter was a research collaborator of Roberto Tempo’s.This volume is structured in three parts. The first covers robustness and includes topics like time-invariant uncertainties, robust static output feedback design, and the uncertainty quartet. The second part is focused on randomization and probabilistic methods, which covers topics such as compressive sensing, and stochastic optimization. Finally, the third part deals with distributed systems and algorithms, and explores matters involving mathematical sociology, fault diagnoses, and PageRank computation.Each chapter presents exposition, provides new results, and identifies fruitful future directions in research. This book will serve as a valuable reference volume to researchers interested in uncertainty, complexity, robustness, optimization, algorithms, and networked systems.
Uncertainty in Engineering: Introduction to Methods and Applications (SpringerBriefs in Statistics)
by Louis J. M. Aslett Frank P. A. Coolen Jasper De BockThis open access book provides an introduction to uncertainty quantification in engineering. Starting with preliminaries on Bayesian statistics and Monte Carlo methods, followed by material on imprecise probabilities, it then focuses on reliability theory and simulation methods for complex systems. The final two chapters discuss various aspects of aerospace engineering, considering stochastic model updating from an imprecise Bayesian perspective, and uncertainty quantification for aerospace flight modelling. Written by experts in the subject, and based on lectures given at the Second Training School of the European Research and Training Network UTOPIAE (Uncertainty Treatment and Optimization in Aerospace Engineering), which took place at Durham University (United Kingdom) from 2 to 6 July 2018, the book offers an essential resource for students as well as scientists and practitioners.
Uncertainty in Mechanical Engineering: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Uncertainty in Mechanical Engineering (ICUME 2021), June 7–8, 2021 (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering)
by Peter F. Pelz Peter GrocheThis open access book reports on methods and technologies to describe, evaluate and control uncertainty in mechanical engineering applications. It brings together contributions by engineers, mathematicians and legal experts, offering a multidisciplinary perspective on the main issues affecting uncertainty throughout the complete system lifetime, which includes process and product planning, development, production and usage. The book is based on the proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Uncertainty in Mechanical Engineering (ICUME 2021), organized by the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 805 of the TU Darmstadt, and held online on June 7–8, 2021. All in all, it offers a timely resource for researchers, graduate students and practitioners in the field of mechanical engineering, production engineering and engineering optimization.
Uncertainty Management for Robust Industrial Design in Aeronautics: Findings and Best Practice Collected During UMRIDA, a Collaborative Research Project (2013–2016) Funded by the European Union (Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Design #140)
by Charles Hirsch Dirk Wunsch Jacek Szumbarski Łukasz Łaniewski-Wołłk Jordi Pons-PratsThis book covers cutting-edge findings related to uncertainty quantification and optimization under uncertainties (i.e. robust and reliable optimization), with a special emphasis on aeronautics and turbomachinery, although not limited to these fields. It describes new methods for uncertainty quantification, such as non-intrusive polynomial chaos, collocation methods, perturbation methods, as well as adjoint based and multi-level Monte Carlo methods. It includes methods for characterization of most influential uncertainties, as well as formulations for robust and reliable design optimization. A distinctive element of the book is the unique collection of test cases with prescribed uncertainties, which are representative of the current engineering practice of the industrial consortium partners involved in UMRIDA, a level 1 collaborative project within the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). All developed methods are benchmarked against these industrial challenges. Moreover, the book includes a section dedicated to Best Practice Guidelines for uncertainty quantification and robust design optimization, summarizing the findings obtained by the consortium members within the UMRIDA project. All in all, the book offers a authoritative guide to cutting-edge methodologies for uncertainty management in engineering design, covers a wide range of applications and discusses new ideas for future research and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Uncertainty, Modeling, and Decision Making in Geotechnics
by Kok-Kwang Phoon, Takayuki Shuku, and Jianye ChingUncertainty, Modeling, and Decision Making in Geotechnics shows how uncertainty quantification and numerical modeling can complement each other to enhance decision-making in geotechnical practice, filling a critical gap in guiding practitioners to address uncertainties directly. The book helps practitioners acquire a working knowledge of geotechnical risk and reliability methods and guides them to use these methods wisely in conjunction with data and numerical modeling. In particular, it provides guidance on the selection of realistic statistics and a cost-effective, accessible method to address different design objectives, and for different problem settings, and illustrates the value of this to decision-making using realistic examples. Bringing together statistical characterization, reliability analysis, reliability-based design, probabilistic inverse analysis, and physical insights drawn from case studies, this reference guide from an international team of experts offers an excellent resource for state-of-the-practice uncertainty-informed geotechnical design for specialist practitioners and the research community.
Uncertainty Quantification in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Aircraft Engines (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by Francesco MontomoliThis book introduces design techniques developed to increase the safety of aircraft engines, and demonstrates how the application of stochastic methods can overcome problems in the accurate prediction of engine lift caused by manufacturing error. This in turn addresses the issue of achieving required safety margins when hampered by limits in current design and manufacturing methods. The authors show that avoiding the potential catastrophe generated by the failure of an aircraft engine relies on the prediction of the correct behaviour of microscopic imperfections. This book shows how to quantify the possibility of such failure, and that it is possible to design components that are inherently less risky and more reliable.This new, updated and significantly expanded edition gives an introduction to engine reliability and safety to contextualise this important issue, evaluates newly-proposed methods for uncertainty quantification as applied to jet engines.Uncertainty Quantification in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Aircraft Engines will be of use to gas turbine manufacturers and designers as well as CFD practitioners, specialists and researchers. Graduate and final year undergraduate students in aerospace or mathematical engineering may also find it of interest.
Uncertainty Quantification in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Aircraft Engines
by Francesco Montomoli Mauro Carnevale Antonio D'Ammaro Michela Massini Simone SalvadoriThis book introduces novel design techniques developed to increase the safety of aircraft engines. The authors demonstrate how the application of uncertainty methods can overcome problems in the accurate prediction of engine lift, caused by manufacturing error. This in turn ameliorates the difficulty of achieving required safety margins imposed by limits in current design and manufacturing methods. This text shows that even state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are not able to predict the same performance measured in experiments; CFD methods assume idealised geometries but ideal geometries do not exist, cannot be manufactured and their performance differs from real-world ones. By applying geometrical variations of a few microns, the agreement with experiments improves dramatically, but unfortunately the manufacturing errors in engines or in experiments are unknown. In order to overcome this limitation, uncertainty quantification considers the probability density functions of manufacturing errors. It is then possible to predict the overall variation of the jet engine performance using stochastic techniques. Uncertainty Quantification in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Aircraft Engines demonstrates that some geometries are not affected by manufacturing errors, meaning that it is possible to design safer engines. Instead of trying to improve the manufacturing accuracy, uncertainty quantification when applied to CFD is able to indicate an improved design direction. This book will be of interest to gas turbine manufacturers and designers as well as CFD practitioners, specialists and researchers. Graduate and final year undergraduate students may also find it of use.
Uncertainty Quantification in Laminated Composites: A Meta-model Based Approach
by Sudip Dey Tanmoy Mukhopadhyay Sondipon AdhikariOver the last few decades, uncertainty quantification in composite materials and structures has gained a lot of attention from the research community as a result of industrial requirements. This book presents computationally efficient uncertainty quantification schemes following meta-model-based approaches for stochasticity in material and geometric parameters of laminated composite structures. Several metamodels have been studied and comparative results have been presented for different static and dynamic responses. Results for sensitivity analyses are provided for a comprehensive coverage of the relative importance of different material and geometric parameters in the global structural responses.
Uncertainty Quantification of Stochastic Defects in Materials (Emerging Materials and Technologies)
by Liu ChuUncertainty Quantification of Stochastic Defects in Materials investigates the uncertainty quantification methods for stochastic defects in material microstructures. It provides effective supplementary approaches for conventional experimental observation with the consideration of stochastic factors and uncertainty propagation. Pursuing a comprehensive numerical analytical system, this book establishes a fundamental framework for this topic, while emphasizing the importance of stochastic and uncertainty quantification analysis and the significant influence of microstructure defects on the material macro properties. Key Features Consists of two parts: one exploring methods and theories and the other detailing related examples Defines stochastic defects in materials and presents the uncertainty quantification for defect location, size, geometrical configuration, and instability Introduces general Monte Carlo methods, polynomial chaos expansion, stochastic finite element methods, and machine learning methods Provides a variety of examples to support the introduced methods and theories Applicable to MATLAB and ANSYS software This book is intended for advanced students interested in material defect quantification methods and material reliability assessment, researchers investigating artificial material microstructure optimization, and engineers working on defect influence analysis and nondestructive defect testing.
Uncertainty Theories and Multisensor Data Fusion (Wiley-iste Ser.)
by Alain AppriouAddressing recent challenges and developments in this growing field, Multisensor Data Fusion Uncertainty Theory first discusses basic questions such as: Why and when is multiple sensor fusion necessary? How can the available measurements be characterized in such a case? What is the purpose and the specificity of information fusion processing in multiple sensor systems? Considering the different uncertainty formalisms, a set of coherent operators corresponding to the different steps of a complete fusion process is then developed, in order to meet the requirements identified in the first part of the book.
Uncharted: How Scientists Navigate Their Own Health, Research, and Experiences of Bias
by Skylar Bayer Gabriela Serrato MarksPeople with disabilities are underrepresented in STEM fields, and all too often, they face isolation and ableism in academia. Uncharted is a collection of powerful first-person stories by current and former scientists with disabilities or chronic conditions who have faced changes in their careers, including both successes and challenges, because of their health. It gives voice to common experiences that are frequently overlooked or left unspoken. These deeply personal accounts describe not only health challenges but also the joys, sorrows, humor, and wonder of science and scientists.With a breadth of perspectives on being disabled or chronically ill, these stories highlight the intersectionality of minoritized identities with the disability community. Uncharted features essays by contributors who are d/Deaf, blind, neurodivergent, wheelchair users, have experienced traumatic brain injuries, have blood sugar disorders, have rare medical diagnoses, or have received psychiatric diagnoses, among many others. In many cases, the scientific field is not fully accessible to them, and they frankly describe struggling as well as thriving alongside their conditions.This book serves as representation for scientists who have never felt comfortable disclosing their disability or who have never felt fully understood. The stories shared in this book seek to normalize medical conditions and disabilities in scientific culture, offering recommendations for how and why to improve access. Uncharted is vital and compelling reading for current and aspiring scientists who want to make their fields more inclusive and supportive for everyone.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Weird Inventions: Bizarre Gadgets You Can't Live Without (Uncle John's Bathroom Reader)
by Bathroom Readers' InstituteThe writers behind Uncle John's Bathroom Reader present this totally true treasury of amazing gizmos--devilish devices you never knew existed, created by people who thought the world absolutely needed what they had to offer and sell.Read all about:- The onesie that turns your crawling baby into a mop- The fart-stifling blanket- The square watermelon- The video game you control with your mind- The weight loss device that sucks food out of your stomach
Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood
by Oliver SacksLong before Oliver Sacks became a distinguished neurologist and bestselling writer, he was a small English boy fascinated by metals–also by chemical reactions (the louder and smellier the better), photography, squids and cuttlefish, H.G. Wells, and the periodic table. In this endlessly charming and eloquent memoir, the author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Awakenings chronicles his love affair with science and the magnificently odd and sometimes harrowing childhood in which that love affair unfolded.In Uncle Tungsten we meet Sacks’ extraordinary family, from his surgeon mother (who introduces the fourteen-year-old Oliver to the art of human dissection) and his father, a family doctor who imbues in his son an early enthusiasm for housecalls, to his “Uncle Tungsten,” whose factory produces tungsten-filament lightbulbs. We follow the young Oliver as he is exiled at the age of six to a grim, sadistic boarding school to escape the London Blitz, and later watch as he sets about passionately reliving the exploits of his chemical heroes–in his own home laboratory. Uncle Tungsten is a crystalline view of a brilliant young mind springing to life, a story of growing up which is by turns elegiac, comic, and wistful, full of the electrifying joy of discovery.