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Nature and ScienceAugust 2014
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"Θάλαττα! Θάλαττα! ('The Sea! The Sea!')" ~ Xenophon (c. 430-354 BCE), ancient Greek historian, Anabasis
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New and Recently Released!
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The knowledge: how to rebuild our world from scratch
by Lewis Dartnell
How would you go about rebuilding a technological society from scratch? If our technological society collapsed tomorrow, perhaps from a viral pandemic or catastrophic asteroid impact, what would be the one book you would want to press into the hands of the postapocalyptic survivors? What crucial knowledge would they need to survive in the immediate aftermath and to rebuild civilization as quickly as possible-a guide for rebooting the world? Human knowledge is collective, distributed across the population. It has built on itself for centuries, becoming vast and increasingly specialized. Most of us are ignorant about the fundamental principles of the civilization that supports us, happily utilizing the latest-or even the most basic-technology without having the slightest idea of why it works or how it came to be. If you had to go back to absolute basics, like some sort of postcataclysmic Robinson Crusoe, would you know how to re-create an internal combustion engine, put together a microscope, get metals out of rock, accurately tell time, weave fibers into clothing, or even how to produce food for yourself?
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| The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain... by Sam Kean"Where does the brain stop and the mind start?" That's what science writer Sam Kean sets out to explore in this engaging, witty, and anecdote-rich book. Beginning with the dueling neurosurgeons of the title -- Ambroise Pare and Andreas Vesalius -- and their attempts to treat an ultimately fatal head injury sustained by King Henri II of France, Kean goes on to explore the mystery of the mind-body connection in five discrete but closely linked sections. "Gross Anatomy" describes the physical structure of the brain and skull. "Cells, Senses, Circuits" concerns neurotransmitters and biochemistry. "Body and Brain" maps the regions of the brain. "Beliefs and Delusions" focuses on brain disorders. Finally, "Consciousness" attempts to tie everything together. As in his previous books, The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinist's Thumb, Kean provides a lively and accessible introduction to a complex subject. |
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| Proof: The Science of Booze by Adam RogersIt certainly doesn't take a scientific genius to get drunk, but as Wired editor Adam Rogers points out, the history of alcohol and the history of science are inextricably intertwined. While documenting the life cycle of alcohol from creation to consumption, Rogers introduces readers to relevant aspects of molecular biology, organic chemistry, physics, metallurgy, psychology, and neuroscience. For a more anthropological look at the story of alcohol (and other influential beverages), check out Tom Standage's A History of the World in Six Glasses. |
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Powers of two: finding the essence of innovation in creative pairs
by Joshua Wolf Shenk
Recently writers like Malcolm Gladwell, Steven Johnson, and Clay Shirky have sought to explain creativity as the work of lucky, hardworking people or the result of certain qualities of a particular environment or group of people. Joshua Wolf Shenk shows how such notions, as appealing as they are, miss the essence of creativity, which is generated by people working in pairs. From John Lennon and Paul McCartney to Pierre and Marie Curie to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Shenk portrays many of history's most iconic creative duos, drawing on new scientific research and building an argument that will reshape our view of the individual, relationships, and society itself. Along the way, he reveals how pairs begin to talk, think, and even look like each other; how the most successful ones thrive on conflict; why they break up; and more. He also marshals new research that suggests how deeply the notion of pairing influences our psyches: even when we're alone, we're collaborating with the voice inside our head.
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| The Empty Ocean: Plundering the World's Marine Life by Richard EllisYes, humans are destroying Earth's oceans -- i.e., over 70 percent of our own (and only) planet. Yet despite the ominous title, marine biologist Richard Ellis' The Empty Ocean isn't all doom and gloom. Although its true that the world's oceans are becoming increasingly polluted and depleted, their surviving flora and fauna remain awe-inspiring. Moreover, it's not entirely this generation's fault: the present state of the sea is due to thousands upon thousands of years of human interference. Outlining the economic, political, historical, and biological factors that have contributed to the extinction of species, the depletion of worldwide fisheries, the rising sea levels, the acidification of the ocean, and more, Ellis combines elegant prose with detailed line drawings to reveal the marvels of marine life while reminding readers that time is running out. |
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| Descent: The Heroic Discovery of the Abyss by Brad MatsenBetween 1929 and 1934, oceanographer William Beebe and engineer Otis Barton made 16 death-defying sea dives in the Bathysphere, a primitive homemade submersible. Comprised of a steel ball four and a half feet in diameter that dangled from a wire rope and was equipped with a ventilation "system" that required occupants to wave palm leaf fans, the Bathysphere shouldn't have worked, but did. Repeatedly reaching record-setting depths of 3,000 feet, the duo -- despite mutual dislike -- became pioneering figures in deep sea exploration, paving the way for future explorers. |
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| The Power of the Sea: Tsunamis, Storm Surges, Rogue Waves, and Our Quest to Predict Disasters by Bruce ParkerWe never know when disaster will strike -- or do we? This "lucid, original" (Kirkus Reviews) look at ocean modeling and forecasting starts with an explanation of how tidal forces work (lunar and solar gravity both play a role, as do the earth's rotation and the tilt of its axis), and then examines how geography and weather influence the size and force of waves, tidal bores, storm surges, and tsunamis. Oceanographer Bruce Parker, former chief scientist for the National Ocean Service, provides modern and historical examples of natural disasters to trace the development of the science that allows us to predict them -- and prepare ourselves. If you're interested in reading more about the destruction that the ocean can cause, you might also like Susan Casey's The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean. |
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| The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea by Callum RobertsIn The Unnatural History of the Sea, biologist and conservationist Callum Roberts documented the longstanding, increasingly dysfunctional relationship between humans and the ocean. Now he turns his attention to the present and future of our hydrosphere, which, along with the rest of the planet, is currently undergoing the most dramatic environmental changes to occur in the past 65 million years. Filled with fascinating tidbits (Did you know that albatross chicks eat an average of 70 pieces of plastic per meal?) as well as meticulous scientific detail -- Roberts provides a four-billion-year history of oceanic life while outlining the manifold environmental threats to its existence -- The Ocean of Life makes a powerful case for taking action to preserve one of the planet's most precious, least replaceable resources. |
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| The Gulf Stream: Tiny Plankton, Giant Bluefin, and the Amazing Story of the Powerful River... by Stan UlanskiThe Gulf Stream is a powerful ocean current that originates near the tip of Florida and flows up the east coast of North America before crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the system of ocean currents known as the North Atlantic Gyre, the Gulf Stream influences both climate and weather patterns (particularly cyclone formation) on both sides of the pond. In this book, geologist and avid recreational fisherman Stan Ulanski follows the Gulf Stream from beginning to end, describing the vast and diverse ecosystem it supports, from phytoplankton to bluefin tuna to giant squid. While describing its biological wonders, Ulanski recounts how the Gulf Stream has shaped the course of human history, citing explorers, pirates, and others who have sailed this "mighty oceanic river." |
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