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Gravity's kiss: The detection of gravitational waves by H. M. CollinsScientists have been trying to confirm the existence of gravitational waves for fifty years. Then, in September 2015, came a "very interesting event" (as the cautious subject line in a physicist's email read) that proved to be the first detection of gravitational waves. In Gravity's Kiss, Harry Collins -- who has been watching the science of gravitational wave detection for forty-three of those fifty years and has written three previous books about it -- offers a final, fascinating account, written in real time, of the unfolding of one of the most remarkable scientific discoveries ever made. Predicted by Einstein in his theory of general relativity, gravitational waves carry energy from the collision or explosion of stars. Dying binary stars, for example, rotate faster and faster around each other until they merge, emitting a burst of gravitational waves. It is only with the development of extraordinarily sensitive, highly sophisticated detectors that physicists can now confirm Einstein's prediction.
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The Turing guide by Jack CopelandAlan Turing has long proved a subject of fascination, but following the centenary of his birth in 2012, the code-breaker, computer pioneer, mathematician (and much more) has become even more celebrated with much media coverage, and several meetings, conferences and books raising public awareness of Turing's life and work. This volume will bring together contributions from some of the leading experts on Alan Turing to create a comprehensive guide to Turing that will serve as a useful resource for researchers in the area as well as the increasingly interested general reader. The book will cover aspects of Turing's life and the wide range of his intellectual activities, including mathematics, code-breaking, computer science, logic, artificial intelligence and mathematical biology, as well as his subsequent influence.
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Traveling with ghosts: A memoir
by Shannon Leone Fowler
A marine biologist traces the solo journey she took through war-ravaged Eastern Europe, Israel and beyond to find peace after her fiancé's jellyfish-attack death, a journey marked by poignant echoes of their relationship and her efforts to make peace with the ocean.
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Camouflaged wildlife
by Joe McDonald
This beautifully illustrated book on camouflaged animals will include some of nature's greatest designs and is one of the most remarkable compilations of pictures on the subject ever published.
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Geological structures: An introductory field guide by Chris PellantGeological Structures is an easy-to-use, highly informative photographic field guide that introduces the great variety of geological structures to be found all around us. The authors' beautiful photography, extended captions and accessible text make interpreting and understanding geological structures simple, whether you're an amateur enthusiast keen to learn or a more experienced geologist. Structures and related landforms are illustrated in more than 200 detailed colour photographs and their helpful captions assist with identification in the field.
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| Eat me: A natural and unnatural history of cannibalism by Bill SchuttNever has the expression "you are what you eat" been more apt. Sometimes called "intraspecific predation," cannibalism -- in which members of a species eat part or all of other members of their species -- is widespread in the animal kingdom for reasons that include (but are not limited to) overpopulation and the stresses of captivity. It's also not that uncommon among humans, who may engage in cannibalism for medicinal purposes, as part of funeral rites, or as a demonstration of filial piety. Examining biological and cultural aspects of cannibalism, author and zoologist Bill Schutt also offers thoughts on the circumstances (such as famine and disease caused by climate change) that could make this taboo more...um, palatable. |
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| The inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, his iconic test, and the power of seeing by Damion SearlsAlthough most people are familiar with the iconic Inkblot test, not many know about its creator, Swiss psychoanalyst Hermann Rorschach. A student of Eugen Bleuler and Carl Jung, Rorschach was also the son of a painter and an admirer of modernist and abstract art, all of which influenced his work. However, Rorschach's life and career are only part of the story. After his death, the test took on a life of its own: adopted by military, embraced by the advertising industry, and debated within the psychological community, this set of ten symmetrical images continues to be administered to students, job applicants, and even war criminals while at the same time leaving an indelible mark on the popular imagination. |
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| The vaccine race: Science, politics, and the human costs of defeating disease by Meredith WadmanUntil the 1960s, children regularly suffered (and frequently died) from measles, mumps, rubella, diptheria, pertussis, polio, and more. Thanks to immunisations, this is no longer the case. However, as author Meredith Wadman explains, the breakthroughs in virology that saved so many lives came at a high human cost. While researchers benefited from advances in tissue culture, they also owed their success to a steady supply of test subjects in orphanages and schools, asylums and prisons. Readers who enjoy moving and thought-provoking books about medical ethics, such as Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, will want to read The Vaccine Race. |
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| The genius of birds by Jennifer Ackerman"Birdbrain" should be a compliment, because our feathered friends (or foes: hello, pigeons!) are very intelligent. (If nothing else, they've had 100 million years to get smart.) Addressing our imperfect understanding of intelligence as well as longstanding misconceptions about bird cognition, author Jennifer Ackerman assesses what we now know about avian intelligence by drawing on copious research, as well as personal observations drawn from a lifetime of birdwatching. For more on animal cognition in general, check out Frans de Waal's Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? |
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| H is for Hawk by Helen MacdonaldStruggling with depression in the wake of her beloved father's unexpected death, author and academic Helen Macdonald decided to acquire and train a goshawk, a challenge even for an experienced falconer like herself. As she rears Mabel, her goshawk chick, she reflects on the history of the sport and reconsiders a favourite book from her childhood: The Goshawk by T.H. White. Replete with sensory details of falconry and soaring descriptions of the countryside near her home in Cambridge, England, H is for Hawk is both a moving account of grief and a fascinating glimpse into an unseen world. For another lyrical memoir by a falconer, try Richard Hines' No Way But Gentlenesse. |
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| The thing with feathers: The surprising lives of birds and what they reveal about being human by Noah StryckerWhat do penguins fear? How do pigeons find their way home? Why do bowerbirds build such elaborate nests? Noah Strycker, an associate editor for Birding magazine, explores these and other questions. Divided into three sections, "Body," "Mind," and "Spirit," this book considers behaviours specific to birds, such as homing instincts and the pecking order, as well as those once attributed solely to humans, such as self-awareness, the creation of art, and romantic love. For more insight into bird behaviour, try Tim Birkhead's Bird Sense: What It's Like to Be a Bird. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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