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The Cow: A Natural and Cultural History
By Professor Catrin Rutland. 2021
A richly illustrated introduction to the science and history of the cowWe populate the countryside with cows the world over,…
and their familiar presence ensures that global demands for milk and beef are met. But with more than a billion cattle on the planet, the importance of cows extends well beyond food production. Cows are venerated by some religions and shunned by others; they provide leather for shoes, clothing, and other uses; and they have long been central to the agricultural way of life, working the fields, pulling carts, and providing fertilizer. The Cow is a comprehensive guide to help us understand these important animals, offering a wealth of information about their anatomy and behaviors, breed varieties, and place in human culture past and present. Exploring the cow’s livestock credentials and beyond, this book combines engaging and informative text, beautiful photographs, and explanatory diagrams to examine the cow's fascinating biology, its hard-wired behaviors, and its relationship with humankind.Provides an in-depth look at the evolution of the cow, its role in agriculture, and the development of breedsIncludes chapters on Anatomy & Biology, Society & Behavior, and Cattle & PeopleFeatures a photographic directory of forty global cattle breedsIn his entertaining and informative book Graphic Discovery, Howard Wainer unlocked the power of graphical display to make complex problems…
clear. Now he's back with Picturing the Uncertain World, a book that explores how graphs can serve as maps to guide us when the information we have is ambiguous or incomplete. Using a visually diverse sampling of graphical display, from heartrending autobiographical displays of genocide in the Kovno ghetto to the "Pie Chart of Mystery" in a New Yorker cartoon, Wainer illustrates the many ways graphs can be used--and misused--as we try to make sense of an uncertain world.Picturing the Uncertain World takes readers on an extraordinary graphical adventure, revealing how the visual communication of data offers answers to vexing questions yet also highlights the measure of uncertainty in almost everything we do. Are cancer rates higher or lower in rural communities? How can you know how much money to sock away for retirement when you don't know when you'll die? And where exactly did nineteenth-century novelists get their ideas? These are some of the fascinating questions Wainer invites readers to consider. Along the way he traces the origins and development of graphical display, from William Playfair, who pioneered the use of graphs in the eighteenth century, to instances today where the public has been misled through poorly designed graphs. We live in a world full of uncertainty, yet it is within our grasp to take its measure. Read Picturing the Uncertain World and learn how.A Sea Monster's Tale: In Search of the Basking Shark (Wild Nature Press)
By Colin Speedie. 2017
There are few marine creatures as spectacular as the Basking Shark. At up to 11 metres in length and seven…
tonnes in weight, this colossal, plankton-feeding fish is one of the largest in the world, second only to the whale shark. Historically, Basking Sharks were a familiar sight in the northern hemisphere – off the coasts of Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the USA, for example. In an 18th Century world without electricity, they became the focus of active hunting for their huge livers containing large amounts of valuable oil, primarily used in lamps.Catch numbers were small enough to leave populations largely intact, but during the 20th Century a new breed of hunter joined the fray, some driven as much by a need for adventure as for financial gain. With improved equipment and experience, they exploited the shark on an industrial scale that drastically reduced numbers, leading to localised near-extinction in some areas.From the 1970’s onward a new generation took to the seas, this time with conservation in mind to identify where the shark might still be found in the waters around the British Isles, employing new technologies to solve long-standing mysteries about the behaviour of this elusive creature. Using the best of both old and new research techniques, the case was built to justify the species becoming one of the most protected sharks in the oceans.Today, the Basking Shark is a much-loved cornerstone of our natural heritage. There are positive signs that the population has stabilised and may even be slowly recovering from the damage of the past, proving that timely conservation measures can be effective. Join us on a journey amidst wild seas, places, people and conservation history in the battle to protect this iconic creature – a true sea monster’s tale.Philosophy after Darwin: Classic and Contemporary Readings
By Michael Ruse. 2010
Wittgenstein famously remarked in 1923, "Darwin's theory has no more relevance for philosophy than any other hypothesis in natural science."…
Yet today we are witnessing a major revival of interest in applying evolutionary approaches to philosophical problems. Philosophy after Darwin is an anthology of essential writings covering the most influential ideas about the philosophical implications of Darwinism, from the publication of On the Origin of Species to today's cutting-edge research.Michael Ruse presents writings by leading modern thinkers and researchers--including some writings never before published--together with the most important historical documents on Darwinism and philosophy, starting with Darwin himself. Included here are Herbert Spencer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Thomas Henry Huxley, G. E. Moore, John Dewey, Konrad Lorenz, Stephen Toulmin, Karl Popper, Edward O. Wilson, Hilary Putnam, Philip Kitcher, Elliott Sober, and Peter Singer. Readers will encounter some of the staunchest critics of the evolutionary approach, such as Alvin Plantinga, as well as revealing excerpts from works like Jack London's The Call of the Wild. Ruse's comprehensive general introduction and insightful section introductions put these writings in context and explain how they relate to such fields as epistemology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, and ethics.An invaluable anthology and sourcebook, Philosophy after Darwin traces philosophy's complicated relationship with Darwin's dangerous idea, and shows how this relationship reflects a broad movement toward a secular, more naturalistic understanding of the human experience.When Animals Rescue: Amazing True Stories about Heroic and Helpful Creatures
By Belinda Recio. 2020
A Collection of True Tales of Animal Empathy and Altruism that will Inspire Us to Reflect on Our Own Human…
Nature What do stories about humpback whales protecting a biologist from a shark, a pride of lions rescuing a girl from kidnappers, gorillas working together to dismantle poacher snares, a parrot warding off an attacker in a park, a chimpanzee consoling a human, and an elephant trying to rescue a baby rhino tell us about animal nature? And what might they suggest about our very own human nature? Until just a few decades ago, there were only a few animals reported to behave empathetically and altruistically. More recently, the list of species who have been observed behaving in compassionate, helpful, and caring ways has grown exponentially, ranging from rats to elephants. Rescued by a Whale presents dozens of astonishing and heart-warming stories about animals, such as chickens, horses, dolphins, and wolves, who engage in acts of helpful kindness. During a time in history when studies show that human empathy is decreasing, our knowledge about animal empathy is increasing. These true tales of heroism, kindness, and compassion suggest that we have far more in common with other animals than we once believed and provocatively suggest that what&’s best about our human natures just might be our animal natures.The videographer behind the Journey to the Microcosmos YouTube channel (386K subscribers) James Weiss presents a beginner's guide to the…
extremely small and utterly strange life that surrounds us.James Weiss was feeling lost in life when he first discovered his interest in the microscopic world. With his own microscope and a little homespun ingenuity, he began to capture thousands of hours of stunning footage of the creatures that he found around him: the local pond, at the beach, in a puddle. What he found astounded him, and it became his mission to reveal the beauty of the microcosmos to everyone.In his fun and accessible style, interspersed with otherworldly photographs, James presents this beginner's guide to the invisible life that surrounds us. From the most simple single-celled life, to complex micro-animals, James reveals the secrets of a world that we rarely consider. Navigating the births, feasts, tragedies, idiosyncracies and deaths of a cast of tiny characters, learn how these lifeforms work and what lessons they can teach us about our own existence. Mixing scientific detail with thoughtful musings that betray the fascination at the heart of his topic, James has created a way of looking at microorganisms in an empathetic and engaging style.You'll discover fascinating absurdities: that a cell can be both its own daughter and its own mother. That immortality really does exist, and it comes in the form of a teeny, tentacled medusa. And that seeing the wonder of nature from a new perspective can literally save your life.Occult Botany: Sédir’s Concise Guide to Magical Plants
By Paul Sédir. 2021
• Includes a dictionary of nearly 300 magical plants with descriptions of each plant&’s scientific name, common names, elemental qualities,…
ruling planets, and zodiacal signatures, with commentary on medico-magical properties and uses • Explores methods of phytotherapy and plant magic, including the Paracelsian &“transplantation of diseases,&” ritual pacts with trees, the secret ingredients of witches&’ ointments, and the composition of magical philters • Explains the occult secrets of phytogenesis, plant physiology, and plant physiognomy (classification of plants according to the doctrine of signatures) Merging the scientific discipline of botany with ancient, medieval, and Renaissance traditions of occult herbalism, this seminal guide was first published in French in 1902 as a textbook for students of Papus&’s École hermétique and sparked a revival in the study of magical herbalism in early twentieth-century France. Author Paul Sédir, pseudonym of Yvon Le Loup (1871-1926), explains the occult secrets of phytogenesis (the esoteric origin and evolutionary development of the plant kingdom), plant physiology (the occult anatomy of plants), and plant physiognomy (classification of plants according to the doctrine of signatures). Unveiling the mysteries behind planetary and zodiacal attributions, he provides readers with the keys to make their own informed determinations of the astral properties of plants. Moving from theory into practice, Sédir explores various methods of phytotherapy and plant magic, including the Paracelsian &“transplantation of diseases,&” the secret ingredients of witches&’ ointments, and the composition of magical philters. In the third section of the book, Sédir offers a dictionary of magical plants that covers nearly 300 plant species with descriptions of their astral signatures, occult properties, and medico-magical uses. Compiled from an array of rare sources and esoterica, this classic text includes a wealth of additional materials and supplemental charts and diagrams drawn from Sédir&’s occult colleagues, all of whom adopted and expanded upon Sédir&’s pioneering system of plant correspondences.Rockhounding for Beginners: Your Comprehensive Guide to Finding and Collecting Precious Minerals, Gems, Geodes, & More
By Lars W. Johnson, Stephen M. Voynick. 2021
Go on an outdoor treasure hunt and enjoy all nature has to offer with this field guide to rockhounding, perfect…
for armchair geologists or anyone headed out on an adventure!Geology meets treasure hunting with this field guide to rockhounding! If you&’ve ever kept an interesting rock or shell, bought a polished stone from a gift shop, or even just enjoyed a &’gram of a really cool crystal, congratulations! You&’ve already experienced a rockhounding adventure! Rockhouding for Beginners shows you how to take your rockhounding to the next level, providing everything you need to know from tips for finding local sources for really cool finds to techniques for safely cleaning, cutting, polishing, and caring for the best samples. Complete with full-color photos to help you identify each rock and mineral wherever you find them, this guide has all the rockhounding information you need whether you&’re ready to get down and dirty or simply want to learn more from the comfort of your couch.Water utilities worldwide lose 128 billion cubic meters annually, causing annual monetary losses estimated at USD 40 billion. Most of…
these losses occur in developing countries (74%). This calls for rethinking the challenges facing water utilities in developing countries, foremost of which is the assessment of water losses in intermittent supply networks. Water loss assessment methods were originally developed in continuous supply systems, and their application in intermittently operated networks (in developing countries) is hindered by the widespread use of household water tanks and unauthorised consumption. This study provides an extensive review of existing methods and (software) tools for water loss assessment. In addition, several new methods were developed, which offer improved water loss assessment in intermittent supply. As the volume of water loss varies monthly and annually according to the amount of supplied water, this study proposes procedures to normalise the volume of water loss in order to enable water utilities to monitor and benchmark their performance on water loss management. The study also developed a novel method of estimating apparent losses using routine data of WWTP inflows, enabling future real-time monitoring of losses in networks. Different methods have also been suggested to estimate the unauthorised consumption in networks. This study found that minimum night flow analysis can still be applied in intermittent supply if an area of the network is supplied for several days. Furthermore, this study concluded that water meter performance is enhanced in intermittent supply conditions. However, continuous supply in the presence of float-valves significantly reduces the accuracy of water meters. Finally, this study provides guidance and highlights several knowledge gaps in order to improve the accuracy of water loss assessment in intermittent supply. Accurate assessment of water loss is a prerequisite for reliable leakage modelling and minimisation as well as planning for, and monitoring of water loss management in distribution networks.Protein-Protein Interactions: Principles and Techniques: Volume I
By Krishna Mohan Poluri, Khushboo Gulati, Sharanya Sarkar. 2021
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental aspects of protein-protein interactions (PPI), including a detailed account of the…
energetics and thermodynamics involved in these interactions. It also discusses a number of computational and experimental approaches for the prediction of PPI interactions and reviews their principles, advantages, drawbacks, and the recent developments. Further, it offers structural and mechanistic insights into the formation of protein-protein complexes and maps different PPIs into networks to delineate various pathways that operate at the cellular level. Lastly, it describes computational protein-protein docking techniques and discusses their implications for further experimental research. Given its scope, this book is a valuable resource for students, researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and medical/healthcare professionals.Methanol: A Sustainable Transport Fuel for CI Engines (Energy, Environment, and Sustainability)
By Avinash Kumar Agarwal, Hardikk Valera, Martin Pexa, Jakub Čedík. 2021
This monograph is based on methanol as a fuel for transportation sector, specifically for compression ignition (CI) engines. The contents…
present examples of utilization of methanol as a fuel for CI engines in different modes of transportation such as railroad, personal vehicles or heavy duty road transportation. The book also focuses on effect of methanol on combustion and performance characteristics of the engine. The effect of methanol on exhaust emission production, prediction and control is also discussed. It also discusses current methanol utilization and its potential, its effect on the engine in terms of efficiency, combustion, performance, pollutants formation and prediction. Part of the chapters are based on review of state-of-the-art while other chapters are dedicated to an original research. This volume will be a useful guide to professionals and academics involved in alternative fuels, compression ignition engines, and environmental research.Hardware-Aware Probabilistic Machine Learning Models: Learning, Inference and Use Cases
By Marian Verhelst, Wannes Meert, Laura Isabel Galindez Olascoaga. 2021
This book proposes probabilistic machine learning models that represent the hardware properties of the device hosting them. These models can…
be used to evaluate the impact that a specific device configuration may have on resource consumption and performance of the machine learning task, with the overarching goal of balancing the two optimally. The book first motivates extreme-edge computing in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. Then, it briefly reviews the steps involved in the execution of a machine learning task and identifies the implications associated with implementing this type of workload in resource-constrained devices. The core of this book focuses on augmenting and exploiting the properties of Bayesian Networks and Probabilistic Circuits in order to endow them with hardware-awareness. The proposed models can encode the properties of various device sub-systems that are typically not considered by other resource-aware strategies, bringing about resource-saving opportunities that traditional approaches fail to uncover. The performance of the proposed models and strategies is empirically evaluated for several use cases. All of the considered examples show the potential of attaining significant resource-saving opportunities with minimal accuracy losses at application time. Overall, this book constitutes a novel approach to hardware-algorithm co-optimization that further bridges the fields of Machine Learning and Electrical Engineering.Asteroids: How Love, Fear, and Greed Will Determine Our Future in Space
By Martin Elvis. 2021
A unique, wide-ranging examination of asteroid exploration and our future in space Human travel into space is an enormously expensive…
and unforgiving endeavor. So why go? In this accessible and authoritative book, astrophysicist Martin Elvis argues that the answer is asteroid exploration, for the strong motives of love, fear, and greed. Elvis’s personal motivation is one of scientific love—asteroid investigations may teach us about the composition of the solar system and the origins of life. A more compelling reason may be fear—of a dinosaur killer–sized asteroid hitting our planet. Finally, Elvis maintains, we should consider greed: asteroids likely hold vast riches, such as large platinum deposits, and mining them could provide both a new industry and a funding source for bolder space exploration. Elvis explains how each motive can be satisfied, and how they help one another. From the origins of life, to “space billiards,” and space sports, Elvis looks at how asteroids may be used in the not-so-distant future.Medicinal Plants and Mushrooms of Yunnan Province of China (Natural Products Chemistry of Global Plants)
By Clara Bik-San Lau and Chun-Lin Long. 2021
Although many texts describe plants from China, the focus of this book is to draw on the rich culture and…
environment of medicinal plants and fungi/mushrooms of Yunnan Province. In fact, Yunnan Province covers two global hotspots of biodiversity, with the richest biological and cultural diversity in China. In particular, the Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (founded in 1938 and located in the capital city of Yunnan Province) has made great contributions in the fields of botany and phytochemistry, earning an international reputation. This book covers those medicinal plants and fungi/mushrooms specific to Yunnan Province, and is written mainly by KIB experts in this research field. Key Features: Distinct sections cover the breadth of the topic including resource availability (wildly grown or cultivated), sustainability, and distribution Discusses plant parts used for medicinal uses (the folklore, the ancient and modern uses) Describes the important natural products and the known pharmacologically active components Presents biological activities related to medicinal uses or clinical evidence Cover image: Shilin, the stone forest (eroded vertical pinnacles of limestone), landmark of Kunming, Yunnan.Hydraulics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
By Andrew Chadwick, John Morfett, Martin Borthwick. 2021
This classic text, now in its sixth edition, combines a thorough coverage of the basic principles of civil engineering hydraulics…
with a wide-ranging treatment of practical, real-world applications. It now includes a powerful online resource with worked solutions for chapter problems and solution spreadsheets for more complex problems that may be used as templates for similar issues. Hydraulics in Civil and Environmental Engineering is structured into two parts to deal with principles and more advanced topics. The first part focuses on fundamentals, such as hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, pipe and open channel flow, wave theory, physical modelling, hydrology and sediment transport. The second part illustrates engineering applications of these principles to pipeline system design, hydraulic structures, river and coastal engineering, including up-to-date environmental implications, as well as a chapter on computational modelling, illustrating the application of computational simulation techniques to modern design, in a variety of contexts. New material and additional problems for solution have been added to the chapters on hydrostatics, pipe flow and dimensional analysis. The hydrology chapter has been revised to reflect updated UK flood estimation methods, data and software. The recommendations regarding the assessment of uncertainty, climate change predictions, impacts and adaptation measures have been updated, as has the guidance on the application of computational simulation techniques to river flood modelling. Andrew Chadwick is an honorary professor of coastal engineering and the former associate director of the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth, UK. John Morfett was the head of hydraulics research and taught at the University of Brighton, UK. Martin Borthwick is a consultant hydrologist, formerly a flood hydrology advisor at the UK’s Environment Agency, and previously an associate professor at the University of Plymouth, UK.From lunar logic to retrograde real talk, eclipses to asteroids, practicing astrologer Rachel Stuart-Haas breaks down the astrological phenomena that…
impact your day-to-day life in this giftable guide to the heavens, and what they have in store. The sun, moon, stars, and other celestial bodies are constantly impacting our lives. They affect our decision making, relationships, communication. They signal change and grant us moments of self-reflection. And, if we let them, they challenge us to grow into the best versions of ourselves. In Mercury in Retrograde, practicing astrologer Rachel Stuart-Haas takes us on a fun and energizing exploration of the astrological phenomena that guide our lives. Unpacking eclipses, retrogrades, the major and minor aspects, asteroids, and moon wisdom, Stuart-Haas teaches readers how to go beyond their zodiac sun sign and natal chart (how the stars were aligned at their birth) and start thinking like a real astrologer to: -Align their energies with the Universe -Time major life decisions to auspicious moments -Improve their relationships, mental health, and well-being -Create meaningful rituals for self-care -And more! Perfect for armchair astrologists, fans of divination, and anyone looking to improve their relationships, mental health, and overall wellbeing, this wise, delightful, and easy-to-read book provides the first step to reclaiming your life and accomplishing all you&’ve ever dreamed of.A History of Data Visualization and Graphic Communication
By Howard Wainer, Michael Friendly. 2021
A comprehensive history of data visualization—its origins, rise, and effects on the ways we think about and solve problems. With…
complex information everywhere, graphics have become indispensable to our daily lives. Navigation apps show real-time, interactive traffic data. A color-coded map of exit polls details election balloting down to the county level. Charts communicate stock market trends, government spending, and the dangers of epidemics. A History of Data Visualization and Graphic Communication tells the story of how graphics left the exclusive confines of scientific research and became ubiquitous. As data visualization spread, it changed the way we think. Michael Friendly and Howard Wainer take us back to the beginnings of graphic communication in the mid-seventeenth century, when the Dutch cartographer Michael Florent van Langren created the first chart of statistical data, which showed estimates of the distance from Rome to Toledo. By 1786 William Playfair had invented the line graph and bar chart to explain trade imports and exports. In the nineteenth century, the “golden age” of data display, graphics found new uses in tracking disease outbreaks and understanding social issues. Friendly and Wainer make the case that the explosion in graphical communication both reinforced and was advanced by a cognitive revolution: visual thinking. Across disciplines, people realized that information could be conveyed more effectively by visual displays than by words or tables of numbers. Through stories and illustrations, A History of Data Visualization and Graphic Communication details the 400-year evolution of an intellectual framework that has become essential to both science and society at large.Pathology of Lung Disease: Morphology – Pathogenesis – Etiology
By Helmut Popper. 2021
This well-illustrated book covers the full range of lung and pleural diseases from the pathologic standpoint. It has been updated…
from the first edition by including the most recent molecular data for the different lung diseases, tumor as well as non-tumor ones. New diagnostic tests are included, new aspects for the understanding of diseases have been added. Both diseases of adults and pediatric lung diseases are presented. The chapter on lung development has been expanded due to the many new findings being reported since the first edition.The book will serve as an excellent guide to the diagnosis of these diseases, but in addition it explains the disease mechanisms and etiology. Genetics and molecular biology are also discussed whenever necessary for a full understanding. The author is an internationally recognized expert who runs courses on lung and pleural pathology attended by participants from all over the world. In compiling this book, he has drawn on more than 30 years’ experience in the field.Seeing Smart Cities Through a Multi-Dimensional Lens: Perspectives, Relationships, and Patterns for Success
By H. Patricia McKenna. 2021
This book provides an interdisciplinary lens for exploring, assessing, and coming to new understandings of smart cities and regions, focusing…
on the six dimensions of sensing, awareness, learning, openness, innovation, and disruption. Using a hybrid case study and correlational approach, people from diverse sectors in a variety of small to medium to large-sized cities in multiple countries (e.g., Canada, United States, Ireland, Greece, Israel, etc.) provide experience-based perspectives on smart cities together with assessments for elements pertaining to each of the six dimensions.The analysis of findings in this work surfaces a rich and interwoven tapestry of patterns from the qualitative data highlighting for example, the importance of emotion/affect, privacy, trust, and data visualizations in influencing and informing the directions of smart cities and regions going forward. Correlational analysis of quantitative data reveals the presence and strength of emerging relationships among elements assessed, shedding light on factors that may serve as starting points for understanding what is contributing to potentials for improving success in smart cities and regions.New Research Directions in Solar Energy Technologies (Energy, Environment, and Sustainability)
By Himanshu Tyagi, Prodyut R. Chakraborty, Satvasheel Powar, Avinash K. Agarwal. 2021
Applications of solar energy have been expanding in recent years across the world. This monograph details such far-reaching and important…
applications which have the potential for large impact on various segments of the society. It focuses solar energy technologies for various applications such as generation of electric power, heating, energy storage, etc. This volume will be a useful guide for researchers, academics and scientists.