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Selling Science: Polio and the Promise of Gamma Globulin
By Stephen E. Mawdsley. 2016
Today, when many parents seem reluctant to have their children vaccinated, even with long proven medications, the Salk vaccine trial,…
which enrolled millions of healthy children to test an unproven medical intervention, seems nothing short of astonishing. In Selling Science, medical historian Stephen E. Mawdsley recounts the untold story of the first large clinical trial to control polio using healthy children--55,000 healthy children--revealing how this long-forgotten incident cleared the path for Salk's later trial. Mawdsley describes how, in the early 1950s, Dr. William Hammon and the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis launched a pioneering medical experiment on a previously untried scale. Conducted on over 55,000 healthy children in Texas, Utah, Iowa, and Nebraska, this landmark study assessed the safety and effectiveness of a blood component, gamma globulin, to prevent paralytic polio. The value of the proposed experiment was questioned by many prominent health professionals as it harbored potential health risks, but as Mawdsley points out, compromise and coercion moved it forward. And though the trial returned dubious results, it was presented to the public as a triumph and used to justify a federally sanctioned mass immunization study on thousands of families between 1953 and 1954. Indeed, the concept, conduct, and outcome of the GG study were sold to health professionals, medical researchers, and the public at each stage. At a time when most Americans trusted scientists, their mutual encounter under the auspices of conquering disease was shaped by politics, marketing, and at times, deception. Drawing on oral history interviews, medical journals, newspapers, meeting minutes, and private institutional records, Selling Science sheds light on the ethics of scientific conduct, and on the power of marketing to shape public opinion about medical experimentation.For her activism on behalf of Texas Gulf Coast bays, Wilson has been recognized with awards including Mother Jones' Hellraiser…
of the Month. In her first book, this fourth-generation shrimper relates her battles against a plastics company (and their political allies) whose dumping of toxic chemicals resulted in her county's designation as the nation's most polluted in the late 1980s. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)The Seven Sisters of Pleiades: Stories from Around the World
By Munya Andrews. 2004
The legends of the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades that poets, priests, prophets, shamans, storytellers, artists, singers, and historians have…
told throughout time are retold in this compilation of the stories that have found their inspiration in nine beautiful stars clustered together in the night sky. While particular attention in this cross-cultural study is paid to the influence of the Pleiades cluster on the living traditions of indigenous people in North America, Australia, Japan, and the Pacific, much ancient mythology passed down through written and visual sources from ancient Egypt, India, Greece, and South America is also explored. Appearances of the myths in the modern world are also mentioned, including American presidential elections, Halloween, Atlantis, the Titanic, and Subaru automobiles. Serious astronomical research complements the variety of mythological explanations for the stars' existence by providing the modern world's scientific understanding of them.Superhuman: Life at the Extremes of Our Capacity
By Dr Rowan Hooper. 2018
From evolutionary biologist Rowan Hooper, an awe-inspiring look into the extremes of human ability—and what they tell us about our…
own potential.In 1997, an endurance runner named Yiannis Kouros ran 188 miles in twenty-four hours. Akira Haraguchi, a sixty year-old man in Tokyo, can recite pi to the 100,000th decimal point. John Nunn was accepted to Oxford University at age 15, the youngest undergraduate in 500 years. After a horrific attack by her estranged husband, Carmen Tarleton was left with burns to over eighty percent of her body. One of her surgeons said her injuries “were beyond anything we have ever seen.” After a three-month coma, multiple skin grafts, and successful face transplant, Tarleton is now a motivational speaker. What does it feel like to be exceptional? And what does it take to get there? Why can some people achieve greatness when others can’t, no matter how hard they try? Just how much potential does our species have? Evolutionary biologist Rowan Hooper has the answers. In Superhuman he takes us on a breathtaking tour of the peaks of human achievement that shows us what it feels like to be extraordinary—and what it takes to get there. Drawing on interviews with these “superhumans” and those who have studied them, Hooper assesses the science and genetics of peak potential. His case studies are as inspirational as they are varied, highlighting feats of endurance, strength, intelligence, and memory. Superhuman is a fascinating, eye-opening, and inspiring celebration for anyone who ever felt that they might be able to do something extraordinary in life, for those who simply want to succeed, and for anyone interested in the sublime possibilities of humankind.Junk Drawer Physics: 50 Awesome Experiments That Don't Cost a Thing
By Bobby Mercer. 2014
A children's instructional book on how to use readily available materials to turn the house into a science lab Physics…
teacher Bobby Mercer provides readers with more than 50 great hands-on experiments that can be performed for just pennies, or less. Turn a plastic cup into a pinhole camera using waxed paper, a rubber band, and a thumbtack. Build a swinging wave machine using a series of washers suspended on strings from a yardstick. Or construct your own planetarium from an empty potato chip canister, construction paper, scissors, and a pin. Each project has a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations, and a brief explanation of the scientific principle being demonstrated. Junk Drawer Physics also includes sidebars of fascinating physics facts, such as did you know the Eiffel Tower is six inches taller in summer than in winter because its steel structure expands in the heat? Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children about physics topics that include magnetism, electricity, force, motion, light, energy, sound, and more, and have fun at the same time.Fruitful Labor: The Ecology, Economy, and Practice of a Family Farm
By Mike Madison. 2018
As the average age of America’s farmers continues to rise, we face serious questions about what farming will look like…
in the near future, and who will be growing our food. Many younger people are interested in going into agriculture, especially organic farming, but cannot find affordable land, or lack the conceptual framework and practical information they need to succeed in a job that can be both difficult and deeply fulfilling. In Fruitful Labor, Mike Madison meticulously describes the ecology of his own small family farm in the Sacramento Valley of California. He covers issues of crop ecology such as soil fertility, irrigation needs, and species interactions, as well as the broader agroecological issues of the social, economic, regulatory, and technological environments in which the farm operates. The final section includes an extensive analysis of sustainability on every level. Pithy, readable, and highly relevant, this book covers both the ecology and the economy of a truly sustainable agriculture. Although Madison’s farm is unique, the broad lessons he has gleaned from his more than three decades as an organic farmer will resonate strongly with the new generation of farmers who work the land, wherever they might live. *This book is part of Chelsea Green Publishing’s NEW FARMER LIBRARY series, where we collect innovative ideas, hard-earned wisdom, and practical advice from pioneers of the ecological farming movement—for the next generation. The series is a collection of proven techniques and philosophies from experienced voices committed to deep organic, small-scale, regenerative farming. Each book in the series offers the new farmer essential tips, inspiration, and first-hand knowledge of what it takes to grow food close to the land.Drink Beer, Think Beer: Getting to the Bottom of Every Pint
By John Holl. 2018
From an award-winning journalist and beer expert, a thoughtful and witty guide to understanding and enjoying beerRight here, right now…
is the best time in the history of mankind to be a beer drinker. America now has more breweries than at any time since prohibition, and globally, beer culture is thriving and constantly innovating. Drinkers can order beer brewed with local yeast or infused with moondust. However, beer drinkers are also faced with uneven quality and misinformation about flavors. And the industry itself is suffering from growing pains, beset by problems such as unequal access to taps, skewed pricing, and sexism. Drawing on history, economics, and interviews with industry insiders, John Holl provides a complete guide to beer today, allowing readers to think critically about the best beverage in the world. Full of entertaining anecdotes and surprising opinions, Drink Beer, Think Beer is a must-read for beer lovers, from casual enthusiasts to die-hard hop heads.The Racecar Book: Build and Race Mousetrap Cars, Dragsters, Tri-Can Haulers & More
By Bobby Mercer. 2013
A project book for young readers with a need for speed, this work provides instruction on 25 easy-to-construct racecars that…
can be driven both indoors and out. They will learn how to use mousetraps, rubber bands, chemical reactions, gravity, and air pressure to power the cars that are made for little or no cost using recycled and repurposed materials. Readers will discover how to turn a potato chip can, a rubber band, and weights into a Chip-Can Dancer; retrofit a car with a toy plane propeller to make an air-powered Prop Car; and use an effervescent tablet in a small canister to make an impressive rocket engine for a Mini Pop Car. Each project is accompanied by a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with photos, and explanations of the science behind each racecar, including concepts such as friction, Newton's laws of motion, and kinetic and potential energy.Tracing the evolution of humankind's pursuit of astronomical knowledge, this resource looks deep into the furthest reaches of space. Children…
will follow along as the realization that the Earth is not at the center of the universe leads all the way up to recent telescopic proof of planets orbiting stars outside the solar system. In addition to its engaging history, this book contains 21 hands-on projects to further explore the subjects discussed. Readers will build a three-dimensional representation of the constellation Orion, see how the universe expands using an inflating balloon, and construct a reflecting telescope out of a makeup mirror and a magnifying glass. It also includes small biographies of famous astronomers, a time line of major scientific discoveries, a glossary of technical terms, and dozens of full-color images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.A groundbreaking exploration of how cyberspace is changing the way we think, feel, and behave Mary Aiken is the world's…
leading expert in forensic cyberpsychology--a discipline that combines psychology, criminology, and technology to investigate the intersection where technology and human behavior meet. In this, her first book, Aiken has created a starting point for all future conversations about how the Internet is shaping development and behavior, societal norms and values, children, safety, security, and our perception of the world. Cyberspace is an environment full of surveillance, but who is looking out for us? The Cyber Effect offers a fascinating and chilling look at a future we can still do something about. Drawing on her own research and extensive experience with law enforcement, Mary Aiken covers a wide range of subjects from the impact of screens on the developing child to the explosion of teen sexting, and the acceleration of compulsive and addictive behaviors online (gaming, shopping, pornography). She examines the escalation of cyberchondria (anxiety produced by self-diagnosing online), cyberstalking, and organized cybercrime in the Deep Web. Aiken provides surprising statistics and incredible-but-true case studies of hidden trends that are shaping our culture and raising troubling questions about where the digital revolution is taking us. The Cyber Effect will upend your assumptions about your online life and forever change the way you think about the technology you, your friends, and family use. Readers will gain a new understanding of the rapid change taking shape around us and come away with critical tools to become part of this very necessary conversation.Advance praise for The Cyber Effect"Just as Rachel Carson launched the modern environmental movement with her Silent Spring, Mary Aiken delivers a deeply disturbing, utterly penetrating, and urgently timed investigation into the perils of the largest unregulated social experiment of our time."--Bob Woodward "Mary Aiken takes us on a fascinating, thought-provoking, and at times scary journey down the rabbit hole to witness how the Internet is changing the human psyche. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the temptations and tragedies of cyberspace."--John R. Suler, PhD, author of The Psychology of Cyberspace"Drawing on a fascinating and mind-boggling range of research and knowledge, Mary Aiken has written a great, important book that terrifies then consoles by pointing a way forward so that our experience online might not outstrip our common sense. A must-read for this moment in time."--Steven D. Levitt, co-author of the New York Times bestseller Freakonomics"Figuring out how to guide kids in a hyperconnected world is one of the biggest challenges for today's parents. Mary Aiken clearly and calmly separates reality from myth. She clearly lays out the issues we really need to be concerned about and calmly instructs us on how to keep our kids safe and healthy in their digital lives."--Peggy Orenstein, author of the New York Times bestseller Girls & Sex "Having worked with law enforcement groups from INTERPOL and Europol as well as the U.S. government, Aiken knows firsthand how today's digital tools can be exploited by criminals lurking in the Internet's Dark Net."--NewsweekFrom the Hardcover edition.Awesome Snake Science!: 40 Activities for Learning About Snakes (Young Naturalists)
By Cindy Blobaum. 2012
From cobras and copperheads to pythons and boas, all types of snakes are covered in this book of 40 science…
experiments, art projects, and games that help budding herpetologists gain a greater appreciation for these slithering reptiles. Activities include making foldable fangs to learn how snakes' teeth and jaws work together; simulating cytotoxic snake venom while making a tasty snack using an everyday enzyme found in pineapple; and mimicking the sound a rattlesnake makes using a rubber band, a paper clip, and an envelope. Engaging, simple, and safe experiments teach kids about the biology of snakes, such as how they use their tongues and nostrils to detect smells, how they are cold-blooded and sensitive to subtle changes in temperature, and how they can detect the slightest vibrations or tremors. Kids do not need a snake for any of the activities and will delight in all the strange snake facts and gross-out projects such as Snake Stink--where they create their own signature stink and test how well it repels potential predators. Did you know . . . * Snakes do not need to be coiled to strike. They can strike from any position, even underwater! * Cobras and coachwhips are two of the few snakes that can move in a straight line forward while keeping their upper body raised off the ground. *Snake venom can actually help humans too! A blood pressure medicine was developed from the venom of a Brazilian pit viper, and over 60 other treatments have been created from snake venoms.This bestselling DIY handbook now features new and expanded projects, enabling ordinary folks to construct 16 awesome ballistic devices in…
their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple match-powered rocket to the more complex tabletop catapult and the offbeat Cincinnati fire kite. The classic potato cannon has a new evil twin--the piezo-electric spud gun--and the electromagnetic pipe gun has joined the company of such favorites as the tennis ball mortar. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.How Does Government Listen to Scientists?
By Claire Craig. 2019
This Palgrave Policy Essential draws together recent developments in the field of science in government policy and public debate…
Practice and academic insights from a wide variety of fields have both moved on in the last decade and this book provides a consolidated survey of the relatively well established but highly scattered set of insights about the provision of deeply technical expertise in policy making models of climate or disease risk Artificial Intelligence and ethics and so on It goes on to link this to emerging ideas about futures thinking public engagement narrative and the role of values and sentiment alongside the place of scientific and scholarly insights in public decision-making and debate The book offers an accessible overview aimed at practitioners policy-makers looking to understand how to work with researchers researchers looking to work with policy-makers and the increasing numbers and types of brokers - people working at the interface in science advice public engagement and communication of science and in expert support to decision-making in the public and private sectors In addition to outlining recent insights and placing them in the established frameworks of authors such as Pielke and Jasanoff the book also brings in relevant areas less traditionally associated with the subject but of increasing importance such as modelling futures and narrativeGalileo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities (For Kids series)
By Buzz Aldrin, Richard Panchyk. 2005
Galileo, one of history's best-known scientists, is introduced in this illuminating activity book. Children will learn how Galileo's revolutionary discoveries…
and sometimes controversial theories changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. This book will inspire kids to be stargazers and future astronauts or scientists as they discover Galileo's life and work. Activities allow children to try some of his theories on their own, with experiments that include playing with gravity and motion, making a pendulum, observing the moon, and painting with light and shadow. Along with the scientific aspects of Galileo's life, his passion for music and art are discussed and exemplified by period engravings, maps, and prints. A time line, glossary, and listings of major science museums, planetariums, and web sites for further exploration complement this activity book.Mondo Magnets: 40 Attractive (and Repulsive) Devices and Demonstrations
By Fred Jeffers. 2007
Surprising and seemingly impossible effects result from the 40 experiments included in this fascinating science resource--all based on real magnetic…
physics. Each experiment--such as using a common refrigerator magnet to create a three-dimensional image or floating a magnet and carbon sheet in midair--is outlined with step-by-step instructions and diagrams that illustrate the key concepts of magnetism. Even the most experienced science teacher or at-home tinkerer will find dozens of new tricks in this amazing collection.Haywired: Pointless (Yet Awesome) Projects for the Electronically Inclined
By Mike Rigsby. 2009
Demonstrating that not all science needs to be serious to be educational or worthwhile, the electrifying projects in this packed…
resource offer science enthusiasts and weekend workbench hobbyists odd creations that will amuse them for years to come. Helpful hints on soldering, wire wrapping, and multimeter use pair with step-by-step details and circuit diagrams to show garage electricians how to build projects such as a no-battery electric car toy and a flashlight that only needs minutes of charging to shine for 24 hours. The instructions in this book are clear and concise, and an index includes websites listing suppliers and part numbers.A detailed reference on the latest craze in lightweight aeronautics, this manual shows how to build and throw paper boomerangs.…
Techniques for mastering the basics will help beginners, while techniques for impressive throws--such as the behind-the-back toss; the boomerang juggle; the under-the-leg catch; and the dreaded double-handed, backward, double-boomerang throw--will thrill even the most advanced boomeranger. A history of the device and the physics behind its circuitous flight are also included, making this the only comprehensive reference on this fascinating toy.Successful Adaptation to Climate Change: Linking Science and Policy in a Rapidly Changing World
By Maxwell T. Boykoff, Susanne C. Moser. 2011
What does successful adaptation look like? This is a question we are frequently asked by planners, policy makers and other…
professionals charged with the task of developing and implementing adaptation strategies. While adaptation is increasingly recognized as an important climate risk management strategy, and on-the-ground adaptation planning activity is becoming more common-place, there is no clear guidance as to what success would look like, what to aim for and how to judge progress. This edited volume makes significant progress toward unpacking the question of successful adaptation, offering both scientifically informed and practice-relevant answers from various sectors and regions of the world. It brings together 18 chapters from leading experts within the field to present careful analyses of different cases and situations, questioning throughout commonly avowed truisms and unspoken assumptions that have pervaded climate adaptation science and practice to date. This book offers not one answer but demonstrates how the question of success in important ways is normative and context specific. It identifies the various dimensions of success, such as economic, political, institutional, ecological, and social, explores the tensions between them, and compiles encouraging evidence that resolutions can be found. The book appraises how climatic and non-climatic stressors play a role, what role science does and can play in adaptation decision making, and how trade-offs and other concerns and priorities shape adaptation planning and implementation on the ground. This is timely interdisciplinary text sheds light on key issues that arise in on-the-ground adaptation to climate change. It bridges the gap between science and practical application of successful adaptation strategies and will be of interest to both students, academics and practitioners.Building Bots: Designing and Building Warrior Robots
By William Gurstelle. 2003
This is the definitive guide to designing and building warrior robots like those seen on BattleBots, Robotica, and Robot Wars.…
It walks robot enthusiasts of all ages step-by-step through the design and building process, enabling them to create any number of customized warrior robots. With a strong emphasis on safety, chapters include designing a robot, choosing materials, radio control systems, electric motors, robot batteries, motor speed controllers, gasoline engines, and drive trains. Clear instructions are accompanied by photos, line drawings, and detailed diagrams throughout. A color section showcases a variety of glorious fighting machines. For beginners, there is machine shop 101 and robot physics, and, of course, chapters on weaponry that include spinner robots, thwackbots, cutting blade robots, lifters, and chameleon robots. When the bot of their dreams is built, suggestions on where to compete and game-day strategies and tactics help readers take the next step. An extensive resource section lists parts suppliers, pertinent Web sites, a radio frequency chart, and a glossary.Amazing Rubber Band Cars: Easy-to-Build Wind-Up Racers, Models, and Toys
By Mike Rigsby. 2006
Combining fun and interactive activities, this guide will have kids captivated for hours constructing fantastic racing cars with the basics…
of only rubber bands, cardboard, and glue. These simple instructions with templates allow budding engineers to gain hands-on experience as they learn not only how to build a basic racer, but how to make modifications such as aluminum foil axle bearings, steering mechanisms, hinges, cam shafts, and wheels made out of old CDs. This helpful resource has step-by-step instructions for making a basic rubber-band model, a railroad push-car, and a high-speed racer. Other unique projects include Oscar the Laughing Clown, which has a jaw mechanism that opens and closes when it moves, and Spot the Dog, which has a moving tail. Children can even learn how to build a rubber band car big enough for a human. Exploring wheels, bearings, and friction, kids will learn not only how to make speedy racers but also the science that makes the process work.