Climate change is one of the most serious problems facing the agriculture today. In a many countries, drought in conjunction with high temperature becomes a significant risk for sustainable agricultural production. In general, drought stress limits productivity of major crops by inducing different morphological, physiological and molecular changes in plants (Ashraf et al. 201…
Planetary scientists suspect that, when young, our planet met with an enormouscelestial body in a random collision that tilted the earth’s rotational axis relativeto its orbital plane around the sun. This tilt has since determined which parts ofour globe are most exposed to solar radiation at different points in its solar cir-cuit, as a key physical pattern dictating the annual cycles of life…
When using the terms mice and rats, we usually mean small ani-mals with a long scaly tail. These names are applied mainly to rodents, but not exclusively. In various languages, shrews are also called mice (e.g. German Spitzmäuse), as are bats and some marsu-pials (marsupial mice). Even one carnivore, the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), is also called Waoh’s rat. First of all, it wou…
One of the difficulties in the establishment of nature-study has been that there is no field for the work. This is no longer true. There is an awakening throughout the country. 1. Summer Camps need Nature Counsellors. It is admitted that nature lore is the most important and the most difficult position to fill in the summer camp. There are over 5000 camps. 2. Scouting and Camp Fire Organiz…
“There was no such thing as the Scientific Revolution, and this is a book about it” (Shapin 1996, 1). So began Stephen Shapin’s The Scientific Revolution, a work, con-cise and smart, that embodied an approach to the history of science termed “the social construction of science.” Shapin argued that if we are going to talk about a “scientific revolution,” then we need to see it not …
In 2018, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium published a reference genome sequence for bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The landmark achievement was the culmination of a thirteen-year international effort focused on the production of a genome sequence linked to genotypic/phenotypic maps to advance understanding of traits an…
The Research Defence Society (RDS) was founded in 1908 by Dr Stephen Paget, son of the eminent Victorian surgeon, Sir James Paget. Its role was to defend scientists conducting medical research using animals and to inform the public about the importance of animal experimentation. In its first year it attracted a membership of 2000 which included scientists in th…
A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such profound questions as: How did the universe begin—and what made its start possible? Does time always flow forward? Is the universe unending—or are there boundaries? Are there other dimensions in space? What will happen when it all ends? Told in language we all can understand…
This is a book about a grand vision radio telescope project called the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and its transition from a global grass-roots collaboration among astronomers and engineers in the early 1990s to a formal legal entity two decades later, on the path towards an Inter-Governmental Organisation constructing a science mega-project. The …
In July 2012, I was employed as a program-specific professor to implement the “Connectivity of Hills, Humans and Oceans Educational Program” which was opened to all graduate students of Kyoto University. In 2010 when I worked at the National Research Institute of Aquaculture, I visited the Minamata Disease Municipal Museum in south Kyushu. There, I learned d…
A study of the new scientific understanding of consciousness and the mind as a fifth dimension of reality • Introduces the existence of a fifth dimension--one of mind--an inner- or hyperspace where time is transcended • Shows how the barrier of the speed of light is actually a gateway demarking the fifth dimension Since the introduction of Descartes’ dualism in the seventeenth ce…
Bridging the gap between the world of science and the realm of the spiritual, B. Alan Wallace introduces a natural theory of human consciousness that has its roots in contemporary physics and Buddhism. Wallace's "special theory of ontological relativity" suggests that mental phenomena are conditioned by the brain, but do not emerge from it. Rather, the entire natural world of mind and matter, s…
Angola is a country of unusually rich physiographic, climatic and biological diver-sity. It occupies only 4% of the terrestrial area of Africa, yet it possesses the highest diversity of biomes and is second only to mega-diverse South Africa in terms of the number of ecoregions found within its borders. However, scientific literature on its biodiversity is extremely limited when compared w…
Not all charms fly at the touch of cold philosophy.1 This work examines so-called “cold philosophy,” or science, that does pre-cisely the opposite—rather than mercilessly emptying out and unweaving, it operates as a philosophy that animates. Taking up a selection of popular works by scientists who have engaged in attempts to rail against the idea of disenchantment (En…
The coastal areas of Louisiana have been subject to extreme weather ever since the Mississippi River began to create the Delta land 7000+ years ago (Roberts 1997). The extreme weather first impacted the indigenous population that has lived here for millennia and, over the last 300+ years, multi-ethnic immigrants, refugees and enslaved peoples who settled among them (Owens 2015). Whil…
During the first half of the nineteenth century, some fundamental insights into pollen morphology and physiology were achieved. Purkinje made the first attempt for a palynological terminology by classifying pollen based on their morphology (Purkinje 1830). Wodehouse (1935) pointed out that “Purkinje’s system of nomenclature deserved much more attention than was ever given …
Biodeterioration in the context of cultural heritage refers to the degradationprocesses induced by microorganisms that occur in various substrates upon whichhistoric and artistic works of our cultural heritage were created. Paper, a biological,cellular material that has served for centuries as a carrier of human thought, and abase upon which artworks were rendered, is a particularly bio-suscept…
Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our bel…
Concentrations of more than 50 soil elements can now be determined by atomicabsorption photometry, X-rayfluorescence spectrometry, inductively coupledplasma mass spectrometry, and other techniques (Yamasaki1996, Takeda et al.2004). Concentrations of the major soil elements, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Mn, Ti,and P, are frequently measured. Other major elements, O, H, C, N, S, F, and Cl, existin …
Should we legalize marijuana? If we legalize, what in particular should be legal? Just possessing marijuana and growing your own? Selling and advertising? If selling becomes legal, who gets to sell? Corporations? Co-ops? The government? What regulations should apply? How high should taxes be? Different forms of legalization could bring very different results. This second edition of Marijuana…
"This is, for my money, the best single-source primer on the state of climate change." - New York Magazine "The right book at the right time: accessible, comprehensive, unflinching, humane." - The Daily Beast "A must-read." - The Guardian Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know is the essential primer on what will be the defining issue of our time. Newly updated with the latest in …
A quantitative introduction to the Solar System and planetary systems science for advanced undergraduate students, this engaging new textbook explains the wide variety of physical, chemical, and geological processes that govern the motions and properties of planets. The authors provide an overview of our current knowledge and discuss some of the unanswered questions at the forefront of research…
"Have you ever seen a total solar eclipse?" If the question caused you to search your memory, the correct answer would have been "no." A common response is: "Yes--I saw one, it was about 90% partial eclipse where I lived." A 90% partial eclipse is indeed a remarkable phenomenon, but true totality leaves all else in the shade, in all senses of the phrase. Ask the question of anyone who has exper…
Evolution is one of the most important processes in life. It not only explains the detailed history of life on earth, but its scope also extends into many aspects of our own contemporary behavior-who we are and how we got to be here, our psychology, our cultures-and greatly impacts modern advancements in medicine and conservation biology. Perhaps its most important claim for science is its abil…
John McMurry
KEY BENEFIT: This book prepares readers to understand finite mathematics and calculus used in a wide range of disciplines. Covering relevant topics from finance, linear algebra, programming, and probability, the Seventh Edition places emphasis on computational skills, ideas, and problem solving. Other highlights include a rich variety of applications and integration of graphing calculators. …
In the early 1970s, there was a small group of advocates for an infrared space telescope; however, the field of infrared astronomy was only a few years old, and no one had ever built a space-based observatory of the required complexity. Considering the technical, political, scientific, and economic uncertainties, it was not obvious that a project like SIRTF could—or should—be dared by NASA.…
The chapter introduce our current understanding of the origin and nature of the matter in our solar system. It then discusses the atomic properties of the elements and summarizes how atomic structure is rationalized in terms of the behavior of electrons in atoms. We review trends in atomic parameters such as radius and the spacing of energy levels, and rationalize these trends in terms of the r…
Radio signals keep making material, informational, political, and social connections in this world. Exploring these signals architectonically, the contributors engage with the situatedness of radio signal recordings in nature and with knowledge implied in radio communication. Rooted in experimental design and data feminism, the book presents innovative tools for navigating data by spanning medi…
In this new book, a distinguished panel makes recommendations for the nation's programs in astronomy and astrophysics, including a number of new initiatives for observing the universe. With the goal of optimum value, the recommendations address the role of federal research agencies, allocation of funding, training for scientists, competition and collaboration among space facilities, and much mo…
Chemistry, it is a word that evokes various, and often dramatic, responses. It is a word that is impossible to define concisely, because the field is so diverse, and its practitioners perform such an incredible variety of jobs. Chemistry mainly deals with situations in which the nature of a substance is changed by altering its composition; entirely new substances are synthesized or the properti…
Statistics is interesting and useful because it provides strategies and tools for using data to gain insight into real problems. As the continuing revolution in computing automates most of the tiresome details, an emphasis on statistical concepts and on insight from data becomes both more practical for students and teachers and more important for users who must supply what is not automated. No …
Solutions to all of the odd-numbered end of chapter exercises are in this manual. This book can be very valuable if you use it properly. The way not to use it is to look at an exercise in the book and then immediately check the solution, often saying to yourself, "thats easy, I can do it". Developing problem solving skills takes practice. Don't look up a solution to a problem until you have tri…
An increasing complexity of models used to predict real-world systems leads to the need for algorithms to replace complex models with far simpler ones, while preserving the accuracy of the predictions. This two-volume handbook covers methods as well as applications. This first volume focuses on real-time control theory, data assimilation, real-time visualization, high-dimensional state spaces a…
Your institution (zoo or aquarium) is in the process of joining the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). This Manual has been developed by the Technical Assistance (TA) Committee to assist during the “Candidate for Membership” (CfM) period. Institutions need to meet several criteria to comply with the standards for EAZA membership. Documents produced by EAZA are used as guidelin…
The experiences of the relatives and Ancestors of the Dënes???né and of the living and deceased members of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), are the heartbeat of Remembering our Relations. This book happened because grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents passed down, from generation to generation, their oral histories and testimon…
In Russia, waste management has been hugely neglected over the years. MSW and ISW treatment can be best described as inefficient and is causing both negative environmental impact and suboptimal use of raw materials and energy. While the European Union Member States recover up to an average of 60% of MSW, Russia’s waste recovery rate is almost zero. Recycling operations …
The book presents the universal issues of high-level radioactive waste man-agement from the perspective of the German legal system. It covers the entire “life-cycle” of radioactive waste, i.e. from the moment that radio-active material is classified as radioactive waste (Chapter 1), through the period of interim storage (Chapter 2), up to its final disposal (Chapter 3)…
Both Heyting and Gentzen approached questions of meaning in relation to whatit is to prove something, but as seen from the above, their approaches were stillvery different. Gentzen was concerned with what justifies inferences and therebywith what makes something a valid form of reasoning. These concerns were absentfrom Heyting’s explanations of mathematical propositions and assertions. The co…
As the most species-rich group of Palaearctic rodents, voles and lemmings are frequently used in various research endeavours of fundamental and applied significance. The present work integrates achievements of the genomic era with the traditional taxonomy and provides an authoritative and up-to-date taxonomic guide to the animal group which is of great interest to experts engaged in medical zoo…
Birds are of high public interest and of great value as indicators of thestate of the environment. Some 11,000 species are a number relatively well tohandle. From a scientific point of view, it is not easily answerable what a speciesis, since speciation and extinction are ongoing evolutionary processes and differen-tiation among species works on various traits. Contemporary systematics attempts…
This open access book offers the first comprehensive account of the pan-genome concept and its manifold implications. The realization that the genetic repertoire of a biological species always encompasses more than the genome of each individual is one of the earliest examples of big data in biology that opened biology to the unbounded. The study of genetic variation observed within a species ch…
The family Iridoviridae currently contains fi ve genera, two of which infect invertebrates ( Iridovirus and Chloriridovirus ) and three that infect only ectother-mic vertebrates ( Lymphocystivirus , Megalocytivirus , and Ranavirus ; Jancovich et al. 2015a ). Lymphocy stiviruses and megalocytiviruses only infect fi sh, whereas, as indicated above, r…
As well as protecting water resources, forests also conserve biodiversity. National commitments to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity are being fulfilled through measures to safeguard water and establish “protected” and “protective” forests, as well as many kinds of forests certified for sustainability. Forests also provide carbon fixation and several other environmen…
A growing earth population and the increasing demand for food is placing unprec-edented pressure on agriculture and natural resources. Today’s food systems do not provide sufficient nutritious food in an environmentally sustainable way to the world’s population (Wu et al. 2018). Around 821 million are undernourished while 1.2 billion are overweight or obese. At the same time, foo…
This book has been written to help you to do well in your Cambridge International Examinations IGCSE Biology examination. We hope that you enjoy using it. The book can also be used with the Cambridge O level Biology syllabus. There are quite a lot of definitions in the IGCSE syllabus that you need to learn by heart. These are all in this book, at appropriate points in each chapter, inside boxes…
n , climate-related overseas development assistance totaled US. billion globally, up from US. billion in . In order for countries and NGOs to access this funding, climate change adaptation or mitigation must be a princi-pal or signicant goal of development interventions (Donor Tracker ). e Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ranks Bangladesh as one of the mo…
hen Cymene and I wrote the proposal to the National Science Founda-tion for the grant that would eventually fund the main period of our field research, we more or less took for granted the significance of human politi-cal power in addressing climate change. We said we wished to investigate the “political culture” of wind power development in southern Mexic…
Behavior is a key concept in numerous fields of study: psychology, ethology, but also in the biology of organisms. It does not cause much surprise that dolphins, chimpanzees or rats display rational behavior – after all, they are not so different from us. But what about the organisms we deem “simpler”? Or even brainless organisms like plants? Do t…
Since its first invention by Minsky in the 1950s [Min61], confocal microscopyhas become one of the most important advances of light microscopy in the pastdecades [Wil09]. Confocal microscopes have the advantages over conventionalwide-field microscopes in resolution and contrast, making them widely usedin biomedical imaging and industrial metrology.The setup of a typical reflected-light scanning…