This book is concerned with two tightly knit topics — those of mathematics and astronomy. Its focus is primarily concerned with planetary astronomy, and specifically the history of accounting for the spacing of planetary orbits. The story begins with the ancient Greek philosophers and continues to the modern era and the new data being gleaned from the study of exoplanetary systems. Throughout the text, the manner in which mathematical theory has been used to decipher, and impose order upon the solar system, will be examined. Attention and discussion will be directed towards the so-called Titius-Bode rule, a long-standing ordering principle, that in fact it has no physical underpinning or explanation.The story presented will look at how humanity has learned about the workings of the solar system, and it will look at the philosophical problems that arise when mathematical exposition leads observation. Furthermore, the fundamental role of mathematics in the development of physical theory is examined, and it is argued that there are some gaps in our knowledge of the solar system (and the universe) that mathematics and physical theory will never successfully bridge. The text will present material at the informed-amateur scientist, university undergraduate student level.
The aim of this book is to demonstrate to a wider audience, as well as to a more skilled audience, the many fascinating aspects of modern celestial mechanics. It sets out to do this without the use of mathematics. After giving the reader the technical tools needed for a basic understanding of the underlying physical phenomena (using only elementary mathematics), facts and figures are provided on historical events, modern discoveries and future applications. Contents are divided into major topics where the three "souls" of modern celestial mechanics (dynamical systems, Solar System and stellar systems, spaceflight dynamics) play a major role.
The year 2007 marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of one of the Enlightenment's most important mathematicians and scientists, Leonhard Euler. This volume is a collection of 24 essays by some of the world's best Eulerian scholars from seven different countries about Euler, his life and his work. Some of the essays are historical, including much previously unknown information about Euler's life, his activities in the St. Petersburg Academy, the influence of the Russian Princess Dashkova, and Euler's philosophy. Others describe his influence on the subsequent growth of European mathematics and physics in the 19th century. Still others give technical details of Euler's innovations in probability, number theory, geometry, analysis, astronomy, mechanics and other fields of mathematics and science.- Over 20 essays by some of the best historians of mathematics and science, including Ronald Calinger, Peter Hoffmann, Curtis Wilson, Kim Plofker, Victor Katz, Ruediger Thiele, David Richeson, Robin Wilson, Ivor Grattan-Guinness and Karin Reich- New details of Euler's life in two essays, one by Ronald Calinger and one he co-authored with Elena Polyakhova- New information on Euler's work in differential geometry, series, mechanics, and other important topics including his influence in the early 19th century
A unique A-to-Z reference of brilliance in innovation and invention Combining engagingly written, well-researched history with the respected imprimatur of Scientific American magazine, this authoritative, accessible reference provides a wide-ranging overview of the inventions, technological advances, and discoveries that have transformed human society throughout our history. More than 400 entertaining entries explain the details and significance of such varied breakthroughs as the development of agriculture, the "invention" of algebra, and the birth of the computer. Special chronological sections divide the entries, providing a unique focus on the intersection of science and technology from early human history to the present. In addition, each section is supplemented by primary source sidebars, which feature excerpts from scientists' diaries, contemporary accounts of new inventions, and various "In Their Own Words" sources. Comprehensive and thoroughly readable, Scientific American Inventions and Discoveries is an indispensable resource for anyone fascinated by the history of science and technology. Topics include: aerosol spray * algebra * Archimedes' Principle * barbed wire * canned food * carburetor * circulation of blood * condom * encryption machine * fork * fuel cell * latitude * music synthesizer * positron * radar * steel * television * traffic lights * Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
A Scientific Introduction to Subatomic particles, Alien Intelligence, and Human Space Exploration (For the Cosmically Curious): There are many fundamental questions about the universe that have intrigued scientists, philosophers, and ordinary people for centuries. Here are a few of them: What is the universe made of? This is one of the most basic questions about the universe. Scientists have identified a number of different types of matter and energy, including atoms, subatomic particles, dark matter, and dark energy, but there is still much we don't know. How did the universe begin? The origin of the universe is a subject of intense study and debate. The prevailing theory is the Big Bang, which suggests that the universe began as a singularity and has been expanding ever since. What is the ultimate fate of the universe? Will it keep on expanding indefinitely or will it ultimately come to an end? Some theories suggest that the universe may end in a "big rip" or a "big crunch," while others suggest that it will continue to expand indefinitely. What is the nature of space and time? These are fundamental concepts that are still not fully understood. Some theories suggest that space and time are intertwined and that they can be distorted by the presence of matter and energy. Are there other universes beyond our own? Some theories suggest that our universe may be just one of many in a "multiverse." Although this theory is yet hypothetical, it is a fascinating concept that could have significant ramifications for our comprehension of the cosmos. These are just a few of the many fundamental questions about the universe that scientists and philosophers continue to explore. "Understanding the Universe: Quarks, Leptons and the Big Bang" is a comprehensive exploration of the fundamental principles that govern the universe we live in. From the tiniest particles to the grandest structures in the cosmos, this book takes readers on a journey of discovery through the mysteries of modern physics and cosmology. Starting with an introduction to the basic building blocks of matter, the book delves into the strange world of quarks and leptons, exploring their properties and interactions. It then examines the forces that govern the behavior of matter, including the strong and weak nuclear forces, electromagnetism, and gravity. The book also covers the history of the universe, from its origins in the Big Bang to the present day, and discusses the evolution of stars and galaxies. Readers will gain a deep understanding of the structure of the universe, its expansion, and the mysterious dark matter and dark energy that make up the vast majority of its mass. Filled with engaging examples, clear explanations, and fascinating insights, "Understanding the Universe: Quarks, Leptons and the Big Bang" is a must-read for anyone interested in the inner workings of the cosmos. Whether you're a student of physics, a science enthusiast, or simply curious about the universe, this book will provide you with a solid foundation for understanding the world around us.
How to design a world in which we rely less on stuff, and more on people. We're filling up the world with technology and devices, but we've lost sight of an important question: What is this stuff for? What value does it add to our lives? So asks author John Thackara in his new book, In the Bubble: Designing for a Complex World. These are tough questions for the pushers of technology to answer. Our economic system is centered on technology, so it would be no small matter if "tech" ceased to be an end-in-itself in our daily lives. Technology is not going to go away, but the time to discuss the end it will serve is before we deploy it, not after. We need to ask what purpose will be served by the broadband communications, smart materials, wearable computing, and connected appliances that we're unleashing upon the world. We need to ask what impact all this stuff will have on our daily lives. Who will look after it, and how? In the Bubble is about a world based less on stuff and more on people. Thackara describes a transformation that is taking place now—not in a remote science fiction future; it's not about, as he puts it, "the schlock of the new" but about radical innovation already emerging in daily life. We are regaining respect for what people can do that technology can't. In the Bubble describes services designed to help people carry out daily activities in new ways. Many of these services involve technology—ranging from body implants to wide-bodied jets. But objects and systems play a supporting role in a people-centered world. The design focus is on services, not things. And new principles—above all, lightness—inform the way these services are designed and used. At the heart of In the Bubble is a belief, informed by a wealth of real-world examples, that ethics and responsibility can inform design decisions without impeding social and technical innovation.
How high can animals jump? What are the fastest thrown balls? How fast can aeroplanes and butterflies fly? What does the sea level tell us about the sun? What are temperature and heat? What is self-organization? This free colour pdf on introductory physics guarantees to be entertaining, surprising and challenging on every page. The text presents the best stories, images, movies and puzzles in mechanics, gravity and thermodynamics - with little mathematics, always starting from observations of everyday life. This first volume also explains conservation laws and the reversibility of motion, explores mirror symmetry, and presents the principle of cosmic laziness: the principle of least action. This popular series has already more than 160 000 readers. If you are between the age of 16 and 106 and want to understand nature, you will enjoy it! To achieve wonder and thrill on every page, the first volume includes the various "colour of the bear" puzzles and the "picture on the wall" puzzle, explains about the many types of water waves, introduces the art of laying rope, tells about the the dangers of aeroplane toilets, explores the jumping height of different animals, presents the surprising motion of moguls on skiing slopes, explains why ultrasound imaging is not safe for a foetus, gives the ideal shape of skateboard half-pipes, estimates the total length of all capillaries in the human body, explains how it is possible to plunge a bare hand into molten lead, includes a film of an oscillating quartz inside a watch, includes the "handcuff puzzle" and the "horse pulling a rubber with a snail on it" puzzle, explains how jet pilots frighten civilians with sonic superbooms produced by fighter planes, presents the most beautiful and precise sundial available today, shows leap-frogging vortex rings, tells the story of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter, mentions the world records for running backwards and the attempts to break the speed sailing record, and tells in detail how to learn from books with as little effort as possible. Enjoy the reading!
This book is an analysis of literary texts that question, critique, or subvert anthropocentrism, the notion that the universe and everything in it exists for humans. Bryan Moore examines ancient Greek and Roman texts; medieval to twentieth-century European texts; eighteenth-century French philosophy; early to contemporary American texts and poetry; and science fiction to demonstrate a historical basis for the questioning of anthropocentrism and contemplation of responsible environmental stewardship in the twenty-first century and beyond. Ecological Literature and the Critique of Anthropocentrism is essential reading for ecocritics and ecofeminists. It will also be useful for researchers interested in the relationship between science and literature, environmental philosophy, and literature in general.
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A timeless, structure-bending classic that explores how actions of individual lives impact the past, present and future—from a postmodern visionary and one of the leading voices in fiction Featuring a new afterword by David Mitchell and a new introduction by Gabrielle Zevin, author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow One of the New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century • Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize Cloud Atlas begins in 1850 with Adam Ewing, an American notary voyaging from the Chatham Isles to his home in California. Ewing is befriended by a physician, Dr. Goose, who begins to treat him for a rare species of brain parasite. The novel careens, with dazzling virtuosity, to Belgium in 1931, to the West Coast in the 1970s, to an inglorious present-day England, to a Korean superstate of the near future where neocapitalism has run amok, and, finally, to a postapocalyptic Iron Age Hawaii in the last days of history. But the story doesn’t end even there. The novel boomerangs back through centuries and space, returning by the same route, in reverse, to its starting point. Along the way, David Mitchell reveals how his disparate characters connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky. As wild as a video game, as mysterious as a Zen koan, Cloud Atlas is an unforgettable tour de force that, like its incomparable author, has transcended its cult classic status to become a worldwide phenomenon.
Cumulative global transformations, occurring daily, affect important aspects of our life. Characteristic cultural and natural heritage, including sites of priceless value, is under constant threat. There are growing pressures, of both natural and human origin, such as wars, con icts, natural or technological disasters and the effects of global climate change. These provoke the continuous degradation of many sites included in the World Heritage List. In consequence, immediate strategic measures must be taken. Natural heritage is our legacy from the past, that we inherited from our ancestors and pass on to future generations. It is vital to realize its value and protect it by all possible means, enforcing innovative and sustainable action plans that promote global international co-operation. This book aims to address speci c natural heritage sites in Europe, from West to East. The six countries of study interest are Portugal, Malta, Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey. For each case, the corresponding current status is presented. This is accompanied by recommended action plans for protection and conservation, tra- ing initiatives that improve the public awareness of natural heritage issues and efforts to estimate the natural/environmental value of the sites. The book is the overall result of an interregional initiative aiming to promote convergence, provoke public interest and recommend action for radical changes in our attitude towards heritage conservation.
