As Albert Einstein lay on his death bed he asked for his glasses, his writing implements and his latest equations. He knew he was dying, yet he continued to work. In those final hours of his life, while fading in and out of consciousness, he was working on what he hoped would be the greatest work of all. It was a project of monumental complexity. It was a project that he hoped would unlock the mind of God.
Since the early 1990s, advances in toxicology have allowed scientists to detect traces of adulterant substances in everyday products – even down to parts per billion concentrations. We can now detect the presence of harmful ingredients at levels so low that they actually cause no harm. Nonetheless, we get scared. We are now able to overreact to harmless, negligible sources of contamination and flock to ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘chemical-free’ alternative products at elevated prices instead. This urge is driven in part by a set of interesting psychological quirks called the naturalness preference or biophilia. While exposure to many aspects of nature improves our physical and mental wellbeing, marketers are taking advantage of our naturalness preference by selling us ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ products with no functional advantage, sometimes to the detriment of the environment, and that have the unfortunate added effect of peddling a fear of conventional products that do not make such natural connotations. This fear of chemicals, exaggerated by marketers, has led some of us to seek nature in the form of expensive consumer product, which offer almost none of the benefits of spending time outdoors in real nature (which is free of charge). We thus chase nature in the wrong form. We feel guilt, anxiety and mental stress from being coaxed into paying a hefty premium price for "natural" products that are neither safer nor more effective than conventional ones, and forget to appreciate real nature in the process. This book explores the history of chemical fears and the recent events that amplified it. It describes how consumers, teachers, doctors, lawmakers and journalists can help make better connections with the public by telling stories that are more engaging about chemistry and materials science. Written in a sympathetic way, this book explains both sides of the argument for anyone with an interest in science.
"Highly informative and remarkably entertaining." —Elle From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.
This evocative autobiography of a Tibetan refugee who was born to a traditional and well-respected nomad family took around twenty years to write. His life story documents the experience of Tibetan refugees and their unique culture, beliefs and religious traditions, and their struggle to preserve these.
The components of living systems strike us as functional-as for the sake of certain ends—and as endowed with specific norms of performance. The mammalian eye, for example, has the function of perceiving and processing light, and possession of this property tempts us to claim that token eyes are supposed to perceive and process light. That is, we tend to evaluate the performance of token eyes against the norm described in the attributed functional property. Hence the norms of nature. What, then, are the norms of nature? Whence do they arise? Out of what natural properties or relations are they constituted? In Norms of Nature, Paul Sheldon Davies argues against the prevailing view that natural norms are constituted out of some form of historical success—usually success in natural selection. He defends the view that functions are nothing more than effects that contribute to the exercise of some more general systemic capacity. Natural functions exist insofar as the components of natural systems contribute to the exercise of systemic capacities. This is so irrespective of the system's history. Even if the mammalian eye had never been selected for, it would have the function of perceiving and processing light, because those are the effects that contribute to the exercise of the visual system. The systemic approach to conceptualizing natural norms, claims Davies, is superior to the historical approach in several important ways. Especially significant is that it helps us understand how the attribution of functions within the life sciences coheres with the methods and ontology of the natural sciences generally.
Bringing together the latest scientific advances and some of the most enduring subtle philosophical puzzles and problems, this book collects original historical and contemporary sources to explore the wide range of issues surrounding the nature of life. Selections ranging from Aristotle and Descartes to Sagan and Dawkins are organised around four broad themes covering classical discussions of life, the origins and extent of natural life, contemporary artificial life creations and the definition and meaning of 'life' in its most general form. Each section is preceded by an extensive introduction connecting the various ideas discussed in individual chapters and providing helpful background material for understanding them. With its interdisciplinary perspective, this fascinating collection is essential reading for scientists and philosophers interested in astrobiology, synthetic biology and the philosophy of life.
Get closer to nature than you've ever been before with this jaw-dropping guide to our wonderful world. Marvel at the breathtaking photography showcasing flora and fauna in the most incredible, intricate detail. From ants to elephants, the animal kingdom is explored and explained in this extraordinary encyclopedia that puts you at the heart of the action. See the tiny spines on a stinging nettle, watch lichen spreading over a tree, and observe the secret suckers on an iguana's feet. The mysteries of the natural world are displayed in brand new images, together with cross-sections, macro, and electron microscope images. Alongside the utterly absorbing visual content, Explanatorium of Nature brings its own fountain of knowledge about how nature works. For instance, did you know baby foxes that are born with blue eyes turn to gold? Or that reptile scales are made from the same material as your fingernails? Discover how spiders spin webs, how birds fly, how snakes kill, and much, much more. This irresistible ebook is a guaranteed favorite for animal lovers, nature enthusiasts, and budding wildlife experts everywhere.
The perfect companion for children eager to understand the world outside, Nature Explorers Box Setcontains four fantastic first books on Birds, Weather, Woodland and Forestand the Seashore. Explore the skies with Nature Explorers Birdsand discover how a weather forecast is predicted with Nature Explorers Weather. Nature Explorers Seashoreallows you to explore the beach, answering questions such as "What causes tides?" and Nature Explorers Woodland and Forestteaches you everything to know about trees, from cold coniferous forest to dry deciduous woodland. Each book contains exciting activities, like cloud spotting, bark rubbing and how to make a bird feeder, as well as plenty of fun facts.Nature Explorers Box Setis a must for children keen to explore and understand the world around them. Includes the following titles- Nature Explorers Seashore 9780241282533 Nature Explorers Weather 9780241282519 Nature Explorers Woodland and Forest 9780241282526 Nature Explorers Birds 9780241282502
The acclaimed author and science illustrator presents an engaging and enlightening guide to the bizarre and surprising wildlife all around us. In the same lighthearted yet scientifically accurate style of Fylling’s Illustrated Guide to Pacific Coast Tide Pools, this compact guidebook reveals the splendidly strange animals and plants just outside your door. Marni Fylling’s full-color illustrations make species identification a snap, and concise descriptions include fascinating (and sometimes grotesque) factoids about frequently encountered plants, insects, arachnids, birds, and mammals. With Fylling’s guidance, the everyday becomes extraordinary: Pigeons share nest-building and egg-sitting duties, and mate for life—with occasional dalliances; squirrel teeth grow about six inches per year; spiders owe their characteristic creep to their “hydraulic” legs; poison oak and poison ivy’s itch-inducing oil is also found in pistachios, cashews, and mangoes; and much, much more.
