Sea Surface Roughness Observed by High Resolution Radar
Changes in sea surface roughness are usually associated with a change in the sea surface wind field. This interaction has been exploited to measure sea surface wind speed by scatterometry. A number of features on the sea surface associated with changes in roughness can be observed by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) because of the change in Bragg backscatter of the radar signal by damping of the resonant ocean capillary waves. With various radar frequencies, resolutions, and modes of polarization, sea surface features have been analyzed in numerous campaigns, bringing various datasets together, thus allowing for new insights into small-scale processes at a larger areal coverage. This Special Issue aims at investigating sea surface features detected by high spatial resolution radar systems, such as SAR.
Revelation of Jesus Christ
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Last Judgment, which prophesizes the end of days, is now decoded. I am Connie Allen, the second witness (Revelation 11). Jesus Christ is the first witness. I am the woman who fought the dragon, (Revelation 12). The subject of the Revelation has inspired fear and angst during the past centuries. Ministers presenting their interpretations have confused those who want to understand? I was born to discover the answer. For the past 50 years, I have been writing and rewriting. Now the work is completed and ready for publication. This is a work of nonfiction. It is the identification of events already in progress. This work is not about religion. Whether you believe in God or attend church, this is the manuscript that answers all of the key questions on life. Who are we? Why are we here? Why are we riddled with diseases, cancers? Why are our loved ones dying? For more than 2000 years, curious people have been looking for understanding. Who rules over the mind, suggesting how we should respond, what we should do? Are we destined to suffer, to die, because of the diseases passed down to us through DNA? Photons carrying electromagnetism, the waste managers that exist as cleaners the bladder and bowels, are in charge of our thoughts and actions. The apostle John was shown the truth but he was told to seal it up in a book, the Revelation. Left by Jesus Christ, the Revelation is the ultimate manual concerning life and death. It describes our basic behaviour and our predestined responses, our probabilities. And just as John was chosen to record the frightening depiction of the end of this age, using imagery such as beasts with multiple heads and Armageddon, I was chosen to decipher the Revelation. The work is decoded based on physics, the behaviour of the four universal forces, human anatomy and DNA. It is made plain by scientific laws including the second law of thermodynamics. From the gamete stage, before we become embryos, we are explainable. Everything is undeniable according to the scientific record. Future works include the 50-year diary, "The woman who fought the dragon"; and Daniel 11: the "King of the south, king of the north chronicles: from gamete to death: the fight between mankind and electromagnetism," decoded by science.
Physics
Physics, the fundamental science of matter and energy, encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. Understanding the physics of our universe is an essential aspect of humanity's quest to understand our environment and our place within it. Doing physics enables us to explore the interaction between environment and human society, and can help us to work towards the future sustainability of the planet. This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of how this pervasive science came to be and how it works: who funds it, how physicists are trained and how they think, and how physics supports the technology we all use. Sidney Perkowitz presents the theories and outcomes of pure and applied physics from ideas of the Greek natural philosophers to modern quantum mechanics, cosmology, digital electronics and energy production. Considering its most consequential experiments, including recent results in elementary particles, gravitational waves and materials science, he also discusses outside the lab, the effects of physics on society, culture, and humanity's vision of its place in the universe. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
50 Things to See in the Sky
This hip and handy guide helps you learn the science behind blue skies, sun dogs, and the solar eclipse, and shows you how to observe nocturnal wonders such as lunar halos, Martian ice caps, and far-off galaxies. Fifty celestial phenomena come to life with expert tips from astrophysicist Sarah Barker and stylish illustrations by Maria Nilsson. Any explorer can become an adept observer with their guidance, and more ambitious stargazers will be able to discover more distant sights with the help of binoculars, a telescope, or a local astronomy group. With a glow-in-the-dark cover, 50 Things to See in the Sky is a perfect complement to your next camping expedition and a wonderful gift for anyone who marvels at what lies in our celestial sphere.
Spacetime Physics 1907-2017
The concept of spacetime is a cornerstone of Einstein's relativity theories, yet continues to present researchers with deep questions and difficult challenges. The current volume consists of articles commemorating the 110th anniversary of Hermann Minkowski's two lectures in 1907 which introduced the physical and mathematical foundations of four-dimensional spacetime. The volume aims to provide steps towards addressing the said questions and challenges. Contributing papers have effectively been classified into four main categories, each of which focuses on spacetime from a particular angle: classic foundational, "modified gravity", astrophysical/cosmological applications, and, finally, quantum aspects of spacetime. As such, the volume will be of interest to physicists working in fields such as cosmology, BSM particle physics and quantum gravity, to philosophers of physics working in the conceptual foundations of these fields, to students and, for that matter, to everyone who is interested in the ultimate nature of spacetime or in the ubiquitous role the spacetime concept plays in modern physical theory.
Universe
A gorgeous exploration of the ways in which humans have documented the beauty of the cosmos - in a new compact editionUniverse is a groundbreaking survey that celebrates the popular subject of astronomy through 300 images created by those who have tried to understand - or who have been inspired by - the beauty and mystery of stars, planets, and beyond. Carefully chosen by an international panel of experts and arranged to highlight thought-provoking contrasts and similarities, the selection includes paintings, photographs, sculpture, animation, prints, sketches, and digital renderings with iconic works by renowned photographers, artists, and astronomers alongside previously unpublished finds.
Sustainable Energy Systems
This book focuses on sustainable energy systems. While several innovative and alternative concepts are presented, the topics of energy policy, life cycle assessment, thermal energy, and renewable energy also play a major role. Models on various temporal and geographical scales are developed to understand the conditions of technical as well as organizational change. New methods of modeling, which can fulfil technical and physical boundary conditions and nevertheless consider economic environmental and social aspects, are also developed.
Accessory to War
In this far-reaching foray into the millennia-long relationship between science and military power, acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-author Avis Lang examine how the methods and tools of astrophysics have been enlisted in the service of war. Spanning early celestial navigation to satellite-enabled warfare, Accessory to War is a richly researched and provocative examination of the intersection of science, technology, industry, and power that will introduce Tyson's millions of fans to yet another dimension of how the universe has shaped our lives and our world.
The Florida Night Sky
The Florida night sky is a source of fascination, inspiration, and enjoyment. Whether your aim is a casual appreciation of the heavens or a serious study of astronomy, The Florida Night Sky will get you started on a rewarding journey of cosmic discovery, beginning with how the known universe is organized and where Florida fits into the picture. Every place on earth has its own singular view of the stars and Florida is no different. Theres an enviable openness to the Florida landscape and flat horizon, allowing for a broader view of the sky in all directions. The warm, snowless winter nights, with their long periods of darkness, are ideal for stargazing, and Florida's position near the tropics offers a view of the four stars in the Southern Cross in the spring and early summer. The two coasts offer stunning views of the sun rising and setting in the water--watch for the Green Flash as the sun finally drops into the ocean on the Gulf Coast.An ideal starting point for those who want to learn about the Florida night sky and enjoy its treasures, this book also serves as a helpful reference for serious amateur astronomers. Step outside, look up, and get acquainted with the Florida night. The rewards will surprise and delight you.
Tapping Into the Total Power of the Universe
Tapping into The Total Power of The Universe describes in a step by step fashion how a craft and its crew members can immediately enter any place on Earth or in the universe. Using color photos, taken from one of many experiments conducted by the author, the book carefully explains how a specially designed craft can be converted to a "confined energy form" or "light form", while gravity, time and distance are eliminated.Once this occurs, the author goes on to explain, one can then visualize the universe below the craft as a giant football stadium with numerous seats, but in this case, each seat represents a galaxy or solar system. Because the craft has become a confined energy form or non-mass, it has exited a part of our universe that is made up of condensed matter forms, we call planets and stars. Because time, gravity, distance and mass have been eliminated, the craft and its crew have become a non-conformant to all known universal laws and can make up its own laws as desired by the crew members.As a result, the crew can "tune-in' and reenter any place and time period on Earth or in the universe, taking up any seat they want. It would be similar to turning a knob on your car radio and tuning into a preferred radio station. As you read this book, it will become evident how this can be accomplished.
High Precision X-Ray Measurements
Since their discovery in 1895, the detection of X-rays has had a strong impact on and various applications in several fields of science and human life. Impressive efforts have been made to develop new types of detectors and new techniques, aiming to obtain higher precision both in terms of energy and position. Depending on the applications, solid state detectors, microcalorimeters, and various types of spectrometers currently serve as the best options for spectroscopic and imaging detectors. Recent advancements in micron and meV precision have opened the door for groundbreaking applications in fundamental physics, medical science, astrophysics, cultural heritage, and several other fields.The aim of this Special Issue is to compile an overview, from different communities and research fields, of the most recent developments in X-ray detection and their possible impacts in various sectors, such as in exotic atom measurements, quantum physics studies, XRF, XES, EXAFS, plasma emission spectroscopy, monochromators, synchrotron radiation, telescopes, and space engineering. All the papers included in this Special Issue contribute to emphasizing the importance of X-ray detection in a very broad range of physics topics; most of these topics are covered by the published works, and several others are mentioned in the paper references, providing an interesting and very useful synopsis, from a variety of different communities and research fields, of the most recent developments in X-ray detection and their impact in fundamental research and societal applications.
Intelligent Control in Energy Systems
The editors of this Special Issue titled "Intelligent Control in Energy Systems" have attempted to create a book containing original technical articles addressing various elements of intelligent control in energy systems. In response to our call for papers, we received 60 submissions. Of those submissions, 27 were published and 33 were rejected. In this book, we offer the 27 accepted technical articles as well as one editorial. Authors from 15 countries (China, Netherlands, Spain, Tunisia, United Sates of America, Korea, Brazil, Egypt, Denmark, Indonesia, Oman, Canada, Algeria, Mexico, and the Czech Republic) elaborate on several aspects of intelligent control in energy systems. The book covers a broad range of topics including fuzzy PID in automotive fuel cell and MPPT tracking, neural networks for fuel cell control and dynamic optimization of energy management, adaptive control on power systems, hierarchical Petri Nets in microgrid management, model predictive control for electric vehicle battery and frequency regulation in HVAC systems, deep learning for power consumption forecasting, decision trees for wind systems, risk analysis for demand side management, finite state automata for HVAC control, robust μ-synthesis for microgrids, and neuro-fuzzy systems in energy storage.
Tapping Into the Total Power of the Universe
Tapping into The Total Power of The Universe describes in a step by step fashion how a craft and its crew members can immediately enter any place on Earth or in the universe. Using color photos, taken from one of many experiments conducted by the author, the book carefully explains how a specially designed craft can be converted to a "confined energy form" or "light form", while gravity, time and distance are eliminated.Once this occurs, the author goes on to explain, one can then visualize the universe below the craft as a giant football stadium with numerous seats, but in this case, each seat represents a galaxy or solar system. Because the craft has become a confined energy form or non-mass, it has exited a part of our universe that is made up of condensed matter forms, we call planets and stars. Because time, gravity, distance and mass have been eliminated, the craft and its crew have become a non-conformant to all known universal laws and can make up its own laws as desired by the crew members.As a result, the crew can "tune-in' and reenter any place and time period on Earth or in the universe, taking up any seat they want. It would be similar to turning a knob on your car radio and tuning into a preferred radio station. As you read this book, it will become evident how this can be accomplished.
Advancements in Gel Science-A Special Issue in Memory of Toyoichi Tanaka
A gel is a state of matter that consists of a three-dimensional cross-linked polymer network and a large amount of solvent. Because of their structural characteristics, gels play important roles in science and technology. The science of gels has attracted much attention since the discovery of the volume phase transition by Professor Toyoichi Tanala at MIT in 1978. MDPI planned to publish a Special Issue in Gels to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this discovery, which received submissions of 13 original papers and one review from various areas of science. We believe that readers will find this Special Issue informative as to the recent advancements of gel research and the broad background of gel science.
Man's Place in the Universe
This early work by Alfred Russel Wallace was originally published in 1904 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'Man's Place in the Universe' is a fascinating work on astronomy that deals with important aspects of cosmology and analyses the possibilities of life existing elsewhere in the universe. Alfred Russel Wallace was born on 8th January 1823 in the village of Llanbadoc, in Monmouthshire, Wales. Wallace was inspired by the travelling naturalists of the day and decided to begin his exploration career collecting specimens in the Amazon rainforest. He explored the Rio Negra for four years, making notes on the peoples and languages he encountered as well as the geography, flora, and fauna. While travelling, Wallace refined his thoughts about evolution and in 1858 he outlined his theory of natural selection in an article he sent to Charles Darwin. Wallace made a huge contribution to the natural sciences and he will continue to be remembered as one of the key figures in the development of evolutionary theory.
Is Mars Habitable? A Critical Examination of Professor Percival Lowell's Book Mars and its Canals, with an Alternative Explanation
This early work by Alfred Russel Wallace was originally published in 1907 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'Is Mars Habitable?' is an essay on the possibilities of organic life surviving on the red planet. Alfred Russel Wallace was born on 8th January 1823 in the village of Llanbadoc, in Monmouthshire, Wales. Wallace was inspired by the travelling naturalists of the day and decided to begin his exploration career collecting specimens in the Amazon rainforest. He explored the Rio Negra for four years, making notes on the peoples and languages he encountered as well as the geography, flora, and fauna. While travelling, Wallace refined his thoughts about evolution and in 1858 he outlined his theory of natural selection in an article he sent to Charles Darwin. Wallace made a huge contribution to the natural sciences and he will continue to be remembered as one of the key figures in the development of evolutionary theory.
Mars
With unparalleled access to NASA's archives, this stunning volume pays tribute to 50 years of Mars exploration. Thanks to the latest exhilarating Mars expeditions, all eyes have turned to the once-mysterious red planet. This illuminating book traces our history of Mars exploration, from the earliest telescopic viewings, through NASA's first flybys in the 1960s, to the landers in the 1970s, and the increasingly sophisticated rovers and orbiters now exploring every region of the planet. The elaborate plans for the human exploration of Mars are also shown in exquisite detail, including NASA's ambitious designs for crewed missions and some compelling alternative mission plans by experts such as Buzz Aldrin. With breathtaking photographs and rare images of plans, maps, schematics, and more, including insider documents from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the story of mankind's fascination with Mars jumps off the page.
The Time Machine Hypothesis
Every age has characteristic inventions that change the world. In the 19th century it was the steam engine and the train. For the 20th, electric and gasoline power, aircraft, nuclear weapons, even ventures into space. Today, the planet is awash with electronic business, chatter and virtual-reality entertainment so brilliant that the division between real and simulated is hard to discern. But one new idea from the 19th century has failed, so far, to enter reality--time travel, using machines to turn the time dimension into a two-way highway. Will it come true, as foreseen in science fiction? Might we expect visits to and from the future, sooner than from space? That is the Time Machine Hypothesis, examined here by futurist Damien Broderick, an award-winning writer and theorist of the genre of the future. Broderick homes in on the topic through the lens of science as well as fiction, exploring some fifty different time-travel scenarios and conundrums found in the science fiction literature and film.
Big-women, Tyrants, Chiefs, Dictators, Emperors and Presidents
This book highlights mathematical ideas to help explain a number of important aspects of the dynamics of social groups. These ideas are similar to those used to describe the behaviour of Lagrangian mechanical systems, and as such this book appeals to anyone wanting to gain an understanding of the intrinsic unity of natural phenomena.
The manufacture and sale of St Einstein - II
Germany had been very good to the Jews. German Jews were the wealthiest people in the world. In the years following the First World War, the Germans resented the fact that the Jews, Einstein being their chief spokesman, had stabbed the Germans in the back during the war, and then twisted the knife at the peace negotiations in France, where a large contingent of Jews decided Germany's fate, and reneged on Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, one of which assured Germany that it would lose no territory. The Germans had thought that Wilson's pledge would be honored after the Germans had surrendered in good faith. Had not the Germans received this promise of the Fourteen Points, they would not have surrendered and were in a position to continue the war. The promise was broken. In addition, the Allies insisted that Germany pay draconian war reparations that would forever ruin the nation. Leading Jews in Germany sided with the Allies against their native land. It was obvious that leading Jews were profiteering from the war in every way possible, at the expense of the German nation and its People. Jewish leaders instigated crippling strikes in the arms industry, which left German troops without adequate armaments. Jewish revolutionaries took advantage of Germany's weakened state, which Jews had deliberately caused for the purpose, and created a Soviet Republic in Bavaria and overthrew the monarchy. German-Jewish bankers cut off Germany's access to funds. German-Jewish Zionists moved to London and brought America into the war on the side of the British at the very moment Germany was about to win the war. Those arms which were produced were often substandard and were peddled by Jews to Jews in the German Government, which also left the German troops without adequate arms, while making Jews immensely wealthy. German-Jewish bankers conspired with German arms manufacturers to produce weapons for both sides. The German-Jewish press, which had initially beat the war drums louder than anyone else, teamed up with leading Jews in the German Government at the end of the war and demanded that Germany submit to the demands of the Allies, give up vast territories and make the reparations payments. The German-Jewish press and Jews in the German Government, many of whom were the same persons who had most boisterously called upon the German People to go to war, insisted that the Germans accept responsibility for causing the war, though they had not caused it. Etc. Etc. Etc. While millions of Germans were starving to death, many Jews in Germany had never known better times. Whenever anyone revealed the truth of what was happening, the Jewish press immediately smeared them by calling them "anti-Semites". The situation was similar to, though even worse than, the situation in America today.
The Ingenious Mind of Nature
George Hall - teacher, historian, engineer, and computer analyst - uniquely draws upon the competing perspectives of traditional science, the exciting new science of chaos, and the burgeoning and important tenets of complexity theory, catastrophe theory, and fuzzy logic to look for a common theme. All of these perspectives, he finds, are fundamentally united by a common theme: the crucial patterns of elements and their dynamic change over time. Order - be it the growth of a fetus or the rumbling shift of continents - evolves because these patterns are themselves the blueprint and the "programs" by which nature shapes our awe-inspiring universe. Hall takes this elegant concept and carries it from the simplest phenomena to the most complex, including the evolution of the species. He then extends these concepts beyond the physical sciences, into the fascinating provinces of philosophy, computer programming, psychology, economics, political science, international relations, law, and ethics. In doing so, he tackles the challenging question of human behavior. Since we humans have initiative and can sometimes change the natural course of events, how can we find a system to understand our own actions and the workings of society at large? This captivating book explains the mechanics of change and provides a provocative concept that accounts for the growth and decline of all systems, be it the universe at large, the miracle of life on earth, or our own thought processes as we contemplate and unlock the mysteries around us. This evocative perspective on nature offers food for thought to general readers and scientists alike by illuminating the ingenious patterns that influence the course of humanity and the universe.
Impact Jupiter
On July 16, 1994 a world-shattering event occurred that would rivet our attention for six explosive days and go on to make history as the single most important celestial event of the century. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter, changing forever our understanding of comets and cosmic cataclysms. Our own sense of security would never be the same as the world witnessed fragment after fragment of the comet bash into Jupiter with the collective equivalent force of a 50-million-megaton bomb. David Levy, co-discoverer of periodic Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, shares his once-in-several-lifetimes' story from the time of the discovery, with Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker, of this unusual "squashed" comet to the later shocking revelation of hearing that "their" comet was destined to collide with Jupiter. Never in recorded history has a comet created such a catastrophic event as smashing into a planet. Impact Jupiter takes off where David Levy's earlier acclaimed book, The Quest for Comets, left us. Magnificent photos of the impacts, including superb color pictures, accompany David's poetic words, vividly bringing to life his thrilling story. Savor the words of one of the world's most celebrated amateur astronomers as he humbly and eloquently opens the beauty of the heavens to all who are curious.
Venus Revealed
Until very recently, all we really knew about Venus, our nearest planetary neighbor, was that it was roughly the same size and mass as the earth and was surrounded by a thick atmosphere. Then, in 1989, American scientists launched Magellan--the spacecraft that would revolutionize our vision of this mysterious planet. Venus Revealed is the first book to explain the breathtaking results of this mission, which unveiled a Venusian world of active volcanoes, shining mountains, and river valleys carved by torrents of flowing lava. At one time, Venus may have even had a wet, temperate climate, much like Earth's. What happened to turn it into a hostile, burning acid world? The answer could very well help us solve some of our most pressing environmental problems--from global warming to acid rain. In Venus Revealed, David Grinspoon eloquently argues that studying our exotic twin will inevitable teach us more about ourselves.
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
Do you sometimes wonder why the sky at dusk is filled with color, or how the moon controls the tides? Why do stars twinkle and planets don't? Filled with science and lore, with references to myths, legends, and "high" and popular culture, this "naked-eye" guide (no telescope required) demystifies the celestial in accessible, instructive, and entertaining prose.Upgren tells us why werewolves only come out at night and how to find Betelgeuse. He discusses twilight, the seasons and their causes, our solar system, light and darkness, weather, stars and latitude, the moon, light pollution, and the planets. Night Has a Thousand Eyes is the perfect resource for amateur astronomers and meteorologists of all ages who pause to enjoy sunsets and identify constellations on a starry night.
The Unfolding Universe
An amazing journey from our moon to the most distant stars, revealing the magic and majesty of our universe.
Asteroid
A look at the creation and composition of asteroids and the frightening eventuality of a collision with the earth.
Rain of Iron & Ice
Rain of Iron and Ice shows us the unmistakable evidence--from spaceprobe flybys of the planets to the scars on our own Earth--of cataclysmic comet and asteroid impacts. By comparing what we know about the earth's geology and paleontology with the ages of the other planets and moons in our solar system, Lewis makes the strongest case yet for sudden, dramatic extinctions and assesses the risks to planet Earth.
In Search of Planet Vulcan
Presented for the first time in popular form is the fascinating true story of the search for the phantom planet Vulcan. As with legends of "the lost continent of Atlantis," scientists and dreamers alike have sought to prove that Vulcan is more than just a myth. Historians of astronomy Richard Baum and William Sheehan have combed the continents, digging through dusty letters and journals, to unravel this mysterious and captivating tale. The planet first assumed a shadowy reality against a backdrop of war and revolution early in the nineteenth century. Le Verrier, the autocratic Director of the Paris Observatory, had unveiled a problem with the motion of the planet Mercury. The indications were of a planet closer to the sun than Mercury. Incredibly, the prediction was immediately fulfilled by an obscure French country doctor using no more than a homemade telescope. The planet, named for the Roman god of fire, was no sooner discovered than it was lost. Still it reappeared often enough to tantalize even skeptics into considering its shadowy existence possible. This fast-paced tale follows the exploits of Le Verrier, and later of his followers, in a pursuit of his unbridled obsessions: to extend the universality of Newton's Laws, to prove Vulcan's existence, and to secure his place in history as one of the greatest astronomers of his time. Stranger than fiction, the story reaches an exciting climax in the final showdown in the unlikeliest of places: America's Wild West. Like gunslingers at high noon, determined astronomers of the opposing camps brave Indians and the elements in their attempt to prove once and for all whether the planet exists. They congregate with some of the most illustrious names of their time for the final test: a grand eclipse of the sun.
The Quest for Alien Planets
An amazing journey throughout the universe in a search for other planets and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
The Story of Astronomy
Trace the development of astronomy from early Greek stargazers to the ambitious pioneers: Brahe, Copernicus, Kepler, and Newton - who braved persecution and ridicule to fight for a science that relied not on ancient authorities and scriptures, but on logic, math, and careful observation. As Motz and Weaver show, the fruits of this noble pursuit - the elegant, simple natural laws - opened our eyes to the elusive rotations of the heavenly bodies, and gave rise to classical physics, and, finally, the vigorous, thriving science of astronomy today. These engaging authors go on to depict the brilliant revolution in astronomy that shattered classical physics and transformed our concepts of time, space, and matter. Beginning with Einstein's theory of relativity, Motz and Weaver celebrate and savor the twentieth century's greatest advances in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, each of which have dramatically reshaped modern astronomy.
Stairway to the Stars
The author combines "the history of Mauna Kea, the Hawaiian 13,795-foot-high site of nine telescopes, with vignettes of the astronomers who work there. . . . Stories concerning political, environmental, and scientific battles are . . . [included with] descriptions of telescope construction and use." (Choice).
Was Einstein Right?
First published in 1986, this award-winning account of how Einstein's theory holds up after more than seventy-five years has been updated to accommodate the most recent experimental findings, as well as the exciting story of the rise and fall of the "fifth force."
The Three Big Bangs
Scientists believe that we would not be here it were not for three great cataclysms in the early history of Earth and of the universe. This is the first book to explore the deep connection between the events that shaped life on Earth: the "Big Bang" that spawned an entire universe; the explosion of a supernova, which seeded the solar system with heavy elements; and the crash of a comet or asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and cleared the way for the evolution of mammals.
Cosmic Bullets
In 1992 the fastest object known to mankind hit the Earth's atmosphere at a speed within a billion-trillionth of one percent of the speed of light, carrying an energy far above that of the most powerful particle accelerator ever built. That object was a cosmic ray.Over 100 cosmic ray particles pass through our bodies every second. Some of these have enormous energies, far above those accessible using man-made particle accelerators. Many of them have traveled millions of light years across the Universe, and they bring with them clues about exotic astronomical systems like neutron stars, supernovae, quasars, and black holes.In Cosmic Bullets leading cosmic ray experts Roger Clay and Bruce Dawson tell the incredible story of the discovery and study of these messengers from deep space. They point out that despite a century of intensive research, it is still far from certain where most cosmic rays come from or how they were created. Nevertheless, the little-known story of their discovery and subsequent study holds many sudden twists and wonderful surprises. The authors have captured the excitement and mystery of astrophysical research, and the human drama of science, in this story of discovery.
Ripples on a Cosmic Sea
Most people live and work entirely oblivious to the fact that a myriad of ghostly ripples are passing through them all the time. Generated in the depths of space by colliding stars and black holes, exploding supernovas and quasars, these so-called gravitational waves are literally ripples in the fabric of space itself. Sweeping across the cosmos at the speed of light, they encode vital clues about the exotic systems that produced them. Predicted by Einstein over eighty years ago, but never detected in the laboratory, gravitational waves have proven elusive to scientists. In the first book for a general reader on these amazing waves, Blair and McNamara weave a thrilling tale about the race to build the first gravitational wave antenna--a challenge that has prompted physicists and astronomers to devise some of the most breathtaking technology the world has ever seen. What these scientists find will allow us to listen to the explosion of stars, the creation of black holes, even the sound of the Big Bang itself, and will undoubtedly chart a new course for astronomy in the coming millennium.
Time for the Stars
Now, Alan Lightman, the author of the brilliantly original bestselling novel Einstein's Dreams, presents the real-life drama of astronomy, a journey far into the stars that outpaces any fiction for adventure and excitement. Unsurpassed in its authoritativeness, TIME FOR THE STARS is based on the report of the National Academy of Science's Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee, for whose science panel Alan Lightman served as chair. Here is a book that will introduce you to cosmic puzzles about people and planets stars and galaxies, and the beginnings and the ends of the universe. How do we know what's inside the sun? What are the prospects of finding other solar systems -- and extraterrestrial life -- in coming years? What was the universe like ten billion years ago? Will it keep on expanding forever? Here are the latest advances in technology that have rocketed us to dazzling new frontiers. They may catch you off guard. But they will leave you fixed in wonder.
Turn Right at Orion
This ingenious book is the account of an epic astronomical journey, a tale told by an early-twenty-first-century human sailor among the stars. The account is discovered, as an alien "translator's note" reveals, sixty million years in earth's future -- the product of one man's amazing, revelatory, and occasionally perilous space odyssey. Astrophysicist Mitchell Begelman takes the reader to far-distant shores, across a vast ocean of time, in a narrative that zips along at just below light speed. We travel to the center of the Milky Way, witness the births and deaths of stars, almost perish in the crushing forces at the perimeter of a black hole -- and all the while Begelman explains in clear and vibrant prose the way things work in the cosmos. A powerful imaginative work that is thoroughly grounded both in history and in the latest in astrophysical thinking and observation, Turn Right at Orion is serious science that reads like fiction.
Chaos in the Cosmos
From award-winning science writer Barry Parker, the only book to consider chaos theory in all areas of astronomy.
Quantum Nonlocality
This book presents the current views of leading physicists on the bizarre property of quantum theory: nonlocality. Einstein viewed this theory as "spooky action at a distance" which, together with randomness, resulted in him being unable to accept quantum theory. The contributions in the book describe, in detail, the bizarre aspects of nonlocality, such as Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering and quantum teleportation--a phenomenon which cannot be explained in the framework of classical physics, due its foundations in quantum entanglement. The contributions describe the role of nonlocality in the rapidly developing field of quantum information. Nonlocal quantum effects in various systems, from solid-state quantum devices to organic molecules in proteins, are discussed. The most surprising papers in this book challenge the concept of the nonlocality of Nature, and look for possible modifications, extensions, and new formulations--from retrocausality to novel types of multiple-world theories. These attempts have not yet been fully successful, but they provide hope for modifying quantum theory according to Einstein's vision.
Introduction to Transport Phenomena Modeling
Offers an introduction to a wide range of transport phenomena as they occur in various fields of physics and technologyPlaces particular emphasis on the modelling of both purely diffuse mechanisms and macroscopic transportContains more than 80 diagrams and figures to facilitate understanding
Finding Our Place in the Solar System
Finding our Place in the Solar System gives a detailed account of how the Earth was displaced from its traditional position at the center of the universe to be recognized as one of several planets orbiting the Sun under the influence of a universal gravitational force. The transition from the ancient geocentric worldview to a modern understanding of planetary motion, often called the Copernican Revolution, is one of the great intellectual achievements of humankind. This book provides a deep yet accessible explanation of the scientific disputes over our place in the solar system and the work of the great scientists who helped settle them. Readers will come away knowing not just that the Earth orbits the Sun, but why we believe that it does so. The Copernican Revolution also provides an excellent case study of what science is and how it works.
Matter
What is matter? Matter is the stuff from which we and all the things in the world are made. Everything around us -- from desks, to books, to our own bodies -- are made of atoms, which are small enough that a million of them can fit across the breadth of a human hair. Inside every atom is a tiny nucleus and orbiting the nucleus is a cloud of electrons. The nucleus is made out of protons and neutrons, and by zooming in further, you would find that inside each there are even smaller particles: quarks. Together with electrons, the quarks are the smallest particles that have been seen, and are the indivisible fundamental particles of nature that have existed since the Big Bang, almost 14 billion years ago. The 92 different chemical elements that all normal matter is made from were forged billions of years ago in the Big Bang, inside stars, and in violent stellar explosions. This Very Short Introduction takes us on a journey from the human scale of matter in the familiar everyday forms of solids, liquids, and gases to plasmas, exotic forms of quantum matter, and antimatter. On the largest scales matter is sculpted by gravity into planets, stars, galaxies, and vast clusters of galaxies. All the matter that that we normally encounter however constitutes only 5% of the matter that exists. The remaining 95% comes in two mysterious forms: dark matter and dark energy. Dark matter is necessary to stop the galaxies from flying apart, and dark energy is needed to explain the observed acceleration of the expansion of the universe. Geoff Cottrell explores the latest research into matter, and shows that there is still a lot we don't know about the stuff our universe is made of. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Dawn of Science
This lucid and captivating book takes the reader back to the early history of all the sciences, starting from antiquity and ending roughly at the time of Newton -- covering the period which can legitimately be called the "dawn" of the sciences. Each of the 24 chapters focuses on a particular and significant development in the evolution of science, and is connected in a coherent way to the others to yield a smooth, continuous narrative. The at-a-glance diagrams showing the "When" and "Where" give a brief summary of what was happening at the time, thereby providing the broader context of the scientific events highlighted in that chapter. Embellished with colourful photographs and illustrations, and "boxed" highlights scattered throughout the text, this book is a must-read for everyone interested in the history of science, and how it shaped our world today.
Theory of Quadsitron-Energy Connectivity
The luminous aether, a concept known for hundreds of years, is the fine essence of the universe. Over the last 130 years, mainstream science abandoned the knowledge such an aether existed. Yet, reawakening the principles of a luminous aether as the fabric of space--both within our being and surrounding us, reaching out in every direction to the very edges of the universe-- explains many unsolved mysteries. The luminous aether is a vast three-dimensional ocean of the tiniest and most elemental particles called quadsitrons. From the fusion of quadsitrons and energy, all else in the universe is constructed. The dynamics of quadsitrons interacting with energy accounts for and connects all the micro and macrophenomena that fill our lives, such as gravity, light, electrons, atoms, molecules, and magnetism. It is essential we understand and grasp the principles of this wondrous quadsitron-energy connectivity in order to advance our technology forward to interstellar travel.
Modeling Biomolecular Networks
This book describes the essentials of a mathematical description of the dynamics of biochemical networks. It covers both deterministic and stochastic aspects of the dynamics. After providing a brief introduction to basic molecular biology, the book describes fundamentals of chemical kinetics. The chapter on signal transduction makes contact with ideas from feedback circuit analysis and signal processing. The chapter on switches and oscillators analyses in detail biological examples, both natural and synthetic. Excitable systems are introduced and contrasted with oscillators. The last chapter deals with pattern formation and development and brings us to current questions of robustness of performance of developmental networks. The book provides brief introductions to some of the mathematical tools required in the main text and in a dedicated appendix. The emphasis, throughout, is on understanding of the essential dynamical aspects rather than just on recipes to build complex models.
Chasing New Horizons
Called "spellbinding" (Scientific American) and "thrilling...a future classic of popular science" (Publishers Weekly), the up close, inside story of the greatest space exploration project of our time, New Horizons' mission to Pluto, as shared with David Grinspoon by mission leader Alan Stern and other key players. On July 14, 2015, something amazing happened. More than 3 billion miles from Earth, a small NASA spacecraft called New Horizons screamed past Pluto at more than 32,000 miles per hour, focusing its instruments on the long mysterious icy worlds of the Pluto system, and then, just as quickly, continued on its journey out into the beyond. Nothing like this has occurred in a generation--a raw exploration of new worlds unparalleled since NASA's Voyager missions to Uranus and Neptune--and nothing quite like it is planned to happen ever again. The photos that New Horizons sent back to Earth graced the front pages of newspapers on all 7 continents, and NASA's website for the mission received more than 2 billion hits in the days surrounding the flyby. At a time when so many think that humankind's most historic achievements are in the past, the most distant planetary exploration ever attempted not only succeeded but made history and captured the world's imagination. How did this happen? Chasing New Horizons is the story of the men and women behind this amazing mission: of their decades-long commitment and persistence; of the political fights within and outside of NASA; of the sheer human ingenuity it took to design, build, and fly the mission; and of the planning for New Horizons' second act, the amazing January 1, 2019 flyby of Ultima Thule, another billion miles beyond Pluto. Told from the insider's perspective of mission leader Dr. Alan Stern and others on New Horizons, Chasing New Horizons is a riveting account of scientific discovery, and of how much we humans can achieve when people focused on a dream work together toward their incredible goal.
Physics Essentials for Dummies
Physics Essentials For Dummies (9781119590286) was previously published as Physics Essentials For Dummies (9780470618417). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. For students who just need to know the vital concepts of physics, whether as a refresher, for exam prep, or as a reference, Physics Essentials For Dummies is a must-have guide. Free of ramp-up and ancillary material, Physics Essentials For Dummies contains content focused on key topics only. It provides discrete explanations of critical concepts taught in an introductory physics course, from force and motion to momentum and kinetics. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical physics concepts as they help high school students with homework assignments, as well as for adult learners headed back to the classroom who just need a refresher of the core concepts. The Essentials For Dummies SeriesDummies is proud to present our new series, The Essentials For Dummies. Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject.
Theory of Group Representations and Applications
The material collected in this book originated from lectures given by authors over many years in Warsaw, Trieste, Schladming, Istanbul, Goteborg and Boulder. There is no other comparable book on group representations, neither in mathematical nor in physical literature and it is hoped that this book will prove to be useful in many areas of research. It is highly recommended as a textbook for an advanced course in mathematical physics on Lie algebras, Lie groups and their representations.
