Download or read book Science and Wonders written by Russell Stannard and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Faced with the immensity of space, do astronomers regard us humans as insignificant specks in the vast cosmos? Do evolutionary biologists consider themselves to be mere animals? Do neuroscientists anticipate that one day the dissection of the brain will explain away our minds? Do experts on Artificial Intelligence see themselves as nothing but a form of robot? In Science and Wonders Russell Stannard asks the ultimate questions of a host of leading scientists and theologians in Britain and America. He talks to the Archbishop of York in his Palace, to the psychiatrist Montague Barker on Freud's couch in Hampstead, to the biologist Steven Rose in his lab. How should we view ourselves in the light of modern science? Did the Big Bang mark the creation of the Universe, and if so does it imply or rule out a Creator? And how might human beings continue to evolve?
Download or read book The Sound Book The Science of the Sonic Wonders of the World written by Trevor Cox and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2014-02-10 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A lucid and passionate case for a more mindful way of listening to and engaging with musical, natural, and manmade sounds." —New York Times In this tour of the world’s most unexpected sounds, Trevor Cox—the “David Attenborough of the acoustic realm” (Observer)—discovers the world’s longest echo in a hidden oil cavern in Scotland, unlocks the secret of singing sand dunes in California, and alerts us to the aural gems that exist everywhere in between. Using the world’s most amazing acoustic phenomena to reveal how sound works in everyday life, The Sound Book inspires us to become better listeners in a world dominated by the visual and to open our ears to the glorious cacophony all around us.
Download or read book Seeing Science written by Iris Gottlieb and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2018-10-30 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From an illustrator for San Francisco’s Exploratorium, a visual journey that shows how beautiful science really is. With original illustrations that deftly explain the strange-but-true world of science, Seeing Science offers a curated ride through the great mysteries of the universe. Artist and lay scientist Iris Gottlieb explains among other things: neap tides, naked mole rats, whale falls, the human heart, the Uncertainty Principle, the ten dimensions of string theory, and how glaciers are like Snickers bars. With quirky visual metaphors and concise factual explanations, she offers just the right amount of information to stoke the curious mind with a desire to know more about the life forces that animate both the smallest cell and the biggest black hole. Seeing Science illustrates, explicates, and celebrates the marvels of science as only art can.
Download or read book Finding Wonders written by Jeannine Atkins and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-09-20 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This “evocative and beautiful” (School Library Journal) novel “vividly imagines the lives of three girls” (Booklist, starred review) in three different time periods as they grow up to become groundbreaking scientists. Maria Merian was sure that caterpillars were not wicked things born from mud, as most people of her time believed. Through careful observation she discovered the truth about metamorphosis and documented her findings in gorgeous paintings of the life cycles of insects. More than a century later, Mary Anning helped her father collect stone sea creatures from the cliffs in southwest England. To him they were merely a source of income, but to Mary they held a stronger fascination. Intrepid and patient, she eventually discovered fossils that would change people’s vision of the past. Across the ocean, Maria Mitchell helped her mapmaker father in the whaling village of Nantucket. At night they explored the starry sky through his telescope. Maria longed to discover a new comet—and after years of studying the night sky, she finally did. Told in vibrant, evocative poems, this stunning novel celebrates the joy of discovery and finding wonder in the world around us.
Download or read book Wonder written by Frank C. Keil and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2022-03-01 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How we can all be lifelong wonderers: restoring the sense of joy in discovery we felt as children. From an early age, children pepper adults with questions that ask why and how: Why do balloons float? How do plants grow from seeds? Why do birds have feathers? Young children have a powerful drive to learn about their world, wanting to know not just what something is but also how it got to be that way and how it works. Most adults, on the other hand, have little curiosity about whys and hows; we might unlock a door, for example, or boil an egg, with no idea of what happens to make such a thing possible. How can grown-ups recapture a child’s sense of wonder at the world? In this book, Frank Keil describes the cognitive dispositions that set children on their paths of discovery and explains how we can all become lifelong wonderers. Keil describes recent research on children’s minds that reveals an extraordinary set of emerging abilities that underpin their joy of discovery—their need to learn not just the facts but the underlying causal patterns at the very heart of science. This glorious sense of wonder, however, is stifled, beginning in elementary school. Later, with little interest in causal mechanisms, and motivated by intellectual blind spots, as adults we become vulnerable to misinformation and manipulation—ready to believe things that aren’t true. Of course, the polymaths among us have retained their sense of wonder, and Keil explains the habits of mind and ways of wondering that allow them—and can enable us—to experience the joy of asking why and how.
Download or read book The Biology of Wonder written by Andreas Weber and published by New Society Publishers. This book was released on 2016-02-01 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new way of understanding our place in the web of life from a scholar praised for his “graceful prose” (Publishers Weekly). The disconnection between humans and nature is perhaps one of the most fundamental problems faced by our species today. This schism is arguably the root cause of most of the environmental catastrophes unraveling around us. Until we come to terms with the depths of our alienation, we will continue to fail to understand that what happens to nature also happens to us. In The Biology of Wonder Andreas Weber proposes a new approach to the biological sciences that puts the human back in nature. He argues that feelings and emotions, far from being superfluous to the study of organisms, are the very foundation of life. From this basic premise flows the development of a "poetic ecology" which intimately connects our species to everything that surrounds us—showing that subjectivity and imagination are prerequisites of biological existence. Written by a leader in the emerging fields of biopoetics and biosemiotics, The Biology of Wonder demonstrates that there is no separation between us and the world we inhabit, and in so doing it validates the essence of our deep experience. By reconciling science with meaning, expression, and emotion, this landmark work brings us to a crucial understanding of our place in the rich and diverse framework of life—a revolution for biology as groundbreaking as the theory of relativity for physics. “Grounded in science, yet eloquently narrated, this is a groundbreaking book. Weber’s visionary work provides new insight into human/nature interconnectedness and the dire consequences we face by remaining disconnected.” —Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods
Download or read book The Beauty of Chemistry written by Philip Ball and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2021-05-11 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A “visual tour through the under-appreciated chemical beauty that surrounds us,” with astonishing photographs of the scientific processes that create snowflakes, bubbles, flames, and other natural wonders (WIRED) Chemistry is not just about microscopic atoms doing inscrutable things; it is the process that makes flowers and galaxies. We rely on it for bread-baking, vegetable-growing, and producing the materials of daily life. In stunning images and illuminating text, this book captures chemistry as it unfolds. Using such techniques as microphotography, time-lapse photography, and infrared thermal imaging, The Beauty of Chemistry shows us how chemistry underpins the formation of snowflakes, the science of champagne, the colors of flowers, and other wonders of nature and technology. We see the marvelous configurations of chemical gardens; the amazing transformations of evaporation, distillation, and precipitation; heat made visible; and more.
Download or read book Wonders of the Air written by Tamra Andrews and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2004-11-30 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second book in a four-book series exploring the elements, Wonders of Nature: Natural Phenomena in Science and Myth, looks at the wonder of air from both a scientific and mythical perspective. Intended for teachers and librarians to use with students in intermediate and middle school grades, the book looks at natural phenomena that occurs in the air around us—such as rainbows, snow, tornadoes, lightning, and thunder—through ancient myth, and details the explanations of modern-day science. With this interdisciplinary approach, students will be encouraged to appreciate the magic in both myth and science, and to understand the commonality of human experience with nature over time. Each book contains eight myths, each from a different culture, and accompanying scientific explanation to use with students. Included are bibliographies; recommended Web sites; ideas for field trips, student projects, discussion, and activities; and illustrations and diagrams that will enhance student interest. Grades 4-8.
Download or read book The History of Science Fiction written by A. Roberts and published by Springer. This book was released on 2005-11-28 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The History of Science Fiction traces the origin and development of science fiction from Ancient Greece up to the present day. The author is both an academic literary critic and acclaimed creative writer of the genre. Written in lively, accessible prose it is specifically designed to bridge the worlds of academic criticism and SF fandom.
Download or read book The Earth and Beyond written by Gottlieb and published by HARCOURT. This book was released on 2004-06 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Hidden Wonders written by Etienne Guyon and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2021-02-23 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The hidden elegance in everyday objects and physical mechanisms, from crumpled paper to sandcastles. Hidden Wonders focuses on the objects that populate our everyday life--crumpled paper, woven fabric, a sand pile--but looks at them with a physicist's eye, revealing a hidden elegance in mundane physical mechanisms. In six chapters--Builders, Creating Shapes, Building with Threads, From Sand to Glass, Matter in Motion, and Fractures--the authors present brief stories, set in locales ranging from the Eiffel Tower to a sandcastle, that illustrate the little wonders hidden in the ordinary. A simple experiment that readers can perform at home concludes each story. More than 200 illustrations bring the stories to life.
Download or read book A Theory of Wonder Evolution Brain and the Radical Nature of Science written by Gonzalo Munévar and published by Vernon Press. This book was released on 2021-09-07 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘A Theory of Wonder’ aims to determine the best way science can satisfy our sense of wonder by exploring the world. Empiricism tells us that science succeeds because it follows the scientific method: Observation passes judgment on Theory – supporting or rejecting it. Much credit is given to the inventor of the method, Galileo, but when historically-minded philosophers of science like Kuhn and Feyerabend called our attention to what Galileo actually wrote and did, we were shocked to find out that Galileo instead drives a dagger through the heart of empiricism; he strikes down the distinction between theory and observation. Plain facts, like the vertical fall of a stone, ruled out the motion of the Earth. To conclude that the stone really falls vertically, however, we must assume that the Earth does not move. If it does move, then the stone only “seems” to fall vertically. Galileo then replaced the “facts” against the motion of the Earth with “facts” that included such motion. This process is typical during scientific revolutions. A good strategy for science is to elaborate radical alternatives; then, and on their basis, reconsider what counts as evidence. Feyerabend was called irrational for this suggestion; but looking at the practice of science from the perspective of evolution and neuroscience shows that the suggestion is very reasonable instead, and, moreover, explains why science works best as a radical form of knowledge. It also leads to a sensible biological form of relative truth, with preliminary drafts leading to exciting discussions with other researchers in the philosophy of science. This book will be of particular interest to university students, instructors and researchers in history or philosophy of science, as well as those with a general interest in the nature of science.
Download or read book Wonders of the Sea written by Kendall Haven and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2005-07-30 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Renowned story teller, Kendall Haven brings his expertise as an oceanographer to the authorship of this third book in a four- book series intended for teachers to use with students in the upper elementary and middle school grades. It focuses on natural phenomena of the sea (tides, tsunamis, sea spouts, giant squid, killer whales) through the eyes of ancient myth and looks at the modern day science that explains each myth, using the interdisciplinary style of teaching. Haven, bringing his knowledge of the science of oceanography, integrates various scientific fields of oceanic study—Physical Oceanography, Geologic Oceanography, Biological and Chemical Oceanography, etc.—to further integrate science curricular areas with the study of myth. Students will not only be encouraged to appreciate the magic in myth and science, but to understand the commonality of all human experience with nature over all time. The book contains myths from several different cultures along with accompanying scientific explanations to use with students. Included are bibliographies, recommended Web sites, student projects, and discussion and activity ideas. Illustrations and diagrams enhance student interest. The book is to be used by teachers and librarians with students and by students in libraries and classrooms. Grades 4-8.
Download or read book Age of Wonders written by David G. Hartwell and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2017-01-24 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Age of Wonders: Exploring the World of Science Fiction gives an insider's view of the strange and wonderful world of science fiction, by one of the most respected editors in the field, David G. Hartwell (1941-2016). David G. Hartwell edited science fiction and fantasy for over twenty years. In that time, he worked with acclaimed and popular writers such as Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Frank Herbert, Roger Zelazny, Robert Silverberg, Gene Wolfe, Nancy Kress, L.E. Modesitt, Terry Bisson, Lisa Goldstein, and Philip Jose Farmer, and discovered hot new talents like Kathleen Ann Goonan and Patrick O'Leary. Now in Age of Wonder, Hartwell describes the field he loved, worked in, and shaped as editor, critic, and anthologist. Like those other American art forms, jazz, comics, and rock 'n' roll, science fiction is the product of a rich and fascinating subculture. Age of Wonder is a fascinating tour of the origins, history, and culture of the science fiction world, written with insight and genuine affection for this wonder-filled literature, and addressed to newcomers and longtime SF readers alike. Age of Wonder remains "the landmark work" Roger Zelazny called the first edition. The book contains sections that offer advice on teaching courses in science fiction, disquisitions on the controversial subgenre of hard SF, and practical explanations of the economics of publishing science fiction and fantasy. Age of Wonder still lives up to Hugo and Nebula Award winner Vonda McIntyre's description: "An entertaining and provocative book that will inspire discussion and argument for years to come." At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Download or read book The Boy s Book of Inventions written by Ray Stannard Baker and published by . This book was released on 1899 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Wonders of the Living World Illustrated Hardback written by Ruth Bancewicz and published by Lion Books. This book was released on 2021-06-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological science is explored by leading scientists and apologists through awe-inspiring illustrations
Download or read book World of Wonders written by Aimee Nezhukumatathil and published by Milkweed Editions. This book was released on 2020-09-08 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A poet celebrates the wonders of nature in a collection of essays that could almost serve as a coming-of-age memoir.” —Kirkus Reviews As a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplanted—no matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscape—she was able to turn to our world’s fierce and funny creatures for guidance. “What the peacock can do,” she tells us, “is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life.” The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off unwanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the world’s gifts. Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy. Praise for World of Wonders Barnes & Noble 2020 Book of the Year An NPR Best Book of 2020 An Esquire Best Book of 2020 A Publishers Weekly “Big Indie Book of Fall 2020” A BuzzFeed Best Book of Fall 2020 “Hands-down one of the most beautiful books of the year.” —NPR “A timely story about love, identity and belonging.” —New York Times Book Review “A truly wonderous essay collection.” —Roxane Gay, The Audacity
