Best of
Science

1984

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen


Harold McGee - 1984
    Hailed by Time magazine as "a minor masterpiece" when it first appeared in 1984, On Food and Cooking is the bible to which food lovers and professional chefs worldwide turn for an understanding of where our foods come from, what exactly they're made of, and how cooking transforms them into something new and delicious. Now, for its twentieth anniversary, Harold McGee has prepared a new, fully revised and updated edition of On Food and Cooking. He has rewritten the text almost completely, expanded it by two-thirds, and commissioned more than 100 new illustrations. As compulsively readable and engaging as ever, the new On Food and Cooking provides countless eye-opening insights into food, its preparation, and its enjoyment.On Food and Cooking pioneered the translation of technical food science into cook-friendly kitchen science and helped give birth to the inventive culinary movement known as "molecular gastronomy." Though other books have now been written about kitchen science, On Food and Cooking remains unmatched in the accuracy, clarity, and thoroughness of its explanations, and the intriguing way in which it blends science with the historical evolution of foods and cooking techniques.Among the major themes addressed throughout this new edition are:Traditional and modern methods of food production and their influences on food qualityThe great diversity of methods by which people in different places and times have prepared the same ingredientsTips for selecting the best ingredients and preparing them successfullyThe particular substances that give foods their flavors and that give us pleasureOur evolving knowledge of the health benefits and risks of foodsOn Food and Cooking is an invaluable and monumental compendium of basic information about ingredients, cooking methods, and the pleasures of eating. It will delight and fascinate anyone who has ever cooked, savored, or wondered about food.

The Berenstain Bears' Big Book of Science and Nature


Stan Berenstain - 1984
    Chock-full of information about the weather, animals, insects, and plants, including dozens of simple science experiments, this is a reference book that offers fun for the whole family.

Biophilia


Edward O. Wilson - 1984
    The eminent biologist reflects on his own response to nature and the aesthetic aspects of his exploration of natural systems in an intensely personal essay that examines the essential links between mankind and the rest of the living world.

The Evolution of Cooperation


Robert Axelrod - 1984
    Widely praised and much-discussed, this classic book explores how cooperation can emerge in a world of self-seeking egoists—whether superpowers, businesses, or individuals—when there is no central authority to police their actions. The problem of cooperation is central to many different fields. Robert Axelrod recounts the famous computer tournaments in which the “cooperative” program Tit for Tat recorded its stunning victories, explains its application to a broad spectrum of subjects, and suggests how readers can both apply cooperative principles to their own lives and teach cooperative principles to others.

Vehicles: Experiments in Synthetic Psychology


Valentino Braitenberg - 1984
    They are vehicles, a series of hypothetical, self-operating machines that exhibit increasingly intricate if not always successful or civilized behavior. Each of the vehicles in the series incorporates the essential features of all the earlier models and along the way they come to embody aggression, love, logic, manifestations of foresight, concept formation, creative thinking, personality, and free will. In a section of extensive biological notes, Braitenberg locates many elements of his fantasy in current brain research.

The Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human Understanding


Humberto R. Maturana - 1984
    Its authors present a new view of cognition that has important social and ethical implications, for, they assert, the only world we humans can have is the one we create together through the actions of our coexistence. Written for a general audience as well as for students, scholars, and scientists and abundantly illustrated with examples from biology, linguistics, and new social and cultural phenomena, this revised edition includes a new afterword by Dr. Varela, in which he discusses the effect the book has had in the years since its first publication.

The Chip: How Two Americans Invented the Microchip and Launched a Revolution


T.R. Reid - 1984
    The world's brightest engineers were stymied in their quest to make these machines small and affordable until the solution finally came from two ingenious young Americans. Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce hit upon the stunning discovery that would make possible the silicon microchip, a work that would ultimately earn Kilby the Nobel Prize for physics in 2000. In this completely revised and updated edition of The Chip, T.R. Reid tells the gripping adventure story of their invention and of its growth into a global information industry. This is the story of how the digital age began.

Fundamentals of Aerodynamics


John D. Anderson Jr. - 1984
    The classic organization of the text has been preserved, with new standalone viscous flow sections at the end of various chapters to conceptualize the coverage of this topic in part 4, and complement discussion of fundamental principles in part 1, inviscid incompressible flow in part 2, and inviscid compressible flow in part 3. Historical topics, carefully developed examples, numerous illustrations, and a wide selection of chapter problems are found throughout the text to motivate and challenge students of aerodynamics. This is the most reliable up-to-date text for students and teachers of aerodynamics. New edition will include a new support tools Aerodynamics website, including animation and simulation tools. New edition will emphasize modern methods without diminishing the study of pure theory and experiment.

Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America


Adrian Forsyth - 1984
    A Simon & Schuster eBook

The Universe Is a Green Dragon: A Cosmic Creation Story


Brian Swimme - 1984
    His explication of the fundamental powers of the cosmos is mystical and ecstatic and points directly to the need to activate one’s own creative powers.

In Search of Schrödinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality


John Gribbin - 1984
    It is so important that it provides the fundamental underpinning of all modern sciences. Without it, we'd have no nuclear power or nuclear bombs, no lasers, no TV, no computers, no science of molecular biology, no understanding of DNA, no genetic engineering—at all. John Gribbin tells the complete story of quantum mechanics, a truth far stranger than any fiction. He takes us step-by-step into an ever more bizarre and fascinating place—requiring only that we approach it with an open mind. He introduces the scientists who developed quantum theory. He investigates the atom, radiation, time travel, the birth of the universe, superconductors and life itself. And in a world full of its own delights, mysteries and surprises, he searches for Schrödinger's Cat—a search for quantum reality—as he brings every reader to a clear understanding of the most important area of scientific study today—quantum physics.

The Fourth Dimension: A Guided Tour of the Higher Universes


Rudy Rucker - 1984
    and now, The Fourth Dimension is this handy paperback. The result is a fantastic, enlightening, and mind-expanding reading experience. In text, pictures, and puzzles, master science and science fiction writer Rudy Rucker immerses his readers in an amazing exploration of a mysterious realm — a realm once seen only by mystics, physicists, and mathematicians. More accessible than Gödel, Escher, Bach and more playful than The Tao of Physics, Rucker's The Fourth Dimension is the most engaging tour of other dimensions since Flatland.David Povilaitis' 200 drawings illustrate Rucker's heady insights while dozens of puzzles and problems make the book a delight to the eye and mind. As Eileen Pollack has written in her rave review, The Fourth Dimension is "magical ... Its effects persist beyond its covers." That's because, like everything else in the fourth dimension, this is more than a book, it is a mental spaceship capable of grand tours of universes far beyond our own.

General Relativity


Robert M. Wald - 1984
    The book includes full discussions of many problems of current interest which are not treated in any extant book, and all these matters are considered with perception and understanding."—S. Chandrasekhar "A tour de force: lucid, straightforward, mathematically rigorous, exacting in the analysis of the theory in its physical aspect."—L. P. Hughston, Times Higher Education Supplement"Truly excellent. . . . A sophisticated text of manageable size that will probably be read by every student of relativity, astrophysics, and field theory for years to come."—James W. York, Physics Today

Relativity Visualized: The Gold Nugget of Relativity Books


Lewis Carroll Epstein - 1984
    By replacing equations with diagrams, the book allows non-specialist readers to fully understand the concepts in relativity without the slow, painful progress so often associated with a complicated scientific subject. It allows readers not only to know how relativity works, but also to intuitively understand it.

In Search of a Better World: Lectures and Essays from Thirty Years


Karl Popper - 1984
    His subjects range from the beginnings of scientific speculation in classical Greece to the destructive effects of twentieth century totalitarianism, from major figures of the Enlightenment such as Kant and Voltaire to the role of science and self-criticism in the arts. The essays offer striking new insights into the mind of one of the greatest twentieth century philosophers.

Wheeler's Dental Anatomy, Physiology and Occlusion


McKinley Ash - 1984
    New features include an enhanced reader-friendly approach, new color illustrations, and a greater emphasis on clinical applications. A new, interactive CD-ROM offers three-dimensional animations of masticatory movements - including tooth contact relationships and temporomandibular joint movements - that bring the text's illustrations to life. Plus, an interactive mock examination mimics the National Board exam for outstanding review and practice.

Plants That Never Ever Bloom


Ruth Heller - 1984
    "In Plants that Never Ever Bloom," rich, colorful illustrations and informative, rhyming verse unlock a world where mushrooms glow at night and seaweed grows to be gigantic— without a flower in sight! "A feast for the eyes." — "San Francisco Examiner"

MacMillan Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia


Philip Whitfield - 1984
    

The Ocean Almanac


Robert Hendrickson - 1984
    As expansive as the ocean itself, this entertaining, informative almanac offers hundreds of fascinating essays, anecdotes, facts, legends, and mysteries concerning the sea, its amazing inhabitants--both real and apocryphal--and the men and ships who have sailed it through the ages.

Cosmos and Transcendence: Breaking Through the Barrier of Scientistic Belief


Wolfgang Smith - 1984
    And this 'opening' enables him to recover and reaffirm the deep metaphysical insights that have come down to us through the teachings of Christianity: having broken the grip of scientistic presuppositions, the author succeeds in bringing to view universal truths which had long been obscured.

Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies


Charles Perrow - 1984
    Charles Perrow argues that the conventional engineering approach to ensuring safety--building in more warnings and safeguards--fails because systems complexity makes failures inevitable. He asserts that typical precautions, by adding to complexity, may help create new categories of accidents. (At Chernobyl, tests of a new safety system helped produce the meltdown and subsequent fire.) By recognizing two dimensions of risk--complex versus linear interactions, and tight versus loose coupling--this book provides a powerful framework for analyzing risks and the organizations that insist we run them.The first edition fulfilled one reviewer's prediction that it may mark the beginning of accident research. In the new afterword to this edition Perrow reviews the extensive work on the major accidents of the last fifteen years, including Bhopal, Chernobyl, and the Challenger disaster. The new postscript probes what the author considers to be the quintessential 'Normal Accident' of our time: the Y2K computer problem.

Not in Our Genes: Biology, Ideology and Human Nature


Richard C. Lewontin - 1984
    Three eminent scientists analyze the scientific, social, and political roots of biological determinism.

Fun with Maths and Physics : Brain Teasers Tricks Illusions


Yakov Perelman - 1984
    It struck the fancy of the young who found in it the answers to many of the questions that interested them. Physics for Entertainment not only had an interesting layout, it was also immensely instructive.In the preface to the 11th Russian edition Perelman wrote: "The main objective of Physics for Entertainment is to arouse the activity of scientific imagination, to teach the reader to think in the spirit of the science of physics and to create in his mind a wide variety of associations of physical knowledge with the widely differing facts of life, with all that he normally comes in contact with." Physics for Entertainment was a best seller.About the AuthorYa. I. Perelman was born in 1882 in the town of Byelostok (now in Poland). In 1909 he obtained a diploma of forester from the St. Petersburg Forestry Institute. After the success of Physics for Entertainment Perelman set out to produce other books, in which he showed himself to be an imaginative popularizer of science. Especially popular were :* Arithmetic for Entertainment* Mechanics for Entertainment* Geometry for Entertainment* Astronomy for Entertainment* Lively Mathematics* Physics Everywhere* Tricks and Amusements Today these books are known to every educated person in the Soviet Union. He has also written several books on interplanetary travel {Interplanetary Jour-neys, On a Rocket to Stars, World Expanses, etc.). The great scientist K. E. Tsiolkovsky thought highly of the talent and creative genius of Perelman. He wrote of him in the preface to Interplanetary Journeys: "The author has long been known by his popular, witty and quite scientific works on physics, astronomy and mathematics, which are moreover written in a marvelous language and are very readable."Perelman has also authored a number of textbooks and articles in Soviet popular science magazines.In addition to his educational, scientific and literary activities, he has also devoted much time to editing. So he was the editor of the magazines Nature and People and In the Workshop of Nature. Perelman died on March 16, 1942, in Leningrad. Many generations of readers have enjoyed Perelman's fascinating books, and they will undoubtedly be of interest for generations to come.

Stephen Hawking's Universe


John Boslough - 1984
    The story of Stephen Hawking's relentless quest for the secret of the origins of the universe will change forever the way you look at the stars . . . and your place among them.

The Nature and Properties of Soil


Nyle C. Brady - 1984
    It has an ecological approach that explains the fundamentals of soil science effectively. Chapter topics include Soil Erosion and Its Control, Soil Acidity, Soils and Chemical Pollution, and Organisms and the Ecology of the Soil. For individuals interested in soil and the environment."

The Amazing Brain


Robert Ornstein - 1984
    Beginning with the simplest view of brain anatomy and operations and using the latest research available, Ornstein and Thomoson give the reader both an actual and a metaphorical picture of the human brain.

Order Out of Chaos: Man's New Dialogue with Nature


Ilya Prigogine - 1984
    Stengers and Prigogine show how the two great themes of classic science, order and chaos, which coexisted uneasily for centuries, are being reconciled in a new and unexpected synthesis.

Evolution: The History of an Idea


Peter J. Bowler - 1984
    This new edition has been entirely rewritten to take account of the latest work of historians and scientists. The sequence of chapters has been reconstructed in a way that will help students and general readers to understand the key phases in the development of modern evolutionism. The book's substantial bibliography has been updated to serve as a valuable introduction to the immense literature on this topic.

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics


David R. Lide - 1984
    This edition contains NEW tables on Properties of Ionic Liquids, Solubilities of Hydrocarbons in Sea Water, Solubility of Organic Compounds in Superheated Water, and Nutritive Value of Foods. It also updates many tables including Critical Constants, Heats of Vaporization, Aqueous Solubility of Organic Compounds, Vapor Pressure of Mercury, Scientific Abbreviations and Symbols, and Bond Dissociation Energies. The 88th Edition also presents a new Foreword written by Dr. Harold Kroto, a 1996 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry.

The Pasteurization of France


Bruno Latour - 1984
    It is the operation of these forces, in combination with the talent of Pasteur, that Bruno Latour sets before us as a prime example of science in action.Latour argues that the triumph of the biologist and his methodology must be understood within the particular historical convergence of competing social forces and conflicting interests. Yet Pasteur was not the only scientist working on the relationships of microbes and disease. How was he able to galvanize the other forces to support his own research? Latour shows Pasteur’s efforts to win over the French public—the farmers, industrialists, politicians, and much of the scientific establishment.Instead of reducing science to a given social environment, Latour tries to show the simultaneous building of a society and its scientific facts. The first section of the book, which retells the story of Pasteur, is a vivid description of an approach to science whose theoretical implications go far beyond a particular case study. In the second part of the book, “Irreductions,” Latour sets out his notion of the dynamics of conflict and interaction, of the “relation of forces.” Latour’s method of analysis cuts across and through the boundaries of the established disciplines of sociology, history, and the philosophy of science, to reveal how it is possible not to make the distinction between reason and force. Instead of leading to sociological reductionism, this method leads to an unexpected irreductionism.

Random Walks in Biology: New and Expanded Edition


Howard C. Berg - 1984
    It provides a sound basis for understanding random motions of molecules, subcellular particles, or cells, or of processes that depend on such motion or are markedly affected by it. Readers do not need to understand thermodynamics in order to acquire a knowledge of the physics involved in diffusion, sedimentation, electrophoresis, chromatography, and cell motility--subjects that become lively and immediate when the author discusses them in terms of random walks of individual particles.

In a Patch of Fireweed: A Biologist's Life in the Field


Bernd Heinrich - 1984
    Bernd Heinrich says--because it's fun.Heinrich, author of the much acclaimed Bumblebee Economics, has been playing in the wilds of one continent or another all his life. In the process, he has become one of the world's foremost physiological ecologists. With In a Patch of Fireweed, he will undoubtedly become one of our foremost writers of popular science.Part autobiography, part case study in the ways of field biology, In a Patch of Fireweed is an endlessly fascinating account of a scientist's life and work. For the author, it is an opportunity to report not just his results but the curiosity, humor, error, passion, and competitiveness that feed into the process of discovery. For the reader, it is simply a delight, a rare chance to share the perceptions of an unusual mind fully in tune with the inner workings of nature. Before his years of research in the woodlands and deserts of North America, the New Guinea highlands, and the plains of East Africa, Heinrich had a sense of the wild that few people in this century can know. He tells the whole story, from his refugee childhood hidden in a German forest, eating mice fried in boar fat, to his ongoing research in the woods surrounding his cabin in Maine.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: An Autobiography and Other Recollections


Katherine Haramundanis - 1984
    In this book, her own story of her professional life, work, and scientific achievements is augmented by the personal recollections of her daughter, Katherine Haramundanis. Other highlights include a scientific appreciation by Jesse Greenstein, a historical essay by Peggy Kidwell and, new to this edition, an introduction by Virginia Trimble. Payne-Gaposchkin's overwhelming love for astronomy was her personal guiding light, and her attitude and approach have lessons for all. She received many prestigious awards for her outstanding contributions to science. In 1956, she became the first woman Professor at Harvard University, as well as being the first woman departmental chair. This book will interest both astronomers and those studying the advancement of the position and status of women in society.

Organic Synthesis: The Disconnection Approach


Stuart Warren - 1984
    The disconnection approach is used throughout so that starting materials are chosen after analysing the structure of the target molecule. There are forty chapters: those on the synthesis of given types of molecule alternate with strategy chapters in which the methods just learnt are placed in a wider context. The instructional chapters cover many ways of making each type of molecule starting with simple aromatic and aliphatic compounds with one functional group and progressing to molecules with many functional groups. The number and position of these functional groups provides the classification for these chapters. The strategy chapters cover questions of selectivity, protection, and stereochemistry, and develop more advanced strategic thinking via reagents specially designed for difficult problems. Examples are drawn from pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, natural products, pheromones, perfumery and flavouring compounds, dyestuffs, monomers, and intermediates used in more advanced synthetic work. Reasons for wishing to synthesise each compound are given, and further examples can be found in the accompanying workbook which also gives many problems and solutions classified in the same way as the main text. The book will also assist more experienced chemists who feel they are out of touch with present day thinking on the subject. Workbook for Organic Synthesis: The Disconnection Approach The workbook which supports this text provides an extra selection of examples. Each example is analysed in the same way as those in the main text with disconnections followed by synthesis, allowing the student to explore a wider range of types of target molecule and synthetic method. The main function of the workbook is, however, to provide a graded series of problems which extend the students experience of the types of molecules being synthesised by organic chemists. These, together with the examples, are classified into the same 40 chapters as the main text so that it is possible to use them in conjunction with it. Each problem is followed by a suggested solution or solutions analysed in the same way as the examples and no methodology other than that introduced in the main text is required. Examples and problems are interspersed to provide a developing chain of argument

The Medical Detectives Vol. 2


Berton Roueché - 1984
    Who mans the rampart against such onslaughts?A legion of interrelated health services, professional and amateur, guard us. Linked by training, interest and technology, they gather data and share resources to disarm these diseases before they get started.This is the second of two collections that bring together the best of Berton Roueche's ANNALS OF MEDICINE narratives.Originally published in The New Yorker magazine, the stories are classics of literary and medical lore.

The Biblical Basis for Modern Science: The Revised and Updated Classic! (Revised, Expanded)


Henry M. Morris - 1984
    It's an auspicious title for such a humble man, yet no one can deny that the grasp Morris has on science and faith issues is staggering. In this updated classic, Morris walks the reader through history "real history" by showing the absurdity of evolution. From a wide variety of sciences, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics, and geology, Morris presents clear evidence that the Bible gives us an astonishingly accurate record of the past, present, and future.

The Facts of Life: A Three-Dimensional Study


Jonathan Miller - 1984
    Three dimensional studies of the development of conception to birth in 6 pop-ups.

Theoretical Concepts in Physics: An Alternative View of Theoretical Reasoning in Physics


Malcolm S. Longair - 1984
    Highlights include three new chapters on Newton's laws (one on ancient astronomy up to the time of Galileo, one on Galileo, and one on Newton); a new chapter on dimensional methods, chaos and self-organized criticality; and a new chapter on the technology of cosmology. Although all the arguments are presented precisely in physical and mathematical terminology, the book is written in a relatively non-technical manner, intended to convey a deep understanding and appreciation of the incredible achievements of theorists in creating the structure of modern physics. First Edition Hb (1984): 0-521-25550-3 First Edition Pb (1984): 0-521-27553-9

507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices


Henry T. Brown - 1984
    Spanning the first century of the Industrial Revolution, this 1868 compilation features simplified, concise illustrations of the mechanisms used in hydraulics, steam engines, pneumatics, presses, horologes, and scores of other machines.The movements of each of the 507 mechanisms are depicted in drawings on the left-hand page, and the facing page presents a brief description of the item's use and operation. Ranging from simple to intricately complex, the mechanisms offer a fascinating view of the variety of small components that constitute complex machinery. A detailed index provides easy reference to specific mechanisms.Inventors, tinkerers, and anyone with an interest in the history of invention and technology will find this volume a treasury of information and inspiration.

Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide


Campbell Loughmiller - 1984
    Of the many species that adorn the state, Texas Wildflowers provides clear and concise descriptions for more than 300, complemented by 381 stunning full-color photographs. Not only the most prevalent species but also rare and unusual plants of startling beauty are illustrated and described.For more than three decades Campbell and Lynn Loughmiller have photographed the wildflowers of Texas, and their most exquisite photographs are reproduced here. The loveliest flowers from all regions of the state are represented, from the graceful calopogon orchid of the Big Thicket to the surprisingly delicate blooms of the Trans-Pecos cacti.

Mapping the Commodore 64


Sheldon Leemon - 1984
    

Land of Bears and Honey: A Natural History of East Texas


Joe C. Truett - 1984
    Winner, Ottis Lock Endowment Award for the best book on East Texas, East Texas Historical Association, 1985 Texas Literary Festival Award for Nonfiction (Southwestern Booksellers Association & Dallas Times Herald), 1985 Annual Publication Award, Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society, 1984The story of the land, wildlife, and ecology of East Texas.

The Brain


Richard Restak - 1984
    

Fundamental Immunology


William E. Paul - 1984
    Build your work on the best foundation!The defining reference work in immunology today is now available in an entirely new text ! Look for...a greater emphasis on molecular mechanisms underlying cellular function and physiology outstanding new chapters on neuroimmunology and immunotherapy completely updated coverage of immune suppression and regulatory T cells new and expanded chapters on lymphocytes, the immunology of aging, autoimmunity, and more! A FREE CD-ROM with all of the content and illustrations from the text—plus Internet links to PubMed and 50 other sites!"Nothing else competes with it."—JAMA, review of the previous edition

Life in the Chesapeake Bay


Alice Jane Lippson - 1984
    Since publication of the first edition in 1984, tens of thousands of naturalists, boaters, fishermen, and conservationists have relied on the book's descriptions of the Bay's plants, animals, and diverse habitats. Superbly illustrated and clearly written, this acclaimed guide describes hundreds of plants and animals and their habitats, from diamondback terrapins to blue crabs to hornshell snails.Now in its third edition, the book has been updated with a new gallery of thirty-nine color photographs and dozens of new species descriptions and illustrations. The new edition retains the charm of an engaging classic while adding a decade of new research.This classic guide to the plants and animals of the Chesapeake Bay will appeal to a variety of readers—year-round residents and summer vacationers, professional biologists and amateur scientists, conservationists and sportsmen.

Structural Geology of Rocks and Regions


George H. Davis - 1984
    It provides a perspective for identifying relationships that are critical to the interpretation of structures while building confidence in using mathematical skills to fully describe, understand and appreciate the concepts of stress and strain in natural structural systems. Techniques, methods, experiments and calculations are described in detail throughout the book, with the aim of inviting active participation and discovery through laboratory and field work.

The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories


Charles B Thaxton - 1984
    The authors include Discovery Institute fellows Charles Thaxton and Walter Bradley, and they conclude that the prebiotic soup from which the first cell supposedly arose is a myth. The Miller-Urey experiments employed an unrealistic gas mixture, and there is no geological evidence for its existence in Earth's distant past. The "soup" faces a myriad of other problems, such as inevitable rapid destruction at the hands of radiation.The authors also take aim at the dominant paradigm for chemical evolution using technical arguments from thermodynamics. The second law of thermodynamics has been misused by creationists who failed to treat the fact that Earth is an open system. But Thaxton, Bradley, and Olsen takes this point into account as they argue that thermodynamics is eminently applicable to assessing whether unguided chemical reactions can organize matter into life. Their conclusion is that natural laws cannot account for the encoded "specified complexity" inherent in biomolecules.The epilogue looks forward to other possible explanations for the origin of life. The book was published in 1984 when the United States was immersed in debate over Genesis-based creationism. Yet these authors take a different approach that is ahead of its time. They recognize that science requires an observation-based understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. Thus they set aside biblical arguments and focus instead on observations about the natural world and intelligence. After demonstrating that various undirected causes lack the power to produce complex information, they note, "We have observational evidence in the present that intelligent investigators can (and do) build contrivances to channel energy down nonrandom chemical pathways to bring about some complex chemical synthesis, even gene building." The authors then pose a simple question: "May not the principle of uniformity suggest that DNA had an intelligent cause at the beginning?""A valuable summary of the evidence against the chemical evolution of life out of non-living matter. It presents a very well thought-out and clearly written analysis of the alternatives to the accepted scientific theory of the origin of life." - Robert Jastrow, Founder and Former Director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies of NASA, author of several acclaimed books including God and The Astronomers."The authors have made an important contribution to the origin of life field. Many workers in this area believe that an adequate scientific explanation for the beginning of life on Earth has already been made. Their point of view has been widely disseminated in texts and the media, and to a large extent, has been accepted by the public. This new work brings together the major scientific arguments that demonstrate the inadequacy of current theories. Although I do not share the final philosophical conclusion that the authors reach, I welcome their contribution. It will help to clarify our thinking... I would recommend this book to everyone with a scientific background and interest in the origin of life."- Robert Shapiro, Professor of Chemistry at New York University, and co-author of Life Beyond Earth."Arguments are cogent, original and compelling... The authors believe, and I now concur, that there is a fundamental flaw in all current theories of the chemical origins of life."- Dean H. Kenyon, Professor of Biology at San Francisco State University, and co-author of Biochemical Predestination.

Spinors and Space-Time: Volume 1, Two-Spinor Calculus and Relativistic Fields


Roger Penrose - 1984
    This is the first detailed exposition of this technique which leads not only to a deeper understanding of the structure of space-time, but also provides shortcuts to some very tedious calculations. Many results are given here for the first time.

The Faces of Science Fiction: Photographs


Patti Perret - 1984
    

Chemistry of the Elements


N.N. Greenwood - 1984
    Now the authors have completely revised and updated the text, including more than 2000 new literature references to work published since the first edition. No page has been left unaltered but the novel features which proved so attractive have been retained. The book presents a balanced, coherent and comprehensive account of the chemistry of the elements for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. This crucial central area of chemistry is full of ingenious experiments, intriguing compounds and exciting new discoveries. The authors specifically avoid the term `inorganic chemistry' since this evokes an outmoded view of chemistry which is no longer appropriate in the final decade of the 20th century.Accordingly, the book covers not only the 'inorganic' chemistry of the elements, but also analytical, theoretical, industrial, organometallic, bio-inorganic and other cognate areas of chemistry. The authors have broken with recent tradition in the teaching of their subject and adopted a new and highly successful approach based on descriptive chemistry. The chemistry of the elements is still discussed within the context of an underlying theoretical framework, giving cohesion and structure to the text, but at all times the chemical facts are emphasized. Students are invited to enter the exciting world of chemical phenomena with a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject, to approach experimentation with an open mind, and to assess observations reliably. This is a book that students will not only value during their formal education, but will keep and refer to throughout their careers as chemists.

Applied Fluid Dynamics Handbook


Robert D. Blevins - 1984
    The book is designed to present a range of fluid dynamics in a concise form with extensive use of tables and graphics.

Heaven's Breath: A Natural History of the Wind


Lyall Watson - 1984
    Wind and earth, time, life, body and mind.

Scaling: Why Is Animal Size So Important?


Knut Schmidt-Nielsen - 1984
    We tend to think of animal function in chemical terms and talk of water, salts, proteins, enzymes, oxygen, energy, and so on. We should not forget, however, that physical laws are equally important, for they determine rates of diffusion and heat transfer, transfer of force and momentum, the strength of structures, the dynamics of locomotion, and other aspects of the functioning of animal bodies. Physical laws provide possibilities and opportunities for an organism, yet they also impose constraints, setting limits to what is physically possible. This book aims to give an understanding of these rules because of their profound implications when we deal with animals of widely different size and scale. The reader will find that the book raises many questions. Remarkable and puzzling information makes it read a little like a detective story, but the last chapter, instead of giving the final solution, neither answers all questions nor provides one great unifying principle.

Skeleton (Eyewitness)


Steve Parker - 1984
    The skeleton is the framework of the body. It supports, moves, and protects, allowing us to walk, run, jump, and swim. Eyewitness: Skeleton brings its complexity and ingenuity of design vividly to life. Starting with the human skeleton, it explains how each set of bones functions. It examines in detail the construction of the skull, spine and rib cage, hands, arms, legs, and feet. Comparisons are drawn with the bones of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and mammals. See the 206 different bones in the human body, how your skull differs from a lion's or a chimp's, how teeth grow, and what the inside of a bone looks like. Learn how bones mend themselves when they break, why your hands and feet contain half the bones in your body, how many toes a horse has, and what has happened to the tail you once had. Discover which are the smallest bones in the human body, why some creatures wear their skeletons on the outside, what animal once owned the oldest bones ever found on Earth, and much, much more!The most trusted nonfiction series on the market, Eyewitness Books provide an in-depth, comprehensive look at their subjects with a unique integration of words and pictures.

Tempo and Mode in Evolution


George Gaylord Simpson - 1984
    

ABCs of Nature


Richard L. Scheffel - 1984
    Answers questions about the physical world, its plants and animals, and the adaptations and interactions of plants and animals in various environments such as deserts, mountains, and seashores.

Computer Architecture and Parallel Processing


Kai Hwang - 1984
    

Weapons and Hope


Freeman Dyson - 1984
    (Amazon.com)

Kahn on Codes: Secrets of the New Cryptology


David Kahn - 1984
    "Cryptology has gone public," Kahn writes. "A field that was once the exclusive domain of governments has become a concern of businesses and individuals."In this absorbing and eclectic collection, Kahn expertly explores the crytographer's world, leading us into and through its dark labyrinths. We learn about the legendary Herbert O. Yardley's "lost manuscript," investigate the origins of polyalphabetic substitution, and follow the adventures of Hans-Thilo Schmidt- whom Kahn calls the greates spy of World War II.Among the other fascinating sections in Kahn on Codes: * Codebreaking in World Wars I & II: Their Major Successes and Failures, Their Causes and Effects * Lgcn Otuu Wllwgh W1 Etfown, or, "They Will Attack at Midway" * Ciphers and Computers * The Soviet Spy Ciphers used by Reino Hayhanen and Rudolf Abel * Public Versus Private Cryptology * Codes in Context * Opportunities in CryptologyKahn on Codes also includes a list of cryptological terms, endnotes, and index.

Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World's Great Physicists


Ken Wilber - 1984
    Quantum Questions collects the mystical writings of each of the major physicists involved in the discovery of quantum physics and relativity, including Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, and Max Planck. The selections are written in nontechnical language and will be of interest to scientists and nonscientists alike.

Home Is The Desert


Ann Woodin - 1984
    

Biological Science


Roland Soper - 1984
    

Collectible Florida Shells


R. Tucker Abbott - 1984
    Lots of color photographs make identification easy.

Theory of Probability


Harold Jeffreys - 1984
    His ideas were well ahead of their time and it is only in the past ten years that the subject of Bayes' factors has been significantly developed and extended. Recent work has made Bayesian statistics an essential subject for graduate students and researchers. This seminal book is their starting point.

The Cold and the Dark: The World After Nuclear War


Paul R. Ehrlich - 1984
    The conference involved over 200 scientists from many nations and drew together the best available scientific information. Its central finding was the phenomenon of nuclear winter: a much more profound and long-lasting devastation of the earth and atmosphere than had been believed possible before. In the two principal papers, Carl Sagan presents the atmospheric and climatic consequences of nuclear war and Paul Ehrlich summarizes its biological implications. Also included is the text of the “Moscow Link” —a dialogue between Soviet and American scientists on nuclear winter—and the technical papers providing the scientific evidence for the book’s conclusions.

Indian Medicine Power


Brad Steiger - 1984
    Through these accounts of medicine people, Brad Steiger demonstrates the power of ancient medical practices in the modern world. As more than an objective observer, the author was himself initiated into the medicine lodge of the Wolf Clan of the Seneca Tribe. Indian Medicine Power treats medicine culture and religion as a practical system of thought, not merely as folklore and magic. It shows how medicine power can help us discover our individual sources of strength and achieve purpose in our lives.

Airport Engineering: Planning, Design, and Development of 21st Century Airports


Norman J. Ashford - 1984
    Over the past twenty years, construction of new airports in the US has waned as construction abroad boomed. This new edition of Airport Engineering will respond to this shift in the growth of airports globally, with a focus on the role of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), while still providing the best practices and tested fundamentals that have made the book successful for over 30 years.

Arithmetic for Entertainment


Yakov Perelman - 1984
    It does not only study the arithmetic topics studied in school, but also analyzes how these ones can be used in various other areas and in solving real life problems. Additionally, it does not try to turn enjoyable and entertaining problems into tedious tasks that are often fruitless for serious work. It avoids difficult problems and selects only the material that is accessible for the majority of the readers.

Oaks of North America


Howard A. Miller - 1984
    Their book has three major parts: history and uses of oaks, oaks of the East, and oaks of the West. Very helpful in identification are the keys, for each section of oaks. The authors often trekked hither and you in search of each species to photograph the oak and its leaf, acorn, and bark. Accompanying each is an informative chapter of description, and details of identification, growth habitat, and excellent range maps. They mention ways each species is useful and unique from the other oaks. Did you know a northern red oak near Sheffield, Illinois was used as a surveyors point to lay out the Rock Island Railroad in 1851?

One Man's Island: A Naturalist's Year


Keith Brockie - 1984
    

Algebra the Easy Way


Douglas Downing - 1984
    They have also found their way into many classrooms as valuable and easy-to-use textbook supplements. The titles cover a wide variety of both practical and academic topics, presenting fundamental subject matter so that it can be clearly understood and provide a foundation for more advanced study. Easy Way books fulfill many purposes. They help students improve their grades, serve as good test preparation review books, and provide readers working outside classroom settings with practical information on subjects that relate to their occupations and careers. All Easy Way books include review questions and mini-tests with answers. All new Easy Way editions feature type in two-colors, the second color used to highlight important study points and topic heads.

Fuller's Earth: A Day with Bucky and the Kids


R. Buckminster Fuller - 1984
    

Alice Hamilton: A Life in Letters


Barbara Sicherman - 1984
    She was America's foremost industrial toxicologist, a pioneer in medicine and in social reform, long-time resident of Hull House, pacifist and civil libertarian. She was Edith Hamilton's sister, and the first woman on the faculty of Harvard, though she retired--an assistant professor in the school of public health--ten years before women medical students were admitted. This legendary figure now comes to life in an integrated work of biography and letters. A keen observer and an extraordinarily complex woman, Alice Hamilton left a rich correspondence, spanning the period from 1888 to 1965, that forms a journal of her times as well as of her life. The letters document the range of her involvement, from the battle against lead poisoning to debates with Felix Frankfurter over civil liberties. But as Alice Hamilton describes a woman's medical education in the late nineteenth century, her unlikely adventures in city slums, mine shafts, and factories, her work with Jane Addams and the women's peace movement, we also witness the stages of one woman's evolution from self-deprecating girl to leading social advocate. The charming details of her girlhood help us to understand her conflicted need to escape Victorian constraints without violating her own notion of femininity, a dilemma resolved only by a career combining science with service. Beautifully realized works themselves, these letters have been woven by Barbara Sicherman into an exemplary biography that opens a window on the Progressive era.

The Dose Makes the Poison: A Plain-Language Guide to Toxicology


M. Alice Ottoboni - 1984
    Also new to the 3rd edition are newer issues-of-the-day such as nanoparticulate toxicants, second hand smoke, food contamination, lead in toys, and others. As such, the book provides the basics of toxicology in easy-to-understand language as well as a fuller understanding of the daily insults to which our bodies are subjected.

Matrix Algebra: An Introduction


Krishnan Namboodiri - 1984
    This volume serves as a complete introduction to matrix algebra, requiring no background knowledge beyond basic school algebra. Namboodiri′s presentation is smooth and readable: it begins with the basic definitions and goes on to explain elementary manipulations and the concept of linear dependence, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors -- supplying illustrations through fully-worked examples.

Self-Esteem and Adjusting with Blindness: The Process of Responding to Life's Demands


Dean W. Tuttle - 1984
    This textbook refers to adjustment and process of dealing with visual impairment

Gauge Theory of Elementary Particle Physics


Ta-Pei Cheng - 1984
    It explains technique and methodology with simple exposition backed up by many illustrative examples. Derivations, some of well known results, are presented insufficient detail to make the text accessible to readers entering the field for the first time. The book focuses on the strong interaction theory of quantum chromodynamics and the electroweak interaction theory of Glashow, Weinberg, and Salam, as well as the grand unification theory, exemplified bythe simplest SU(5) model. Not intended as an exhaustive survey, the book nevertheless provides the general background necessary for a serious student who wishes to specialize in the field of elementary particle theory. Physicists with an interest in general aspects of gauge theory will also findthe book highly useful.

Dinosaur is the Biggest Animal That Ever Lived, and Other Wrong Ideas You Thought Were True


Seymour Simon - 1984
    Explains why many commonly accepted scientific "facts"--lightning never strikes twice, the sky is blue, snakes are slimy, etc.--are untrue.

The Medical Detectives


Berton Rouleche - 1984
    Who mans the rampart against such onslaughts?A legion of interrelated health services, professional and amateur, guard us. Linked by training, interest and technology, they gather data and share resources to disarm these diseases before they get started.This is the second of two collections that bring together the best of Berton Roueche's ANNALS OF MEDICINE narratives.Originally published in The New Yorker magazine, the stories are classics of literary and medical lore.

Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion: Volume 1: Plasma Physics


Francis F. Chen - 1984
    At the same time, the energy shortage on the one hand and the exploration of Jupiter and Saturn on the other have increased the national awareness of the important applications of plasma physics to energy production and to the understanding of our space environment. In magnetic confinement fusion, this period has seen the attainment 13 of a Lawson number nTE of 2 x 10 cm -3 sec in the Alcator tokamaks at MIT; neutral-beam heating of the PL T tokamak at Princeton to KTi = 6. 5 keV; increase of average ss to 3%-5% in tokamaks at Oak Ridge and General Atomic; and the stabilization of mirror-confined plasmas at Livermore, together with injection of ion current to near field-reversal conditions in the 2XIIss device. Invention of the tandem mirror has given magnetic confinement a new and exciting dimension. New ideas have emerged, such as the compact torus, surface-field devices, and the EssT mirror-torus hybrid, and some old ideas, such as the stellarator and the reversed-field pinch, have been revived. Radiofrequency heat ing has become a new star with its promise of dc current drive. Perhaps most importantly, great progress has been made in the understanding of the MHD behavior of toroidal plasmas: tearing modes, magnetic Vll Vlll islands, and disruptions."

The Science & Engineering of Materials


Donald R. Askeland - 1984
    By selecting the appropriate topics from this wealth of material, instructors can emphasize metals, provide a general overview of materials, concentrate on mechanical behavior, or focus on physical properties. Since the book has more material than is needed for a one-semester course, students will also have a useful reference for subsequent courses in manufacturing, materials, design, or materials selection.

The Nature of Selection: Evolutionary Theory in Philosophical Focus


Elliott Sober - 1984
    It presents a powerful analysis of the evolutionary concepts of natural selection, fitness, and adaptation and clarifies controversial issues concerning altruism, group selection, and the idea that organisms are survival machines built for the good of the genes that inhabit them."Sober's is the answering philosophical voice, the voice of a first-rate philosopher and a knowledgeable student of contemporary evolutionary theory. His book merits broad attention among both communities. It should also inspire others to continue the conversation."-Philip Kitcher, Nature"Elliott Sober has made extraordinarily important contributions to our understanding of biological problems in evolutionary biology and causality. The Nature of Selection is a major contribution to understanding epistemological problems in evolutionary theory. I predict that it will have a long lasting place in the literature."-Richard C. Lewontin

The Wonderful World of Seals and Whales (Books for Young Explorers)


Sandra Lee Crow - 1984
    

The Dinosaur Encyclopedia: A Handbook for Dinosaur Enthusiasts of All Ages


Michael J. Benton - 1984
    Each description includes clear, up-to-date notes on where, how, and when the animal lived, a precise and colorful illustration, and a complete description of its size, diet, habits, and ecological significance. Also included as special features of this unique pocket reference are: *An extensive time chart *A list of museums and sites to visit around the world *Projects and hints on how to further your interest in dinosaurs *And a comprehensive glossary and indexEverything a dinosaur lover wants and needs, in a handy, take-along pocket size for home and school use!

Apes (Zoobooks)


John Bonnett Wexo - 1984
    Apes hug and kiss and shed tears just like people do. Discover other little-known human similaritiesand important differences.ZOOBOOKS, the 59-book animal series - the "everything you wanted to know but didn't know who to ask" guide to the world's most fascinating creatures. Each exciting edition of ZOOBOOKS is packed with current scientific facts, striking photography, beautiful illustrations and unique activities that teach children about animals and the habitats in which they live. With innovative publications and products, Wildlife Education, Ltd. has enriched the lives of children, parents, and educators nationwide for 20 years. All titles are offered in library-bound hardcover and soft-cover styles. ZOOBOOKS, ideal for the knowledge-hungry 5-12 year old

The Goodnight Circle


Carolyn Lesser - 1984
    “The illustrations are singularly beautiful . . . the animals are full of vigor, faithfully observed. The quiet text and elegant illustrations reinforce one another.”--The Horn Book

Trees of Central Texas


Robert A. Vines - 1984
    From the hardy oaks and rugged mesquites to the graceful willows, cottonwoods, and pecans, the tree life of Central Texas varies as much as the vast and changing land that hosts it. Full descriptions and superb illustrations of all the native and naturalized trees of the region as well as fascinating bits of history and lore make this an essential guide to the wealth of tree life in Central Texas. Drawn from Robert A. Vines' monumental Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of the Southwest (University of Texas Press, Trees of Central Texas combines the essential detail of the larger work with the ease and convenience of a field guide. It joins in print two additional field guides by Robert Vines, both published by the University of Texas Press: Trees of East Texas and Trees of North Texas.

A Streetcar to Subduction and Other Plate Tectonic Trips by Public Transport in San Francisco


Clyde Wahrhaftig - 1984
    Built on rocky hills, the city is surrounded on three sides by bay and ocean that can be seen from nearly everywhere within it. Precipitous cliffs face the city from across the Golden Gate, and the skyline to the north, east, and south is dominated by mountains. Occasional tremors from the San Andreas and related faults nearby remind us that the earth here is active. Until recently the rocks so abundantly exposed in San Francisco baffled geologists. Jumbled together without apparent order and lacking visible fossils, they defied explanation. The theory of plate tectonics has changed all that. We now have an explanation for the origin of the rocks of San Francisco, although it is anything but simple.

Ibn Al-Haytham’s Completion of the Conics


Alhazen - 1984
    Arabian text with English translation and commentary

Exploring the Seashore


William Hopkins Amos - 1984
    

Ancient wisdom and modern science


Stanislav Grof - 1984
    One of the interesting aspects of this development is the increasing convergence of science and the "perennial philosophy." The new research has led to a critical revaluation of ancient spiritual systems long ignored or rejected because of their assumed incompatibility with science.Here are Swami Muktananda on the mind. Swami Prajnananda on Karma. Swami Kripananda on the Kundalini. Ajit Mookerjee on the Kundalini. Joseph Chilton Pearce on spiritual development. Mother Teresa on love and service. Jack Kornfield on Buddhism for Americans. Fritjof Capra on the new paradigms. Rupert Sheldrake on morphic resonance. Karl Pribram on the holographic model. Claudio Naranjo on meditation, and more.The papers in this book were presented at the seventh Conference of the International Transpersonal Association held in Bombay. The ITA is a non-profit organization that brings together individuals of different nationalities, professions, and philosophical or spiritual preferences who share in the view that there is a fundamental unity underlying all of humanity and the material world.

Mountaineering Essays


John Muir - 1984
    In each John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club in 1892, maintains a careful and subtle balance between the physical and symbolic aspects of ascending or observing the sublimity of his surroundings. Mountains are for him a source of discovery, not merely of new geography, but also of the inner human, and they represent a supreme test and an affirmation of the human spirit.

Computation and Cognition: Toward a Foundation for Cognitive Science


Zenon Pylshyn - 1984
    Until now, most of the answers have come from the new breed of philosophers of mind. This book, however, is written by a distinguished psychologist and computer scientist who is well-known for his work on the conceptual foundations of cognitive science, and especially for his research on mental imagery, representation, and perception.In Computation and Cognition, Pylyshyn argues that computation must not be viewed as just a convenient metaphor for mental activity, but as a literal empirical hypothesis. Such a view must face a number of serious challenges. For example, it must address the question of strong equivalents of processes, and must empirically distinguish between phenomena which reveal what knowledge the organism has, phenomena which reveal properties of the biologically determined functional architecture of the mind. The principles and ideas Pylyshyn develops are applied to a number of contentious areas of cognitive science, including theories of vision and mental imagery. In illuminating such timely theoretical problems, he draws on insights from psychology, theoretical computer science, artificial intelligence, and psychology of mind.A Bradford Book

Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution


Paul S. Martin - 1984
    Quaternary Extinctions presents the latest and most comprehensive examination of these questions." —Geological Magazine "May be regarded as a kind of standard encyclopedia for Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology for years to come." —American Scientist "Should be read by paleobiologists, biologists, wildlife managers, ecologists, archeologists, and anyone concerned about the ongoing extinction of plants and animals." —Science "Uncommonly readable and varied for watchers of paleontology and the rise of humankind." —Scientific American "Represents a quantum leap in our knowledge of Pleistocene and Holocene palaeobiology. . . . Many volumes on our bookshelves are destined to gather dust rather than attention. But not this one." —Nature "Two strong impressions prevail when first looking into this epic compendium. One is the judicious balance of views that range over the whole continuum between monocausal, cultural, or environmental explanations. The second is that both the data base and theoretical sophistication of the protagonists in the debate have improved by a quantum leap since 1967." —American Anthropologist

Timberline: Mountain and Arctic Forest Frontiers


Stephen F. Arno - 1984
    Where highways or hiking trails ascend to upper timberlines (ranging from below 2000-foot elevations in Alaska to over 11,000 feet in California), visitors see patchy forest and meadows giving way to stunted trees and finally to mere shrub-like trees and tundra.This book describes what timberlines are and why they exist, and what human uses have been made of the timberline environment. It surveys tree species and conditions of individual North American timberlines----in the Pacific Coast, Great Basin, Southwest, and Mexican mountains; in the Rockies and Northern Appalachians; and in the Arctic--with reference to timberlines worldwide.

The Wonder of Being Human: Our Brain and Our Mind


John C. Eccles - 1984
    

Living the Sky: The Cosmos of the American Indian


Ray A. Williamson - 1984
    Then imagine them establishing observational sites and codified systems to pass their knowledge down through the centuries and continually refine it. A few years ago such images would have been abruptly dismissed. Today we are wiser.Living the Sky describes the exciting archaeoastronomical discoveries in the United States in recent decades. Using history, science, and direct observation, Ray A. Williamson transports the reader into the sky world of the Indians. We visit the Bighorn Medicine Wheel, sit with a Zuni sun priest on the winter solstice, join explorers at the rites of the Hopis and the Navajos, and trek to Chaco Canyon to make direct on-site observations of celestial events.

Ascent to Orbit: A Scientific Autobiography: The Technical Writings of Arthur C. Clarke


Arthur C. Clarke - 1984
    

Infanticide: Comparative And Evolutionary Perspectives


Glenn Hausfater - 1984
    Similarly, studies of birds, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates demonstrate egg and larval mortality in these species, a phenomenon directly analogous to infanticide in mammals. In this collection, Hausfater and Hrdy draw together work on animal and human infanticide and place these studies in a broad evolutionary and comparative perspective.Infanticide presents the theoretical background and taxonomic distribution of infanticide, infanticide in nonhuman primates, infanticide in rodents, and infanticide in humans. It examines closely sex allocation and sex ratio theory, surveys the phylogeny of mammalian interbirth intervals, and reviews data on sources of egg and larval mortality in a variety of invertebrate and lower vertebrate species. Dealing with infanticide in nonhuman primates, two chapters critically examine data on infanticide in langurs and its broader theoretical implications. By reviewing sources of infant mortality in populations of small mammals and new laboratory analyses of the causes and consequences of infanticide, this work explores such issues as the ontogeny of infanticide, proximate cues of infants and females which elicit infanticidal behavior in males, the genetical basis of infanticide, and the hormonal determinants.Hausfater and Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, through their selection of materials for this book, evaluate the frequency, causes, and function of infanticide. Historical, ethnographic, and recent data on infanticide are surveyed. "Infanticide" summarizes current research on the evolutionary origins and proximate causation of infanticide in animals and man. As such it will be indispensable reading for anthropologists and behavioral biologists as well as ecologists, psychologists, demographers, and epidemiologists.

The Body Book: A Fantastic Voyage to the World Within


David Bodanis - 1984
    The Body Book: A Fantastic Voyage To The World Within