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The Book of Why by Judea Pearl and Dana MacKenzie - Paperback Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stockA Turing Award-winning computer scientist and statistician shows how understanding causality has revolutionized science and will revolutionize artificial intelligence
"Correlation is not causation." This mantra, chanted by scientists for more than a century, has led to a virtual prohibition on causal talk. Today, that taboo is dead. The causal revolution, instigated by Judea Pearl and his colleagues, has cut through a century of confusion and established causality -- the study of cause and effect -- on a firm scientific basis. His work explains how we can know easy things, like whether it was rain or a sprinkler that made a sidewalk wet; and how to answer hard questions, like whether a drug cured an illness. Pearl's work enables us to know not just whether one thing causes another: it lets us explore the world that is and the worlds that could have been. It shows us the essence of human thought and the key to artificial intelligence. Anyone who wants to understand either needs The Book of Why. -
Worlds Hidden in Plain Sight : Thirty Years of Complexity Thinking at the Santa Fe Institute by David C. Krakauer, editor - Paperback
Over the last three decades, the Santa Fe Institute and its network of researchers have been pursuing a revolution in science.Ignoring the boundaries of disciplines and schools and searching for novel fundamental ideas, theories, and practices, this international community integrates the full range of scientific inquiries that will help us to understand and survive on a complex planet.This volume collects essays from the past thirty years of research, in which contributors explain in clear and accessible language many of the deepest challenges and insights of complexity science. Explore the evolution of complex systems science with chapters from Nobel Laureates Murray Gell-Mann and Kenneth Arrow, as well as numerous pioneering complexity researchers, including John Holland, Brian Arthur, Robert May, Richard Lewontin, Jennifer Dunne, and Geoffrey West.
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The Seven Mysteries of Life by Guy Murchie - Paperback USED Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stockThe Seven Mysteries of Life : An Exploration in Science and Philosophy by Guy Murchie
Mixing science with philosophy, the author contemplates what he perceives to be the seven mysteries of life, ranging from evolution to divinity.
"All life in all worlds" -this was the object of the author's seventeen-year quest for knowledge and discovery, culminating in this book. In a manner unmistakably his own, Murchie delves into the interconnectedness of all life on the planet and of such fields as biology, geology, sociology, mathematics, and physics. He offers us what the poet May Sarton has called "a good book to take to a desert island as sole companion, so rich is it in knowledge and insight."
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13 Things That Don't Make Sense by Michael Brooks - Hardcover Science
Only 1 left in stockSpanning disciplines from biology to cosmology, chemistry to psychology to physics, Michael Brooks thrillingly captures the excitement of scientific discovery.Science’s best-kept secret is this: even today, thereare experimental results that the most brilliant scientists cannot explain. In the past, similar “anomalies” have revolutionized our world. If history is any precedent, we should look to today’s inexplicable results to forecast the future of science. Michael Brooks heads to the scientific frontier to confront thirteen modern-day anomalies and what they might reveal about tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
Science starts to get interesting when things don’t make sense.
Science’s best-kept secret is this: even today, there are experimental results and reliable data that the most brilliant scientists can neither explain nor dismiss. In the past, similar "anomalies" have revolutionized our world, like in the sixteenth century, when a set of celestial anomalies led Copernicus to realize that the Earth goes around the sun and not the reverse, and in the 1770s, when two chemists discovered oxygen because of experimental results that defied all the theories of the day. And so, if history is any precedent, we should look to today’s inexplicable results to forecast the future of science. In 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense, Michael Brooks heads to the scientific frontier to meet thirteen modern-day anomalies and discover tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
13 Things opens at the twenty-third Solvay physics conference, where the scientists present are ready to throw up their hands over an anomaly: is it possible that the universe, rather than slowly drifting apart as the physics of the big bang had once predicted, is actually expanding at an ever-faster speed? From Solvay and the mysteries of the universe, Brooks travels to a basement in Turin to subject himself to repeated shocks in a test of the placebo response. No study has ever been able to definitively show how the placebo effect works, so why has it become a pillar of medical science? Moreover, is 96 percent of the universe missing? Is a 1977 signal from outer space a transmission from an alien civilization? Might giant viruses explain how life began? Why are some NASA satellites speeding up as they get farther from the sun—and what does that mean for the laws of physics?
Spanning disciplines from biology to cosmology, chemistry to psychology to physics, Brooks thrillingly captures the excitement, messiness, and controversy of the battle over where science is headed. "In science," he writes, "being stuck can be a sign that you are about to make a great leap forward. The things that don’t make sense are, in some ways, the only things that matter." -
Bozo Sapiens : Why to Err is Human - Hardcover Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stockBozo Sapiens : Why to Err is Human by Michael Kaplan and Ellen Kaplan - Hardcover Nonfiction
A dazzling new work of popular science and psychology for readers who enjoyed Blink, Stumbling on Happiness, or The Black Swan.
The New York Times called the Kaplans' look at probability in everyday life, Chances Are..., "a dizzying, exhilarating ride." Now they take readers on a new fun-house tour―exploring the burgeoning science of why humans make mistakes.
Our species, it appears, is hardwired to get things wrong in myriad different ways. Why did recipients of a loan offer accept a higher rate of interest when a pretty woman's face was printed on the flyer? Why did one poll on immigration find the most despised aliens were ones from a group that did not exist? What made four of the air force's best pilots fly their planes, in formation, straight into the ground? Why does giving someone power make him more likely to chew with his mouth open and pick his nose? And why is your sister going out with that biker dude?
In fact, our cognitive, logical, and romantic failures may be a fair price for our extraordinary success as a species―they are the necessary cost of our adaptability. Michael and Ellen Kaplan swoop effortlessly across neurochemistry, behavioral economics, and evolutionary biology, among other disciplines, to answer, with both clarity and wit, the questions above―and larger ones about what it means to be human.
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How to Clone the Perfect Blonde by Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham - Paperback USED
Only 1 left in stockHow to Clone the Perfect Blonde : Using Science to Make Your Wildest Dreams Come True
Clones of Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz. A robotic housekeeper who makes your bed every morning. A permanent size 6 figure. These are all just fantasies . . . or are they? How much do you really know about gene therapy, artificial intelligence, and bionic modification?
In How to Clone the Perfect Blonde, award-winning journalists Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham show how cutting-edge science will eventually make your wildest dreams come true. With amazing anecdotes and breezy humor, they describe the latest discoveries in biotechnology, quantum mechanics, cryogenics, nanotechnology, wormholes, and much more -- complete with ironic "instructions" on How to Build a Robotic Servant, How to Live Forever, How to Turn Back Time, and more. You'll be amazed to learn how many of these "fantasies" are already well within our reach.
In the tradition of bestselling pop-science books such as The Physics of Star Trek and How to Build a Time Machine, this entertaining read explores the science of science fiction -- and proves that anything is possible! -
The Structure of Evolutionary Theory by Stephen Jay Gould - Hardcover Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stockThe world's most revered and eloquent interpreter of evolutionary ideas offers here a work of explanatory force unprecedented in our time--a landmark publication, both for its historical sweep and for its scientific vision.
With characteristic attention to detail, Stephen Jay Gould first describes the content and discusses the history and origins of the three core commitments of classical Darwinism: that natural selection works on organisms, not genes or species; that it is almost exclusively the mechanism of adaptive evolutionary change; and that these changes are incremental, not drastic. Next, he examines the three critiques that currently challenge this classic Darwinian edifice: that selection operates on multiple levels, from the gene to the group; that evolution proceeds by a variety of mechanisms, not just natural selection; and that causes operating at broader scales, including catastrophes, have figured prominently in the course of evolution.
Then, in a stunning tour de force that will likely stimulate discussion and debate for decades, Gould proposes his own system for integrating these classical commitments and contemporary critiques into a new structure of evolutionary thought.
In 2001 the Library of Congress named Stephen Jay Gould one of America's eighty-three Living Legends--people who embody the "quintessentially American ideal of individual creativity, conviction, dedication, and exuberance." Each of these qualities finds full expression in this peerless work, the likes of which the scientific world has not seen--and may not see again--for well over a century.
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Present at the Future by Ira Flatow - Hardcover Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stockPresent at the Future : From Evolution to Nanotechnology, Candid and Controversial Conversations on Science and Nature by Ira Flatow
Veteran NPR® science reporter and award-winning radio and TV journalist Ira Flatow’s enthusiasm for all things scientific has made him a beloved on-air correspondent. For more than thirty-five years, Flatow has interviewed the top scientists and researchers on many NPR and PBS programs, including his popular Science Friday® spot on Talk of the Nation. In Present at the Future, he shares the groundbreaking revelations from those conversations, including the latest on nanotechnology, space travel, global warming, alternative energies, stem cell research, and using the universe as a super-duper computer. Flatow also further explores his favorite topic, the science of everyday life, with explanations on why the shower curtain sticks to you, the real story of why airplanes fly, and much more.
From dark matter and the human consciousness to the surprising number of scientists who believe in a Creator, Present at the Future reveals the mysteries of science, nature, and technology that shape our lives.
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When : The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink - Hardcover
Instant New York Times Bestseller
#1 Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller
Instant Washington Post Bestseller
"Brims with a surprising amount of insight and practical advice." --The Wall Street Journal
Daniel H. Pink, the #1 bestselling author of Drive and To Sell Is Human, unlocks the scientific secrets to good timing to help you flourish at work, at school, and at home.Everyone knows that timing is everything. But we don't know much about timing itself. Our lives are a never-ending stream of "when" decisions: when to start a business, schedule a class, get serious about a person. Yet we make those decisions based on intuition and guesswork.
Timing, it's often assumed, is an art. In When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, Pink shows that timing is really a science.
Drawing on a rich trove of research from psychology, biology, and economics, Pink reveals how best to live, work, and succeed. How can we use the hidden patterns of the day to build the ideal schedule? Why do certain breaks dramatically improve student test scores? How can we turn a stumbling beginning into a fresh start? Why should we avoid going to the hospital in the afternoon? Why is singing in time with other people as good for you as exercise? And what is the ideal time to quit a job, switch careers, or get married?
In When, Pink distills cutting-edge research and data on timing and synthesizes them into a fascinating, readable narrative packed with irresistible stories and practical takeaways that give readers compelling insights into how we can live richer, more engaged lives.
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Strange Brains and Genius by Clifford A. Pickover - Paperback
Strange Brains and Genius : The Secret Lives Of Eccentric Scientists And Madmen by Clifford A. Pickover
Never has the term mad scientist been more fascinatingly explored than in internationally recognized popular science author Clifford Pickover's richly researched wild ride through the bizarre lives of eccentric geniuses. A few highlights:
"The Pigeon Man from Manhattan" Legendary inventor Nikola Tesla had abnormally long thumbs, a peculiar love of pigeons, and a horror of women's pearls.
"The Worm Man from Devonshire" Forefather of modern electric-circuit design Oliver Heaviside furnished his home with granite blocks and sometimes consumed only milk for days (as did Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison).
"The Rabbit-Eater from Lichfield" Renowned scholar Samuel Johnson had so many tics and quirks that some mistook him for an idiot. In fact, his behavior matches modern definitions of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome.
Pickover also addresses many provocative topics: the link between genius and madness, the role the brain plays in alien abduction and religious experiences, UFOs, cryonics -- even the whereabouts of Einstein's brain!
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Death and the Afterlife : A Chronological Journey by Clifford A. Pickover - Hardcover
Death and the Afterlife : A Chronological Journey, from Cremation to Quantum Resurrection by Clifford A. Pickover
Throughout history, the nature and mystery of death has captivated artists, scientists, philosophers, physicians, and theologians. This eerie chronology ventures right to the borderlines of science and sheds light into the darkness. Here, topics as wide ranging as the Maya death gods, golems, and séances sit side by side with entries on zombies and quantum immortality. With the turn of every page, readers will encounter beautiful artwork, along with unexpected insights about death and what may lie beyond.
About the Author
Internationally renowned author Clifford Pickover has published more than 40 books, translated into over a dozen languages, on topics ranging from science and mathematics to religion, art, and history. Dr. Pickover received his PhD from Yale University's Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and holds more than 200 US patents. His research has received considerable attention from such media outlets as CNN, Wired, and The New York Times, and his website, pickover.com, has received millions of visits. He lives in Yorktown Heights, NY.
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The Paradox of God and the Science of Omniscience by Clifford A. Pickover - Paperback
In his most ambitious book yet, Clifford Pickover bridges the gulf between logic, spirit, science, and religion. While exploring the concept of omniscience, Pickover explains the kinds of relationships limited beings can have with an all-knowing God. Pickover's thought exercises, controversial experiments, and practical analogies help us transcend our ordinary lives while challenging us to better understand our place in the cosmos and our dreams of a supernatural God. Through an inventive blend of science, history, philosophy, science fiction, and mind-stretching brainteasers, Pickover unfolds the paradoxes of God like no other writer. He provides glimpses into the infinite, allowing us to think big, and to have daring, limitless dreams.
From Publishers Weekly
Pickover, an inventor, computer artist and professional puzzler (who has edited brainteaser columns for both Discover and Odyssey), invites readers on a paradoxical and sometimes merely quirky exploration of logical and psychological puzzles surrounding God and religion. Many of these "paradoxes" simply put a new face on the familiar conflict between divine foreknowledge and free will; others lead to unexpected conclusions such as Pickover's demonstration of how omniscient beings are at a huge disadvantage in games of "chicken" with non-omniscient beings. (By staying the course, a daring challenger can compel an all-knowing opponent to turn aside, guaranteeing their mutual safety.) This and other examples show how omniscience can become a practical liability in some situations, countering the widespread assumption that knowledge is power. The book is also liberally salted with religious and nonreligious curiosities and conundrums, ranging from biblical oddities to the neuropsychology of time perception, all related with an attitude of mischievous irreverence...
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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The Meme Machine by Susan Blackmore Revised Edition - Paperback
What is a meme? First coined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene, a meme is any idea, behavior, or skill that can be transferred from one person to another by imitation: stories, fashions, inventions, recipes, songs, ways of plowing a field or throwing a baseball or making a sculpture. The meme is also one of the most important--and controversial--concepts to emerge since The Origin of the Species appeared nearly 150 years ago.
In The Meme Machine Susan Blackmore boldly asserts: "Just as the design of our bodies can be understood only in terms of natural selection, so the design of our minds can be understood only in terms of memetic selection." Indeed, Blackmore shows that once our distant ancestors acquired the crucial ability to imitate, a second kind of natural selection began, a survival of the fittest amongst competing ideas and behaviors. Ideas and behaviors that proved most adaptive--making tools, for example, or using language--survived and flourished, replicating themselves in as many minds as possible. These memes then passed themselves on from generation to generation by helping to ensure that the genes of those who acquired them also survived and reproduced. Applying this theory to many aspects of human life, Blackmore offers brilliant explanations for why we live in cities, why we talk so much, why we can't stop thinking, why we behave altruistically, how we choose our mates, and much more.
With controversial implications for our religious beliefs, our free will, our very sense of "self," The Meme Machine offers a provocative theory everyone will soon be talking about.
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The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan - Paperback USED Classics
Only 1 left in stockThe well-known astronomer and astrobiologist surveys current knowledge of the development of intelligence on Earth in various forms of life and explains his persuasion that intelligence must have developed along similar paths throughout the universe
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The Quantum Labyrinth : How Richard Feynman and John Wheeler Revolutionized Time and Reality by Paul Halpern - Hardcover
Only 1 left in stockThe story of the unlikely friendship between the two physicists who fundamentally recast the notion of time and history
"[Paul Halpern] is at his best when explaining concepts of physics."―Wall Street Journal
"Feynman was a doer, Wheeler a dreamer. So Paul Halpern aptly describes them in The Quantum Labyrinth, his book about their lives, work and friendship, and the virtues of their complementary styles....Feynman was one of the greatest intuitive problem-solvers in twentieth-century physics, a world-class doer. But I suspect that many readers will take most pleasure from the account of Wheeler's inspired dreaming."―NatureIn 1939, Richard Feynman, a brilliant graduate of MIT, arrived in John Wheeler's Princeton office to report for duty as his teaching assistant. A lifelong friendship and enormously productive collaboration was born, despite sharp differences in personality. The soft-spoken Wheeler, though conservative in appearance, was a raging nonconformist full of wild ideas about the universe. The boisterous Feynman was a cautious physicist who believed only what could be tested. Yet they were complementary spirits. Their collaboration led to a complete rethinking of the nature of time and reality. It enabled Feynman to show how quantum reality is a combination of alternative, contradictory possibilities, and inspired Wheeler to develop his landmark concept of wormholes, portals to the future and past. Together, Feynman and Wheeler made sure that quantum physics would never be the same again.
"Paul Halpern brings the full story of these men to life in a brilliant way...Feynman's contributions to the development of quantum field theory...are not only covered, they're explained in gloriously in-depth and simultaneously comprehensible fashion...Well-researched, well-written, and highly accessible."
―Forbes.com/Starts With a BangÂ
"[The Quantum Labyrinth] provides a portrait of a rather neglected era in physics. Following the twin revolutions of quantum theory and relativity in the early 1900s, the 1940s to the late 1960s can appear like a time when already challenging ideas became all but incomprehensible beyond the academy. But Halpern shows that it was every bit as significant as the pre-war period that looks now to be an age almost of gods and legends."―Physics World
"Excellent...[Halpern] brings onto the stage two of the key developers of the modern quantum theory."―Nature Physics -
Special Relativity and Classical Field Theory : The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind and‎ Art Friedman - Hardcover
Only 1 left in stockThe third volume in the bestselling physics series cracks open Einstein's special relativity and field theory
"Susskind is meticulous in explaining each step of applying the equations to the physical phenomena he describes, and he excels in explaining why the math works the way it does.... If you're intrepid enough...you'll emerge with a much deeper appreciation for the true meaning of Einstein's relativity, Maxwell's equations and many other aspects of fundamental physics."―Science News
"Thrilling...Susskind's approach is to subject the novice to a historical mathematical boot camp to make the path seem natural, and ultimately easier...At once witty and insightful."―Nature
"Susskind and Friedman follow their collaboration on Quantum Mechanics by probing the mathematical nitty-gritty of field theory and Einstein's theory of special relativity in the third installment of the Theoretical Minimum series...Enthusiastic discussion is seasoned with wry humor...Well paced...Clear and concise."--- Publishers Weekly
"Relativity and field theory are absolutely central to modern physics. Here they are explained masterfully, with insight and wit. This is physics the way it's really done, in all its glory, nothing swept under the rug."--- Sean Carroll, author of The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
Physicist Leonard Susskind and data engineer Art Friedman are back. This time, they introduce readers to Einstein's special relativity and Maxwell's classical field theory. Using their typical brand of real math, enlightening drawings, and humor, Susskind and Friedman walk us through the complexities of waves, forces, and particles by exploring special relativity and electromagnetism. It's a must-read for both devotees of the series and any armchair physicist who wants to improve their knowledge of physics' deepest truths.
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The Theoretical Minimum : What You Need to Know to Start Doing Physics by Leonard Susskind and George Hrabovsky - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockA Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2013
"What a wonderful and unique resource. For anyone who is determined to learn physics for real, looking beyond conventional popularizations, this is the ideal place to start."―Sean Carroll, physicist, California Institute of Technology, and author of The Particle at the End of the Universe
If you ever regretted not taking physics in college--or simply want to know how to think like a physicist--this is the book for you. In this bestselling introduction, physicist Leonard Susskind and hacker-scientist George Hrabovsky offer a first course in physics and associated math for the ardent amateur. Challenging, lucid, and concise, The Theoretical Minimum provides a tool kit for amateur scientists to learn physics at their own pace.
"Readers ready to embrace their inner applied mathematics will enjoy this brisk, bare-bares introduction to classical mechanics."―Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Leonard Susskind has been the Felix Bloch Professor in Theoretical Physics at Stanford University since 1978. He lives in Palo Alto, California.
George Hrabovsky is the president of Madison Area Science and Technology (MAST), a nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific and technological research and education. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.
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Quantum Enigma : Physics Encounters Consciousness 2nd Edition by Bruce Rosenblum and‎ Fred Kuttner - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockIn trying to understand the atom, physicists built quantum mechanics, the most successful theory in science and the basis of one-third of our economy. They found, to their embarrassment, that with their theory, physics encounters consciousness. Authors Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner explain all this in non-technical terms with help from some fanciful stories and anecdotes about the theory's developers. They present the quantum mystery honestly, emphasizing what is and what is not speculation. Quantum Enigma's description of the experimental quantum facts, and the quantum theory explaining them, is undisputed. Interpreting what it all means, however, is heatedly controversial. But every interpretation of quantum physics involves consciousness. Rosenblum and Kuttner therefore turn to exploring consciousness itself--and encounter quantum mechanics. Free will and anthropic principles become crucial issues, and the connection of consciousness with the cosmos suggested by some leading quantum cosmologists is mind-blowing. Readers are brought to a boundary where the particular expertise of physicists is no longer the only sure guide. They will find, instead, the facts and hints provided by quantum mechanics and the ability to speculate for themselves.
"A remarkable and readable presentation." --Charles Townes, winner of the Nobel Prize in PhysicsÂ
"This book is unique. Â EL The clearest expositions I have ever seen." --George Greenstein, Professor of Astronomy, Amherst CollegeÂ
"An immensely important and exciting book." --Raymond Chester Russ, editor of Journal of Mind and BehaviorÂ
"Exposes the hidden skeleton in the physicist's closet." --Nick Herbert, author of Quantum RealityÂ
In the few decades since the Bell's theorem experiments established the existence of entanglement (Einstein's "spooky action"), interest in the foundations, and the mysteries, of quantum mechanics has accelerated. In recent years, physicists, philosophers, computer engineers, and even biologists have expanded our realization of the significance of quantum phenomena. This second edition includes such advances. The authors have also drawn on many responses from readers and instructors to improve the clarity of the book's explanations.
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Quantum Mechanics : The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind and‎ Art Friedman - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockFrom the bestselling author of The Theoretical Minimum, a DIY introduction to the math and science of quantum mechanics.
First he taught you classical mechanics. Now, physicist Leonard Susskind has teamed up with data engineer Art Friedman to present the theory and associated mathematics of the strange world of quantum mechanics.
In this follow-up to the New York Times best-selling The Theoretical Minimum, Susskind and Friedman provide a lively introduction to this famously difficult field, which attempts to understand the behavior of sub-atomic objects through mathematical abstractions. Unlike other popularizations that shy away from quantum mechanics' weirdness, Quantum Mechanics embraces the utter strangeness of quantum logic. The authors offer crystal-clear explanations of the principles of quantum states, uncertainty and time dependence, entanglement, and particle and wave states, among other topics, and each chapter includes exercises to ensure mastery of each area. Like The Theoretical Minimum, this volume runs parallel to Susskind's eponymous Stanford University-hosted continuing education course.
An approachable yet rigorous introduction to a famously difficult topic, Quantum Mechanics provides a tool kit for amateur scientists to learn physics at their own pace. -
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004 - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockSince its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, a series editor reads pieces from hundreds of periodicals, then selects between fifty and a hundred outstanding works. That selection is pared down to the twenty or so very best pieces by a guest editor who is widely recognized as a leading writer in his or her field. This unique system has helped make the Best American series the most respected -- and most popular -- of its kind.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004, edited by Steven Pinker, is another "provocative and thoroughly enjoyable [collection] from start to finish" (Publishers Weekly). Here is the best and newest on science and nature: the psychology of suicide terrorism, desperate measures in surgery, the weird world of octopuses, Sex Week at Yale, the linguistics of click languages, the worst news about cloning, and much more.
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Wholeness and the Implicate Order by David Bohn - Paperback Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stock"Bohm is a tremendously exciting thinker, and this is undoubtedly a book of the first importance." - Colin Wilson
David Bohm was one of the foremost scientific thinkers and philosophers of our time. Although deeply influenced by Einstein, he was also, more unusually for a scientist, inspired by mysticism. Indeed, in the 1970s and 1980s he made contact with both J. Krishnamurti and the Dalai Lama whose teachings helped shape his work. In both science and philosophy, Bohm's main concern was with understanding the nature of reality in general and of consciousness in particular. In this classic work he develops a theory of quantum physics which treats the totality of existence as an unbroken whole. Writing clearly and without technical jargon, he makes complex ideas accessible to anyone interested in the nature of reality.
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W1FB's Help for New Hams (ARRL) - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockAdvice on getting started in Amateur Radio after you get your license.
By Doug DeMaw, W1FB
Published by The American Radio Relay League
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Eric Sloane's Book of Storms - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockWhat triggers a tornado? What can you see in the eye of a hurricane? What's the difference between a thunderbolt and a thunderclap? Popular author and artist Eric Sloane proves why weather is something best understood by seeing it. His illustrated book shows weather "happening." In fact, there's not a sunny page in it—nothing but cyclonic storms, whirlwinds, waterspouts, lightning bolts, and other fascinating, weather-related topics. More than seventy pages of drawings and diagrams make the weather come alive in a book that examines everything from storm mechanisms and cold fronts to the birth of a thunderhead.
A valuable resource for learning more about everyone's favorite topic for conversation and speculation, Eric Sloane—the "Weather Wizard"—has the countryman's simple and natural comprehension to give substance to his scientific and artistic insights. What especially distinguishes this volume from his other books on the subject is the focus on a detailed treatment of the more spectacular and destructive elements of weather phenomena. His belief is that if this book "gets one to look upward more often, it will have accomplished a purpose."
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The Best American Science Writing 2005 - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockTogether these twenty-seven articles on a wide range of today's most current topics in science, from Oliver Sacks, James Gleick, Atul Gawande, and Natalie Angier, among others, represent the full spectrum of scientific writing, proving once again that "good science writing is evidently plentiful" (Scientific American).
From Publishers Weekly
The editor's claim that we are now living in the "golden age" of science writing is borne out in this superb anthology of pop-science essays and news reports. Progressing from the hardest to the softest fields, the eclectic selections include think pieces on the conceptual foundations of physics, updates on cutting-edge controversies in genetic engineering and stem-cell research, profiles of leading researchers, ecological meditations and debunkings of the latest scientific fads and frauds. Among the brightest in a stellar lineup are Frank Wilczek's exploration of the worldview embodied in Newtonian mechanics; Jim Holt's humorous look at cosmologists' varying scenarios for the end of the world; Philip Alcabes's critique of the current panic over bio-terrorism; and Mark Solms's account of the return of repressed Freudian theories of the mind in contemporary neuropsychology. The essays are well attuned to a general audience, but scientists will also find them full of intriguing information and interpretations. The result is a wonderful collection that expands the mind without overwhelming it.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. -
Dawkins and the Selfish Gene by Ed Sexton - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockRichard Dawkins made famous the theory of the 'selfish gene' - inciting one of the most controversial debates in science today. His views on evolution and genetics widely misunderstood, Dawkins has been the target for a barrage of spurious accusations. Yet he has held steadfastly to the belief in the universal objectivity of science, an unfashionable contemporary heir to the Enlightenment ideal.
About the Author
Ed Sexton holds degrees in Biology and Philosophy of Science, and specialized in the philosophy of biological sciences. He is currently a freelance writer and journalist.
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The Structure of Scientific Revolutions : 50th Anniversary Edition by Thomas S. Kuhn - Paperback
A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, and we forget how provocative and challenging its ideas once were—and still are. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is that kind of book. When it was first published in 1962, it was a landmark event in the history and philosophy of science. Fifty years later, it still has many lessons to teach.
“Like Thomas Kuhn, Ian Hacking has a gift for clear exposition. His introduction provides a helpful guide to some of the thornier philosophical issues. . . . We may still admire Kuhn’s dexterity in broaching challenging ideas with a fascinating mix of examples from psychology, history, philosophy, and beyond. We need hardly agree with each of Kuhn’s propositions to enjoy—and benefit from—this classic book.”--David Kaiser, Nature
With The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don’t arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science, those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of “normal science,” as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age.
This new edition of Kuhn’s essential work in the history of science includes an insightful introduction by Ian Hacking, which clarifies terms popularized by Kuhn, including paradigm and incommensurability, and applies Kuhn’s ideas to the science of today. Usefully keyed to the separate sections of the book, Hacking’s introduction provides important background information as well as a contemporary context. Newly designed, with an expanded index, this edition will be eagerly welcomed by the next generation of readers seeking to understand the history of our perspectives on science.
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Our Mathematical Universe : My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark - Paperback
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist. Fascinating from first to last—this is a book that has already prompted the attention and admiration of some of the most prominent scientists and mathematicians.
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How to Create a Mind by Ray Kurzweil - Paperback
The bold futurist and bestselling author explores the limitless potential of reverse-engineering the human brain
Ray Kurzweil is arguably today’s most influential—and often controversial—futurist. In How to Create a Mind, Kurzweil presents a provocative exploration of the most important project in human-machine civilization—reverse engineering the brain to understand precisely how it works and using that knowledge to create even more intelligent machines.
Kurzweil discusses how the brain functions, how the mind emerges from the brain, and the implications of vastly increasing the powers of our intelligence in addressing the world’s problems. He thoughtfully examines emotional and moral intelligence and the origins of consciousness and envisions the radical possibilities of our merging with the intelligent technology we are creating.
Certain to be one of the most widely discussed and debated science books of the year, How to Create a Mind is sure to take its place alongside Kurzweil’s previous classics which include Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever and The Age of Spiritual Machines.
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The Best American Science Writing 2007 by Gina Kolata and Jesse Cohen, editors - Paperback
Only 1 left in stockProvocative and engaging, this collection brings together the premiere science writing of the year. Featuring the imprimatur of bestselling author and New York Times reporter Gina Kolata, one of the nation's foremost voices in science and medicine, and with contributions from Atul Gawande, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Oliver Sacks, among others, The Best American Science Writing 2007 is a compelling anthology of our most advanced, and most relevant, scientific inquiries.
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Deep Down Things : The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics by Bruce A. Schumm - Hardcover Nonfiction
Only 1 left in stockA useful scientific theory, claimed Einstein, must be explicable to any intelligent person. In Deep Down Things, experimental particle physicist Bruce Schumm has taken this dictum to heart, providing in clear, straightforward prose an elucidation of the Standard Model of particle physics―a theory that stands as one of the crowning achievements of twentieth-century science. In this one-of-a-kind book, the work of many of the past century's most notable physicists, including Einstein, Schrodinger, Heisenberg, Dirac, Feynman, Gell-Mann, and Weinberg, is knit together in a thorough and accessible exposition of the revolutionary notions that underlie our current view of the fundamental nature of the physical world. Schumm, who has spent much of his life immersed in the subatomic world, goes far beyond a mere presentation of the "building blocks" of matter, bringing to life the remarkable connection between the ivory tower world of the abstract mathematician and the day-to-day, life-enabling properties of the natural world. Schumm leaves us with an insight into the profound open questions of particle physics, setting the stage for understanding the progress the field is poised to make over the next decade or two.
Introducing readers to the world of particle physics, Deep Down Things opens new realms within which are many clues to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
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War of the Worldviews: Science Vs. Spirituality by Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow - Hardcover First Edition
Only 1 left in stockTwo bestselling authors first met in a televised Caltech debate on “the future of God,” one an articulate advocate for spirituality, the other a prominent physicist. This remarkable book is the product of that serendipitous encounter and the contentious—but respectful—clash of worldviews that grew along with their friendship.
In War of the Worldviews these two great thinkers battle over the cosmos, evolution and life, the human brain, and God, probing the fundamental questions that define the human experience.
- How did the universe emerge?
- What is the nature of time?
- What is life?
- Did Darwin go wrong?
- What makes us human?
- What is the connection between mind and brain?
- Is God an illusion?
This extraordinary book will fascinate millions of readers of science and spirituality alike, as well as anyone who has ever asked themselves, What does it mean that I am alive?
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Heat : Adventures in the World's Fiery Places by Bill Streever HC
Only 1 left in stockAn adventurous ride through the most blisteringly hot regions of science, history, and culture.
Melting glaciers, warming oceans, droughts-it's clear that today's world is getting hotter. But while we know the agony of a sunburn or the comfort of our winter heaters, do we really understand heat?
A bestselling scientist and nature writer who goes to any extreme to uncover the answers, Bill Streever sets off to find out what heat really means. Let him be your guide and you'll firewalk across hot coals and sweat it out in Death Valley, experience intense fever and fire, learn about the invention of matches and the chemistry of cooking, drink crude oil, and explore thermonuclear weapons and the hottest moment of all time-the big bang.
Written in Streever's signature spare and refreshing prose, HEAT is an adventurous personal narrative that leaves readers with a new vision of an everyday experience-how heat works, its history, and its relationship to daily life.
Bill Streever, a biologist and affiliate faculty member with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, likes to say that he sees the world through the twin lenses of science and history. He is the bestselling nature writer behind Cold, Heat, and And Soon I Heard a Roaring Wind. As a scientist, he has worked on issues ranging from the environmental effects of underwater sound to the evolution of cave crayfish to the restoration of tundra wetlands to climate change. With his wife, marine biologist Lisanne Aerts, he lives aboard the 51-year-old cruising sailboat Rocinante, currently in Central America. When he is not busy fixing the boat, he spends his time sailing, reading, diving, hiking, rowing his dinghy, paddling his kayak, and, of course, writing.