Títulos em Ciências

Rivers, on a long view, are alive. They are born; they change; they shift their channels; they forge new routes to the sea; they move both gradually and violently; they can teem (usually) with life; they may die a quasi-natural death; they are frequently maimed and even murdered. It is the annual flood pulse—the brief time when the river occupies the floodplain—that gives a river its vitality, but it is human engineering that kills it, suppressing the flood pulse with dams, irrigation, siltation, dikes, and levees.

The spinosaurs – the controversial group that includes the largest land predator of all time, the awe-inspiring Spinosaurus – are brought to life in this cutting-edge review. The giant sail-backed carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus is one of the most famous of all dinosaurs; a staple of documentaries, books and video games, and the species that bested the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex in Jurassic Park III. The spinosaurs were some of the strangest predatory dinosaurs, combining a long low skull with powerfully clawed hands. Some species had huge sails over their backs, as well as fin-like tails.

Lorsqu'il publie De l'origine des espèces en 1859, Charles Darwin bouscule les croyances et provoque des débats passionnés dans la société toute entière. Aujourd'hui, tout en faisant partie des piliers de la connaissance, la théorie de l'évolution continue de déranger car elle brise l'idée d'une Nature généreuse et prévoyante et remet en cause la place de l'homme. Installez-vous confortablement dans un transat, et laissez-vous conter par Jean-Baptiste de Panafieu comment Charles Darwin, jeune naturaliste curieux embarquant pour un périple autour du monde, a révolutionné notre façon de penser.

Before the Pilgrims landed at Cape Cod, what was happening in North America? Who was there? What civilizations rose and fell? For years, the answers to these questions have been shrouded in mystery. At the time of European contact, a diverse world of Native peoples thrived across the continent. What was their backstory? Who were the ancestors of the Sioux? Where did the Navajo come from? What about the Apache, the Comanche, the Cherokee?

For the many admirers of Mary Oliver's breathtaking poetry of touch and transcendence, as well as for those coming to her words for the first time, Little Alleluias is a revelation. These works observe, search, pause, astonish, and give thanks to both love and the natural world. In constant conversation with the sublime, (i.e. "Are you afraid? / Somewhere a thousand swans are flying / through winter's worst storm."), Oliver has the rare skill of rendering life: her poems bring movement to stillness, and people to the Earth, themselves, and each other.

Heatwaves, wildfires, hurricanes and flooding caused by climate change are already impacting people and nature. Adaptation until now has been incremental with governments and institutions tinkering around the edges of current systems. This will not be enough. Sink or Swim explores the hard choices that lie ahead concerning how people earn a living, the way governments manage relationships between countries, and how communities accommodate the movement of people. Should people be encouraged to move away from the coast?

In dit hoorcollege bespreken Jan Willem Erisman en Wim de Vries de historie en de oorsprong van de stikstofproblematiek, met daarbij aandacht voor de modellen en metingen die ons in staat stellen de uitstoot en depositie van stikstofverbindingen in te schatten. Ze gaan in op de stikstofcyclus en de gevolgen van de stikstofovermaat voor lucht-, bodem- en waterkwaliteit, en daarmee voor natuur, gezondheid en klimaat. Daarnaast staan ze stil bij de mogelijke oplossingen van het probleem. Waar en hoe kunnen we de stikstofuitstoot verminderen? Met hoeveel?

Albert Einstein remains renowned around the world for revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos, but very few realize that the celebrated scientist had a deep spiritual side. Einstein believed that one wondrous force was woven through all things everywhere—and this sense of the pervasive sacred influenced every aspect of his existence, from his marvelous science to his passionate pacifism.

Every physicist agrees quantum mechanics is among humanity's finest scientific achievements. But ask what it means, and the result will be a brawl. For a century, most physicists have followed Niels Bohr's solipsistic and poorly reasoned Copenhagen interpretation. Indeed, questioning it has long meant professional ruin, yet some daring physicists, such as John Bell, David Bohm, and Hugh Everett, persisted in seeking the true meaning of quantum mechanics. What Is Real? is the gripping story of this battle of ideas and the courageous scientists who dared to stand up for truth.

First there was the genetic revolution—the discovery that physical structures in the cell, including DNA and RNA, shape every organism. Now, says evolutionary biologist Richard Sternberg, we are overdue for another and more profound revolution. Recent findings reveal that genetic and even epigenetic sources alone cannot account for the rich dynamism of life—not even close. Some other informational source is required.

In this important and timely audiobook, scientists from a broad range of disciplines detail their personal responses to climate change and the ecological crises that led them to form Scientists for XR and work tirelessly within it. Whether their inspiration comes from education or activism, family ties or the work environment, the scientists writing here record what drives them, what non-violent direct action looks like to them, what led them to become interested in the environmental crisis that threatens us all and what they see as the future of life on Earth.

While an illness keeps her bedridden, Elisabeth Tova Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence in a flowerpot alongside her bed. She enters the rhythm of life of this mysterious creature, and comes to a greater understanding of her own confined place in the world. In a work that beautifully demonstrates the rewards of closely observing nature, she shares the inspiring and intimate story of her connection with Neohelix albolabris – a common woodland snail.

In "Icarus; or, The Future of Science," Bertrand Russell explores the potential consequences of scientific advancement, drawing parallels between the myth of Icarus and the development of technology. He argues that while science can lead to progress, it also poses risks, particularly regarding power and societal structures. Russell suggests that scientific advancements, especially in the physical sciences, can increase power, lead to industrialism and war, and necessitate large-scale organization, which could potentially be used for oppressive purposes.

Fun, funny, blasphemous, easy to understand but hard to refute: GOD DOES NOT EXIST BUT, IF HE DOES, HE’S NOT GOOD, AND ANYWAY, A GOOD GOD WOULD NOT WRITE YOUR BIBLE OR ENDORSE YOUR RELIGION is a comprehensive look at all the ways in which it is possible to deny the existence of God, and what it means for someone to say that they're an atheist.

Is the world around us real—or is it a construct, a mirage generated by a powerful and incomprehensibly advanced intelligence? This question, once confined to the pages of science fiction novels and speculative late-night discussions, has in recent years migrated into the heart of contemporary philosophical and scientific inquiry. The idea that our universe might be an elaborate simulation, running on an immense computational substrate, is no longer dismissed as a fringe hypothesis. Instead, it is now taken seriously by physicists, cosmologists, computer scientists, and philosophers alike.

For the adventurers, campers, explorers, map readers, road trippers, nature enthusiasts, and public lands lovers out there, The Enduring Wild is an indispensable invitation to know these places more deeply and to embrace our common inheritance.

In the tradition of William Warner's Beautiful Swimmers, veteran journalist Colin Woodard (author of American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good) traces the history of the rugged fishing communities that dot the coast of Maine and the prized crustacean that has long provided their livelihood.

An eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, The Humane Gardener "does the important work of speaking for the trees—and the bees, butterflies, and other living creatures that need healthy ecosystems" (BookPage). Master naturalist Nancy Lawson uses engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the United States, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists to demonstrate how and why to welcome wildlife to our backyards and how we can apply the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces.

Thermodynamics For Dummies, 2nd Edition covers the topics found in a typical undergraduate introductory thermodynamic course (which is an essential course to nearly all engineering degree programs). It also brings the subject to life with exciting content on where (and how!) thermodynamics is being used today (spoiler alert: everywhere!). You'll grasp the basics of how heat and energy interact, thermodynamic properties of reactions and mixtures, and how thermodynamic cycles are used to make things go.

Discover the essential wisdom of ancient and modern regenerative practices to build long-lasting soil fertility, healthy ecosystems, and nutrient-dense food—year after year.