The surprising, behind-the-scenes story of how our medicines are discovered, told by a veteran drug hunter.The search to find medicines is as old as disease, which is to say as old as the human race. Through serendipity - by chewing, brewing, and snorting - some Neolithic souls discovered opium, alcohol, snakeroot, juniper, frankincense, and other helpful substances. tzi the Iceman, the five-thousand-year-old hunter frozen in the Italian Alps, was found to have whipworms in his intestines and Bronze-age medicine, a worm-killing birch fungus, knotted to his leggings. Nowadays, Big Pharma conglomerates spend billions of dollars on state-of the art laboratories staffed by PhDs to discover blockbuster drugs. Yet, despite our best efforts to engineer cures, luck, trial-and-error, risk, and ingenuity are still fundamental to medical discovery.
W W Norton
|
9781628727180
|
Print book
Einstein's Monsters
By Impey, Chris
The astonishing science of black holes, and their role in understanding the history and future of our universe.Black holes are the most extreme objects in the universe, yet every galaxy harbors a black hole at its center. In Einstein's Monsters, distinguished astronomer Chris Impey builds on this profound discovery to explore questions at the cutting edge of cosmology: Which came first, the galaxy or its central black hole? What happens if you travel into a black hole?Impey chronicles the role black holes have played in theoretical physics -- from confirming Einstein's equations for general relativity to testing string theory. He then describes the phenomena that scientists have witnessed while observing black holes: dozens of stars swarming like bees around the dark object at the center of our galaxy; black holes performing gravitational waltzes with normal stars; the cymbal clash of two black holes colliding, releasing ripples in spacetime. Einstein's Monsters is the incredible story of one of the most enigmatic entities in nature. 68 illustrations
W. W. Norton & Company
|
9781324000938
|
Hardcover
Elastic
By Mlodinow, Leonard
From the best-selling author of Subliminal and The Drunkard's Walk, a groundbreaking new look at the neuroscience of change--and how elastic thinking can help us thrive in a world changing faster than ever before. With rapid technological innovation leading the charge, today's world is transforming itself at an extraordinary and unprecedented pace. As jobs become more multifaceted, as information streams multiply, and as myriad devices place increasing demands on our attention, we are confronted every day with a plethora of new challenges. Fortunately, as Leonard Mlodinow shows, the human brain is uniquely engineered to adapt. Drawing from cutting-edge research in neuroscience and psychology, Mlodinow takes us on a fascinating and illuminating journey through the mechanics of our own minds as we navigate the rapidly shifting landscapes around us. Out of the exploratory instincts that allowed our ancestors to prosper hundreds of thousands of years ago, humans developed a cognitive style that Mlodinow terms elastic thinking, a collection of traits and abilities that include neophilia (an affinity for novelty) , schizotypy (a tendency toward unusual perception) , imagination and idea generation, pattern recognition, mental fluency, divergent thinking, and integrative thinking. These are the qualities that enabled innovators from Mary Shelley to Miles Davis, from the inventor of jumbo-sized popcorn to the creator of the modern grocery store, and from Nike to Pokemon Go to effect paradigm shifts in our culture and society. And they're the qualities that will enable each of us to succeed, personally and professionally, in the radically changing environments of today. With his keen acumen and rapid-fire wit, Mlodinow gives us the essential tools to harness the power of elastic thinking in an endlessly dynamic world.
Pantheon Books
|
9781101870921
|
Hardcover
How to Prepare for Climate Change
By Pogue, David
A practical and comprehensive guide to surviving the greatest disaster of our time, from New York Times bestselling self-help author and beloved CBS Sunday Morning science and technology correspondent David Pogue. You might not realize it, but we're already living through the beginnings of climate chaos. In Arizona, laborers now start their day at 3 a.m. because it's too hot to work past noon. Chinese investors are snapping up real estate in Canada. Millennials have evacuation plans. Moguls are building bunkers. Retirees in Miami are moving inland. In How to Prepare for Climate Change, bestselling self-help author David Pogue offers sensible, deeply researched advice for how the rest of us should start to ready ourselves for the years ahead. Pogue walks readers through what to grow, what to eat, how to build, how to insure, where to invest, how to prepare your children and pets, and even where to consider relocating when the time comes.
Simon & Schuster
|
9781982134518
|
Paperback
The Healing Self
By Chopra, Deepak
After collaborating on two major books featured as PBS specials, Super Brain and Super Genes, Chopra and Tanzi now tackle the issue of lifelong health and heightened immunity.In the face of environmental toxins, potential epidemics, super bugs, and the aging process The Healing Self offers a unique "whole system" approach that integrates mind and body into one entity. Only by getting past the artificial division between mind and body can personal, holistic healing become real. In our fast-paced and ever-changing world, the burden of healing rests on the individual making the right lifestyle choices every day. Chopra and Tanzi want to guide us to make the best decisions possible and they offer a cutting-edge, Seven-Day Action Plan which allows the reader free choice to develop a personalized path to self-healing.Besides this unique feature, The Healing Self prioritizes two factors--stress and inflammation--that are emerging as crucial to lifelong health and well-being. A host of chronic disorders like hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and much more, are known to takes years and sometimes decades to develop before the first symptoms appear. The medical system isn't set up to attend to chronic low-grade inflammation or the everyday stresses that take their toll over a lifetime. Therefore, learning the secrets of self-healing is mandatory; otherwise, each of us is gambling with our very future.Chopra's inspiring prose and Tanzi's experience as the world's leading researcher in brain health and Alzheimer's disease make for a unique combination of knowledge and wisdom. The Healing Self is a high point in a partnership that has benefitted millions of people to date. It is destined to be a landmark book in the growing movement of self-care and lifelong wellness.
Harmony
|
9780451495525
|
Hardcover
Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation
By Musser, George
"This is a delightful account of one of the deepest and most fascinating explorations going on today at the frontier of our knowledge." -- Carlo Rovelli, bestselling author of The Order of Time and Seven Brief Lessons on PhysicsA revelatory exploration of how a "theory of everything" depends upon our understanding of the human mind. The whole goal of physics is to explain what we observe. For centuries, physicists believed that observations yielded faithful representations of what is out there. But when they began to study the subatomic realm, they found that observation often interferes with what is being observed -- that the act of seeing changes what we see. The same is true of cosmology: our view of the universe is inevitably distorted by observation bias.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
|
9780374238766
|
Hardcover
The Next Great Migration
By Sonia, Shah,
The news today is full of stories of dislocated people on the move. Wild species, too, are escaping warming seas and desiccated lands, creeping, swimming, and flying in a mass exodus from their past habitats. News media presents this scrambling of the planet's migration patterns as unprecedented, provoking fears of the spread of disease and conflict and waves of anxiety across the Western world. On both sides of the Atlantic, experts issue alarmed predictions of millions of invading aliens, unstoppable as an advancing tsunami, and countries respond by electing anti-immigration leaders who slam closed borders that were historically porous.
But the science and history of migration in animals, plants, and humans tell a different story. Far from being a disruptive behavior to be quelled at any cost, migration is an ancient and lifesaving response to environmental change, a biological imperative as necessary as breathing. Climate changes triggered the first human migrations out of Africa. Falling sea levels allowed our passage across the Bering Sea. Unhampered by barbed wire, migration allowed our ancestors to people the planet, catapulting us into the highest reaches of the Himalayan mountains and the most remote islands of the Pacific, creating and disseminating the biological, cultural, and social diversity that ecosystems and societies depend upon. In other words, migration is not the crisis--it is the solution.
Conclusively tracking the history of misinformation from the 18th century through today's anti-immigration policies, The Next Great Migration makes the case for a future in which migration is not a source of fear, but of hope.
BLOOMSBURY
|
9781635571974
|
52 Ready-to-Use Gaming Programs for Libraries
By Kroski, Ellyssa
Gaming programs offer many benefits: they encourage interaction among patrons, strengthen community bonds with the library, and when done right they can be incredibly popular. Kroski, a bestselling author as well as an avid gamer herself, has gathered more than 50 creative programming ideas from public, school, and academic libraries nationwide. Most will hit your core gaming audience of teens, but you'll also find plenty of options for adults, tweens, and younger children -- the mix of tabletop, video, and live-action gaming programs includes something for everyone. Complete with step-by-step instructions for how to prepare and host programs, a materials and equipment list, estimated budget, and recommendations for age ranges, inside this book you'll find fun ideas such asInstagram or zombie-tag scavenger games;a video game rec league;teaching cybersecurity with Minecraft;STEM with virtual reality and other programs for VR equipment;fostering science literacy with themed board games;a life-sized Game of Life;STEAM with an amazing race;hosting a Gaming Con at your library;video game study breaks for calming students' nerves during Finals Week;leading enthusiasts in writing an original roleplay or designing a board game; andbuilding your collection of games through donations and grants.
ALA Editions
|
9780838947340
|
Paperback
Climate Uncertainty and Risk
By Curry, Judith
World leaders have made a forceful statement that climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity in the 21st century. However, little progress has been made in implementing policies to address climate change. In Climate Uncertainty and Risk, eminent climate scientist Judith Curry shows how we can break this gridlock. This book helps us rethink the climate change problem, the risks we are facing and how we can respond to these challenges. Understanding the deep uncertainty surrounding the climate change problem helps us to better assess the risks. This book shows how uncertainty and disagreement can be part of the decision-making process. It provides a road map for formulating pragmatic solutions. Climate Uncertainty and Risk is essential reading for those concerned about the environment, professionals dealing with climate change and our national leaders.
Anthem Press
|
9781839989254
|
Paperback
How to Win The Bachelor
By Kultgen, Chad
Since its premiere in 2002, ABC's The Bachelor has become a staple of American television. Now, discover the fascinating history of the show, uncover the ins and outs of the phenomenon that has become Bachelor Nation, and take a deeper look at what separates the winners from the losers. From how best to exit the limo on Night One, to strategies for making a run for the all-important First Impression Rose, to how to avoid being labeled a villain, this clear-eyed guide illustrates the rules and strategies any would-be contestant should know. The ultimate must-read for every fan, How to Win the Bachelor gives you an inside look at the franchise where The Rose holds all the power.
The Drug Hunters
By Kirsch, Donald R
The surprising, behind-the-scenes story of how our medicines are discovered, told by a veteran drug hunter.The search to find medicines is as old as disease, which is to say as old as the human race. Through serendipity - by chewing, brewing, and snorting - some Neolithic souls discovered opium, alcohol, snakeroot, juniper, frankincense, and other helpful substances. tzi the Iceman, the five-thousand-year-old hunter frozen in the Italian Alps, was found to have whipworms in his intestines and Bronze-age medicine, a worm-killing birch fungus, knotted to his leggings. Nowadays, Big Pharma conglomerates spend billions of dollars on state-of the art laboratories staffed by PhDs to discover blockbuster drugs. Yet, despite our best efforts to engineer cures, luck, trial-and-error, risk, and ingenuity are still fundamental to medical discovery.
Einstein's Monsters
By Impey, Chris
The astonishing science of black holes, and their role in understanding the history and future of our universe.Black holes are the most extreme objects in the universe, yet every galaxy harbors a black hole at its center. In Einstein's Monsters, distinguished astronomer Chris Impey builds on this profound discovery to explore questions at the cutting edge of cosmology: Which came first, the galaxy or its central black hole? What happens if you travel into a black hole?Impey chronicles the role black holes have played in theoretical physics -- from confirming Einstein's equations for general relativity to testing string theory. He then describes the phenomena that scientists have witnessed while observing black holes: dozens of stars swarming like bees around the dark object at the center of our galaxy; black holes performing gravitational waltzes with normal stars; the cymbal clash of two black holes colliding, releasing ripples in spacetime. Einstein's Monsters is the incredible story of one of the most enigmatic entities in nature. 68 illustrations
Elastic
By Mlodinow, Leonard
From the best-selling author of Subliminal and The Drunkard's Walk, a groundbreaking new look at the neuroscience of change--and how elastic thinking can help us thrive in a world changing faster than ever before. With rapid technological innovation leading the charge, today's world is transforming itself at an extraordinary and unprecedented pace. As jobs become more multifaceted, as information streams multiply, and as myriad devices place increasing demands on our attention, we are confronted every day with a plethora of new challenges. Fortunately, as Leonard Mlodinow shows, the human brain is uniquely engineered to adapt. Drawing from cutting-edge research in neuroscience and psychology, Mlodinow takes us on a fascinating and illuminating journey through the mechanics of our own minds as we navigate the rapidly shifting landscapes around us. Out of the exploratory instincts that allowed our ancestors to prosper hundreds of thousands of years ago, humans developed a cognitive style that Mlodinow terms elastic thinking, a collection of traits and abilities that include neophilia (an affinity for novelty) , schizotypy (a tendency toward unusual perception) , imagination and idea generation, pattern recognition, mental fluency, divergent thinking, and integrative thinking. These are the qualities that enabled innovators from Mary Shelley to Miles Davis, from the inventor of jumbo-sized popcorn to the creator of the modern grocery store, and from Nike to Pokemon Go to effect paradigm shifts in our culture and society. And they're the qualities that will enable each of us to succeed, personally and professionally, in the radically changing environments of today. With his keen acumen and rapid-fire wit, Mlodinow gives us the essential tools to harness the power of elastic thinking in an endlessly dynamic world.
How to Prepare for Climate Change
By Pogue, David
A practical and comprehensive guide to surviving the greatest disaster of our time, from New York Times bestselling self-help author and beloved CBS Sunday Morning science and technology correspondent David Pogue. You might not realize it, but we're already living through the beginnings of climate chaos. In Arizona, laborers now start their day at 3 a.m. because it's too hot to work past noon. Chinese investors are snapping up real estate in Canada. Millennials have evacuation plans. Moguls are building bunkers. Retirees in Miami are moving inland. In How to Prepare for Climate Change, bestselling self-help author David Pogue offers sensible, deeply researched advice for how the rest of us should start to ready ourselves for the years ahead. Pogue walks readers through what to grow, what to eat, how to build, how to insure, where to invest, how to prepare your children and pets, and even where to consider relocating when the time comes.
The Healing Self
By Chopra, Deepak
After collaborating on two major books featured as PBS specials, Super Brain and Super Genes, Chopra and Tanzi now tackle the issue of lifelong health and heightened immunity.In the face of environmental toxins, potential epidemics, super bugs, and the aging process The Healing Self offers a unique "whole system" approach that integrates mind and body into one entity. Only by getting past the artificial division between mind and body can personal, holistic healing become real. In our fast-paced and ever-changing world, the burden of healing rests on the individual making the right lifestyle choices every day. Chopra and Tanzi want to guide us to make the best decisions possible and they offer a cutting-edge, Seven-Day Action Plan which allows the reader free choice to develop a personalized path to self-healing.Besides this unique feature, The Healing Self prioritizes two factors--stress and inflammation--that are emerging as crucial to lifelong health and well-being. A host of chronic disorders like hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and much more, are known to takes years and sometimes decades to develop before the first symptoms appear. The medical system isn't set up to attend to chronic low-grade inflammation or the everyday stresses that take their toll over a lifetime. Therefore, learning the secrets of self-healing is mandatory; otherwise, each of us is gambling with our very future.Chopra's inspiring prose and Tanzi's experience as the world's leading researcher in brain health and Alzheimer's disease make for a unique combination of knowledge and wisdom. The Healing Self is a high point in a partnership that has benefitted millions of people to date. It is destined to be a landmark book in the growing movement of self-care and lifelong wellness.
Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation
By Musser, George
"This is a delightful account of one of the deepest and most fascinating explorations going on today at the frontier of our knowledge." -- Carlo Rovelli, bestselling author of The Order of Time and Seven Brief Lessons on PhysicsA revelatory exploration of how a "theory of everything" depends upon our understanding of the human mind. The whole goal of physics is to explain what we observe. For centuries, physicists believed that observations yielded faithful representations of what is out there. But when they began to study the subatomic realm, they found that observation often interferes with what is being observed -- that the act of seeing changes what we see. The same is true of cosmology: our view of the universe is inevitably distorted by observation bias.
The Next Great Migration
By Sonia, Shah,
The news today is full of stories of dislocated people on the move. Wild species, too, are escaping warming seas and desiccated lands, creeping, swimming, and flying in a mass exodus from their past habitats. News media presents this scrambling of the planet's migration patterns as unprecedented, provoking fears of the spread of disease and conflict and waves of anxiety across the Western world. On both sides of the Atlantic, experts issue alarmed predictions of millions of invading aliens, unstoppable as an advancing tsunami, and countries respond by electing anti-immigration leaders who slam closed borders that were historically porous.
But the science and history of migration in animals, plants, and humans tell a different story. Far from being a disruptive behavior to be quelled at any cost, migration is an ancient and lifesaving response to environmental change, a biological imperative as necessary as breathing. Climate changes triggered the first human migrations out of Africa. Falling sea levels allowed our passage across the Bering Sea. Unhampered by barbed wire, migration allowed our ancestors to people the planet, catapulting us into the highest reaches of the Himalayan mountains and the most remote islands of the Pacific, creating and disseminating the biological, cultural, and social diversity that ecosystems and societies depend upon. In other words, migration is not the crisis--it is the solution.
Conclusively tracking the history of misinformation from the 18th century through today's anti-immigration policies, The Next Great Migration makes the case for a future in which migration is not a source of fear, but of hope.
52 Ready-to-Use Gaming Programs for Libraries
By Kroski, Ellyssa
Gaming programs offer many benefits: they encourage interaction among patrons, strengthen community bonds with the library, and when done right they can be incredibly popular. Kroski, a bestselling author as well as an avid gamer herself, has gathered more than 50 creative programming ideas from public, school, and academic libraries nationwide. Most will hit your core gaming audience of teens, but you'll also find plenty of options for adults, tweens, and younger children -- the mix of tabletop, video, and live-action gaming programs includes something for everyone. Complete with step-by-step instructions for how to prepare and host programs, a materials and equipment list, estimated budget, and recommendations for age ranges, inside this book you'll find fun ideas such asInstagram or zombie-tag scavenger games;a video game rec league;teaching cybersecurity with Minecraft;STEM with virtual reality and other programs for VR equipment;fostering science literacy with themed board games;a life-sized Game of Life;STEAM with an amazing race;hosting a Gaming Con at your library;video game study breaks for calming students' nerves during Finals Week;leading enthusiasts in writing an original roleplay or designing a board game; andbuilding your collection of games through donations and grants.
Climate Uncertainty and Risk
By Curry, Judith
World leaders have made a forceful statement that climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity in the 21st century. However, little progress has been made in implementing policies to address climate change. In Climate Uncertainty and Risk, eminent climate scientist Judith Curry shows how we can break this gridlock. This book helps us rethink the climate change problem, the risks we are facing and how we can respond to these challenges. Understanding the deep uncertainty surrounding the climate change problem helps us to better assess the risks. This book shows how uncertainty and disagreement can be part of the decision-making process. It provides a road map for formulating pragmatic solutions. Climate Uncertainty and Risk is essential reading for those concerned about the environment, professionals dealing with climate change and our national leaders.
How to Win The Bachelor
By Kultgen, Chad
Since its premiere in 2002, ABC's The Bachelor has become a staple of American television. Now, discover the fascinating history of the show, uncover the ins and outs of the phenomenon that has become Bachelor Nation, and take a deeper look at what separates the winners from the losers. From how best to exit the limo on Night One, to strategies for making a run for the all-important First Impression Rose, to how to avoid being labeled a villain, this clear-eyed guide illustrates the rules and strategies any would-be contestant should know. The ultimate must-read for every fan, How to Win the Bachelor gives you an inside look at the franchise where The Rose holds all the power.