In 2020, the invisible realm of micro-matter came to shape our lives in unprecedented ways. A virus so small that it is only visible through advanced electron microscopes suddenly threatened global economies, brought healthcare systems to the brink of collapse, pushed countless people into extreme poverty, amplified fierce political and social …
This text advances from the basic laws of electricity and magnetism to classical electromagnetism in a quantum world. Suitable for first-year graduate students in physics who have taken an undergraduate course in electromagnetism, it focuses on core concepts and related aspects of math and physics. Progressing from the basic laws of electricity and magnetism and their unification by Maxwell an…
Classical electromagnetism - one of the fundamental pillars of physics - is an important topic for all types of physicists from the theoretical to the applied. The subject is widely recognized to be one of the most challenging areas of the physics curriculum, both for students to learn and for lecturers to teach. Although textbooks on electromagnetism are plentiful, hardly any are written in th…
Trawling has been recognised as a profoundly damaging practice with lasting nega-tive consequences on seabed ecology and marine life since its first mention in a 1376 parliamentary petition. Mobile fishing gear (including any dredge, trawl, or similar device) is used to tow or push a net with a boat to catch fish. Bottom trawl-ing, in particular, grew from a need to kee…
The global production of plastics continues to increase year on year, with 460 million tonnes produced in 2019 (OECD 2022). This is likely to increase, with projections from a business-as-usual scenario predicting a threefold increase in the amount of plastics use, waste, and cumulative presence in aquatic environments (OECD 2022). The most recent …
In many countries, policies regarding reduction of unwanted catch anddiscards are crafted in response to concerns regarding accountability, conservation,and waste as well as scientific needs to fully account for all sources offishingmortality. It is important to note, however, that unwanted catch is minimal andmost, or all, of the catch has value in somefisheries. Utilisation rates are very hig…
After 30 years of research, the author of The History of Correlation organized his notes into a manuscript draft during the lockdown months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting it into shape for publication took another few years. It was a labor of love. Readers will enjoy learning in detail how correlation evolved from a completely non-mathematical concept to one today that is virtually always vi…
The story of two brilliant nineteenth-century scientists who discovered the electromagnetic field, laying the groundwork for the amazing technological and theoretical breakthroughs of the twentieth centuryTwo of the boldest and most creative scientists of all time were Michael Faraday (1791-1867) and James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879). This is the story of how these two men - separated in age by f…
Calculus is the key to much of modern science and engineering. It is the mathematical method for the analysis of things that change, and since in the natural world we are surrounded by change, the development of calculus was a huge breakthrough in the history of mathematics. But it is also something of a mathematical adventure, largely because of the way infinity enters at virtually every twist…
The proof, at last, that we do all live in a random and irrational universe. For centuries scientists believed that the universe was a vast machine - with enough detail, you could predict exactly what would happen. Admittedly real life wasn't like that. But only, they argued, because we didn't have enough data to be certain. Then the cracks began to appear. It proved impossible to predict…
In Science for Life acclaimed science writer Brian Clegg cuts through the vested interests and confusing contradictory statements that litter the media and the internet, to give a clear picture of what science is telling us right now about changing our lives for the better. Discover the much-advertised antioxidants that aren't good for you, the truth about fat and sugar and why one of the he…
A semi-popular science book on reproductive genetics: why, you may ask? Because reproduc-tion is the central theme in both biology and evolutionary biology.How can a species persist? The relay baton in the form of the fusion of the egg and sperm cell creates a new generation that gets to run another lap and pass on the baton. What lies behind this metaphor, and how does it work? What are the im…
Have you ever wondered what humans did before numbers existed? How they organized their lives, traded goods, or kept track of their treasures? What would your life be like without them? Numbers began as simple representations of everyday things, but mathematics rapidly took on a life of its own, occupying a parallel virtual world. In Are Numbers Real? Brian Clegg explores the way that maths …
For thousands of years, mathematicians have used the timeless art of logic to see the world more clearly. In The Art of Logic, Royal Society Science Book Prize nominee Eugenia Cheng shows how anyone can think like a mathematician - and see, argue and think better. Learn how to simplify complex decisions without over-simplifying them. Discover the power of analogies and the dangers of false e…
"[Cheng] does a great service by showing us non-mathematician schlubs how real mathematical creativity works." -- Wall Street Journal How big is the universe? How many numbers are there? And is infinity + 1 is the same as 1 + infinity? Such questions occur to young children and our greatest minds. And they are all the same question: What is infinity? In Beyond Infinity, Eugenia Cheng takes u…
This book journeys into one of the most fascinating intellectual adventures of recent decades - understanding and exploring the final fate of massive collapsing stars in the universe. The issue is of great interest in fundamental physics and cosmology today, from both the perspective of gravitation theory and of modern astrophysical observations. This is a revolution in the making and may be in…
Volume 2 covers knowledge discovery in particle and astroparticle physics. Instruments gather petabytes of data and machine learning is used to process the vast amounts of data and to detect relevant examples efficiently. The physical knowledge is encoded in simulations used to train the machine learning models. The interpretation of the learned models serves to expand the physical knowledge re…
From 1814, linked to their educational work, Jesuits made significant contributions to the natural sciences, especially in the fields of astronomy, meteorology, seismology, terrestrial magnetism, mathematics, and biology in a worldwide network of universities, secondary schools and observatories.; Readership: All interested in the history of Jesuits and their contribution to the natural science…
The evolution of Australian radio astronomy from 1945 to 1960 has been studied in detail by numerous historians of science in recent years. This Open Access book is the first to present an overview of this remarkable chapter in Australian science. The book begins in the post-war period, as the Radiophysics Laboratory in Sydney switched from secret wartime research on radar to peacetime applicat…
Although (Soddy, Nature 92:399–400,1913)inferred the existence of isotopes early lastcentury, it was not until the discovery of theneutron by (Chadwick, Nature 129:312,1932)that isotopes were understood to result fromdiffering numbers of neutrons in atomicnuclei. (Urey, J Chem Soc 1947:562–581,1947) predicted that different isotopes wouldbehave slightly differently in chemical (andphys…
The National Mineral Deposit Database of China (2002)(also referred to as the Database 2002) has been ranking topin terms of daily data distribution volume in the NationalGeological Archives of China (also referred to as theNGAC). However, it cannot be updated in a sustainablemanner and cannot provide up-to-date, comprehensive dataat present. Therefore, a new edition of the database isurgently …
ifferential operators on metric graphs appear naturally in numerous applications where one is interested in describing transport or propagation of waves on a metric graph—a set of edges (bonds) joined at their end-points forming vertices (summits). Such problems became popular in the last two decades and are known nowadays as quantum graphs, despite that it is n…
From the rings of Saturn to the "canals" of Mars and the Great Red Dot of Jupiter, the planets of our Solar System have long fascinated humanity. Featuring many striking photos, this Very Short Introduction offers a fascinating portrait of the unique world of each planet as well as an illuminating discussion of moons, asteroids, and Trans-Neptunian objects. Leading planetary scientist David A. …
In Particle Physics: A Very Short Introduction, best-selling author Frank Close provides a compelling and lively introduction to the fundamental particles that make up the universe. The book begins with a guide to what matter is made up of and how it evolved, and goes on to describe the fascinating and cutting-edge techniques used to study it. The author discusses particles such as quarks, elec…
This open access book provides a comprehensive exploration of the relationship between fungi and grapevines, covering contemporary mycological classifications, pathogens, the mycobiome, endophytes, and mycorrhizae. Inspired by the French book "La Vigne, Maladies Fongiques" by the same authors, which won first prize at the 2015 OIV book competition (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du …
n this chapter we motivate the study of disordered media through the example of a porous system. The basic terms in percolation theory are introduced, and you learn how to generate, visualize and measure on percolation systems in Python. We demonstrate how to find exact results for small systems in two dimensions by addressing all configuration…
This open access book explores the complementarity of hydropower with new energy sources such as solar and wind in the global energy transition. It analyzes the technological advantages, environmental impacts, and economic potential of combining hydropower and new energy sources, while examining the related policies and market mechanisms. Through a multidimensional approach, the book demonstrat…
This open access book provides graduate students and scientists with fundamental knowledge on the mechanics of granular suspensions as well as on the mathematical and numerical techniques that can be adopted to investigate geophysical flows. To this end, three formidably complex problems (sediment transport, flow-like landslide inception, and gravity currents) are considered. The reader will fi…
This open access textbook introduces beginning undergraduate students and high school students to the world of quantum mechanics and atomic spectroscopy. Requiring no previous knowledge of physics and no math beyond basic algebra and sines and cosines, this book focuses on concepts to make the excitement of atomic physics more accessible for learners than ever before. It comes replete with lear…
Paper, milk, clouds and white paint share a common property: they are opaque disordered media through which light scatters randomly rather than propagating in a straight path. For very thick and turbid media, indeed, light eventually propagates in a ‘diffusive’ way, i.e. similarly to how tea infuses through hot water. Frequently though, a material is neither perfectly opaque nor transparent…
Renal MRI holds incredible promise for making a quantum leap in improving diagnosis and care of patientswith a multitude of diseases, by moving beyond the limitations and restrictions of current routine clinicalpractice. Clinical and preclinical renal MRI is advancing with ever increasing rapidity, and yet, aside from afew examples of renal MRI in routine use, it is still not good enough. Sever…
Photoacoustic tomography has been developed for in vivo functional, metabolic, molecular, and histologic imaging by physically combining optical and ultrasonic waves. Broad applications include early-cancer detection and brain imaging. High-resolution optical imaging—such as confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, and optical coherence tomography—is limited to superficia…
In this third edition, core applications have been added along with more recent developments in the theories of chemical reaction kinetics and molecular quantum mechanics, as well as in the experimental study of extremely rapid chemical reactions. * Fully revised concise edition covering recent developments in the field* Clear and comprehensive text ideal for undergraduate and graduate course s…
This is a textbook for beginning mathematics students. Knowledge of school mathematics is not presumed: it starts with the basics of counting. The underlying idea is that the best way to learn mathematics is by doing mathematics. For beginning students it is sometimes a problem to assume when looking for proof. For the exercises in this textbook, this situation does not occur: except for the in…
The interstellar medium (ISM) is the matter (gas 99%, dust 1%) distributed inthe space between the stars. Hydrogen (H) is the most abundant element of theISM, and its physical/chemical state defines the ISM phases: the ionised phase,in which H is atomic ionised, the neutral phase, in which H is neutral atomic,and the molecular phase, in which H is neutral molecular (H2). Star formationis the se…
Palaeoecology of Africa(PoA) of which this is the 35th volume, is a series traditionally focusingon multi-disciplinary studies on palaeoenvironments of Africa, especially on more recent parts ofgeological time like the Neogene and Quaternary. The early PoA volumes reveal the developmenthistory of these palaeoscience aspects in Africa. Thanks to the pioneering and visionary effortsof Eduard Mein…
A myth-shattering view of the Islamic world's myriad scientific innovations and the role they played in sparking the European Renaissance. Many of the innovations that we think of as hallmarks of Western science had their roots in the Arab world of the middle ages, a period when much of Western Christendom lay in intellectual darkness. Jim al- Khalili, a leading British-Iraqi physicist, resurr…
This book, written primarily for the young adult reader, tells the life story of Emmy Noether, the most important female mathematician of our time. Because no one expected her to grow into an important scientist, the records of her early life are sketchy. After all, it was assumed that she would grow up to be a wife and mother. Instead, she was a genius who chose a distinctive path. The author …
Master algebra from the comfort of home! Want to “know it all” when it comes to algebra? Algebra Know-It-ALL gives you the expert, one-on-one instruction you need, whether you're new to algebra or you're looking to ramp up your skills. Providing easy-to-understand concepts and thoroughly explained exercises, math whiz Stan Gibilisco serves as your own private tutor-without the expense! H…
This book covers topics in the history of modern algebra. More precisely, it looks at some topics in algebra and number theory and follows them from their modest presence in mathematics in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries into the nineteenth century and sees how they were gradually transformed into what we call modern algebra. Accordingly, it looks at some of the great success stories i…
Interactive, compact textbook with links to interesting contributions. Introduces algorithmic-numerical thinking using the linear algebra to students of mathematics from the second semester onwards. Offers a focused introduction to error analysis and perturbation theory. Includes complete programs and numeric examples in MATLAB and Julia.
We are being told: ‘It is perhaps not wise to go to trekking during ‘räkkä’ time, the mass occurrence of insects—mosquitoes, blackflies, and midges— during the northern summer.’ As experienced trekkers, we already know this, but we have no option: this is the only weekend possible for us to go for a hike, and we are eager. I on…
This open access book is the first of two volumes that integrates a study of direct encounters with Primary Forces of Nature, Wind, Light, Rain, Heat and Cold, Water, etc., with imaginative narrative forms of communication. The approach developed in this book shows how the growth of cognitive tools (first of mythic and then of romantic forms of understanding) lets children make sense of experie…
Southwards from the Maiombe, and running from Cabinda to the Cunene, is the Angolan Escarpment. This major topographic buttress between the coastal lowlands, the Marginal Mountain Chain and the interior high plateau—the planalto—is of special ecological importance. Providing a steep gradient of landscapes and habitats between the arid coast and …
The subject of scientific integrity has generated a lot of attention in recent decades, both in the media—which is all too happy to report on the latest fraud or plagiarism scandal—and in the boardrooms of the scientific insti-tutions that have to respond to it. In the meantime, scientific research has continued, but researchers have become more attuned to the fact that scien-tific integrit…
This is the motto of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Office for Astronomy Outreach. If “All” is a very vast term to define society and its communities, “Astronomy” as a body of knowledge is also similarly vast. This project, “Big Ideas in Astronomy”, explores the issue: “What should science-educated citizens know about astronomy?” As a result of several discussion…
The twelfth edition of Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology continues this best-selling title's long tradition as one of the world's favorite physiology textbooks. The immense success of this book is due to its description of complex physiologic principles in language that is easy to read and understand. Now with an improved color art program, thorough updates reflecting today's medic…
The National Hydrology Project (NHP) sponsored by Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India (GOI) with financial aid from the World Bank. The objective of the project is to improve the extent and accessibility of water resources information and strengthen institutional capacity to enable improved water reso…
Living with chronic conditions requires careful, ongoing management, or what Annemarie Mol (2008) has defined as ‘tinkering’. This means continually making adjustments, and not only to the fluctuating symp-toms and moods, but also to the presence and action of the multiple, significant actors involved in the field of care. Anthropological research on…
Thisisabookaboutsocialorder.Morespecifically,itisaboutthecompli-cated relationship between machine learning algorithms and the formation of democratic order. And there are good reasons for such a book. Algorithms appeartobecomeadefiningmomentinthedigitizedsocietiesofthe21stcentury – and it seems that no domain of life is spared from the rati…