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A Natural History of the Future: What the Laws of Biology Tell Us about the Destiny of the Human Species
by Rob DunnA leading ecologist argues that if humankind is to survive on a fragile planet, we must understand and obey its iron lawsOur species has amassed unprecedented knowledge of nature, which we have tried to use to seize control of life and bend the planet to our will. In A Natural History of the Future, biologist Rob Dunn argues that such efforts are futile. We may see ourselves as life&’s overlords, but we are instead at its mercy. In the evolution of antibiotic resistance, the power of natural selection to create biodiversity, and even the surprising life of the London Underground, Dunn finds laws of life that no human activity can annul. When we create artificial islands of crops, dump toxic waste, or build communities, we provide new materials for old laws to shape. Life&’s future flourishing is not in question. Ours is.As ambitious as Edward Wilson&’s Sociobiology and as timely as Elizabeth Kolbert&’s The Sixth Extinction, A Natural History of the Future sets a new standard for understanding the diversity and destiny of life itself.
A Natural State: Essays on Texas
by Stephen Harrigan&“The personal essay at its best. What Edward Abbey did for the desert Southwest and what E. B. White did for Maine, Harrigan has done for Texas.&” —Houston Chronicle In this remarkable collection of essays, Stephen Harrigan explores, with an unfailing depth of feeling, the human longing to feel at home in the world of nature. In vivid and convincing prose, he evokes the landscape of his home territory, Texas, and his own reactions, sometimes droll, sometimes haunted, to the extraordinary power of place that Texas projects. &“Like our best nature writers, he tells us not only what&’s out there, but connects it to our everyday lives . . . A Natural State is recommended reading not just for Texans but for all who would explore their connections to the natural world.&” —The Washington Post &“While &‘luminous&’ is not a word that you would think of in connection with the Lone Star State, that&’s what these pieces are . . . They are filled with poetry, wit, and delightfully offbeat observations.&” —The San Diego Union-Tribune &“Harrigan defty weaves fact, historical perspective, and personal experience into a tightly interlaced evocative fabric . . . By the end of the book, he brings the vast Texas landscape within grasp of even the most skeptical reader.&” —The Denver Post &“Harrigan&’s observations are not those of an academically trained naturalist but rather the fresh outlook of a city-bred tourist rejoicing in the exhilaration of discovery.&” —Booklist &“Though several of the essays display a strong ecological bent, the author is never shrill. He is an accomplished prose stylist who combines accurate research with an unerring eye for detail. Highly recommended.&” —Science
A Naturalist's Guide to Ontario
by William Judd J. SpeirsTo the casual observer Ontario appears as an immense territory, stretching from west of the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence, and from Hudson Bay to the southernmost tip of Lake Erie. The naturalist sees more than this vastness: he is aware of the province's great diversity in flora and fauna, and in geology and topography; he sees the province divided into zones and regions, each with its own special natural traits. Over the years some areas, and their special attractions, have become widely known to naturalists, amateur and professional. Others have not been so familiar. It has been difficult for visitors to and residents of Ontario to plan well-arranged trips which will include a number of them. A guide to Ontario, designed specifically for naturalists, has been needed, and this book will fill that need. The combination of scientific accuracy and up-to-date practical information will make it an invaluable part of the naturalist's field equipment. Along with maps and general descriptions of the flora, fauna, and geology of Ontario, this book contains over forty regional guides. Each guide lists, concisely and accurately, up-to-date information on how best to reach the regions that are of interest to the naturalist. There are also descriptions of the geology, plants, trees, birds, and mammals typical of each locale, along with information on rare or unique species, and information on local naturalists and nature clubs. Indexes of place names and names of species, and a list of reference manuals, complete the contents of this unique and valuable guide. It will be equally useful to those who pay occasional weekend visits to the countryside, and wish to know something about the rocks, plants and wildlife they encounter, and to the more serious student of natural history. The guide has been prepared by members of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists and other allied agencies in the hope that it will help encourage a wider appreciation of natural history in Ontario. Sylvia Hahn's attractive drawings indicate some of the great variety of plant and animal life to be found in the province.
A Nest Is Noisy
by Dianna Hutts Aston LongFrom the award-winning creators of An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, A Butterfly Is Patient, and A Rock Is Lively comes this gorgeous and informative look at the fascinating world of nests. From tiny bee hummingbird nests to orangutan nests high in the rainforest canopy, an incredible variety of nests are showcased here in all their splendor. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book introduces children to a captivating array of nest facts and will spark the imaginations of children whether in a classroom reading circle or on a parent's lap.
A Nest Is Noisy
by Dianna Hutts AstonFrom the award-winning creators of An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, A Butterfly Is Patient, and A Rock Is Lively comes this gorgeous and informative look at the fascinating world of nests. From tiny bee hummingbird nests to orangutan nests high in the rainforest canopy, an incredible variety of nests are showcased here in all their splendor. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book introduces children to a captivating array of nest facts and will spark the imaginations of children whether in a classroom reading circle or on a parent's lap. Plus, this is a fixed-format version of the book, which looks nearly identical to the print version.
A New Approach to Conservation: The Importance of the Individual through Wildlife Rehabilitation (Ashgate Studies In Environmental Policy And Practice Ser.)
by Gill AitkenConservationists assume a set of underlying values which guide their decision-making and action. The safeguarding or promotion of biodiversity, it is believed, is the means by which nature is best protected. This book examines - and challenges - these general conservation assumptions. While reinforcing the need to halt extinction and value biodiversity, it shows that biodiversity needs to be more clearly understood, perhaps being replaced by the notion of 'wildness'. It examines how biodiversity is a holistic term, and how individual species need to be assessed and their own contribution to 'wildness' has to be recognized. The book proposes a new way of conservation - one which makes more room for neglected, rather than endangered or rare species. It also asserts that 'wildness' is not incompatible with certain kinds of human intervention.
A New Approach to Differential Geometry using Clifford's Geometric Algebra
by John SnyggDifferential geometry is the study of the curvature and calculus of curves and surfaces. A New Approach to Differential Geometry using Clifford's Geometric Algebra simplifies the discussion to an accessible level of differential geometry by introducing Clifford algebra. This presentation is relevant because Clifford algebra is an effective tool for dealing with the rotations intrinsic to the study of curved space. Complete with chapter-by-chapter exercises, an overview of general relativity, and brief biographies of historical figures, this comprehensive textbook presents a valuable introduction to differential geometry. It will serve as a useful resource for upper-level undergraduates, beginning-level graduate students, and researchers in the algebra and physics communities.
A New Arab Social Contract?: Institutional Perspectives for Economic Reform in Arab Countries (Economic Geography)
by Maximilian BennerThis monograph offers a unique conceptual bridge between economic geography and Middle Eastern political economy. Arab economies are confronted with enormous structural difficulties such as high rates of youth unemployment in a challenging demographic context, exacerbated by intense spatial disparities. These structural problems demonstrate the breakdown of the "Arab social contract", a social arrangement centered on a strong role of the state in welfare and employment provision, for which regimes demanded acquiescence to authoritarian rule. The book argues that the Arab social contract can be understood in terms of regulation theories known in economic geography and sociology. It uses the approaches such as the regulation school, national systems of innovation, social systems of production, and varieties of capitalism to analyze the structural difficulties of Arab economies and current reform efforts. The basic assumption is that Arab economies are currently faced with a structural crisis. After the breakdown of the Arab social contract, there is a mismatch between the economic and institutional spheres of society. The challenge is for Arab societies to develop new forms of socio-institutional regulation. The book proposes ways towards such new modes of regulation by developing a framework for regulation specifically targeted towards Arab societies, and by applying it to the cases of Tunisia and Jordan.
A New Blue Ocean: Prospects for Latin American SMEs in the Belt and Road Initiative
by Yihai Li Aníbal Carlos ZotteleThis book explores the achievements and obstacles confronting China and major Latin American countries in developing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the context of new changes in “The Belt and Road” Initiative. In the first three chapters, the Chinese authors elaborate on the relationship between “The Belt and Road” Initiative and globalization, as well as strategies towards forming an increasingly close bond between China and Latin America. The book ends with chapters dedicated to analyzing the BRI conditions and effects on SMEs of Latin-American countries. These country specific chapters will show the specific opportunities and challenges the countries conditions, be they political, geological, etc. may have on the development of SMEs under the BRI. The book will be useful not only to industry leaders looking to better understand how they can potentially benefit from the BRI but also by the general public, as the book will explain what this new era of globalization, and more specifically the BRI, will mean for the world’s industries and society.
A New Blueprint for a Green Economy
by Edward B. Barbier Anil MarkandyaPublished in 1989, Blueprint for a Green Economy presented, for the first time, practical policy measures for 'greening' modern economies and putting them on a path to sustainable development. This new book, written by two of the Blueprint for a Green Economy authors, revisits and updates its main messages by asking, first, what has been achieved in the past twenty years, and second, what more needs to be done to generate a truly 'green economy' in the twenty-first century? Blueprint for a Green Economy had one over-arching theme. Making economies more sustainable requires urgent progress in three key policy areas: valuing the environment, accounting for the environment and incentives for environmental improvement. Today, with the threat of global warming, the decline in major ecosystems and their services, and fears over energy security, achieving these goals is even more vital. The current book first summarizes the main messages from Blueprint for a Green Economy and explains why, given rapid and widespread global environmental degradation, they are still relevant. The book then examines the progress since Blueprint for a Green Economy in implementing policies and other measures to improve environmental valuation, accounting and incentives. Although much has been accomplished, additional advances are still required to green economies successfully. The book highlights the new policies and approaches needed for economic management of today's environmental concerns. Over twenty years later, A New Blueprint for a Green Economy once again emphasizes practical policies for greening modern economies, and explains why such an economic roadmap to a greener future is essential, if modern economies are to develop successfully and sustainably.
A New Century for Natural Resources Management
by Robert Costanza Sarah F. Bates Vawter Parker Richard L. Knight Steward Pickett Peter BerckThis book explores the changes that are leading to a new century of natural resources management. It places the current situation in historical perspective, analyzes the forces that are propelling change, and describes and examines the specific changes in goals, policy, and practice that are transforming all aspects of natural resources management.The book is an important overview for wildlife biologists, foresters, and others working for public land agencies; professors and students of natural resources; and all those whose livelihood depends on the use of public natural resources.
A New Climate For Theology: God, The World, And Global Warming
by Sallie McFagueClimate change promises monumental changes to human and other planetary life in the next generations. Yet government, business, and individuals have been largely in denial of the possibility that global warming may put our species on the road to extinction. Further, says Sallie McFague, we have failed to see the real root of our behavioral troubles in an economic model that actually reflects distorted religious views of the person. At its heart, she maintains, global warming occurs because we lack an appropriate understanding of ourselves as inextricably bound to the planet and its systems. A New Climate for Theology not only traces the distorted notion of unlimited desire that fuels our market system; it also paints an alternative idea of what being human means and what a just and sustainable economy might mean. Convincing, specific, and wise, McFague argues for an alternative economic order and for our relational identity as part of an unfolding universe that expresses divine love and human freedom. It is a view that can inspire real change, an altered lifestyle, and a form of Christian discipleship and desire appropriate to who we really are. Table of Contents Preface Part One: The Science and its Significance for Theology Chapter 1: Climate Change: The Evidence and Consequences Chapter 2: Global Warming: A Theological Problem Part Two: Exploring God and the World within Climate Change Chapter 3: Who Are We? Ecological Anthropology Chapter 4: Who Is God? Creation and Providence Chapter 5: How Shall We Live? Christianity and Planetary Economics Part Three: Serving God and City Living within Climate Change Chapter 6: Why We Worship: Praise and Compassion as Intimations of Transcendence Chapter 7: Where We Live: Urban Ecotheology Part Four: Despair and Hope within Climate Change Chapter 8: Is a Different World Possible? Human Dignity and the Integrity of Creation in a Time of Global Warming Chapter 9: ?The Dearest Freshness Deep Down Things: The Holy Spirit and Climate Change Notes
A New Concept of Development: Basic Tenets (Routledge Library Editions: Development)
by François PerrouxFirst published in 1983, François Perroux’s A New Concept of Development analyses the major paradox of our era: the desire for progress and the mistrust of its consequences. The authors argues that the approach to the question of development may be the key to understanding both the present and what the future brings, representing a pattern which will seek to shape man’s potential to his designs. By analysing the ideas and theories propounded by the economic approach the author’s aim is to clarify both the meaning and direction of research in development. A scientific, oriented economy and efficient strategies should and must be the two components of one and the same momentum, required to go beyond the perilous paradox of our era.
A New Deal for Transport?: The UK's struggle with the sustainable transport agenda (RGS-IBG Book Series #75)
by Jon Shaw Iain DochertyComprising contributions from a range of experts, this volume offers a critical commentary on the government's sustainable transport policy. A critical commentary on the Blair government's sustainable transport policy and its implementation. Firmly rooted in an appreciation of the politics of this controversial field. Experts contribute up-to-the-minute analyses of the key issues. Will inform debate over the future of transport policy. Includes a Foreword by David Begg, Chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport.
A New Development at the Intersection of Nuclear Structure and Reaction Theory
by Steven Karataglidis Ken Amos Paul R. Fraser Luciano CantonThis book highlights a major advance in low-energy scattering theory: the Multi-Channel Algebraic Scattering (MCAS) theory, which represents an attempt to unify structure and reaction theory. It solves the Lippmann–Schwinger equations for low-energy nucleon-nucleus and alpha-nucleus scattering in momentum space, allowing both the bound and scattering states in the compound nucleus formed to be described. Results of various cases are presented and discussed.
A New Diplomacy for Sustainable Development: The Challenge of Global Change (Routledge/SEI Global Environment and Development Series)
by Bo KjellénAccelerating, human-induced changes in global natural systems, with global warming as a prime example, are modifying international relations. Diplomacy has to recognize that new types of threats will require new solutions and a new spirit of cooperation. This is a gradual process; traditional conflicts will continue to haunt the international system and traditional methods of diplomatic work still prevail. Based on forty years of experience in multilateral negotiations as former diplomat and international negotiator, the author has developed the concept of a New Diplomacy for Sustainable Development. The book develops the theoretical foundations of the concept and links it to the notion of enabling conditions, describing the close linkages between domestic policies and international negotiations. In conclusion, Kjellén comments on present negotiation processes and offers ideas for institutional reform of the international system.
A New Environmental Ethics: The Next Millennium for Life on Earth
by Holmes Rolston IIINo one looking ahead at the middle of the last century could have foreseen the extent and the importance of the ensuing environmental crises. Now, more than a decade into the next century, no one can ignore it. A New Environmental Ethics: the Next Millennium for Life on Earth offers clear, powerful, and oftentimes moving thoughts from one of the first and most respected philosophers to write on the environment. Rolston, an early and leading pioneer in studying the moral relationship between humans and the earth, surveys the full spectrum of approaches in the field of environmental ethics. This book, however, is not simply a judicious overview. Instead, it offers critical assessments of contemporary academic accounts and draws on a lifetime of research and experience to suggest an outlook for the future. As a result, this focused, forward-looking analysis will be a necessary complement to any balanced textbook or anthology in environmental ethics, and will teach its readers to be responsible global citizens, and residents of their landscape, helping ensure that the future we have will be the one we wish for.
A New Environmental Ethics: The Next Millennium for Life on Earth
by Holmes Rolston IIIThis Second Edition of A New Environmental Ethics: The Next Millennium for Life on Earth offers clear, powerful, and often moving thoughts from Holmes Rolston III, one of the first and most respected philosophers to write on the environment and often called the "father of environmental ethics." Rolston surveys the full spectrum of approaches in the field of environmental ethics and offers critical assessments of contemporary academic accounts. He draws on a lifetime of research and experience to suggest an outlook, and even hope, for the future. This forward-looking analysis, focused on the new millennium, will be a necessary complement to any balanced textbook or anthology in environmental ethics. The First Edition guaranteed "to put you in your place." Beyond that, the Second Edition asks whether you want to live a "de-natured life on a de-natured planet." Key Updates in the Second Edition Covers the worsening environmental situation due to actions of the Trump administration, including withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change Includes information on legislation in key U.S. states (e.g., California and New York) aimed to ameliorate the damage done at the federal level Increases coverage of group knowledge, group agreement and disagreement, and group action in collective environmental ethics, as distinguished from individual knowledge and action Examines the deleterious effects of online consumer behavior Explains how a loss of solidarity among a nation’s citizens and even a larger solidary among humanity leads to environmental degradation Offers new analysis of the effects of epistemic bubbles, echo chambers, and fake news on the behavior of voters and consumers Provides an extended critique of the Anthropocene Epoch, and the prospect of geo-engineering Earth to become a synthetic environment.
A New Era: China's Economy Globalizes
by Dexu He Chaoyang WangThis book collects the work of leading Chinese economists, sociologists, and political scientists as China enters a pivotal phase of development, as well as a new five-year plan. Scholars from China's leading institutions and think-tanks explore global economic trade patterns, regional imbalances, environmental pollution, rural-urban disputes, and much more. This book will be of interest to scholars, economists, and think-tank researchers.
A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future
by Benjamin VogtIn a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of AnimalsPlenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities.Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species?Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.
A New Generation of Cosmic Superstring Simulations (Springer Theses)
by José Ricardo CorreiraTopological defects are an expected consequence of phase transitions in the early Universe. As such these objects, if detected, provide unequivocal evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model. This means they are prime targets for new observational facilities. However, our understanding of defects is heavily bottlenecked by computational limitations. In this book, the author explores the use of accelerator hardware to alleviate this problem, presenting the world’s first (multiple-)GPU defect simulations. Such simulations can evolve a network of line-like cosmic strings at an unprecedented resolution. Then these are used to obtain the most accurate to date calibrations of semi-analytical modelling and to show the impact of accuracy on observational consequences of strings. Lastly, a modified version of this application is used to study interconnected networks of strings in greater detail than ever before. This book benefits any student or researcher who wishes to learn about field theory simulations in the early Universe and about supercomputing with multiple accelerators.
A New GeoComputation Pattern and Its Application in Dual-Evaluation
by Wensheng ZhouThis book introduces Document As System (DAS), a new GeoComputation pattern, which is also a new GIS application pattern. It uses the GeoComputation language (G language) to describe and execute complex spatial analysis model in the MS Word environment, which solves the bottleneck problem of GIS application, makes GIS become a popular tool for spatial data analysis from the spatial data visualization tool, and plays an important role in the wide application of GIS technology. This book systematically introduces the theory related to the new GeoComputation pattern and the application example in the “dual-evaluation” of territorial and spatial planning, which can be used as a learning and reference manual for GIS related professionals and business personnel engaged in the “dual-evaluation” of territorial and spatial planning.
A New Green Day
by Antoinette PortisIf you listen, nature speaks. Explore nature through evocative riddles and bold imagery that take the reader from day to night and back again in this perfect read aloud.From the author of the Sibert Honor-winning title Hey, Water! comes a book of poetic riddles that encourage young readers to explore the natural world. Who scribbles on the sidewalk with glistening ink? Snail!Who's a comma in a long, long sentence of a stream? Tadpole!On each spread, children will solve riddles about the familiar animals, plants and the weather that one child encounters outdoors throughout a whole day. Active readers will delight in the clever language and striking illustrations.A Junior Library Guild SelectionSelected for the CBC Champions of Change Showcase
A New Human: The Startling Discovery and Strange Story of the "Hobbits" of Flores, Indonesia
by Mike Morwood Penny Van OosterzeeIn October 2004, a team of Australian and Indonesian anthropologists led by Mike Morwood and Raden Pandji Soejono stunned the world with their announcement of the discovery of the first example of a new species of human, Homo floresiensis, which they nicknamed the "Hobbit." This was no creation of Tolkien's fantasy, however, but a tool-using, fire-making, cooperatively hunting person. The more Morwood and his colleagues revealed about the find, the more astonishing it became: standing only three feet tall with brains a little larger than a can of cola, the Hobbits forced anthropologists and everyone to reconsider what it means to be human.Morwood's work was no ordinary academic exercise. Along the way he had to tread warily through the cultural landscape of Indonesia—he has an embarrassing mishap with some hard-to-chew pork—and he demonstrated that sometimes the life of a real archaeologist can be a bit like Indiana Jones's when he risked his neck in an ocean-going raft to experience how ancient Indonesians might have navigated the archipelago. Even more, Morwood had to navigate the rock shoals of an archaeological bureaucracy that could be obtuse and even spiteful, and when the Hobbits became embroiled in scientific controversy—as no find of such magnitude could avoid—it proved easy for Morwood to get nearly swamped with trouble. Finds were stolen and damaged, and the backbiting was fierce. But the light of science, once brightened, is difficult to dim, and the story of the indefatigable Morwood's fight to defend his find discovery is an inspiration.
A New Map of Wonders: A Journey in Search of Modern Marvels
by Caspar Henderson“Henderson teaches us how to wonder anew with a new vision of science illuminated by a rich range of literature, philosophy, art, and music.” —Hugh Aldersey-Williams, author of Dutch LightWe live in a world that is known, every corner thoroughly explored. But has this knowledge cost us the ability to wonder? Wonder, Caspar Henderson argues, is at its most supremely valuable in just such a world because it reaffirms our humanity and gives us hope for the future. That’s the power of wonder, and that’s what we should aim to cultivate in our lives. But what are the wonders of the modern world?Henderson’s brilliant exploration borrows from the form of one of the oldest and most widely known sources of wonder: maps. Large, detailed mappae mundi invited people in medieval Europe to vividly imagine places and possibilities they had never seen before: manticores with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the stinging tail of a scorpion; tribes of one-eyed men who fought griffins for diamonds; and fearsome Scythian warriors who drank the blood of their enemies from their skulls. A New Map of Wonders explores these and other realms of the wonderful, in different times and cultures and in the present day, taking readers from Aboriginal Australian landscapes to sacred sites in Great Britain, all the while keeping sight questions such as the cognitive basis of wonder and the relationship between wonder and science.Beautifully illustrated and written with wit and moral complexity, this sequel to The Book of Barely Imagined Beings is a fascinating account of the power of wonder and an unforgettable meditation on its importance to our future.