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The Family Planning Association and Contraceptive Science and Technology in Mid-Twentieth-Century Britain (Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Modern History)
by Natasha SzuhanThis book offers the first in-depth investigation into the relationship between the National Birth Control Association, later the Family Planning Association, and contraceptive science and technology in the pre-Pill era. It explores the Association’s role in designing and supporting scientific research, employment of scientists, engagement with manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, and use of its facilities, patients, staff, medical, scientific, and political networks to standardise and guarantee contraceptive technology it prescribed and produced. By taking a micro-history approach to the archives of the Association, this book highlights the importance of this organisation to the history of science, technology, and medicine in twentieth-century Britain. It examines the Association’s participation within Western family planning networks, working particularly closely with its American counterparts to develop chemical and biological means of testing contraception for efficacy, quality, and safety.
The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy
by Blaine BettingerDiscover the answers to your family history mysteries using the most-cutting edge tool available to genealogists. This plain-English guide, newly revised and expanded, is a one-stop resource on genetic genealogy for family historians. Inside, you’ll learn what DNA tests are available, with up-to-date pros and cons of the major testing companies (including AncestryDNA) and advice on choosing the right test to answer your specific questions. For those who've already taken DNA tests, this guide will demystify and explain how to interpret DNA test results, including how to understand ethnicity estimates and haplogroup designations, navigate suggested cousin matches, and use third-party tools like GEDmatch to further analyze data. Inside, you'll find:Colorful diagrams and expert definitions that explain key DNA terms and concepts, such as haplogroups and DNA inheritance patternsDetailed guides to each of the major kinds of DNA tests: autosomal-DNA (atDNA), mitochondrial-DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosomal DNA (Y-DNA), and X-chromosomal DNA (X-DNA)Tips for selecting the DNA test that can best help solve your family mysteries, with case studies showing how each test can be useful in researchInformation about third-party tools you can use to more thoroughly analyze your test results once you've received themTest companion guides and research forms to help you select the most appropriate DNA test and organize your results and research once you've been tested
The Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get Sick
by Howard BennettThe Fantastic Body is the ultimate kids’ reference guide to the human body! Jam-packed with fun facts, cool diagrams, and gross stories, and written by a successful, practicing pediatrician, this go-to guide will captivate curious readers for hours on end. Kids will take their learning beyond reading the book with DIY projects that demonstrate different bodily functions and tips for making their regular checkups less scary. Through humor, science, and engaging illustrations, this fun and comprehensive reference book is perfect for kids who want to know more about the mysterious stuff going on inside their bodies.
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau
by Dan YaccarinoJacques Cousteau was the world's ambassador of the oceans. His popular TV series brought whales, otters, and dolphins right into people's living rooms. Now, in this exciting picturebook biography, Dan Yaccarino introduces young readers to the man behind the snorkel.From the first moment he got a glimpse of what lived under the ocean's waves, Cousteau was hooked. And so he set sail aboard the Calypso to see the sea. He and his team of scientists invented diving equipment and waterproof cameras. They made films and televisions shows and wrote books so they could share what they learned. The oceans were a vast unexplored world, and Cousteau became our guide. And when he saw that pollution was taking its toll on the seas, Cousteau became our guide in how to protect the oceans as well.
The Far North:
by A. P. Isaev Elena I. Troeva M. M. Cherosov N. S. KarpovOutside Russia very little is known about the terrestrial ecology, vegetation, biogeographical patterns, and biodiversity of the enormously extensive ecosystems of Yakutia, Siberia. These systems are very special in that they function on top of huge layers of permafrost and are exposed to very severe and extreme weather conditions, the range between winter and summer temperatures being more than 100 degrees C. The soils are generally poor, and human use of the vegetation is usually extensive. Main vegetation zones are taiga and tundra, but Yakutia also supports a special land and vegetation form, caused by permafrost, the alas: more or less extensive grasslands around roundish lakes in taiga. All these vegetation types will be described and their ecology and ecophysiological characteristics will be dealt with. Because of the size of Yakutia, covering several climatic zones, and its extreme position on ecological gradients, Yakutia contains very interesting biogeographical patterns, which also will be described. Our analyses are drawn from many years of research in Yakutia and from a vast body of ecological and other literature in Russian publications and in unpublished local reports. The anthropogenic influence on the ecosystems will be dealt with. This includes the main activities of human interference with nature: forestry, extensive reindeer herding, cattle and horse grazing, etc. Also fire and other prominent ecological factors are dealt with. A very important point is also the very high degree of naturalness that is still extant in Yakutia's main vegetation zones.
The Farm Financial Crisis: Socioeconomic Dimensions And Implications For Producers And Rural Areas
by Steve H Murdock F. Larry Leistritz F Larry LeistritzAfter nearly a decade of prosperity, rural America entered the 1980s with its agricultural base facing a severe financial crisis. Land values, export markets and the general demand for agricultural commodities were declining while the levels of indebtedness reached during the 1970s were becoming increasingly difficult to manage. By the middle of the 1980s, the existence of a crisis was apparent in farm failure rates that had reached levels that had not occurred since the 1930s and in the fact that large numbers of agricultural banks were failing and agencies that provide loans to farmers and ranchers were experiencing unprecedented losses. Small towns in agriculturally dependent rural areas were losing businesses, populations and related services, and extremely high rates of socioemotional problems were noted among rural residents in agriculturally dependent areas of the nation.
The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids: 500 Wild Facts! (Fascinating Facts)
by Ginjer ClarkeFrom anglerfish to zebras, discover 500 awesome animal facts for kids ages 9 to 12. From frogs to foxes, scorpions and sharks, The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids has it all! This animal encyclopedia includes 500 amazing facts about animals that offer hours of engaging learning every boy and girl will love. Alongside full-color pictures on every page, find weird and wonderful details about Magnificent Mammals, Creepy Crawlies, Amazing Amphibians, Feathered Friends, and more. Great as a bedtime read or during the day, this standout among animal books for kids is ideal for any boy or girl who is wild about animals!Go beyond other animal books for kids with fantastic facts like:Today's golden hamsters are all descendants of a single hamster family that lived in Syria around 1930.Ant mimicking spiders pretend to be ants by raising two of their eight legs to look like ant antennae allowing them to eat the ants.A glass lizard looks like a snake, but it is actually a lizard with an extra-long tail—and no legs.When you're looking for a kid's book for ages 9-12, this is the perfect choice to learn about animals—and have a whole bunch of fun!
The Fascinating Engineering Book for Kids: 500 Dynamic Facts! (Fascinating Facts)
by Jacie MaslykFrom acoustics to holograms—explore awesome engineering facts for kids ages 8 to 12 Did you know that computer chips can be thousands of times smaller than a grain of sand? Or that whale fins inspired the wind turbine? The Fascinating Engineering Book for Kids is packed with 500 incredible facts about every branch of engineering with full-color pictures to match! Kids (and adults) will learn about some of the most famous and influential engineers in history, and explore how engineers helped build so many of the amazing things in our world, from underwater machines to spaceships and satellites! Dig into the best in kids' engineering books with fascinating trivia like:The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is an amphitheater in Greece built in the fourth century. It was designed so well that it is still used today!GloFish are genetically engineered to enhance their luminescence—a glow that can be seen under ultraviolet lights.Robotic engineers can work in animatronics where they design and build robots for entertainment, like the ones you see in theme parks.Inspire curiosity and a lifelong love of science with this mind-boggling book of engineering for kids.
The Fascinating Ocean Book for Kids: 500 Incredible Facts! (Fascinating Facts)
by Bethanie Hestermann Josh HestermannFrom anemones to zooplankton—500 awesome ocean facts for kids ages 8 to 12Do you know a kid who's captivated by what goes on beneath the ocean's surface? This sea animal book for kids is packed with hundreds of incredible facts for hours of underwater exploration. Pages of full-color pictures feature life in and around the sea including fish, dolphins, and shipwrecks!Dive deeper than other ocean books for kids with ocean trivia such as: Sea cucumbers can eject some of their organs to defend themselves and then regrow them within a few weeks.The Challenger Deep is the deepest place on Earth, almost 7 miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.Blue whales are the largest animals that have ever lived—their tongue weighs as much as an entire elephant!Kids will light up as they discover fascinating fishes and deep-sea giants with the best in ocean books for kids. It's also an ideal choice for Christmas gifts or kids' stocking stuffers, sparking curiosity and wonder during the holiday season.
The Fascinating Science Book for Kids: 500 Amazing Facts! (Fascinating Facts)
by Kevin KurtzDiscover 500 fascinating facts about everything from astronomy to zoology in this amazing science book for kids age 9 to 12!Do you love dinosaurs and dolphins, mountains and meteors? The Fascinating Science Book for Kids has all of that and more! This trivia-packed book includes 500 stupendous science facts that offer hours of exploration. Alongside full-color pictures on every page, you'll find weird and wonderful facts about topics like prehistoric life, the deep sea, weather, minerals, the human body, the solar system—and even your own backyard!In this engaging book of science fun facts for kids, you'll learn amazing things like:Scientists have evidence that tiny diamonds sometimes fall from the sky on Neptune.The giant squid has a brain shaped like a donut.Some bacteria species generate electricity when they breathe and can even power a battery.Get a heaping helping of the science facts kids love with The Fascinating Science Book for Kids — one of the best in kids' educational books!
The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! (Fascinating Facts)
by Lisa ReichleyFrom asteroids to zodiac constellations—500 amazing space facts for kids ages 8 to 12Do you know a kid who wants to know all about space? This intergalactic entry into space books for kids is bursting with 500 out-of-this-world facts for hours of space exploration from the comfort of Earth. Alongside full-color pictures on every page, kids can adventure through stars, planets, and space technology with this book of astronomy for kids.Go beyond other space books for kids 8-12 with trivia such as:Mars is often referred to as the red planet because its surface is red due to iron oxide, or rust.The average lifespan of a star is 10 billion years.All the other planets in our solar system could fit between Earth and its moon.Kids will light up as they discover ice giants and famous astronomers with this standout among space books for kids. Perfect for Christmas, this book is ideal for Christmas gifts or kids stocking stuffers, sparking curiosity and wonder during the holiday season.
The Fatal Strain
by Alan SipressA riveting account of why science alone can't stop the next pandemic When avian flu began spreading across Asia in the early-2000s, it reawakened fears that had lain dormant for nearly a century. During the outbreak's deadliest years, Alan Sipress chased the virus as it infiltrated remote jungle villages and teeming cities and saw its mysteries elude the world's top scientists. In The Fatal Strain, Sipress details how socioeconomic and political realities in Asia make it the perfect petri dish in which the fast-mutating strain can become easily communicable among humans. Once it does, the ease and speed of international travel and worldwide economic interdependence could make it as destructive as the flu pandemic of 1918. In his vivid portrayal of the struggle between man and microbe, Sipress gives a front-line view of the accelerating number of near misses across Asia and the terrifying truth that the prospects for this impending health crisis may well be in the hands of cockfighters, live chicken merchants, and witch doctors rather than virologists or the World Health Organization. Like The Hot Zoneand The Great Influenza, The Fatal Strainis a fast-moving account that brings the inevitability of an epidemic into a fascinating cultural, scientific, and political narrative.
The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World
by Amanda LittleIs the future of food looking bleak – or better than ever? At a time when every day brings news of drought and famine, Amanda Little investigates what it will take to feed a hotter, hungrier, more crowded world. She explores the past along with the present and discovers startling innovations: remote-control crops, vertical farms, robot weedkillers, lab-grown meat, 3D-printed meals, water networks run by supercomputers, cloud seeding and sensors that monitor the microclimate of individual plants. She meets the creative and controversial minds changing the face of modern food production, and tackles fears over genetic modification with hard facts. The Fate of Food is a fascinating look at the threats and opportunities that lie ahead as we struggle for food security. Faced with a perilous future, it gives us reason to hope.
The Fated Sky
by Benson BobrickIn a horoscope he cast in 1647 for Charles I, William Lilly, a noted English astrologer, made the following judgment: "Luna is with Antares, a violent fixed star, which is said to denote violent death, and Mars is approaching Caput Algol, which is said to denote beheading." Two years later the king's head fell on the block. "Astrology must be right," wrote the American astrologer Evangeline Adams, a claimed descendant of President John Quincy Adams, in a challenge to skeptics in 1929. "There can be no appeal from the Infinite." The Fated Sky explores both the history of astrology and the controversial subject of its influence in history. It is the first serious book to fully engage astrology in this way. Astrology is the oldest of the occult sciences. It is also the origin of science itself. Astronomy, mathematics, and other disciplines arose in part to make possible the calculations necessary in casting horoscopes. For five thousand years, from the ancient Near East to the modern world, the influence of the stars has been viewed as shaping the course and destiny of human affairs. According to recent polls, at least 30 percent of the American public believes in astrology, though, as Bobrick reveals, modern astrology is also utterly different from the doctrine of the stars that won the respect and allegiance of the greatest thinkers, scientists, and writers -- Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Arab, and Persian -- of an earlier day. Statesmen, popes, and kings once embraced it, and no less a figure than St. Thomas Aquinas, the medieval theologian, thought it not incompatible with Christian faith. There are some two hundred astrological allusions in Shakespeare's plays, and not one of their astrological predictions goes unfulfilled. The great astronomers of the scientific revolution -- Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler -- were adherents. Isaac Newton's appetite for mathematics was first whetted by an astrological text. In more recent times, prominent figures such as Churchill, de Gaulle, and Reagan have consulted astrologers and sometimes heeded their advice. Today universities as diverse as Oxford in England and the University of Zaragoza in Spain offer courses in the subject, fulfilling Carl Jung's prediction decades ago that astrology would again become the subject of serious discourse. Whether astrology actually has the powers that have been ascribed to it is, of course, open to debate. But there is no doubt that it maintains an unshakeable hold on the human mind. In The Fated Sky, Benson Bobrick has written an absolutely captivating and comprehensive account of this engrossing subject and its enduring influence on history and the history of ideas.
The Fateful Battle Line: The Great War Journals and Sketches of Captain Henry Ogle, MC
by Michael GloverThe diaries of front-line soldiers of the Great War are relatively commonplace; contemporary drawings and paintings, other than those by the official war artists, are less so. What is extraordinary, even unique, about The Fateful Battle Line is that it combines a journal of infantry service on the Western Front with sketches and finished work made at the time, often illustrating places, people and incident from the text. Henry Ogle was a trained artist, and one who, in his writing, fused the vividness of the painter's eye for detail with a writer's precision and awareness. Commissioned from the ranks, twice wounded, his gallantry rewarded with the Military Cross, he endured four years of war; if the experience seared him, it never took from him his humanity. Front-line, support and reserve trenches; raids, patrols and work details; outposts and piquets; hospitals and base areas; French and Belgian towns and villages; leave back home in England ; the tragic landscape of Flanders; weapons, artillery, transport, draft and riding animals; above all his fellow soldiers - Henry Ogle faithfully, and often wittily, recorded the day-to-day minutiae, as well as the sudden shattering moments, of vast industrial armies locked in the last of the great siege wars. In doing so, and in his accompanying text, he demonstrated that the enduring legacy of the Great War lay in the spirit of the men who fought it. Skillfully edited and annotated by the late Michael Glover, The Fateful Battle Line is perhaps the most remarkable and enduring original work to have come out of the First World War in the last fifty years.
The Fatwā in the Digital Age: What Are Muslim Millennials Looking For?
by Wael FarouqThe rise of a significantly large (and young) Muslim population in the West, possessing no historical tradition of being a minority in a non-Muslim environment, has led to a recurring debate about the integration of Muslims into Western societies and the compatibility of Islam with Western values. The proliferation of Islamic sites to which thousands of Western Muslims turn to request a fatwa, i.e. a religious legal opinion on any issue, hints at the urgency felt by these Muslims to find a way out of this conflictual dialectic, since most of their questions concern precisely how to reconcile Islamic principles with some aspect of modern life in the West. The pervasiveness of these internet fatwas is a striking phenomenon worth of study that can help finding answers to the longstanding debate about the integration of Muslims in the West and in modern societies. raising interesting questions: What do Muslims in Western societies ask these virtual muftis and why? Who are they? What are their desires and concerns? In their asking, are these Muslims seeking integration or separation? Do these questions reflect common clichés about Muslims, as conveyed by some Western media narratives or not? Do they reason as individuals or as members of a religious community? This book presents a scientific study aimed at answering these questions through a statistical and discourse analysis of a large corpus of more than ten thousand fatwa questions extracted from the huge fatwa databases available on the internet.
The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Altruists, Psychopaths and Everyone In-Between
by Abigail Marsh'A riveting ride through your own brain' - Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of OriginalsWINNER of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology's book prize for 'The Promotion of Social and Personality Science'If humans are fundamentally good, why do we engage in acts of great cruelty? If we are evil, why do we sometimes help others at a cost to ourselves? Whether humans are good or evil is a question that has plagued philosophers and scientists for as long as there have been philosophers and scientists.Many argue that we are fundamentally selfish, and only the rules and laws of our societies and our own relentless efforts of will can save us from ourselves. But is this really true? Abigail Marsh is a social neuroscientist who has closely studied the brains of both the worst and the best among us-from children with psychopathic traits whose families live in fear of them, to adult altruists who have given their own kidneys to strangers. Her groundbreaking findings suggest a possibility that is more optimistic than the dominant view. Humans are not good or evil, but are equally (and fundamentally) capable of good and evil.In The Fear Factor Marsh explores the human capacity for caring, drawing on cutting edge research findings from clinical, translational and brain imaging investigations on the nature of empathy, altruism, and aggression and brings us closer to understanding the basis of humans' social nature.'You won't be able to put it down' - Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness'[It] reads like a thriller... One of the most mind-opening books I have read in years' - Matthieu Ricard, author of Altruism
The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Altruists, Psychopaths, And Everyone In-between
by Abigail Marsh"A riveting ride through your own brain." --Adam GrantHow the brains of psychopaths and heroes show that humans are wired to be goodAt fourteen, Amber could boast of killing her guinea pig, threatening to burn down her home, and seducing men in exchange for gifts. She used the tools she had available to get what she wanted, like all children. But unlike other children, she didn't care about the damage she inflicted. A few miles away, Lenny Skutnik cared so much about others that he jumped into an ice-cold river to save a drowning woman. What is responsible for the extremes of generosity and cruelty humans are capable of? By putting psychopathic children and extreme altruists in an fMRI, acclaimed psychologist Abigail Marsh found that the answer lies in how our brain responds to others' fear. While the brain's amygdala makes most of us hardwired for good, its variations can explain heroic and psychopathic behavior.A path-breaking read, The Fear Factor is essential for anyone seeking to understand the heights and depths of human nature."You won't be able to put it down."--Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness"[It] reads like a thriller... One of the most mind-opening books I have read in years." --Matthieu Ricard, Author of Altruism
The Fear of Snakes: Evolutionary and Psychobiological Perspectives on Our Innate Fear (The Science of the Mind)
by Nobuyuki KawaiThis book provides a series of compelling evidence that shows that humans have innate fear of snakes. Building on the previous studies on the Snake Detection Theory (SDT), the author presents a summary of psychological and neuropsychological experiments to explain the fear of snakes in humans and primates. Readers will come to understand why and how we are afraid of snakes from an evolutionary perspective.The first half of the book discusses the history of psychological behaviorism and neobehaviorism. The latter half of the book consists mainly of the experimental studies performed by the author with a focus on three key items: First, compared with other animals, snakes especially draw the attention of primates and humans. Second, the ability of primates and humans to recognize snakes with particular efficiency. Third, processing mechanisms within the brain for snake detection is discussed from a new viewpointThe book offers a unique resource for all primatologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, anthropologists, herpetologists, and biologists who are interested in the evolution of visual and cognitive systems, mechanisms of fear, snakes or primates.
The Fear-free Organization
by Paul Brown Sue Paterson Joan KingsleyLeadership that makes a difference takes guts and confidence, plus belief in oneself and belief in the key players in the organization. It is built on trust, not fear. Scared people spend a lot more time plotting their survival than working productively, so The Fear- Free Organization has zero tolerance for bullies, vicious gossip, undermining behaviours, hijacking tactics, political jockeying for position or favouritism. Instead, it works on inspiration. Evidence from the new frontiers of neuroscience shows that individuals and organizations are more successful when people are encouraged to take risks, to explore new ideas, and to channel their energies in ways that work for them. The The Fear -Free Organization is a ground-breaking new book that reveals how our new understanding of the neurobiology of the self - how the brain constructs the person - can transform for the better the way our businesses and organizations work.
The Fears of the Rich, The Needs of the Poor: My Years at the CDC
by William W. FoegeWilliam H. Foege, one of the most respected leaders in global public health, takes readers on a tour of his time at the CDC.In its seventy years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has evolved from a malaria control program to an institution dedicated to improving health for all people across the world. The Fears of the Rich, The Needs of the Poor is a revealing account of the CDC’s development by its former director, public health luminary William H. Foege.Dr. Foege tells the stories of pivotal moments in public health, including the eradication of smallpox (made possible due in part to Foege’s research) and the discovery of Legionnaires’ disease, Reye syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, and HIV/AIDS. With good humor and optimism, he recounts the various crises he surmounted, from threats of terrorist attacks to contentious congressional hearings and funding cuts. Highlighting the people who made possible some of public health’s biggest successes, Foege outlines the work required behind the scenes and describes the occasional tensions between professionals in the field and the politicians in charge of oversight. In recent years, global public health initiatives have come from unanticipated sources. Giants in the field now include President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, who promote programs aimed at neglected diseases. Melinda and Bill Gates have invigorated the field through research and direct program support, especially in the area of vaccine-preventable diseases. And the Merck Mectizan program has dramatically reduced river blindness in Africa. Foege has been involved in all of these efforts, among others, and he brings to this book the knowledge and wisdom derived from a long and accomplished career. The Fears of the Rich, The Needs of the Poor is an inviting but unvarnished account of that career and offers a plethora of lessons for those interested in public health.
The Feathery Tribe
by Daniel LewisAmateurs and professionals studying birds at the end of the nineteenth century were a contentious, passionate group with goals that intersected, collided and occasionally merged in their writings and organizations. Driven by a desire to advance science, as well as by ego, pride, honor, insecurity, religion and other clashing sensibilities, they struggled to absorb the implications of evolution after Darwin. In the process, they dramatically reshaped the study of birds. Daniel Lewis here explores the professionalization of ornithology through one of its key figures: Robert Ridgway, the Smithsonian Institution’s first curator of birds and one of North America’s most important natural scientists. Exploring a world in which the uses of language, classification and accountability between amateurs and professionals played essential roles, Lewis offers a vivid introduction to Ridgway and shows how his work fundamentally influenced the direction of American and international ornithology. He explores the inner workings of the Smithsonian and the role of collectors working in the field and reveals previously unknown details of the ornithological journalThe Aukand the untold story of the color dictionaries for which Ridgway is known.
The Feeding of Nations: Redefining Food Security for the 21st Century
by Mark GibsonIn the last decade, the world has grown richer and produced more food than ever before. Yet in that same period, hunger has increased and 925 million remain underfed and malnourished. Exploring this troubling paradox, The Feeding of Nations: Re-Defining Food Security for the 21st Century offers a glimpse into how the simple aspiration of global foo
The Feeling of Life Itself: Why Consciousness Is Widespread but Can't Be Computed (The\mit Press Ser.)
by Christof KochAn argument that consciousness, more widespread than previously assumed, is the feeling of being alive, not a type of computation or a clever hack.In The Feeling of Life Itself, Christof Koch offers a straightforward definition of consciousness as any subjective experience, from the most mundane to the most exalted—the feeling of being alive. Psychologists study which cognitive operations underpin a given conscious perception. Neuroscientists track the neural correlates of consciousness in the brain, the organ of the mind. But why the brain and not, say, the liver? How can the brain, three pounds of highly excitable matter, a piece of furniture in the universe, subject to the same laws of physics as any other piece, give rise to subjective experience? Koch argues that what is needed to answer these questions is a quantitative theory that starts with experience and proceeds to the brain. In The Feeling of Life Itself, Koch outlines such a theory, based on integrated information.Koch describes how the theory explains many facts about the neurology of consciousness and how it has been used to build a clinically useful consciousness meter. The theory predicts that many, and perhaps all, animals experience the sights and sounds of life; consciousness is much more widespread than conventionally assumed. Contrary to received wisdom, however, Koch argues that programmable computers will not have consciousness. Even a perfect software model of the brain is not conscious. Its simulation is fake consciousness. Consciousness is not a special type of computation—it is not a clever hack. Consciousness is about being.
The Fellowship: The Story of a Revolution
by John GribbinFrom the bestselling author of Science: A History comes the enthralling story of a revolution that shook the world. Seventeenth-century England was racked by civil war, plague and fire; a world ruled by superstition and ignorance. A series of meetings of 'natural philosophers' in Oxford and London saw the beginning of a new method of thinking based on proof and experiment. John Gribbin's gripping, colourful account of this unparalleled time of discovery explores the impact of the Royal Society, culminating with Isaac Newton's revolutionary description of the universe and Edmund Halley's prediction of the return of a comet in 1759. This compelling book shows the triumph not as the work of one isolated genius, but of a Fellowship.