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A Mathematical Nature Walk
by John AdamHow heavy is that cloud? Why can you see farther in rain than in fog? Why are the droplets on that spider web spaced apart so evenly? If you have ever asked questions like these while outdoors, and wondered how you might figure out the answers, this is a book for you. An entertaining and informative collection of fascinating puzzles from the natural world around us, A Mathematical Nature Walk will delight anyone who loves nature or math or both. John Adam presents ninety-six questions about many common natural phenomena--and a few uncommon ones--and then shows how to answer them using mostly basic mathematics. Can you weigh a pumpkin just by carefully looking at it? Why can you see farther in rain than in fog? What causes the variations in the colors of butterfly wings, bird feathers, and oil slicks? And why are large haystacks prone to spontaneous combustion? These are just a few of the questions you'll find inside. Many of the problems are illustrated with photos and drawings, and the book also has answers, a glossary of terms, and a list of some of the patterns found in nature. About a quarter of the questions can be answered with arithmetic, and many of the rest require only precalculus. But regardless of math background, readers will learn from the informal descriptions of the problems and gain a new appreciation of the beauty of nature and the mathematics that lies behind it.
Mathematical Optimization of Water Networks (International Series Of Numerical Mathematics Series #162)
by Alexander Martin Kathrin Klamroth Jens Lang Günter Leugering Antonio Morsi Martin Oberlack Manfred Ostrowski Roland RosenWater supply- and drainage systems and mixed water channel systems are networks whose high dynamic is determined and/or affected by consumer habits on drinking water on the one hand and by climate conditions, in particular rainfall, on the other hand. According to their size, water networks consist of hundreds or thousands of system elements. Moreover, different types of decisions (continuous and discrete) have to be taken in the water management. The networks have to be optimized in terms of topology and operation by targeting a variety of criteria. Criteria may for example be economic, social or ecological ones and may compete with each other. The development of complex model systems and their use for deriving optimal decisions in water management is taking place at a rapid pace. Simulation and optimization methods originating in Operations Research have been used for several decades; usually with very limited direct cooperation with applied mathematics. The research presented here aims at bridging this gap, thereby opening up space for synergies and innovation. It is directly applicable for relevant practical problems and has been carried out in cooperation with utility and dumping companies, infrastructure providers and planning offices. A close and direct connection to the practice of water management has been established by involving application-oriented know-how from the field of civil engineering. On the mathematical side all necessary disciplines were involved, including mixed-integer optimization, multi-objective and facility location optimization, numerics for cross-linked dynamic transportation systems and optimization as well as control of hybrid systems. Most of the presented research has been supported by the joint project „Discret-continuous optimization of dynamic water systems“ of the federal ministry of education and research (BMBF).
Mathematical Paradigms of Climate Science
by Fabio Ancona Piermarco Cannarsa Christopher Jones Alessandro PortaluriThis book, featuring a truly interdisciplinary approach, provides an overview of cutting-edge mathematical theories and techniques that promise to play a central role in climate science. It brings together some of the most interesting overview lectures given by the invited speakers at an important workshop held in Rome in 2013 as a part of MPE2013 ("Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013"). The aim of the workshop was to foster the interaction between climate scientists and mathematicians active in various fields linked to climate sciences, such as dynamical systems, partial differential equations, control theory, stochastic systems, and numerical analysis. Mathematics and statistics already play a central role in this area. Likewise, computer science must have a say in the efforts to simulate the Earth's environment on the unprecedented scale of petabytes. In the context of such complexity, new mathematical tools are needed to organize and simplify the approach. The growing importance of data assimilation techniques for climate modeling is amply illustrated in this volume, which also identifies important future challenges.
Mathematics in Nature: Modeling Patterns in the Natural World
by John AdamFrom rainbows, river meanders, and shadows to spider webs, honeycombs, and the markings on animal coats, the visible world is full of patterns that can be described mathematically. Examining such readily observable phenomena, this book introduces readers to the beauty of nature as revealed by mathematics and the beauty of mathematics as revealed in nature. Generously illustrated, written in an informal style, and replete with examples from everyday life, Mathematics in Nature is an excellent and undaunting introduction to the ideas and methods of mathematical modeling. It illustrates how mathematics can be used to formulate and solve puzzles observed in nature and to interpret the solutions. In the process, it teaches such topics as the art of estimation and the effects of scale, particularly what happens as things get bigger. Readers will develop an understanding of the symbiosis that exists between basic scientific principles and their mathematical expressions as well as a deeper appreciation for such natural phenomena as cloud formations, halos and glories, tree heights and leaf patterns, butterfly and moth wings, and even puddles and mud cracks. Developed out of a university course, this book makes an ideal supplemental text for courses in applied mathematics and mathematical modeling. It will also appeal to mathematics educators and enthusiasts at all levels, and is designed so that it can be dipped into at leisure.
Mathematics of Planet Earth: Protecting Our Planet, Learning from the Past, Safeguarding for the Future (Mathematics of Planet Earth #5)
by Hans G. Kaper Fred S. RobertsSince its inception in 2013, Mathematics of Planet Earth (MPE) focuses on mathematical issues arising in the study of our planet. Interested in the impact of human activities on the Earth’s system, this multidisciplinary field considers the planet not only as a physical system, but also as a system supporting life, a system organized by humans, and a system at risk. The articles collected in this volume demonstrate the breadth of techniques and tools from mathematics, statistics, and operations research used in MPE. Topics include climate modeling, the spread of infectious diseases, stability of ecosystems, ecosystem services, biodiversity, infrastructure restoration after an extreme event, urban environments, food security, and food safety. Demonstrating the mathematical sciences in action, this book presents real-world challenges for the mathematical sciences, highlighting applications to issues of current concern to society. Arranged into three topical sections (Geo- and Physical Sciences; Life Sciences, Ecology and Evolution; Socio-economics and Infrastructure), thirteen chapters address questions such as how to measure biodiversity, what mathematics can say about the sixth mass extinction, how to optimize the long-term human use of natural capital, and the impact of data on infrastructure management. The book also treats the subject of infectious diseases with new examples and presents an introduction to the mathematics of food systems and food security. Each chapter functions as an introduction that can be studied independently, offering source material for graduate student seminars and self-study. The range of featured research topics provides mathematical scientists with starting points for the study of our planet and the impact of human activities. At the same time, it offers application scientists a plethora of modern mathematical tools and techniques to address the various topics in practice. Including hundreds of references to the vast literature associated with each topic, this book serves as an inspiration for further research.
Matsutake Worlds (Studies in Social Analysis #12)
by Lieba Faier and Michael J. HathawayThe matsutake mushroom continues to be a highly sought delicacy, especially in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisine. Matsutake Worlds explores this mushroom through the lens of multi-species encounters centered around the matsutake’s notorious elusiveness. The mushroom’s success, the contributors of this volume argue, cannot be accounted for by any one cultural, social, political, or economic process. Rather, the matsutake mushroom has flourished as the result of a number of different processes and dynamics, culminating in the culinary institution we know today.
Mattias's Crossing
by Eva ApelqvistMattias is getting ready to leave for his hockey game when his mother suddenly falls ill. His father is away tending their reindeer herd, so it’s up to Mattias to get her down the mountain through the snow and ice and find emergency help.
The Mauritius Command (Aubrey/Maturin Novels #Vol. Book 4)
by Patrick O'BrianCaptain Jack Aubrey is ashore on half pay without a command—until Stephen Maturin arrives with secret orders for Aubrey to take a frigate to the Cape of Good Hope under a commodore's pennant, there to mount an expedition against the French-held islands of Mauritius and La Réunion. But the difficulties of carrying out his orders are compounded by two of his own captains—Lord Clonfert, a pleasure-seeking dilettante, and Captain Corbett, whose severity pushes his crew to the verge of mutiny.
Mauritius: A successful Small Island Developing State (Europa Perspectives: Emerging Economies)
by Boopen Seetanah Raja Vinesh Sannassee Robin NunkooThe economic upturn and performance of Mauritius is a far cry from predictions made in the 1960s. The island’s remarkable economic performance since the 1980s can been attributed to a multitude of factors instrumental to the success of the economy, including structural reforms, outward looking export orientated strategies, diversification in the manufacturing, tourism and financial services sectors amongst others, sound economic governance and institutions, and significant investment in human capital. This book attempts to provide a detailed analysis of the various key ingredients which have helped to propel Mauritius to its current status. The various chapters provide important readings for both academics and policymakers, with the final chapter providing key policy strategies which the government needs to implement to help Mauritius graduate to the next level of development: namely to that of a high-income economy and, in moving out of the middle-income trap, laying the foundations for future growth and shared prosperity in the light of both domestic challenges and global constraints.
Maverick Gardeners: Dr. Dirt and Other Determined Independent Gardeners
by Felder Rushing“Be forewarned that this book honors people like the woman in my hometown who paints the numbers of her favorite NASCAR drivers on her elephant ears, and a Tokyo gardener with over a hundred bonsai plants.” So says renowned garden journalist Felder Rushing in his new book Maverick Gardeners: Dr. Dirt and Other Determined Independent Gardeners. In this book, Felder delves deeply into the psychology of what motivates and sustains the Keepers of the Garden Flame. For thousands of years, a loosely connected web of unique, nontraditional gardeners has bonded people across race, culture, language, and other social conventions through sharing unique plants and stories. Found in nearly every neighborhood worldwide, these “determined independent gardeners” (DIGrs) are typically nonjoiners who garden simply and exuberantly, eschewing customary horticultural standards in their amateur pursuits of personal bliss. Included in Maverick Gardeners are classic “passalong plant” lists, a dollop of how-to, numerous color photographs, and thought-provoking essays on quintessential tools, sharing with others, getting away with wildflowers in suburbia, and organizing a plant swap. The centerpiece of this unique gardening journey is the no-holds-barred story of a ten-year cross-cultural collaboration between the horticulturist author and a flamboyant rebellious gardener who called himself Dirt. Through swapping plants and garden lore—and rubbing shoulders with fellow DIGrs—they unraveled their shared humanity. From the practical to the inspiring, Maverick Gardeners is the perfect book for those nonconformist souls who see no sense in trying to fit in and follow the footpaths of others.
Mavis
by Brenda K. Marshall[From the back cover:] Mavis Schmidt Holmstead has always been the strong one. The oldest of six sisters who grew up on a North Dakota farm, Mavis has spent a lifetime comforting and cooking, mending and managing. Now a man is dead, and the confessed murderer is Mavis--widow, mother, grandmother, matriarch. Soon her sisters gather together, not only to support Mavis, but to discover the truth. She must be lying about the murder, but why? To answer that question, buried secrets are exposed, revealing shocking truths that are both harrowing and redemptive...
Mawson's Will: The Greatest Survival Story Ever Written
by Sir Edmund Hillary Lennard BickelMAWSON'S WILL is the dramatic story of what Sir Edmund Hillary calls "the most outstanding solo journey ever recorded in Antarctic history." For weeks in Antarctica, Douglas Mawson faced some of the most daunting conditions ever known to man: blistering wind, snow, and cold; loss of his companion, his dogs and supplies, the skin on his hands and the soles of his feet; thirst, starvation, disease, snowblindness - and he survived. Sir Douglas Mawson is remembered as the young Australian who would not go to the South Pole with Robert Scott in 1911, choosing instead to lead his own expedition on the less glamorous mission of charting nearly 1,500 miles of Antarctic coastline and claiming its resources for the British Crown. His party of three set out through the mountains across glaciers in 60-mile-per-hour winds. Six weeks and 320 miles out, one man fell into a crevasse, along with the tent, most of the equipment, all of the dogs' food, and all except a week's supply of the men's provisions.Mawson's Will is the unforgettable story of one man's ingenious practicality and unbreakable spirit and how he continued his meticulous scientific observations even in the face of death. When the expedition was over, Mawson had added more territory to the Antarctic map than anyone else of his time. Thanks to Bickel's moving account, Mawson can be remembered for the vision and dedication that make him one of the world's great explorers."A riveting account . . . makes Mawson's achievement a symbol of the desire to live." -- The New York Times Book Review"A powerful reading experience." -- Publishers WeeklyFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Max and Kate: At the Planetarium
by Mick ManningDid you know you can explore space and visit the stars from right here on planet Earth? Follow along with Max and Kate as they visit a science museum and learn about the night sky.
Max and the Tag-Along Moon
by Floyd CooperExperience the wonder of the moon following you home with a Coretta Scott King Award-winning illustrator! Great for Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day!Max loves his grandpa. When they must say good-bye after a visit, Grandpa promises Max that the moon at Grandpa’s house is the same moon that will follow him all the way home. On that swervy-curvy car ride back to his house, Max watches as the moon tags along. But when the sky darkens and the moon disappears behind clouds, he worries that it didn’t follow him home after all. Where did the moon go—and what about Grandpa’s promise? Floyd Cooper received the Coretta Scott King Award for The Blacker the Berry, three Coretta Scott King Honors for Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea, Meet Danitra Brown, and I Have Heard of a Land, and an NAACP image award. In Max and the Tag-Along Moon, his lush paintings perfectly capture the wonder of the moon, the love between grandfather and grandson, and that feeling of magic every child experiences when the moon follows him home.. “Coretta Scott King Award–winning Cooper has created a gentle, comforting story that will reassure children that those who love us are always with us.”—Booklist“Cooper uses his signature style to illustrate both the landscape--sometimes viewed from the car windows or reflected in the vehicle's mirror--and the expressive faces of his characters. Coupled with the story's lyrical text, this is a lovely mood piece. A quiet, warm look at the bond between grandfather and grandson.”—Kirkus Reviews
Max & Mo Go Apple Picking
by Brian Floca Patricia LakinMax and Mo are tired of eating corn. Luckily the big ones -- the kids -- just went apple picking. Everyone knows you can make applesauce with apples, but is there anything else you can make with them?
The Maximum of Wilderness: The Jungle in the American Imagination
by Kelly EnrightDanger in the Congo! The unexplored Amazon! Long perceived as a place of mystery and danger, and more recently as a fragile system requiring our protection, the tropical forest captivated America for over a century. In The Maximum of Wilderness, Kelly Enright traces the representation of tropical forests--what Americans have typically thought of as "jungles"--and their place in both our perception of "wildness" and the globalization of the environmental movement.In the early twentieth century, jungle adventure--as depicted by countless books and films, from Burroughs’s Tarzan novels to King Kong--had enormous mass appeal. Concurrent with the proliferation of a popular image of the jungle that masked many of its truths was the work of American naturalists who sought to represent an "authentic" view of tropical nature through museums, zoological and botanical gardens, books, and film. Enright examines the relationship between popular and scientific representations of the forest through the lives and work of Martin and Osa Johnson (who with films such as Congorilla and Simba blended authenticity with adventure), as well as renowned naturalists John Muir, William Beebe, David Fairchild, and Richard Evans Schultes. The author goes on to explore a startling shift at midcentury in the perception of the tropical forest--from the "jungle," a place that endangers human life, to the "rain forest," a place that is itself endangered.
Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever
by Ruth SpiroBest friends Maxine and Leo combine their maker and artistic skills to create (and save!) the ultimate garden in this empowering, STEM-focused picture bookAfter sketching and plotting and planting, Maxine and Leo know they've made The Greatest Garden Ever! But they're not the only ones who think so. Soon, all sorts of animals make their way in, munching on carrots and knocking over pots. When Leo and Maxine can't agree on a way to deter these unwelcome critters, it looks like there's more on the line than saving their garden--they just might need to save their friendship too.
May Saves the Day
by Laura GehlFrom her trendy suit to her messenger bag, May is the picture of a successful businesswoman. After all, she is founder and sole proprietor of Word Saver, Inc. Carrying her trusty bag of letters, May saves the day again and again, turning angry BEES into playful BEETS and a rampaging BEAR into a silly BEARD. Stu begs to be her sidekick, but May insists that a businesswoman does not need a sidekick. However, May quickly realizes that teamwork may be the word of the day when a tornado threatens the town. Author Laura Gehl brings word play to a new level in this adventurous and humorous picture book, featuring spirited art by Serena Lombardo.
Maya Lin, Public Art, and the Confluence Project (Routledge Focus on Art History and Visual Studies)
by Matthew ReynoldsThe first scholarly monograph devoted exclusively to this vital work of contemporary public art, this book examines Maya Lin’s Confluence Project through the lens of environmental humanities and Indigenous studies. Matthew Reynolds provides a detailed analysis of each earthwork, along with a discussion of the proposed final project at Celilo Falls near The Dalles, Oregon. The book assesses the artist’s longtime engagement with the region of the Pacific Northwest and explores the Confluence Project within Lin’s larger oeuvre. Several consistent themes and experiences are common amongst all the sites. These include an emphasis on individual, multisensory encounters with the earthworks and their surrounding contexts; sound as an experiential dimension of landscape; indexical accounts of the multicultural, multispecies histories of each place; and an evocation of loss. The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, contemporary art, environmental studies, environmental humanities, and Native American studies.
The Maya Tropical Forest: People, Parks, and Ancient Cities
by James D. NationsThe Maya Tropical Forest, which occupies the lowlands of southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, is the closest rainforest to the United States and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Western Hemisphere. It has been home to the Maya peoples for nearly four millennia, starting around 1800 BC. Ancient cities in the rainforest such as Palenque, Yaxchilan, Tikal, and Caracol draw thousands of tourists and scholars seeking to learn more about the prehistoric Maya. Their contemporary descendants, the modern Maya, utilize the forest's natural resources in village life and international trade, while striving to protect their homeland from deforestation and environmental degradation. Writing for both visitors and conservationists, James Nations tells the fascinating story of how ancient and modern Maya peoples have used and guarded the rich natural resources of the Maya Tropical Forest. He opens with a natural history that profiles the forest's significant animals and plants. Nations then describes the Maya peoples, biological preserves, and major archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of conservation work in the Maya Tropical Forest, Nations tells first-hand stories of the creation of national parks and other protected areas to safeguard the region's natural resources and archaeological heritage. He concludes with an expert assessment of the forest's future in which he calls for expanded archaeological tourism to create an ecologically sustainable economic base for the region.
Maybe One
by Bill MckibbenFrom the groundbreaking, bestselling author of The End of Nature, a controversial and provocative book arguing that to help the planet we should begin to voluntarily limit our numbers. Bill McKibben's books and essays on our environment -- physical and spiritual -- have shaped and spurred debate since The End of Nature was published in 1989. Then, he sounded one of the earliest alarms about global warming; the decade of science since has proved his prescience. Now, in Maybe One, he takes on the most controversial of environmental problems -- population. We live in a unique and dangerous time, he asserts, when the planet's limits are being tested and voluntary reductions in American childbearing could make a crucial difference. The father of a single child himself, McKibben maintains that bringing one, and no more than one, child into this world will hurt neither your family nor our nation -- indeed, it can be an optimistic step toward the future. Maybe One is not just an environmental argument but a highly personal and philosophical one. McKibben cites new and extensive research about the developmental strengths of only children; he finds that single kids are not spoiled, weird, selfish, or asocial, but pretty much the same as everyone else. McKibben recognizes that the transition to a stable population size won't be easy or pain-free but ultimately is inevitable. Maybe One provides the basis for provocative, powerful thought and discussion that will influence our thinking for decades to come.
A Maze of Stars and Spring Water
by Bing XinA Maze of Stars & Spring Water is a collection of poems directly inspired by the poetic forms that emerged after the May Fourth Movement. Specifically, the “mini poem,” which by Bing Xin’s own admission, hadn’t quite existed before she started experimenting with its form. Inspired by Tagore’s Stray Birds, she started gathering her “scattered and fragmentary thoughts,” not originally intended as poetry, but which would eventually become the present collection. The popularity of the poems and the distinction of the form led the genre to become known as the “Bingxin style.”
McBroom the Rainmaker
by Sid FleischmanFarmer McBroom decides to put an end to the drought. Adventures Of McBroom.
McDougal Littell Science: Ecology
by James Trefil Rita Ann Calvo Kenneth CutlerScientists are curious. Since ancient times, they have been asking and answering questions about the world around them. Scientists are also very suspicious of the answers they get. They carefully collect evidence and test their answers many times before accepting an idea as correct. In this book you will see how scientific knowledge keeps growing and changing as scientists ask new questions and rethink what was known before.
McElligot's Pool
by Dr SeussA young man dreams of all the fish that might just be coming to be caught in McElligot's pool, from whales, to dogfish, from catfish to eels. Let your imagination run wild in this delightful story.