Bøger udgivet af Prometheus Books

Two leading physicists discuss the importance of the Higgs Boson, the future of particle physics, and the mysteries of the universe yet to be unraveled. On July 4, 2012, the long-sought Higgs Boson--aka "the God Particle"--was discovered at the world's largest particle accelerator, the LHC, in Geneva, Switzerland. On March 14, 2013, physicists at CERN confirmed it. This elusive subatomic particle forms a field that permeates the entire universe, creating the masses of the elementary particles that are the basic building blocks of everything in the known world--from viruses to elephants, from atoms to quasars. Starting where Nobel Laureate Leon Lederman's bestseller The God Particle left off, this incisive new book explains what's next. Lederman and Hill discuss key questions that will occupy physicists for years to come: * Why were scientists convinced that something like the "God Particle" had to exist?* What new particles, forces, and laws of physics lie beyond the "God Particle"?* What powerful new accelerators are now needed for the US to recapture a leadership role in science and to reach "beyond the God Particle," such as Fermilab's planned Project-X and the Muon Collider? Using thoughtful, witty, everyday language, the authors show how all of these intriguing questions are leading scientists ever deeper into the fabric of nature. Readers of The God Particle will not want to miss this important sequel.

In this compilation of expert articles, internationally recognized homicide investigators, most of them pioneers in developing the science and the art of profiling, share their insights gained from years of experience tracking the perpetrators of some of the most notorious crimes. Among the subjects discussed are: dealing with hostage situations, child abduction and murder in the David Meirhofer case, interviewing Jeffrey Dahmer, autoerotic murder, the challenges of creating psychological profiles, the use of forensic linguistics to track the Unabomber, assaultative eye injury ("enucleation"), and geographic profiling.A must for readers of true crime, forensic investigations, and murder mysteries, this unique collection of revealing articles offers a chilling and unparalleled glimpse into the workings of the criminal mind.

Quantum theory is the bedrock of contemporary physics and the basis of understanding matter in its tiniest dimensions and the vast universe as a whole. But for many, the theory remains an impenetrable enigma. Now, two physicists seek to remedy this situation by both drawing on their scientific expertise and their talent for communicating science to the general reader. In this lucid, informative book, designed for the curious, they make the seemingly daunting subject of quantum physics accessible, appealing, and exciting. Their story is partly historical, covering the many "Eureka" moments when great scientists-Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, and others-struggled to come to grips with the bizarre realities that quantum research revealed. Although their findings were indisputably proven in experiments, they were so strange and counterintuitive that Einstein refused to accept quantum theory, despite its great success. The authors explain the many strange and even eerie aspects of quantum reality at the subatomic level, from "particles" that can be many places simultaneously and sometimes act more like waves, to the effect that a human can have on their movements by just observing them! Finally, the authors delve into quantum physics' latest and perhaps most breathtaking offshoots-field theory and string theory. The intricacies and ramifications of these two theories will give the reader much to ponder. In addition, the authors describe the diverse applications of quantum theory in its almost countless forms of modern technology throughout the world. Using eloquent analogies and illustrative examples, this book renders even the most profound reaches of quantum theory understandable and something for us all to savor.

When the U.S. Capitol was stormed in 2021, it was an attack on the very idea of America as a pluralist democracy. It was also a reminder that the worst threat to the United States today doesn't come from any foreign despot, but from domestic racism. In The White Storm, the journalist and author Martin Gelin looks back at two decades as a political correspondent and three centuries of American history to understand this moment of crisis. In the vein of Alexis de Tocqueville or Tony Judt, fellow Europeans who travelled America searching for answers to its political contradictions, this is a journey across time and space, from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello to the slave plantations of Louisiana, from mass prisons in rural Arizona to memorials for lynching victims in Alabama. The book reveals how every step forward for Black Americans is met with a fierce backlash from white Americans, taking two recurring forms: violent extremism and a flight from the commons. The white backlash always grows in proportion to the black advances. After Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, a Black man at a polling station in Detroit said: "We used to pick cotton, now we pick presidents." It is precisely this Black agency that white nationalists refuse to accept. The White Storm reveals how racism has permeated almost every significant conflict in America's past. Now it threatens American democracy itself.

The new millennium. The Year 2000. Beyond Mayan prophecies, a more immediate danger loomed: Two-digit year date fields had been used by software programmers to conserve expensive computer storage space for decades. As a consequence, legacy systems reading "00" on January 1, 2000 would most probably interpret the date as 1900. Infrastructurescritical to civilization--including heat, electricity, water and sanitation--were at risk, all complete unknowns. There was fear of an accidental nuclear arms deployment. There was fear of monetary systems being jeopardized, infrastructure collapse, internet securities failures, and lapse of government-provided social programs. Banks experienced runs and law firms worked overtime to develop never-before-seen litigation plans. Year 2000: The Inside Story of Y2K Panic shares the untold story of the actors operating on the global stage responsible for managing computer hardware and software for Year 2000 compliance, thus keeping national infrastructures, finance, and commerce functioning. It turned out that the world did not end January 1, 2000. In fact, most people rang in the new year with the perception that nothing happened at all. This positive outcome was not a stroke of luck, nor was it because people overestimated or exaggerated Y2K risk. It was only possible because people across industries, from legal clerks to programmers to President Bill Clinton himself, worked tirelessly to offset disaster. But the millennium did not pass by completely harmlessly: it turns out that the United States, for a brief period, lost all satellite reconnaissance at 7:00 PM EST, midnight GMT, December 31, 1999.As a leading consultant and speaker on the challenges of Y2K during the lead-up to the new millennium, author Nancy P. James was directly involved in planning for Y2K on the local and global stage. Using first-person experience, primary source documents outlining Y2K fears, and the actions, influences, opinions, and strategies of those involved, James reveals the untold story of the behind-the-scenes scrambling that made Y2K - seemingly - come and go, and offers stark lessons on how the global community can unite to face problems that challenge our world at large.

J. Craig Wheeler, a leading astrophysicist and former president of the American Astronomical Society, argues that we must take charge of our technology now, before we lose the ability to control it, which many estimate will happen around 2040, if not sooner. He reviews today's technology in crucial areas that will have the greatest impact on our futures -- artificial intelligence, robotics, brain/computer interfaces, and genetic engineering -- and shows us how these technologies are interrelated and where they are heading. We are developing autonomous self-evolving machines that are already vastly smarter and faster than we are in many ways -- able to strategize and perhaps even potentially capable of becoming sentient mind-readers. Our understanding of the structure and function of DNA and proteins along with new techniques like CRISPR give us unprecedented power to manipulate our own biology, to cure disease, and maybe to control our own evolution, producing designer babies, lab-grown brains, and artificial life. He describes how all technology is developing at an increasingly swift pace that makes these issues more urgent than ever. There is likely to be a tipping point when change occurs at a pace so rapid that humans are not able to adjust, either individually or as a society. He then outlines the disruptions to our social, economic, and democratic systems these advances are likely to cause. Will there be jobs for those willing to work? Will social media companies manipulate us so cleverly that we lose our free will? Will AI nudge us to vote in certain ways, or even vote for us? If many people mentally connect, will a possible outcome be a single shared mind where our individuality dissolves, and we become a single entity? Have humans outgrown Earth's resources? Must we limit the population? If we solve the ageing problem, what do we do with the new babies? What are the prospects of migrating to space?To maintain control, Wheeler argues that we must be informed. Only by understanding this era of accelerating change and its implications -- both promising and frightening -- will we gain the ability to control the technological developments that will dominate our lives. Throughout, he stresses the ethical and moral challenges that the new technology poses. Finally, he offers advice on what we must do to avoid a fate akin to a frog in a warming pot. On a personal level, we must cultivate an awareness mindset -- to stay consciously aware of the onrush of technology. Building on that collective awareness, he offers clear and practical ways in which we can take control -- if we start now.

Behind Bars is filled with stories both ancient and urgent of what happens when alcohol meets crime, from illicit stills in the Scottish Highlands to moonshine in the USA, rum smuggled by Caribbean pirates, the roaring times of Prohibition, to current-day gangs selling millions of dollars' worth of fake Bordeaux and the often-unsolved cases of people walking into a liquor store, stealing whiskey bottles worth tens of thousands of dollars, and walking out, never to be seen again.Award-winning travel and drinks writer Mike Gerrard takes readers on a centuries-long journey highlighting the most bizarre - and expensive - alcohol-related crimes all while revealing the inside world of booze: how it has been distilled, legislated, imbibed, and infused into culture and society for hundreds of years. Discover the evolution of the world-leading whiskey industry in Scotland; how the war in Ukraine has impacted illicit vodka rings; how Southern smugglers laid the foundation for NASCAR; and the machinations behind the Whiskey Ring Scandal, a White-House Prohibition conspiracy involving high-ranking American officials under President Grant.These crimes have not died with Prohibition. In 2018 at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre scientists used radiocarbon-dating techniques to examine fifty-five bottles of rare and expensive Scotch whiskies. Twenty-one of them were found to be fake. Gerrard interviews today's leading experts that employ cutting-edge testing techniques to investigate suspect bottles of rare and high-priced alcohol. Fake booze goes back even further than that. Archaeologists excavating around Pompeii in Campania, Italy, a region whose wine was much sought-after and expensive, have uncovered evidence that local wine merchants were filling amphorae with wine from other parts of Italy and passing it off as the real thing. Behind Bars smartly and swiftly shows that the link between alcohol and crime is a never-ending story.

Steady, Calm, and Brave is a practical guidebook for life's most difficult moments. Meditation teacher Kimberly Brown shows you how to meet unexpected circumstances--a serious health crisis, a looming natural disaster, a terrifying accident--with patience, clarity, and kindness. You'll learn how to support yourself and others with simple mindfulness exercises and compassion techniques drawn from the Buddhist tradition. These transformative practices will help you manage anxiety and cope with loss. You'll discover you can truly engage with your struggles and create a sense of ease and peace and resilience even in the worst moments. With relatable stories and beneficial Buddhist teachings, Steady, Calm, and Brave offers soothing support for anyone facing extraordinary challenges. It's a path to self-compassion and comfort in the midst of uncertainty, that illuminates how to survive a crisis without falling apart, running away, or losing your mind. With insightful reflections and exercises, you'll develop the wisdom and understanding you need to face intense difficulty, and the confidence to recognize you have all the tools you need to survive--and even thrive--in a crisis and beyond.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is not only an assault on the body--it is also an assault on the mind and spirit. In addition to imposing a significantly higher rate of conditions like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, suicidality, and substance abuse, the most devastating consequences of childhood sexual abuse is shame. Freedom at Last will help former victims recover from all aspects of this extreme shame and its damaging after-effects. In this groundbreaking book, leading psychotherapist Beverly Engel reveals the truth about how shame affects victims, explains the nuances behind the emotion of shame, and teaches readers how to develop more self-awareness about how shame has manifested in their lives, along with powerful and effective shame-reduction strategies. Not only does shame from CSA cause a multitude of problems, this very same shame stands in the way of a victim's ability to recover and heal..Freedom at Last offers effective strategies for not only healing the negative effects of abuse-related shame, but also the emotional barriers to disclosing abuse and seeking help due to difficulties trusting others and self-blame. Using cutting-edge research along with her thirty-five years of experience working with victims of child sexual abuse, Engel provides a blueprint for readers to overcome the debilitating effects of shame, including strategies for emotional release, disclosing the abuse, practicing self-forgiveness, eliminating shame-causing behaviors, including sexual compulsions and addictions.

From the Black Lives Matter movement to the health and economic disparities exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have been forced to reckon with our country's fraught history - and present - of racial bias and inequality. Now that we have scratched the surface on courageous conversations about race, many are wondering: what is the next step towards healing and justice? Lies About Black People: How to Combat Racist Stereotypes and Why it Matters is designed for anyone who wants to examine their own biases and behaviors with a deeper critical lens in order to take action, make change, and engage positively in the fight for racial equality. In this honest and welcoming book, diversity and inclusion expert, professor, and award-winning speaker Dr. Omekongo Dibinga argues that we must embark on a massive undertaking to re-educate ourselves on the stereotypes that have proven harmful, and too often deadly, to the Black community. Through personal anecdotes, nuanced historical inquiry, and engaging analysis of modern-day events and their historical context and implications, this invaluable guide will break down some of the most powerful lies told about Black people. Whether those lies are pernicious, like the idea that "most black people are criminals," or seemingly innocuous, like the notion that "black people can't swim," all of the lies and stereotypes combatted in this book are rooted in hate and continue to undermine not only Black people in America, but our society as a whole. Beyond combatting these harmful lies, Dr. Dibinga also provides readers with powerful insights on our racial vocabulary, reflective hands-on exercises that will allow readers to confront and change their own biases, and an honest discussion about how to move beyond misplaced shame and use privilege to serve others. Featuring personal surveys alongside real-life interviews with those who have been affected by racial biases first-hand, this open and thoughtful guide will lead readers on a path to understanding, action, and change.

At the turn of the twentieth century, a 1901 decree ordered the exhumation and relocation of over 150,000 graves in San Francisco- the only major metropolitan city in America to order a complete eviction of its dead. City of the Dead uncovers this fascinating and forgotten section of American history.

Perhaps no other television show captures our innate fascination with crime and criminals better than the original Forensic Files. Examining true crime cases from murders to insurance fraud, hit-and-runs to kidnappings, every case featured on the show is solved in large part with the help of forensic science like DNA evidence.In Forensic Files Now, author Rebecca Reisner shares her own gripping retellings of 40 favorite cases profiled on the show along with fascinating updates adapted from her popular blog, ForensicFilesNow.com. Featuring classic cases like the Tennessee brothers who terrorized locals for years until the feds rode into town, the Texas lovebirds who robbed a grave in an insurance fraud plot that made international headlines, the Ivy League-educated physician who attempted a fresh start by burying his wife in the basement, and some cases so captivating that they have sparked spinoff miniseries or documentaries of their own, the book will enthrall readers with its vivid recaps and detailed updates.Also featuring an in-depth interview with Forensic Files creator Paul Dowling and a profile on the show's beloved narrator, Peter Thomas, Forensic Files Now is a must-read for diehard Forensic Files fans and a welcome find for true crime readers who are always looking for more riveting and well-told stories.

When Ferrari of Los Gatos opened, few people could afford an expensive sports car. In 1976, the average annual income was $12,686, and a new home cost about $48,000. Motorists in California could only buy gas on odd or even-numbered days based on the last digit of their license plate, due to the global oil crisis. Times were tough, and people were hesitant to take chances, especially with a car that cost more than a house. At the same time, Brian Burnett and his friend Richard Rivoir had the idea of starting a Ferrari dealership. The Dealer is the story of how one dealership, Ferrari of Los Gatos, fueled the rise of the iconic Italian sports car in the U.S. market on its way to becoming the number one Ferrari dealer in North America. Even Enzo Ferrari himself took notice, flying Brian and the other dealers to Italy to show his appreciation for their success. Customers included movie stars, sports celebrities, entertainers, and some with unusual sources of income and a strong desire for a low profile. Along

In this lively and timely tour, neuroscientist Ruth DeFoster and mass communication professor Natashia Swalve lead readers through the history and psychology behind widespread cultural fears of innocuous things, beginning with the most personal fears within our own bodies and moving outward to the home, our country, and finally to culture at its largest level.

James Randi leaves a towering legacy as an internationally known magician, escape artist, and devoted investigator of the paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims that have captured the thinking of the public for generations. From ESP and psychokinesis, psychic detectives, levitation, psychic surgery, and even UFOs and astrology, Randi dedicated his life to exposing frauds and swindlers. Forty years after the original publication of his landmark book, Flim-Flam! remains a classic, with insights that are still relevant today - and perhaps even more so. In this timeless and timely book, Randi famously explores and exposes outrageous deceptions that plague our minds and media. Unafraid to call researchers to account for their failures and impostures, Randi tells us that we have been badly served by scientists who have failed to follow the procedures required by their training and traditions. Mr. Randi provides readers with a compelling and convincing document that will startle and enlighten all who continue to seek out the truth.

In this compelling argument for a new direction in U.S. energy policy, a world-renowned engineer and the bestselling author of "The Case for Mars" lays out a bold plan for breaking the economic stranglehold that the OPEC oil cartel has on our country and the world.

In the last few decades, as new reproductive technologies have been developed, couples desiring children have increasingly turned to various medical interventions when natural conception has been unsuccessful. These new technologies have raised ethical concerns from various quarters, including medical ethics committees, the American Fertility Society, and the Roman Catholic Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.In this informative overview of the ethical implications of reproductive technologies, philosopher Richard T. Hull offers a cross-section of the thinking of individuals specializing in the ethical and legal problems involved in this new area of medicine.The contributors reflect interests as varied as those of the enthusiastic proponent of the new reproductive technologies, the feminist opposing the exploitation of women, the social critic worrying about erosion of the responsibilities of parenting, and the traditionalist concerned with the transformation of the fundamental moral fabric and social character of the family. Many of the chapters include cases for further discussion and reflection. Also included are three speculative scenarios: selections from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and Gena Corea's report of the drive to develop an artificial womb.New to this edition are a glossary, which provides succinct definitions of highly technical terms and Web sites for further information, and a thorough index.This excellent collection of expert articles will stimulate appreciation of the complex and mutitiered character of moral decision-making as it is experienced by patients, medical professionals, and legislators and jurists charged with preserving, protecting, and applying justly the principles of society.

New treatments and advances in therapy for the ravages of Parkinson's disease are constantly being researched and perfected for patients, yet those afflicted still must endure tremors, poor balance, speech problems, and lessened psychological well-being. Patients and families need the most up-to-date information available to improve quality of care and life.This new, second edition of Caring for the Parkinson Patient covers a variety of topics, providing information and helpful suggestions for patients, families, and caregivers to aid them as they grapple with this chronic, debilitating neurological disorder. Sixteen accessible and information-packed essays by noted contributors address diagnosis and treatment, new research, communication, physical/ occupational therapy, nursing care, problems faced by the caregiver, emotional changes, "neurorehab," prevention of falls, sleep problems, surgery, community supports, the family, sexuality, and safe home environments.With a wealth of information, practical advice, and encouragement, Caring for the Parkinson Patient is an indispensable resource guide for all those touched by Parkinson's disease.

A milestone of child psychology, The Child's Conception of the World explores the ways in which the reasoning powers of young children differ from those of adults.

Warren Buffett-widely considered the most successful investor of all time-has repeatedly acknowledged Benjamin Graham as the primary influence on his investment approach. Indeed, there is a direct line between the record-shattering investing performance of Buffett (and other value investors) and Graham's life. In six books and dozens of papers, Graham-known as the "Dean of Wall Street"-left an extensive account of an investing system that, as Buffett can attest, actually works! This biography of Benjamin Graham, the first written with access to his posthumously published memoirs, explains Graham's most essential wealth-creation concepts while telling the colorful story of his amazing business career and his multifaceted, unconventional personal life. The author distills the best from Graham's extensive published works and draws from personal interviews he conducted with Warren Buffett, Charles Brandes, and many other top US and global value investors, as well as Graham's surviving children and friends. Warren Buffett once said, "No one ever became poor by reading Graham." Find out for yourself by reading Carlen's lively account of Benjamin Graham's fascinating life and time-tested techniques for generating wealth.

The enigmatic Nikola Tesla--stalked by his ever-present inner demons--invents the modern world. His astonishing story is that of a new-age god, a genius, a Zeus, a wonderful Wizard, yet a deeply troubled one. He tames the mysterious force called "electricity;" he dazzles the world with his endless inventions and discoveries; he blazes new paths in science that profoundly impact our daily lives; he turns fantasies into realities; his thought experiments disrupt scientific norms; he gives us many of the indispensable tools we use today; and famous actresses and chanteuses clamor for his attention as powerful men desire to be his friend . . . all before an astonished world. Yet all the while he keeps his own counsel, as he simultaneously struggles with the challenging consequences of bipolar disorder: flights of manic energy alternating with depressive depths of great despair. He shuns the clichés of a quotidian life, while forever seeking to "lift the burdens from the shoulders of mankind." It would become his li

The inspiring story of a little-known hero's pivotal role in the American Revolutionary WarDuring the brutal winter of 1775-1776, an untested Boston bookseller named Henry Knox commandeered an oxen train hauling sixty tons of cannons and other artillery from Fort Ticonderoga near the Canadian border. He and his men journeyed some three hundred miles south and east over frozen, often-treacherous terrain to supply George Washington for his attack of British troops occupying Boston. The result was the British surrender of Boston and the first major victory for the Colonial Army. This is one of the great stories of the American Revolution, still little known by comparison with the more famous battles of Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill. Told with a novelist's feel for narrative, character, and vivid description, The Noble Train brings to life the events and people at a time when the ragtag American rebels were in a desperate situation. Washington's army was withering away from desertion and expiring enlistments. Typhoid fever, typhus, and dysentery were taking a terrible toll. There was little hope of dislodging British General Howe and his 20,000 British troops in Boston--until Henry Knox arrived with his supply convoy of heavy armaments. Firing down on the city from the surrounding Dorchester Heights, these weapons created a decisive turning point. An act of near desperation fueled by courage, daring, and sheer tenacity led to a tremendous victory for the cause of independence.This exciting tale of daunting odds and undaunted determination highlights a pivotal episode that changed history.

The 1930s still conjure painful images: the great want of the Depression, and overseas, the exuberant crowds motivated by self-appointed national saviors dressing up old hatreds as new ideas. But there was another story that embodied mankind in that decade. In the same year that both Adolf Hitler and Franklin D. Roosevelt came to power, the city of Chicago staged what was, up to that time, the most forward-looking international exhibition in history. The 1933 World's Fair looked to the future, unabashedly, as one full of glowing promise. No technology loomed larger at the Fair than aviation. And no persons at the Fair captured the public's interest as much as the romantic figures associated with it: Italy's internationally renowned chief of aeronautics, Italo Balbo; German Zeppelin designer and captain, Doctor Hugo Eckener; and the husband-and-wife aeronaut team of Swiss-born Jean Piccard and Chicago-born Jeannette Ridlon Piccard. This golden age of aviation and its high priests and priestesses portended to

"The West will begin to understand Africa when it realizes it's not talking to a child--it's talking to its mother." So writes Jeff Pearce in the introduction to his fascinating, groundbreaking work, The Gifts of Africa: How a Continent and Its People Changed the World. We learn early on in school how Europe and Asia gave us important literature, science, and art, and how their nations changed the course of history. But what about Africa? There are plenty of books that detail its colonialism, corruption, famine, and war, but few that discuss the debt owed to African thinkers and innovators. In The Gifts of Africa, we meet Zera Yacob, an Ethiopian philosopher who developed the same critical approach and several of the same ideas as René Descartes. We consider how Somalis traded with China, and we meet the African warrior queens who still inspire national pride. We explore how Liberia's Edward Wilmot Blyden deeply influenced Marcus Garvey, and we sneak into the galleries and theaters of 1920s Paris, where Af

Salado Creek, Texas, 1918: Thirteen black soldiers stood at attention in front of gallows erected specifically for their hanging. They had been convicted of participating in one of America's most infamous black uprisings, the Camp Logan Mutiny, otherwise known as the 1917 Houston Riots. The revolt and ensuing riots were carried out by men of the 3rd Battalion of the all-black 24th U.S. Infantry Regiment--the famed Buffalo Soldiers--after members of the Houston Police Department violently menaced them and citizens of the local black community. It all took place over one single bloody night. In the wake of the uprising, scores lay dead, including bystanders, police, and soldiers. This incident remains one of Texas' most complicated and misrepresented historical events. It shook race relations in Houston and created conditions that sparked a nationwide surge of racial activism. In the aftermath of the carnage, what was considered the "trial of the century" ensued. Even for its time, its profundity and racial sign

Nothing captivates the human imagination like the vast unknowns of space. Ancient petroglyphs present renderings of the heavens, proof that we have been gazing up at the stars with wonder for thousands of years. Since then, mankind has systematically expanded our cosmic possibilities. What were once flights of fancy and dreams of science fiction writers have become nearly routine - a continuous human presence orbiting the Earth, probes flying beyond our solar system, and men walking on the moon. NASA and the Russian space program make traveling to the stars look easy, but it has been far from that. Space travel is a sometimes heroic, sometimes humorous, and always dangerous journey fraught with perils around every corner that most of us have never heard of or have long since forgotten. Space Oddities brings these unknown, offbeat, and obscure stories of space to life. From the showmanship and bravado of the earliest known space fatality, German Max Valier, to the first ever indictment under the Espionage Ac

Evolution helps us understand our own humble place in the rich tapestry of life. But what do we know about the theory of evolution itself? Based on the popular podcast of the same name, Evolution Talk reveals how the theory of evolution came to be and how it explains the world around us.Before Charles Darwin, other luminaries planted the seeds that would one day evolve into the theory that would make him famous. Author Rick Coste begins by shining a spotlight on the writers, philosophers, and scientists who planted the seeds that would blossom into the theory of evolution by natural selection, from Aristotle's big ideas to young Mary Anning's discovery of the first ichthyosaur skeleton. After exploring the contributions of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, Evolution Talk investigates the very beginnings of life itself. From its genesis in a primordial pond to the endless and beautiful forms which emerged to populate our once barren little planet, adaptations such as altruism, sexual selection, and

A work that has had a profound influence on the study of English and American law, The Province of Jurisprudence Determined is a model of rigorous and clear analysis. With its publication Austin brought order to the disparate elements of a legal profession that up until his time was largely unsystematic. Although he was greatly respected by a small circle of supporters, including Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, his work received little attention beyond his friends during his lifetime. It was only after Austin's death that his writings began to attract general notice. Then his analysis became the focal point for strong disagreements over the true nature of law, the definition of law as a form of command with implied sanctions, and the problem of differentiating legal authority, political power, and morality. The later fame of his work appears to have resulted from the controversies it generated.Perhaps Austin's most significant contribution was to make a clear distinction between "positive law" (i.e., laws decreed by the sovereign or government) and moral principles (which he terms the "law of God"). In so doing he defined the field of inquiry for later students. Also of interest is the influence of utilitarian philosophy on his analysis: for example, he viewed the principle of social utility as a benchmark for discerning God's commands and hence for judging the overall moral quality of rules of conduct.Whether one agrees or disagrees with Austin's analysis, it is clear that his work is now established as indispensable for all discussions of jurisprudence.

English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-95) was the foremost advocate of Darwin's theory of evolution, which he was "prepared to go to the stake" to defend. The controversies surrounding Darwin in the Victorian age became a vehicle for Huxley to gain power in intellectual, institutional, and political arenas.Yet in this investigation of Huxley's motivations in science, Sherrie L. Lyons uncovers Huxley's skepticism of two basic tenets of Darwin's theory - natural selection and gradualism. His criticism of Darwinian science as being too simplistic led to a strengthening of evolutionary theory, rather than a weakening of it. A self-appointed defender of truth, Huxley developed his own research program, examining philosophy prior to Darwin in an effort to fill the holes in evolutionary theory. Lyons also looks at Huxley's conversion from saltation to gradualism, and his views on progression and the fossil record.As Huxley's interest in developmental morphology continues to be crucial in studying problems in comparative anatomy, embryology, paleontology, and evolution, this book is essential to students of Darwin, Huxley, and the scientific enterprise.