Book Description

Drawing from the experience of several irrigation designers, contractors, and equipment manufacturers, this progressive, how-to reference takes you through all the steps and subjects you'll need to master irrigation design. Also includes metric values. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great book to learn to install a professional system
I read this book to get ready to take my Texas Irrigation License exam. It explained how to properly install a professional quality sprinkler system in an easy to read and understand format. This book goes into detail about how to layout the sprinkler heads, how to pipe it all together, and how all the parts work together. I have read many irrigation books...This was the best book to get a good understanding of sprinkler systems without becoming an expert in the field of irrigation. Perfect for the do it yourself homeowner or individual wanting to get into the irrigation industry. I now have my license and highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn to install a good sprinkler system without having to read an irrigation reference manual.

The title should probably read "Over-Simplified..."
I was very disappointed with this book. The author places emphasis on the use of one brand of irrigation equipment, seldom mentioning other options that may better fit the application. I also found several errors in the enclosed calculations... not simply a typo, but in the methodology of the formulas. I would not recommend this book... ... Read more

Book Description

This is the second volume of a two-volume work on fluorescence microscopy that covers all aspects of the subject including instrumentation, applications, and history.Volume 2 deals with applications of fluorescence microscopy in many fields.It includes chapters on fluorocarbons and autofluorescence.An invaluable appendix contains an alphabetical list of fluorochromes and gives information on chemical structure, fluorescence properties, applications, and suitable filter combinations. ... Read more

Book Description

The goal of this book is to make some underutilized but potentially very useful methods in experimental design and analysis available to ecologists, and to encourage better use of standard statistical techniques.Ecology has become more and more an experimental science in both basic and applied work,but experiments in the field and in the laboratory often present formidable statistical difficulties.Organized around providing solutions to ecological problems, this book offers ways to improve the statistical aspects of conducting manipulative ecological experiments, from setting them up to interpreting and reporting the results.An abundance of tools, including advanced approaches, are made available to ecologists in step-by-step examples, with computer code provided for common statistical packages.This is an essential how-to guide for the working ecologist and for graduate students preparing for research and teaching careers in the field of ecology. ... Read more

Book Description

Sherri Jackson's straightforward, conversational introduction to statistics presents just what its title promises -- a plain-and-simple overview of statistics that is clear, concise, and sparing in its use of jargon. Ideal for behavioral sciences majors who need to grasp basic concepts quickly, Jackson's text is designed to quickly build students' confidence in understanding, calculating, and interpreting statistics. It instills a strong awareness of the interaction between statistical methods and research methods. It also provides a solid working knowledge of basic statistical cautions in research design, a strong understanding of the concept of significance, and the critical thinking skills necessary to apply these ideas. This paperback book's modular format (17 modules across 6 sections) chunks the material into small segments that make even difficult concepts manageable. Jackson shows why each new statistical technique is necessary before explaining it, and skillfully uses narrative to connect one module to the next. The end of each module features a summary review table, "Critical Thinking Check" items (with answers) review of key terms, and "Module Exercises" to help students master key concepts. At the end of each of the 6 sections, a detailed self-test lets students check their understanding of the concepts. These pedagogical features are a perfect complement to Jackson's narrative, as they serve to further build students' confidence with statistical ideas. ... Read more

Book Description

This textbook gives a comprehensive survey of the analytical treatment of MRI physics and engineering. It gives readers the background needed to cope with the problems that arise when applying MRI in medicine or when (sub)systems or sequences for new applications are designed. Special attention is paid to the treatment of intrinsic artifacts of the different sequences, which can be described in a mathematically uniform way for the different scan methods. The book contains many images, especially showing specific properties of the different scan methods. The methods discussed include RARE, GRACE, EPI, and Spiral Scan. This 2nd edition has been expanded in response to recent developments. In various places the treatment is refined. The chapter on motion and flow is expanded, and a new chapter is added, describing the configuration theory and its use in the understanding of multi-pulse sequences such as BURST, TSE and FFE. A.L. Luiten gives an overview of the early history of MRI imaging.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

APPLIED MAGNETIC RESONANCE "An advantage of this book is that it presents quantitative description of many practically used procedures, quantitatively describes reasons for different artifacts and how to avoid them, many aspects of the theory of MRI are illustrated with numerous experimental images. The book contains many interesting practical examples which will be of great help for users of MRI technique. I believe that this book will be very useful and instructive for all users of magnetic resonance imaging both for medical purposes and material science studies." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A good MRI introduction book
This is a good book for introducing MRI basics for non-experts. advanced scanning methods are discussed also. The applications section is very good and the references are valuable.

With my full respect to the Auther of this book
Poor images,Poor Graphics and shallow content! This book is not for any proffessional in the field of clinical MRI. I can say that this book is just a collection of short notes designed for Philips engineers. The price (almost $80) of this book does not match the quality of content, the quality of images and the graphics as well ( hand drawing & illustration). If you are philips engineer think twice before you buy this book otherwise think 100 times to buy it for 80 $. ... Read more

Book Description

The availability of intense X-ray beams from synchroton storage rings has revolutionised the field of X-ray science. This is illustrated by the cover pictures: Von Laue's first observation of X-ray diffraction from a single crystal of ZnS used an exposure time of around 1000 seconds, whereas the diffraction from a single crystal of myoglobin using modern X-ray synchroton radiation was obtained within the duration of a single pulse lasting only 0.00000000001 seconds.
In this book the basics of X-ray physics, as well as the completely new opportunities offered by synchrotron radiation, are viewed from a modern perspective. The style of the book is to develop the basic physical principles without obscuring them in too much mathematical rigour. This approach should make the book attractive to the wider community of material scientists, chemists, biologists and geologists, as well as to physicists who use synchrotron radiation in their research. The book should be useful both to students taking course in X-rays, and to more experienced professionals who have the desire to extend their knowledge into new areas. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Contemporary book on X-ray scattering
Before this book came out, the bible of the scientists in the field was either Guinier's or else, Warren's book on X-ray diffraction (both books by Dover). I think Jens Als-Nielsen's book will replace these as far as introduction to the field is concerned, because the other two books (especially warren's black book) are pages of equation after equation. Elements of Modern X-ray Physics, in contrast, is much more readable (it has colors even... wohooo). Also it covers recent techniques suxh as scattering from liquid interfaces that were not covered in previous books. Trade-off is that the book does not cover any crystallography. Author's say in the preface that they feel there are other adequate books on this subject (guinier's book prevails).

Interesting note: Book is written not with conventional text editors but with some type of Tex/LaTex. ... Read more

Book Description

What do a drought in New York and an earthquake in Seattle have to do with a "nanotube" a few billionths of a meter long at the University of Tokyo?

Our Molecular Future reveals a striking new possibility: We are on the verge of being able to protect ourselves from nature’s worst attacks. Tools such as carbon nanotubes may help us cope in ways that until now have been described as science fiction.

If we succeed, we might solve a troubling question about scientific research: Why risk it? Why risk powerful new technologies that may destroy us?

With compelling evidence, Douglas Mulhall shows that the answers to such questions may be found by focusing on what the environment does to us, rather than only what we do to the environment.

His book shows where our technologies might be heading, what may stop us from getting there, and how to use the benefits to minimize the downsides.

The good news is that we may enter a future that's so fantastic, it's unbelievable.

The bad news is that many of us don't believe it, and so we may not be ready to cope.

By revealing the threads that tie our fate to new technologies, this book helps us get ready.

First, we have to ask the right questions. Mulhall emphasizes that this book defines those questions, rather than pretending to have quick or detailed answers.

Here are examples:

Molecular technologies aren’t just confined to a few university think tanks. Nor are they confined to an elite among the superpowers, big business, or government. Their roots are embedded in the fabric of our industries, research institutes, and military. They are found in wealthy and poor nations alike. The foundations for these technologies are so pervasive that it’s hard to describe them without starting an encyclopedia.

Our Molecular Future condenses this knowledge and gives us broad overviews of who’s doing what, where. By so doing, the book shows us why these technologies pose such deep challenges to conventional thinking about business and environment.

Yet, how vulnerable is this technological juggernaut to being thrown backward or blasted down the wrong path by nature’s violent attacks?

In ninety seconds, the Great Kanto Earthquake annihilated Japan’s centralized economy in 1923. It was so severe that the country was in no shape to weather the Great Depression. Such instability helped open the door for a military government. After the military took over, war in Southeast Asia—and then the Pacific—broke out.

Might this recur today? What about similar such risks in America? What if the largest earthquake in America’s history was to hit again? Surprisingly, it didn’t occur in San Francisco, or on the quake-prone West Coast. Our Molecular Future reveals the location and the implications.

Property loss is increasing worldwide, due to unrestricted development in risky hurricane and earthquake zones. Perversely, this can actually improve economic conditions for some sectors in the short term, by fueling construction booms after disasters. Such short-term rebounds are often generated by insurance settlements.

Yet underneath, a cancer grows. This foundation for economic stability—insurance—is collapsing. Our Molecular Future reveals the depth of the situation.

To inoculate ourselves against nature’s occasional tantrums, and avoid collapse of the insurance industry, we may have to construct powerful molecular defenses. Yet, these defenses themselves may threaten our existence, due to their potential for abuse. Some say that the risks outweigh the potential gains.

So, if it’s such a risk, why go there?

Evidence suggests there may be no alternative. Our Molecular Future explains why.

By tracing disruptions of the past and advances of the present through to technologies of the future, it becomes more than a book: it's a whole new field of study; a multifaceted approach to our past, our present, and our potential futures.

Because of this, the book appeals to a wide range of readers.

Read it if you are...

...striving to understand the molecular world that we may soon live in

...wondering about your job prospects or health care in an age of disruptive technologies

...looking for ways to cope with climate extremes or natural disasters

The book also has special relevance if you’re one of these individuals:

A business or economics student: Here are ideas about what startups might flourish in a molecular economy. "Genetic computing" may make most manufacturing processes and patents obsolete.Moreover, new industries might emerge from our capacities to cope with natural hazards.

A lecturer or student in environment, natural science, and ethics. The book is a valuable supplement to course materials:

--For environment, it identifies challenges to the Precautionary Principle and the doctrine of sustainable development.

--For natural science, it summarizes new discoveries about naturally occurring climate changes and ecological disruptions that are changing our views about the stability of the natural world. --For scientific ethics, it gives an overview of the ethical questions associated with development of powerful new tools.

An executive positioning your company for the approaching molecular era. Here is information about startups that might flourish in a molecular economy.

An insurer or corporate manager who plans disaster recovery strategies. This summarizes natural risks and technologies that may alter the way that businesses prepare for them. A health care provider. Research into nanobacteria and robotic surgery may alter the way we treat disease. A scientist confronted by environmental opposition to your technologies: Here's one way out of the impasse between the life sciences and environmentalists. An environmentalist who forecasts how technology might alter the ecology: Molecular technologies and natural changes may upend the Precautionary Principle and the doctrine of sustainable development.

The book also has an extensive index and endnotes, with links to authoritative Web sites. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lets use these technologies to save our future
If I had to sum up the main theme of this work, I would say it's about preservation of the human species. A large portion of this work is devoted to how humans (or our progeny) can avoid extinction by natural and man-made disaster. All other discussions seem to lead to this point in one form or another. The author believes that the underlying technologies in the title can and perhaps will provide for our salvation if we play our cards right.

The author has done his research and has a large source of information to draw from. This book gives the reader a good overview of real scientific advancements as well as other insights from prominent leaders and theorists in these fields. There are ample notes and anecdotes to give the reader the option to pursue more detailed information on the topics.

A few parts of the book drag due to some repetitiveness and some of the discussions don't appear to have a firm scientific base and don't seem too plausible, especially if you have decent scientific knowledge in the particular subject. If you are a scientist or engineer with some expertise in the fields you may find that some theories lack a firm foundation. However one theme that comes with the author's optimism is that throughout history, even the most prominent experts have been proven wrong through natural progressions and even breakthroughs!

This work is not incredibly deep or profound though quite entertaining and at times it appears to feel more like a novel than a documentary of the future. It is suitable for readers of all walks of life.

The 21st century will not frighten the horses.
For optimists and those who find life in the 21st century a complete source of exhiliration, and for those who are indulging themselves in the dizzying pace of technological advancement, this book is sheer delight. Speculative in some points, and gaurded in others, the author has written a book that takes the reader through a future that is not far distant, and a future that is now. Genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, nanoscale computing, and robotics are here, right now, and advances in these areas show every sign of being explosive.

The author asks us to imagine a conversation between a farmer in the year 1899 and a person who rolls up in an early automobile. The driver tells the farmer what is ahead in the next decades, such as playing golf on the moon, his children being able to drive themselves faster than a locomotive, his cows milked using machines, etc. The author then replays the same conversation but with a farmer of the year 2001, he automobile is replaced by a flying car: golf will be played on Mars, and egg hatcheries will be designed by computers that do a better job then humans, agriculture will be replaced by food synthesizers, etc. With these hypothetical conversations, the author asks us to take stock in our skepticism that the future he outlines in the book it too far-fetched.

He is certainly correct in his reasoning. There are too many instances of "famous last words" when it comes to the future of a particular technological development. If one takes cognizance of the many developments that are now occuring simultaneously, it would be hard to tell exactly which ones are going to prevail. For example, when it comes to the enhancement of human capabilities, I see a competition between genetic engineering and artificial intelligence arising in the future. Both are strategies to improve human mental and physical capabilities, but are essentially different ways of course to meet these ends. The marketplace, and not government, will hopefully determine the outcome of this competition, but it, may disappear entirely if new methodologies, up to this time unknown, dilute the efficacy of these approaches.

In addition, human factors engineering, which is not really emphasized in the book, may determine the outcome of particular technologies. Voice recognition and command in computers for example, may be too annoying to actually employ in the workplace, if open cubicle environments are still in place. The resulting noise level of everyone talking to their computers might be too irritating. Federal and state health requirements also have a repressive influence on the employing of new technology. With the growing hostility towards genetic engineering, governments will be stepping up their regulations and this might dampen the ever-growing amplitude of 21st century development.

The author is aware of these attitudes towards technology, and so he attempts to offer a different sort of justification for employing them, particularly nanotechnology. Much space in the book is devoted to the use of this to combat natural disasters, such as asteroids, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamies, and radical climate changes. Many of his proposals for using nanotechnology to do this are interesting, such as "utility fog", which allows material objects to change shape at arbitrary time scales, food fabrication using molecular biosynthesis and robotic replenishment, and the intelligent product system (IPS), which allows maximal compatibility with the environment. In addition, the author envisions the deployment of millions of nanosatellites that will probe the solar system in order to find rogue asteroids that threaten our planet. Once found, the asteroid will be dissassembled layer by layer to a size that nullifies its threat. The residue will then be used as raw materials for space-based colonies.

The author is also realistic in his appraisal of just what it is going to take from a financial perspective to develop the technology which he envisions. Such developments can be accomplished, and the financial and time scales involved, coupled with the physical dimensions of the technology, are the justification for his optimism. He does not use "inevitability" arguments to justify future technology developments, but instead realizes, correctly, that such developments are subject to human volition. We can halt or move forward, the choice being completely our own.

Robo sapiens, Robo servers, and Homo provectus, may be on the way the author states. He asks us if we are ready, and he asks us to consider the answers to the employment of new technologies ourselves, and not leave it up to our government or religious leaders, who themselves are explaining it to us inadequately, he argues. Religious institutions are centuries behind, companies are selling products and services but are not structured to serve our interests, and scientists are too involved in their projects to consider how their discoveries will impact human life on Earth.

The author encourages the reader to get involved, or invent, institutions or strategies that will mesh with the technological advances that are confronting each one of us. I cannot speak for the author here, but he seems to be incredibly optimisitic. This is refreshing, for this indeed is the most exciting time to be alive. We should all constantly attempt to improve ourselves and others with the knowledge we have available. With genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, highly sophisticated mathematics, robotics, and nanotechnology, we have precisely the right instruments, at precisely the right time, to participate in and build the greatest century yet for the human species...

Nanobacteria, NanoMedicine, Nanotechnology, Oh My!
Doug Mulhall is a bold, fluent & brillant writer that is able to communicate with both lay persons and scientists alike....a must read! His description of nanotechnological developments lead us by the hand into the future gently, then exposes the potential harsh realities and wonders that will be available to us. With his command of writing, he explains difficult concepts by making them real. I particularly appreciated him writing about an exciting startup, NanobacLabs Pharmaceuticals that has developed nanobiotics to fight nanobacterial infections. The read led me to a physician that wrote a prescription for NanobacTX that appears to be eradicating my heart disease! I not only enjoyed the book, but he may have ultimately saved my life.....sign me, GRATEFUL.

An Amazing view of the future. Great Book!
Fascinating glimpse into the future.
Rarely does one find a book with as many insights into the future as Our Molecular Future. Page after page there are concepts which are entirely foreign to you before reading them, and then seem so self-evident after you have understood them. Clearly, not everything that is depicted in the book is going to come to pass in our lifetimes. However, this was the best book I have read for years. Not since Godel, Escher, Bach have I thought so much while reading! ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a unified treatment of the characteristics of telescopes of all types, both those whose performance is set by geometrical aberrations and the effect of the atmosphere, and those diffraction-limited telescopes designed for observations from above the atmosphere. The emphasis throughout is on basic principles, such as Fermat's principle, and their application to optical systems specifically designed to image distant celestial sources.
The book also contains thorough discussions of the principles underlying all spectroscopic instrumentation, with special emphasis on grating instruments used with telescopes. An introduction to adaptive optics provides the needed background for further inquiry into this rapidly developing area.

* Geometrical aberration theory based on Fermat's principle
* Diffraction theory and transfer function approach to near-perfect telescopes
* Thorough discussion of 2-mirror telescopes, including misalignments
* Basic principles of spectrometry; grating and echelle instruments
* Schmidt and other catadioptric telescopes
* Principles of adaptive optics
* Over 220 figures and nearly 90 summary tables ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good for Spectrometer Optics
This book has some unique features. It treats the subject matter carefully, and in detail. The content is very useful. The treatment of spectrometer optics is particularly useful. The weakness of the book is that the diagrams are not well done, and the notation can be confusing. Overall, a useful book. ... Read more

Book Description

Updates the original, comprehensive introduction to the areas of mathematical physics encountered in advanced courses in the physical sciences. Intuition and computational abilities are stressed. Original material on DE and multiple integrals has been expanded. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

indispensable Mathematical hanbook for physics students
To put it quite simply, if you are a physics student, you must own this book. What does this book do for you? Consider this...

In my school, we do not have a mathematical methods course for science, so I decided to take on a math minor to take all the classes neccesary to do physics "right." This included a class on ODEs, Fourier Series & PDEs, Linear Algebra, and Complex Variables. These classes, although helpful, cover a lot of stuff that is not quite useful for understanding physics concepts, often undermining or dampening the stuff that is actually applicable.

What makes this book so great is that it combines all the essential math concepts into one compact, clearly written reference. If I could do it all over again, I would easily rather take a two semester Math Methods course (like they do in many schools) using a book like Boas than take all these obtuse math courses. With this book, it makes it so handy to review previously learned concepts or actually learn poorly presented topics ( for a physicist anyway) in mathematics classes... (Things like Coordinate Transformations, Tensors, Special Functions & PDEs in spherical & cylindrical coordinates, Diagonilzation, the list goes on.....)

Keep this gem handy when doing homework and studying for exams, learning the math tools from this book enables you to concentrate squarely on the physics in your other textbooks... (since mathematical background information, understandably, is often cut short...)

Boas is the best math methods book
It is not only well written, it has lots of worked examples! It is not as comprehensive as some "standards" such as Arfkin or Butkov, but it is much more useful for mastering the basics. No physics student should be without this book.

Clearest and most comprehensive book on Math for Physics
I'm a physics undergraduate. Out of all my books on math, this is far and away the most comprehensive and useful book! It has supplanted my other, thicker books and is the one thing I turn to whenever I need to refresh myself on a math method.

It covers practically every useful math technique for physics, and never assumes that you're a genius (unlike other books). Each step is explained in clear, refreshing language and in a very logical order. From Laplacian transforms to Fourier series to ODEs, each subject is introduced so well that, even when I've missed a lecture, I can understand the topic just from reading it.

Highly recommended and worth the price, this is one book physics undergraduates should have. The only thing else needed with it is the solutions manual.

A book that has everything.
This book has a bit of everything from Linear Algebra, Calculus, Analysis, Probability and Statistics, ODE, PDE, Transforms just to name a few. If you get a chance to study everything from this book, you will probably learn more from this book than all your undergraduate math courses combined. Some concepts on this book may be difficult to understand due to the lack of in depth coverage. But I guess the main intention of this book is to focus on the applied side and cover as much material that is relevant to physics and engineering as possible and not go into much detail on the theory side.
If you are a graduate student in physics or engineering and want to buy this book for reference, it will be a good start for the first year courses but won't help you much after that.
Readibility of this book is excellent. You will understand most of the concepts and examples presented.
Bottomline: This is a must have book for engineers and physicists.

This is not the best math methods book
Boas is overrated. The book "Mathematical methods for Physics and engineering" by Riley, Hobson, and Bence is much better. ... Read more

Book Description

Data analysis is of central importance in the education of scientists. This book offers a compact and readable introduction to techniques relevant to physical science students. The material is thoroughly integrated with the popular and powerful spreadsheet package Excel by Microsoft. Excel features of most relevance to the analysis of experimental data in the physical sciences are dealt with in some detail. Fully worked problems reinforce basic principles. Underlying assumptions and range of applicability of techniques are discussed, though detailed derivations of basic equations are mostly avoided or confined to the appendices. ... Read more

Book Description

Western philosophers have traditionally concentrated on theory as the means for expressing knowledge about a variety of phenomena. This absorbing book challenges this fundamental notion by showing how objects themselves, specifically scientific instruments, can express knowledge. As he considers numerous intriguing examples, Davis Baird gives us the tools to "read" the material products of science and technology and to understand their place in culture. Making a provocative and original challenge to our conception of knowledge itself, Thing Knowledge demands that we take a new look at theories of science and technology, knowledge, progress, and change. Baird considers a wide range of instruments, including Faraday's first electric motor, eighteenth-century mechanical models of the solar system, the cyclotron, various instruments developed by analytical chemists between 1930 and 1960, spectrometers, and more. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume provides a balanced set of reviews which introduce the central topics in the philosophy of time.This is the first introductory anthology on the subject to appear for many years; the contributors are distinguished, and two of the essays are specially written for this collection.In their introduction, the editors summarize the background to the debate, and show the relevance of issues in the philosophy of time for other branches of philosophy and for science.Contributors include J.M.E. McTaggart, Arthur N. Prior, D.H. Mellor, Sydney Shoemaker, Graeme Forbes, Lawrence Sklar, Michael Dummett, David Lewis, W.H. Newton-Smith, and Anthony Quinton. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fine collection.
This is an excellent collection of readings on the philosophy of time. The contents include twelve essays by twelve different philosophers (including the editors of the volume) -- the very first of which is taken from the famous thirty-third chapter of John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart's _The Nature of Existence_. (Originally entitled "Time," the chapter is here retitled "The Unreality of Time.")

I remarked in my review of that book that McTaggart's argument has been tried and found wanting, but one important partial exception is featured in this volume: D.H. Mellor's piece "The Unreality of Tense." Mellor does not, indeed, accept McTaggart's conclusion that time itself is "unreal," but he does take McTaggart to have provided a successful argument for a "tenseless" theory of time. (Mellor's piece is a revision of chapter 6 of his book _Real Time_ -- the first edition, I presume.)

The other essays range over a wide variety of topics, from David Lewis's "The Paradoxes of Time Travel" to Michael Dummet's "Bringing About The Past," from whether time really "passes" or not and whether the nature of time is a philosophical or an empirical question to whether time has a beginning and whether change is real. I shall not try to comment on them all.

But the selections are excellent and the collection as a whole is very thorough. In short, this a fine set of readings for anyone with time on his hands. ... Read more

Book Description

Owing to its unique combination of high information content and ease of use, Raman spectroscopy, which uses different vibrational energy levels to excite molecules (as opposed to light spectra), has attracted much attention over the past fifteen years. This book covers all aspects of modern Raman spectroscopy, including its growing use in both the laboratory and industrial analysis. ... Read more

Book Description

The methods of disaster research are indistinguishable from those used throughout the social sciences.Yet these methods must be applied under unique circumstances.Researchers new to this field need to understand how the disaster context affects the application of the methods of research.This volume, written by some of the world¿s leading specialists in disaster research, provides for the first time a primer on disaster research methods.Among the topics covered are qualitative field studies and survey research; underutilized approaches such as cross-national studies, simulations, and historical methods; and newer tools utilizing geographic information systems, the Internet, and economic modeling. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Disaster Research
An essential source book. Brilliant! This is going to be a rapidly growing area of research throughout the Western World. The terrorists will use counter-intelligence to subvert the benefits of such practical research plans! Look out for them. ... Read more

Book Description

This groundbreaking text provides the necessary instructions for hands-on application of this versatile materials characterization technique and is supported by over 600 illustrations and diagrams. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent introduction to TEM
In the 70's and 80's the book by Hirsch et al. was the TEM reference tome, and Eddington's book the applications manual.

Time has marched on, and this book is the new replacement for both!

Carter and Williams wrote a very easy to read, yet well detailed, text and reference for TEM. They cover quite literally everything, in just the right level of detail for 1st or 2nd year grad students.

This book is the best way to get a quick grasp of TEM.

An amazing textbook!
I find this book probably the best textbook in materials science I ever read. Not only the authors are experts in the field of microscopy, but they also succeeded in extremely difficult task to present the complicated science of electron microscopy in a simple (but not oversimplified!) language. The book covers all major aspects of transmission electron microscopy, and contains excellent illustrations. This book is certainly a priceless asset for students. I talked to some people at the National Center for Electron Microscopy, and they also recommend it as one of the best books at the beginning and intermediate level. If you are looking for a book to learn TEM, get this one, you will never regret! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Doing Science offers a rare compendium of practical advice based on how working scientists pursue their craft. It covers each stage of research, from formulating questions and gathering data to developing experiments and analyzing results and finally to the many ways for presenting results. Drawing on his extensive experience both as a researcher and a research mentor, Ivan Valiela has written a lively and concise survey of everything a beginning scientist needs to know to succeed in the field. He includes chapters on scientific data, statistical methods, and experimental designs, and much of the book is devoted to presenting final results. He gives valuable suggestions for improving scientific writing, for preparing scientific talks, and devotes three chapters to hands-on advice for presenting data in charts, tables, and graphs. Anyone beginning a scientific career, or anyone who advises students in research, will find Doing Science an invaluable source of advice. ... Read more

Book Description

Hey, Einstein! You don't have to be a genius to entertain and educate kids at the same time. Just give 'em The Mad Scientist Handbook--the greatest collection of creepy crafts, insane inventions, and freaky experiments ever devised. Packed with easy-to-understand instructions and simple illustrations, this engaging activity book will show kids how to:

Make oozing green slime
Build a high-speed balloon car
Cook up delicious edible glass
Create a tornado machine
Build an exploding volcano
Pass an egg through the neck of a bottle without breaking it
and much more!

Plus, they'll learn lots of weird facts along the way, like how every experiment in this book works and who figured it out first. It's the perfect handbook for every budding mad scientist. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Science Teacher Recommendation
Smokebombs, stink bombs, slime and other gross interesting things fill this book. There are litterally hundred of interesting facts that go with each experiment. Don't worry about not doing well in chemistry, the directions are simple and the experiments are safe when the directions are followed.

Some good ideas...
I liked some of the ideas. I like the interesting facts, and found the science explanations are accurate and very complete. I like the choice of experiments, and most of them are fun. (although I'm not sure all of them are especially safe for the younger mad scientist set), but I was disappointed that a decent number of the experiments simply don't work. I understand there's a margin of error, but as an adult (and a science teacher), When I can't make experiments work, I pity the poor children with the book.

How to Cause Mayhem and Get in Trouble
Some of these "science experiments" are simple and relatively harmless. Others provide unsupervised children with recipes for disaster. The book should come with a child-proof cover or a trigger-lock. Not that it contains plans for thermonuclear devices, but several of the projects can damage property or cause injury if not properly carried out.

While each project has a set of fascinating "scientific" tidbits & trivia to go with it, the book is almost entirely lacking in helping children understand or use the scientific method or understand much of the basis for what they are doing. This is a "Mad Scientists' Club" handbook, just a several steps short of the Anarchists' Cookbook, but headed in that general direction.

On the other hand, parents may find themselves reliving their own nerdy & awkward years helping their children be "mad scientists." It could be great fun. But keep the book locked up. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing!

Start with a batch of Green Slime..........
...and add one unruly First Grade class.

Okay, so first graders are a little young to use this book.

Maybe.

My son needed a Show and Tell project. He was anxious to do "science", since a classmate had demonstrated a vinegar and soda "bomb" just recently.

Enter The Mad Scientist Handbook. I accompanied him (as parents often do in his class) and assisted with the preparation. The Green Slime was a huge hit. Even better, my son is interested enough in science to want to do a Science Fair project this year. (We may make a lava lamp, for which instructions are included in this book.)

I can't recommend letting younger kids loose with this book and no supervision. But I can recommend several projects in this book as parent/child projects, or for demonstrations in a classroom full of younger children. The first graders we made Green Slime for now have a little different view of science. (Their wonderful teacher, who is so good at so many things, is uncomfortable with science -- she's convinced she's not able to teach it well, and she's not terribly inspiring in that one realm.) Maybe some of these children will keep on thinking science is fun for years to come.

Rubber chicken bones...sparking lifesavers??!!
This is the most fun you can have with science without someone getting hurt. I have amuzed even adults with experiments from this book. The one that always gets them "ooing" and "aaing" are the sparking wintergreen lifesaver trick and the firecracker steel wool pad. THere are so many fun things to do in this book. If you know anyone who thinks that science is boring then you need to get this book and get them interested. I can't say enough good things about this book! Get it! ... Read more