Physics & Astronomy

Discusses concepts that unify the physical sciences with life, Earth, and space science. Examining topics such as natural hazards, global challenges, and the history and nature of science, this title complements the material typically taught in high school and college physics and chemistry courses.

This eight-volume set covers all major areas of science, engineering, technology, mathematics and the medical and health sciences, while providing a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge and technology. Consisting of alphabetically arranged entries, it provides a user-friendly format that makes the broad scope of information easy to access and decipher. Entries typically describe scientific concepts, provide overviews of scientific subjects and define terms. Longer entries conclude with a bibliography. The 5th edition has been completely updated and includes more than 75 new entries on key scientific topics in the news, including: DNA databanks, Crime Scene Investigations, Internet Search Engines, Podcasts, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Wireless Communications and much more. *Alphabetically arranged entries and full color photos provide a user-friendly format that makes the broad scope of information easy to access and decipher. *Entries typically describe scientific concepts, provide overviews of scientific subjects, and define terms. *Each entry concludes with a bibliography.

With over forty chapters, written by leading scholars, this comprehensive volume represents the best work in America, Europe and Asia. Geographical diversity of the authors is reflected in the different perspectives devoted to the subject, and all major disciplinary developments are covered. There are also sections concerning the countries that have made the most significant contributions, the relationship between science and industry, the importance of instrumentation, and the cultural influence of scientific modes of thought. Students and professionals will come to appreciate how, and why, science has developed - as with any other human activity, it is subject to the dynamics of society and politics.

This book reveals glimpses of how the quantum physics of atoms and molecules influences, and even controls, the way our cells function and how we and our fellow animals interact with our environment. Simply put, how birds fly and why grass grows. Certainly, biochemistry and molecular biology are the foundations for the biology of living cells, but there is more--quantum coherence and entanglement influencing the functioning of proteins and enzymes, and strictly speaking, without the quantum phenomena we wouldn't even be here. In the end, however, this book is based on the solid ground of science, presenting the many fascinating phenomena of how quantum physics makes life possible without any unwarranted mystification.