Science

One grew up in the cornfields of Iowa, fighting for his independence, for a way out of a life that promised only indifference, aimlessness, and obscurity.

You will forever be a child of two worlds, capable of choosing your own destiny. the only question you face is, which path will you choose?

The other grew up on the jagged cliffs of the harsh Vulcan desert, fighting for acceptance, for a way to reconcile the logic he was taught with the emotions he felt.

In the far reaches of the galaxy, a machine of war bursts into existence in a place and time it was never meant to be. On a mission of retribution for the destruction of his planet, its half-mad captain seeks the death of every intelligent being, and the annihilation of every civilized world.

Kirk and Spock, two completely different and unyielding personalities, must find a way to lead the only crew, aboard the only ship, that canstop him.
The wait is over.

At the Pneumatic Institution in Bristol, England, founded in the closing years of the eighteenth century, dramatic experiments with gases precipitated not only a revolution in scientific medicine but also in the history of ideas. Guided by the energy of maverick doctor Thomas Beddoes, the institution was both laboratory and hospital--the first example of a modern medical research institution. But when its members discovered the mind-altering properties of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, their experiments devolved into a pioneering exploration of consciousness with far-reaching and unforeseen effects.

This riveting book is the first to tell the story of Dr. Beddoes and the brilliant circle who surrounded him: Erasmus Darwin, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Robert Southey, who supported his ideas; James Watt, who designed and built his laboratory; Thomas Wedgwood, who funded it; and the dazzling young chemistry assistant, Humphry Davy, who identified nitrous oxide and tested it on himself, with spectacular results. Medical historian Mike Jay charts the chaotic rise and fall of the institution in this fast-paced account, and reveals its crucial influence--on modern drug culture, attitudes toward objective and subjective knowledge, the development of anesthetic surgery, and the birth of the Romantic movement.

-- Just as most books on the brain are too complicated or focus on only one aspect of the brain and its functions, most Websites give only part of the story offered in this Complete Idiot's Guide "RM."

-- There's a Brain Awareness Week in March each year, sponsored by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. And don't forget that the 1990s was the Decade of the brain!

-- Keyword "brain" calls up 1076 Web sites and almost 3 million Web pages on Yahoo (507,000 on the human brain), including the brain research and injury, brain and language or emotions, and so much more -- how wonderful to have all that information in one easy-to-read book.

The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Understanding the Brain includes coverage of: the first brain, from Homo Erectus to Leonardo; paging Dr. Frankenstein to the decade of the brain; anatomy 101: left brain/right brain, and bridging the hemispheres; the human computer -- speaking, hearing, and making sense of it all.; the brain and everyday life -- sex, sleep, and knee-jerk reactions; you've got brain -- intelligence, creativity -- and here size matters!; what happens when the computer crashes -- conditions, disorders, and crossed wiring; and, brain treatment, couches, shocks, pills, and the dreaded knife.

In 1994 Bryan Sykes was called in as an expert to examine the frozen remains of a man trapped in glacial ice in northern Italy for over 5000 years--the Ice Man. Sykes succeeded in extracting DNA from the Ice Man, but even more important, writes Science News, was his "ability to directly link that DNA to Europeans living today." In this groundbreaking book, Sykes reveals how the identification of a particular strand of DNA that passes unbroken through the maternal line allows scientists to trace our genetic makeup all the way back to prehistoric times--to seven primeval women, the "seven daughters of Eve."

From 1991 to 1994 Nick Pope investigated UFO sightings for the British government's Ministry of Defense. He is the only person ever to have conducted official research into this controversial subject -- Pope is the real-life version of Agent Fox Mulder from television's hit series, "The X-Files". In The Uninvited he provides an overview of UFO phenomenon, supported by some of the most sensational cases ever reported.

Thousands of people throughout the world have claimed they have been abducted by aliens. These people are ridiculed by the media, by scientists, by governments. In spite of that ridicule, they persist with their claims. Nick Pope's research has convinced him that many of the individual experiences are not in the mind. He has seen the proof that the phenomenon is real and more widespread than anyone has suspected -- he went in a skeptic and came out a believer.

The Uninvited is powerful stuff, providing convincing evidence for human encounters with non-human intelligence. Roswell and Project Blue Book are just the beginning -- this expose delves deep into one of the last great mysteries of our time.

Global warming, new epidemics, and the destruction of natural resources have all made the future of the planet seem increasingly dire. But the real truth, according to respected scientist Dr. Seymour Garte, is that the environment is actually in better shape than we have been led to believe.

Where We Stand will serve as a reality check for a debate surrounded by controversy. Garte presents irrefutable evidence that the state of the environment and human welfare has been improving steadily for the past two decades and that our efforts to "save the planet" are working. Contrary to popular opinion, the air and water are getting cleaner, cancer rates are decreasing, and forestation is improving. Meant to motivate -- not to lull -- Where We Stand will energize future efforts with the knowledge that we can make a difference. In giving us the good news, Garte does not neglect the bad; those issues that urgently need to be dealt with. There is still work to be done, but with a clearer picture of where we stand today, we will have a better chance for tomorrow. Hopeful, balanced, and convincing, this is a book that will change the way readers view the planet and the future.

The Conficker worm infected its first computer in November 2008 and within a month had infiltrated 1.5 million computers in 195 countries. Banks, telecommunications companies, and critical government networks (including the British Parliament and the French and German military) were infected. No one had ever seen anything like it. By January 2009 the worm lay hidden in at least eight million computers and the botnet of linked computers that it had created was big enough that an attack might crash the world. This is the gripping tale of the group of hackers, researches, millionaire Internet entrepreneurs, and computer security experts who united to defend the Internet from the Conficker worm: the story of the first digital world war.

This book provides practical advice to students who are learning to write according to the conventions in biology. Using the standards of journal publication as a model, the author provides, in a user-friendly format, specific instructions on: using biology databases to locate references; developing sound reading strategies; paraphrasing for improved comprehension; writing for a particular audience with the appropriate tone; preparing lab reports or scientific papers, posters, and oral presentations with accepted format and content; self-evaluating drafts; using peer and instructor feedback for professional development; and preparing oral presentations in PowerPoint.