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The Secret Lives of Molecules

Author: Kathryn Harkup

Publisher: Greenfinch

Published: 2023-08-03

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 1529425085

What happens when you really get under the skin of the world around you? Everything that surrounds us - and we ourselves - are made of molecules, constructed from a limited set of elements that can combine to form an almost limitless kaleidoscope of possibilities. Dr Kathryn Harkup reveals the inner lives of the invisible molecules that make up our world, ranging from the fundamental to the frivolous; via the psychedelic effects of caffeine to the deadly march of CO2 emissions. This is a book about the stories of discovery, the quirks of science and of human history that have enhanced our appreciation and understanding of the world.

The Secret Lives of the Elements

Author: Kathryn Harkup

Publisher: Greenfinch

Published: 2021-10-07

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1529412757

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'A delightful and engaging treasure trove of a book that brings the chemical elements to life and gives them personalities of their own. A wonderful read for young and old alike to get you inspired by chemistry.' Jim Al-Khalili 'The perfect book to escape our human-sized existence and take a tour of the atomic world instead.' Helen Arney, science comedian and broadcaster When we think of the periodic table we picture orderly rows of elements that conform to type and never break the rules. In this book Kathryn Harkup reveals that there are personalities, passions, quirks and historical oddities behind those ordered rows, and shows us that the periodic table is a sprawling family tree with its own black sheep, wayward cousins and odd uncles. The elements in the periodic table, like us, are an extended family - some old, some newborn, some shy and reticent, some exuberant or unreliable. Dr Harkup tells the weird and wonderful stories of just fifty two members of this family - remarkable tales of discovery, inspiration and revolution, from the everyday to the extraordinary. Some elements are relatively anonymous; others, already familiar, are seen in a new light; and old friends have surprising secrets to share. From our green-fingered friend magnesium to the devil incarnate polonium, this eclectic collection of engaging and informative stories will change the way you see the periodic table for ever.

How We Live and Why We Die: The Secret Lives of Cells

Author: Lewis Wolpert

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2011-01-24

Total Pages: 169

ISBN-13: 039329272X

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Acclaimed biologist Lewis Wolpert eloquently narrates the basics of human life through the lens of its smallest component: the cell. Everything about our existence— imagination and reproduction, birth and death—is governed by our cells. They are the basis of all life in the universe, from the tiniest of bacteria to the most complex of animals. Genes in developing embryos determine the makeup of individuals, and the rapid firing between nerve cells creates the spirit of who we are. When we age, our cells cannot repair the damage they have undergone; when we get ill, it is because cells are so damaged they stop working and die. In the tradition of Lewis Thomas’s science classic The Lives of a Cell, Wolpert, an internationally acclaimed embryologist, draws on the recent discoveries of genetics to demonstrate how human life derives from a single cell and then grows into a body: an incredibly complex society made up of billions of cells. Wolpert sensitively examines the science behind often controversial research topics that are much discussed by rarely understood—stem cell research, cloning, DNA, and mutating cancer cells—all the while illuminating how the intricacies of cellular behavior bear directly on human behavior. Wolpert isn’t afraid to tackle the tough questions, including how and why single cells evolved into complex organisms and, first and foremost, what gave rise to the original cell, the origin of all life. Lively and passionate, How We Live and Why We Die is both an accessible guide to understanding the human body and a deeply reverent meditation on life itself.

Armchair Chemistry

Author: David Bradley

Publisher: Chartwell Books

Published: 2018-02-13

Total Pages: 179

ISBN-13: 0785835962

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Part of the Armchair series, Armchair Chemistry is a quick refresher course in how we survey of the science. It explains how we evolved from believing in alchemy to discovering modern chemical equations and goes into detail about the lives of the scientists that uncovered them. Fascinating and interactive, this is ideal for the student brushing up on a subject or for as a clear and accessible companion for beginner's and experts alike. It contains explanations of different chemical concepts, as well as profiles of key scientists and and their discoveries. It contains clear and concise explanations of different chemical concepts, as well as profiles of key scientists and their discoveries. A unique feature of the book is its simple, step-by-step exercises. Some of these have everyday applications, others are theoretical puzzles, but all are designed to challenge you and test your newly acquired knowledge. The perfect companion for beginners and experts alike, Armchair Chemistry does not assume prior knowledge of the subject. It conveys the basic elements of chemistry in a way that is clear and accessible, no matter your level of ability.

The Dance of Molecules

Author: Ted Sargent

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13:

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The Secret Life of the Universe

Author: Nathalie A. Cabrol

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2024-08-13

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1668046687

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One of the world’s leading astrobiologists takes us on an awe-inspiring journey across the cosmos to investigate some of humanity’s most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe? And, how did life on Earth begin? We are in a golden age in astronomy, living on the cusp of breakthroughs that will revolutionize our understanding of our place in the cosmos in. Yet a profound question remains: Are we alone in the universe? We have never been closer to answering this question. In The Secret Life of the Universe, astrobiologist and the director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute Nathalie A. Cabrol takes us to the frontiers of the search for life. The book’s odyssey begins by exploring how life began on Earth in order to understand what’s necessary for its existence elsewhere. What role did our Moon play? And could life on Mars have seeded life on Earth? Cabrol continues this dazzling interplanetary tour, illuminating the likeliest places for life in our neighborhood: While Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn are among the top contenders, recent missions are redefining the limits of habitability to include unexpected worlds. Finally, we seek life beyond our Solar System, becoming witness to a revolution in the night sky: the realization that there are as many planets as stars in our galaxy. With more than 300 million exoplanets in the habitable zone of their stars in the Milky Way alone, to think we are alone, or the only advanced intelligent civilization, may be little more than nonsense. The Secret Life of the Universe is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the search for life. This is an exhilarating journey for anyone who has ever looked up at the stars and wondered what might be out there.

Life's Ratchet

Author: Peter M. Hoffmann

Publisher:

Published: 2012-10-30

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0465022537

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Life, Hoffman argues, emerges from the random motions of atoms filtered through the sophisticated structures of our evolved machinery. People are essentially giant assemblies of interacting nanoscale machines.

Magic Molecules

Author: Susan Aldridge

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1998-09-28

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 9780521584142

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All of us are drug users, in the broadest sense of the word. Drugs can be medicines, they can be used for pleasure, and they can also be used to protect our long-term health. It is important that we are well informed about the drugs we use - how they work, their benefits and their risks. This book is a unique guide for the general science reader to the drugs of everyday life - from the main types of medicine through to recreational drugs and food supplements. It looks at how drugs interact with their targets in the body, where they come from, how they are developed and what drugs to expect in the future. All the major pharmaceutical medicines are reviewed - painkillers, antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, anti depressants, heart drugs, tranquillizers and hormones. However this book is much more than a consumer handbook - it also conveys the fascinating science of drug discovery in an easily accessible way.

The Secret Lives of Planets

Author: Paul Murdin

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Published: 2019-07-11

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 1529319439

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BBC Sky At Night Best Astronomy and Space Books of 2019 'A deft, frequently dramatic tour' Nature 'A highly readable distillation of humankind's knowledge of our solar system, gleaned over many centuries, with surprisingly many mysteries yet to be solved' Daily Mail 'The Secret Lives of Planets aims to be a "user's guide to the Solar System", but it also turns out to be an inspiration to look at the Solar System as a long cosmic journey and find our place in it.' BBC Sky at Night 'A wonderfully clear and readable book . . . Gives a splendid overview of our Sun's planetary system, including its history and exploration' Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell * We have the impression that the solar system is perfectly regular like a clock, or a planetarium instrument. On a short timescale it is. But, seen in a longer perspective, the planets, and their satellites, have exciting lives, full of events - for example, did you know that Saturn's moon, Titan, boasts lakes which contain liquid methane surrounded by soaring hills and valleys, exactly as the earth did before life evolved on our fragile planet? Or that Mercury is the shyest planet? Or, that Mars' biggest volcano is 100 times the size of Earth's, or that its biggest canyon is 10 times the depth of the Grand Canyon, or that it wasn't always red, but blue? The culmination of a lifetime of astronomy and wonder, Paul Murdin's enchanting new book reveals everything you ever wanted to know about the planets, their satellites, and our place in the solar system.

The Molecule of More

Author: Daniel Z. Lieberman

Publisher: BenBella Books

Published: 2018-08-14

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 1946885290

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Why are we obsessed with the things we want only to be bored when we get them? Why is addiction perfectly logical to an addict? Why does love change so quickly from passion to indifference? Why are some people die-hard liberals and others hardcore conservatives? Why are we always hopeful for solutions even in the darkest times—and so good at figuring them out? The answer is found in a single chemical in your brain: dopamine. Dopamine ensured the survival of early man. Thousands of years later, it is the source of our most basic behaviors and cultural ideas—and progress itself. Dopamine is the chemical of desire that always asks for more—more stuff, more stimulation, and more surprises. In pursuit of these things, it is undeterred by emotion, fear, or morality. Dopamine is the source of our every urge, that little bit of biology that makes an ambitious business professional sacrifice everything in pursuit of success, or that drives a satisfied spouse to risk it all for the thrill of someone new. Simply put, it is why we seek and succeed; it is why we discover and prosper. Yet, at the same time, it's why we gamble and squander. From dopamine's point of view, it's not the having that matters. It's getting something—anything—that's new. From this understanding—the difference between possessing something versus anticipating it—we can understand in a revolutionary new way why we behave as we do in love, business, addiction, politics, religion—and we can even predict those behaviors in ourselves and others. In The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity—and will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, George Washington University professor and psychiatrist Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, and Georgetown University lecturer Michael E. Long present a potentially life-changing proposal: Much of human life has an unconsidered component that explains an array of behaviors previously thought to be unrelated, including why winners cheat, why geniuses often suffer with mental illness, why nearly all diets fail, and why the brains of liberals and conservatives really are different.