Science Spectra – serie

Here is a book for everyone who has an interest in how our planet works, what has happened during its 4,550 million year history and what might happen in the future. It tells how Earth scientists study the pattern of events that have shaped the planet and guided the evolution of life on Earth. In clear and simple language it describes how the effects of these events are measured and the careful detective work needed to unravel the extraordinary complexity of Earth history. The latest advances in dating methods, including the detection of regular patterns of global climate change, are explained and illustrated with real case histories. Our environment is unexpectedly unstable.Dramatic and catastrophic changes in the environment have directed the evolution of life and the rise of Man, and we can expect similar events in the future. If we are to control their effects, we will have to understand what to expect - and what could happen if we try to intervene in the 'natural' development of our home, the Earth.

Here is a book for everyone who has an interest in how our planet works, what has happened during its 4,550 million year history and what might happen in the future. It tells how Earth scientists study the pattern of events that have shaped the planet and guided the evolution of life on Earth. In clear and simple language it describes how the effects of these events are measured and the careful detective work needed to unravel the extraordinary complexity of Earth history. The latest advances in dating methods, including the detection of regular patterns of global climate change, are explained and illustrated with real case histories. Our environment is unexpectedly unstable.Dramatic and catastrophic changes in the environment have directed the evolution of life and the rise of Man, and we can expect similar events in the future. If we are to control their effects, we will have to understand what to expect - and what could happen if we try to intervene in the 'natural' development of our home, the Earth.

In the early nineteenth century chemists knew of the existence of ninety-two chemical elements, from Hydrogen to Uranium. For nearly forty years scientists thought they knew the content of our planet and all of its contents. In the late 1930s the world of chemical science began to discover elements beyond Uranium - the 'transuranics'. These new, super-heavy elements are probably not found in nature at all but can be detected, if only for a few fractions of a second, in precisely designed experiments using powerful nuclear tools. On Beyond Uranium: Journey to the End of the Periodic Table is full of exciting new concepts and tells the story of the author's quest to discover elements never before known to man.

The Subtle Beast: Snakes, from Myth to Medicine introduces you to the complex and absorbing world of these mysterious creatures. Each of the fourteen chapters in this volume can be read independently, but read together they trace a fascinating journey from the macroscopic features of snakes to the molecular description of their venom components.The first three chapters detail how snakes inspired fear and worship, served as sources of medicine, and represented good and evil throughout the ages. The remaining sections describe much of the scientific work that has eroded these supernatural beliefs during the past three centuries. The book examines the origin, features, and classification of snakes, and also offers a precise description of snake venoms and their components. The final chapter discusses how venoms can be applied toward medicinal purposes. Illustrated with a wealth of full color figures, this volume explains technical topics in language that is understandable to an educated lay audience.About the AuthorAndré Ménez is the Director of the Department of Protein Engineering at the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) in France. He heads the Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and is Professor at the National Institute of Sciences and Nuclear Techniques. His knowledge of the toxins of venomous animals inspires his study of proteins for the development of new antivenins and drugs. He is a recipient of the Redi Award from the International Society of Toxicology.

The Subtle Beast: Snakes, from Myth to Medicine introduces you to the complex and absorbing world of these mysterious creatures. Each of the fourteen chapters in this volume can be read independently, but read together they trace a fascinating journey from the macroscopic features of snakes to the molecular description of their venom components.The first three chapters detail how snakes inspired fear and worship, served as sources of medicine, and represented good and evil throughout the ages. The remaining sections describe much of the scientific work that has eroded these supernatural beliefs during the past three centuries. The book examines the origin, features, and classification of snakes, and also offers a precise description of snake venoms and their components. The final chapter discusses how venoms can be applied toward medicinal purposes. Illustrated with a wealth of full color figures, this volume explains technical topics in language that is understandable to an educated lay audience.About the AuthorAndré Ménez is the Director of the Department of Protein Engineering at the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) in France. He heads the Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and is Professor at the National Institute of Sciences and Nuclear Techniques. His knowledge of the toxins of venomous animals inspires his study of proteins for the development of new antivenins and drugs. He is a recipient of the Redi Award from the International Society of Toxicology.

Genetics and its related technologies are revolutionizing the world. The media is regularly dominated by controversy over the latest genetically modified (GM) food, human gene therapy or cancer chip technology. Maverick scientists are in the process of cloning humans, and the human genome sequence is available on the Internet. Fifty years ago we did not know what a gene was; today the awesome power of genetics is being released on an unsuspecting public, and with it a whole series of ethical dilemmas undreamt of even ten years ago. The question now has become not "can we?" but "should we?" By demystifying genetic engineering and exploring the basic biology of the living world, A Terrible Beauty is Born explains how clones and cloning technology are in many ways extensions of processes that occur constantly in nature. Used wisely these processes have the potential to bring enormous benefits; abused, they carry with them potential dangers that we ignore at our peril.

Genetics and its related technologies are revolutionizing the world. The media is regularly dominated by controversy over the latest genetically modified (GM) food, human gene therapy or cancer chip technology. Maverick scientists are in the process of cloning humans, and the human genome sequence is available on the Internet. Fifty years ago we did not know what a gene was; today the awesome power of genetics is being released on an unsuspecting public, and with it a whole series of ethical dilemmas undreamt of even ten years ago. The question now has become not "can we?" but "should we?" By demystifying genetic engineering and exploring the basic biology of the living world, A Terrible Beauty is Born explains how clones and cloning technology are in many ways extensions of processes that occur constantly in nature. Used wisely these processes have the potential to bring enormous benefits; abused, they carry with them potential dangers that we ignore at our peril.

Some atmospheric disturbances produce the kind of extreme weather events making the national and international new headlines on a regular basis. Just about everyone is interested in knowing more about hurricanes, typhoons and tornadoes. There is often confusion about whether or not they are the same thing and whether, for example, we can control these extremely violent phenomena. Thunder and lightning affect many people but how many of us understand what generates such massive electrical discharges and why they occur more at some times of year than at others?A popular addition to the Science Spectra Series, Weather Rage explains the origin and nature of different types of weather observed across many areas of the world - and those that occur on different 'scales'. Presenting an in-depth look at the main factors underlying weather, this book will be an extremely useful guide for all meteorology students and practitioners as well as a source of reference for all those with an interest in the weather.