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New Arrivals - Sciences

Using a delightful assortment of examples--from ice cream scoops and poker hands to measuring mountains and making magic squares--this book empowers you to see the beauty, simplicity, and truly magical properties behind those formulas and equations that once left your head spinning. You'll learn the key ideas of classic areas of mathematics like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus, but you'll also have fun fooling around with Fibonacci numbers, investigating infinity, and marveling over mathematical magic tricks that will make you look like a math genius!

Every fossil tells a story. Best-selling paleontology author Donald R. Prothero describes twenty-five famous, beautifully preserved fossils in a scientific history of life on Earth. Recounting the adventures behind the discovery of these objects and fully interpreting their significance within the larger fossil record, Prothero creates a history of life on our planet. The twenty-five fossils portrayed in this book catch animals in their evolutionary splendor as they transition from one kind of organism to another. We witness extinct plants and animals of microscopic and immense size and thrilling diversity. We learn about fantastic land and sea creatures that have no match in nature today. Along the way, we encounter such fascinating fossils as the earliest trilobite, Olenellus; the giant shark Carcharocles; the "fishibian" Tiktaalik; the "Frogamander" and the "Turtle on the Half-Shell"; enormous marine reptiles and the biggest dinosaurs known; the first bird, Archaeopteryx; the walking whale Ambulocetus; the gigantic hornless rhinoceros Paraceratherium, the largest land mammal that ever lived; and the Australopithecus nicknamed "Lucy," the oldest human skeleton. We meet the scientists and adventurers who pioneered paleontology and learn about the larger intellectual and social contexts in which their discoveries were made. Finally, we find out where to see these splendid fossils in the world's great museums.

"Eileen Pollack had grown up in the 1960s and 70s dreaming of a career as a theoretical astrophysicist. Denied the chance to take advanced courses in science and math, she nonetheless made her way to Yale, where, despite finding herself far behind the men in her classes, she went on to graduate, summa cum laude, with honors, as one of the university's first two women to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. And yet, isolated, lacking in confidence, starved for encouragement, she abandoned her ambition to become a physicist. Years later, Pollack revisited her reasons for walking away from the career she once had coveted. She spent six years interviewing her former teachers and classmates and dozens of other women who had dropped out before completing their degrees in science. In addition, Pollack talked to experts in the field of gender studies and reviewed the most up-to-date research that seeks to document why women and minorities underperform in STEM fields. Girls who study science and math are still belittled and teased by their male peers and teachers, even by other girls. They are led to think that any interest or achievement in science or math will diminish their popularity. They are still being steered away from advanced courses in technical fields, while deeply entrenched stereotypes lead them to see themselves as less talented than their male classmates, a condition that causes them to fulfill such expectations and perform more poorly than the boys sitting beside them. "--Provided by publisher.

America's Sagebrush Sea is one of its most extensive natural landscapes, yet this sensitive ecosystem is unprotected and being fragmented by development. Located on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains and stretching from Greater Yellowstone to Telluride, Colorado, the region known as the Sagebrush Sea is a unique wildlife habitat with an abundance of natural resources. For this reason it is treasured by conservationists, private land owners, and energy developers alike. In the eyes of organizations such as Audubon and the World Wildlife Fund, the loss of this habitat would be catastrophic for important species like the Greater and Gunnison's Sage-grouse. Greater Sage-grouse were once found across thirteen western states, but due to energy development and conversion of land for agriculture, they now inhabit only half of their historic range. In addition, the gradual disappearance of sagebrush habitat in the West is having a profound effect on other wildlife species such as Brewer's sparrow, sage sparrow, sage thrasher, pygmy rabbit, mule deer, pronghorn, and more. Sage Spirit features each of these species and the threats they face. Photographer and writer Dave Showalter has documented the seasonal changes, animal behaviors, and migrations within the Sagebrush Sea. He is working with conservation leaders, government agencies, Native communities, and private landowners to tell the complete story of the ecosystem and the way humans are using the landscape. hrough images and essays, Sage Spirit explains why responsible management of this fragile habitat is so vital.

Steppes--semi-arid biomes dominated by forbs, grasses, and grass-like species, and characterized by extremes of cold and heat--occupy enormous areas on four continents. Yet these ecosystems are among the least studied on our planet. Given that the birth and evolution of human beings have been so intimately interwoven with steppe regions, it is amazing that so few attempts have been made to compare and quantify the features of these regions. In this ground-breaking volume, five leading voices in horticulture--all staff members of Denver Botanic Gardens--examine the plants, climate, geology, and geography of the world?s steppes: central Asia, central and intermountain North America, Patagonia, and South Africa. Drawing upon their first-hand experience, the writers illuminate the distinctive features of each region, with a particular emphasis on the striking similarities between their floras. Each chapter includes a primer of species of horticultural interest--a rich resource for readers with an interest in steppe plants.

Drawing on recent ground-breaking experiments from around the world, an introduction to quantum biology brings together first-hand experience at the cutting edge of science with thorough explanations to reveal how quantum mechanics can solve many of life's puzzles.

Carl Safina's childhood by the Long Island shore launched a life-long passion for animals. In his new book, Safina delves deeply into the lives of animals, witnessing their profound capacity for perception, thought, and emotion. He delivers an examination of how animals truly think and feel and what really does make us human.

"Conquer Algebra I with these key lessons, practice problems, and easy-to-follow examples"--Page [4] of cover.

Conquer basic math and pre-algebra with these key lessons, practice problems, and easy to follow examples.


Surmount statistics with these key lessons, practice problems, and easy-to-follow examples.


Life's Greatest Secret is the story of the discovery and cracking of the genetic code. Matthew Cobb interweaves science, biography and anecdote in a book that mixes remarkable insights, theoretical dead-ends and ingenious experiments with the pace of a thriller. He describes cooperation and competition among some of the twentieth-century's most outstanding and eccentric minds, moves between biology, physics and chemistry, and shows the part played by computing and cybernetics. The story spans the globe, from Cambridge MA to Cambridge UK, New York to Paris, London to Moscow. It is the story of humans exploring what it is that makes us human, and how the world works.

Traces the story of forgotten genius Ernest Lawrence and his invention of the cyclotron, which triggered "Big Science" breakthroughs that have rendered science dependent on government and industry.

Algebra can evoke anxiety in the best of us. Sterling shows you how to get up to speed on exponential functions, conic sections, matricies, and other advanced concepts.

A portrait of the world of dolphins explores their conflicted history with humans, sharing scientific insights into their intelligence while discussing how they have been used as theme-park attractions, military tools, and sporting targets.