This is the captivating story of mathematics' greatest ever idea: calculus. Without it, there would be no computers, no microwave ovens, no GPS, and no space travel. But before it gave modern man almost infinite powers, calculus was behind centuries of controversy, competition, and even death.Taking us on a thrilling journey through three millennia, professor Steven Strogatz charts the development of this seminal achievement from the days of Aristotle to today's million-dollar reward that awaits whoever cracks Reimann's hypothesis. Filled with idiosyncratic characters from Pythagoras to Euler, Infinite Powers is a compelling human drama that reveals the legacy of calculus on nearly every aspect of modern civilisation, including science, politics, ethics, philosophy, and much besides.

Award-winning Steven Strogatz, one of the foremost popularisers of maths, has written a witty and fascinating account of maths' most compelling ideas and how, so often, they are an integral part of everyday life.

The year's finest mathematics writing from around the world This annual anthology brings together the year's finest mathematics writing from around the world. Featuring promising new voices alongside some of the foremost names in the field, The Best Writing on Mathematics 2016 makes available to a wide audience many articles not easily found anywhere else--and you don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy them. These writings offer surprising insights into the nature, meaning, and practice of mathematics today. They delve into the history, philosophy, teaching, and everyday occurrences of math, and take readers behind the scenes of today's hottest mathematical debates. Here Burkard Polster shows how to invent your own variants of the Spot It! card game, Steven Strogatz presents young Albert Einstein's proof of the Pythagorean Theorem, Joseph Dauben and Marjorie Senechal find a treasure trove of math in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Andrew Gelman explains why much scientific research based on statistical testing is spurious.In other essays, Brian Greene discusses the evolving assumptions of the physicists who developed the mathematical underpinnings of string theory, Jorge Almeida examines the misperceptions of people who attempt to predict lottery results, and Ian Stewart offers advice to authors who aspire to write successful math books for general readers. And there's much, much more. In addition to presenting the year's most memorable writings on mathematics, this must-have anthology includes a bibliography of other notable writings and an introduction by the editor, Mircea Pitici. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in where math has taken us--and where it is headed.

This gripping and vivid book is, amazingly, the first comprehensive world history of the most important transport innovation of the modern age.

Bees are a fascinating and indispensable group of insects, but many species are in decline, and efforts to help determine distributions and changes in abundance have to date been compromised by a serious lack of identification resources. This eagerly anticipated new addition to the highly acclaimed British Wildlife Field Guides series will unravel the complexities of identification, and is designed to cater for people new to the bee world as well as to more experienced recorders who wish to identify every species accurately. It provides the latest information on the identification, ecology, status and distribution of all 275 species of bee in Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands. - Written by Steven Falk, professional naturalist and conservationist with over forty years' experience of working with bees- Illustrated with over 1,000 colour and black & white artworks by Richard Lewington, one of Europe's leading insect artists- Stunning photographs of living insects as seen in the wild- 234 up-to-date distribution maps- Comprehensive introduction to bee classification, ecology, field techniques and recording, a full glossary, and information on how to separate the sexes and distinguish bees from other insects- Introductions to families and genera, describing key characters and life histories- Detailed species descriptions covering field and microscopic characters, similar species, variants, flight season, habitat, flowers visited, nesting habits, status & distribution, and parasites & associates- A series of innovative illustrated keys to genera and species, designed to guide the user step by step through the identification process

According to a wry saying among radiologists, finding a tumour in a mammogram is like finding a snowball in a blizzard. Up to thirty percent of breast-cancer diagnoses are given to those who have no cancer at all. Medicine is subject to far more uncertainty than we commonly acknowledge. While it is portrayed a science, it can sometimes be scarily close to educated guesswork.Covering everything from the efficacy of Prozac to the regular barrage of health advice by the media, Snowball in a Blizzard is a profound meditation on why it's essential that doctors and their patients know what we don't know. The world is more complicated than we like to believe.Informed by years of frontline medical experience and filled with personal reflections, this important book is filled with counter-intuitive revelations about flawed reasoning, helpful guidance and hard-earned insight. It will change the way you view the health of yourself, your loved ones or your patients.

A provocative history of violence-from the New York Times bestselling author of The Stuff of Thought, The Blank Slate, and Enlightenment Now. Believe it or not, today we may be living in the most peaceful moment in our species' existence. In his gripping and controversial new work, New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows that despite the ceaseless news about war, crime, and terrorism, violence has actually been in decline over long stretches of history. Exploding myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious book continues Pinker's exploration of the essence of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly enlightened world.

Everybody lies, to friends, lovers, doctors, pollsters - and to themselves. In Internet searches, however, people confess the truth. Insightful, funny and always surprising, Everybody Lies explores how this huge collection of data, unprecedented in human history, could just be the most important ever collected. It offers astonishing insights into the human psyche, revealing the biases deeply embedded within us, the questions we're afraid to ask that might be essential to our well-being, and the information we can use to change our culture for the better.

Ideal for art students at every level • Illuminating words about creating great images • Published in association with New York’s School of Visual Arts. What does it mean to become a photographer in the twenty-first century? This thoughtful collection of essays illuminates the spirit of the people who make the indelible images of our times. Aspiring and professional photographers—especially those in arts programs throughout the United States—will appreciate the comprehensive vision of The Education of a Photographer. Classic writings from the twentieth century as well as the thoughts of the most influential talents working today, plus essays from designers, editors, and gallery owners, make this a compelling look at what drives and inspires photographers to create great work.

The Nobel Prize-winning physicist and bestselling author of The First Three Minutes describes the grand quest for a unifying theory of nature--one that can explain forces as different as the cohesion inside the atom and the gravitational tug between the sun and Earth. Wirting with dazzling elegance and clarity, he retraces the steps that have led modern scientists from relativity and quantum mechanics to the notion of super-strings and the idea that our universe may coexist with others. But Weinberg asks as many questions as he answers, among them: Why does each explanation of the way nature works point to other, deeper explanations? Why are the best theories not only logical but beautiful? And what implications will a final theory have for our philosophy and religious faith? Intellectually daring, rich in anecdote and aphorism, Dreams of a Final Theory launches us into a new cosmos and helps us make sense of what we find there. From the Back Cover In Dreams of a Final Theory, Steven Weinberg, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist and author of The First Three Minutes, describes the grand quest for a unifying theory of nature -- one that can explain forces as different as the cohesion inside the atom and the gravitational tug between the sun and the earth. Writing with dazzling elegance and clarity, he retraces the steps that have led modern scientists from relativity and quantum mechanics to the notion of superstrings and the idea that our universe may coexist with others. But Weinberg has as many questions as he answers, among them: Why does each explanation of the way nature works point to other, deeper explanations? Why are the best theories not only logical but beautiful? And what implications will a final theory have for our philosophy and religious faith? Intellectually daring, rich in anecdote and aphorism, Dreams of a Final Theory launches us into a new cosmos and helps us make 03sense of what we find there. Review "A splendid introduction to the nature and ambitions of modern physics and a brilliant and...moving essay on its philosophical implications." -- "San Francisco Chronicle" "Listening to this audiobook, one feels as if one has entered the classroom of a popular physics professor. With a clear tenor voice, [Langton] never falters in this reading, even when tackling the many difficult physics terms." -- "AudioFile" "This splendid book is as good reading about physics and physicists as this reviewer can name...clear, honest, and brilliantly instructive." -- "Scientific American" "Unusually well-written and informative...Weinberg is one of the world's most creative theoretical physicists." -- "Washington Post Book World" "Weinberg writes with great hope and clarity...Other books have been written on this subject, but Weinberg's is likely to have the highest demand. Highly recommended." -- "Library Journal" "Weinberg's quest...displays a scientist's sense of wonder and an artist's love of beauty." -- "Publishers Weekly" From Publishers Weekly Nobel Prize-winning physicist Weinberg's quest for a final explanation of the laws of nature displays a scientist's sense of wonder and an artist's love of beauty. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal In his celebrated book The First Three Minutes (Basic, 1977; 1988, reprint) Nobel laureate Weinberg wrote the ominous and oft-quoted remark "The more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it seems pointless." This book can be seen as his response to that remark after 15 years of reflection and scientific progress. Weinberg writes with great hope and clarity about the possibility that science can find a universal theory uniting the laws of nature into a single statement that is mathematically, philosophically, and aesthetically complete. His writing is technical in places, and some of the first-person narratives come off as less than humble, but overall Weinberg offers excellent insights on how such a theory could be realized and what it would mean. Especially engaging are his chapters, "Beautiful Theories" and "What About God?" Other books have been written on this subject (e.g., Paul Davies's Superforce , LJ 11/15/84; John Barrow's Theories of Everything , Oxford Univ. Pr., 1991; and Barry Parker's Search for a Supertheory , Plenum, 1987), but Weinberg's is likely to have the highest demand. Highly recommended. - Gregg Sapp, Montana State Univ. Libs. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review "A splendid introduction to the nature and ambitions of modern physics and a brilliant and...moving essay on its philosophical implications." -- "San Francisco Chronicle" "Listening to this audiobook, one feels as if one has entered the classroom of a popular physics professor. With a clear tenor voice, [Langton] never falters in this reading, even when tackling the many difficult physics terms." -- "AudioFile" "This splendid book is as good reading about physics and physicists as this reviewer can name...clear, honest, and brilliantly instructive." -- "Scientific American" "Unusually well-written and informative...Weinberg is one of the world's most creative theoretical physicists." -- "Washington Post Book World" "Weinberg writes with great hope and clarity...Other books have been written on this subject, but Weinberg's is likely to have the highest demand. Highly recommended." -- "Library Journal" "Weinberg's quest...displays a scientist's sense of wonder and an artist's love of beauty." -- "Publishers Weekly" From the Inside Flap The Nobel Prize-winning physicist and bestselling author of The First Three Minutes describes the grand quest for a unifying theory of nature--one that can explain events as disparate as the cohesion inside the atom and the gravitational tug between the sun and Earth. From AudioFile Tindle accomplishes one of the primary tasks of an audiobook reader: He sounds like what we might imagine the author to sound like. Listening to this audiobook, one feels as if one has entered the classroom of a popular physics professor. With a clear tenor voice, Tindle never falters in this reading, even when tackling the many difficult physics terms relating to the search for one theory to unify the forces of the universe; electromagnetism, gravity, the strong force and the weak force. His pace seems a bit fast at times, but that may be because he is discussing theoretical physics, which is difficult for any listener to consume. Weinberg, a Nobel laureate, aims in this book to explain attempts at the unification theory that eluded Einstein to a non-specialist audience, and he generally succeeds in this attempt. M.L.C. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine About the Author Steven Weinberg received the 1979 Nobel Prize for Physics for his work in unifying two of the fundamental forces of nature, and in 1991 he was awarded the National Medal of Science at the White House. His earlier prize-winning book The First Three Minutes is the classic account of the "Big Bang," the modern theory of the origin of the universe. Among his other books are The Theory of Subatomic Particles and Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity. Steven Weinberg is a member of the Royal Society of London as well as the US National Academy of Sciences, and has been awarded numerous honorary degrees, most recently from Columbia University and the Universities of Salamanca and Padua. Stuart Langton is an award-winning theater, film, and television actor. He has been an audiobook narrator for more than ten years. He lives in New York City.

In The Throne of Caesar, award-winning mystery author Steven Saylor turns to the most famous murder in history: It's Rome, 44 AD, and the Ides of March are approaching.

This New York Times bestseller is an exciting and fearless investigation of language from the author of Better Angels of Our Nature and The Sense of Style "Curious, inventive, fearless, naughty." - New York Times Book Review Bestselling author Steven Pinker possesses that rare combination of scientific aptitude and verbal eloquence that enables him to provide lucid explanations of deep and powerful ideas. His previous books - including the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Blank Slate - have catapulted him into the limelight as one of today's most important popular science writers. In The Stuff of Thought , Pinker presents a fascinating look at how our words explain our nature. Considering scientific questions with examples from everyday life, The Stuff of Thought is a brilliantly crafted and highly readable work that will appeal to fans of everything from The Selfish Gene and Blink to Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

The first in a wickedly funny new series from the Roald Dahl Funny Prize shortlisted author Steven Butler!

The second in a wickedly funny new series from the Roald Dahl Funny Prize shortlisted author Steven Butler!

-Based on research in more than 300 innovative companies, the visionary insights of bestselling author Steven Van Belleghem provide an answer on how to be customer-oriented in a world of automatization and digitalization -With a chapter by expert Peter Hinssen Phase 3 of digitalization has started. A phase of artificial intelligence has revolutionized the buying behavior of customers: collecting information, the buying process and customer service have changed dramatically. This book explains the impact of the 'internet of things', virtual assistants, bots and client data. But first of all this is a book about customers. In a world of automatization the most important question remains: how can I be customer-oriented? "Steven is a much asked for keynote speaker for our events, always a highlight. He has a unique and authentic style: with a combination of academic depth and well-built cases he spices up his presentations with a tremendous amount of humor." - Anthony Belpaire, Google Website: stevenvanbelleghem.com Youtube: StevenVanBelleghem/videos Twitter: @StevenVBe

Deaccessioning Today: Theory and Practice is a comprehensive international overview of deaccessioning. Author Steven Miller covers reasons for removing items from collections, looks at how and why deaccessioning occurs in museums around the world, and discusses recommended disposition procedures. Collections make museums unique. Getting and keeping physical evidence of the human and natural world, and doing so for the long term, is not done by any other organizations, entities, agencies, etc. This characteristic is essential to accept and understand regardless of a museum's operations. It is especially important when considering what to subtract from collections. Features include:*In-depth coverage of reasons for deaccessioning including ownership disputes, untenable conservation, redundancy, fakes and forgeries, source of income, safety reasons;*Processes for both museum-initiated and externally-initiated deaccessions;*Disposition options including sale, gift, exchange, demotion, destruction, and return;*Controversies surrounding deaccessions;Deaccessioning Today is for museum professionals, those who are responsible for museums (such as trustees, volunteers, elected officials, and donors), as well as the general public with an interest in how museums operate and why.

The Complete, Modern Guide to Developing Well-Performing Signal Processing Algorithms In Fundamentals of Statistical Signal Processing, Volume III: Practical Algorithm Development, author Steven M. Kay shows how to convert theories of statistical signal processing estimation and detection into software algorithms that can be implemented on digital computers. This final volume of Kay's three-volume guide builds on the comprehensive theoretical coverage in the first two volumes. Here, Kay helps readers develop strong intuition and expertise in designing well-performing algorithms that solve real-world problems. Kay begins by reviewing methodologies for developing signal processing algorithms, including mathematical modeling, computer simulation, and performance evaluation. He links concepts to practice by presenting useful analytical results and implementations for design, evaluation, and testing. Next, he highlights specific algorithms that have "stood the test of time," offers realistic examples from several key application areas, and introduces useful extensions. Finally, he guides readers through translating mathematical algorithms into MATLAB(r) code and verifying solutions.Topics covered include * Step by step approach to the design of algorithms * Comparing and choosing signal and noise models * Performance evaluation, metrics, tradeoffs, testing, and documentation * Optimal approaches using the "big theorems" * Algorithms for estimation, detection, and spectral estimation * Complete case studies: Radar Doppler center frequency estimation, magnetic signal detection, and heart rate monitoring Exercises are presented throughout, with full solutions, and executable MATLAB code that implements all the algorithms, is provided on the accompanying CD. This new volume is invaluable to engineers, scientists, and advanced students in every discipline that relies on signal processing; researchers will especially appreciate its timely overview of the state of the practical art. Volume III complements Dr. Kay's Fundamentals of Statistical Signal Processing, Volume I: Estimation Theory (Prentice Hall, 1993; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-345711-7), and Volume II: Detection Theory (Prentice Hall, 1998; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-504135-2).

An exploration of how extreme athletes break the limits of ultimate human performance and what we can learn from their mastery of the state of consciousness known as -flow- In this groundbreaking book, New York Times -bestselling author Steven Kotler decodes the mystery of ultimate human performance. Drawing on over a decade of research and first-hand interviews with dozens of top action and adventure sports athletes such as big-wave legend Laird Hamilton, big-mountain snowboarder Jeremy Jones, and skateboarding pioneer Danny Way, Kotler explores the frontier science of -flow, - an optimal state of consciousness where we perform and feel our best. Building a bridge between the extreme and the mainstream, The Rise of Superman explains how these athletes are using flow to do the impossible and how we can use this information to radically accelerate our performance in our own lives. At its core, this is a book about profound possibility, what is actually possible for our species, and where--if anywhere--our limits lie.

Fundamentals for Art and Design An exciting first edition, Basic Design makes discovery and invention the centerpiece of the creative process. This guide to art fundamentals grounds its emphasis on creativity in a student-friendly voice. Author Steven Bleicher includes coverage of thinking conceptually and critically, new technologies that are shaping both traditional and emerging fields in art and design today, and attention to diversity in design, thinking, and gender and global demographics. MyArtsLab is an integral part of the Bleicher, program. Key learning applications include, Art 21 and Studio Technique videos, 360-degree architectural panoramas and simulations and Closer Look tours. A better teaching and learning experience This program will provide a better teaching and learning experience-for you and your students. Here's how:Personalize Learning- MyArtsLab is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program. It helps students prepare for class and instructor gauge individual and class performance. Improve Critical Thinking - Each chapter contains exploring content and ends with Think About It questionsencouraging readers to think critically about the presented topics. Engage Students- Current content and a visually attractive program engage students in chapter material. Support Instructors - Instructor recourses are available in one convenient location. Figures, videos and teacher support materials create a dynamic, engaging course. 0205959458 / 9780205959457 Basic Design Plus NEW MyArtsLab with eText - Access Card Package Package consists of: 013194343X / 9780131943438 Basic Design 0205206565 / 9780205206568 NEW MyArtsLab with Pearson eText -- Valuepack Access Card

The Complete, Modern Guide to Developing Well-Performing Signal Processing Algorithms In Fundamentals of Statistical Signal Processing, Volume III: Practical Algorithm Development, author Steven M. Kay shows how to convert theories of statistical signal processing estimation and detection into software algorithms that can be implemented on digital computers. This final volume of Kay's three-volume guide builds on the comprehensive theoretical coverage in the first two volumes. Here, Kay helps readers develop strong intuition and expertise in designing well-performing algorithms that solve real-world problems. Kay begins by reviewing methodologies for developing signal processing algorithms, including mathematical modeling, computer simulation, and performance evaluation. He links concepts to practice by presenting useful analytical results and implementations for design, evaluation, and testing. Next, he highlights specific algorithms that have "stood the test of time," offers realistic examples from several key application areas, and introduces useful extensions. Finally, he guides readers through translating mathematical algorithms into MATLAB(R) code and verifying solutions. Topics covered include Step-by-step approach to the design of algorithms Comparing and choosing signal and noise models Performance evaluation, metrics, tradeoffs, testing, and documentation Optimal approaches using the "big theorems" Algorithms for estimation, detection, and spectral estimation Complete case studies: Radar Doppler center frequency estimation, magnetic signal detection, and heart rate monitoring Exercises are presented throughout, with full solutions, and executable MATLAB code that implements all the algorithms is available for download. This new volume is invaluable to engineers, scientists, and advanced students in every discipline that relies on signal processing; researchers will especially appreciate its timely overview of the state of the practical art. Volume III complements Dr. Kay's Fundamentals of Statistical Signal Processing, Volume I: Estimation Theory (Prentice Hall, 1993; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-345711-7), and Volume II: Detection Theory (Prentice Hall, 1998; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-504135-2).