Occasionally in the world of science, unexpected results that appear to violate accepted laws of nature can herald revolutionary advances in human knowledge. Many of these 'revolutionary' discoveries do, however, turn out to be wrong, and eminent scientists must carry the burden of a tarnished reputation for mistakenly thinking they have made a great discovery. In this entertaining text, Robert Park examines the social, economic, and political forces that elicit or support flawed or fake science and then go on to sustain it in the face of often overwhelming contrary evidence. Readers are made aware of the fine line that exists between foolishness and fraud and are warned against irrational beliefs dressed up as scientific garb.

Teaches the laws of motion through amusement park rides, discussing force, kinetic energy, and weightlessness.

Papers from a summit, "Science for Parks, Parks for Science: the next century," organized by University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with the National Geographic Society and the National Park Service and held 25-27 March 2015 at the University of California, Berkeley.

Visitors to Yellowstone National Park are drawn to the spectacular scenery, unique thermal features, and the large numbers of wild animals easily observed in their natural habitat. The thoughtful visitor to the park cannot help but be captivated by the unparalleled breadth of scientific knowledge needed to understand the intricate interrelationships that make up the yellowstone landscape. Knowing Yellowstone explores how scientists discover what they know about America's first national park and the surrounding lands. The chapter authors are scientists who represent the best of their fields of study. The science they describe is leading the way to our understanding of complex ecosystems worldwide.

A New York Times bestseller! The untold story of the eccentric Wall Street tycoon and the circle of scientific geniuses who helped build the atomic bomb and defeat the Nazis—changing the course of history. Legendary financier, philanthropist, and society figure Alfred Lee Loomis gathered the most visionary scientific minds of the twentieth century—Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr, Enrico Fermi, and others—at his state-of-the-art laboratory in Tuxedo Park, New York, in the late 1930s. He established a top-secret defense laboratory at MIT and personally bankrolled pioneering research into new, high-powered radar detection systems that helped defeat the German Air Force and U-boats. With Ernest Lawrence, the Nobel Prize–winning physicist, he pushed Franklin Delano Roosevelt to fund research in nuclear fission, which led to the development of the atomic bomb. Jennet Conant, the granddaughter of James Bryant Conant, one of the leading scientific advisers of World War II, enjoyed unprecedented access to Loomis’ papers, as well as to people intimately involved in his life and work. She pierces through Loomis’ obsessive secrecy and illuminates his role in assuring the Allied victory.

“An eclectic, enjoyable mix of literature reviews, personal experience and case studies, and practical advice from . . . leaders in their subdisciplines.” —Eleanor J. Sterling, Chief Conservation Scientist, Center for Biodiversity & Conservation, American Museum of Natural History With the US National Park Service over one hundred years old, parks and protected areas worldwide are under increasing threat from storms and fires of greater severity, plant and animal extinctions, the changing attitudes of a public that has become more urbanized, and the political pressures of narrow special interest groups. In the face of such rapid environmental and cultural changes, Science, Conservation, and National Parks gathers a group of renowned scholars—including Edward O. Wilson, Jane Lubchenco, Thomas Dietz, and Monica Turner—who address these problems and in the hope of securing a future for protected areas that will push forward the frontiers of biological, physical, and social science in and for parks. Contributors provide answers to a number of key conservation questions, such as: How should stewardship address climate change, urban encroachment and pollution, and invasive species? How can society, especially youth, become more engaged with nature and parks? What are appropriate conservation objectives for parks in the Anthropocene? Charting a course for the parks of the next century, Science, Conservation, and National Parks catalyzes the continued evolution of US park conservation policy, and serves as an inspiration for parks, conservation, and management worldwide. “Offers a refreshing holistic treatment of the linkages and mutual dependencies between parks and science. Compelling.” —William B. Monahan, USDA Forest Service and formerly of the US National Park Service “This is a testament to what can be achieved by determined conservationists.” —Biodiversity and Conservation journal