Energy in Nature and Society
Title | Energy in Nature and Society PDF eBook |
Author | Vaclav Smil |
Publisher | MIT Press |
Pages | 495 |
Release | 2008 |
Genre | Bioenergetics |
ISBN | 0262195658 |
A comprehensive, systematic, analytically unified, and interdisciplinary treatment of energy in nature and society, from solar radiation and photosynthesis to our fossil fueled civilization and its environmental consequences.
The Energy of Nature
Title | The Energy of Nature PDF eBook |
Author | E. C. Pielou |
Publisher | University of Chicago Press |
Pages | 259 |
Release | 2008-09-15 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0226668053 |
Energy is crucial for events of every kind, in this world or any other. Without energy, nothing would ever happen. Nothing would move and there would be no life. The sun wouldn't shine, winds wouldn't blow, rivers wouldn't flow, trees wouldn't grow, birds wouldn't fly, and fish wouldn't swim; indeed no material object, living or dead, could even exist. In spite of all this, energy is seldom considered a part of what we call "nature." In The Energy of Nature, E. C. Pielou explores energy's role in nature—how and where it originates, what it does, and what becomes of it. Drawing on a wide range of scientific disciplines, from physics, chemistry, and biology to all the earth sciences, as well as on her own lifelong experience as a naturalist, Pielou opens our eyes to the myriad ways energy and its transfer affect the earth and its inhabitants. Along the way we learn how energy is delivered to the earth from the sun; how it causes weather, winds, and tides; how it shapes the earth through mountain building and erosion; how it is captured and used by living things; how it is stored in chemical bonds; how nuclear energy is released; how it heats the unseen depths of the planet and is explosively revealed in the turmoil of earthquakes and volcanoes; how energy manifests itself in magnetism and electromagnetic waves; how we harness it to fuel human societies; and much more. Filled with fascinating information and and helpful illustrations (hand drawn by the author), The Energy of Nature is fun, readable, and instructive. Science buffs of all ages will be delighted. “A luminous, inquiring, and thoughtful exploration of Earth’s energetics.”—Jocylyn McDowell, Discovery
Energy, Entropy, and the Flow of Nature
Title | Energy, Entropy, and the Flow of Nature PDF eBook |
Author | Thomas Fairchild Sherman |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 289 |
Release | 2018 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0190695358 |
A fresh and unified exploration of the laws that govern natural change, examining the historical roots and meaning of the concepts of energy and entropy. All natural processes--mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, and biological--are viewed as a flow across free energy gradients that interact with one another.
The Energy Evolution
Title | The Energy Evolution PDF eBook |
Author | Viktor Schauberger |
Publisher | Gill Books |
Pages | 0 |
Release | 2000 |
Genre | Renewable energy sources |
ISBN | 9781858600611 |
This final volume in the Eco-technology series deals with generation of energy using Nature's enormous potential.
The Laws of Human Nature
Title | The Laws of Human Nature PDF eBook |
Author | Robert Greene |
Publisher | Penguin |
Pages | 626 |
Release | 2018-10-23 |
Genre | Self-Help |
ISBN | 0698184548 |
From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power comes the definitive new book on decoding the behavior of the people around you Robert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all - understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves. We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess, without which our other talents can only take us so far. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people's masks, and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose. Whether at work, in relationships, or in shaping the world around you, The Laws of Human Nature offers brilliant tactics for success, self-improvement, and self-defense.
Energy and Civilization
Title | Energy and Civilization PDF eBook |
Author | Vaclav Smil |
Publisher | MIT Press |
Pages | 564 |
Release | 2018-11-13 |
Genre | Science |
ISBN | 0262536161 |
A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society throughout history, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. "I wait for new Smil books the way some people wait for the next 'Star Wars' movie. In his latest book, Energy and Civilization: A History, he goes deep and broad to explain how innovations in humans' ability to turn energy into heat, light, and motion have been a driving force behind our cultural and economic progress over the past 10,000 years. —Bill Gates, Gates Notes, Best Books of the Year Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. In this monumental history, Vaclav Smil provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts—from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. Smil describes humanity's energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering readers a magisterial overview. This book is an extensively updated and expanded version of Smil's Energy in World History (1994). Smil has incorporated an enormous amount of new material, reflecting the dramatic developments in energy studies over the last two decades and his own research over that time.
Harnessing the Wheelwork of Nature
Title | Harnessing the Wheelwork of Nature PDF eBook |
Author | Thomas Valone |
Publisher | Adventures Unlimited Press |
Pages | 358 |
Release | 2002 |
Genre | Body, Mind & Spirit |
ISBN | 9781931882040 |
Presents the compelling argument for Tesla's most ambitious project, the wireless transmission of power. A possible solution to the world power crisis.