Fifty-plus essays by Harold J. Morowitz, a biophysicist. He reflects on questions that arise in the course of his daily life, his scientific research, and his miscellaneous reading.

Essays of humorous comments about issues of science, technology, society, philosophy, and the arts.

Take some heat off the complexity of thermodynamics Does the mere thought of thermodynamics make you sweat? It doesn't have to! This hands-on guide helps you score your highest in a thermodynamics course by offering easily understood, plain-English explanations of how energy is used in things like automobiles, airplanes, air conditioners, and electric power plants. Thermodynamics 101 — take a look at some examples of both natural and man-made thermodynamic systems and get a handle on how energy can be used to perform work Turn up the heat — discover how to use the first and second laws of thermodynamics to determine (and improve upon) the efficiency of machines Oh, behave — get the 411 on how gases behave and relate to one another in different situations, from ideal-gas laws to real gases Burn with desire — find out everything you need to know about conserving mass and energy in combustion processes Open the book and find: The laws of thermodynamics Important properties and their relationships The lowdown on solids, liquids, and gases How work and heat go handin hand The cycles that power thermodynamic processes Chemical mixtures and reactions Ten pioneers in thermodynamics Real-world applications of thermodynamic laws and concepts Learn to: Master the concepts and principles of thermodynamics Develop the problem-solving skills used by professional engineers Ace your thermodynamics course

A simple but transformative product that supercharges your home oven, Baking with Steel offers a whole new way to cook and bake that blows pizza stones and stovetop griddles away. With Baking with Steel, you'll harness this extraordinary tool to bake restaurant-quality baguettes, grill meats a la plancha, and enjoy pizza with a crust and char previously unimaginable outside a professional kitchen. "Every decade or two, a revolutionary idea turns into a revolutionary product that actually does change the way we make our food."-from the foreword by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, bestselling author of The Food Lab "Baking With Steel is a fantastic companion for anyone with a Baking Steel, as it showcases its range of applications in the kitchen. From producing gorgeously cooked pizzas to perfectly seared steak and ice cream in minutes, Andris Lagsdin once again shows that there are many reasons to love the power of steel."-Nathan Myhrvold, lead author of the award-winning Modernist Cuisine series

Make homemade pizza that exceeds your wildest expectations—yet couldn’t be simpler—with Jim Lahey’s groundbreaking no-knead dough and inventive toppings. Jim Lahey, the baking genius behind New York City’s celebrated Sullivan Street Bakery and Co. pizza restaurant, has developed a brilliant recipe that requires no kneading and produces an irresistible crust in any home oven—gas or electric—in fewer than five minutes. The secret to incredible pizza is a superb crust—one that is crisp yet chewy, and slightly charred around the edges. My Pizza shares this revolutionary technique and the creative pies that put Co. on the map, as well as recipes for salads, soups, and desserts to make a meal complete. The pizzas in this book aren’t your usual, run-of-the-mill pies. In fact, Jim’s unique topping pairings—such as Corn and Tomato, Coppa and Fennel, and Potato and Leek—reinvigorate this American favorite. His whimsy is apparent in his Pepperoni Pie, which doesn’t include the cured meat we have all come to expect; instead, riffing on “pepperoni” as the Italian plural for “pepper,” Jim offers a pie with red pepper puree, ground lamb, and pecorino cheese. To round out dinner, My Pizza also has recipes for starters and side salads—such as Cannellini Bean Toast, Pea Soup, and Bibb and Roasted Squash Salad—and sweet finishes, from Milk Chocolate Sundae to Banoffee Pie. With gorgeous color photographs and helpful tips on equipment and techniques, My Pizza unlocks the secrets of great, easy pizza for home cooks everywhere.

This textbook gives a thorough treatment of engineering thermodynamics with applications to classical and modern energy conversion devices. Some emphasis lies on the description of irreversible processes, such as friction, heat transfer and mixing and the evaluation of the related work losses. Better use of resources requires high efficiencies therefore the reduction of irreversible losses should be seen as one of the main goals of a thermal engineer. This book provides the necessary tools. Topics include: car and aircraft engines, including Otto, Diesel and Atkinson cycles, by-pass turbofan engines, ramjet and scramjet; steam and gas power plants, including advanced regenerative systems, solar tower and compressed air energy storage; mixing and separation, including reverse osmosis, osmotic power plants and carbon sequestration; phase equilibrium and chemical equilibrium, distillation, chemical reactors, combustion processes and fuel cells; the microscopic definition of entropy. The book includes about 300 end-of-chapter problems for homework assignments and exams. The material presented suffices for two or three full-term courses on thermodynamics and energy conversion.

Destined to be a leader in the field, this Encyclopedia is a full-colour, A to Z guide that sets a new standard for science reference. It contains 1000 entries, combining in-depth coverage with a vivid graphic format.