By means of fictional characters and storytelling, the book examines non-renewable and renewable energy sources through the lenses of a variety of research methodologies. It sheds light on the meaning of research, portrays different tactics for designing and conducting research in the social sciences, both in quality and quantity, inductively and deductively. It translates the great diversity that research cultures or traditions nestle. It utilizes fiction to discuss a set of qualitative and quantitative research methods for data collection, including the techniques of self-examination, diary or journal keeping, observation, interview, survey, and experiment. It also explains strategies for data analysis that encompass content analysis, narrative analysis, comparative analysis (independent t-test, paired-sample t-test, and one-way analysis of variance), correlation analysis, regression analysis, time-series analysis, and factor analysis. Energia’s research adventures confirm the significance of diversity and moderation not only in the realm of research methodologies, but also in the human use and history of non-renewable and renewable energies. By means of fiction, the book examines the daunting journey of the humankind through the fossil fuels, solar, wind, and water energy sources in the perspective of yin and yang. The message for the reader is simple. In our quest of answers for the many questions we face daily in existence, we need to balance and embrace diversity and moderation mindfully in the processes and outcomes of our investigations for the sake of a healthy human environment and nature. There may not be any narrow one-size-fits-all solution to the resilient existential issues of energy facing our environment and its species. Existential queries usually imply a broad stream of multiple potential solutions, each of which presents both advantages and disadvantages.

Lunar Outpost provides a detailed account of the various technologies, mission architectures, medical requirements and training needed to return humans to the Moon within the next decade. It focuses on the means by which a lunar outpost will be constructed and also addresses major topics such as the cost of the enterprise and the roles played by private companies and individual countries. The return of humans to the surface of the Moon will be critical to the exploration of the solar system. The various missions are not only in pursuit of scientific knowledge, but also looking to extend human civilization, economic expansion, and public engagement beyond Earth. As well as NASA, China’s Project 921, Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency, Russia, and the European Space Agency are all planning manned missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars. The Ares-I and Ares-V are the biggest rockets since the Saturn V and there is much state-of-the-art technology incorporated into the design of Orion, the spacecraft that will carry a crew of four astronauts to the Moon. Lunar Outpost also describes the human factors, communications, exploration activities, and life support constraints of the missions.

This book examines the role that science and culture held as instruments of nationalization policies during the first phase of the Franco regime in Spain. It considers the reciprocal relationship between political legitimacy and developments in science and culture, and explores the ‘nationalization’ efforts in Spain in the 1940s and 1950s, via the complex process of transmitting narratives of national identity, through ideas, representations and homogenizing practices. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the volume features insights into how scientific and cultural language and symbols were used to formulate national identity, through institutions, resource distribution and specific national policies. Split into five parts, the collection considers policies in the Francoist ‘New State’, the role of women in these debates, and perspectives on the nationalization and internationalization efforts that made use of scientific and cultural spheres. Chapters also feature insights into cinema, literature, cultural diplomacy, mathematics and technology in debates on Catalonia, the Nuclear Energy Board, the Spanish National Research Council, and how scientific tools in Spain in this era fed into wider geopolitics with America and onto the UNESCO stage.

In the industry of global tourism, a pressing issue surfaces—the need to comprehend the transformative convergence of cultural exploration, gastronomic wonders, and adventurous escapades. As the world undergoes a shift in how travelers engage with diverse destinations, scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts are confronted with a profound challenge. It is in this pivotal moment that this book serves as a resource to explore the challenges and opportunities within Cultural, Gastronomy, and Adventure Tourism Development. The complexities of this issue beg scholarly investigation, urging us to unravel the intricacies that define the future of tourism. This book dissects the intricate connections between cultural heritage, culinary traditions, and the thrill of adventure within the tourism landscape. With the objective is to unravel the symbiotic relationships between these elements, it showcases how they harmonize to craft unforgettable and enriching travel experiences. Including the work of scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts, which all contribute to the diverse insights included within its pages that delve into the dynamic interplay between cultural immersion, gastronomic exploration, and adventurous pursuits. Through rigorous examination, we aim to shed light on the profound impact these elements have on shaping tourism development globally.

The Greatest Adventure explores the past, present, and future of the space race. The space race was perhaps the greatest technological contest of the twentieth century. It was a thrilling era of innovation, discovery, and exploration, as astronauts and cosmonauts were launched on space missions of increasing length, complexity, and danger. The Greatest Adventure traces the events of this extraordinary period, describing the initial string of Soviet achievements: the first satellite in orbit; the first animal, man, and woman in space; the first spacewalk; as well as the ultimate US victory in the race to land on the moon. The book then takes the reader on a journey through the following decades of space exploration to the present time, detailing the many successes, tragedies, risks, and rewards of space exploration.

This book shows how participatory research can provide tools to overcome the current epistemic and ethical challenges faced by traditional scientific approaches. Ever since Funtowicz and Ravetz proposed the notion of post-normal science, there has been a growing awareness of the limits of a form of knowledge production based only on the traditional scientific peer communities that excludes other social groups affected by its results and applications. The growing uncertainty and complexity posed by socio-ecological issues in the interactions between science, society and decision making has revealed the importance of a social quality control over crucial decisions that rely on scientific research and the necessary democratization of knowledge to tackle sustainability and health concerns. Departing from a reinterpretation of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, this volume shows how participatory research can contribute to reconnect science and society by extending peer communities through the incorporation of different forms of knowledge and different social actors into research projects. To do so, the author presents a critical review of different participatory research approaches, identifying the elements that distinguish a true participatory research from a traditional one, and proposing a taxonomy of the various participatory methodologies. The volume also analyzes a diversity of social practices and understandings that deal with an ecology of knowledge and its systemic characteristics. Moreover, it demonstrates that uncertainties can be integrated in dialogical processes that open possibilities for a myriad of outcomes. Participatory Research in the Post-Normal Age - Unsustainability and Uncertainties to Rethink Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed will be of interest to researchers working with participatory approaches in different fields like health, environmental sciences, and education, as well as to practitioners of action research concerned with scientific dilemmas and counter-hegemonic strategies.