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The Gecko’s Foot: How Scientists are Taking a Leaf from Nature's Book
The Gecko’s Foot: How Scientists are Taking a Leaf from Nature's Book
Peter Forbes
¥72.40
A cutting-edge science book in the style of ‘Fermat’s Last Theorem’ and ‘Chaos’ from an exciting and accessible new voice in popular science writing. Bio-inspiration is a form of engineering but not in the conventional sense. Extending beyond our established and preconceived notions, scientists, architects and engineers are looking at imitating nature by manufacturing 'wet' materials such as spider silk or the surface of the gecko's foot. The amazing power of the gecko's foot has long been known – it can climb a vertical glass wall and even walk upside down on the ceiling – but no ideas could be harnessed from it because its mechanism could not be seen with the power of optical microscopes. Recently however the secret was solved by a team of scientists in Oregon who established that the mechanism really is dry, and that it does not involve suction, capillary action or anything else the lay person might imagine. Each foot has half a million bristles and each bristle ramifies into hundreds of finer spatula-shaped projections. The fine scale of the gecko's foot is beyond the capacity of conventional microengineering, but a team of nanotechnologists have already made a good initial approximation. The gecko's foot is just one of many examples of this new 'smart' science. We also discover, amongst other things, how George de Mestral's brush with the spiny fruits of the cocklebur inspired him to invent Velcro; how the shape of leaves opening from a bud has inspired the design of solar-powered satellites; and the parallels between cantilever bridges and the spines of large mammals such as the bison. The new 'smart' science of Bio-inspiration is going to produce a plethora of products over the next decades that will transform our lives, and force us to look at the world in a completely new way. It is science we will be reading about in our papers very soon; it is the science of tomorrow's world.
Fragile Lives: A Heart Surgeon’s Stories of Life and Death on the Operating Tabl
Fragile Lives: A Heart Surgeon’s Stories of Life and Death on the Operating Tabl
Stephen Westaby
¥66.22
Steve Westaby is a celebrated world-famous heart surgeon who is renowned for being the first surgeon in history to fit a patient with a new type of artificial heart. During his 35 year career as a surgeon he worked at several of the UK’s top hospitals and performed over 11,000 heart operations. He won the Ray C. Fish Award for Scientific Achievement (2004). In 2004 Steve Westaby was featured in the BBC documentary Your Life in Their Hands which is a long-running series on the subject of surgery.
RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR
RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR
Philip Hoare
¥73.58
Philip Hoare is the author of several books, including ‘Serious Pleasures: The Life of Stephen Tennant’; ‘Noel Coward’; ‘Oscar Wilde’s Last Stand’; ‘Spike Island’; ‘England’s Lost Eden’; ‘Leviathan, or, The Whale’, winner of the 2009 Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction; and ‘The Sea Inside’. He lives in Southampton.
English: A Story of Marmite, Queuing and Weather
English: A Story of Marmite, Queuing and Weather
Ben Fogle
¥66.22
Ben Fogle is the quintessential Englishman. An explorer, he loves Marmite and dogs. He owns far too many wax jackets and Wellington boots and he loves to grumble about the weather. He often apologises and can be found at the back of most queues. He had wonky teeth until the dentist sorted them out. He drives an old Land Rover and eats fish and chips. He never travels without some English tea. He lives in London with his wife Marina, his two children Ludo and Iona and his beloved black Labrador, Storm (of course).
Neuropolis: A Brain Science Survival Guide
Neuropolis: A Brain Science Survival Guide
Robert Newman
¥147.35
Robert Newman has written six books including the novels The Trade Secret and The Fountain at the Centre of the World. His previous book The Entirely Accurate Encyclopaedia of Evolution was made into a radio series which won a BBC Audio Drama Award in 2017 for Best Scripted Comedy. He has been a stand-up comedian for thirty years and has performed to sell-out crowds from London to Paris to Texas. His most recent stand-up show is The Brain Show.
Time Travel
Time Travel
James Gleick
¥73.58
JAMES GLEICK (around.com) is our leading chronicler of science and technology, the best-selling author of Chaos: Making a New Science, Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, and The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood. His books have been translated into thirty languages.
Collins Stars and Planets Guide (Collins Guides)
Collins Stars and Planets Guide (Collins Guides)
Ian Ridpath
¥139.99
Ian Ridpath has been a full-time writer, broadcaster, and lecturer on astronomy and space since 1972. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, as well as a member of the Society of Authors and of the Association of British Science Writers.Wil Tirion is the world's leading celestial cartographer, having designed the first ever star atlas in 1981. Together Ian and Wil have also produced ‘Collins Pocket Guide Stars and Planets’ and ‘Collins Gem Stars’.www.ianridpath.comwww.wil-tirion.com
Richard Owen
Richard Owen
Rupke, Nicolaas A.
¥270.76
In the mid-1850s, no scientist in the British Empire was more visible than Richard Owen. Mentioned in the same breath as Isaac Newton and championed as Britain's answer to France's Georges Cuvier and Germany's Alexander von Humboldt, Owen was, as the Times declared in 1856, the most "e;distinguished man of science in the country."e; But, a century and a half later, Owen remains largely obscured by the shadow of the most famous Victorian naturalist of all, Charles Darwin. Publicly marginalized by his contemporaries for his critique of natural selection, Owen suffered personal attacks that undermined his credibility long after his name faded from history.With this innovative biography, Nicolaas A. Rupke resuscitates Owen's reputation. Arguing that Owen should no longer be judged by the evolution dispute that figured inonly a minor part of his work, Rupke stresses context, emphasizing the importance of places and practices in the production and reception of scientific knowledge. Dovetailing with the recent resurgence of interest in Owen's life and work, Rupke's book brings the forgotten naturalist back into the canon of the history of science and demonstrates how much biology existed with, and without, Darwin
Intuition in Medicine
Intuition in Medicine
Braude, Hillel D.
¥447.34
Intuition is central to discussions about the nature of scientific and philosophical reasoning and what it means to be human. In this bold and timely book, Hillel D. Braude marshals his dual training as a physician and philosopher to examine the place of intuition in medicine.Rather than defining and using a single concept of intuition-philosophical, practical, or neuroscientific-Braude here examines intuition as it occurs at different levels and in different contexts of clinical reasoning. He argues that not only does intuition provide the bridge between medical reasoning and moral reasoning, but that it also links the epistemological, ontological, and ethical foundations of clinical decision making. In presenting his case, Braude takes readers on a journey through Aristotle's Ethics-highlighting the significance of practical reasoning in relation to theoretical reasoning and the potential bridge between them-then through current debates between regulators and clinicians on evidence-based medicine, and finally applies the philosophical perspectives of Reichenbach, Popper, and Peirce to analyze the intuitive support for clinical equipoise, a key concept in research ethics. Through his phenomenological study of intuition Braude aims to demonstrate that ethical responsibility for the other lies at the heart of clinical judgment.?Braude's original approach advances medical ethics by using philosophical rigor and history to analyze the tacit underpinnings of clinical reasoning and to introduce clear conceptual distinctions that simultaneously affirm and exacerbate the tension between ethical theory and practice. His study will be welcomed not only by philosophers but also by clinicians eager to justify how they use moral intuitions, and anyone interested in medical decision making.
Murder by Accident
Murder by Accident
Enders, Jody
¥447.34
Over fifty years ago, it became unfashionable-even forbidden-for students of literature to talk about an author's intentions for a given work. In Murder by Accident, Jody Enders boldly resurrects the long-disgraced concept of intentionality, especially as it relates to the theater.Drawing on four fascinating medieval events in which a theatrical performance precipitated deadly consequences, Enders contends that the marginalization of intention in critical discourse is a mirror for the marginalization-and misunderstanding-of theater. Murder by Accident revisits the legal, moral, ethical, and aesthetic limits of the living arts of the past, pairing them with examples from the present, whether they be reality television, snuff films, the "e;accidental"e; live broadcast of a suicide on a Los Angeles freeway, or an actor who jokingly fired a stage revolver at his temple, causing his eventual death. This book will force scholars and students to rethink their assumptions about theory, intention, and performance, both past and present.
Fingerprints:Murder and the Race to Uncover the Science of Identity
Fingerprints:Murder and the Race to Uncover the Science of Identity
Colin Beavan
¥61.51
This edition does not include illustrations. A fascinating exploration into the history of science and crime. In the tradition of ‘Fermat’s Last Theorem’, FINGERPRINTS is the story of the race to discover the secrets trapped in the whorls and arches found on the palm of one’s hand. In 1905 an elderly couple were found murdered in their shop in Deptford, London. The only evidence at the scene of the crime was a sweaty fingerprint on a cashbox. Was it possible that a single fingerprint could be enough to lead to a conviction? Could the pattern of these tracks hold the secrets of the science of identification? Through the story of three brilliant men:William Herschel, a colonial administrator in Indian, Henry Faulds, a missionary in Japan and Charles Darwin’s cousin, Francis Galton, the extraordinary story of the history of fingerprinting is revealed. It is a story of intellectual skulduggery and scientific brilliance. Packed with an extraordinary cast of individuals whose scientific breakthroughs helped solve one of the most brutal murders in English history and shape our understanding of identity forever.
Human Universe
Human Universe
Professor Brian Cox,Andrew Cohen
¥66.22
Top ten Sunday Times Bestseller ‘Engaging, ambitious and creative’ Guardian Where are we? Are we alone? Who are we? Why are we here? What is our future? Human Universe tackles some of the greatest questions that humans have asked to try and understand the very nature of ourselves and the Universe in which we live. Through the endless leaps of human minds, it explores the extraordinary depth of our knowledge today and where our curiosity may lead us in the future. With groundbreaking insight it reveals how time, physics and chemistry came together to create a creature that can wonder at its own existence, blessed with an unquenchable thirst to discover not just where it came from, but how it can think, where it is going and if it is alone. Accompanies the acclaimed BBC TV series.
Moreau’s Other Island (The Monster Trilogy)
Moreau’s Other Island (The Monster Trilogy)
Brian Aldiss
¥34.14
Welcome to Dr Moreau’s other island. Place of untold horros. Home of the Beast Men… Available for the first time in eBook. He stands very tall, long prosthetic limbs glistening in the harsh sun, withered body swaying, carbine and whip clasped in artificial hands. Man-beasts cower on the sand as he brandishes his gun in the air. He is Dr Moreau, ruler of the fabulous, grotesque island, where humans are as brutes and brutes as humans, where the future of the entire human race is being reprogrammed. The place of untold horrors. The place of the New Man.
Mafia Princess
Mafia Princess
Marisa Merico
¥69.26
Marisa Merico, the daughter of one of Italy's most notorious Mafia Godfathers, was dazzled by her father, Emilio DiGiovine. To her he was all powerful, sophisticated and loving; to the rest of the world he was staggeringly ruthless. Marisa knew her father would do anything for her, but she hadn't expected just how much he would ask in return. Born to an English mother, Marisa turned her back on her quiet life in Blackpool to join her charming father, Emilio DiGiovine, who had spent years trying to tempt her back to Italy. Arriving in Milan, Marisa had no idea she was returning to the heart of one of the most notorious drugs, arms and money laundering empires in the world. At first her father shielded her from the family operations and Marisa was overwhelmed by the attention and gifts he lavished on her. But soon the temptation of a new recruit was too great and Marisa was drawn ever deeper into the family's sinister and brutal regime, witnessing things she was too scared to believe. The day she eloped with her father's chief henchman was the day her father decided she was ready to be initiated into the true nature of the family business. Suddenly Marisa saw there was no limit to what he would expect her to do for him. She knew it was wrong, she knew she had to get out, but she had no idea how she could break the sacred Coda Nostra – and survive. Marisa's extraordinarily story is the most powerful portrayal of a Mafia family to emerge in recent years. It's the perfect balance of shocking violence, dangerous betrayals and enduring love.
Ting Tang Tommy
Ting Tang Tommy
Simon Godwin
¥95.75
Good games are like good jokes. They get remembered and passed on from person to person. But sometimes they get forgotten. ‘Ting Tang Tommy!’ is about remembering the best games we’ve ever known This book sets out to prove that you can play games anywhere – on the beach, having dinner with friends, at a barbeque, with your family at Christmas. It will equip you with loads of simple, memorable games that you can share at any moment of the day – no equipment required. Beautifully produced and designed, ‘Ting Tang Tommy!’ is both a handbook of games and a personal exploration of them, full of potted histories and interesting facts. Each game featured has been tried and tested – and, most importantly, loved.
Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars
Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars
Boris Johnson
¥72.99
He comes, he sees, he plays with the gadgets… Boris Johnson has been behind the wheel of some of the world’s fastest, most luxurious cars. He’s taken the Jaguar XKR-R for a spin around a posh public school; roared through Islington in the AC Cobra V8; and spent a weekend tearing through the lanes of Sussex in the splendour of the Mercedes S55 AMG. Now he’s going to reveal exactly what it was like. Pondering the fundamental questions – What does it feel like to be overtaken by a female driver when you’re behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo? Can a car really precipitate a mid-life crisis? – Boris Johnson’s hilarious dispatches from life in the fast lane will appeal to anyone who’s found themselves behind the wheel of one of modern motoring’s finer specimens. But it’s not all glamour and gadgets. Because when he’s not baiting his Holloway neighbours with the Rolls Royce Corniche, we see Boris trying, and failing, to get to grips with the Smart car, and attempting to flee Kosovo in a Fiat Uno. Published together for the first time as a Paperback Original, these hilarious vignettes are vintage Boris: witty, candid and unique.
The Wood for the Trees: The Long View of Nature from a Small Wood
The Wood for the Trees: The Long View of Nature from a Small Wood
Richard Fortey
¥73.58
From one of our greatest science writers, this biography of a beech-and-bluebell wood through diverse moods and changing seasons combines stunning natural history with the ancient history of the countryside to tell the full story of the British landscape. ‘The woods are the great beauty of this country… A fine forest-like beech wood far more beautiful than anything else which we have seen in its vicinity’ is how John Stuart Mill described a small patch of beech-and bluebell woodland, buried deeply in the Chiltern Hills and now owned by Richard Fortey. Drawing upon a lifetime of scientific expertise and abiding love of nature, Fortey uses his small wood to tell a wider story of the ever-changing British landscape, human influence on the countryside over many centuries and the vital interactions between flora, fauna and fungi. The trees provide a majestic stage for woodland animals and plants to reveal their own stories. Fortey presents his wood as an interwoven collection of different habitats rich in species. His attention ranges from the beech and cherry trees that dominate the wood to the flints underfoot; the red kites and woodpeckers that soar overhead; the lichens, mosses and liverworts decorating the branches as well as the myriad species of spiders, moths, beetles and crane-flies. The 300 species of fungi identified in the wood capture his attention as much as familiar deer, shrews and dormice. Fortey is a naturalist who believes that all organisms are as interesting as human beings – and certainly more important than the observer. So this book is a close examination of nature and human history. He proves that poetic writing is compatible with scientific precision. The book is filled with details of living animals and plants, charting the passage of the seasons, visits by fellow enthusiasts; the play of light between branches; the influence of geology; and how woodland influences history, architecture and industry. On every page he shows how an intimate study of one small wood can reveal so much about the natural world and demonstrates his relish for the incomparable pleasures of discovery.
The Times Improve Your Bridge Game
The Times Improve Your Bridge Game
Andrew Robson
¥44.24
Based on The Times Bridge column, an extensive bridge guide aimed at the less experienced or social player who longs to improve their game, with instructive deals and tips, as well as a helpful Index. Andrew Robson, The Times Bridge Correspondent, is both a champion Bridge player and an inspired teacher. He teaches and tutors at his Bridge Club and has acquired great practical knowledge about how people learn to play Bridge. Based on Andrew Robson’s Friday column in The Times, common scenarios are presented with an outline of what actually happened, as well as what should have happened. Along with every deal is the very popular handy tip ‘If you remember just one thing…’, which features throughout the book. The first section of the book, ‘The Game’, is a basic outline providing the key to playing a sensible game of Bridge, subdivided into ‘Bidding’, ‘Declarer Play’ and ‘Defence’. The reader can either read ‘The Game’ first, paying particular attention to the tips, or they can dip in and out of the book, picking a common mistake at random, with the option to cross-reference to the same tip in ‘The Game’ section. Bridge is now reaching a new audience, and is being played by people of all ages. Let Andrew Robson help you to improve your game! Previously published as The Times Bridge: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Short walks in the Peak District
Short walks in the Peak District
Brian Spencer
¥44.24
The Peak District, with its gentle limestone White Peak and the wilder more dramatic gritstone Dark Peak, is a superb walking area. Explore the district with these 20 walks, all of which are 5 miles or under in length and can easily be completed in less than 3 hours. This guide, produced in co-operation with the Ramblers and featuring Ordnance Survey mapping, is the perfect way to really appreciate the stunning scenery of the Peak District. INCLUDES: ? 20 easy to follow walks which can be completed in 3 hours and under. ? Each walk has a detailed 1:25 000 Ordnance Survey map with the route clearly marked plus a detailed de*ion of the route. ? The walks have been chosen with issues like parking and refreshments in mind to make life easy for families. ? Packed with colour photographs of scenes you will see along the walk. The perfect guide for afternoon walks near to Chesterfield, Sheffield, Matlock, Buxton and Macclesfield.
BANANAGRAMS?
BANANAGRAMS?
Deej Johnson
¥45.13
Discover the secret hints, tips and winning ways of the BANANAGRAMS? bunch! This little book contains the insider secrets to help you become Top Banana … Packed with curious words and fascinating facts, the Collins Little Book of Bananagrams? is a treasure in itself. It's the perfect gift for word lovers and BANANAGRAMS? players of all ages the world over, and includes: Dozens of proper nouns that you CAN play – in any word game! Three ways to turn tiles that save VITAL seconds How to use UK & US spellings to IMPROVE your game The one thing you MUST do in your first move 19 games you can play with BANANAGRAMS? tiles The ESSENTIAL tip that buys time whenever you call "PEEL!" A dictionary of WEORDS?: Weird Words That Win Word Games … And DOZENS of other top tips to boost your BANANAGRAMS? playing power! Over 6 million copies of the game sold.
101 Ways to Win at Scrabble (Collins Little Books)
101 Ways to Win at Scrabble (Collins Little Books)
Barry Grossman
¥45.13
Inside this little book one of Britain’s top Scrabble players reveals his top tips for all day, everyday Scrabble success.
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