A Most Damnable Invention

Author : Stephen R. Bown
Publisher : Viking
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Dynamite
ISBN : 0670028789

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A Most Damnable Invention by Stephen R. Bown Pdf

Humanity's desire to harness the destructive capacity of fire extends back to the dawn of civilization. But the true age of explosives began in the 1860's with the remarkable intuition of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel. His discovery of dynamite made possible the industrial mega-projects that defined the era, including the St Gothard rail tunnel and the Panama Canal. Dynamite also caused great loss of life and incalculable environmental damage. With a troubled conscience, Nobel left his cast estate to the establishment of the world-famous prizes that bear his name. As the use of explosives and fertilisers soared, nations scrambled for the scarce yet vital ingredient: nitrates. The 'nitrogen problem' was solved by enigmatic German scientist Fritz Haber. But his breakthrough prolonged the First World War, and when he was awarded a Nobel Prize for his work it sparked international condemnation. A Most Damnable Invention deftly blends popular science, history and biography in a vivid account of the incendiary substance that truly made our world.

Author : Hugh S. Gorman
Publisher : Rutgers University Press
Page : 261 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2013-01-24
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780813554396

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The Story of N by Hugh S. Gorman Pdf

In The Story of N, Hugh S. Gorman analyzes the notion of sustainability from a fresh perspective—the integration of human activities with the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen—and provides a supportive alternative to studying sustainability through the lens of climate change and the cycling of carbon. It is the first book to examine the social processes by which industrial societies learned to bypass a fundamental ecological limit and, later, began addressing the resulting concerns by establishing limits of their own The book is organized into three parts. Part I, “The Knowledge of Nature,” explores the emergence of the nitrogen cycle before humans arrived on the scene and the changes that occurred as stationary agricultural societies took root. Part II, “Learning to Bypass an Ecological Limit,” examines the role of science and market capitalism in accelerating the pace of innovation, eventually allowing humans to bypass the activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Part III, “Learning to Establish Human-Defined Limits,” covers the twentieth-century response to the nitrogen-related concerns that emerged as more nitrogenous compounds flowed into the environment. A concluding chapter, “The Challenge of Sustainability,” places the entire story in the context of constructing an ecological economy in which innovations that contribute to sustainable practices are rewarded.

Author : Clive Wills
Publisher : John Hunt Publishing
Page : 178 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2020-05-01
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781789042894

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Unintended Consequences by Clive Wills Pdf

How is it that, in doing our very best to achieve one thing, we can end up achieving just the opposite? There exists an unseen force with an unassuming name that conceals all manner of terrors. It is ‘Unintended Consequences’, and it takes our efforts to do the good and right thing, turns them to ashes and blows them back in our faces. Whether it be governments fighting a “War on Terror” only to bring their economies crashing about their ears, ecologists attempting to stamp out pests but making things ten times worse in the process, or giving people lots of choice only for them to make worse decisions, it is all too easy to start out with the best of intentions, only to end up doing more harm than good. In Unintended Consequences, Clive Wills discusses national disasters, Prohibition and the War on Drugs, frustrated efforts to improve health and safety, and touches on issues of everyday life such as how to improve relationships and bring up children. As HL Mencken reflected, “For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong”. This book examines the many ways in which those apparently simple solutions can turn around and bite us, and more importantly, just what we can do about it.

Author : James Wei
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 370 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2012-07-02
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9781118342732

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Great Inventions that Changed the World by James Wei Pdf

GREAT INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Discover the inventions that have made our world what it is today A great invention opens the door to a new era in human history. The stone axe, for example, invented some 2 million years ago in East Africa, enabled us to enter the human path of endless improvements through inventions. The taming of fire enabled us to cook food as well as leave the warmth of Africa and move to the frigid lands of the North. From the stone axe to the computer and the Internet, this book provides a fascinating tour of the most important inventions and inventors throughout history. You’ll discover the landmark achievements and the men and women that made the world what it is today. Great Inventions That Changed the World is written by Professor James Wei, a renowned educator and engineer who holds several patents for his own inventions. Following an introductory chapter examining the role of inventors and inventions in fueling innovation and global advancement, the book is organized to show how inventions are spurred by human needs and desires, including: Work Food, clothing, and housing Health and reproduction Security Transportation Information The good life As you progress through the book, you’ll not only learn about inventions and inventors, but also the impact they have had on our lives and the society and environment in which we live today. Inventions solve problems, but as this book so expertly demonstrates, they can also directly or indirectly create new problems as well, from pollution to global warming to bioterrorism. By enabling us to understand the impact of inventions throughout history, this book can help guide the next generation of citizens, decision makers, and inventors.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 652 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 1808
Category : Electronic
ISBN : UCD:31175010167453

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The Harleian Miscellany by Anonim Pdf

Author : William Oldys
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 648 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 1808
Category : Great Britain
ISBN : UCI:31970028450416

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The Harleian Miscellany by William Oldys Pdf

Author : Spencer C. Tucker
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 826 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2020-03-26
Category : History
ISBN : 9781440867286

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Weapons and Warfare [2 volumes] by Spencer C. Tucker Pdf

This work covers major weapons throughout human history, beginning with clubs and maces; through crossbows, swords, and gunpowder; up to the hypersonic railgun, lasers, and robotic weapons under development today. Weapons and Warfare is designed to provide students with a comprehensive and highly informative overview of weapons and their impact on the course of human history. In addition to providing basic factual information, this encyclopedia will delve into the greater historical context and significance of each weapon. The chronological organization by time period will enable readers to fully understand the evolution of weapons throughout history. The work begins with a foreword by a top scholar and a detailed introductory essay by the editor that provides an illuminating historical overview of weapons. It then offers entries on more than 650 individual weapons systems. Each entry has sources for further reading. The weapons are presented alphabetically within six time periods, ranging from the prehistoric and ancient periods to the contemporary period. Each period has its own introduction that treats the major trends occurring in that era. In addition, 50 sidebars offer fascinating facts on various weapons. Numerous illustrations throughout the text are also included.

Author : Spencer C. Tucker
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 2561 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2012-11-21
Category : History
ISBN : 9781598845310

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Almanac of American Military History [4 volumes] by Spencer C. Tucker Pdf

This almanac provides a comprehensive, chronological overview of all American military history, serving as the standard reference work of its type. Almanac of American Military History is yet another reference work from acclaimed historian Dr. Spencer C. Tucker and ABC-CLIO, offering an unprecedented resource for a wide range of students and researchers. A comprehensive, four-volume title, this almanac traces all of American military history from the European voyages of discovery through 2011, chronicling the pivotal moments that have shaped the United States into the country it is today. In addition to documenting key events, this title presents biographies of more than 250 key individuals and provides information on more than 250 historically significant technologies and weapons systems. A detailed glossary is included, as are discussions of ranks and military awards and decorations. Divided into conflict periods, each chapter includes a detailed chronology, reference-entry sidebars, statistical information, primary-source documents, and a bibliography.

Author : Spencer C. Tucker
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 454 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2015-07-28
Category : History
ISBN : 9781440836558

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Instruments of War by Spencer C. Tucker Pdf

This highly detailed and well-illustrated single-volume work documents the evolution of warfare across history through weaponry and technological change. In war, the weapons and technologies employed have direct effects on how battles are waged. When new weapons are introduced, they can dramatically alter the outcomes of warfare—and consequently change the course of history itself. This reference work provides a fascinating overview of the major weapon systems and military technologies that have had a major impact on world history. Addressing weapons as crude as the club used by primitive man to the high-tech weapons of today such as unmanned drones, Instruments of War: Weapons and Technologies That Have Changed History offers nearly 270 profusely illustrated entries that examine the key roles played by specific weapons and identify their success and failures. The book begins with an introductory essay that frames the subject matter of the work and discusses the history of weapons as a whole. The text is concise and accessible to general readers without extensive backgrounds in military history yet provides the detailed information necessary to convey the complexity of the evolution of warfare through technological change.

Author : Wayne Grady
Publisher : Groundwood Books Ltd
Page : 146 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2010-11-27
Category : Young Adult Nonfiction
ISBN : 9781554982271

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Technology by Wayne Grady Pdf

A sweeping history of technology’s advance that raises the crucial question of whether we are in control of technology, or whether technology controls us. An excellent introduction to technology for young adults. There is no doubt that we have come to rely on technology, not only for our comfort and convenience, but for our very survival as a species. A hundred and fifty years ago, Charles Darwin noted wryly that if the human species were returned to the wild without the advantage of technology, we would become extinct in six weeks. Since that time, technology has proliferated to the extent that we can no longer conceive of life without it. As this book shows, technology is more than the sum of the tools we use, whether they are primitive ploughs or space shuttles. It is a way of seeing the world, the way we determine how the world works -- technology is a way of thinking. We see this in the way technology has invaded our language: we speak of the education system, the cultural industry. Since the 18th century, we have tended to describe the universe as a giant clockwork, the body as a machine, and, more recently, the mind as a computer. These are all aspects of the degree to which we have come to live in a technological age. "[The Groundwork Guides] are excellent books, mandatory for school libraries and the increasing body of young people prepared to take ownership of the situations and problems previous generations have left them." — Globe and Mail

Author : Spencer C. Tucker
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 3127 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2009-12-23
Category : History
ISBN : 9781851096725

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A Global Chronology of Conflict [6 volumes] by Spencer C. Tucker Pdf

This monumental six-volume resource offers engaging entries of major diplomatic, military, and political events driving world conflicts from ancient times to the present. Now from ABC-CLIO, long regarded as a premier publisher of military history, comes a monumental resource that encapsulates the entire scope of conflict among human societies. Spanning nearly five millennia, from the earliest documented fighting to the present, A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East, provides a comprehensive survey of major military events. With coverage that reaches beyond the battles, this work examines the political and diplomatic forces driving world conflicts, revolutions, forced changes of governments, international treaties, and acts of aggression and terrorism. Written by acclaimed military historian Spencer C. Tucker, these six chronologically organized volumes offer an accessible, richly detailed timeline of military conflict across human history. The concise entries cover all important events on the battlefield and in the corridors of power, with special features highlighting hundreds of key leaders and weapon systems. From specific data on casualties to coverage of evolving weapons technology to insightful analyses of the social impact of war, A Global Chronology of Conflict is an essential resource for students, researchers, history buffs, and general readers alike.

Author : Paul Henry King
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 282 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 1936
Category : Voyages and travels
ISBN : UOM:39015062213148

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Voyaging to China in 1855 and 1904 by Paul Henry King Pdf

"I am reproducing two authentic 'travelogues', the first [by Rev. Alexander Williamson] describing a voyage of the older period in a sailing ship from London to Shanghai in 1855, and the second [by Mrs. Madge Williamson King] ... noting various incidents during a journey to China via the Atlantic, the United States of America and the Pacific in the transition era of 1904."--p. 16.

Author : William Shepard Walsh,Henry Collins Walsh,William H. Garrison,Samuel R. Harris
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 348 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 1891
Category : Literature
ISBN : HARVARD:32044031571326

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American Notes and Queries by William Shepard Walsh,Henry Collins Walsh,William H. Garrison,Samuel R. Harris Pdf

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 634 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 1810
Category : Great Britain
ISBN : UOM:39015027330128

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The Harleian Miscellany, Or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as Well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library, Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes by Anonim Pdf

Author : Harleian miscellany
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 584 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 1810
Category : Electronic
ISBN : OXFORD:600019193

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The Harleian miscellany; or, A collection of ... pamphlets and tracts ... in the late earl of Oxford's library by Harleian miscellany Pdf