Life S Devices The Physical World Of Animals And Plants

Author : Steven Vogel
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 380 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2020-03-31
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780691209494

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Life's Devices by Steven Vogel Pdf

This entertaining and informative book describes how living things bump up against non-biological reality. "My immodest aim," says the author, "is to change how you view your immediate surroundings." He asks us to wonder about the design of plants and animals around us: why a fish swims more rapidly than a duck can paddle, why healthy trees more commonly uproot than break, how a shark manages with such a flimsy skeleton, or how a mouse can easily survive a fall onto any surface from any height. The book will not only fascinate the general reader but will also serve as an introductory survey of biomechanics. On one hand, organisms cannot alter the earth's gravity, the properties of water, the compressibility of air, or the behavior of diffusing molecules. On the other, such physical factors form both constraints with which the evolutionary process must contend and opportunities upon which it might capitalize. Life's Devices includes examples from every major group of animals and plants, with references to recent work, with illustrative problems, and with suggestions of experiments that need only common household materials.

Author : Steven Vogel
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2009-08-24
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781400833863

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Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds by Steven Vogel Pdf

Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds offers an eye-opening look into how the characteristics of the physical world drive the designs of animals and plants. These characteristics impose limits but also create remarkable and subtle opportunities for the functional biology of organisms. In particular, Steven Vogel examines the size and scale, and trade-offs among different physical processes. He pays attention to how the forms and activities of animals and plants reflect the materials available to nature, and he explores the unique constraints and possibilities provided by fluid flow, structural design, and environmental forces. Each chapter of the book investigates a facet of the physical world, including the drag on small projectiles; the importance of diffusion and convection; the size-dependence of acceleration; the storage, conduction, and dissipation of heat; the relationship among pressure, flow, and choice in biological pumps; and how elongate structures tune their relative twistiness and bendiness. Vogel considers design-determining factors all too commonly ignored, and builds a bridge between the world described by physics books and the reality experienced by all creatures. Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds contains a wealth of accessible information related to functional biology, and requires little more than a basic background in secondary-school science and mathematics. Drawing examples from creatures of land, air, and water, the book demonstrates the many uses of biological diversity and how physical forces impact biological organisms.

Author : Susanne Wedlich
Publisher : Melville House
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2023-02-28
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781685890216

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Slime by Susanne Wedlich Pdf

A groundbreaking, witty, and eloquent exploration of slime that will leave you appreciating the nebulous and neglected sticky stuff that covers our world, inside and out. Slime. The very word seems to ooze oily menace, conjuring up a variety of unpleasant associations: mucous, toxins, reptiles, pollutants, and other unsavory viscous semi-liquid substances. Yet without slime, the natural world would be completely unrecognizable; in fact, life itself as we know it would be impossible In this deft and fascinating book, journalist Susanne Wedlich takes us on a tour of all things slimy, from the most unctuous of science fiction monsters to the biochemical compounds that are the very building blocks of life. Along the way she shows us what slime really means, and why slime is not something to fear, but rather something to ... embrace.

Author : Charles S. Cockell
Publisher : Basic Books
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2018-06-19
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781541644595

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The Equations of Life by Charles S. Cockell Pdf

A groundbreaking argument for why alien life will evolve to be much like life here on Earth We are all familiar with the popular idea of strange alien life wildly different from life on earth inhabiting other planets. Maybe it's made of silicon! Maybe it has wheels! Or maybe it doesn't. In The Equations of Life, biologist Charles S. Cockell makes the forceful argument that the laws of physics narrowly constrain how life can evolve, making evolution's outcomes predictable. If we were to find on a distant planet something very much like a lady bug eating something like an aphid, we shouldn't be surprised. The forms of life are guided by a limited set of rules, and as a result, there is a narrow set of solutions to the challenges of existence. A remarkable scientific contribution breathing new life into Darwin's theory of evolution, The Equations of Life makes a radical argument about what life can--and can't--be.

Author : Steven W. Cranford,Markus J. Buehler
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 446 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2012-05-23
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9789400716100

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Biomateriomics by Steven W. Cranford,Markus J. Buehler Pdf

Biomateriomics is the holistic study of biological material systems. While such systems are undoubtedly complex, we frequently encounter similar components -- universal building blocks and hierarchical structure motifs -- which result in a diverse set of functionalities. Similar to the way music or language arises from a limited set of music notes and words, we exploit the relationships between form and function in a meaningful way by recognizing the similarities between Beethoven and bone, or Shakespeare and silk. Through the investigation of material properties, examining fundamental links between processes, structures, and properties at multiple scales and their interactions, materiomics explains system functionality from the level of building blocks. Biomateriomics specifically focuses the analysis of the role of materials in the context of biological processes, the transfer of biological material principles towards biomimetic and bioinspired applications, and the study of interfaces between living and non-living systems. The challenges of biological materials are vast, but the convergence of biology, mathematics and engineering as well as computational and experimental techniques have resulted in the toolset necessary to describe complex material systems, from nano to macro. Applying biomateriomics can unlock Nature’s secret to high performance materials such as spider silk, bone, and nacre, and elucidate the progression and diagnosis or the treatment of diseases. Similarly, it contributes to develop a de novo understanding of biological material processes and to the potential of exploiting novel concepts in innovation, material synthesis and design.

Author : John T Williams
Publisher : Woodhead Publishing
Page : 586 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2017-11-21
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9780081011348

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Waterproof and Water Repellent Textiles and Clothing by John T Williams Pdf

Waterproof and Water Repellent Textiles and Clothing provides systematic coverage of the key types of finishes and high performance materials, from conventional wax and silicone, through controversial, but widely used fluoropolymers and advanced techniques, such as atmospheric plasma deposition and sol-gel technology. The book is an essential resource for all those engaged in garment development, production and finishing, and for academics engaged in research into apparel technology and textile science. Rapid innovation in this field is driving new performance demands in many areas, including the sporting and military sectors. However, another innovation driver is the regulatory framework in the USA, Europe and globally, addressing both health concerns (e.g. with PFOS / PFOA) and environmental impacts (e.g. C8 fluorocarbon finishes). Both of these aspects are fully covered, along with the replacement materials / technologies currently available and under development. In addition, oleophobic and multifunctional coatings are discussed, as are aspects of performance, testing and applications in sportswear, protective clothing, and footwear. Introduces innovative materials and technologies, exploring their current and potential use across different sectors Provides expert guidance on the health and environmental aspects of key waterproof materials and coatings and their associated regulations Demystifies testing processes and design principles

Author : Andrew Clarke
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 464 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2017-09-08
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780192538789

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Principles of Thermal Ecology: Temperature, Energy and Life by Andrew Clarke Pdf

Temperature affects everything. It influences all aspects of the physical environment and governs any process that involves a flow of energy, setting boundaries on what an organism can or cannot do. This novel textbook reveals the key principles behind the complex relationship between organisms and temperature, namely the science of thermal ecology. It starts by providing a rigorous framework for understanding the flow of energy in and out of the organism, before describing the influence of temperature on what organisms can do and how fast they can do it. With these fundamental principles covered, the bulk of the book explores thermal ecology itself, incorporating the important extra dimension of interactions with other organisms. An entire chapter is devoted to the crucially important subject of how organisms are responding to climate change. Indeed, the threat of rapid climatic change on a global scale is a stark reminder of the challenges that remain for evolutionary thermal biologists, and adds a sense of urgency to this book's mission.

Author : Petra Gruber,Dietmar Bruckner,Christian Hellmich,Heinz-Bodo Schmiedmayer,Herbert Stachelberger,Ille C. Gebeshuber
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 273 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2011-07-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642119347

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Biomimetics -- Materials, Structures and Processes by Petra Gruber,Dietmar Bruckner,Christian Hellmich,Heinz-Bodo Schmiedmayer,Herbert Stachelberger,Ille C. Gebeshuber Pdf

The book presents an outline of current activities in the field of biomimetics and integrates a variety of applications comprising biophysics, surface sciences, architecture and medicine. Biomimetics as innovation method is characterised by interdisciplinary information transfer from the life sciences to technical application fields aiming at increased performance, functionality and energy efficiency. The contributions of the book relate to the research areas: - Materials and structures in nanotechnology and biomaterials - Biomimetic approaches to develop new forms, construction principles and design methods in architecture - Information and dynamics in automation, neuroinformatics and biomechanics Readers will be informed about the latest research approaches and results in biomimetics with examples ranging from bionic nano-membranes to function-targeted design of tribological surfaces and the translation of natural auditory coding strategies.

Author : Steven Vogel
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 484 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2020-05-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780691212975

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Life in Moving Fluids by Steven Vogel Pdf

Both a landmark text and reference book, Steven Vogel's Life in Moving Fluids has also played a catalytic role in research involving the applications of fluid mechanics to biology. In this revised edition, Vogel continues to combine humor and clear explanations as he addresses biologists and general readers interested in biological fluid mechanics, offering updates on the field over the last dozen years and expanding the coverage of the biological literature. His discussion of the relationship between fluid flow and biological design now includes sections on jet propulsion, biological pumps, swimming, blood flow, and surface waves, and on acceleration reaction and Murray’s law. This edition contains an extensive bibliography for readers interested in designing their own experiments.

Author : Sujeet K. Sinha,N. Satyanarayana,Seh Chun Lim
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 276 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2013-08-27
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9783642369353

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Nano-tribology and Materials in MEMS by Sujeet K. Sinha,N. Satyanarayana,Seh Chun Lim Pdf

This book brings together recent developments in the areas of MEMS tribology, novel lubricants and coatings for nanotechnological applications, biomimetics in tribology and fundamentals of micro/nano-tribology. Tribology plays important roles in the functioning and durability of machines at small length scales because of the problems associated with strong surface adhesion, friction, wear etc. Recently, a number of studies have been conducted to understand tribological phenomena at nano/micro scales and many new tribological solutions for MEMS have been proposed.

Author : Steven Vogel
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : Biology
ISBN : 9780691138060

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Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds by Steven Vogel Pdf

This book investigates facets of the physical world, including the drag on small projectiles; the importance of diffusion and convection; the size-dependence of acceleration; the storage, conduction, and dissipation of heat; the relationship among pressure, flow, and choice in biological pumps; and how elongate structures tune their relative twistiness and bendiness. It considers design-determining factors and builds a bridge between the world described by physics books and the reality experienced by all creatures.

Author : Erin N. Bodine,Suzanne Lenhart,Louis J. Gross
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 631 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2014-08-17
Category : Mathematics
ISBN : 9781400852772

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Mathematics for the Life Sciences by Erin N. Bodine,Suzanne Lenhart,Louis J. Gross Pdf

An accessible undergraduate textbook on the essential math concepts used in the life sciences The life sciences deal with a vast array of problems at different spatial, temporal, and organizational scales. The mathematics necessary to describe, model, and analyze these problems is similarly diverse, incorporating quantitative techniques that are rarely taught in standard undergraduate courses. This textbook provides an accessible introduction to these critical mathematical concepts, linking them to biological observation and theory while also presenting the computational tools needed to address problems not readily investigated using mathematics alone. Proven in the classroom and requiring only a background in high school math, Mathematics for the Life Sciences doesn't just focus on calculus as do most other textbooks on the subject. It covers deterministic methods and those that incorporate uncertainty, problems in discrete and continuous time, probability, graphing and data analysis, matrix modeling, difference equations, differential equations, and much more. The book uses MATLAB throughout, explaining how to use it, write code, and connect models to data in examples chosen from across the life sciences. Provides undergraduate life science students with a succinct overview of major mathematical concepts that are essential for modern biology Covers all the major quantitative concepts that national reports have identified as the ideal components of an entry-level course for life science students Provides good background for the MCAT, which now includes data-based and statistical reasoning Explicitly links data and math modeling Includes end-of-chapter homework problems, end-of-unit student projects, and select answers to homework problems Uses MATLAB throughout, and MATLAB m-files with an R supplement are available online Prepares students to read with comprehension the growing quantitative literature across the life sciences A solutions manual for professors and an illustration package is available

Author : Stefan Bengtson
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 642 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Evolutionary paleobiology
ISBN : 9780231080880

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Early Life on Earth by Stefan Bengtson Pdf

This study is organized around three themes: the origin and early diversification of life during the Archean Eon; the maturation of life and the Earth during the long Proterozoic Eon; and the explosive diversification of multicellular life that marks the dawn of the Phanerozoic Eon. The contributors discuss the coherence of history, the combinatorial generation of taxonomic diversity, early Metazoan evolution, and the Cambrian explosion.

Author : Mary Ellen Morbeck,Alison Galloway,Adrienne Zihlman
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 344 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 1996-12-09
Category : Science
ISBN : 1400822068

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The Evolving Female by Mary Ellen Morbeck,Alison Galloway,Adrienne Zihlman Pdf

A human female is born, lives her life, and dies within the space of a few decades, but the shape of her life has been strongly influenced by 50 million years of primate evolution and more than 100 million years of mammalian evolution. How the individual female plays out the stages of her life--from infancy, through the reproductive period, to old age--and how these stages have been formed by a long evolutionary process, is the theme of this collection. Written by leading scholars in fields ranging from evolutionary biology to cultural anthropology, these essays together examine what it means to be female, integrating the life histories of marine mammals, monkeys, apes, and humans. The result is a fascinating inquiry into the similarities among the ways females of different species balance the need for survival with their role in reproduction and mothering. The Evolving Female offers an outlook integrating life history with an intimate examination of female life paths. Behavior, anatomy and physiology, growth and development, cultural identity of women, the individual, and the society are among the topics investigated. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Linda Fedigan, Kathryn Ono, Joanne Reiter, Barbara Smuts, Mariko Hiraiwa-Hasegawa, Mary McDonald Pavelka, Caroline Pond, Robin McFarland, Silvana Borgognini Tarli and Elena Repetto, Gilda Morelli, Patricia Draper, Catherine Panter-Brick, Virginia J. Vitzthum, Alison Jolly, and Beverly McLeod.

Author : Aditya R. Nayak,Houshuo Jiang,Lee Karp-Boss,James Michael Sullivan,David Murphy,Margaret Byron,Malcolm McFarland
Publisher : Frontiers Media SA
Page : 338 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2021-05-14
Category : Science
ISBN : 9782889667697

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Small Scale Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Particles, Plankton, and Other Organisms by Aditya R. Nayak,Houshuo Jiang,Lee Karp-Boss,James Michael Sullivan,David Murphy,Margaret Byron,Malcolm McFarland Pdf