How Physics Shapes Evolution

A groundbreaking new view on the theory of evolution, arguing that life develops in predictable waysWe are all familiar with the popular idea of strange alien life wildly different from life on earth

A fascinating exploration of the extreme world of animal athletics, how these stunning abilities have evolved, and their insights into human performance and evolution How is it that fish can climb wat

Explore and understand the natural and human wonders of our planet. Now, in its third edition, this landmark encyclopedia celebrates our planet and explains the science underpinning the forces and processes that have made and shaped it. Artworks, photographs, terrain models, and maps are combined to capture the power of landscapes and natural events and show their hidden sides, explaining, for example, how an earthquake is triggered and how burning fossil fuels is driving a climate emergency. In this earth book, you will find: -More than 3,000 photographs, artworks, and maps -A 40-page timeline of Earth's history includes human evolution and the story of human colonization of the planet -Sections that explore human impact features - on subjects from deforestation to population growth -An atlas section includes original maps centered on Earth's seven major tectonic plates Parts of the book lay out systematic and in-depth reference guides to core scientific information, such as more than

It is easy to think of evolution as something that happened long ago, or that occurs only in "nature," or that is so slow that its ongoing impact is virtually nonexistent when viewed

It is easy to think of evolution as something that happened long ago, or that occurs only in "nature," or that is so slow that its ongoing impact is virtually nonexistent when viewed

We think of medical science and doctors as focused on treating conditions—whether it’s a cough or an aching back. But the sicknesses and complaints that cause us to seek medical attention actually hav

Our breath catches and we jump in fear at the sight of a snake. We pause and marvel at the sublime beauty of a sunrise. These reactions are no accident; in fact, many of our human responses to nature

In this remarkably ambitious and creative work, evolutionary biologist Gordon Orians explores the role of evolution in human responses to the environment. The work starts with chapters dedicated to hu

In Stellar Evolution Physics, Icko Iben describes the microscopic physics operating in stars and how stars respond macroscopically, showing the intricate interplay between these processes. Volume 1, intended for graduate students with a solid background in physics, covers the processes up to the onset of helium burning. Volume 2 builds on these principles, covering models of low and intermediate mass stars, the AGB phase, the final cooling white dwarf phase and a model for a massive star. Particular attention is given to the gravothermal responses to nuclear reaction-induced transformations in the interior and energy loss from the surface, responses at the heart of stellar evolution. The volumes include over 600 illustrations and many numerical solutions in order to prepare the reader to program and calculate evolutionary models for themselves. Taken together, the two volumes will prepare a graduate student for professional-level research in this key area of astrophysics.

Johnjoe McFadden "enters new and provocative territory in his marriage of physics and biology" (Science News). His simple but staggering theory of quantum evolution shows how quantum mechanics gives

Our understanding of nature, and in particular of physics and the laws governing it, has changed radically since the days of the ancient Greek natural philosophers. This book explains how and why thes

This volume explains the microscopic physics operating in stars in advanced stages of their evolution and describes with many numerical examples and illustrations how they respond to this microphysics. Models of low and intermediate mass are evolved through the core helium-burning phase, the asymptotic giant branch phase (alternating shell hydrogen and helium burning) and through the final cooling white dwarf phase. A massive model is carried from the core helium-burning phase through core and shell carbon-burning phases. Gravothermal responses to nuclear reaction-induced transformations and energy loss from the surface are described in detail. Written for senior graduate students and researchers who have mastered the principles of stellar evolution, as developed in the first volume of Stellar Evolution Physics, sufficient attention is paid to how numerical solutions are obtained to enable the reader to engage in model construction on a professional level.

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, SMITHSONIAN, AND WALL STREET JOURNALA major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preference

Weather, water, and climate. How we feel, how productive we are, even our sheer existence, depends on these three things. The United States economic activity varies annually by 1.7% due to weather—tha

A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences—what Darwin termed "the taste for the beautiful"—create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. I

The Evolution of Everything explores the roots of the big question by examining the deepest urges and properties of living things, both animate and inanimate: how to live longer, with food, warmth, po

Weather, water, and climate. How we feel, how productive we are, even our sheer existence, depends on these three things. The United States economic activity varies annually by 1.7% due to weather—tha

In this groundbreaking book, Adrian Bejan takes the recurring patterns in nature—trees, tributaries, air passages, neural networks, and lightning bolts—and reveals how a single principle of physics, t

This text describes the microscopic physics operating in stars and demonstrates how stars respond from formation, through hydrogen-burning phases, up to the onset of helium burning. Intended for beginning graduate students and senior undergraduates with a solid background in physics, it illustrates the intricate interplay between the microscopic physical processes and the stars' macroscopic responses. The volume starts with the gravitationally contracting phase which carries the star from formation to the core hydrogen-burning main sequence, through the main sequence phase, through shell hydrogen-burning phases as a red giant, up to the onset of core helium burning. Particular emphasis is placed on describing the gravothermal responses of stars to nuclear transformations in the interior and energy loss from the surface, responses which express the very essence of stellar evolution. The volume is replete with many illustrations and detailed numerical solutions to prepare the reader to p

A guide to aligning your life with the frequencies of the Nine Waves of Creation‧ Explains the quantum physics behind the Waves of the Mayan Calendar system and how their holograms shape the human min

The rapidly expanding field of galaxy formation lies at the interface between astronomy, particle physics, and cosmology. Covering diverse topics from these disciplines, all of which are needed to understand how galaxies form and evolve, this book is ideal for researchers entering the field. Individual chapters explore the evolution of the Universe as a whole and its particle and radiation content; linear and nonlinear growth of cosmic structure; processes affecting the gaseous and dark matter components of galaxies and their stellar populations; the formation of spiral and elliptical galaxies; central supermassive black holes and the activity associated with them; galaxy interactions; and the intergalactic medium. Emphasizing both observational and theoretical aspects, this book provides a coherent introduction for astronomers, cosmologists, and astroparticle physicists to the broad range of science underlying the formation and evolution of galaxies.

This self-contained astrophysics textbook for advanced undergraduates explores how stars form, what happens to them as they age, and what becomes of them when they die. Students can investigate the physical processes sustaining the energy output of stars during each stage of their evolution and which drive the progression from one stage to the next, and examine the relationship between different stages of stellar evolution and the production of the chemical elements. The textbook contains a wealth of worked examples and exercises with full solutions. Summaries, key facts and equations are clearly identified, and there are full colour illustrations throughout. Drawing on decades of experience in supported learning and independent study, this textbook is an ideal bridging text for astrophysics and physics majors looking to move on from the introductory texts. Accompanying resources to this textbook are available at: http://www.cambridge.org/features/astrophysics.

This self-contained astrophysics textbook for advanced undergraduates explores how stars form, what happens to them as they age, and what becomes of them when they die. Students can investigate the physical processes sustaining the energy output of stars during each stage of their evolution and which drive the progression from one stage to the next, and examine the relationship between different stages of stellar evolution and the production of the chemical elements. The textbook contains a wealth of worked examples and exercises with full solutions. Summaries, key facts and equations are clearly identified, and there are full colour illustrations throughout. Drawing on decades of experience in supported learning and independent study, this textbook is an ideal bridging text for astrophysics and physics majors looking to move on from the introductory texts. Accompanying resources to this textbook are available at: http://www.cambridge.org/features/astrophysics.

While many scientists are familiar with fractals, fewer are familiar with scale-invariance and universality which underlie the ubiquity of their shapes. These properties may emerge from the collective behaviour of simple fundamental constituents, and are studied using statistical field theories. Initial chapters connect the particulate perspective developed in the companion volume, to the coarse grained statistical fields studied here. Based on lectures taught by Professor Kardar at MIT, this textbook demonstrates how such theories are formulated and studied. Perturbation theory, exact solutions, renormalization groups, and other tools are employed to demonstrate the emergence of scale invariance and universality, and the non-equilibrium dynamics of interfaces and directed paths in random media are discussed. Ideal for advanced graduate courses in statistical physics, it contains an integrated set of problems, with solutions to selected problems at the end of the book and a complete se

Tools developed by statistical physicists are of increasing importance in the analysis of complex biological systems. Physics in Molecular Biology, first published in 2005, discusses how physics can be used in modeling life. It begins by summarizing important biological concepts, emphasizing how they differ from the systems normally studied in physics. A variety of topics, ranging from the properties of single molecules to the dynamics of macro-evolution, are studied in terms of simple mathematical models. The main focus of the book is on genes and proteins and how they build systems that compute and respond. The discussion develops from simple to complex systems, and from small-scale to large-scale phenomena. This book will inspire advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics to approach biological subjects from a physicist's point of view. It is self-contained, requiring no background knowledge of biology, and only familiarity with basic concepts from physics, such as for

Focusing on the temporal and spatial evolution of strongly correlated systems, earth scientists describe recent developments to show how fractals and chaos theory can clarify complex earth systems suc

A children’s guide to the science and history of telling the time and clockmaking in a fun and interactive way.This interactive book will help children aged 7-9 understand how clocks work and learn how to tell the time on various devices.Time is central to our experience as humans, and it’s important for children to know not just how to tell the time, but also how to make the most of it. About Time uses fun and unique elements to teach children about the topic of time and introduce concepts like time zones and time management.This time book for children offers:*Content written by experts in the field, a scientist and a Horologist (the study of time).*A unique book on an underrepresented topic, looking at how humans learned to measure time, how it shapes our lives and the amazing science behind time.*Interactive and practical activities for children to get involved with and learn about the subject.This book combines the expertise of an award-winning watchmaker and a physics teacher to e

《科學小史》以輕鬆易懂的方式，帶領讀者走過人類探索世界的足跡，從古巴比倫的天文觀察到現代的基因研究與粒子物理。書中介紹牛頓、霍金等重要人物，也揭開電力、重力、原子與化學元素表背後的故事。這是一本適合大人與青少年共讀的科學入門書，幫助我們理解身邊的世界，也欣賞科學帶來的無限可能。A lively and engaging introduction to the progress of science over the agesScience is key to understanding the infinite distances of space, the tiniest living organisms body and the history of our planet. From Hippocrates and Aristotle to Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking, men and women have asked how things work, and through experiments have made earth-shattering discoveries.This inviting Litte History takes readers to the stars. We delve beneath the surface of the planet, chart the evolution of chemistry’s periodic table, and explore the physics that explain electricity, gravity, and the atoms that make up our bodies and everything around us.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds----------------------"One advantage of a brief history is that this impressive roll of modern achievements unfolds while the leaps of prior centuries are st

A causally integrated account linking basic natural laws with biological evolution and the evolution of consciousness has remained elusive, despite many key publications seeking integration between biology, physics, and the study of consciousness. Quantum Mechanics, Cell-Cell Signaling, and Evolution offers a detailed account of the latest research and theorizing on the integration of quantum physics with biological action, to produce a novel perspective on evolution. Quantum Mechanics, Cell-Cell Signaling, and Evolution advocates for a paradigm shift towards understanding biology and medicine causally as predictive sciences, presenting quantum mechanics and physiology as vertically integrated. The author has taken a unique approach to the question of how and why evolution has occurred. The account is based on extensive knowledge of lipid physical chemistry, and its role in the evolution of the lung under the influence of hormonal effects on structure and function. The title arranges l

How Proteins Work is an up-to-date and authoritative account of protein function in living systems, explained within the governing parameters of physics, chemistry, and evolution. This text will enabl

Using fundamental physics, the theory of stellar structure and evolution can predict how stars are born, how their complex internal structure changes, what nuclear fuel they burn, and their ultimate fate. This textbook is a stimulating introduction for undergraduates in astronomy, physics and applied mathematics, taking a course on the physics of stars. It uniquely emphasises the basic physical principles governing stellar structure and evolution. This second edition contains two new chapters on mass loss from stars and interacting binary stars, and new exercises. Clear and methodical, it explains the processes in simple terms, while maintaining mathematical rigour. Starting from general principles, this textbook leads students step-by-step to a global, comprehensive understanding of the subject. Fifty exercises and full solutions allow students to test their understanding. No prior knowledge of astronomy is required, and only a basic background in physics and mathematics is necessary.

A number of research groups around the world have begun to study how the brain acquires and processes language, but we still know comparatively little about it. Many such groups work on very specific, often narrow, problems. This approach is certainly necessary, but a broad perspective can be helpful, if not essential, too. This volume consists of an important collection of papers presented at the Seminar on Language, Evolution, and the Brain (SLEB), hosted by the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Kyoto, Japan, bringing together distinguished researchers with background in cognitive science, anthropology, linguistics, robotics, physics, etc. Major topics discussed here include: Creoles and pidgins, and their implications regarding language evolution. Quantitative analysis and modeling of various aspects of language evolution, including the evolution of lexical items and color terms, the emergence of linguistics categories, and the dynamics of language competition. The ev

Are we alone in the Universe? What is our place in it? How did we get here? We have long searched for the answers to questions such as these, and scientists are beginning to find some of the answers. In this beautifully illustrated book, Daniel Altschuler provides the reader with the elements to understand the questions and their answers as far as we know them. He explores subjects from physics and astronomy, to geology and palaeontology. Along the way he touches on topics such as the search for life on other worlds and the hazards of asteroid impacts. Daniel Altschuler is director of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. He writes in an engaging and readable style with wit, warmth and erudition at a level that any interested reader can understand.

談到生命演化，我們往往從生物學的角度進行研究和探索，然而這些演化機制其實被一隻“看不見的手”――物理定律――所控制。本書從鳥群、昆蟲、微生物、細胞、原子等角度，逐級剖析隨機或固定的物理機制如何驅動遺傳和生化作用。這是一本橫跨物理學、化學、生物學等多個學科，從全新的視角解鎖生命本質的集大成之作。地球上的生物千姿百態，每種生物都有它自己的存在方式。本書將揭示這些存在方式背後的物理學、化學、生物學規律，告訴你地球之所以是今天的模樣，並非出於偶然。本書討論了地球上生命的結構特性，並告訴讀者，物理原理是所有生命存在的核心，它塑造了每一種生物的構成。你周圍可見的生物都是基於物理原理的必然結果。無論從哪種角度探討生命的構造，我們都發現其適用於最基本的物理學原理。這些原理決定了椋鳥的繁衍生息，以及構成生命的基本結構――分子。對於這個問題生物學界曾經存在爭論：一些人認為生命是由一些基本原理主宰的；另一些人則認為生命只是隨機變異的產物，在生命這趟如過山車一般驚險的旅程中，是達爾文進化論所描述的變異決定了今天豐富多彩的物種形式。但其實這兩種說法都沒有錯，真正的答案更像是兩者的結合物。達爾文進化論決定了生物的物種更加多樣化，從恐龍到澳洲野犬，種類繁多，不一而足。但生物的進化之旅同樣也受到一些基本原理的影響，這裡所說的原理並不是指生僻的生物理論，而是最簡單、最基本的物理法則。這些物理法則對生命的塑造起著決定性作用，使得生物的演化沿著一定的方向進行。作者將沿著生物進化的階梯由高到底逐級講述。從最高階段――生物群落講起，接著講述了昆蟲、微生物、細胞、DNA、分子結構等，最後講到了亞原子結構中元素的構成。通過分析這些層面的物理和化學原理以及生物結構，你將瞭解到以下問題的答案，比如，鳥類為何佈陣群飛？狗為什麼沒有輪子一樣的結構？魚為什麼不需要推進器就能遊走？地鼠為何不會被坍方的土石流壓死？螞蟻巢穴如何被利用成為建築基準？安全帽的頭部傷害指數應如何計算？……最後，作者還探討了其他星球是否存在生命的問題。作者認為，如果我們確實發現了地外生命的存在，那麼我們會發現這些地外生命的演化步驟與地球生命的演化步驟非常相似。因為，我們這個世界就是生命產生的模板。本書的精彩之處在于深刻而有力地剖析了地球生物系統的奇妙之處。通過審視自己和地球生命，我們將對生命的本質有更全面且深入的認識，物理學的分析角度也給我們帶來一種

Recent symbolic and social analyses have drawn much attention to the role of material culture in human society, emphasising the representational and ideological aspects of the material world. These studies have, nonetheless, often overlooked how the very physicality of material culture and our material surroundings make them unique and distinctive from text and discourse. In this book, Boivin explores how the physicality of the material world shapes our thoughts, emotions, cosmological frameworks, social relations and even our bodies. Focusing on the agency of material culture, she draws on the work of a diverse range of thinkers, from Marx and Merleau-Ponty to Darwin, while highlighting a wide selection of studies in archaeology, cultural anthropology, history, cognitive science and evolutionary biology. She asks what is distinctive about material culture compared to other aspects of human culture and presents a comprehensive overview of material agency that has much to offer to both

Recent symbolic and social analyses have drawn much attention to the role of material culture in human society, emphasising the representational and ideological aspects of the material world. These studies have, nonetheless, often overlooked how the very physicality of material culture and our material surroundings make them unique and distinctive from text and discourse. In this book, Boivin explores how the physicality of the material world shapes our thoughts, emotions, cosmological frameworks, social relations and even our bodies. Focusing on the agency of material culture, she draws on the work of a diverse range of thinkers, from Marx and Merleau-Ponty to Darwin, while highlighting a wide selection of studies in archaeology, cultural anthropology, history, cognitive science and evolutionary biology. She asks what is distinctive about material culture compared to other aspects of human culture and presents a comprehensive overview of material agency that has much to offer to both