Scientific American Editors
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People behave in strange ways. We sometimes giggle when someone falls down, swear we've been to places we haven't or continue believing in something despite scientific evidence to the contrary. For more than a decade, Scientific American MIND's long-running feature "Ask the Brains" has addressed questions from our readers on the quirks and quandaries of human behavior, psychology and neurology. Here in Ask the Brains, Part 1 we've compiled some of...
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Since the first Mars-bound probes were launched in the 1960s, the planet has intrigued scientists and the public alike due to its potential for human habitability. However, despite its many similarities to Earth, so far there has been no conclusive evidence that life has existed on Mars. Although no human has actually traveled to the planet, the scientific community has extensively studied its geology, climate, and history. This title examines past...
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The sense of position and movement is often called the sixth sense, the brain's connection to the immune system might be a seventh. In this eBook, we examine the diverse functions of the brain beyond the five senses, including the glymphatic system for maintaining brain health, the processes behind intuition and new research raising questions about "brain death."
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Science fiction has imagined some pretty wild ideas about how the universe could work - from hidden extra dimensions in Interstellar to life as a mental projection in The Matrix. But these imaginings seem downright tame compared with the mind-bending science now coming out of physics and astronomy, and in this eBook, we look at the strange and fascinating discoveries shaping (and reshaping) the field today.
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Once dismissed as a mathematical curiosity, black holes are so strange they almost defy belief. Since their existence was confirmed, research into the nature of black holes has opened up new vistas in physics, and in this eBook, we examine some of the most fascinating discoveries about black hole formation and behavior, the new and evolving research in gravitational wave astronomy, theoretical possibilities such as wormholes and much more.
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Physicists are pushing into the extreme ends of the universe as we know it-from invisible particles and colliding massive black holes to the most crushing gravitational forces ever detected and spooky quantum entanglement. The 14-billion-year-old tale of our universe is far from over, and in this eBook, we examine a wave of discovery and take a new look at old ideas.
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Budding engineers, architects, and designers may wonder how modern advancements such as recycling centers and irrigation systems work. This intriguing title offers ten engaging projects that will help readers understand firsthand through their own imaginative designs. Each activity includes step-by-step directions and helpful illustrations that challenge readers to create a variety of devices, from a recycling sorting machine to a useful cell phone...
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One hundred years ago, many common medical treatments were found in the pages of science fiction novels, whereas today, medical journals often sound like science fiction. This eBook looks at the most promising areas where technology could transform health, including cybernetics, regenerative medicine, nanotechnology and genetically tailored treatments. Although many of these advances may not be ready to treat humans for many years, some of them may...
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During allergy season, sufferers know the drill: runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing up a storm. If you also have asthma, symptoms might also include coughing and wheezing. Then there's the common cold, which also presents with similar symptoms. So what's causing your runny nose? In this eBook, Allergies, Asthma and the Common Cold, we review what we know about these three conditions as well as take a look at food allergies and what's on the horizon...
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Learning about the states of matter is a crucial part of any physical science curriculum. In this title, readers learn about the states-but also make slime, race marbles, and find out how heavy air is! Each fun experiment or activity begins with an explanation of the science concept being shown in the project. Clear step-by-step instructions guide readers through the set up and execution of the experiment. Most projects also include additional ideas...
13) Extreme Animals
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As a species, humans tend to view ourselves as the top of the natural order for our exceptional intelligence and emotional depth, but there are many other metrics for determining what makes a species remarkable. This volume looks at some of the world's st
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The science of education is elusive. Educators, academics and scientists have struggled with issues like how to make learning approachable yet challenging, what to include in the curriculum and when, what the optimal class size is and so on. In this collection, we explore the many ways that learning is also a scientific process and offer the latest theories of teaching and learning.
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Known as "the best friend mathematics ever had," Martin Gardner introduced many readers to real mathematics, making the subject accessible and fun for more than 25 years through his Mathematical Games column. In this eBook collection, we strove to create a new "slice" through his wealth of material. We focus on all flavors of number, from common integers and negative numbers to figurate numbers and the exotic random number, Omega, which can be described...
16) Dinosaurs!
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Terrible lizards. That's what the word "dinosaurs" means. Yet dinosaurs are not true lizards, and they are not necessarily terrible either. Paleontologists have overturned many misconceptions, and in this eBook, Dinosaurs!, we look at what the latest research tells us and what we still have to learn about these endlessly fascinating creatures.
17) Becoming Human
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We humans are a strange bunch. We have self-awareness and yet often act on impulses that remain hidden. How did we get here? What is to become of us? To these age-old questions, science has in recent years brought powerful tools and reams of data, and in this eBook, Becoming Human*, we look at what these data have to tell us about who we are.
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Of all the species on Earth, why did ours rise to dominance? Previously, scientists thought many uniquely human traits resulted from sudden or brilliant adaptations, but new discoveries point to gradual processes that involve biological and social factors. In this eBook, we examine recent research on the origins of human cognitive abilities, ingenuity, language and culture as well as the advances opening doors to new hypotheses.
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Making ethical decisions involves more than listening to an inner moral compass, a feeling in the gut of what's right and wrong; and questions of ethics in science are becoming increasingly complex, especially as technology encroaches upon even our most private cellular spaces. In this eBook, Doing the Right Thing: Ethics in Science, we cover a wide range of areas in science and medicine where complicated ethical questions come to bear, including...