A history of ionising radiation, our understanding of it and of the harm it can cause. How the ways we have measured it and managed it have changed during the twentieth century.

A history of developments in the uses of radioactivity and ionising radiation in the last century and the measures used to protect people from harmful effects. The sources of radiation exposure covered include medical uses, nuclear power generation and natural ones, such as that from radon. The book traces the evolution of our understanding of the effects of radiation on the human body, particularly those leading to cancer and hereditable diseases. One of the key challenges for practitioners was constructing manageable frameworks for evaluating these effects so that there could be effective control and regulation. The book emphasises the international nature of these efforts and the need to change approaches as more data became available after the Second World War. For the second edition the opportunity has been taken to revise the citation system and make some correction but the major change is the addition of two new Chapters: one on nuclear criticality safety and the other on nuclear safety assessment.

“A powerful story” of a boy leaving the city streets for a summer at a horse farm—and discovering the possibility of a different life(Kirkus Reviews). An ALA Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Quick Pick With an absent mother and a domineering stepfather, Travis uses his tough-guy exterior to hide his true passion: writing. After a violent confrontation with his stepfather, Travis is sent to live on his uncle’s horse ranch—exile to a born-and-bred city kid. Angry and yearning for a connection, Travis befriends Casey, the horse-riding instructor at the ranch, and the untamable horse in her stable: the Star Runner. When a friend from the city visits with stories of other kids from the neighborhood facing jail time, Travis is more determined than ever that he needs to escape the life of juvenile delinquency he seems destined for. When the offer of a book deal comes through, Travis is hopeful that this is his chance to escape—if only his stepfather will stop standing in the way of his dreams. In this novel, the acclaimed author of The Outsiders “portrays her characters with sympathy and yet commendably refuses to gloss over rough edges or gritty truths” (Publishers Weekly). “Hinton continues to grow more reflective in her books, but her great understanding, not of what teenagers are but of what they can hope to be, is undiminished.”—Kirkus Reviews

Starting from two unpublished manuscripts, this book attempts to revive an extraordinary, albeit poorly known, season of scientific research of the late XVIII century, which, from the study of the peculiar properties of some singular fishes, leads, through the unpredictable path of science, to the discovery of the electric nature of nerve signal, and, moreover to the invention of the voltaic battery. Besides presenting a crucial transition phase in the natural philosophy of the Enlightenment, this book is written with the ambition of reviving the fascination of science and its history.

How solar could spark a clean-energy transition through transformative innovation—creative financing, revolutionary technologies, and flexible energy systems. Solar energy, once a niche application for a limited market, has become the cheapest and fastest-growing power source on earth. What's more, its potential is nearly limitless—every hour the sun beams down more energy than the world uses in a year. But in Taming the Sun, energy expert Varun Sivaram warns that the world is not yet equipped to harness erratic sunshine to meet most of its energy needs. And if solar's current surge peters out, prospects for replacing fossil fuels and averting catastrophic climate change will dim. Innovation can brighten those prospects, Sivaram explains, drawing on firsthand experience and original research spanning science, business, and government. Financial innovation is already enticing deep-pocketed investors to fund solar projects around the world, from the sunniest deserts to the poorest villages. Technological innovation could replace today's solar panels with coatings as cheap as paint and employ artificial photosynthesis to store intermittent sunshine as convenient fuels. And systemic innovation could add flexibility to the world's power grids and other energy systems so they can dependably channel the sun's unreliable energy. Unleashing all this innovation will require visionary public policy: funding researchers developing next-generation solar technologies, refashioning energy systems and economic markets, and putting together a diverse clean energy portfolio. Although solar can't power the planet by itself, it can be the centerpiece of a global clean energy revolution. A Council on Foreign Relations Book

Containing chapter contributions from over 130 experts, this unique publication is the first handbook dedicated to the physics and technology of X-ray imaging, offering extensive coverage of the field. This highly comprehensive work is edited by one of the world’s leading experts in X-ray imaging physics and technology and has been created with guidance from a Scientific Board containing respected and renowned scientists from around the world. The book's scope includes 2D and 3D X-ray imaging techniques from soft-X-ray to megavoltage energies, including computed tomography, fluoroscopy, dental imaging and small animal imaging, with several chapters dedicated to breast imaging techniques. 2D and 3D industrial imaging is incorporated, including imaging of artworks. Specific attention is dedicated to techniques of phase contrast X-ray imaging. The approach undertaken is one that illustrates the theory as well as the techniques and the devices routinely used in the various fields. Computational aspects are fully covered, including 3D reconstruction algorithms, hard/software phantoms, and computer-aided diagnosis. Theories of image quality are fully illustrated. Historical, radioprotection, radiation dosimetry, quality assurance and educational aspects are also covered. This handbook will be suitable for a very broad audience, including graduate students in medical physics and biomedical engineering; medical physics residents; radiographers; physicists and engineers in the field of imaging and non-destructive industrial testing using X-rays; and scientists interested in understanding and using X-ray imaging techniques. The handbook's editor, Dr. Paolo Russo, has over 30 years’ experience in the academic teaching of medical physics and X-ray imaging research. He has authored several book chapters in the field of X-ray imaging, is Editor-in-Chief of an international scientific journal in medical physics, and has responsibilities in the publication committees of international scientific organizations in medical physics. Features: Comprehensive coverage of the use of X-rays both in medical radiology and industrial testing The first handbook published to be dedicated to the physics and technology of X-rays Handbook edited by world authority, with contributions from experts in each field

One of America’s top physicians traces the history of risk in medicine—with powerful lessons for today Every medical decision—whether to have chemotherapy, an X-ray, or surgery—is a risk, no matter which way you choose. In You Bet Your Life, physician Paul A. Offit argues that, from the first blood transfusions four hundred years ago to the hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine, risk has been essential to the discovery of new treatments. More importantly, understanding the risks is crucial to whether, as a society or as individuals, we accept them. Told in Offit’s vigorous and rigorous style, You Bet Your Life is an entertaining history of medicine. But it also lays bare the tortured relationships between intellectual breakthroughs, political realities, and human foibles. Our pandemic year has shown us, with its debates over lockdowns, masks, and vaccines, how easy it is to get everything wrong. You Bet Your Life is an essential read for getting the future a bit more right.

Georgia Wright has never believed in fairy tales. That is, until Wyatt Gates walks into her life. But fate has other plans in mind for these two, and their early blossoming romance is over before it’s even begun. Ever since that day, Georgia is determined to live an untethered life. She’s never felt comfortable with the fact that she grew up with a trust fund when others had so little. Now she travels to places where she can help people in need and do her part to make the world a better place. It isn’t until seven years later, when the two meet again, that they get a second chance to get things right. Wyatt has never found it easy to trust. Ever since his mother passed away, he has a hard time opening up to anyone. Now the owner of a Pit Bull rescue called Cooper’s Place, he has slowly begun to turn his life around. When the last person he ever wants to see again, Georgia Wright, walks back into his life, the sparks they once shared are impossible to ignore and the walls he so carefully built around his world start to come crashing down. Will Georgia and Wyatt let the misunderstandings of their past keep them apart? Or will their attraction to one another lead these two passionate souls to finally find their happily ever after?

Fascinating, accessible study recounts the process of discovery, from atomism of the Greeks to quantum revolutions of the 1920s and the theories and conjectures of today. Topics include components of the atom, quantum mechanics, atomic landscape, atoms in isolation, more. "Lucid and entertaining." — The New York Times Book Review.

Modern medicine in England as we know it today is chiefly the product of the scientific developments of the nineteenth century. These advances included improved sanitation, the acceptance of the germ theory of disease as a result of the emergence of microbiology, and the advent of painless and routine surgical procedures. How then did medicine evolve in Lancaster during the nineteenth century? The focus here is the history of medicine in Lancaster and a community of practice amongst a few medical professionals who shaped Lancaster’s medical landscape. The reader will be introduced to these remarkable medical men and their names will gradually become familiar. Many of these individuals were second and even third generation surgeons and physicians. Background to these pioneers, as well as their successes and failures, is sketched within the context of Lancaster’s socio-economic environment and growth as an industrial town. This volume also marks the main medical events in Lancaster, including the establishment of a Dispensary, which evolved into the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, the Public Health movement and the rise of the Asylums.