Scientific American Editors
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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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Galileo said that mathematics is the language of nature. This eBook examines math across disciplines, exploring how math is the backbone connecting the physical, social and economic worlds. From practical questions about the significance of p values and using math to fight gerrymandering to the top theoretical problems in the field, this collection looks at what math reveals about our universe.
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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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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.
5) Mind Games
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What concepts are behind the creation of cartoons and the ability to seemingly make a dot on a page disappear? Readers will learn the answers through the ten hands-on activities featured in this intriguing title. Each optical illusion is broken down using step-by-step instructions paired with helpful illustrations. Accessible text reveals the important scientific ideas behind each activity, such as the principles of human vision, perception, and light....
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What are forces? These are the pushes and pulls on something that come from the world around them. Gravity, friction, lift, and drag are all forces explored in this title presented by Scientific American. Young scientists have a chance to test centripetal force using marbles, make a paper rocket, and examine how a hovercraft hovers, among other questions and ideas, in curriculum-supporting experiments and activities. Each includes a Background section...
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From irrational phobias to a midlife crisis, we've all experienced moments of utter confusion about the nature of our own behavior, emotions or perception of reality. In this eBook, neurologists and other scientists share what they know about how the mind works, including some of these baffling psychological experiences.
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While many of us strive to live healthy lives, the task can be daunting and the information overwhelming. Should we be more concerned with our diet or with keeping our weight down? How important is exercise? What kinds of diseases should we really be worried about getting-or preventing? In this eBook, Eat, Move, Think: Living Healthy, we've assembled a number of stories on what we think sums up a healthy lifestyle, as well as some of the common obstacles...
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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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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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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.
12) Extreme Physics
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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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In 2020, mass shootings and hate crimes reached record highs. On January 6, 2021, a deadly mob stormed the US Capitol. In this eBook, we examine the factors that contribute to aggressive and brutal behavior, including its biological and genetic underpinnings, how intimacy and bias can lead to violence, how people become radicalized to commit acts of aggression, as well as certain psychological disorders and their role in violent behavior.
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We harbor roughly the same number of microbes as we have cells. This complex ecosystem is crucial to our health, affecting many processes including immunity, child development and bone density regulation. Research in this area has exploded, and in this eBook, we highlight some of the most exciting work on how the microbiome develops, its influence on brain and behavior and implications in both contributing to and treating various disorders.
15) Cyberattacks
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The ubiquity of computers and smartphones has reshaped nearly every aspect of contemporary life, from how we communicate to how we shop. However, it has also provided a new avenue for criminal activity. Cyberattacks can take many forms, but in general the
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Tens of millions of households in the United States have pets. They are often considered integral parts of families and close companions. There is a long history of domesticating animals, and this volume in part considers the intertwined evolution of animals and domestic animals to examine how these relationships have developed. It discusses the characteristics and behaviors of cats, dogs, and other animals that allows humans to create such a strong...
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Anxiety and depression are two of the most common conditions affecting mental health and overall quality of life, but there are tools for managing them. In this eBook, we'll explore how depression shows up in the brain, different manifestations of depression and anxiety, various talk therapies, technological innovations, lifestyle interventions and more.
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Is time an illusion? Is time travel possible? Could time end? In this eBook, A Question of Time*, we take an interdisciplinary look at the fourth dimension, exploring the latest thinking on the nature of time and the ways it dominates our physical and mental worlds.
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Chemistry is often students' favorite science because so many cool concepts are included in the field. This book showcases some of the most fun ways to use chemistry. The projects' outcomes are so amazing, they might even seem like magic! Readers are invited to split water, make their own fireworks underwater, shine up a penny, and much more. Each project is preceded by an explanation of the chemistry concept shown in the experiment or activity. Certain...