Russia first encountered Alaska in 1741 as part of the most
ambitious and expensive expedition of the entire eighteenth
century. For centuries since, cartographers have struggled to
define and ...develop the enormous region comprising northeastern
Asia, the North Pacific, and Alaska. The forces of nature and the
follies of human error conspired to make the area incredibly
difficult to map. Exploring and Mapping Alaska focuses on
this foundational period in Arctic cartography. Russia spurred a
golden era of cartographic exploration, while shrouding their
efforts in a veil of secrecy. They drew both on old systems
developed by early fur traders and new methodologies created in
Europe. With Great Britain, France, and Spain following close
behind, their expeditions led to an astounding increase in the
world's knowledge of North America. Through engrossing descriptions
of the explorations and expert navigators, aided by informative
illustrations, readers can clearly trace the evolution of the maps
of the era, watching as a once-mysterious region came into sharper
focus. The result of years of cross-continental research,
Exploring and Mapping Alaska is a fascinating study of the
trials and triumphs of one of the last great eras of historic
mapmaking.
Uncertainties are pervasive in natural hazards, and it is crucial to develop robust and meaningful approaches to characterize and communicate uncertainties to inform modeling efforts. In this ...monograph we provide a broad, cross-disciplinary overview of issues relating to uncertainties faced in natural hazard and risk assessment. We introduce some basic tenets of uncertainty analysis, discuss issues related to communication and decision support, and offer numerous examples of analyses and modeling approaches that vary by context and scope. Contributors include scientists from across the full breath of the natural hazard scientific community, from those in real-time analysis of natural hazards to those in the research community from academia and government. Key themes and highlights include: Substantial breadth and depth of analysis in terms of the types of natural hazards addressed, the disciplinary perspectives represented, and the number of studies included Targeted, application-centered analyses with a focus on development and use of modeling techniques to address various sources of uncertainty Emphasis on the impacts of climate change on natural hazard processes and outcomes Recommendations for cross-disciplinary and science transfer across natural hazard sciences This volume will be an excellent resource for those interested in the current work on uncertainty classification/quantification and will document common and emergent research themes to allow all to learn from each other and build a more connected but still diverse and ever growing community of scientists.Read an interview with the editors to find out more: https://eos.org/editors-vox/reducing-uncertainty-in-hazard-prediction
The possibility that humans are not alone in the Universe and might in the future come in close contact with other intelligences is one of the most intriguing questions of human history and has deep ...implications for our understanding of the Universe and ourselves. In this book the subject is dealt with in an interdisciplinary way, giving the scientific and technological implications, discussing the philosophical and religious connotations and rebuffing the pseudo-scientific statements. Based on our current scientific understanding of the Universe, the possibility of extraterrestrial life is discussed, summarizing cosmic, chemical and biological evolution. What we now know of the Universe suggests that life is common and extraterrestrial intelligent life is a possibility. The problem of searching for extraterrestrial intelligent beings is often reduced to radiotelescope technology or the possibility of decoding a possible message. In many cases the idea of ETIs is loaded with anthropomorphism. The author discusses problems such as: what is intelligence? What is consciousness? Should we expect ETIs to be conscious beings and other philosophical issues. The future perspectives for humankind opened by long range spaceflight are also examined and the possibilities of true contact with other intelligent beings are considered. At the heart of this book is an examination of the viability of future astronautics which would enable closer human contact with ETI than through radio messages taking thousands of years to reach their destination. The possibility of faster-than-light space travel is considered. The book addresses readers with an interest in general science, but also those with a humanist background, interested in the great philosophical debate about human nature, in particular the question of whether there is other intelligent life in the Universe, and the author counterbalances recent theories such as rare earth.
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* From acclaimed best-selling author of Kill Anything That Moves * With troops withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan the US shifts its attention to the resource rich continent of Africa. Those who ...wish to understand the next major military operation of the US will learn much from this book. * It's Philip Gourevitch's We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories From Rwanda meets Dave Eggers' What Is the What; a searing work of reportage about life and loss in wartime. Readers interested in South Sudan, Africa in general, and modern war will no doubt be engrossed by this book, but Next Time They'll Come to Count the Dead will appeal to anyone interested in human drama, powerful emotion, and crisp writing. * For six weeks in the Spring of 2015, award-winning journalist Nick Turse traveled on foot as well as by car, SUV, and helicopter around war-torn South Sudan talking to military officers and child soldiers, United Nations officials and humanitarian workers, civil servants, civil society activists, and internally displaced persons -- people whose lives had been blown apart by a ceaseless conflict there.
