Timothy J. Bradley
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198569961
- eISBN:
- 9780191728273
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198569961.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology
Water is fundamental to life and to the maintenance of an appropriate environment for physiological functions at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Water balance is also the principal ...
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Water is fundamental to life and to the maintenance of an appropriate environment for physiological functions at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Water balance is also the principal mechanism of volume regulation in animals. The physical properties of water have profound effects on all biological structures and their function. Animal Osmoregulation has three main themes. The first deals with the physical properties of water, and its interactions with proteins, lipids, and biological membranes. Solutes affect the activity of water and thus the magnitude of the gradients driving water movement through osmosis. The distribution and transport of water in biological systems depends therefore on the properties of solutes, their distribution, and their transport. The second theme involves a detailed physical description of osmosis. This is followed by an explanation of the significance of osmotic regulation in animals inhabiting a wide variety of environments. Examples are explored for marine, freshwater, and terrestrial animals. A broad phylogenetic array of animals is discussed. Thirdly, the book deals with membranes as compartmental barriers. By definition, osmosis occurs through semi-permeable membranes. Membranes also, however, play a fundamental role in energy storage, energy transduction, solute transport, and sensory physiology. This volume approaches animal osmoregulation from the perspective of the physical laws that influence the structure of biological systems. It extends these concepts to explore the diversity of adaptations in the animal kingdom that deal with osmotic challenges in a variety of environments.Less
Water is fundamental to life and to the maintenance of an appropriate environment for physiological functions at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Water balance is also the principal mechanism of volume regulation in animals. The physical properties of water have profound effects on all biological structures and their function. Animal Osmoregulation has three main themes. The first deals with the physical properties of water, and its interactions with proteins, lipids, and biological membranes. Solutes affect the activity of water and thus the magnitude of the gradients driving water movement through osmosis. The distribution and transport of water in biological systems depends therefore on the properties of solutes, their distribution, and their transport. The second theme involves a detailed physical description of osmosis. This is followed by an explanation of the significance of osmotic regulation in animals inhabiting a wide variety of environments. Examples are explored for marine, freshwater, and terrestrial animals. A broad phylogenetic array of animals is discussed. Thirdly, the book deals with membranes as compartmental barriers. By definition, osmosis occurs through semi-permeable membranes. Membranes also, however, play a fundamental role in energy storage, energy transduction, solute transport, and sensory physiology. This volume approaches animal osmoregulation from the perspective of the physical laws that influence the structure of biological systems. It extends these concepts to explore the diversity of adaptations in the animal kingdom that deal with osmotic challenges in a variety of environments.
Carl Sagan
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195310726
- eISBN:
- 9780199785179
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195310726.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Carl Sagan is a public intellectual and the best-selling author of Cosmos, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human ...
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Carl Sagan is a public intellectual and the best-selling author of Cosmos, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence, and many other books. His science fiction novel, Contact, was made into a popular, major motion picture in 1997. Sagan is well known for his interests in extra-terrestrial life and is closely linked to the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence). As a scientist, Sagan educated the public about “Nuclear Winter”, the idea that a nuclear war could precipitate an unprecedented ice age that might render the Earth largely uninhabitable. Sagan became notorious in certain circles for his forays into religion, which he viewed with skepticism.Less
Carl Sagan is a public intellectual and the best-selling author of Cosmos, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence, and many other books. His science fiction novel, Contact, was made into a popular, major motion picture in 1997. Sagan is well known for his interests in extra-terrestrial life and is closely linked to the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence). As a scientist, Sagan educated the public about “Nuclear Winter”, the idea that a nuclear war could precipitate an unprecedented ice age that might render the Earth largely uninhabitable. Sagan became notorious in certain circles for his forays into religion, which he viewed with skepticism.
Mike Hansell
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198507529
- eISBN:
- 9780191709838
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507529.003.0007
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology
This chapter deals with the subject of builders at the community level. It assesses whether animal builders are important ecosystem engineers, and whether they support the concept of keystone ...
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This chapter deals with the subject of builders at the community level. It assesses whether animal builders are important ecosystem engineers, and whether they support the concept of keystone species. It also examines whether animal builders, are net creators or destroyers of niches for other species, and whether they stabilise or destabilise ecosystems. Two further questions are raised for which there is very little evidence: do animal builders protect themselves against extinction, and how enduring is the legacy of their activity in an ecosystem?Less
This chapter deals with the subject of builders at the community level. It assesses whether animal builders are important ecosystem engineers, and whether they support the concept of keystone species. It also examines whether animal builders, are net creators or destroyers of niches for other species, and whether they stabilise or destabilise ecosystems. Two further questions are raised for which there is very little evidence: do animal builders protect themselves against extinction, and how enduring is the legacy of their activity in an ecosystem?
D.N. Thomas, G.E. Fogg, P. Convey, C.H. Fritsen, J.-M. Gili, R. Gradinger, J. Laybourn-Parry, K. Reid, and D.W.H. Walton
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199298112
- eISBN:
- 9780191711640
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298112.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
There is now an increased awareness of the importance of polar regions in the Earth system, as well as their vulnerability to anthropogenic derived change, including of course global climate change. ...
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There is now an increased awareness of the importance of polar regions in the Earth system, as well as their vulnerability to anthropogenic derived change, including of course global climate change. This text is the latest edition of this book and offers an introduction to polar ecology. It has been revised and updated, providing expanded coverage of marine ecosystems and the impact of humans. It incorporates a comparison of the Arctic and Antarctic systems, with a particular emphasis on the effects of climate change, and describes marine, freshwater, glacial, and terrestrial habitats. Much emphasis is placed on the organisms that dominate these extreme environments although pollution, conservation, and experimental aspects are also considered.Less
There is now an increased awareness of the importance of polar regions in the Earth system, as well as their vulnerability to anthropogenic derived change, including of course global climate change. This text is the latest edition of this book and offers an introduction to polar ecology. It has been revised and updated, providing expanded coverage of marine ecosystems and the impact of humans. It incorporates a comparison of the Arctic and Antarctic systems, with a particular emphasis on the effects of climate change, and describes marine, freshwater, glacial, and terrestrial habitats. Much emphasis is placed on the organisms that dominate these extreme environments although pollution, conservation, and experimental aspects are also considered.
Ward F. Whicker and Arthur S. Rood
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195127270
- eISBN:
- 9780199869121
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195127270.003.0006
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Biochemistry / Molecular Biology
This chapter presents the fundamental processes that govern transport of radionuclides in the terrestrial environment, the assumptions underlying the mathematical models used to estimate radionuclide ...
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This chapter presents the fundamental processes that govern transport of radionuclides in the terrestrial environment, the assumptions underlying the mathematical models used to estimate radionuclide transport in the terrestrial food chain, the application of those models, and equations to estimate radionuclide concentrations in environmental media. Fundamental processes are introduced in terms of conceptual models that describe material balance in environmental compartments and the transfer of material through and between compartments. Dynamic mathematical models are constructed to quantify transfer rates between compartments and the radionuclide mass balance in environmental compartments over time. Solutions to commonly encountered problems are presented in addition to established model formulations used in environmental assessment codes. Typical values of routinely used model parameters are also provided as examples. Application of the mathematical models is demonstrated using the PATHWAY model.Less
This chapter presents the fundamental processes that govern transport of radionuclides in the terrestrial environment, the assumptions underlying the mathematical models used to estimate radionuclide transport in the terrestrial food chain, the application of those models, and equations to estimate radionuclide concentrations in environmental media. Fundamental processes are introduced in terms of conceptual models that describe material balance in environmental compartments and the transfer of material through and between compartments. Dynamic mathematical models are constructed to quantify transfer rates between compartments and the radionuclide mass balance in environmental compartments over time. Solutions to commonly encountered problems are presented in addition to established model formulations used in environmental assessment codes. Typical values of routinely used model parameters are also provided as examples. Application of the mathematical models is demonstrated using the PATHWAY model.
David N. Thomas, G.E. (Tony) Fogg, Peter Convey, Christian H. Fritsen, Josep-Maria Gili, Rolf Gradinger, Johanna Laybourn-Parry, Keith Reid, and David W.H. Walton
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199298112
- eISBN:
- 9780191711640
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298112.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter discusses the terrestrial ecosystems of the Arctic and Antarctic. It begins discussing some of their physical and chemical characteristics and then subsequent subsections detail the ...
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This chapter discusses the terrestrial ecosystems of the Arctic and Antarctic. It begins discussing some of their physical and chemical characteristics and then subsequent subsections detail the ecosystems and their component biota. Topics covered include substrata (exposed rock surfaces, endolithic habitat, rock debris, permafrost, and polar soils); communities of the Continental Antarctic, Maritime Antarctic, High Arctic, Arctic tundra, and Antarctic tundra; the physiological ecology of polar plants and invertebrates, specialized communities; and comparison of Arctic and Antarctic terrestrial habitats and communities.Less
This chapter discusses the terrestrial ecosystems of the Arctic and Antarctic. It begins discussing some of their physical and chemical characteristics and then subsequent subsections detail the ecosystems and their component biota. Topics covered include substrata (exposed rock surfaces, endolithic habitat, rock debris, permafrost, and polar soils); communities of the Continental Antarctic, Maritime Antarctic, High Arctic, Arctic tundra, and Antarctic tundra; the physiological ecology of polar plants and invertebrates, specialized communities; and comparison of Arctic and Antarctic terrestrial habitats and communities.
Alastair M.M. Richardson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195179927
- eISBN:
- 9780199790111
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179927.003.0015
- Subject:
- Biology, Aquatic Biology
Like a number of the other crustaceans, burrowing crayfish live in a situation that tends to lead to prolonged associations between mother and offspring, and even overlapping generations in some ...
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Like a number of the other crustaceans, burrowing crayfish live in a situation that tends to lead to prolonged associations between mother and offspring, and even overlapping generations in some species. Under these situations, social behaviors are likely to evolve, but at this stage the only ones that have been identified among burrowing crayfish are between mother and offspring, in terms of defense and grooming. Burrowing was a pre-adaptation that has allowed crayfish to move out of open waters onto land, but it has also imposed severe restrictions on their movements and dispersal. The development of social behaviors may compensate for these restrictions to some extent. Present knowledge on the behavioral ecology of semi-terrestrial crayfish is scarce, but initial observations suggest that future studies on the reproductive biology of burrowing crayfish may improve our understanding of social evolution in crustaceans.Less
Like a number of the other crustaceans, burrowing crayfish live in a situation that tends to lead to prolonged associations between mother and offspring, and even overlapping generations in some species. Under these situations, social behaviors are likely to evolve, but at this stage the only ones that have been identified among burrowing crayfish are between mother and offspring, in terms of defense and grooming. Burrowing was a pre-adaptation that has allowed crayfish to move out of open waters onto land, but it has also imposed severe restrictions on their movements and dispersal. The development of social behaviors may compensate for these restrictions to some extent. Present knowledge on the behavioral ecology of semi-terrestrial crayfish is scarce, but initial observations suggest that future studies on the reproductive biology of burrowing crayfish may improve our understanding of social evolution in crustaceans.
Carlos A. Peres
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199554232
- eISBN:
- 9780191720666
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199554232.003.0007
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
In this Chapter, Carlos A. Peres highlights the effects of human exploitation of terrestrial and aquatic biomes on biodiversity. Human exploitation of biological commodities involves resource ...
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In this Chapter, Carlos A. Peres highlights the effects of human exploitation of terrestrial and aquatic biomes on biodiversity. Human exploitation of biological commodities involves resource extraction from the land, freshwater bodies or oceans, so that wild animals, plants or their products are used for a wide variety of purposes. Overexploitation occurs when the harvest rate of any given population exceeds its natural replacement rate. Many species are relatively insensitive to harvesting, remaining abundant under relatively high rates of offtake, whereas others can be driven to local extinction by even the lightest levels of offtake. This chapter reviews the effects of overexploitation in terrestrial as well as aquatic biomes. Options to manage resource exploitation are also discussed.Less
In this Chapter, Carlos A. Peres highlights the effects of human exploitation of terrestrial and aquatic biomes on biodiversity. Human exploitation of biological commodities involves resource extraction from the land, freshwater bodies or oceans, so that wild animals, plants or their products are used for a wide variety of purposes. Overexploitation occurs when the harvest rate of any given population exceeds its natural replacement rate. Many species are relatively insensitive to harvesting, remaining abundant under relatively high rates of offtake, whereas others can be driven to local extinction by even the lightest levels of offtake. This chapter reviews the effects of overexploitation in terrestrial as well as aquatic biomes. Options to manage resource exploitation are also discussed.
Michel Laurin
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520266476
- eISBN:
- 9780520947986
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520266476.003.0007
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This concluding chapter summarizes the data on the reconstruction of the history of the conquest of land by vertebrates, arguing that all known Devonian stegocephalians were primitively aquatic and ...
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This concluding chapter summarizes the data on the reconstruction of the history of the conquest of land by vertebrates, arguing that all known Devonian stegocephalians were primitively aquatic and that aquatic to terrestrial lifestyles evolved in a complex way. It also presents the three hypotheses as to why vertebrates ventured landward (i.e., to seek prey, to escape predators, or to raise body temperature), and suggests that these selective pressures have played a role in the evolution of terrestrial vertebrates.Less
This concluding chapter summarizes the data on the reconstruction of the history of the conquest of land by vertebrates, arguing that all known Devonian stegocephalians were primitively aquatic and that aquatic to terrestrial lifestyles evolved in a complex way. It also presents the three hypotheses as to why vertebrates ventured landward (i.e., to seek prey, to escape predators, or to raise body temperature), and suggests that these selective pressures have played a role in the evolution of terrestrial vertebrates.
Ilias Vardavas and Frederic Taylor
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199227471
- eISBN:
- 9780191711138
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199227471.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Geophysics, Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
This book deals with the theory of atmospheric radiation and radiation transfer, and its application to current problems related to the processes that maintain the global climate of the Earth. It ...
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This book deals with the theory of atmospheric radiation and radiation transfer, and its application to current problems related to the processes that maintain the global climate of the Earth. It combines aspects of solar radiation; atmospheric radiation; radiation budget theory and measurements; photochemistry; instruments; satellite observations; and prediction models; and applies them to understanding the Earth's climate and current concerns over climate change. Radiation theory is fundamental to the development of climate prediction models, and to measurement techniques for monitoring the Earth's energy budget and making remote sensing observations related to climate from satellites. Such theory and measurements are at the core of the climate change debate. This book describes in detail the basic physics used in the radiative transfer codes that are a key part of climate models. The basic principles are extended to the atmospheres of the Earth and the other planets, illustrating the greenhouse effect and other radiation-based phenomena at work. Several chapters deal with the techniques and measurements for monitoring the Earth's radiation budget, and thus tracking global change and its effects. Remote sensing instruments on satellites and the theory of remote sensing are also covered.Less
This book deals with the theory of atmospheric radiation and radiation transfer, and its application to current problems related to the processes that maintain the global climate of the Earth. It combines aspects of solar radiation; atmospheric radiation; radiation budget theory and measurements; photochemistry; instruments; satellite observations; and prediction models; and applies them to understanding the Earth's climate and current concerns over climate change. Radiation theory is fundamental to the development of climate prediction models, and to measurement techniques for monitoring the Earth's energy budget and making remote sensing observations related to climate from satellites. Such theory and measurements are at the core of the climate change debate. This book describes in detail the basic physics used in the radiative transfer codes that are a key part of climate models. The basic principles are extended to the atmospheres of the Earth and the other planets, illustrating the greenhouse effect and other radiation-based phenomena at work. Several chapters deal with the techniques and measurements for monitoring the Earth's radiation budget, and thus tracking global change and its effects. Remote sensing instruments on satellites and the theory of remote sensing are also covered.
Bernhard Schmid, Patricia Balvanera, Bradley J. Cardinale, Jasmin Godbold, Andrea B. Pfisterer, David Raffaelli, Martin Solan, and Diane S. Srivastava
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199547951
- eISBN:
- 9780191720345
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199547951.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
A large number of studies have now explicitly examined the relationship between species loss and ecosystem function. Analyzed by two independent groups, the results from such experiments show that ...
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A large number of studies have now explicitly examined the relationship between species loss and ecosystem function. Analyzed by two independent groups, the results from such experiments show that reductions in species diversity generally result in reduced ecosystem functioning, across a wide range of ecosystems, diversity manipulations, and functions. This chapter analyzes both data sets in parallel to explain variation in the observed functional effects of biodiversity. This chapter concludes: 1) the functional effects of biodiversity differ among ecosystem types (but not between terrestrial and aquatic systems), 2) increases in species richness enhance community responses but negatively affect population responses, 3) stocks are more responsive than rates, 4) diversity reductions often reduce function at an adjacent trophic level, 5) increased biodiversity results in increased invasion resistance. This chapter also analyzes the shape of the relationship between biodiversity and function, and discuss consequences of different relationships.Less
A large number of studies have now explicitly examined the relationship between species loss and ecosystem function. Analyzed by two independent groups, the results from such experiments show that reductions in species diversity generally result in reduced ecosystem functioning, across a wide range of ecosystems, diversity manipulations, and functions. This chapter analyzes both data sets in parallel to explain variation in the observed functional effects of biodiversity. This chapter concludes: 1) the functional effects of biodiversity differ among ecosystem types (but not between terrestrial and aquatic systems), 2) increases in species richness enhance community responses but negatively affect population responses, 3) stocks are more responsive than rates, 4) diversity reductions often reduce function at an adjacent trophic level, 5) increased biodiversity results in increased invasion resistance. This chapter also analyzes the shape of the relationship between biodiversity and function, and discuss consequences of different relationships.
Carlo Giunti and Chung W. Kim
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198508717
- eISBN:
- 9780191708862
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198508717.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
This book deals with neutrino physics and astrophysics — a field in which some of the most exciting recent developments in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology took place. The book discusses ...
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This book deals with neutrino physics and astrophysics — a field in which some of the most exciting recent developments in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology took place. The book discusses all the topics vital to the understanding of the nature of neutrinos such as what they are, how to describe them, how they behave in nature, and the roles that neutrinos play in shaping our universe. The book provides discussions, both experimental and theoretical, with relevant mathematical details, on neutrino oscillations, extra-terrestrial as well as terrestrial neutrinos and the relic neutrinos. It also discusses many implications of current experimental data on reactor, accelerator, atmospheric, solar, and supernova neutrinos with future perspectives. The book starts with an introduction to field theory and gauge theory, with helpful appendices, and it also provides pedagogical, but sufficiently detailed, reviews of supernova physics and cosmology, in particular the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.Less
This book deals with neutrino physics and astrophysics — a field in which some of the most exciting recent developments in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology took place. The book discusses all the topics vital to the understanding of the nature of neutrinos such as what they are, how to describe them, how they behave in nature, and the roles that neutrinos play in shaping our universe. The book provides discussions, both experimental and theoretical, with relevant mathematical details, on neutrino oscillations, extra-terrestrial as well as terrestrial neutrinos and the relic neutrinos. It also discusses many implications of current experimental data on reactor, accelerator, atmospheric, solar, and supernova neutrinos with future perspectives. The book starts with an introduction to field theory and gauge theory, with helpful appendices, and it also provides pedagogical, but sufficiently detailed, reviews of supernova physics and cosmology, in particular the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.
I. M. Vardavas and F. W. Taylor
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199227471
- eISBN:
- 9780191711138
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199227471.003.0012
- Subject:
- Physics, Geophysics, Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
This chapter looks at climate change in the broader planetary sense. It examines evolutionary process in planetary atmospheres, with an application to the modelling of the evolution of the Earth's ...
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This chapter looks at climate change in the broader planetary sense. It examines evolutionary process in planetary atmospheres, with an application to the modelling of the evolution of the Earth's climate from the Precambrian to the present time. It examines the comparative climatology of the terrestrial planets and looks at the atmospheres of the giant planets. The photochemical and climate modelling techniques developed in the earlier chapters is then applied to Titan's haze formation and atmosphere. A brief look is given to extrasolar planets.Less
This chapter looks at climate change in the broader planetary sense. It examines evolutionary process in planetary atmospheres, with an application to the modelling of the evolution of the Earth's climate from the Precambrian to the present time. It examines the comparative climatology of the terrestrial planets and looks at the atmospheres of the giant planets. The photochemical and climate modelling techniques developed in the earlier chapters is then applied to Titan's haze formation and atmosphere. A brief look is given to extrasolar planets.
Charlotte Witt
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199666164
- eISBN:
- 9780191751936
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199666164.003.0004
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
There is a surprising number of deformed animal kinds mentioned in Aristotle’s biological works. The number is surprising because, according to the standard understanding of deformed animals in ...
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There is a surprising number of deformed animal kinds mentioned in Aristotle’s biological works. The number is surprising because, according to the standard understanding of deformed animals in Aristotle, it should be zero. And the number is significant because there are just too many deformed kinds at too many classificatory levels mentioned in too many works to dismiss them as a minor aberration or as an infiltration of folk belief into biology proper. This paper has two goals. The first is to develop an interpretation of deformed animal kinds in Aristotle, which focuses on the meaning of deformity applied to kinds. The second goal is to draw out the consequences of that interpretation for our understanding of Aristotle’s view of normal animal kinds. The paper ends with a brief consideration of what the meaning of deformity tells us about Aristotle’s view of normal animal kinds.Less
There is a surprising number of deformed animal kinds mentioned in Aristotle’s biological works. The number is surprising because, according to the standard understanding of deformed animals in Aristotle, it should be zero. And the number is significant because there are just too many deformed kinds at too many classificatory levels mentioned in too many works to dismiss them as a minor aberration or as an infiltration of folk belief into biology proper. This paper has two goals. The first is to develop an interpretation of deformed animal kinds in Aristotle, which focuses on the meaning of deformity applied to kinds. The second goal is to draw out the consequences of that interpretation for our understanding of Aristotle’s view of normal animal kinds. The paper ends with a brief consideration of what the meaning of deformity tells us about Aristotle’s view of normal animal kinds.
Anthony Ossa-Richardson
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691157115
- eISBN:
- 9781400846597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691157115.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, Ancient History / Archaeology
This chapter considers reactions against the conventional view of the oracles as they appear in theories of natural causation. Natural cause is defined as one that does not depend on created spirits. ...
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This chapter considers reactions against the conventional view of the oracles as they appear in theories of natural causation. Natural cause is defined as one that does not depend on created spirits. Two such causes in particular cover the great majority of positions on the pagan oracles: inflamed melancholy and terrestrial exhalations. Very few early modern writers claimed unequivocally that natural causes alone could account for the oracles. The claim, when it was made, turned on a notion of natura that extended across the entire field of apparent marvels and came into close contact with the divinity, since it was unmediated by the activity of demons. This posed a serious problem to the intellectual edifice sketched in the previous chapter: since natura is always the same, a naturalist account of divination was intrinsically unable to distinguish between the pagan oracles and Christian prophecy—a distinction on which the Christian narrative depended. This is why the oracles of the natural philosophers were rather abstract and lifeless entities, and why those who argued against the picture increasingly invoked particular facts about the oracles, as they were known from Christian or pagan history.Less
This chapter considers reactions against the conventional view of the oracles as they appear in theories of natural causation. Natural cause is defined as one that does not depend on created spirits. Two such causes in particular cover the great majority of positions on the pagan oracles: inflamed melancholy and terrestrial exhalations. Very few early modern writers claimed unequivocally that natural causes alone could account for the oracles. The claim, when it was made, turned on a notion of natura that extended across the entire field of apparent marvels and came into close contact with the divinity, since it was unmediated by the activity of demons. This posed a serious problem to the intellectual edifice sketched in the previous chapter: since natura is always the same, a naturalist account of divination was intrinsically unable to distinguish between the pagan oracles and Christian prophecy—a distinction on which the Christian narrative depended. This is why the oracles of the natural philosophers were rather abstract and lifeless entities, and why those who argued against the picture increasingly invoked particular facts about the oracles, as they were known from Christian or pagan history.
William L. Harper
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199570409
- eISBN:
- 9780191728679
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199570409.003.0004
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
It reviews Newton’s argument for the claim that the moon is maintained in its orbit by an inverse-square force directed toward the earth. It introduces Newton’s moon-test argument for identifying the ...
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It reviews Newton’s argument for the claim that the moon is maintained in its orbit by an inverse-square force directed toward the earth. It introduces Newton’s moon-test argument for identifying the force that maintains the moon in its orbit with terrestrial gravity. Newton shows that inverse-square adjusting the centripetal acceleration exhibited by the lunar orbit agrees with Huygens’ measurement of the strength of terrestrial gravity at the surface of the earth. This chapter includes a somewhat detailed account of Newton’s moon-test calculation, including his dubious precession correction. It discusses his first two Rules for reasoning in natural philosophy, and his two-body correction. It examines the informative moon-test argument presented in Newton’s scholium to proposition 4. It argues that the agreement between the moon-test measurements and the pendulum measurements of the strength of terrestrial gravity is an example of empirical success. It also reviews the lunar precession problem.Less
It reviews Newton’s argument for the claim that the moon is maintained in its orbit by an inverse-square force directed toward the earth. It introduces Newton’s moon-test argument for identifying the force that maintains the moon in its orbit with terrestrial gravity. Newton shows that inverse-square adjusting the centripetal acceleration exhibited by the lunar orbit agrees with Huygens’ measurement of the strength of terrestrial gravity at the surface of the earth. This chapter includes a somewhat detailed account of Newton’s moon-test calculation, including his dubious precession correction. It discusses his first two Rules for reasoning in natural philosophy, and his two-body correction. It examines the informative moon-test argument presented in Newton’s scholium to proposition 4. It argues that the agreement between the moon-test measurements and the pendulum measurements of the strength of terrestrial gravity is an example of empirical success. It also reviews the lunar precession problem.
Sumathi Ramaswamy
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780226476575
- eISBN:
- 9780226476742
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226476742.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
Terrestrial Lessons is an unconventional history of a commonplace object we moderns have likely encountered at some point of time in our lives, especially as school-going children. For the last half ...
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Terrestrial Lessons is an unconventional history of a commonplace object we moderns have likely encountered at some point of time in our lives, especially as school-going children. For the last half millennium, the terrestrial globe has circulated as a master object of scientific modernity, a knowledge of whose shape and contours has been deemed critical to our status as educated and enlightened inhabitants of our world. Today, it is a ubiquitous symbol of our “global” times, its familiar visage seemingly everywhere. Some have even argued that the image of the “global” Earth is the nearest thing to a universal icon. Yet such an understanding of our Earth as an iconic spinning globe is in fact hard-won, and is by no means free of dissonance or contradictions. Traversing the length and breadth of British India, Terrestrial Lessons follows the itineraries of this master object as it is transformed from a thing of distinction into that mass-produced commodity, the humble school globe. Adopting a thing-centered methodology that connects narratives and concepts to a series of “global encounters” between object and subject, the book demonstrates how a modern planetary consciousness was cultivated in schools across India and was foundational to colonial pedagogy. The terrestrial lessons conducted with the help of the modest school globe also constituted the earliest form of science education in the subcontinent. As such, this is the first in-depth study of the terrestrial globe as it leaves the shores of Europe to travel to and circulate in the Indian subcontinent.Less
Terrestrial Lessons is an unconventional history of a commonplace object we moderns have likely encountered at some point of time in our lives, especially as school-going children. For the last half millennium, the terrestrial globe has circulated as a master object of scientific modernity, a knowledge of whose shape and contours has been deemed critical to our status as educated and enlightened inhabitants of our world. Today, it is a ubiquitous symbol of our “global” times, its familiar visage seemingly everywhere. Some have even argued that the image of the “global” Earth is the nearest thing to a universal icon. Yet such an understanding of our Earth as an iconic spinning globe is in fact hard-won, and is by no means free of dissonance or contradictions. Traversing the length and breadth of British India, Terrestrial Lessons follows the itineraries of this master object as it is transformed from a thing of distinction into that mass-produced commodity, the humble school globe. Adopting a thing-centered methodology that connects narratives and concepts to a series of “global encounters” between object and subject, the book demonstrates how a modern planetary consciousness was cultivated in schools across India and was foundational to colonial pedagogy. The terrestrial lessons conducted with the help of the modest school globe also constituted the earliest form of science education in the subcontinent. As such, this is the first in-depth study of the terrestrial globe as it leaves the shores of Europe to travel to and circulate in the Indian subcontinent.
George Basalla
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171815
- eISBN:
- 9780199786862
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171815.003.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
Since ancient times, three key ideas have dominated the search for extraterrestrial civilizations (SETI): an infinite universe, life on distant planets in the universe, and advanced civilizations in ...
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Since ancient times, three key ideas have dominated the search for extraterrestrial civilizations (SETI): an infinite universe, life on distant planets in the universe, and advanced civilizations in the universe. All of these ideas are rooted in ancient philosophical and scientific thought, and all of them have shaped the modern search for extraterrestrial intelligence. For example, modern scientists replaced the old religious notion that the heavens are filled with gods and spirits with current claims that any alien civilization we might encounter will be superior to our civilization and able to help us resolve problems we face on earth.Less
Since ancient times, three key ideas have dominated the search for extraterrestrial civilizations (SETI): an infinite universe, life on distant planets in the universe, and advanced civilizations in the universe. All of these ideas are rooted in ancient philosophical and scientific thought, and all of them have shaped the modern search for extraterrestrial intelligence. For example, modern scientists replaced the old religious notion that the heavens are filled with gods and spirits with current claims that any alien civilization we might encounter will be superior to our civilization and able to help us resolve problems we face on earth.
Jon Towlson
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781911325079
- eISBN:
- 9781800342194
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9781911325079.001.0001
- Subject:
- Film, Television and Radio, Film
For many, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE3K) is not so much a movie as a religious experience. On its release in 1977, CE3K virtually redefined the science-fiction film, shifting it away from ...
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For many, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE3K) is not so much a movie as a religious experience. On its release in 1977, CE3K virtually redefined the science-fiction film, shifting it away from spaceships, laser guns, and bug-eyed monsters into a modified form of science fiction that John Wyndham once called ‘logical fantasy’. What would it be like if extra-terrestrials made contact with people on Earth? How would it feel? Like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Steven Spielberg's primary inspiration, CE3K is concerned with mankind's evolution towards the stars, towards a state of transcendence. But Spielberg's vision hinges not so much on cool scientific intellect being the key to our next stage of evolution, as on the necessary development of emotional intelligence. To that end, we must regain our childlike curiosity for what lies beyond the skies, we must recover our capacity to experience wonder. Intensity of emotion is inherent to the film's meaning, and the aim of this book is to explore this in detail. Along the way, the book delves into the film's production history, explores Spielberg's remarkable cinematic realization of the film (including a comparison study of the three different release versions), and considers in detail how CE3K fits into the Spielberg oeuvre.Less
For many, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE3K) is not so much a movie as a religious experience. On its release in 1977, CE3K virtually redefined the science-fiction film, shifting it away from spaceships, laser guns, and bug-eyed monsters into a modified form of science fiction that John Wyndham once called ‘logical fantasy’. What would it be like if extra-terrestrials made contact with people on Earth? How would it feel? Like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Steven Spielberg's primary inspiration, CE3K is concerned with mankind's evolution towards the stars, towards a state of transcendence. But Spielberg's vision hinges not so much on cool scientific intellect being the key to our next stage of evolution, as on the necessary development of emotional intelligence. To that end, we must regain our childlike curiosity for what lies beyond the skies, we must recover our capacity to experience wonder. Intensity of emotion is inherent to the film's meaning, and the aim of this book is to explore this in detail. Along the way, the book delves into the film's production history, explores Spielberg's remarkable cinematic realization of the film (including a comparison study of the three different release versions), and considers in detail how CE3K fits into the Spielberg oeuvre.
Monte Ransome Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199285303
- eISBN:
- 9780191603143
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199285306.003.0006
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
Did Aristotle consider the properties of the elements to be teleologically explicable? According to some commentators, he did not, but considered these to operate according to material, moving, or ...
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Did Aristotle consider the properties of the elements to be teleologically explicable? According to some commentators, he did not, but considered these to operate according to material, moving, or mechanical causes. According to others, he did, and this is evidence of his commitment to an “overall” or “global” teleology. Both of the positions are wrong. Aristotle did consider each of the elements teleologically explicable, but he considered the beneficiaries of their properties and motions to be the elements themselves. This is relatively clear in the case of ether, the element that composes the heavenly bodies: it has a simple motion in a circle, which is a manifestation of the intelligence of the extra-terrestrial bodies. But the other elements are included in a cycle of transmutation that guarantees their perpetual existence. This is a benefit to them according to the axiom: it is better to exist than not exist. Thus, rainfall is a necessary and cyclical process (happening completely independently of the needs of living things), but it is also somehow benefits the elements that are transformed in the process, for in so doing they complete cycles that resemble or imitate the eternal cycles of the heavenly bodies.Less
Did Aristotle consider the properties of the elements to be teleologically explicable? According to some commentators, he did not, but considered these to operate according to material, moving, or mechanical causes. According to others, he did, and this is evidence of his commitment to an “overall” or “global” teleology. Both of the positions are wrong. Aristotle did consider each of the elements teleologically explicable, but he considered the beneficiaries of their properties and motions to be the elements themselves. This is relatively clear in the case of ether, the element that composes the heavenly bodies: it has a simple motion in a circle, which is a manifestation of the intelligence of the extra-terrestrial bodies. But the other elements are included in a cycle of transmutation that guarantees their perpetual existence. This is a benefit to them according to the axiom: it is better to exist than not exist. Thus, rainfall is a necessary and cyclical process (happening completely independently of the needs of living things), but it is also somehow benefits the elements that are transformed in the process, for in so doing they complete cycles that resemble or imitate the eternal cycles of the heavenly bodies.
