Elegantly Simple

An explosion of invention 150 years ago, connected by a new singular idea-environments-revolutionized the disciplines. Today, a new singular idea-artifacts-enables us to understand the invention of knowledge and unify the arts and sciences.

Devising and performing a scientific experiment is an art, and it is common to hear scientists talk about the 'beauty' of an experiment. What does this mean in chemistry, the experimental science par excellence? And what are the most beautiful chemical experiments of all time? This book offers ten suggestions for where beauty might reside in experimental chemistry. In some cases the beauty lies in the clarity of conception; sometimes it is a feature of the instrumental design. But for chemistry, there can also be a unique beauty in the way atoms are put together to make new molecules, substances not known in nature. The ten experiments described here offer a window into the way that chemists think and work, and how what they do affects the rest of science and the wider world. This book aims to stimulate the reader to think anew about some of the relationships and differences between science and art, and to challenge some of the common notions about particular 'famous experiments'. Elegant Solutions: Ten Beautiful Experiments in Chemistry is accessible to all readers, including those without a scientific background and can provide an unusual point of entry into some of the basic concepts of chemistry. Phillip Ball is a renowned, prolific, award winning science writer.

Award-winning photographer and digital artist Helen Yancy (Plymouth, MI) is renowned for her ability to transform portraits and landscape images into works of fine art. In this book, she provides an in-depth look at the techniques photographers can use to make initial image enhancements in Photoshop, then unleash the power of Corel Painter to add watercolor, oil, or pastel painterly effects that will take your images to a new level. You’ll learn how to navigate the painting software, choose brushes and brush strokes that suit the mood of the image, and transform and personalize each photograph to take it from ordinary to extraordinary. Yancy is a seasoned photo and software educator whose talents span traditional painting and photography, and she has a passion for sharing her talents. In these pages, she’ll teach you the fundamentals of painting and show you how to transform any reference image into a delicate, uniquely personal work of art.

This insightful book looks at the phenomenon of low-cost innovation and explores what we can learn from the innovators in developing nations who are making amazing technical and social advances with scarce capital and resources. Charles Leadbeater shows how these methods can be applied and used wherever you are and whatever your capital.

Cognitive science is among the most fascinating intellectual achievements of the modern era. The quest to understand the mind is an ancient one. But modern science has offered new insights and techniques that have revolutionized this enquiry. Oxford University Press now presents a masterlyhistory of the field, told by one of its most eminent practitioners.Psychology is the thematic heart of cognitive science, which aims to understand human (and animal) minds. But its core theoretical ideas are drawn from cybernetics and artificial intelligence, and many cognitive scientists try to build functioning models of how the mind works. In that sense,Margaret Boden suggests, its key insight is that mind is a (very special) machine. Because the mind has many different aspects, the field is highly interdisciplinary. It integrates psychology not only with cybernetics/AI, but also with neuroscience and clinical neurology; with the philosophy ofmind, language, and logic; with linguistic work on grammar, semantics, and communication; with anthropological studies of cultures; and with biological (and A-Life) research on animal behaviour, evolution, and life itself. Each of these disciplines, in its own way, asks what the mind is, what itdoes, how it works, how it develops---and how it is even possible.Boden traces the key questions back to Descartes's revolutionary writings, and to the ideas of his followers--and his radical critics--through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Her story shows how controversies in the development of experimental physiology, neurophysiology, psychology,evolutionary biology, embryology, and logic are still relevant today. Then she guides the reader through the complex interlinked paths along which the study of mind developed in the twentieth century. Cognitive science covers all mental phenomena: not just 'cognition' (knowledge), but also emotion,personality, psychopathology, social communication, religion, motor action, and consciousness. In each area, Boden introduces the key ideas and researchers and discusses those philosophical critics who see cognitive science as fundamentally misguided. And she sketches the waves of resistance andacceptance on the part of the media and general public, showing how these have affected the development of the field.No one else could tell this story as Boden can: she has been a member of the cognitive science community since the late-1950s, and has known many of its key figures personally. Her narrative is written in a lively, swift-moving style, enriched by the personal touch of someone who knows the story atfirst hand. Her history looks forward as well as back: besides asking how state-of-the-art research compares with the hopes of the early pioneers, she identifies the most promising current work. Mind as Machine will be a rich resource for anyone working on the mind, in any academic discipline, whowants to know how our understanding of mental capacities has advanced over the years.

The technique of electromyography, used to study the electrical currents generated by muscle action, has become invaluable to researchers in the biological, medical, and behavioral sciences. With it, the scientist can study the role of muscles in producing and controlling limb movement, eating, breathing, posture, vocalizations, and the manipulation of objects. However, many electromyographic techniques were developed in the clinical study of humans and are inappropriate for use in research on other organisms--tadpoles, for example. This book, a complete and very practical hands-on guide to the theoretical and experimental requirements of electromyography, takes into account the needs of researchers across the sciences.

Explore gorgeous, cobbled colonial streets, take in a raucous and mesmerising carnival, hike in the mountains that overlook Rio de Janeiro or explore the emerald-green bays that bejewel the coast. Spot all manner of rare wildlife along the waterways of the Pantanal and explore the lush forest and waterfalls of the Goias Cerrado. Footprint's eighth edition of the Brazil Handbook is perfect for the adventurous traveller wanting to get off the beaten track and explore South America's largest and most diverse country. This guide is jam-packed with information about the country's eclectic festivals, passionate sporting events, vast biodiversity and spectacular scenery. • Great coverage of Amazonia and the adventure travel scene including caving, canoeing, scuba-diving, hang-gliding, paragliding and many more • Loaded with information and suggestions on how to get off the beaten track, from dune-trekking in Olinda to birdwatching in Minas Gerais • Includes comprehensive listings from the Mardi Gras celebrations in Rio to the traditional parades and hippy festivals in Cidade de Goiás and Bahia • Plus all the usual accommodation, eating and drinking listings for every budget • Full-colour planning section to inspire travellers and help you find the best experiences Fully updated, Footprint’s Brazil Handbook is packed with all the information you’ll need to get the best out of Brazil.

Offers architects and creative services professionals exclusive insights and strategies for success from the former CEO of HOK. Designing a World Class Architecture Firm: The People, Stories and Strategies Behind HOK tells the history of one of the largest design firms in the world and draws lessons from it that can help other architects, interior designers, urban planners and creative services professionals grow bigger or better. Former HOK CEO Patrick MacLeamy shares the revolutionary strategies HOK’s founders deployed to create a brand-new type of architecture firm. He pulls no punches, revealing the triple crisis that almost bankrupted HOK and describes how any firm can survive and thrive. Designing a World Class Architecture Firm tells the inside story of many of HOK’s most iconic buildings, including the National Air and Space Museum, Moscone Convention Center, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Houston Galleria and the reimagined LaGuardia Airport. Each chapter conveys lessons learned from HOK’s successes —and failures— including: The importance of diversifying to depression-and-recession-proof your firm The benefit of organizing your firm around specialized leaders and project types The difference between leading and managing your people The value of simple financial metrics to ensure your firm’s health and profitability The “run toward trouble” strategy which prevents problems from ballooning MacLeamy delivers his advice via inspirational stories such as how HOK survived when its home office in St. Louis went up in flames and humorous stories, like the time an HOK executive was mistaken for royalty on a trip to Saudi Arabia. In this tell-all guide, the driven architecture or design professional will find the tools needed to evolve or grow any firm.