This instructor's guide is written to accompany to the fifth edition of Understanding Fiber Optics by Jeff Hecht, originally published by Pearson/Prentice-Hall in 2006 and later republished by Laser Light Press. It is being published now to help readers using the book in self-study of fiber optics, because nothing like it has been published since then. It includes answers to quiz questions and "questions to think about" in the book, and worked-out calculations for many of the problems in t...

We're part of the cover-up!Did you know that there is a secret government agency dedicated to creating conspiracy theories? It's true! It's on Facebook!But it's not in this book. Our conspiracy theories are all fiction. At least, that's what we want you to think! Certainly, we did invite fiction writers to weigh in on conspiracy theories. The result includes (of course) the Masons and dragons (David Clements), the Bavarian Illuminati (Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald) and t...

Beam is the story of the race to make the laser, the three intense years from the birth of the laser idea to its breakthrough demonstration in a California laboratory. The quest was a struggle against physics, established wisdom, and the establishment itself. In 1954, Charles Townes invented the laser's microwave cousin, the maser. The next logical step was to extend the same physical principles to the shorter wavelengths of light, but the idea did not catch fire until October 1957, when T...

Do rising tides always lift all boats?Third Flatiron's all-original science fiction/fantasy/horror/humor short story anthology has the theme, "After the Gold Rush." Twenty-two authors explore themes related to complications of booms and bubbles, including effects of accelerated culture; ecological consequences caused by human over-expansion, such as climate disasters; and economics (for example, monopolies on resources and commodities). Includes a flash humor section, "Grins & Gurg...

Adventures in Self-Republishing is a guide for authors who want to revive out of print books by republishing them in print or electronically. It focuses on authors with only printed copies, which must be scanned and run through OCR before starting self-republication. It describes options that depend on the format of the book, including whether or not it includes illustrations, how elaborate the type formatting is, and its use of reference citations. It explains the important differences am...

Beam Weapons describes the roots of Ronald Reagan's 'Star Wars' quest for a strategic defense system to intercept and destroy nuclear ballistic missiles before they could reach their targets. The goal was to develop radically new beam weapons that destroyed nuclear missiles with directed energy — laser beams or charged particles.The daring program was born at a time of intense technological optimism, when NASA talked of weekly space shuttle flights. Pentagon planners envisioned a f...

City of Light tells the story of fiber optics, tracing its transformation from 19th-century parlor trick into the foundation of our global communications network. Written for a broad audience by a journalist who has covered the field for twenty years, the book is a lively account of both the people and the ideas behind this revolutionary technology. The basic concept underlying fiber optics was first explored in the 1840s when researchers used jets of water to guide light in labor...

For years the Department of Military Sciences has fought to stop terrorists from using radical bioweapons—designer plagues, weaponized pathogens, genetically modified viruses, and even the zombie plague that first brought Ledger into the DMS. These terrible weapons have been locked away in the world's most secure facility. Until now. Joe Ledger and Echo Team are scrambled when a highly elite team of killers breaks the unbreakable security and steals the world's most dangerous weapons. With...

DIY Publishing: A step-by-step guide for print and ebook formatting and distributionMaggie Lynch demystifies publishing technology in her easy-to-read explanations. Each step is illustrated with examples and screen shots. She also provides resources and links to additional software products and options that the more technically-inclined writer may wish to pursue.Lynch has already done the work of testing a variety of technical solutions. In this book she sh...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Inspired by the fantastic worlds of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Back to the Future, the renowned theoretical physicist and national bestselling author of The God Equation takes an informed, serious, and often surprising look at what our current understanding of the universe's physical laws may permit in the near and distant future.Teleportation, time machines, force fields, and interstellar space ships—the stuff of sci...

**The definitive history of America’s greatest incubator of innovation and the birthplace of some of the 20th century’s most influential technologies“Filled with colorful characters and inspiring lessons . . . The Idea Factory explores one of the most critical issues of our time: What causes innovation?” —Walter Isaacson, The New York Times Book Review“Compelling . . . Gertner's book offers fascinating evidence for those seeking to understand how a society...

In the new millennium, what secrets lay beyond the far reaches of the universe? What mysteries belie the truths we once held to be self evident? The world of science fiction has long been a porthole into the realities of tomorrow, blurring the line between life and art. Now, in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection the very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world. This venerable collection brings together short stories from award winning authors and ...