Glorious flower meadows were part of our life force for 2000 years or more before we swept them away last century on the altar of progress. Is there to be no more drinking from their font of well being? This book says not. Lavishly illustrated, it describes their history and, from the few remaining examples, it shows us how beautiful they are, how rich in plants and animals. It coaches us in their creation, even in small gardens, or their restoration in larger fields. It tells of the extra...

This is a story about five friends who served in five different branches of the United States Armed Forces and how they saved our nation from a dastardly and downright-doomed disaster.

The pinnacle of orchid hunting activity was in the nineteenth century when prices for individual plants reached astonishing levels. Such were the profits to be made that many of the most active orchid hunters were directly employed by orchid nurseries in Britain and Europe. These were not the aristocratic administrators of empire; they were trained gardeners and horticulturalists who had a yearning to travel and see for themselves where the plants they nurtured had come from. In this book ...

This book charts the historical development of citizen science, from its earliest days with amateur individuals working on their own, to the modern incarnation which often sees large numbers of people cooperating on environmental or health projects. It will help project designers understand the heritage of citizen science, including the best way to avoid previous mistakes, and how to ensure results that are both reliable and informative. It also encourages individuals to participate and to...

This is a story about five friends who served in five different branches of the United States Armed Forces and how they saved our nation from a dastardly and downright-doomed disaster!

This book is uniquely about the relationship between the optical telescope and astronomy as they developed together. It covers the time between the telescope's pivotal invention in the 1600's up to the modern era of space-based telescopes. Over the intervening centuries, there were huge improvements in the optical resolution of telescopes, along with changes in their positioning and nature of application that forever altered the course of astronomy.For a long time, the field was an...

A beautifully illustrated, step-by-step guide to growing native orchids from seed in your garden.Learn how to cherish these remarkable flowers and help them flourish in their natural habitat with this easy-to-use guide. Native orchids are neither difficult to cultivate nor require special conditions to thrive, and while a large meadow may be beyond the reach of most, the corner of a garden or a pot on a patio can provide a home to a spectacular display.This...

First published in 2005. This second edition of Genetics DNA Technology retains the original's focus on professional lawyers. Not a law textbook, it is an adjunct to those who are studying law or want to become forensic scientists.

More Than 1.5 Million Copies Sold!Now Revised and Updated to Include the Latest Scientific Information and Even More Success StoriesFor almost forty years, How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby has been the standard reference for couples trying to increase their chances of having the son or daughter they hope for. In this new edition of their classic book, Dr. Shettles and David Rorvik provide authoritative scientific studies and compelling anecdotal ...

By the best selling author of The Selfish Gene 'This entertaining and thought-provoking book is an excellent illustration of why the study of evolution is in such an exciting ferment these days.' Science 'The Extended Phenotype is a sequel to The Selfish Gene . . . he writes so clearly it could be understood by anyone prepared to make the effort' John Maynard Smith, London Review of Books 'Dawkins is quite incapable of being boring this characteristically brilliant and stimulating book is ...

"Ridley leaps from chromosome to chromosome in a handy summation of our ever increasing understanding of the roles that genes play in disease, behavior, sexual differences, and even intelligence. . . . . He addresses not only the ethical quandaries faced by contemporary scientists but the reductionist danger in equating inheritability with inevitability." — The New YorkerThe genome's been mapped. But what does it mean? Matt Ridley’...

Why do we need sleep? How much sleep is enough? What is sleep? What happens when we don't get enough? We spend about a third of our lives asleep - it plays a crucial role in our health and wellbeing. References to sleep abound in literature and art, and sleep has been recognized as fundamental to the human condition for thousands of years. Over the past century, our knowledge of how sleep occurs, what it does, and what happens to our health if we do not have enough has developed h...