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The spinning magnet : the force that created the modern world and could destroy it / by Mitchell, Alanna,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."The magnetic North Pole will eventually trade places with the South Pole. Satellite evidence suggests to some scientists that the move has already begun, but most still think it won't happen for many decades. All agree that it has happened many times before and will happen again. But this time it will be different. It will be a very bad day for modern civilization. Award-winning science journalist Alanna Mitchell tells in The Spinning Magnet the fascinating history of one of the four fundamental physical forces in the universe, electro-magnetism. From investigations into magnetism in 13th century feudal France and the realization six hundred years later in the Victorian era that electricity and magnetism were essentially the same, to the discovery that the earth was itself a magnet, spinning in space with two poles and that those poles aperiodically reverse, this is an utterly engrossing narrative history of ideas and science that readers of Stephen Greenblatt and Sam Kean will love. But the recent finding that the Earth's magnetic force field is decaying ten times faster than previously thought, portending an imminent pole reversal, ultimately gives this story a spine tingling urgency. When the poles switch, a process that takes many years, the Earth is unprotected from solar radiation storms that would, among other things, wipe out all electromagnetic technology. No satellites, no internet, no smart phones--maybe no power grid at all. Such potentially cataclysmic solar storms are not unusual. The last one occurred in 2012 and we avoided returning to the dark ages only because the part of the sun that erupted happened to be facing away from the Earth. One leading US researcher is already drawing maps of the parts of the planet that would likely become uninhabitable."--
Subjects: Geomagnetism.; Magnetic pole.; Electromagnetism.; Civilization, Modern;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The persecution of the Knights Templar : scandal, torture, trial / by Demurger, Alain,author.; Fagan, Teresa Lavender,translator.; translation of:Demurger, Alain.Persécution des Templiers.English.;
Includes bibliographical references (pages 290-335) and indexes.A history of the infamous trial of the Order of the Knights Templar draws on firsthand testimonies and written records to chronicle the early plots of 1305, the tortured confessions of arrested Templars, and the executions of order leaders.
Subjects: Templars; Templars; Civilization, Medieval.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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I wouldn't do that if I were me : modern blunders and modest triumphs (but mostly blunders) / by Gay, Jason(Newspaper columnist),author.;
"Like the rest of us, Jason Gay never anticipated where we've found ourselves. Challenged by the pandemic, frightened by political and societal divisiveness, awash in a digital world that dramatically changes how we think and interact, and all wondering what kind of calamity could possibly happen next. With a series of topical and interconnected personal pieces, Gay does his best to have some fun with all of it, looking for the optimism and joy in the face of the mountain of discouragement. From taking on his children's schooling to how texting has changed his relationship with his wife to allowing his mom to kidnap his family's cat to reckoning with the impending death of a close friend-Gay runs the gamut of our collective social lives, and he approaches it all with humility, grace, and more than a few laughs"--
Subjects: Civilization, Modern; Conduct of life.; Interpersonal relations.; Judgment;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Blood and daring : how Canada fought the American Civil War and forged a nation / by Boyko, John,1957-;
Includes bibliographical references and index.
© c2013., Knopf Canada,
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Who is government? : the untold story of public service / by Bell, W. Kamau,author.; Brooks, Geraldine,author.; Cep, Casey N.,author.; Eggers, Dave,author.; Lanchester, John,author.; Lewis, Michael(Michael M.),editor,author.; Vowell, Sarah,1969-author.;
"Who works for the government and what do they do? A timely and absorbing civics lesson from an all-star team of writers and storytellers. The government is a vast, complex system that Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss, and celebrate. It's also our shared resource for addressing the biggest problems of society. And it's made up of people, mostly unrecognized and uncelebrated, doing work that can be deeply consequential and beneficial to everyone. Michael Lewis invited his favorite writers to find someone doing an interesting job for the government and write about them in a special in-depth series for the Washington Post. The stories they found are unexpected, riveting, and inspiring, including a former coal miner devoted to making mine roofs less likely to collapse, saving thousands of lives; an IRS agent straight out of a crime thriller; and the manager who made the National Cemetery Administration the best-run organization, public or private, in the entire country. Each essay shines a spotlight on the essential behind-the-scenes work of exemplary federal employees. Whether they're digitizing archives, chasing down cybercriminals, or discovering new planets, these public servants are committed to their work and universally reluctant to take credit. Expanding on the Washington Post series, the vivid profiles in Who Is Government? blow up the stereotype of the irrelevant bureaucrat. They show how the essential business of government makes our lives possible, and how much it matters"--
Subjects: Civil service; Public administration;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The last great road bum / by Tobar, Héctor,1963-author.;
"In The last great road bum, Héctor Tobar turns the peripatetic true story of a naive son of Urbana, Illinois who died fighting with guerillas in El Salvador into the great American novel for our times"--
Subjects: Action and adventure fiction.; Historical fiction.; Travelers; Americans;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Call and response : the story of Black Lives Matter / by Chambers, Veronica.; Harlan, Jennifer.;
Includes bibliographic references and index.During 2020, widespread protests rooted in the call-and-response tradition of the Black community gained worldwide attention in the wake of high-profile wrongful deaths of Black people. From the founders to watershed moments, follow the activists and organizers on their journeys and discover the ways that protest has been fundamental to American democracy, eventually making meaningful change.LSC
Subjects: Garza, Alicia, 1981-; Khan-Cullors, Patrisse, 1984-; Tometi, Opal, 1984-; Black lives matter movement; Civil rights movements; African Americans; Civil rights; Racism;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Always beginning : the big bang, the universe, and you / by Savage, Candace,1949-; Wada, Rachel.;
"For kids with big questions comes a mesmerizing celebration of the universe and our place in it, perfect for STEM learning. The story of the universe is enough to send our minds spinning with wonder! This awe-inspiring picture book explores the science behind the start of our universe and how we came to be a part of it, from the Big Bang and the beginning of life on Earth all the way up until today."--
Subjects: Informational works.; Picture books.; Cosmology; Big bang theory; Civilization;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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The longbow, the schooner & the violin : wood and human achievement / by De Villiers, Marq,author.;
Includes bibliographical references.The English longbow, made of rare yew wood, unmatched for accuracy, speed of fire, and deadliness, shifted Europe's balance of power in the Middle Ages. Schooners, those "able handsome ladies" of the sea, inaugurated a new era of global trade, carrying high-value cargoes of tea and spice to Europe and America with unmatched speed and reliability. The violin, individual examples of which have personalities and histories as brilliant as the performers who play them, brought Western music to the pinnacle of expressiveness. These three iconic artifacts exemplify the inventive ways human ingenuity has employed wood - one of our most extraordinary natural substances - to change its culture and history. In this sweeping and beautifully-written history, award-winning author Marq de Villiers explores our relationship with wood, from ancient times to the present, from the forest to the workshop. Wood, he writes, has always been an essential companion to human development, and its most remarkable applications may still be ahead.
Subjects: Material culture.; Technology and civilization.; Technology; Wood; Woodwork;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The myth of normal : trauma, illness & healing in a toxic culture / by Maté, Gabor,author.; Maté, Daniel,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From our most trusted, compassionate authority on stress, trauma and mental well-being--a groundbreaking investigation into the causes of illness, a bracing critique of how our society breeds disease, and a pathway to health and healing. In the richest, most technically advanced, most health-obsessed society ever, all is not well. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic illnesses were on the rise. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, over 30 percent of the population suffers from hypertension. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the increase. So what is really 'normal' when it comes to health? Over four decades of clinical experience, Gabor Maté has come to recognize this version of 'normal' as misleading, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of life in the modern world, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health. For all its expertise and technological sophistication, Western medicine often fails to treat the whole person, which in turn stresses the body, burdens the immune system and undermines emotional balance. Now, Maté brings his perspective to the great untangling of commonly held myths about what makes us sick, and connects the dots between personal suffering and the pressures of modern-day living. Filled with stories of people in the grip of illness or in the triumphant wake of recovery, The Myth of Normal is Gabor Maté's most life-affirming and urgent book yet."--
Subjects: Civilization, Modern; Social medicine.; Diseases; Health;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Results 211 to 220 of 1,028 | « previous |