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Author:

Muller, R. (Richard)

Title:

Physics for future presidents : the science behind the headlines / Richard A. Muller.

Edition:

1st ed.

Publisher:

W.W. Norton & Co.,

Copyright Date:

c2008

Description:

380 p. : ill., maps ; 25 cm.

Subject:

Physics--Social aspects.
Science and state.
Science in mass media.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 347-359) and index.

Contents:

Energy : presidential summary -- The Terrorism -- 1. Nine-eleven -- Inspecting passengers -- Taking control -- Flying and navigating the airplane -- Impact -- 2. Terrorist nukes -- Big nukes -- The terrorist dirty bomb -- Rogue nukes -- Uranium bombs -- Plutonium bombs -- 3. The next terrorist attack -- Future airplane gasoline attacks -- Bombs on airplanes -- 4. Biological terrorism -- The anthrax attack -- Terrorism : presidential summary -- [pt]. 2. Energy -- 5. Key energy surprises -- Why we love oil -- Power -- Energy alternatives -- Th e bottom line : the cost of energy -- 6. Solar power -- An anecdote -- Basic facts -- Solar power plants -- Solar airplanes -- 7. The end of oil -- Oil from coal : Fischer-Tropsch -- The price of oil -- Energy : presidential summary --
14. Nukes : presidential summary -- 8. Radioactivity and death -- Radiation and cancer -- The linear effect -- The Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor disaster -- The linear hypothesis -- 9. Radioactive decay -- Dangers of short versus long half-lives -- Environmental radioactivity -- Horrific mutations -- X-rays and microwaves -- Is radioactivity contagious? -- 10. Nuclear weapons -- The key to an explosion: the nuclear chain reaction -- World War II and the Manhattan Project -- Critical mass - the first atomic secret -- Hiroshima - the simple bomb design -- The hard part - purifying uranium-235 -- Centrifuges -- The plutonium bomb - an implosion design -- The hydrogen bomb -- Fallout -- Big bombs -- Smaller weapons, more destruction -- 11. Nuclear madness -- The neutron bomb and the weapons paradox -- Nuclear proliferation -- How worried should we be? -- Nukular weapons -- 12. Nuclear power -- Can a nuclear reactor explode like an atomic bomb? -- Manufacturing plutonium -- Fast breeder reactors -- The China Syndrome -- Three Mile Island - fuel meltdown -- Chernobyl - a runaway chain reaction -- Pebble bed reactors -- 13. Nuclear waste -- My confession -- Plutonium -- Depleted uranium -- 14. Controlled fusion -- Tokamak -- Laser fusion -- Cold fusion -- Nukes : presidential summary --
23. Kyoto -- 15. Space and satellites -- Satellite orbits : LEO, GEO, and MEO -- GPS : a set of medium-Earth-orbit satellites -- Spy satellites -- Rocket science -- 16. Gravity applications -- g's -- Using gravity to search for ice, oil, hidden craters, and secret tunnels -- Space industry : manufacturing in a weightless environment -- Gravity on the Moon and asteroids -- Artificial gravity -- The X Prize -- 17. Humans in space -- 18. Spying with invisible light -- Infrared radiation -- Remote sensing of the Earth -- Military special ops -- Stinger missiles -- Radar and stealth -- Radar imaging -- X-ray backscatter -- Space : presidential summary -- [pt]. 5. Global warming -- 19. A brief history of climate -- The climate of the past 14,000 years -- 20. The greenhouse effect -- Carbon dioxide -- Calculating greenhouse warming -- Another danger : acid oceans -- The ozone hole -- 21. A very likely cause -- Doing something about it : Alaska -- 22. Evidence -- Distortion -- Exaggeration -- Cherry picking -- News bias -- The hockey stick -- Carbon dioxide and ancient climate -- Science and propaganda -- 23. Nonsolutions -- Hydrogen hype -- Electric automobiles -- Fusion -- Solar power -- Recycling -- Kyoto --
25. Index. Comfortable conservation -- Compact fluorescent lights -- Cool colors : when brown paint is white -- Reason for optimism : Rosenfeld's law -- The fizzling population bomb -- Automobile efficiency -- 25. New technologies -- Biofuels -- Concentrating solar -- Safe nukes -- Clean coal -- Carbon credits -- Renewable energy -- Global warming : presidential summary - the buck stops here -- Notes -- Index.

Summary:

Learn the science behind the headlines in this work that outlines the tools of terrorists, the dangers of nuclear power, and the reality of global warming.

ISBN:

0393066274 (hardcover)
9780393066272 (hardcover)

OCLC:

(OCoLC)181139562

LCCN:

2008006075

Locations:

BOPG851 -- Ames Public Library (Ames)

USUX851 -- Iowa State University - Parks Library (Ames)

GBPF771 -- Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library (Ankeny)

PNAX964 -- Northeast Iowa Community College Library - Calmar (Calmar)

UQAX771 -- Des Moines Area Community College Library - Ankeny (Carroll)

PTAX572 -- Stewart Memorial Library (Cedar Rapids)

LTAX046 -- Indian Hills Community College Library - Centerville (Centerville)

OSAX771 -- Grand View University Library (Des Moines)

UDAX314 -- Charles C. Myers Library (Dubuque)

POSX851 -- Ballard Community High School (Huxley)

OVUX522 -- University of Iowa Libraries (Iowa City)

IBAX173 -- North Iowa Area Community College Library (Mason City)

AXPF626 -- Oskaloosa Public Library (Oskaloosa)

OMAX631 -- Geisler Learning Resource Cntr (Pella)

LAPH975 -- Sioux City Public Library (Sioux City)

GDPF771 -- Urbandale Public Library (Urbandale)