Long before Galileo published his discoveries about Jupiter, lunar
craters, and the Milky Way in the Starry Messenger in 1610, people were
fascinated with the planets and stars around them. That interest
continues today, and scientists are making new discoveries at an
astounding rate. Ancient lake beds on Mars, robotic spacecraft
missions, and new definitions of planets now dominate the news. How can
you take it all in? Start with the new Encyclopedia of the Solar
System, Second Edition.
Scientific American Mind, February/March 2007
Most people would say that finding love is a key to greater happiness, along with achievements like a bigger home, a better car, more money and fame. But research suggests none of these things is likely to increase bliss significantly. "Why It's So Hard to Be Happy," by psychologist Michael Wiederman, tells how ancient humans' perpetual search for a better life--historically, a survival advantage--can now leave us dissatisfied despite the comforts of today's world. One lesson is that "happy people tend to engage in activities that are challenging and absorbing"--such as reading articles in Scientific American Mind. Okay, I slipped in that last part. Happy now?
The purpose of this Outline is to serve as a supplement to a basic astronomy text.
Much of the material here is abbreviated, and students should use this book as a guide to the key concepts in modern astronomy, but not as an all-inclusive resource.
Topics covered range from planetary astronomy to cosmology, in the modern context. The first chapter covers most of the phsyics required to obtain a basic understanding of astronomical phenomena. The student will most likely come back to this chapter again and again as they progress through the book. The order of the topics has been set by the most common order of these topics in textbooks (near objects to far objects), but many of the chapters are quite independent, with few references to previous chapters, and may be studied out of order.
Scientific American DigitalSpecial Edition (June 2006)
SYNOPSIS:
A savvy handicapper would never have put money on the continued existence of this evolutionary dark horse. Nearly hairless, weak--no sharp claws or slicing teeth here--and slow, with a bumpy bipedal gait, humans might initially appear to be one of the unlikeliest survivors on earth. Except for the oversize brains.
So much of the rise of our ancestors from humble beginnings to today's world-dominant swell of humanity tracked the stunning growth of all that furrowed cortex. From roughly two million years to 250,000 years ago, the brain's total volume expanded by a tablespoonful every 100,000 years, estimates Harvard University biologist E. O. Wilson. If we could stretch a modern person's cortex flat, it would occupy an area the size of four sheets of standard letter-size paper. In contrast, a chimp's would cover one sheet; a monkey's, a postcard; and a rat's, a stamp.
But size alone does not explain our matchless reasoning skills. One of the mysteries of human evolution is that other species with large brains (such as Neandertals) seemingly did not achieve comparable levels of cognition. Could a cultural innovation, perhaps driven by rapid environmental changes, have contributed to the rise of symbolic thought, language and cooperative group society?
As our primate ancestors' intellects deepened, their bodies continued to morph. Their need to stoke the energy-consuming organ in their skulls with nutritious, calorie-rich fuel created selection pressure favoring features now characteristic of primates, such as grasping hands with opposable thumbs. "To a great extent," concludes Katharine Milton, "we are truly what we eat."
Even as recent discoveries answer some questions about our fascinating and complex history, they raise others. Alone among creatures alive today, we enjoy the ability to contemplate our species' odyssey through time. Food for thought.
