This book provides a unified treatment of the characteristics of telescopes of all types, both those whose performance is set by geometrical aberrations and the effect of the atmosphere, and those diffraction-limited telescopes designed for observations from above the atmosphere. The emphasis throughout is on basic principles, such as Fermat's principle, and their application to optical systems specifically designed to image distant celestial sources. The book also contains thorough discus...

A Choice Outstanding Academic BookIn the decade since President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 into law—amidst promises that it would "end welfare as we know it"—did the reforms ending entitlements and moving toward time limits and work requirements lift Texas families once living on welfare out of poverty, or merely strike their names from the administrative rolls?Under welfare reform, Texas conti...

The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) is one of the largest-scale research collaborations in global health, distilling a wide range of health information to provide estimates and projections for more than 350 diseases, injuries, and risk factors in 195 countries. Its results are a critical tool informing researchers, policy-makers, and others working to promote health around the globe. A study like the GBD is, of course, extremely complex from an empirical perspective. But it also raise...

An assessment and reevaluation of nihilism's ascendency over metaphysics.Challenging the idea that nihilism has supplanted metaphysics, Vittorio Possenti finds in this philosophical turn the grounds for a mature renewal of metaphysics. Possenti takes the reader on a "third voyage" that goes beyond the "second voyage" indicated by Plato in the Phaedo. He traces the ascendancy of nihilism in philosophy, offering critical examinations of Nietzsche, Gentile, H...

The story of matter and the history of the cosmos from the perspective of a single oxygen atom, told with the insight and wit of one of the most dynamic physicists and writers working today.Through this astonishing work, he manages to stoke wonder at the powers and unlikely events that conspired to create our solar system, our ecosystem, and us.

Seven years before Richard Preston wrote about horrifying viruses in The Hot Zone, he turned his attention to the cosmos. In First Light, he demonstrates his gift for creating an exciting and absorbing narrative around a complex scientific subject--in this case the efforts by astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains of California to peer to the farthest edges of space through the Hale Telescope, attempting to solve the riddle of the creation of ...

Making a Refracting Telescope guides you through the process of making your own refractor using inexpensive materials and basic workshop tools. The makiing of each component is described in detail with step by step instructions, advice, helpful photographs and diagrams. The book was originally written in 1991 but was not published then. It focuses on the making of an instrument using a specific 48mm lens which was available at the time. However, I have since used the techniques de...

This book is about the history and future of life and the universe, written at a level that any educated lay-person can understand and enjoy. It describes our place in time and space, how we got here and where we are going. It will take you on a journey from the beginning of time to the end of the universe to uncover our origins and reveal our destiny. It will explain how mankind acquired this knowledge starting from the beginning of civilization when the ancient Greeks first began to ask ...

Professional boundaries between worker and client underpin all areas of practice in social work and social care, and the mismanagement of these boundaries can lead to unprofessional conduct and negative consequences for both worker and client.This book is a no-nonsense guide to boundaries – what they are, why they are there and how to maintain them, from legal boundaries and policies governing behaviour to rules surrounding confidentiality. Presenting a flexible framework of rules ...

Yes, science can be made fun and easy! This book features the solar system in all its glory. You can see pictures of the planets and the galaxy in full color. The layout is definitely going to amaze and delight a child. As a result, learning becomes highly entertaining. Grab a copy today!

The belief that with hard work and determination, all children have the opportunity to succeed in life is a cherished part of the American Dream. Yet, increased inequality in America has made that dream more difficult for many to obtain. In Too Many Children Left Behind, an international team of social scientists assesses how social mobility varies in the United States compared with Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Bruce Bradbury, Miles Corak, Jane Waldfogel, and Elizabe...

- Provides an overview of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), from fundamentals to applications - Evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of particular applications, methods and techniques - Contains new chapters on sensing, femtosecond laser writing of FBGs and poling of glass and optical fibers - Includes a special version of the photonic simulator PicWave(tm), allowing the reader to make live simulations of many of the example devices presented in the book. This fully revised, updated and e...