Nature Books

How aluminum enabled a high-speed, gravity-defying American modernity even as other parts of the world paid the price in environmental damage and political turmoil. Aluminum shaped the twentieth century. It enabled high-speed travel and gravity-defying flight. It was the material of a streamlined aesthetic that came to represent modernity. And it became an essential ingredient in industrial and domestic products that ranged from airplanes and cars to designer chairs and artificial Christmas trees. It entered modern homes as packaging, foil, pots and pans and even infiltrated our bodies through food, medicine, and cosmetics. In Aluminum Dreams , Mimi Sheller describes how the materiality and meaning of aluminum transformed modern life and continues to shape the world today. Aluminum, Sheller tells us, changed mobility and mobilized modern life. It enabled air power, the space age and moon landings. Yet, as Sheller makes clear, aluminum was important not only in twentieth-century technology, innovation, architecture, and design but also in underpinning global military power, uneven development, and crucial environmental and health concerns. Sheller describes aluminum's shiny utopia but also its dark side. The unintended consequences of aluminum's widespread use include struggles for sovereignty and resource control in Africa, India, and the Caribbean; the unleashing of multinational corporations; and the pollution of the earth through mining and smelting (and the battle to save it). Using a single material as an entry point to understanding a global history of modernization and its implications for the future, Aluminum Dreams forces us to How do we assemble the material culture of modernity and what are its environmental consequences? Aluminum Dreams includes a generous selection of striking images of iconic aluminum designs, many in color, drawn from advertisements by Alcoa, Bohn, Kaiser, and other major corporations, pamphlets, films, and exhibitions.

Two-Can’s How Things Work introduces children to the world through workings of things he or she uses every day, from the kitchen sink to money, and how they are made, built and used. The entire book is beautifully written and illustrated with the youngest readers in mind. It contains an alphabetical index and glossary to assist in building vocabulary. This a first edition copy of the book without any damage. - Easy to use A-Z organization - Clear text and illustrations describe and explain over 35 topics - Diagrams of the inner workings of everyday objects - Written and researched by experts

The world is on the move. Animals,plants, and manmade vehiclesall are equipped to move in different ways. Learn all about things on the movefrom snails and manta rays to cars and spacecrafts.Books in this How come? How so? That's how mysterious events the mind-boggling natural phenomenaHow come? How so? That's how strange creatures the amazing life of bizarre animalsHow come? How so? That's how things the inventions that changed our worldHow come? How so? That's how things the magical mysteries of natureHow come? How so? That's how things the wonderful ways in which the world movesHow come? How so? That's how things the marvel of modern technology

This book is a valuable resource for civil engineers and others involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of water treatment plants. It offers comprehensive guidance on designing treatment plant facilities, and covers recent developments in the field, including EPA standards, planning, operation, rehabilitation and maintenance.

Cities around the world are becoming increasingly popular as economic powerhouses and magnets for migrants from rural and suburban areas. All big cities in First and Third World countries as well as emerging markets such as New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Delhi, Jakarta etc. have to cope with high population density and serious challenges such as air pollution or traffic congestion. How do we pack more people into big cities and yet continue to realise a high quality of life? How do we plan, create and manage 'good cities' which are safe, spacious, green, connected, fair and resilient? How can cities create economic wealth while still fulfilling the vision of sustaining our "Green Planet"? What are best practice designs and innovative technical smart city solutions which could be leveraged to tackle these challenges and how can they be successfully commercialised? These are some of the questions the reader addresses from a multi-disciplinary perspective with special reference to Singapore whose development from regional entrepôt to First World Metropolis continues to impress business and societal leaders around the world. The book's contents are broadly structured according to the following (i) definition and taxonomy of innovative & sustainable cities, including its core characteristics and how they create value in terms of innovativeness and sustainability; (ii) governance, planning and selected design principles of innovative & sustainable cities and how they pan out with regard to livability and sustainability; and (iii) in-depth study of selected smart city dimensions such as governance, clustering, connectivity, mobility, ageing, water, sports, and safety.

This book is a comprehensive guide for those interested in improving the quality of community water supplies. With contributions from experts in environmental engineering, water chemistry, and water purification and treatment, readers can expect to gain knowledge on the health and aesthetic aspects of water quality, water treatment process selection, water quality management, and water treatment plant waste management. The American Water Works Association is a respected organization in the field, making this handbook a reliable resource for anyone interested in water treatment.