18 Miles - The Epic Drama of Our Atmosphere and Its Weather

Christopher Dewdney

Summary

WINNER, American Meteorological Society’s Louis J. Battan Authors’ Award
		 
WINNER, 2019 Science Writers & Communicators of Canada Book Award
		 
WINNER, 2018 Lane Anderson Award
		 
“With wit and a humbling sense of wonder, this is a book that can be shared and appreciated by a wide audience who now religiously check their phones for daily forecasts.” — Publishers Weekly Starred Review
		 
“This terrific, accessible, and exciting read helps us to better understand the aspects of weather and the atmosphere all around us.” —Library Journal Starred Review
		 
We live at the bottom of an ocean of air — 5,200 million million tons, to be exact. It sounds like a lot, but Earth’s atmosphere is smeared onto its surface in an alarmingly thin layer — 99 percent contained within 18 miles. Yet, within this fragile margin lies a magnificent realm — at once gorgeous, terrifying, capricious, and elusive. With his keen eye for identifying and uniting seemingly unrelated events, Chris Dewdney reveals to us the invisible rivers in the sky that affect how our weather works and the structure of clouds and storms and seasons, the rollercoaster of climate. Dewdney details the history of weather forecasting and introduces us to the eccentric and determined pioneers of science and observation whose efforts gave us the understanding of weather we have today.
		 
18 Miles is a kaleidoscopic and fact-filled journey that uncovers our obsession with the atmosphere and weather — as both evocative metaphor and physical reality. From the roaring winds of Katrina to the frozen oceans of Snowball Earth, Dewdney entertains as he gives readers a long overdue look at the very air we breathe.

Available since: 10/23/2018.

Print length: 272 pages.

Science & Technology

Other books that might interest you

Fundamentals of Clinical Trials

Lawrence M. Friedman, Curt D....

This is the fifth edition of a very successful textbook on clinical trials methodology, written by recognized leaders who have long and extensive experience in all areas of clinical trials. The three authors of the first four editions have been joined by two others who add great expertise.This book is intended for the clinical researcher who is interested in designing a clinical trial and developing a protocol. It is also of value to researchers and practitioners who must critically evaluate the literature of published clinical trials and assess the merits of each trial and the implications for the care and treatment of patients. The authors use numerous examples of published clinical trials to illustrate the fundamentals.

Show book

Owning the Sun - A People's...

Alexander Zaitchik

Owning the Sun tells the story of one of the most contentious fights in human history: the legal right to control the production of lifesaving medicines. Medical science began as a discipline geared toward the betterment of all human life, but the merging of research with intellectual property and the rise of the pharmaceutical industry warped and eventually undermined its ethical foundations. Why does the US government fund the development of medical science in the name of the public, only to relinquish exclusive rights to drug companies, and how does such a system impoverish us, weaken our responses to global crises, and, as in the case of AIDS and COVID-19, put the world at risk? Outlining how generations of public health and science advocates have attempted to hold the line against Big Pharma and their allies in government, Alexander Zaitchik's first-in-kind history documents the rise of medical monopoly in the United States and its subsequent globalization. From the controversial arrival of patent-wielding German drug firms in the late nineteenth century, to present-day coordination between industry and philanthropic organizations—including the influential Gates Foundation—that stymie international efforts to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, Owning the Sun tells one of the most important and least understood histories of our time.

Show book

Artificial Intelligence - What...

Jerry Kaplan

Artificial Intelligence is likely to greatly increase our aggregate wealth, but it will also upend our labor markets, reshuffle our social order, and strain our private and public institutions. Eventually it may alter how we see our place in the universe, as machines pursue goals independent of their creators and outperform us in domains previously believed to be the sole dominion of humans. Whether we regard them as conscious or unwitting, revere them as a new form of life or dismiss them as mere clever appliances, is beside the point. They are likely to play an increasingly critical and intimate role in many aspects of our lives. The emergence of systems capable of independent reasoning and action raises serious questions about just whose interests they are permitted to serve, and what limits our society should place on their creation and use. Deep ethical questions that have bedeviled philosophers for ages will suddenly arrive on the steps of our courthouses.And the answers may surprise you.

Show book

The Political Determinants of...

Daniel E. Dawes, David R. Williams

Reduced life expectancy, worsening health outcomes, health inequity, and declining health care options—these are now realities for most Americans. However, in a country of more than 325 million people, addressing everyone's issues is challenging. How can we effect beneficial change for everyone so we all can thrive? What is the great equalizer?In this book, Daniel E. Dawes argues that political determinants of health create the social drivers—including poor environmental conditions, inadequate transportation, unsafe neighborhoods, and lack of healthy food options—that affect all other dynamics of health. By understanding these determinants, their origins, and their impact on the equitable distribution of opportunities and resources, we will be better equipped to develop and implement actionable solutions to close the health gap.Dawes draws on his firsthand experience helping to shape major federal policies, including the Affordable Care Act, to describe the history of efforts to address the political determinants that have resulted in health inequities. Taking us further upstream to the underlying source of the causes of inequities, Dawes examines the political decisions that lead to our social conditions, makes the social determinants of health more accessible, and provides a playbook for how we can address them effectively.

Show book

Holistic Homesteading - A Guide...

Roxanne Ahern

Make healthier life choices to heal yourself and the environment through self-sufficiency. Holistic Homesteading by Roxanne Ahern provides the tools for living slowly, intentionally, and better through permaculture, edible gardening, and organic farming.Live the Homestead Life. Ahern's book guides new and seasoned homesteaders in improving personal and environmental health. Holistic Homesteading is geared toward people who are interested in pursuing intentional lifestyles and organic farming methods. It is both for those who have access to land and those who are interested in retrofitting urban and suburban lifestyles and landscapes to shift towards sustainability.Utilize Sustainable Organic Farming Techniques. Learn about permaculture design, holistic nutrition, and sustainable farming in rural and urban settings. Holistic Homesteading covers how to use organic soil and zero chemicals to grow the best vegetables and fruits, responsible and humane animal husbandry that improves the ground and carbon sequestration, as well as the best canning and preserving techniques. Ahern also provides tips on safely foraging for flowers and mushrooms.

Show book

Traffic Formula Bundle 2 in 1...

Nick Averill, Jamesen Piers

Traffic Formula Bundle, 2 in 1 Bundle: Traffic Generation and Traffic SecretsMany people have no idea that generating traffic is the next important thing to do once you have constructed your website. New entrepreneurs start their website and just wait for traffic to come, and then they end up being disillusioned with online businesses when it’s not as successful as they thought it was going to be. When you build a website, it’s important to create a decent one with quality content. Traffic needs to come from somewhere, it doesn’t appear out of thin air. There are millions of websites and you’re competing with all of them. In this bundle, you will discover how to generate leads and traffic that will help boost up the sales for your business. You will discover how to generate targeted traffic that would convert and would lead to repeated customers, buyers and list members. It will also teach you about how you can use social media to drive targeted traffic to your website. You will also learn how to convert this traffic into potential customersThis 2 in 1 bundle includes the following audiobooks:1. Traffic Generation: Get a Complete Guide on How to Generate Targeted Leads and Traffic to Your Site to Boost Your Sales!2. Traffic Secrets: The Ultimate Guide on How to Increase Traffic To Your Website, Learn Proven Techniques on How You Can Use Social Media to Get Targeted Traffic to Your WebsiteIf you want to learn more, download your copy of Traffic Formula 2 in 1 Bundle today!

Show book