Other books that might interest you

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  Greenhouse Planet - How Rising...

  Lewis H. Ziska

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  The carbon dioxide that industrial civilization spews into the atmosphere has dramatic consequences for life on Earth that extend beyond climate change. CO2 levels directly affect plant growth, in turn affecting any kind of life that depends on plants—in other words, everything. 
   
   
   
  Greenhouse Planet reveals the stakes of increased CO2 for plants, people, and ecosystems—from crop yields to seasonal allergies and from wildfires to biodiversity. The veteran plant biologist Lewis H. Ziska describes the importance of plants for food, medicine, and culture and explores the complex ways higher CO2 concentrations alter the systems on which humanity relies. He explains the science of how increased CO2 affects various plant species and addresses the politicization and disinformation surrounding these facts. 
   
   
   
  Ziska confronts the claim that "CO2 is plant food," a longtime conservative talking point. While not exactly false, it is deeply misleading. CO2 doesn't just make "good" plants grow; it makes all plants grow. It makes poison ivy more poisonous, kudzu more prolific, cheatgrass more flammable. CO2 stimulates some species more than others: weeds fare particularly well and become harder to control. Many crops grow more abundantly but also become less nutritious. And the further effects of climate change will be formidable.

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  The Paradox of a Smart Atomic...

  Davis Truman

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  The risk of nuclear conflict today is at its highest point in decades. Geopolitical tensions are on the rise, and we are witnessing an unsettling increase in reckless nuclear threats and the use of nuclear blackmail. This has made the long-standing taboo against the use of nuclear weapons appear more fragile than ever before. In 2022, the famous Doomsday Clock was set to a chilling 90 seconds to midnight, marking the closest it has ever been since its inception in 1947. This unsettling moment in history underscores just how vulnerable the world has become to the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war. 
  In this fragile and precarious situation, it becomes even more crucial for the global community to fully grasp the profound humanitarian impact that any use of nuclear weapons would have. Whether in the case of a limited strike or a full-scale nuclear conflict, the consequences would be devastating not just for the immediate areas affected but for all of humanity and the environment. The environmental destruction, the loss of life, and the lasting psychological and societal trauma would ripple across borders, affecting every nation. 
  Greater awareness and a deeper understanding of these consequences are vital for mobilizing the global community to take decisive, collective action. Only through a heightened sense of urgency and responsibility can we work together to prevent the use of nuclear weapons. This awareness is also the key to advancing the cause of nuclear disarmament. Moving away from a security model based on the dangerous idea of mutually assured destruction and toward one focused on cooperation, diplomacy, and peace is not just desirable—it’s essential for ensuring the survival of humanity and the planet for future generations. 
   

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  Faking It - Artificial...

  Toby Walsh

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  'Refreshingly clear-eyed … Faking It is an insightful and intelligent book that's a must for those looking for facts about AI hype.' – Books+Publishing
  'AI will be as big a game-changer as the smart phone and the personal computer – or bigger! This book will help you navigate the revolution.' – Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
  Artificial intelligence is, as the name suggests, artificial and fundamentally different to human intelligence. Yet often the goal of AI is to fake human intelligence. This deceit has been there from the very beginning. We've been trying to fake it since Alan Turing answered the question 'Can machines think?' by proposing that machines pretend to be humans.
  Now we are starting to build AI that truly deceives us. Powerful AIs such as ChatGPT can convince us they are intelligent and blur the distinction between what is real and what is simulated. In reality, they lack true understanding, sentience and common sense. But this doesn't mean they can't change the world.
  Can AI systems ever be creative? Can they be moral? What can we do to ensure they are not harmful? In this fun and fascinating book, Professor Toby Walsh explores all the ways AI fakes it, and what this means for humanity – now and in the future.

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  COVID-19 - A History

  Jacalyn Duffin

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  For two years the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the world. The physician and medical historian Jacalyn Duffin presents a global history of the virus, with a focus on Canada.  
  Duffin describes the frightening appearance of the virus and its identification by scientists in China; subsequent outbreaks on cruise ships; the relentless spread to Europe, the Americas, Africa, and elsewhere; and the immediate attempts to confront it. COVID-19 next explores the scientific history of infections generally, and the discovery of coronaviruses in particular. Taking a broad approach, the book explains the advent of tests, treatments, and vaccines, as well as the practical politics behind interventions, including quarantines, barrier technologies, lockdowns, and social and financial supports. In concluding chapters Duffin analyzes the outcome of successive waves of COVID-19 infection around the world: the toll of human suffering, the successes and failures of control measures, vaccine rollouts, and grassroots opposition to governments’ attempts to limit the spread and mitigate social and economic damages.  
  Closing with the fraught search for the origins of COVID-19, Duffin considers the implications of an “infodemic” and provides an cautionary outlook for the future.

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  High-performance Computing -...

  Connor Williams

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  High-performance computing (HPC) is a critical field in modern computing, enabling the processing of large amounts of data and complex computations that were once impossible. In "Understanding High-Performance Computing and Supercomputing: The Advancements, Applications, and Future of Computing Power," readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the principles, technologies, and applications of HPC and supercomputing. 
  This book explores the history of HPC and its evolution into modern supercomputing, providing a deep understanding of the underlying technology, architecture, and software. It covers key topics such as parallel computing, distributed systems, GPU computing, and quantum computing. 
  The book also examines the many applications of HPC, including weather forecasting, scientific simulations, drug discovery, and financial modeling. It delves into the use of HPC in various industries, such as aerospace, healthcare, and entertainment, and explores how HPC is shaping the future of technology. 
  Readers will gain insight into the current state of the industry, with a discussion of the latest advancements and trends in HPC. They will also learn about the future of HPC, including emerging technologies and challenges to be overcome. 
  "Understanding High-Performance Computing and Supercomputing" is an essential resource for students, researchers, and professionals in computer science, engineering, mathematics, and other fields. It offers a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of HPC, providing readers with the knowledge they need to contribute to this critical field. 
   

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  The Coming Singularity

  Gary A. Freitas

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  As we approach 2050, it is projected that human consciousness will encounter a superior intelligence for the very first time: artificial machine intelligence. It is important for us to understand the evolutionary impact of this event, but also that we are being altered from the inside out for the singularity to arise. 
  Are we ready? 
  Will we be adaptive? 
  How will we change? 
  The Coming Singularity explores the psychological impact of the changes coming our way and the many adaptations we will have to make. 
  We are transitioning to a world of one degree of separation, with only the illusion of privacy, autonomy and anonymity. All of us are undergoing a transition to an electronic identity, one that can reach back and change the real you. The question going forward will be, who is the real you? 
  A cluster of psychological symptoms are evolving from our technology interface––Identity Diffusion. Its key feature is the de-realization of life. 
  Direct brain-to-technology interfaces will soon render our brains an open-source forum. We need to discuss who is in there and why! 
  The impact of e-technology on human identity will be profound, but it is also a prerequisite for machine intelligence to arise. We need to discuss this. 
  We humans reside in complex, dynamical networks. The goal of artificial intelligence will be to evolve and stabilize these networks. And we may not be the priority.

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