Outros livros que poderiam interessá-lo

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  Elixir - A Parisian Perfume...

  Theresa Levitt

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  For centuries, scientists believed that living matter possessed a special quality—a spirit or essence—that differentiated it from nonliving matter. But by the nineteenth century, the scientific consensus was that the building blocks of one were identical to the building blocks of the other. Elixir tells the story of two young chemists who were not convinced, and how their work rewrote the boundary between life and nonlife. 
   
   
   
  In the 1830s, Édouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent were working in Laugier Père et Fils, the oldest perfume house in Paris. By day they prepared the perfumery's revitalizing elixirs and rejuvenating eaux, drawing on alchemical traditions that equated a plant's vitality with its aroma. In their spare time they hunted the vital force that promised to reveal the secret to life itself. Their ideas, roundly condemned by established chemists, led to the discovery of structural differences between naturally occurring molecules and their synthetic counterparts, even when the molecules were chemically identical. 
   
   
   
  Scientists still can't explain this anomaly, but it may point to critical insights concerning the origins of life on Earth. Rich in sparks and smells, brimming with eccentric characters, experimental daring, and the romance of the Bohemian salon, Elixir is a fascinating cultural and scientific history.

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  Invention and Innovation - A...

  Vaclav Smil

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  The world is never finished catching up with Vaclav Smil. In his latest and perhaps most readable book, Invention and Innovation, the prolific author—a favorite of Bill Gates—pens an insightful and fact-filled jaunt through the history of invention.  
   
  Impatient with the hype that so often accompanies innovation, Smil offers in this book a clear-eyed corrective to the overpromises of new inventions—from cures for diseases to AI. He reminds us that even after we go quite far along the invention-development-application trajectory, we  
  may never get anything real to deploy. Or worse, even after we have succeeded by introducing an invention, its future may be marked by underperformance, disappointment, demise, or outright harm. 
   
  Drawing on his vast breadth of scientific and historical knowledge, Smil explains the difference between invention and innovation, and looks not only at inventions that failed to dominate as promised (such as the airship, nuclear fission, and supersonic flight) but also at those that turned  
  disastrous (leaded gasoline, DDT, and chlorofluorocarbons). And finally, he offers a “wish list” of inventions that we most urgently need to confront the staggering challenges of the twenty-first century. 
   
  Filled with engaging examples and pragmatic approaches, this book is a sobering account of the folly that so often attends human ingenuity—and how we can, and must, better align our expectations with reality.

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  A Year of Flower Wreaths

  Malin Björkholm

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  Learn how to create beautiful, modern flower wreaths, not just for Advent and Christmas but throughout the year. Decorate your front door, walls and dining tables, and even your head with flower wreaths.
  Organised around the seasons of the year, this book has 40 flower projects for all occasions, from the first longing for spring and budding greenery via summer light and harvest time to Christmas and winter rest. All wreaths have clear step-by-step instructions in text and pictures. There are facts about which materials are suitable and sustainable for the different seasons, including which you can pick yourself from nature or your garden. Written by florist, photographer and writer Malin Björkholm, whose wreaths and flower arrangements have become famous on Instagram due to their simplicity and use of natural materials.
  Projects in this book include an enchanting bright yellow mimosa flower wreath for spring, a traditional midsummer Swedish flower crown, a striking circlet of dried flowers and berries for autumn and a classic door wreath with pine cones for Christmas. More luxurious and more modern than any wreath-making book you'll have seen before, these magical projects will provide endless inspiration for year-round decorating with flowers.

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  Race for Tomorrow: Survival...

  Simon Mundy

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  As featured on CNN’s Amanpour & Company and BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week with Andrew MarrOne of the Financial Times’ best books of 2021 
  In this compelling journey through twenty-six countries, Simon Mundy traces how the struggle to respond to the climate crisis is rapidly reshaping the modern world – shattering communities, shaking global business and propelling waves of cutting-edge innovation. 
  Telling unforgettable human stories, meeting scientists and business tycoons, activists and political leaders, this is an account of disaster and survival, of frantic adaptation and groundbreaking innovation, of hope, and of the forces that will define our future. 
  More praise 
  ‘Urgent reading … A truly global journey’ SOPHY ROBERTS 
  ‘Vivid and informed’ ADAM NICOLSON 
  ‘I took a great sense of hope’ RICHARD POWERS 
  ‘Reads like a thriller’ MARK LYNAS 
  ‘An inspiring piece of work’ MICHAEL E. MANN 
  ‘Utterly unlike any book yet written in this field’ ANAND MAHINDRA 
  ‘Gripping … A must-read for every concerned global citizen’ NANDAN NILEKANI 
  Simon Mundy, in his top-rated book RACE FOR TOMORROW, delves into the science and economics of the environmental changes we are facing. His exploration of technology and conservation efforts offers a unique perspective on the global warming crisis. 
  For fans of Vaclav Smil (Size), (Journalist) David Epstein (The Sports Gene), Bill Gates (Source Code), Anand Giridharadas (Winners Take All), and Michael E. Mann (Our Fragile Moment).

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  Eric Sloane's Weather Book -...

  Eric Sloane

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  Eric Sloane's Weather Book is a timeless exploration of the fascinating world of weather. Through beautifully crafted illustrations and clear, engaging explanations, Eric Sloane unravels the mysteries of the atmosphere, teaching readers how to interpret clouds, winds, storms, and other natural phenomena. Blending meteorology, history, and practical wisdom, this book not only explains the science behind weather patterns but also invites readers to develop a deeper appreciation for nature's rhythms. Perfect for weather enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, and curious minds, this classic guide provides insights into understanding and forecasting the ever-changing sky.

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  Death to Beauty - The...

  Eugene M. Helveston

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  In the 1970s, Dr. Alan Scott sought to selectively weaken eye muscles to treat strabismus (when one or both eyes are misaligned) without surgery. After failed attempts with other agents, Scott developed a method to stabilize the bacteria that causes botulism, culminating in a drug that eventually became known as Botox. 
   
   
   
  In Death to Beauty, Eugene M. Helveston, MD, follows the unlikely story of botulism's 1817 discovery in contaminated German sausages, to its use in military and research facilities, to Scott, an ophthalmologist who aimed to safely use the drug in humans. Scott struggled alone as an unknown in the pharmaceutical industry, searching for clinical trial financing and FDA approval, which he achieved at a fraction of the billions big pharma usually spends to bring a drug to market. Eventually, the company Allergan bought him out, capitalizing on the possibilities for cosmetic uses. Scott's formula was renamed "Botox" and reached annual sales in the billions. After the sale, Scott received no further compensation from Botox sales and remained the same unassuming man. 
   
   
   
  A fascinating walk through the intricate history of how the world's deadliest toxin starting as a treatment for crossed eyes became a routine tool for the cosmetic industry, Death to Beauty will make you rethink success, beauty, and deadly bacteria.

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