Showing results for "The Elements" in Biological Sciences

We all know that we depend on elements for survival - from oxygen in the air we breathe to carbon in the molecular structures of all living things. But we seldom appreciate how, say, phosphorus holds our DNA together or how potassium powers our optic nerves enabling us to see.

Written by award-winning science writer John Emsley, this informative and highly enjoyable book explains the what, the why and the wherefore of the elements. Arranged alphabetically, from Actinium to Zirconium, it is a complete guide to all the elements that are currently known, with more extensive coverage of those we encounter in our everyday life. The entry on each element reveals where it came from, what role it may have in the human body, the foods that contain it, how it was discovered, its role in human health, the uses and misuses to which it is put, and its environmental role.

'They make science fun and understandable which is a great combo.' Sandi Toksvig 'These nerds are the real deal.' Ben Goldacre, author of BAD SCIENCE Why is it impossible to spin your right foot clockwise while you draw a 6 with your right hand? Can you extract DNA from a strawberry daiquiri?...

The four elements are the pillars that uphold the manifest world and anchor spirit to matter. They are associated with a wide range of spiritual entities, from small elementals to divine beings. This book explores the consciousness of the elements, which provides a system of understanding that supports most of the magic of the West and paganism. The use of the elements in a wide range of systems and practices will be examined. Much has been written about the four elements already; this book offers new teachings for newcomers and long-time practitioners alike.

The Elements of Entomology is one of seven in a Series of First Books of Natural History Prepared for the Use of Schools and Colleges. It is a succinct little textbook from 1845 that presents an introduction to entomology. The author was a surgeon in the U.S. Navy and president of the Academy of Natural Sciences.(Summary by A.L. Gramour)

Looks at each dog element archetype individually, exploring their personality strengths and weaknesses, emotional defaults, how they react under stress, what makes them happy, and their potential physical ailments and conditions Offers holistic practices to help support each elemental...

Discover the epic natural history of an invisible planetary force that triggered mass extinctions and fueled evolution. Perfect for your morning commute, this awe-inspiring journey transports you from the violent birth of dying stars to Earth's primordial oceans. Prepare for a dramatic science...

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2026 WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING The New Yorker’s Best Books of 2025 The Telegraph’s Best Nature Books of 2025 The mesmerizing, mind-expanding global story of how trees have learned to use the...

The New York Times best-selling author on the source of great bounty—and now great peril—all over the world. Phosphorus has played a critical role in some of the most lethal substances on earth: firebombs, rat poison, nerve gas. But it’s also the key component of one of the most vital...

It is rare for life to change Earth, yet three organisms have profoundly transformed our planet over the long course of its history. Elemental reveals how microbes, plants, and people used the fundamental building blocks of life to alter the climate, and with it, the trajectory of life on Earth in the past, present, and future. Taking listeners from the deep geologic past to our current era of human dominance, Stephen Porder focuses on five of life’s essential elements—hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

The Elements of Botany is one of seven in a Series of First Books of Natural History Prepared for the Use of Schools and Colleges. It is a succinct little textbook that presents a solid introduction to plant science. (Summary by A.Gramour)

The book is intended to ground beginners in Structural Botany and the principles of vegetable life, mainly as concerns Flowering or Phanerogamous plants, with which botanical instruction should always begin; also to be a companion and interpreter to the Manuals and Floras by which the student threads his flowery way to a clear knowledge of the surrounding vegetable creation. Such a book, like a grammar, must needs abound in technical words, which thus arrayed may seem formidable; nevertheless, if rightly apprehended, this treatise should teach that the study of botany is not the learning of ...

Discover how a deadly chemical waste triggered a global mass extinction before evolving into the biological breath of life. Perfect for your daily commute, this awe-inspiring natural history transforms a single restless atom into an unforgettable protagonist. Whether you are seeking a...

A mind-expanding exploration of how trees learned to shape our world by manipulating the elements, plants, animals, and even humankind, possessing agency beyond anything we might have imagined “Astounding . . . a true masterpiece . . . Rix refuses to put herself much in the picture, but...

Turn your daily commute into an engaging science lesson by exploring the invisible chemistry that keeps your body alive. Whether you are enjoying a relaxing walk or winding down for sleep, this fascinating journey through the natural world will spark a profound sense of wonder. Replace fuzzy...

Unlock the invisible architecture of life with this captivating popular science journey into the chemistry of our world. Whether you are enriching your daily commute or embarking on a quest for lifelong learning, this awe-inspiring exploration reveals how a single microscopic element dictates...

Elements of Geology is one in a Series of First Books of Natural History Prepared for the Use of Schools and Colleges. This succinct little textbook from 1846 presents an introduction to geology. The information, albeit not current, is still interesting and of use as a general overview of the subject as well as interesting look into the period. Please note that some of the information has changed considerably since this time. The author was a surgeon in the U.S. Navy and president of the Academy of Natural Sciences. - Summary by Amy Gramour

The fifth of the Series of First Books of Natural History, embraces that branch of our subject which treats of the Mollusca, or soft animals, and consequently, includes the Elements of Conchology. In the beauty and singularity of their forms, the variety and brilliancy of their colors, shells only yield to flowers…. Limited as this little volume is, it may prove a key to stores of information, even more interesting to many than the numerous fictions of the day. “Truth is stranger than fiction,” has been often said; and the beautiful truths brought to us by a study of animal life, in its ...

The Elements of Mammalogy is one of seven in a Series of First Books of Natural History Prepared for the Use of Schools and Colleges. This succinct little textbook from 1845 presents an introduction to mammalogy. The information, albeit not current, is still interesting and of use as a general overview of mammal biology. The classification of mammals has changed considerably since this time. The author was a surgeon in the U.S. Navy and president of the Academy of Natural Sciences. (Summary by A. Gramour)

The Elements of Ornithology is one of seven in a Series of First Books of Natural History Prepared for the Use of Schools and Colleges. This succinct little textbook from 1845 presents an introduction to ornithology. The information, albeit not current, is still interesting and of use as a general overview of bird biology and classification. The author was a surgeon in the U.S. Navy and president of the Academy of Natural Sciences. (Summary by A. Gramour)