Natural Science

The Big Ratchet is the story of the ratchets: the technologies and innovations, big and small, that propelled our species from hunters and gatherers on the savannahs of Africa to shoppers in the aisles of the supermarket. Our species long lived on the edge of starvation. Now we produce enough food for all 7 billion of us to eat nearly 3,000 calories every day. This is such an astonishing thing in the history of life as to verge on the miraculous. The Big Ratchet is the story of how it happened.

When the well water on Louis Meeks’ ranch turned brown and oily, he suspected that the thousands of natural gas wells dotting the once-empty Wyoming landscape were somehow to blame. The hard part was proving it. Meeks’ struggle to get the energy companies to take responsibility, meticulously documented through three years of investigative reporting by ProPublica’s Abrahm Lustgarten, coincide with a national uproar over the oil and gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing – a technology that promises to open large new energy supplies, perhaps at the expense of the nation’s water.

Learn the science behind weather and weather prediction in this clear and straightforward new guide. Weather is everywhere, and while it's typically not thought about most of the time, it can get everyone's attention in an instant - whether it's the swirling destruction of a tornado, the wreckage from a hurricane, or the havoc of climate change on the environment.

Permaculture, a Portmanteau of "permanent" and "agriculture" is growing in popularity around the world and for a good reason too. First introduced to protect nature and humankind, permaculture is both a philosophy and a practical approach to sustainable development.

Autrefois, les "potions" à base de plantes étaient confectionnées par des sorcières que l'on condamnait au bûcher par ignorance ou par jalousie. Aujourd'hui, l'industrie pharmaceutique utilise dans un grand nombre de cas les mêmes principes actifs. À la lumière des connaissances actuelles, le docteur Labescat nous fait revivre la formule de ces anciens philtres. Les lectrices auront plaisir à découvrir que l'angélique, au nom prédestiné, prolonge la beauté et que la consoude constitue un excellent raffermissant capable de donner l'illusion de la virginité.

Power outages, natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tornadoes, and even manmade disasters strike without warning. Talks of civil unrest and economic collapse are on the rise, too. By investing in food storage now, you are taking control of your survival and ensuring your family's safety and wellbeing before it's too late. Here's the secret most don't want you to know: food storage isn't about having a lot of food - it's about having the right food.

Few ideas have been as influential in the development of moral, political, legal, and economic thought in the broad Western tradition as the idea of natural law. It is also true that the understanding of natural law and its influence on specific norms and institutions—rights, justice, private property, rule of law, limited government—is not anywhere near as widespread in the 21st century as it was just 100 years ago.

On the run from my cruel captors, I stumble into Grayhaven. This secret supernatural settlement is packed with biker demons, fae royals, and witches dealing in death-magic. Their small town could be my salvation...or doom. But when the Grayhaven werewolf pack tracks me down, I feel the noose of impending capture tightening around my throat. I’m an omega, the least dominant werewolf in the supernatural world. If I’m given an order - any order - I’m powerless to refuse.

A deeply panoramic tour of the night, from its brightest spots to the darkest skies we have left. A starry night is one of nature's most magical wonders. Yet in our artificially lit world, three-quarters of Americans' eyes never switch to night vision and most of us no longer experience true darkness. In The End of Night, Paul Bogard restores our awareness of the spectacularly primal, wildly dark night sky and how it has influenced the human experience across everything from science to art.

What newly married couple doesn't dream of a romantic retreat where they can escape the world for a while - but what happens when supernatural forces intrude on their wedded bliss? Nine of today's hottest paranormal authors answer that question in this all-star collection of supernatural stories.

John Lister-Kaye has spent a lifetime exploring, protecting and celebrating the British landscape and its wildlife. Lister-Kaye's joyous childhood holidays - spent scrambling through hedges and ditches after birds and small beasts, keeping pigeons in the loft and tracking foxes around the edge of the garden - were the perfect apprenticeship for his two lifelong passions: exploring the wonders of nature and writing about them. Warm, wise and full of wonder, The Dun Cow Rib is a captivating coming of age tale by one of the founding fathers of nature writing.

Bottled & Sold shows how water went from being a free natural resource to one of the most successful commercial products of the last 100 years - and why we are poorer for it. It's a big story and water is big business. Every second of every day in the United States, a thousand people buy a plastic bottle of water, and every second of every day a thousand more throw one of those bottles away. That adds up to more than 30 billion bottles a year and tens of billions of dollars of sales. Are there legitimate reasons to buy all those bottles?

Silent film actor Casimir Moreau had imagined that life as a vampire would be freewheeling and glamorous. Instead, he’s plunged into a restrictive society whose rules he runs afoul of at every turn. To “rehabilitate” him, the vampire council orders him mated to an incubus with impeccable breeding. As an inactive beaver shifter, construction engineer Rusty Johnson has fought - and overcome - bias and disrespect his entire life. Rusty can’t face returning to his clan, and Cas needs somebody on his arm to keep the council happy, so they agree to pretend to be married.

Peak Everything addresses many of the cultural, psychological and practical changes we will have to make as nature rapidly dictates our new limits. This latest book from Richard Heinberg, author of three of the most important books on Peak Oil, touches on the most important aspects of the human condition at this unique moment in time.

A combination of wry commentary and sober forecasting on subjects as diverse as farming and industrial design, this book tells how we might make the transition from The Age of Excess to the Era of Modesty with grace and satisfaction....

Step into a new era of well-being with herbal and natural remedies that offer proven solutions to your health challenges without the hassles of modern pharmaceuticals. Transform Your Tomorrow, Today: Discover the secrets of herbal and natural remedies and step into a healthier life without delays!

I was always good at being bad, which is why I’m the last person you’d expect to save the world. Unfortunately, I wasn’t given a choice. I’ve learned my prophecy has something to do with the Elves, an incredible magical people that went extinct a century ago. At a paranormal prison where evil runs free, there’s more to discover about the Elves than I ever expected. As my investigation continues, I receive messages from the gods, who seem certain I’m the magical world’s only hope for survival.

As the smoke of war fades, Henny mourns the loss of her father. Without his guidance, securing the elemental gemstones necessary to fulfill the Fae princess prophecy seems an impossible feat. Cole wants nothing more than to soothe Henny’s heartache and help her become the future queen. As his mate, her safety and happiness are all that matters. Dangerous threats lurk around every turn, yet Cole will stop at nothing to protect his love.

Professor Richard Wiseman is clear about one thing: paranormal phenomena don't exist. But in the same way that the science of space travel transforms our everyday lives, so research into telepathy, fortune-telling and out of body experiences produces remarkable insights into our brains, behaviour and beliefs.

David Hume (1711-1776) remains one of the most stimulating and entertaining writers in the English essay tradition. Though primarily known for long-form writings, he was adept at taking one subject and looking at it in a more concise but accessible manner.

More than any other writer, Gilbert White (1720-1793) has shaped the relationship between man and nature. A hundred years before Darwin, White realised the crucial role of worms in the formation of soil and understood the significance of territory and song in birds. His precise, scrupulously honest, and unaffectedly witty observations led him to interpret animals’ behaviour in a unique manner. Here, a collection of his letters to Daines Barrington and Thomas Pennant.