Survival Technology

With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow.

Is your IT system an asset or a hindrance to your organization's success? More important, can you tell the difference? Unlike other well-recognized professions, information technology is still in its infancy. With this book you will gain an understanding of how IT systems and tools can offer your organization the best chance to succeed.

Mae Jemison is a woman who has worn many hats throughout her illustrious life. She has been a chemical engineer, dancer, social worker, medical doctor, writer, and choreographer. But perhaps, she is most well-known in her role as an astronaut. On September 12, 1992, Mae joined six other people aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour for the STS-47 mission. The mission was completed successfully, and Mae became the first-ever black woman to go to space. Her life both before and after her launch into space is one that is truly worth learning about and understanding.

Ferdinand Magellan was unquestionably one of the more remarkable figures of the Age of Exploration, and given his fateful expedition, he has the era's most unique legacy. Today he is remembered as the first man to circumnavigate the globe, despite the fact he died thousands of miles away from Spain in the Philippines. It is also commonly overlooked that among the famous and historic expeditions in the early 16th century, Magellan's was by far the most dangerous, unique, and adventurous.

Neil Armstrong is often referred to as an American hero for his service both as an astronaut and a veteran of the US Armed Forces, but in truth, Armstrong isn’t just America’s hero—he’s a global one.

On April 11, 1970, astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert were launched into space as the crew of Apollo 13. Their mission, like the missions of Apollo 11 and Apollo 12, was to explore the lunar surface. But that mission was never completed. As they began the procedure for landing on the Moon, the spacecraft was rocked by a violent explosion. Oxygen began pouring out of the Service Module, and the spacecraft began to lose power. Jim Lovell radioed Mission Control with the now-famous words, "Houston, we have a problem."

Mark Moffett doesn't just study ants, he travels among them. Moffet holds a Harvard Ph.D. in entomology and is an accomplished scientist, an award-winning author and journalist, and one of the best nature photographers of his generation. Years ago, this free-spirited naturalist left academia behind to plunge into the deepest jungles and observe insect societies up close. Now author Nicholas Griffin takes us inside Moffett's own world, to explore his death-cheating quest for discovery.

The 21st century is not only an era of technical and computer innovations, but the time when each of us can face a hacker's attack. However, there’s no need to panic! There are some simple tips and recommendations on how to save your digital space from perpetrators and where to go if something strange happens.