Systems Science

A leading brain scientist's look at the neurobiology of pleasure-and how pleasures can become addictions. Whether eating, taking drugs, engaging in sex, or doing good deeds, the pursuit of pleasure is a central drive of the human animal. In The Compass of Pleasure Johns Hopkins neuroscientist David J. Linden explains how pleasure affects us at the most fundamental level: in our brain.

With more than 10 stories from exciting new voices and a few veterans of the universe, the second anthology highlights the lives and struggles of humanity's best and worst years after system advent.

If the confusion following the last presidential election is any indication, the average citizen knows precious little about the democratic system and the laws that affect their daily lives. The Everything American Government Book unravels the complexities of our democracy and provides listeners with the knowledge necessary to make the right decisions and take an active role in the management of their country. This thoroughly researched work is ideal for anyone brushing up on civics, as well as students of all ages.

On the planet Nimbus III, a harsh world deep in the neutral zone, the three major powers -- Federation, Klingon, and Romulan -- attempt a revolutionary cooperative program, jointly developing the planet as an experiment in peace. But that makes Nimbus III an irresistible target for terrorists, who seize control of the planet, and the Enterprise is sent on a daring mission of rescue.

Start a peaceful revolution by planting an edible ecosystem and sharing the experience with your neighbors. Humans have always thrived in rich, diverse, edible ecosystems. Yet most cities and suburbs are blanketed by lawns, ornamentals, and a lack of biodiversity, let alone anything edible. It is within these sterile landscapes that seeds of an edible ecosystem lie. The Edible Ecosystem Solution is a comprehensive, practical guidebook that looks at underutilized spaces to reveal the many opportunities for landscape transformation.

What if the key to healing lies in embracing the parts of yourself you've been taught to suppress? Transformative Shadow Work is your all-in-one guide, workbook, and journal designed to help you integrate your hidden self, break free from emotional triggers, and step into self-acceptance.

Melvin is lost when Kalli returns to Gaia. After pushing his friends away, he turns to his newfound skills as a healer for some much-needed solace. Paired with an unlikely partner in crime, Melvin must once again rise to the occasion when an ominous message comes from another world. Kalli is dying.

In a world driven by complexity, the ability to unravel intricate systems and find clarity is an invaluable skill. "Systems Thinking Made Simple: The Art of Understanding Complexity with Ease" is your indispensable guide to mastering this art and making sense of the intricate web of interconnections that shape our lives. This audiobook is your key to deciphering complexity with ease, offering a fresh perspective on systems thinking. It's a journey that demystifies the complexities of our modern world and empowers you to think holistically, see the bigger picture, and unveil solutions.

The land rush is over. With just a few open stakes remaining two years after the System’s arrival on Earth, the incoming alien groups turn on each other in a cutthroat struggle for dominance. These conflicts are ripe opportunities for bold adventurers and bounty hunter Hal Mason isn’t one to miss his chance. When a trade dispute between two powerful Galactic factions escalates into open warfare, Mason plunges headfirst into the fray.

Lieutenant Saru is a Kelpien, a member of a prey species born on a world overrun by monstrous predators...and a being who very intimately understands the nature of fear. Challenged on all sides, he is determined to surpass his origins and succeed as a Starfleet officer aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou. But when Saru breaks protocol in order to prove himself to his crewmates, what begins as a vital rescue mission to save a vessel in distress soon escalates out of control. Forced into a command role he may not be ready for, Saru is caught between his duty and two conflicting agendas.

The concept of habeas corpus - literally, to receive and hold the body - empowers courts to protect the right of prisoners to know the basis on which they are being held by the government and grant prisoners their freedom when they are held unlawfully. It is no wonder that habeas corpus has long been considered essential to freedom.

Hidden in the basement of the Los Angeles Times, there Melvin will learn wonderful things like interdimensional astronomy, mana fencing, and how to get a girlfriend. Dragons, Gods, and bullies thrive in the Magical World hidden right beneath our eyes. Does Melvin have what it takes to pass?

Weary and tired from playing galactic bounty hunter and assassin, John and his crew of intrepid human survivors find themselves in Spaks after their latest escapade bring more heat than ever. In the outcast station of rebels and pirates, John is caught up in galactic politics once again. As trouble approaches on the hyperdrive engines of his many enemies, John finds answers to the System Quest and even more questions in the Rebel Station.

Data science happens in code. The ability to write reproducible, robust, scaleable code is key to a data science project's success—and is absolutely essential for those working with production code. This practical book bridges the gap between data science and software engineering, and clearly explains how to apply the best practices from software engineering to data science.

How much will you sacrifice to survive in a world turned game? When friends and family fall to monsters and aliens everyday, will you choose safety over freedom? These are the questions the survivors in the Yukon must ask themselves. New alien masters arrive, offering safety from ever stronger monsters in return for their freedom and future potential. Thrust into a position of power and influence by dint of his Levels, John must choose—not just for himself but Whitehorse itself. The price, however, might be more than he is willing to pay.

At a time when Steve Jobs was only a teenager and Mark Zuckerberg wasn't even born, a group of visionary engineers and designers - some of them only high school students - in the late 1960s and 1970s created a computer system called PLATO, which was not only years but light-years ahead in experimenting with how people would learn, engage, communicate, and play through connected computers.

New York Times best-selling author Seth Siegel tells how contaminants got in our drinking water, what they’re doing to us, and what we must do to make our water safe.

Two weeks into the System Apocalypse, and the transformations are just beginning. Mutated insects, carnivorous toads, and angry drop bears were not on the school curriculum, but when the apocalypse hits, you roll with it. Parenting a teenager has prepared Kira for the worst; she just didn’t expect that to include the end of the world. A menacing conglomerate of alien hunters is breathing down their necks, and new threats lurk just over the hills. Kira and the rest of the Australian survivors of Brisbane must level up, bolster defenses, and prepare for an incoming invasion.

Bounty hunter Hal Mason is doing well for himself, a year after the System converted Earth into a lawless, apocalyptic Dungeon World. Now, though, old friends have come calling with a new opportunity and with it, the murky politics of Galactic interests and overlapping contracts. Hal must protect the first train to cross the new wildlands of the American Midwest.

Born over a century after "The Rise", Jeff scavenges with his tyrannical mother for survival. Banned from cultivating freely, Jeff wants none of this life; his one objective is to join the immortal rankers as they attempt to climb the Northern Tower. On the day of his escape, a powerful guild attacks Leah’s group, and Jeff is thrown through a unique dungeon portal—a portal that hasn’t been used in nearly a hundred years. In the pursuit of Jeff’s ultimate goal, he must choose whether to follow the Church, join a guild, or try it all on his own.