The life cycle of a plant can be truly remarkable to observe, and the energy of plant life can be truly mystifying; consider how certain environments are inhospitable to life, yet they're sprinkled with various forms of vegetation. Plant reproduction can occur asexually or sexually; the method of reproduction sets the stage for the plant's growth and maturity. This flourishing volume examines the processes of plant reproduction and the stages of plant...

Most avid sky gazers wait until nightfall to catch a glimpse of the stars that are scattered across the heavens. The fact of the matter is that one needs only to feel the Sun's rays in order to experience the presence of a star. The Sun is an ordinary star, a ball of hot gas much like millions of others in the universe, but as the center of the solar system, it is critical to the survival of all life forms on Earth. This comprehensive volume examines...

Life comes in all shapes and forms, and living entities dwell in all types of habitats. There are seven characteristics that all life forms share-the ability to move, to sense, to respire, to consume nutrition, to grow, to reproduce, and to excrete waste matter. Complete with annotated illustrations that clarify complex structures and life processes, this volume surveys the parts, characteristics, and classifications of various living things and explores...

Even as environmental consciousness and "green" habits become increasingly embedded with numerous individuals, many of the planet's natural resources and species remain in danger. On a global scale, effectively protecting the environment requires top-down solutions from political and economic structures and the incorporation of environmentalist initiatives into legislative and legal action. This intuitive volume examines the emergence of the environmental...

Anyone who has experienced the thrill of watching his or her team win on Super Bowl Sunday will recognize the exhilaration that the game of football generates. Gridiron football is a complex game that demands both tactical ability and physical skill. This enthralling volume outlines the history and rules of American football, chronicles the rise of some of its greatest players, and illustrates how the game has become such a beloved cultural phenomenon....

Blessed Contradictions invites the reader to think in new ways about how to understand Scripture. The Bible is written by many authors who often have differing points of view. Instead of seeing these differences as inconsistencies or weaknesses, Blessed Contradictions considers them strengths-ways to see God, theology, ethics, and theodicy from alternative angles. Each of the eight chapters will compare one biblical author to another, show their contradictions,...

Our visual experience of the world and our ability to perceive the objects and people around us would be impossible without light and the many roles it plays in our daily lives. In addition to facilitating our perception, light sustains life on earth by providing energy to plants and heating the atmosphere. The fundamentals of light-including how it is measured, its interaction with matter, and the particle and wave theories of light-are covered in...

Routinely going through daily life, people may be inured to the fact that Earth takes up only a small fraction of a solar system, let alone the universe. Still, the planet we call home is unique for a number of reasons. The more we can learn about Earth and its Moon-the two bodies in the solar system of which the most has been discovered to date-the more likely scientists are to uncover truths about the universe as a whole. The properties, motions,...

The Progressive Gene fuses the idea of a universal, genetically determined personal and social morality with the expression of that morality in the individual's political philosophy. Although this connection extends to and encompasses society as a whole, the book focuses on the far left of the political spectrum, where the Progressives reside.