Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the HeadlinesA San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller We live in complicated, dangerous times. Present and future presidents need to know if North Korea's nascent nuclear capability is a genuine threat to the West, if biochemical weapons are likely to be developed by terrorists, if there are viable alternatives to fossil fuels that should be nurtured and supported by the government, if private companies should be allowed to lead the way on space exploration, and what the actual facts are about the worsening threats from climate change. This is "must-have" information for all presidents—and citizens—of the twenty-first century. Winner of the 2009 Northern California Book Award for General Nonfiction. Images in this eBook are not displayed due to permissions issues. |
Contents
13 | |
19 | |
32 | |
THE NEXT Terrorist ATTACK | 45 |
BIOLOGICAL TERRORISM | 53 |
PRESIDENTIAL SUMMARY | 60 |
SOLAR POWER | 77 |
THE END OF OIL | 86 |
PRESIDENTIAL SUMMARY | 188 |
SPACE AND SATELLITES | 195 |
GRAVITY APPLICATIONS | 210 |
HUMANS IN SPACE | 222 |
SPYING WITH INVISIBLE LIGHT | 228 |
PRESIDENTIAL SUMMARY | 244 |
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CLIMATE | 251 |
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT | 261 |
Other editions - View all
Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines Richard A. Muller No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
acceleration airplane Al Gore al-Qaeda altitude anthrax astronauts atmosphere attack autos battery building called calutron cancer carbon dioxide caused chain reaction Chernobyl China climate coal cost danger detect developing dirty bomb dose Earth effect efficient electric emissions emit energy explosion fact Figure food calories force fossil fuels fusion future president gallon gasoline gigawatt global warming gravity greenhouse half-life heat Hiroshima hockey stick human hurricanes hydrogen bomb ice age Inconvenient Truth increase infrared IPCC light linear hypothesis material miles million neutrons nuclear power nuclear reactor nuclear waste nuclear weapons nucleus nukes orbit ozone pebble bed reactor physicist physics plane plot plutonium bomb pollution pounds power plants problem radar radiation radioactivity reason region released rocket satellite scientists shows shuttle solar cells solar power space sunlight surface temperature terrorists tion United uranium velocity weight X-ray Yucca Mountain