Graham Scott

A Short History of the World summarises the scientific knowledge of the time regarding the history of Earth and life. It starts with its origins, goes on to explain the development of the Earth and life on Earth, reaching primitive thought and the development of humankind from the Cradle of Civilisation. The book ends with the outcome of the First World War, the Russian famine of 1921, and the League of Nations in 1922.

Essential Ornithology provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book begins by considering the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, providing new information from rapidly-developing fields including the avian fossil record, urban and agricultural ecology, responses to climate change, invasive species biology, technologies to track movement, avian disease, and the role of citizen scientists. There is also a greater focus on North American ornithology. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout. Essential Ornithology is a companion textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian science, as well as a useful reference for professional researchers and consultants. Amateur ornithologists will also find this book offers a scientifically rigorous and accessible overview for a more general readership.

Essential Ornithology provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book begins by considering the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, providing new information from rapidly-developing fields including the avian fossil record, urban and agricultural ecology, responses to climate change, invasive species biology, technologies to track movement, avian disease, and the role of citizen scientists. There is also a greater focus on North American ornithology. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout. Essential Ornithology is a companion textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian science, as well as a useful reference for professional researchers and consultants. Amateur ornithologists will also find this book offers a scientifically rigorous and accessible overview for a more general readership.

Jim Dowdall - Stuntman on eight James Bond films; on Indiana Jones, on Star Wars; from doubling for Lee Marvin on The Dirty Dozen back in 1967 to being stunt co-ordinator for ten years for the Top Gear crew and The Grand Tour. He's crashed cars and motorbikes, been flung out of buildings, been shot, blown up and burned. All to save the main stars from injury, from Roger Moore to Matt Damon, from Sir Laurence Olivier to James May. He has the scars and injuries to prove it, and he's still working. Jim takes us behind the scenes on some of the greatest action and adventure films of the last fifty years. He shows us how the stunts were done - and we learn why you need oven glass when you're set completely on fire; how to barrel-roll a car to stop exactly on the mark; and why cat litter is essential for explosions. But this isn't just a story of crazy stunts, it's a look at what makes a stunt performer - the preparation, the fitness, the mental attitude - and how those skills can benefit all of us in our daily lives.

The SS Mendi is a wreck site off the Isle of Wight under the protection of Historic England. Nearly 650 men, mostly from the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC), lost their lives in February 1917 following a collision in fog as they travelled to serve as labourers on the Western Front, in one of the largest single losses of life during the conflict. The loss of the Mendi occupies a special place in South African military history. Prevented from being trained as fighting troops by their own Government, the men of the SANLC hoped that their contribution to the war effort would lead to greater civil rights and economic opportunities in the new white-ruled nation of South African after the war. These hopes proved unfounded, and the Mendi became a focus of black resistance before and during the Apartheid era in South Africa. One hundred years on, the wreck of the Mendi is a physical symbol of black South Africans’ long fight for social and political justice and equality and is one of a very select group of historic shipwrecks from which contemporary political and social meaning can be drawn. The wreck of the SS Mendi is now recognised as one of England’s most important First World War heritage assets and the wreck site is listed under the Protection of Military Remains Act. New archaeological investigation has provided real and direct information about the wreck for the first time. The loss of the Mendi is used to highlight the story of the SANLC and other labour corps as well as the wider treatment of British imperial subjects in wartime. And the political, social and cultural repercussions of the sinking are brought up to date with a new archaeological perspective.

Essential Animal Behavior provides a comprehensive introduction to all areas of the subject: from the genetic and neurobiological control of behavior to the learning, development, and function of behavior in an evolutionary context. Social behaviour is also covered throughout the text. Written in a concise and engaging style, this new book: includes examples from both marine and terrestrial environments around the world places current research alongside classic examples, and puts the study of animal behavior in an applied context, emphasizing the implications for animal welfare and animal conservation. Carefully designed to meet the needs of students coming to the subject for the first time, the book includes the following features: key concept boxes Focus on boxes chapter summaries guided reading to aid revision and further study case studies and boxed examples that reinforce essential points, and questions for discussion. This book is essential reading for degree-level students following modular programs in biology, zoology, marine biology, and psychology. An Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at [email protected] for more information.