In the early 1990s, a NASA-led team of scientists changed the way we view the universe. With the COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) project, they showed that the microwave radiation that fills the universe must have come from the Big Bang—effectively proving the Big Bang theory beyond any doubt. It was one of the greatest scientific findings of our generation, perhaps of all time. In The Very First Light, John Mather, one of COBE's leaders, and science writer John Boslough tell the story of how it was achieved. A gripping tale of big money, bigger egos, tense politics, and cutting-edge engineering, The Very First Light offers a rare insider's account of the world of big science.

The Very First Light: The True Inside Story of the Scientific Journey Back to the Dawn of the Universe

Science & Math

Boslough, John

Mather, John

Astronomy & Space Science

Basic Books

In 1990 and 1992, a NASA-led team of scientists from the COBE project changed the way we view the universe. They showed that the microwave radiation that fills the universe must have come from the Big Bang itself—effectively proving this theory beyond any doubt. It was one of the greatest scientific findings of our generation, perhaps of all time.In this no-holds-barred account, COBE's originator and Project Scientist, John Mather, and science writer John Boslough provide the intimate and startling details of how big science is done today. They tell of the discovery of the cosmic background radiation and of the fifteen-year struggle to design, build and launch the COBE satellite, including the unwelcome controversy when one team member breached the project's publication policy and stepped into the limelight alone. The Very First Light presents a rarely seen inside account of the world of big science, where cooperation and competition battle for supremacy. At the height of the project, more than 1,500 scientists, engineers, designers, and support staff worked on the spacecraft. The project was especially difficult because two of the three instruments were cooled to within a few degrees of absolute zero.When the Challenger exploded in 1986, the shuttle program was grounded indefinately, leaving the COBE with no route to space. The last available Delta rocket was approved for the mission, but now the team had to slash the spacecraft's five-ton weight in half. The story of this feat provides a remarkable behind-the-scenes look into the high-stakes, frenetic world of a big science project and NASA itself. The Very First Light is a portrait of science no serious reader will want to miss.

The Very First Light: The True Inside Story Of The Scientific Journey Back To The Dawn Of The Universe

Where to Watch Birds in Yorkshire and North Humbershire (Where to Watch Birds)

Biological Sciences

A C Black Publishers Ltd

This leading-edge volume offers a new framework for neuropsychological testing rooted in the current evidence base on large-scale brain system interactions. Expert coverage brings traditional discrete areas of cognitive functioning (e.g., attention, memory) in line with highly nuanced relationships between cortical and subcortical processing. The new findings point to more accurate and targeted testing, as authors expand on the judicious addition of nonstandardized methods to core diagnostic tools and the underused capacity of neuropsychological testing to assess social behavior and personality. The book’s emphasis on cognition in context gives practitioners better understanding of assessment and evaluation, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for individuals as well as significant improvements in the field.This innovative reference:<ul>
<li>Reframes cognitive functioning in light of current data on brain interconnectivity.</li> <li>Critiques current methods of neuropsychological test interpretation.</li> <li>Reviews known, useful interpretive methodologies within a new context.</li> <li>Features instructive case examples emphasizing accurate historical and test data.</li> <li>Revisits the strengths and limitations of the bell curve construct.</li> <li>Examines the interpretive significance of pathognomonic signs.</li> <li>Details strategies for making neuropsychological evaluations more clinically relevant.</li> </ul>
Large-Scale Brain Systems and Neuropsychological Testing combines current findings, clinical sense, and common sense to ground neuropsychologists, school psychologists, child psychologists, and clinical social workers in the effective assessment of real-world functioning.

Large-Scale Brain Systems and Neuropsychological Testing: An Effort to Move Forward (Springerbriefs in Neuroscience)

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Beljan, Paul

Koziol, Leonard F.

Bree, Kate

Barker, Lauren

Psychology & Counseling

Springer

 This leading-edge volume offers a new framework for neuropsychological testing rooted in the current evidence base on large-scale brain system interactions. Expert coverage brings traditional discrete areas of cognitive functioning (e.g., attention, memory) in line with highly nuanced relationships between cortical and subcortical processing. The new findings point to more accurate and targeted testing, as authors expand on the judicious addition of nonstandardized methods to core diagnostic tools and the underused capacity of neuropsychological testing to assess social behavior and personality. The book’s emphasis on cognition in context gives practitioners better understanding of assessment and evaluation, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for individuals as well as significant improvements in the field. This innovative reference:  Reframes cognitive functioning in light of current data on brain interconnectivity. Critiques current methods of neuropsychological test interpretation. Reviews known, useful interpretive methodologies within a new context. Features instructive case examples emphasizing accurate historical and test data. Revisits the strengths and limitations of the bell curve construct. Examines the interpretive significance of pathognomonic signs. Details strategies for making neuropsychological evaluations more clinically relevant.  Large-Scale Brain Systems and Neuropsychological Testing combines current findings, clinical sense, and common sense to ground neuropsychologists, school psychologists, child psychologists, and clinical social workers in the effective assessment of real-world functioning.                                                                                                           

UNDERSTANDING EXCEPTIONAL: Empowering Parents of Children with Exceptional Brains

Jefferson, David

Volrich, Michael

Understanding Exceptional LLC

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