Out of Nature

Out of Nature PDF Author: Kara Rogers
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 0816599580
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
About half of all species under threat of extinction in the world today are plants. The loss of plant biodiversity is disturbing for many reasons, but especially because it is a reflection of the growing disconnect between humans and nature. Plants have been used for millennia in traditional systems of healing and have held a significant place in drug development for Western medicine as well. Despite the recent dominance of synthetic drug production, natural product discovery remains the backbone of drug development. As the diversity of life on Earth is depleted and increasing numbers of species become lost to extinction, we continue to lose opportunities to achieve advances in medicine. Through stories of drug revelation in nature and forays into botany, human behavior, and conservation, Kara Rogers sheds light on the multiple ways in which humans, medicine, and plants are interconnected. With accessible and engaging writing, she explores the relationships between humans and plants, relating the stories of plant hunters of centuries past and examining the impact of human activities on the environment and the world's biodiversity. Rogers also highlights the role that plant-based products can play in encouraging conservation and protecting the heritage and knowledge of indigenous peoples. Out of Nature provides a fresh perspective on modern drug innovation and its relationship with nature. The book delves into the complexity of biophilia—the innate human attraction to life in the natural world—and suggests that the reawakening of this drive is fundamental to expanding conservation efforts and improving medicine. Rogers's examination of plants, humans, and drug discovery also conveys a passionate optimism for the future of biodiversity and medicine. Including a collection of hand-drawn maps and plant illustrations created by the author, this well-researched narrative will inspire as well as inform.

Out of Nature

Out of Nature PDF Author: Kara Rogers
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 0816599580
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216

Get Book

Book Description
About half of all species under threat of extinction in the world today are plants. The loss of plant biodiversity is disturbing for many reasons, but especially because it is a reflection of the growing disconnect between humans and nature. Plants have been used for millennia in traditional systems of healing and have held a significant place in drug development for Western medicine as well. Despite the recent dominance of synthetic drug production, natural product discovery remains the backbone of drug development. As the diversity of life on Earth is depleted and increasing numbers of species become lost to extinction, we continue to lose opportunities to achieve advances in medicine. Through stories of drug revelation in nature and forays into botany, human behavior, and conservation, Kara Rogers sheds light on the multiple ways in which humans, medicine, and plants are interconnected. With accessible and engaging writing, she explores the relationships between humans and plants, relating the stories of plant hunters of centuries past and examining the impact of human activities on the environment and the world's biodiversity. Rogers also highlights the role that plant-based products can play in encouraging conservation and protecting the heritage and knowledge of indigenous peoples. Out of Nature provides a fresh perspective on modern drug innovation and its relationship with nature. The book delves into the complexity of biophilia—the innate human attraction to life in the natural world—and suggests that the reawakening of this drive is fundamental to expanding conservation efforts and improving medicine. Rogers's examination of plants, humans, and drug discovery also conveys a passionate optimism for the future of biodiversity and medicine. Including a collection of hand-drawn maps and plant illustrations created by the author, this well-researched narrative will inspire as well as inform.

Once Out of Nature

Once Out of Nature PDF Author: Andrea Nightingale
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226585751
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 259

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Book Description
Introduction -- Edenic and resurrected transhumans -- Scattered in time -- The unsituated self -- Body and book -- Unearthly bodies -- Epilogue: "mortal interindebtedness"--Appendix: Augustine on Paul's notion of the flesh and the body.

Out of School and Into Nature

Out of School and Into Nature PDF Author: Suzanne Slade
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
ISBN: 1634723996
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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Book Description
This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.

Nature Out of Place

Nature Out of Place PDF Author: Jason Van Driesche
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 1610910958
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description
Though the forests are still green and the lakes full of water, an unending stream of invasions is changing many ecosystems around the world from productive, tightly integrated webs of native species to loose assemblages of stressed native species and aggressive invaders. The earth is becoming what author David Quammen has called a "planet of weeds." Nature Out of Place brings this devastating but overlooked crisis to the forefront of public consciousness by offering a fascinating exploration of its causes and consequences, along with a thoughtful and practical consideration of what can be done about it. The father and son team of Jason and Roy Van Driesche offer a unique combination of narratives that highlight specific locations and problems along with comprehensive explanations of the underlying scientific and policy issues.Chapters examine Hawaii, where introduced feral pigs are destroying the islands' native forests; zebra mussel invasion in the rivers of Ohio; the decades-long effort to eradicate an invasive weed on the Great Plains; and a story about the restoration of both ecological and human history in an urban natural area. In-depth background chapters explain topics ranging from how ecosystems become diverse, to the characteristics of effective invaders, to procedures and policies that can help prevent future invasions. The book ends with a number of specific suggestions for ways that individuals can help reduce the impacts of invasive species, and offers resources for further information.By bringing the problem of invasive species to life for readers at all levels, Nature Out of Place will play an essential role in the vital effort to raise public awareness of this ongoing ecological crisis.

Nature Out of Balance

Nature Out of Balance PDF Author: Merrie-Ellen Wilcox
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
ISBN: 1459823974
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Book Description
Invasive species threaten local ecosystems and the planet’s biodiversity, but are they all as bad as we think they are? Plants, animals, insects and fish are moving in. In Nature Out of Balance:How Invasive Species Are Changing the Planet author Merrie-Ellen Wilcox profiles all-star invasive species around the world, starting in her own neighbourhood, and warns that humans are the most invasive species of all. We find out how and why species become invasive, what we can do to stop their spread and whether it’s time to think differently about invasive species that are here to stay.

Outside Your Window

Outside Your Window PDF Author: Nicola Davies
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 076365549X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This gorgeously illustrated volume of poetry — sprinkled with facts and fun things to do — sows an early love for nature in all its beauty and wonder. The buzz of bees in summertime. The tracks of a bird in the winter snow. This beautiful book captures all the sights and sounds of a child’s interactions with nature, from planting acorns or biting into crisp apples to studying tide pools or lying back and watching the birds overhead. No matter what’s outside their windows — city streets or country meadows — kids will be inspired to explore the world around them. Written by award-winning author Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld, a breathtaking new talent in children’s books, Outside Your Window is a stunning reminder that the natural world is on our doorstep waiting to be discovered.

Once Out of Nature

Once Out of Nature PDF Author: Andrea Nightingale
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226585786
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 259

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Book Description
Once Out of Nature offers an original interpretation of Augustine’s theory of time and embodiment. Andrea Nightingale draws on philosophy, sociology, literary theory, and social history to analyze Augustine’s conception of temporality, eternity, and the human and transhuman condition. In Nightingale’s view, the notion of embodiment illuminates a set of problems much larger than the body itself: it captures the human experience of being an embodied soul dwelling on earth. In Augustine’s writings, humans live both in and out of nature—exiled from Eden and punished by mortality, they are “resident aliens” on earth. While the human body is subject to earthly time, the human mind is governed by what Nightingale calls psychic time. For the human psyche always stretches away from the present moment—where the physical body persists—into memories and expectations. As Nightingale explains, while the body is present in the here and now, the psyche cannot experience self-presence. Thus, for Augustine, the human being dwells in two distinct time zones, in earthly time and in psychic time. The human self, then, is a moving target. Adam, Eve, and the resurrected saints, by contrast, live outside of time and nature: these transhumans dwell in an everlasting present. Nightingale connects Augustine’s views to contemporary debates about transhumans and suggests that Augustine’s thought reflects our own ambivalent relationship with our bodies and the earth. Once Out of Nature offers a compelling invitation to ponder the boundaries of the human.

Step Gently Out

Step Gently Out PDF Author: Helen Frost
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 0763695173
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
“A dazzlingly poetic photo album of the insect world for tots on up.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) What would happen if you walked very, very quietly and looked carefully at the natural world outside? You might see a cricket leap, a moth spread her wings, or a spider step across a silken web. In simple, evocative language, Helen Frost hints at the many tiny creatures around us, while in stunning close-up photographs, Rick Lieder captures a katydid's eye, a firefly, and many more living wonders awaiting discovery. Back matter amplifies the descriptions of the insects and spiders in the book.

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative PDF Author: Florence Williams
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393242722
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 206

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Book Description
"Highly informative and remarkably entertaining." —Elle From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.

Cured by Nature

Cured by Nature PDF Author: Tara Mackey
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 163450884X
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 347

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Book Description
Life can be stressful, overwhelming, and sometimes difficult to cope with. Modern medical professionals will tell you to take various prescription medications, which can ultimately do more harm than good. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Healing is all in the mind and can be attained through finding harmony in your own life and resorting to natural remedies already provided by the very environment in which you live. Blogger Tara Mackey, who has a background in science, shares her own experiences with stress, depression, and anxiety and teaches you how to break free from them. Growing up, Tara suffered from dependency on various prescription drugs for depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She witnessed her best friend’s decline and suicide and watched helplessly as the effects of heroin addiction took a hold of her mother. At age twenty-four, she decided that enough was enough and quit her prescription meds cold-turkey in search for happiness. Today, she is drug-free, stress-free, and happy. Cured by Nature is Tara’s personal story combined with her knowledge and advice to battling personal demons and coming out victorious. Follow Tara as she shows you how to adapt and grow, using various herbal remedies, breathing exercises, and mind-strengthening techniques that will help you be a happier and better you.