Did you know you share your home with monsters?! In this book explore the menagerie of tiny and unusual creatures--arthropods (insects, mites, and spiders)--found in our lawns and gardens, our food, our beds, our clothes, and even our eyelashes. Some of these monsters are so tiny that they were barely recognized, even by scientists, until the invention of the electron microscope. Although they may seem like aliens from another planet, these miniscule...

"We can't see them, but microbes are the dominant form of life on Earth. They make up half of the world's biomass. They were here billions of years before we were, and they will be here after we are gone. Without their activity, life as we know it would be impossible. Even within our own bodies, there are ten times as many bacterial cells as human cells. Understanding Microbes provides a clear, accessible introduction to this world of microbes. As...

Humans knew what yeast did long before they knew what it was. It was not until Louis Pasteur's experiments in the 1860s that scientists even acknowledged its classification as a fungus. A compelling blend of science, history, and sociology The Rise of Yeast explores the rich, strange, and utterly symbiotic relationship between people and yeast.

Dr. Claire Elliot, having moved from the city with her son to set up practice in Tranquility, Maine, is looking forward to a peaceful life, but when the town's teenagers start committing violent acts, Claire knows she has to find the cause before it ruins Tranquility and her family.

Frontline reporter David Hoffman investigates the alarming rise in hospitals, communities, and across the globe of untreatable infections. Fueled by decades of antibiotic overuse, the crisis has deepened as major drug companies have abandoned the development of new antibiotics. Without swift action, the miracle age of antibiotics could be coming to an end.

"Microbiomes: A Very Short Introduction provides a succinct overview of the communities of microorganisms that inhabit animals (including humans) and plants. Microbiomes are generally beneficial to their animal and plant hosts, functioning to promote healthy growth, to protect against infectious disease, and, in some animals, to support complex behavioural traits, such as learning and memory. However, under some circumstances, the microbiome can cause...

In the evolutionary arms race that has raged on since life began, organisms have developed an endless variety of survival strategies. From sharp claws to brute strength, camouflage to venom--all these tools and abilities share one purpose: to keep their bearer alive long enough to reproduce, helping the species avoid extinction. Every living thing on this planet has developed a time-tested arsenal of weapons and defenses. Some of these weapons and...

"This book explores the current practices and widespread open challenges in the field of applications of computational techniques in smart agriculture. It also examines computational methods that will aid in agriculture disease management, weed detection, and crop yield prediction"--Provided by publisher.