Showing titles in Science & Technology Leaders

Pioneering oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer unravels the mystery of marine currents, uncovers the astonishing story of flotsam, and changes the world's view of trash, the ocean, and our global environment. Curtis Ebbesmeyer is no ordinary scientist. He's been a consulting oceanographer for multinational firms and a lead scientist on international research expeditions, but he's never held a conventional academic appointment.

On the night of March 26, 1938, nuclear physicist Ettore Majorana boarded a ship, cash and passport in hand. He was never seen again. In A Brilliant Darkness, theoretical physicist Joo Magueijo tells the story of Majorana and his research group, the Via Panisperna Boys, who discovered atomic fission in 1934. As Majorana, the most brilliant of the group, began to realize the implications of what they had found, he became increasingly unstable.

Lo scienziato Albert Einstein è a tutti gli effetti l’icona indiscussa del genio e una delle figure più famose e riconoscibili di tutti i tempi. Se immaginiamo un genio, uno scienziato, il pensiero va automaticamente a quel volto bonario, solcato da un sorriso ironico e circondato da una massa di capelli arruffati. I tratti che spesso sono associati al genio (l'anticonformismo, il rifiuto delle convenzioni, l’essere controcorrente) sono proprio quelli di una personalità tanto complessa quanto affascinante come quella di Einstein.

Grazie al pensiero e alle opere di Isaac Newton, oggi siamo in grado di applicare le leggi matematiche alla fisica, di calcolare con precisione la diversa forza di gravità sui vari pianeti o di comprendere la natura della luce e della rifrazione dei colori. Il suo apporto alle scienze moderne è inestimabile e moltissime teorie che oggi diamo per scontate derivano dai suoi lavori in molteplici campi della scienza, ma anche della filosofia e della teologia.

Here's a biographical profile of James Ward Packard, an American automobile pioneer. Unlike many of the automobile pioneers who received their primary training with blacksmiths, or under watchful eyes of mechanics in wagon, bicycle or railroad shops, Packard and his older brother William learned their trade as engineering students at Lehigh University.

Here's a biographical profile of the White brothers who built steamers and trucks and developed a reputation for unique marketing concepts. "The Fight of the Century" took place in 1910, pitting Jack Johnson, the first African American heavyweight boxing champion against Jim Jefferies who was white. The fight was shrouded with racial tension and gave rise to the term "Great White Hope," referring to the need to find a white man capable of defeating the black champion.

A magazine interview with Nikola Tesla in his laboratory, a man often considered the most brilliant American inventor. This article presents a fascinating overview of the genius at the very peak of his illustrious career.

How did the minimally trained, isolated Srinivasa Ramanujan, with little more than an out-of-date elementary textbook, anticipate some of the deepest theoretical problems of mathematics—including concepts discovered only after his death?

Here's a biographical profile of Charles and J. Frank Duryea, two visionaries who were among the first to recognize the potential of the automobile. In 1892 they built America's first gasoline-powered car and had it running successfully the following year.

Ninteen ninety-four, Northern California. The Internet is just emerging from its origins in the military and university research labs. Groups of idealistic technologists, recognizing its potential as a tool for liberation and solidarity, are working feverishly to build the network. In the early chat rooms of one such gathering, soon-to-become-famous as The WELL, a Stanford futurist named Tom Mandel creates a new conference. In a topic headed "Local Bug Report", he asks for advice from fellow online participants about how he might shake off a persistent hacking cough.

How many Internet years ahead of the competition are you? If you're using networking for competitive advantage in the marketplace, you're on the right track, says Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers. Chambers believes networking is the most significant generation of the computer revolution, with wide-ranging implications for productivity in businesses worldwide. He provides examples of leading-edge companies, including Cisco, that are using networking effectively.

We are in a Golden Age of Technology, and to take advantage of its opportunities, we must focus on the consumer market, says Joe Costello, CEO of Cadence Design Systems. In a series of illuminating case studies, Costello explains how long-standing business models will not stand up to the new challenges involved in bringing electronic innovations to today's market. Costello draws upon years of experience in physics and theory to paint a clear picture of the partnerships, priorities, and strategies businesses will need to create to stay competitive.

Kepler is the perfect audiobook for science and history geeks! In this delightful biography of one of astronomy's greatest stars, Walter W. Bryant brings to life the story of John (or Johannes) Kepler, who discovered the physical laws that govern the motion of the planets and stars. Kepler's life in the early 17th century was filled with themes common to even today's modern scientists: securing funding to continue his work, finding colleagues who agreed with his theories, avoiding persecution by the church.

How has Intuit, the financial software application provider, been transformed by the Internet? CEO William Campbell describes Intuit's partnership with the search engine Excite to create the site Quicken.com. Together, the two companies connect with nine million people looking for personal finance information online. Highlights of Campbell's talk include advice on creating an online community, managing and distributing online content, and a look at online revenue models.

A biographical story written in 1888, this is a look at both Professor Morse as well as those who inspired him. We get to experience the frustration he felt at the initial lack of backing by the U.S. Government, and the joy he experienced at proving his theories and expanding the reach of his greatest invention - the telegraph. We also learn that, beyond a profound inventor, Morse was first known as a very gifted artist. This is a biographical sketch for all ages. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

A biography of the famed inventor of the phone. We learn the very personal motivation behind his work. We also come to understand that the information comes from the pen of one who made his observations while Bell was still alive - and still inventing. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

What will the World Wide Web mean to your business? Scott McNealy answers that the Web levels the playing field, empowering businesses, industries, and "any 12-year-old with a PC" to reach millions of potential customers, listeners, and subscribers. McNealy, the president and CEO of Sun Microsystems, offers a number of startling revelations for business leaders on how to retool their organizations so they're not left with obsolete technology and poorly-equipped employees.

From the acclaimed New York Times science writer George Johnson, an irresistible book on the ten most fascinating experiments in the history of science—moments when a curious soul posed a particularly eloquent question to nature and received a crisp, unambiguous reply. Johnson takes us to...

Here's a biographical profile of Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Once upon a time there were four friends who called themselves the Vagabonds. They took summer trips together, shared their thoughts, dreams and visions, and forever changed the world we live in. They were born into simple farming families but set their horizons well beyond their pastures. They were inventive and industrious, and they achieved extraordinary success.

Here's a biographical profile of the Duesenberg brothers, Augie and Fred, who built some of America's most famous cars, cars that today sell for millions at auctions. Jay Leno, owner of an extensive classic car collection, calls the Duesenberg SJ his favorite car. He feels it is "probably the greatest American car" ever built. The Duesenberg name evokes images of a European heritage, an automobile built in the image and traditions of iconic stalwarts such as Mercedes, Benz, Bugatti and Ferrari.