- LMG London: kdesk@lernermedia.co.uk Phone: UK +44.(0) 141.416.0408; Paris: +33 0870.469.221; Cambridge (U.S.) +01 251.377.3564
K. Lee Lerner
Harvard University, Alumnus, Department Member
- Harvard University, Harvard School of Public Health, Department MemberHarvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Department Memberadd
- Science and Factual Media., History of Scientific Thought, History of Science, Artifical Intelligence, International Relations, Crisis Management, and 43 moreCrisis communication and management, Disaster Management, Disaster risk management, Emergency Management, Public Health, Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Security Threat Groups, Political Violence and Terrorism, Cyber Security, Privacy and data protection, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Nuclear Weapons, Biological Weapons, Chemical Weapons, Molecular Biology, Physics, Physics Education, Chemistry, Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Psychology, Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, History, Military History, Sailing and Maritime history and archaeology, Archaeology, Climate Change, Environmental Risk Communication, Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Science, Environmental Education, Environmental Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Neural Networks, Intelligence, Renewable Energy, Energy, and Energy and Environmentedit
- "Recognized for his balanced presentation, accuracy, and use of language, K. Lee Lerner's extensive dossier contains ... more"Recognized for his balanced presentation, accuracy, and use of language, K. Lee Lerner's extensive dossier contains multiple award-winning books and media projects. Across more than three decades and from every continent, Lerner's writing and thought-provoking 'Taking Bearings' essays have ranged the human intellectual enterprise to offer evidence-based insights on science, technology, and global issues. A member of the National Press Club in Washington, Lerner's influential Academia site consistently ranks among those most frequently accessed by students, scholars, and decision makers around the world."
A CV, bibliography, and additional biograpahical information are available at scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner
Photo: K. Lee Lerner working on assignment in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. May, 2012. Copyright and reuse policy: Unless otherwise attributed, all writing and photos on this site are © K. Lee Lerner or ©LMG. All commercial rights reserved. The content is, however, CC BY-NC-ND for scholarly non-commercial use.edit
*Outstanding Academic Title (2010); *CODIE Finalist: Best Online News Service; *SLJournal 10 Best] K. Lee Lerner served as Editor-in-Chief and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner served as a senior editor for GIC content development and they were... more
*Outstanding Academic Title (2010); *CODIE Finalist: Best Online News Service; *SLJournal 10 Best] K. Lee Lerner served as Editor-in-Chief and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner served as a senior editor for GIC content development and they were instrumental in developing the "In Context" concept for Cengage. GIC was one of the first internet-based resources to be named an Outstanding Academic Title, a designation previously reserved for books. After the launch of of GIC in 2009 Lerner & Lerner continued to serve as primary advisors and contributing editors for science and public health content until 2018.
Research Interests:
*CODiE Winner: Best Online Science or Technology Resource. Since 2003, K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner have served as the principal science advisors and contributing editors for this respected online science educational... more
*CODiE Winner: Best Online Science or Technology Resource. Since 2003, K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner have served as the principal science advisors and contributing editors for this respected online science educational resource. Many of the articles in the collection come from other Lerner & Lerner works, including the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, the RUSA and Outstanding Academic Title award-winning Environmental Encyclopedia, and Macmillan Science Reference Series articles. New news-driven contributions by K. Lee Lerner, serving as an author or contributing editor, are continuously added and updated.
Research Interests:
Selected by the Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, Naval War College Library, UK Defence Staff College, and other official defense/intelligence collections including Georgetown University, which included EEIS in its Selected Resources... more
Selected by the Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, Naval War College Library, UK Defence Staff College, and other official defense/intelligence collections including Georgetown University, which included EEIS in its Selected Resources for Security Studies, calling EEIS "a sound starter resource for undergraduate students.” .// ""In composing The Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security (EEIS) our goal was to shape a modern encyclopedia offering immediate value to our intended readers by emphasizing matters of espionage, intelligence, and security most frequently in the news. // EEIS is not intended as a classical "spy book," filled with tales of daring operations. More comprehensive coverage of a long history and intricate web of characters, intrigues, and evolution of agencies from a global perspective will require additional volumes. Instead, within a framework of historical overviews, EEIS emphasizes the scientific foundations, applications of technology, and organizational structure of modern espionage, intelligence, and security…. (download to read more) — K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Cornwall, England. May, 2003"
Research Interests: History of Science and Technology, Political Geography and Geopolitics, International Security, Nuclear Weapons, Biological Weapons, and 6 moreChemical Weapons, Intelligence and Espionage, Spying and Intelligence, Satellite Remote Sensing & Image Processing, Arms Control and Disarmament, and Cyberwarfare, Cyberterrorism, Geopolitics
*RUSA Book and Media Award (2013); *Booklist Editor's Choice (2012). Life is ancient, grounded in the physics, chemistry, and evolutionary biology of earth. In contrast, today's biotechnology marshals new ideas and techniques with the... more
*RUSA Book and Media Award (2013); *Booklist Editor's Choice (2012). Life is ancient, grounded in the physics, chemistry, and evolutionary biology of earth. In contrast, today's biotechnology marshals new ideas and techniques with the potential to reshape the planet and now, life itself. // The historical development of biomedical technology, the fusion of mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles, is deeply entwined with centuries of advances in medicine. Modern biotechnology is also unquestionably, a rapidly expanding field that promises important and rewarding work for generations of students. // The problems facing the world in fighting hunger, pollution, and disease cry out for innovative scientific solutions. Accordingly, for many, biotechnology is a beacon toward engineering solutions, but for some, the manipulation of life offers a Siren song of peril." — K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Cambridge, MA. December 2011. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
*Outstanding Academic Title (2009) Humanity shares a common ancestry with all living things on Earth. We often share especially close intimacies with the microbial world. In fact, only a small percentage of the cells in the human body... more
*Outstanding Academic Title (2009) Humanity shares a common ancestry with all living things on Earth. We often share especially close intimacies with the microbial world. In fact, only a small percentage of the cells in the human body are human at all. We are vastly outnumbered, even within our bodies, by microbial life that can only be counted on the same scale as the vast numbers of stars in the universe. This is also an essential relationship, because humanity could not survive without an array of microflora that both nourish us and that provide needed enzymes for life processes. Yet, the common biology and biochemistry that unites us also makes us susceptible to contracting and transmitting infectious disease. (continued… download to read more) — K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors Dublin, Ireland, July 2007 // The book is respectfully dedicated to Dr. Carlo Urbani and those who risk--and far often sacrifice--their lives in an attempt to lesson the toll of infectious disease."
Research Interests:
Many of the great successes in public heath and medicine also serve as important social milestones for humanity, especially with regard to the prevention and treatment of disease. While civic sanitation, water purification, immunization,... more
Many of the great successes in public heath and medicine also serve as important social milestones for humanity, especially with regard to the prevention and treatment of disease. While civic sanitation, water purification, immunization, and antibiotics have dramatically reduced the overall morbidity and the mortality of disease in advanced nations, much of the world is still ravaged by disease and epidemics, and new threats--including lifestyle diseases--constantly appear to challenge the most advanced medical and public health systems. // At its core, WMGH contains assessable explanations of many recent scientific advances in public health, advances in medicine, molecular biology, genetics, epidemiology, and related fields. // Another key and distinguishing feature of WMGH is an attempt to articulate links between science and social facets of global health issues. Despite their prevalence, many issues cannot be distantly cast from their intimate influence over daily life, economic impacts, and social context. Accordingly, a focus of WMGH is the attempt to identify the social determinants of health. (continued, download to read more) — Brenda Wilmoth Lerner & K. Lee Lerner; editors. Cambridge, Mass. April, 2015 [Selected for scholarly health science collections around the world, including collections at Princeton, Michigan. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Emory, Duke, UNC; Notre Dame; University College London, and the National Library of Medicine.]
Research Interests:
*RUSA Book and Media Award (2009); ”Timely… Clear… Concise.. Stunning…” An “excellent guide to a vitally important issue” Ref Rev (October 2008). Editors’ introductions to books usually attempt to offer words of motivation designed to... more
*RUSA Book and Media Award (2009); ”Timely… Clear… Concise.. Stunning…” An “excellent guide to a vitally important issue” Ref Rev (October 2008). Editors’ introductions to books usually attempt to offer words of motivation designed to inspire readers toward their studies. For Climate Change: In Context, however, the editors wish to stand aside a bit and ask readers, especially students just beginning their serious studies of science, to carefully read the special introductions by Dr. Wallace S. Broecker (Newberry Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Columbia University, recipient of the National Science Medal (1996), and member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the British Royal Society).and Thomas Hayden that immediately follow. Together, these introductions serve as exemplary primary sources (personal narratives from experts in the field of climate change) and as both elegant motivation to readers to carefully consider the issues and impacts of climate change, and eloquent calls to actively engage in the challenge of finding solutions. // In the wake of the stunning 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, Climate Change: In Context is one of the first reference books designed to attempt to explain the complexities of those reports..." "Science sometimes speaks truths we might not wish to hear, and at this time in human history science is speaking clearly, with a chorus of voices, that with regard to the human activities that drive climate change, it is now time to fuse our science and technology with our noblest qualities of caring, commitment, and sacrifice so that our children enjoy the pleasures of the good Earth." (continued) -- K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds. Paris, France. December 2007
Research Interests: Environmental Engineering, History, Environmental Science, Environmental Education, Social Sciences, and 17 moreEnvironmental Law, Globalization, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Studies, Climate change policy, Climatology, Environmental Management, Energy and Environment, Climate Change Adaptation And Mitigation Strategies, Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change Impacts, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Global Warming, Climate Change and Food Security, Climate Change in Developing Countries, and Geophysics and Geoscience
We competed Environmental Science: in Context (ESIC) while working on assignment in China and Cambodia in June 2008. In Beijing, preparations for the 2008 Olympics were nearing completion, with the last bits of construction finishing in a... more
We competed Environmental Science: in Context (ESIC) while working on assignment in China and Cambodia in June 2008. In Beijing, preparations for the 2008 Olympics were nearing completion, with the last bits of construction finishing in a flurry of activity. The city and its generous people readied themselves to put the best foot forward as host to the world. Flower boxes lined airports and roadways, all overflowing with beauty.
The excitement in the air was palpable, but so too was the pollution that at times tortured the lungs and brought both real and symbolic tears to the eyes.
Walking along a road one day, we watched as a small piece of paper, no larger than a gum wrapper, flew off the backpack of a young man speeding along on his bicycle to work or school. The young man never saw the litter and soon turned a corner. The small piece of paper, something that would be inconspicuous among the debris routinely encountered along streets in most of the other great capitals of the world, stood in stark contrast to the meticulously clean street and generous bike path. Less than a minute later, however, a woman peddling by in the opposite direction spotted the paper, turned, stopped, dismounted from her bicycle, picked up the paper and put in her own backpack before resuming her journey. // The incident contrasted a people meticulous and caring of their environment with inhabitants of a city sometimes choked with smog, and in an instant crystallized our understanding that it is simply not the case that the Chinese do not care about pollution in Beijing or other cities. Rather it is the case that modern China and other developing economies now face the very same tests of balancing economic growth with environmental concerns that many Western governments and cites failed during the twentieth century. (more) Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Beijing, China. June, 2008.
The excitement in the air was palpable, but so too was the pollution that at times tortured the lungs and brought both real and symbolic tears to the eyes.
Walking along a road one day, we watched as a small piece of paper, no larger than a gum wrapper, flew off the backpack of a young man speeding along on his bicycle to work or school. The young man never saw the litter and soon turned a corner. The small piece of paper, something that would be inconspicuous among the debris routinely encountered along streets in most of the other great capitals of the world, stood in stark contrast to the meticulously clean street and generous bike path. Less than a minute later, however, a woman peddling by in the opposite direction spotted the paper, turned, stopped, dismounted from her bicycle, picked up the paper and put in her own backpack before resuming her journey. // The incident contrasted a people meticulous and caring of their environment with inhabitants of a city sometimes choked with smog, and in an instant crystallized our understanding that it is simply not the case that the Chinese do not care about pollution in Beijing or other cities. Rather it is the case that modern China and other developing economies now face the very same tests of balancing economic growth with environmental concerns that many Western governments and cites failed during the twentieth century. (more) Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Beijing, China. June, 2008.
Research Interests:
"… At the core of scientific thought is the assertion that the laws of physics and chemistry are the same throughout the universe. Although humans now understand some of the key laws that shape the Cosmos, other laws--and the multitude... more
"… At the core of scientific thought is the assertion that the laws of physics and chemistry are the same throughout the universe. Although humans now understand some of the key laws that shape the Cosmos, other laws--and the multitude of manifestations that evolve from them--remain shrouded in wonderful mystery to be peeled back by future generations. Such is the power of science's self corrective mechanisms that, far above differences in culture and regardless of the language used to describe those laws or the social station of the eye viewing them (or whatever has evolved to be something akin to an eye in that part of the Universe), ultimately the laws of science will be found to be the same. (continued… download to read more) — K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Paris, France. December, 2007.
Research Interests:
In publication since 1906, the venerable American Men and Women of Science remains without peer as a chronicle of scientific endeavor and achievement ..." -- WorldTrade Review Essays "The Cadillac of scientific biography" --... more
In publication since 1906, the venerable American Men and Women of Science remains without peer as a chronicle of scientific endeavor and achievement ..." -- WorldTrade Review Essays
"The Cadillac of scientific biography" -- Booklist. Selected for collections at Princeton, Harvard, MIT, JPL/ Caltech; the Wellcome Trust Collection, and more
K. Lee Lerner has served on the Advisory Board for American Men and Women of Science for the last 20 editions (21st through 40th edition; 2003-0222), He is currently working as an advisor for the 41st edition due to be published in 2023.
First published as American Men of Science by J. McKeen Cattell in 1906, throughout its 116 year history American Men and Women of Science has recognized both men and women scientists who have made significant contributions in their field. In 1971, the name of the series was changed to American Men and Women of Science.
American Men and Women of Science includes scientists selected for their contributions to science as measured by their publications in reputable scientific journals and media. Also included are those whose work cannot be published due to governmental or industrial security. Inclusion criteria include awards, grants and other forms of recognition, publication record, attainment of a position of substantial scientific responsibility, and nomination by peers in their respective fields. Scientists who are not citizens of the United States or Canada are included if a significant portion of their work was performed in North America.
"The Cadillac of scientific biography" -- Booklist. Selected for collections at Princeton, Harvard, MIT, JPL/ Caltech; the Wellcome Trust Collection, and more
K. Lee Lerner has served on the Advisory Board for American Men and Women of Science for the last 20 editions (21st through 40th edition; 2003-0222), He is currently working as an advisor for the 41st edition due to be published in 2023.
First published as American Men of Science by J. McKeen Cattell in 1906, throughout its 116 year history American Men and Women of Science has recognized both men and women scientists who have made significant contributions in their field. In 1971, the name of the series was changed to American Men and Women of Science.
American Men and Women of Science includes scientists selected for their contributions to science as measured by their publications in reputable scientific journals and media. Also included are those whose work cannot be published due to governmental or industrial security. Inclusion criteria include awards, grants and other forms of recognition, publication record, attainment of a position of substantial scientific responsibility, and nomination by peers in their respective fields. Scientists who are not citizens of the United States or Canada are included if a significant portion of their work was performed in North America.
Research Interests:
The Essential Primary Source series by K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, et al., that critics described as well written, thoughtful and cogent. Individual volumes topically related to issues provide historical context and insights... more
The Essential Primary Source series by K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, et al., that critics described as well written, thoughtful and cogent. Individual volumes topically related to issues provide historical context and insights into people, places, and issues still dominating news headlines as well as the scholars, journalists and other experts who document history in the making. The series volumes include Terrorism; Medicine, Health, and Bioethics; Environmental Issues; Crime and Punishment; Government, Politics, and Protest; Gender Issues and Sexuality; Human and Civil Rights; Immigration and Multiculturalism; Social Policy, and more.
K. Lee Lerner served as editor-in-chief for the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 3rd (2003), 4th (2009), and 5th editions (2014). He continued as an advisor and contributing subject matter expert for the 6th edition published in 2021.... more
K. Lee Lerner served as editor-in-chief for the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 3rd (2003), 4th (2009), and 5th editions (2014). He continued as an advisor and contributing subject matter expert for the 6th edition published in 2021.
GES 6th edition Introduction by K, Lee Lerner
At its printing, the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th Edition features the latest in vetted climate data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the most recent assessments made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other global monitoring agencies on topics ranging from atmospheric greenhouses gas levels to sea level rise. Key articles also include information and generalized predictions relating climate change to severe storms, floods, and draught for regions around the world including the impacts of climate change—both observed and predicted—in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America, South America, and in small island nations.
With a global pandemic of COVID-19 underway due to an outbreak of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, the editors have attempted to strengthen this edition's coverage of emerging diseases. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science includes updated articles on epidemics, pandemics, epidemiology, hepatitis variants, SARS, H1N1, H5N1, the MERS coronavirus in the Middle East, the H7N9 flu virus and a new article on the first six months of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Because knowledge related to these diseases—especially COVID- 19—changes rapidly with science and medical advances, readers must always consult their personal health care provider to ensure that they have the latest information that applies to their individual needs.
Advances in biotechnology, especially related to genome editing and related molecular genetic engineering technologies—including 2020 Nobel Prize winning work related to the development of CRISPR technologies—are expertly covered in Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th Edition <download to read more> K. Lee Lerner Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 2020.
GES 6th edition Introduction by K, Lee Lerner
At its printing, the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th Edition features the latest in vetted climate data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the most recent assessments made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other global monitoring agencies on topics ranging from atmospheric greenhouses gas levels to sea level rise. Key articles also include information and generalized predictions relating climate change to severe storms, floods, and draught for regions around the world including the impacts of climate change—both observed and predicted—in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America, South America, and in small island nations.
With a global pandemic of COVID-19 underway due to an outbreak of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, the editors have attempted to strengthen this edition's coverage of emerging diseases. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science includes updated articles on epidemics, pandemics, epidemiology, hepatitis variants, SARS, H1N1, H5N1, the MERS coronavirus in the Middle East, the H7N9 flu virus and a new article on the first six months of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Because knowledge related to these diseases—especially COVID- 19—changes rapidly with science and medical advances, readers must always consult their personal health care provider to ensure that they have the latest information that applies to their individual needs.
Advances in biotechnology, especially related to genome editing and related molecular genetic engineering technologies—including 2020 Nobel Prize winning work related to the development of CRISPR technologies—are expertly covered in Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th Edition <download to read more> K. Lee Lerner Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 2020.
The GES 5th edition features revisions to more than 1600 articles and includes more than 70 new articles. More than 900 entries feature substantial new sections and updates. Just as this revision of the GES went to press the... more
The GES 5th edition features revisions to more than 1600 articles and includes more than 70 new articles. More than 900 entries feature substantial new sections and updates.
Just as this revision of the GES went to press the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a draft copy of its Fifth Assessment Report, a study of published climate-related research compiled by 259 leading scientists and released in late September 2013. With the help of expert advisors and an array of support staff, key GES entries now include the most important 2013 IPPC findings on topics ranging from greenhouses gas levels to sea level rise. Key articles also include information and generalized predictions relating climate change to severe storms, floods, and draught. Critical commentary on substantiated scientific debates is also included where appropriate.
The latest edition of GES also contains a region-specific cluster of articles on both observed and predicted climate change related impacts. New articles focus on climate change in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America, South America, and small island nations.
In addition to climate change, the editors have attempted to strengthen the GES 5th edition's coverage of emerging diseases. Accordingly, GES now includes new and substantially updated articles on epidemics, pandemics, epidemiology, hepatitis variants, SARS, H1N1, H5N1, the MERS coronavirus in the Middle East, and the H7N9 flu virus that emerged in China during 2013. (more) -- K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors-in-chief /contributing editors. Cambridge, Mass. October 2013.
Just as this revision of the GES went to press the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a draft copy of its Fifth Assessment Report, a study of published climate-related research compiled by 259 leading scientists and released in late September 2013. With the help of expert advisors and an array of support staff, key GES entries now include the most important 2013 IPPC findings on topics ranging from greenhouses gas levels to sea level rise. Key articles also include information and generalized predictions relating climate change to severe storms, floods, and draught. Critical commentary on substantiated scientific debates is also included where appropriate.
The latest edition of GES also contains a region-specific cluster of articles on both observed and predicted climate change related impacts. New articles focus on climate change in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America, South America, and small island nations.
In addition to climate change, the editors have attempted to strengthen the GES 5th edition's coverage of emerging diseases. Accordingly, GES now includes new and substantially updated articles on epidemics, pandemics, epidemiology, hepatitis variants, SARS, H1N1, H5N1, the MERS coronavirus in the Middle East, and the H7N9 flu virus that emerged in China during 2013. (more) -- K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors-in-chief /contributing editors. Cambridge, Mass. October 2013.
Research Interests:
Science and news never stop, and after this revision of GES4 went to press, developments continued to evolve on included topics. For example: In April 2007, NASA announced its conclusion that an errant computer command resulted in a... more
Science and news never stop, and after this revision of GES4 went to press, developments continued to evolve on included topics. For example: In April 2007, NASA announced its conclusion that an errant computer command resulted in a November 2006 fatal malfunction to the Mars Global Surveyor probe that ended its already extended scientific mission. Such events, however, do not greatly impact the value of the fundamental information offered in GES articles. Especially with regard to topics in medicine or health, however, readers must always consult their personal health care provider to ensure that they have the latest information that applies to their individual needs.
One event that occurred after GES4 went to press was so significant that the editors desire to offer an update in this introduction.
At a press conference at Paris in February 2007, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists offered landmark consensus that strong scientific evidence supports the assertion that "most of the observed increase" in global warming is due to observed increases in greenhouse gases contributed by human (anthropogenic) activity. The report findings instantly fueled global debate on how to respond to the report's ominous predictions regarding climate change.
The IPCC panel described progress in understanding both the natural and human impacts on climate change, including data related to observed climate change, the methods involved in the scientific study of climate processes, and estimates of projected future climate change. The report expanded upon prior IPCC reports and incorporated new data and findings discovered since the last report in 2001. <more> K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. London, U.K. October, 2008.
One event that occurred after GES4 went to press was so significant that the editors desire to offer an update in this introduction.
At a press conference at Paris in February 2007, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists offered landmark consensus that strong scientific evidence supports the assertion that "most of the observed increase" in global warming is due to observed increases in greenhouse gases contributed by human (anthropogenic) activity. The report findings instantly fueled global debate on how to respond to the report's ominous predictions regarding climate change.
The IPCC panel described progress in understanding both the natural and human impacts on climate change, including data related to observed climate change, the methods involved in the scientific study of climate processes, and estimates of projected future climate change. The report expanded upon prior IPCC reports and incorporated new data and findings discovered since the last report in 2001. <more> K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. London, U.K. October, 2008.
Research Interests:
K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner also served as editors for the 4th edition in 2009 and the 5th edition in 2014. K. Lee Lerner served as an Advisor and contributing editor for the 6th edition in 2021. Please see the abstract from... more
K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner also served as editors for the 4th edition in 2009 and the 5th edition in 2014. K. Lee Lerner served as an Advisor and contributing editor for the 6th edition in 2021. Please see the abstract from his guest introduction to GES6.
Research Interests:
*LMC/ARBA Best of Reference (2014 ) We live in an increasingly digital world where an understanding of basic computer science principles and applications is essential... Computer Sciences enables students and readers to understand how... more
*LMC/ARBA Best of Reference (2014 ) We live in an increasingly digital world where an understanding of basic computer science principles and applications is essential... Computer Sciences enables students and readers to understand how increases in computing capacity relate to the capacity to wage cyberwarfare; how viruses transform from annoyances to instruments of covert operations and computer crime; and how breakthroughs in technology enable online activism that contributes to social and political change. (download to read more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Cambridge, MA. December, 2012.
Research Interests:
Provides students and researchers with an easy-to-understand introduction to the fundamentals of sustainability using easy-to-understand language, giving readers a solid start and deeper understanding and appreciation of this complex... more
Provides students and researchers with an easy-to-understand introduction to the fundamentals of sustainability using easy-to-understand language, giving readers a solid start and deeper understanding and appreciation of this complex subject.
Whether students want to know how to live or work more sustainably, or want to know more about the ecology of sustainability, or want to learn more about the economics or politics involved with sustainability, this is the resource to turn to.
Topics on sustainability range from he ecology of sustainability to economics and politics of sustainability, The 149 entries explain basic principles of Sustainability, ranging from Agricultural Runoff to Zoning Laws, as well as discussions of important treaties, laws, organizations, and events related to sustainability, such as Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and Earth Day.
Whether students want to know how to live or work more sustainably, or want to know more about the ecology of sustainability, or want to learn more about the economics or politics involved with sustainability, this is the resource to turn to.
Topics on sustainability range from he ecology of sustainability to economics and politics of sustainability, The 149 entries explain basic principles of Sustainability, ranging from Agricultural Runoff to Zoning Laws, as well as discussions of important treaties, laws, organizations, and events related to sustainability, such as Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and Earth Day.
Research Interests:
Alternative energy sources harvest locally available energy flows from wind, sun, vegetation, garbage, and the sea. This tends to disconnect energy consumers from distant, hostile suppliers and to stabilize energy markets against ups and... more
Alternative energy sources harvest locally available energy flows from wind, sun, vegetation, garbage, and the sea. This tends to disconnect energy consumers from distant, hostile suppliers and to stabilize energy markets against ups and downs in fuel costs. However, alternative energy sources are less concentrated than fossil-fuel sources and so have technical obstacles of their own to overcome.
The energy sources considered alternative today were the only ones available throughout most of human history.
Nonrenewable fuels such as coal and petroleum only began to be widely used starting with the Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s. Some renewables, such as hydropower and wood, remained in use even after the Industrial Revolution, though their share of the energy supply dwindled. Nuclear power first became available for electricity generation in the 1950s.
The Industrial Revolution changed energy production and use. Coal was burned in vast amounts to power factories and steam engines as the economies of Europe and North America grew and developed. Later, more efficient electricity became the preferred power source, but coal still had to be burned to produce electricity in large power plants. Then in 1886, the first internal combustion engine was developed and used in an automobile. Within a few decades there was a demand for gasoline to power these engines. By 1929, the number of cars in the United States had grown to twenty-three million, and in the quarter-century between 1904 and 1929, the number of trucks grew from just seven hundred to 3.4 million.
At the same time, technological advances improved life in the home. In 1920, for example, the United States produced a total of five thousand refrigerators. Just ten years later, the number had grown to one million per year. These and many other industrial and consumer developments required vast and growing amounts of fuel. Compounding the problem in the twenty-first century is that other nations of the world such as China and India are developing burgeoning and modern industrialized economies powered by fossil fuels. (download to read more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Apt, France. November, 2011
(more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Apt, France. November, 2011
The energy sources considered alternative today were the only ones available throughout most of human history.
Nonrenewable fuels such as coal and petroleum only began to be widely used starting with the Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s. Some renewables, such as hydropower and wood, remained in use even after the Industrial Revolution, though their share of the energy supply dwindled. Nuclear power first became available for electricity generation in the 1950s.
The Industrial Revolution changed energy production and use. Coal was burned in vast amounts to power factories and steam engines as the economies of Europe and North America grew and developed. Later, more efficient electricity became the preferred power source, but coal still had to be burned to produce electricity in large power plants. Then in 1886, the first internal combustion engine was developed and used in an automobile. Within a few decades there was a demand for gasoline to power these engines. By 1929, the number of cars in the United States had grown to twenty-three million, and in the quarter-century between 1904 and 1929, the number of trucks grew from just seven hundred to 3.4 million.
At the same time, technological advances improved life in the home. In 1920, for example, the United States produced a total of five thousand refrigerators. Just ten years later, the number had grown to one million per year. These and many other industrial and consumer developments required vast and growing amounts of fuel. Compounding the problem in the twenty-first century is that other nations of the world such as China and India are developing burgeoning and modern industrialized economies powered by fossil fuels. (download to read more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Apt, France. November, 2011
(more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Apt, France. November, 2011
Research Interests:
Energy is a subject that impacts lives and economies across the globe. Energy: In Context helps students understand the fundamentals of energy science, while also exploring the social, political, economic, and cultural factors that impact... more
Energy is a subject that impacts lives and economies across the globe. Energy: In Context helps students understand the fundamentals of energy science, while also exploring the social, political, economic, and cultural factors that impact how we find, use, store, and sometimes waste energy.
Although the term energy is frequently used in media reports and everyday conversation, energy is actually complex term to introduce to younger students. We describe energy as a tangible substance that can be created, stored, moved about, etc., but energy isn't a tangible physical entity. When we say that the sun's energy powers earth, for example, it isn't energy per se that is transported to earth. Energy itself only exists as a state function (a function of the state or position of matter). In the case of transferring energy from the sun to earth, photons are the vector of energy change.
In a very simplistic manner, we can describe the transfer of energy essentially in terms of light photons, emitted from fusion reactions and excited atoms in the sun, that travel through space at energy levels described by an electromagnetic spectrum of wavelengths and frequencies (or photon energy levels) that then strike something (atmospheric gas, water molecules in the ocean, land, or a sunbather in a park). The impact then changes the energy state of the target atoms so that the net result is that the solar energy obtained from reactions within the sun is effectively transferred to atoms on earth.
Accordingly, instead of a precise definition more commonly used in physics courses, Energy in Context adopts the most common usage for the term energy and thus puts off dealing with conceptual and linguistic complexities until students and readers are more advanced in their studies... (more) -- Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Cambridge, MA. June, 2016.
Although the term energy is frequently used in media reports and everyday conversation, energy is actually complex term to introduce to younger students. We describe energy as a tangible substance that can be created, stored, moved about, etc., but energy isn't a tangible physical entity. When we say that the sun's energy powers earth, for example, it isn't energy per se that is transported to earth. Energy itself only exists as a state function (a function of the state or position of matter). In the case of transferring energy from the sun to earth, photons are the vector of energy change.
In a very simplistic manner, we can describe the transfer of energy essentially in terms of light photons, emitted from fusion reactions and excited atoms in the sun, that travel through space at energy levels described by an electromagnetic spectrum of wavelengths and frequencies (or photon energy levels) that then strike something (atmospheric gas, water molecules in the ocean, land, or a sunbather in a park). The impact then changes the energy state of the target atoms so that the net result is that the solar energy obtained from reactions within the sun is effectively transferred to atoms on earth.
Accordingly, instead of a precise definition more commonly used in physics courses, Energy in Context adopts the most common usage for the term energy and thus puts off dealing with conceptual and linguistic complexities until students and readers are more advanced in their studies... (more) -- Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Cambridge, MA. June, 2016.
Research Interests:
*ALA/LMC Editor's Choice (2013); "Well-thought-out articles... excellent information is on point inside a slick, colorful, presentation..."-- Library JournalHuman Geography: People and the Environment provides insight into both regional... more
*ALA/LMC Editor's Choice (2013); "Well-thought-out articles... excellent information is on point inside a slick, colorful, presentation..."-- Library JournalHuman Geography: People and the Environment provides insight into both regional and global issues by addressing fundamental and advanced topics critical to the study of human geography. // The goal of Human Geography: People and the Environment is to help high-school and early college-age students understand the influence of geography, especially environmental resources, on the development of cultural, political, and economic differences that define, divide and unite peoples of the world. // Human Geography: People and the Environment was also written by teachers for teachers. The content is challenging and designed to give teachers another tool and set of viewpoints to stimulate critical thinking. // While yielding to experts in the field of human geography with regard to content included in Human Geography: People and the Environment, the lead editor, K. Lee Lerner, has taught AP Physics, AP Chemistry, and AP Biology. That real classroom teaching experience translates into crafting language and content complexity appropriate for AP and early undergraduate college students. // Just as the environment shapes society, human activity (anthropogenic activity) now leaves an unmistakable stamp upon the natural world. Human Geography: People and the Environment places special emphasis on exploring the impacts of human habitation and economic activity on the environment." (download to read more) — K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, & Sonia Benson, editors. Cambridge, MA and San Juan Capistrano, CA. October, 2012.
Research Interests:
*Selected by the Defense Intelligence Agency, Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Georgetown University, and the National Defense University."Extremist Groups will make users of this source as knowledgeable about... more
*Selected by the Defense Intelligence Agency, Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Georgetown University, and the National Defense University."Extremist Groups will make users of this source as knowledgeable about extremist groups as they can possibly be in the general population."--ARBA, March 2007. "for students doing in-depth research... the one to use." -– Reed / Elsevier. "The introduction on extremism is well worth reading… An excellent source for novice or experienced researchers. Highly recommended. CHOICE Oct, 2006. // What constitutes extremism is usually contentious and often a matter of cultural or political perspective. (continued) -- K. Lee Lerner. Paris. December, 2006.
Research Interests:
*Packs an impressive selection of primary source material, both in terms of subject coverage and format.” — Booklist, September 2006. Terrorism: Essential Primary Sources provides insight into the scale and complexities of terrorism... more
*Packs an impressive selection of primary source material, both in terms of subject coverage and format.” — Booklist, September 2006. Terrorism: Essential Primary Sources provides insight into the scale and complexities of terrorism across a sweeping landscape of time, geography, act, and motive. // Despite the suffering inflicted on the innocent, it is an unarguable political reality that what constitutes terrorism is often contentious and heavily tied to cultural perspective. A suicide bomber labeled as a terrorist by one society may be referred to as a martyr in the news reports designed for more politically sympathetic audiences. // Groups and governments often resort to tortured language and labels as they attempt to either justify or dissociate themselves from often-horrific acts of violence. Moreover, as documents of early Nazi propaganda demonstrate, the label of terrorist is also used as propaganda to stir hatred against ideas, causes, or peoples. // Terrorism: Essential Primary Sources adopts the fundamental view that terrorism refers to an attempt to achieve a goal by violent or destructive acts intended to induce change through fear. The motives of terrorism are as diverse as the acts themselves and cover a range of religious, social, economic, and political passions. (continued, download to read) -- K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds London. July, 2005
Research Interests:
*"insight into emerging concepts of rights and a global perspective of successes and failures in civil rights movements." -- Book News, 2007. Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources provides insight into two centuries of... more
*"insight into emerging concepts of rights and a global perspective of successes and failures in civil rights movements." -- Book News, 2007. Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources provides insight into two centuries of struggle for human and civil rights and the issues that struggle engenders. Human rights are universal guarantees of security of person and freedom of conscience for all individuals regardless of nation, ethnicity, race, religion, or gender. The preamble of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 states: "…recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world… disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people…" (continued... download to read more) -- K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, & Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Paris and London. June 2006.
Research Interests:
The right to protest, especially the actions of government, is among the most cherished rights. Such right of protest is a signatory mark of civil society. It is in the nature of protest, however, to challenge authority and law, for it is... more
The right to protest, especially the actions of government, is among the most cherished rights. Such right of protest is a signatory mark of civil society. It is in the nature of protest, however, to challenge authority and law, for it is sometimes the law that is the subject of protest. From the illegal protests of colonial rebels to longstanding cultural traditions of the French manifestation protest often provides the tectonic force that drives the landscape of political and societal change. (continued... download to read more -- K. Lee Lerner , Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, London, U.K., and Jacksonville, Florida. August, 2006.
Research Interests:
Immigration and Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources provides readings into two centuries of global changes in populations and cultures--and insights into both historical and modern political flashpoints. // Multiculturalism is a... more
Immigration and Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources provides readings into two centuries of global changes in populations and cultures--and insights into both historical and modern political flashpoints. // Multiculturalism is a phrase used to articulate the existence, distinction, and preservation of different cultures within a larger political or social entity such as a nation, state, or society. Multiculturalism is argued to be a fundamental human right, the right to maintain culture and heritage, and this view is enshrined in the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. Akin to the human genome, the diversity of cultures is often considered a social strength, a source of social and cultural robustness and the capacity. Critics of multiculturalism, however, characterize cultural diversity as a social weakness. Regardless, understanding of the debate surrounding multiculturalism, it's manifest joys and possible perils, is essential at a time in human history when the basis for war and terrorism is essentially and deeply rooted in a clash of cultures. // If multiculturalism reflects existing diversity, immigration describes how societies and populations evolve in term of populations. Such evolution, in turn, often alters the cultural landscape and provides the basis for the multicultural state or society. —-- K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, & Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, eds. Paris, London, and Jacksonville, FL. July, 2006.
Research Interests:
"Enlightening and fascinating" -- Eric W. Trekell, Director, LGBT Campus Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison..Gender and Sexuality: Essential Primary Sources provides insight into the personal, social, and political issues... more
"Enlightening and fascinating" -- Eric W. Trekell, Director, LGBT Campus Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison..Gender and Sexuality: Essential Primary Sources provides insight into the personal, social, and political issues regarding gender and sexuality. Issues that range from what many hold as intimate matters of personal belief to matters that stir, shake, and thus profoundly shape modern society. The women's rights and gay rights movements in the United States and Britain feature prominently in this volume. From the aftermath of the Seneca Falls Convention to present-day policies against sex discrimination, from the trail of Oscar Wilde to the legal recognition for same-sex marriages, these distinct movements share many of the same goals. Their struggle for social equity is a common movement for human rights: the right to own property, to live free of harassment and discrimination, to work, to enter into marriages, and to found families. (continued... download to read more) -- K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Paris, France & Lisbon, Portugal. June 2006.
Research Interests: History, Psychology, Constitutional Law, Gender Studies, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and 30 moreHuman Rights, Government, Narrative, LGBT Issues (Education), Sex, Gender and Sexuality, Critical Psychology, International Human Rights Law, Discourse, Politics, LGBT Issues, Discrimination, Gender Equality, Civil Rights, Pleasure, Desire, LGBT Literature, Sexual Identity, Comparative Legal Studies; Access to Justice; ADR; Comparative Family Law; Children's Rights; LGBTI rights, Homosexuality, Protest Movements, Queer, Gay, Lesbian, Sexual Behavior, Script, Lgbtq, Bisexual, Arousal, and Public Policy
"To a man with an empty stomach, food is God." -- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) // As memorialized in the opening chapter of his book A Moveable Feast, the American writer Ernest Hemingway sets out on one of most renowned... more
"To a man with an empty stomach, food is God." -- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) // As memorialized in the opening chapter of his book A Moveable Feast, the American writer Ernest Hemingway sets out on one of most renowned walks in literary history, a walk that takes him from his humble apartment in Paris to eventually write in a "good café on the Place St. Michel." // Nearly ninety years later, one can still, as Hemingway recalled, walk past the Lycée Henri-IV and the ancient church Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, into the Place du Panthéon…. Food: in Context is not, however, a book about gastronomy or the impacts of globalization on cuisine per se. It is, rather, a book dedicated to offering a first course in food-related science, politics, and issues. While food is art -- its history and expression both mirroring and articulating subtle cultural differences -- its provision in some areas devolves to more sharply drawn struggles with outcomes measured in health or sickness, life or death. (download to read more) ---- K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Senior editors. Paris, France. December, 2010.
Research Interests: Agricultural Engineering, History, Genetics, International Relations, Food Science, and 29 moreFood Safety, International Relations Theory, Social Sciences, Nutrition, International Studies, International Business, International Law, Government, Sociology of Food and Eating, Organic agriculture, Food Security and Insecurity, International Security, History of Science, Anthropology of Food, Food Engineering, Governance, Biotechnology, Food History, Agricultural Economics, Food and Nutrition, Agriculture, Public Health, Agriculture and Food Studies, Food Microbiology, Food Science and Technology, Food Security, GMO Biosafety, Climate Change and Food Security, and Public Policy
The study of the basic structure of water helps toward understanding why water plays such an important in so many processes. Understanding the special shape and properties of water is essential to understanding many areas of water... more
The study of the basic structure of water helps toward understanding why water plays such an important in so many processes. Understanding the special shape and properties of water is essential to understanding many areas of water science….The shape of the water molecule is important to life on Earth. Because water has a special shape, it must line up with other water molecules in certain ways. If you were packing a box full of Ys and had to put the tail of every Y (representing the oxygen atom) only near a top of another Y (representing the hydrogen atom in another water molecule) you could put far fewer Ys in the box than if you did not need to follow such rules. Because water molecules must follow these types of rules, far fewer water molecules can be put into an ice cube than you would predict just by looking at the size of the ice cube. For this reason, ice is less dense (has few atoms in a given size or volume) than liquid water and so floats in liquid water. The fact that ice floats is due the special shape of water and the fact that ice floats is also essential to life on Earth. If ice were heavier than water, lakes would not freeze at the top, but from the bottom up. In addition to allowing ice-skating, ice at the top of a lake actually acts as a blanket and allows plants and animals (including fish) living under the ice to survive the winter. If ice were heavier than water, lakes would freeze solid and all plants and animals in the water would die. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
We competed Environmental Science: in Context (ESIC) while working on assignment in China and Cambodia in June 2008. In Beijing, preparations for the 2008 Olympics were nearing completion, with the last bits of construction finishing in a... more
We competed Environmental Science: in Context (ESIC) while working on assignment in China and Cambodia in June 2008. In Beijing, preparations for the 2008 Olympics were nearing completion, with the last bits of construction finishing in a flurry of activity. The city and its generous people readied themselves to put the best foot forward as host to the world. Flower boxes lined airports and roadways, all overflowing with beauty.
The excitement in the air was palpable, but so too was the pollution that at times tortured the lungs and brought both real and symbolic tears to the eyes.
Walking along a road one day, we watched as a small piece of paper, no larger than a gum wrapper, flew off the backpack of a young man speeding along on his bicycle to work or school. The young man never saw the litter and soon turned a corner. The small piece of paper, something that would be inconspicuous among the debris routinely encountered along streets in most of the other great capitals of the world, stood in stark contrast to the meticulously clean street and generous bike path. Less than a minute later, however, a woman peddling by in the opposite direction spotted the paper, turned, stopped, dismounted from her bicycle, picked up the paper and put in her own backpack before resuming her journey.
The incident contrasted a people meticulous and caring of their environment with inhabitants of a city sometimes choked with smog, and in an instant crystallized our understanding that it is simply not the case that the Chinese do not care about pollution in Beijing or other cities. Rather it is the case that modern China and other developing economies now face the very same tests of balancing economic growth with environmental concerns that many Western governments and cites failed during the twentieth century. (more) Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Beijing, China. June, 2008.
The excitement in the air was palpable, but so too was the pollution that at times tortured the lungs and brought both real and symbolic tears to the eyes.
Walking along a road one day, we watched as a small piece of paper, no larger than a gum wrapper, flew off the backpack of a young man speeding along on his bicycle to work or school. The young man never saw the litter and soon turned a corner. The small piece of paper, something that would be inconspicuous among the debris routinely encountered along streets in most of the other great capitals of the world, stood in stark contrast to the meticulously clean street and generous bike path. Less than a minute later, however, a woman peddling by in the opposite direction spotted the paper, turned, stopped, dismounted from her bicycle, picked up the paper and put in her own backpack before resuming her journey.
The incident contrasted a people meticulous and caring of their environment with inhabitants of a city sometimes choked with smog, and in an instant crystallized our understanding that it is simply not the case that the Chinese do not care about pollution in Beijing or other cities. Rather it is the case that modern China and other developing economies now face the very same tests of balancing economic growth with environmental concerns that many Western governments and cites failed during the twentieth century. (more) Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Beijing, China. June, 2008.
Research Interests:
The development of environmental consciousness is a milestone in human thought and civilization, as revolutionary as the picture of Earth taken from space on the cover. Environment issues concern everyone. Environmental problems are the... more
The development of environmental consciousness is a milestone in human thought and civilization, as revolutionary as the picture of Earth taken from space on the cover. Environment issues concern everyone. Environmental problems are the problems of all humankind, and as the astronomer Carl Sagan (1934-1996) forewarned, "there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us." // Only over the last two centuries has this environmental awareness resolved into to a limited understanding of the complexities of environmental science and issues. To reflect this diversity and urgency the primary sources contained in Environmental Issues: Essential Primary Sources offer insights into both the origins of environmental consciousness and the sometimes-contentious arguments, assertions, and tactics related to modern issues. Whether illustrating short-term concerns about wildlife rescue following an oil spill to articulating concerns related to the ongoing global debate over an effective response to greenhouse gas emissions, environmental issues offer challenges to individuals, communities, nations, and international organizations. (continued... download to read more) -- -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Siracusa, Sicily. April, 2006.
Research Interests: Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Economics, Environmental Education, Environmental Law, and 10 moreEnvironmental Studies, Environmental History, Environmental Management, Environmental Policy and Governance, Energy and Environment, Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Security, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Enivronmental Policy
Doomed: The Science Behind Disaster offers readers insight into the underlying science explaining some the most significant and newsworthy disasters in the modern industrial and technological era. -- Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee... more
Doomed: The Science Behind Disaster offers readers insight into the underlying science explaining some the most significant and newsworthy disasters in the modern industrial and technological era. -- Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, editors. Cambridge, MA, and London, U.K. February 2015.
Research Interests:
Weather starts with the Sun. Weather plays an important role in our lives, and all forms of weather are produced by complex, constantly changing conditions in Earth's atmosphere. However, the driving force behind the weather is the... more
Weather starts with the Sun.
Weather plays an important role in our lives, and all forms of weather are produced by complex, constantly changing conditions in Earth's atmosphere. However, the driving force behind the weather is the Sun. The Sun continually generates energy, which escapes from its surface and flows through space. Solar energy travels 93 million miles (149 million kilometers) to reach Earth. It warms all of Earth's atmosphere, some parts more than others. The area of Earth that receives the Sun's rays most directly, the equatorial region, is heated the most. The poles, conversely, never receive sunlight directly. Sunlight strikes the poles only at a steep angle. Hence, they are warmed the least.
Another factor that determines how much solar energy strikes any particular part of Earth at any time is the season, a period of year characterized by certain weather conditions. Most places in the world have four seasons: winter, summer, spring, and fall. In winter, the Sun shines for the fewest hours per day and never gets very high in the sky. In summer, day is longer than night, and the Sun shines high in the sky. In spring and fall, the Sun rises to an intermediate height, and there are roughly the same number of hours of daylight as darkness.
The change in seasons is caused by a combination of Earth's tilt and its yearly journey around the Sun. Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees away from the perpendicular. At different points along Earth's orbit around the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere, the half of the earth which lies north of the equator (which includes the United States) is tilted either toward or away from the Sun. For instance, on or about June 21, the first day of summer, the Northern Hemisphere receives more sunlight than on any other day. On or about December 21, the first day of winter, the Southern Hemisphere, the half of the earth that lies south of the equator, receives its greatest amount of sunlight...
The uneven heating of the atmosphere sets the atmosphere in motion. Air moves through the atmosphere in such a way as to even out the distribution of heat around the planet, with warm air moving from the equator to cold areas at the poles and cold air back toward the equator. The movement of air between the equator and the poles is influenced by other factors as well, such as differences in composition of air over land and sea, and Earth's rotation. The result is a complex web of air currents whirling around the globe, the ingredients of weather. (more) K. Lee Lerner. Paris.
Weather plays an important role in our lives, and all forms of weather are produced by complex, constantly changing conditions in Earth's atmosphere. However, the driving force behind the weather is the Sun. The Sun continually generates energy, which escapes from its surface and flows through space. Solar energy travels 93 million miles (149 million kilometers) to reach Earth. It warms all of Earth's atmosphere, some parts more than others. The area of Earth that receives the Sun's rays most directly, the equatorial region, is heated the most. The poles, conversely, never receive sunlight directly. Sunlight strikes the poles only at a steep angle. Hence, they are warmed the least.
Another factor that determines how much solar energy strikes any particular part of Earth at any time is the season, a period of year characterized by certain weather conditions. Most places in the world have four seasons: winter, summer, spring, and fall. In winter, the Sun shines for the fewest hours per day and never gets very high in the sky. In summer, day is longer than night, and the Sun shines high in the sky. In spring and fall, the Sun rises to an intermediate height, and there are roughly the same number of hours of daylight as darkness.
The change in seasons is caused by a combination of Earth's tilt and its yearly journey around the Sun. Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees away from the perpendicular. At different points along Earth's orbit around the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere, the half of the earth which lies north of the equator (which includes the United States) is tilted either toward or away from the Sun. For instance, on or about June 21, the first day of summer, the Northern Hemisphere receives more sunlight than on any other day. On or about December 21, the first day of winter, the Southern Hemisphere, the half of the earth that lies south of the equator, receives its greatest amount of sunlight...
The uneven heating of the atmosphere sets the atmosphere in motion. Air moves through the atmosphere in such a way as to even out the distribution of heat around the planet, with warm air moving from the equator to cold areas at the poles and cold air back toward the equator. The movement of air between the equator and the poles is influenced by other factors as well, such as differences in composition of air over land and sea, and Earth's rotation. The result is a complex web of air currents whirling around the globe, the ingredients of weather. (more) K. Lee Lerner. Paris.
Research Interests:
As of June 2002, astronomers had discovered more than 100 other plants orbiting distant suns. With advances in technology, that number will surely increase during the opening decades of the twenty-first century. Although our explorations... more
As of June 2002, astronomers had discovered more than 100 other plants orbiting distant suns. With advances in technology, that number will surely increase during the opening decades of the twenty-first century. Although our explorations of the Cosmos hold great promise of future discoveries, among all of the known worlds, the Earth remains unique. Thus far it is the only known planet with blue skies, warm seas, and life. Earth is our most tangible and insightful laboratory, and the study of Earth Science offers us precious opportunities to discover many of the most fundamental laws of the Universe.
Although Earth is billions of years old, geology, literally meaning the study of Earth, is a relatively new science, having grown from seeds of natural science and natural history planted during the Enlightenment era of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In 1807, the founding of the Geological Society of London, the first learned society devoted to geology, marked an important turning point for the science (some say its nascence). In the beginning, geologic studies were mainly confined to the study of minerals (mineralogy), strata (stratigraphy), and fossils (paleontology), and hotly debated issues of the day included how well new geologic findings fit into religious models of creation. In less than two centuries, geology has matured to embrace the most fundamental theories of physics and chemistry and broadened in scope to include the diverse array of subdisciplines that comprise modern Earth science. (more) --
K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. London. May, 2002
Although Earth is billions of years old, geology, literally meaning the study of Earth, is a relatively new science, having grown from seeds of natural science and natural history planted during the Enlightenment era of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In 1807, the founding of the Geological Society of London, the first learned society devoted to geology, marked an important turning point for the science (some say its nascence). In the beginning, geologic studies were mainly confined to the study of minerals (mineralogy), strata (stratigraphy), and fossils (paleontology), and hotly debated issues of the day included how well new geologic findings fit into religious models of creation. In less than two centuries, geology has matured to embrace the most fundamental theories of physics and chemistry and broadened in scope to include the diverse array of subdisciplines that comprise modern Earth science. (more) --
K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. London. May, 2002
Research Interests:
Real-Life Math is a "truly exceptional book ... I have never seen the relevance of Mathematics explained this well... a great pleasure." The America Library Association's peer-reviewed journal, Reference & User Services Quarterly... more
Real-Life Math is a "truly exceptional book ... I have never seen the relevance of Mathematics explained this well... a great pleasure." The America Library Association's peer-reviewed journal, Reference & User Services Quarterly (RUSQ). Fall 2006.
Intro
"The universe cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in mathematical language, and the letters are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without which means it is humanly impossible to comprehend a single word." Galilei, Galileo (1564-1642)
Real-Life Math takes an international perspective in exploring the role of mathematics in everyday life and is intended for high school age readers. Because Real-Life Math (RLM) is intended for a younger and less mathematically experienced audience, the authors and editors faced unique challenges in selecting and preparing entries. Articles were constructed to contain material that might serve all students. For example, the article on Calculus is intended to be able to serve students taking Calculus, students finished with prerequisites and about to undertake their study of calculus, and students in basic math or algebra who might have an interest in the practical utility of studying of calculus.
Real-Life Math challenges students on multiple levels and is designed to facilitate critical thinking and reading-in-context skills. The beginning student is not expected to understand more mathematically complex text dealing, for example, with the techniques for calculus and so should be content to skim through these sections as they read about the practical applications. As students progress through math courses, they will naturally appreciate greater portions of more advanced sections of articles. (download to read more) — K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Editors. London, U.K. October, 2005
Intro
"The universe cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in mathematical language, and the letters are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without which means it is humanly impossible to comprehend a single word." Galilei, Galileo (1564-1642)
Real-Life Math takes an international perspective in exploring the role of mathematics in everyday life and is intended for high school age readers. Because Real-Life Math (RLM) is intended for a younger and less mathematically experienced audience, the authors and editors faced unique challenges in selecting and preparing entries. Articles were constructed to contain material that might serve all students. For example, the article on Calculus is intended to be able to serve students taking Calculus, students finished with prerequisites and about to undertake their study of calculus, and students in basic math or algebra who might have an interest in the practical utility of studying of calculus.
Real-Life Math challenges students on multiple levels and is designed to facilitate critical thinking and reading-in-context skills. The beginning student is not expected to understand more mathematically complex text dealing, for example, with the techniques for calculus and so should be content to skim through these sections as they read about the practical applications. As students progress through math courses, they will naturally appreciate greater portions of more advanced sections of articles. (download to read more) — K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Editors. London, U.K. October, 2005
Selected for inclusion in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Library at Quantico, VA. Introduction World of Forensic Science portrays the vast scope and influence of modern forensic science. From prescientific human fascination... more
Selected for inclusion in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Library at Quantico, VA.
Introduction
World of Forensic Science portrays the vast scope and influence of modern forensic science. From prescientific human fascination with the causes, manner, and circumstances of death, to the increasingly vital role of forensics science in law, security, and global economic and health issues, World of Forensic Science contains articles dedicated to providing insight into the science, applications, and importance of forensics.
As a science, forensics grew lockstep along with advances in science during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The interval from scientific invention to forensic application narrowed as forensic scientists borrowed from the latest innovations of virtually every field of science to solve mysteries. However, just as advances in microscopes and atomic science allowed forensic applications to investigate causes of crimes at the most minute molecular and cellular level, the breath of applications of forensic science underwent exponential expansion. In addition to solving local crime, the next global pandemic or bioterrorist attack might well be first detected by a forensic scientist initially investigating a mysterious death… (download to read more) K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola, Florida. April, 2005
Introduction
World of Forensic Science portrays the vast scope and influence of modern forensic science. From prescientific human fascination with the causes, manner, and circumstances of death, to the increasingly vital role of forensics science in law, security, and global economic and health issues, World of Forensic Science contains articles dedicated to providing insight into the science, applications, and importance of forensics.
As a science, forensics grew lockstep along with advances in science during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The interval from scientific invention to forensic application narrowed as forensic scientists borrowed from the latest innovations of virtually every field of science to solve mysteries. However, just as advances in microscopes and atomic science allowed forensic applications to investigate causes of crimes at the most minute molecular and cellular level, the breath of applications of forensic science underwent exponential expansion. In addition to solving local crime, the next global pandemic or bioterrorist attack might well be first detected by a forensic scientist initially investigating a mysterious death… (download to read more) K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola, Florida. April, 2005
Research Interests:
Sports offer both competition and a path to fitness. Accordingly, sports science has grown beyond the exclusive application of science toward improving competitive performance to applications that improve the quality of life and health.... more
Sports offer both competition and a path to fitness. Accordingly, sports science has grown beyond the exclusive application of science toward improving competitive performance to applications that improve the quality of life and health. Sports and the advances in sports science have, however, increasing impact on broad segments of society… World of Sports Science is a collection of nearly 600 entries that evidence the wide application of science to sport and that place special emphasis on the basic science related to introductory concepts related to muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular efficiency, oxygen use, and the importance of flexibility--all critical elements of fitness and athletic performance. The science in this book is simplified so that it offers straightforward but accurate descriptions of measurements of both general and specialized topics--ranging from entries related to anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology to more specialized treatments of injury prevention, nutrition, the calculation of muscle to fat ratios. — K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. London, U.K. July, 2006.
Research Interests:
*“Well-written" -- CHOICE *"For students doing in-depth research "--Reed/Elsevier *”a sweeping view of events over the last 200 years”--SLJ * “valuable, well organized”— RUSQ. The social issues related to medical science are often... more
*“Well-written" -- CHOICE *"For students doing in-depth research "--Reed/Elsevier *”a sweeping view of events over the last 200 years”--SLJ * “valuable, well organized”— RUSQ. The social issues related to medical science are often intimate and arouse passionate debate. The primary sources contained in Medicine, Health, and Bioethics demonstrate the development, diversity, and nexus of science and ethics as embodied in medical advances, social policy, and law. (continued, download to read) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors London, U.K. March, 2006
Research Interests:
At the core of the advances in biotechnology lies the science of molecular biology and genetics. Because theEncyclopedia of Biotechnology: Changing Life Through Science is designed for younger students and general readers, the editors... more
At the core of the advances in biotechnology lies the science of molecular biology and genetics. Because theEncyclopedia of Biotechnology: Changing Life Through Science is designed for younger students and general readers, the editors have attempted to include simple explanations of sometimes advanced scientific principles. Despite the complexities of genetics, along with the fast pace of research and innovation, every effort has been made to set forth entries in everyday language and to provide generous explanations of the most important terms used by professional scientists.
Written by experts, teachers, and expert writers in fields of physics, molecular biology, genetics, and microbiology, every effort has been taken to explain scientific concepts clearly and simply, without sacrificing fundamental accuracy. The articles in the book are meant to be understandable by anyone with a curiosity about biotechnology. (more) K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Cairo, Egypt and London, U.K. October, 2006
Written by experts, teachers, and expert writers in fields of physics, molecular biology, genetics, and microbiology, every effort has been taken to explain scientific concepts clearly and simply, without sacrificing fundamental accuracy. The articles in the book are meant to be understandable by anyone with a curiosity about biotechnology. (more) K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Cairo, Egypt and London, U.K. October, 2006
Although microbiology and immunology are fundamentally separate areas of biology and medicine, they combine to provide a powerful understanding of human health and disease -- especially with regard to infectious disease, disease... more
Although microbiology and immunology are fundamentally separate areas of biology and medicine, they combine to provide a powerful understanding of human health and disease -- especially with regard to infectious disease, disease prevention, and tragically, of the growing awareness that bioterrorism is a real and present worldwide danger...
Throughout history, microorganisms have spread deadly diseases and caused widespread epidemics that threatened and altered human civilization. In the modern era, civic sanitation, water purification, immunization, and antibiotics have dramatically reduced the overall morbidity and the mortality of disease in advanced nations. Yet, much of the world is still ravaged by disease and epidemics, and new threats constantly appear to challenge the most advanced medical and public health systems. For all our science and technology, we are far from mastering the microbial world. (download to read more) K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. St. Remy, France. June, 2002.
Throughout history, microorganisms have spread deadly diseases and caused widespread epidemics that threatened and altered human civilization. In the modern era, civic sanitation, water purification, immunization, and antibiotics have dramatically reduced the overall morbidity and the mortality of disease in advanced nations. Yet, much of the world is still ravaged by disease and epidemics, and new threats constantly appear to challenge the most advanced medical and public health systems. For all our science and technology, we are far from mastering the microbial world. (download to read more) K. Lee Lerner & Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. St. Remy, France. June, 2002.
Research Interests:
World of Anatomy and Physiology) is devoted to the study of the intricate relationships of form and function within the human body. Although anatomy is the most ancient of all medical studies, the early years of the twenty-first century... more
World of Anatomy and Physiology) is devoted to the study of the intricate relationships of form and function within the human body. Although anatomy is the most ancient of all medical studies, the early years of the twenty-first century are an exciting time to undertake the study of the structure and function of the human body. Around the world, thousands of dedicated research and clinical science specialists provide a constant stream of insights into the most intimate aspects of our anatomy and physiology.
Recent rapid progress in cell biology allows, for the first time, insight into the fundamental mechanisms of development. Never before in human history has information moved so rapidly from the laboratory to the clinical setting. The development of reproductive medicine and gene therapy promise to propel us into a new and revolutionary era of biotechnology and biomedical science. (more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. New Orleans. February, 2001
Recent rapid progress in cell biology allows, for the first time, insight into the fundamental mechanisms of development. Never before in human history has information moved so rapidly from the laboratory to the clinical setting. The development of reproductive medicine and gene therapy promise to propel us into a new and revolutionary era of biotechnology and biomedical science. (more) -- K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. New Orleans. February, 2001
Research Interests:
The World of Genetics is devoted to the study of the most intimate and fundamental mechanisms of life. Genetics is the study of heredity, of new and vigorous scientific explanations of how life arose and continues on Earth. The World... more
The World of Genetics is devoted to the study of the most intimate and fundamental mechanisms of life. Genetics is the study of heredity, of new and vigorous scientific explanations of how life arose and continues on Earth.
The World of Genetics is a collection of 800 entries on topics covering a range of interests, from biographies of the pioneers of genetics to explanations of the most current research. Despite the complexities of genetics, along with the fast pace of research and innovation, every effort has been made to set forth entries in everyday language and to provide generous explanations of the most important terms used by professional scientists.
World of Genetics articles are designed to instruct, challenge, and excite less experienced students, while providing a solid foundation and reference for more advanced students. Genetics is a dynamic field. Almost daily, new discoveries extend our understanding of genetics and new technologies arise to expand applications of those discoveries. The pace of change and innovation is challenging to all publications regarding genetics. For example, during the writing of World of Genetics, researchers announced the completion of the sequencing of the human genome and that the human genome contained far fewer genes that originally thought. Accordingly, although World of Genetics has attempted to incorporate the latest findings and applications, the emphasis is on providing students and readers with the basic information and insights into critical thinking that will enable a greater understanding of the news and current events related to genetics.
The "central dogma" of molecular biology (i.e., that the genetic information in DNA is transcribed into RNA, and that RNA conveys that genetic information to where it can be translated into protein structure) provides the common thread with which the tapestry of World of Genetics articles are woven. Whenever possible, we have attempted to explain the relationship of the central dogma to the specific topics included in World of Genetics. <download to read more>
The World of Genetics is a collection of 800 entries on topics covering a range of interests, from biographies of the pioneers of genetics to explanations of the most current research. Despite the complexities of genetics, along with the fast pace of research and innovation, every effort has been made to set forth entries in everyday language and to provide generous explanations of the most important terms used by professional scientists.
World of Genetics articles are designed to instruct, challenge, and excite less experienced students, while providing a solid foundation and reference for more advanced students. Genetics is a dynamic field. Almost daily, new discoveries extend our understanding of genetics and new technologies arise to expand applications of those discoveries. The pace of change and innovation is challenging to all publications regarding genetics. For example, during the writing of World of Genetics, researchers announced the completion of the sequencing of the human genome and that the human genome contained far fewer genes that originally thought. Accordingly, although World of Genetics has attempted to incorporate the latest findings and applications, the emphasis is on providing students and readers with the basic information and insights into critical thinking that will enable a greater understanding of the news and current events related to genetics.
The "central dogma" of molecular biology (i.e., that the genetic information in DNA is transcribed into RNA, and that RNA conveys that genetic information to where it can be translated into protein structure) provides the common thread with which the tapestry of World of Genetics articles are woven. Whenever possible, we have attempted to explain the relationship of the central dogma to the specific topics included in World of Genetics. <download to read more>
Research Interests:
K. Lee Lerner served as a physics advisor for World of Physics and as an author/contributing subject matter expert. He authored articles on a range of topics related to molecular physics, atomic and nuclear physics, thermodynamics, the... more
K. Lee Lerner served as a physics advisor for World of Physics and as an author/contributing subject matter expert. He authored articles on a range of topics related to molecular physics, atomic and nuclear physics, thermodynamics, the history of physics, and evolution of scientific thought. A list of his contributions includes articles on the Bohr Model of the Atom, the applications of physics to cryptology and global warming; thermodynamic concepts of chaos and order, measurement of thermal energy, and reversible processes. Articles touching on classical and modern physics include articles on the electromagnetic spectrum, momentum measurement, relativity theory, Feynman diagrams, and cosmology.
World of Physics was written for high school, AP, and early undergraduate students as well as anyone interested in gaining a foundation in the essential history and evolution of concepts underpinning physics and the applications of modern physics to science, engineering, computer science, and society. (download to read more)
World of Physics was written for high school, AP, and early undergraduate students as well as anyone interested in gaining a foundation in the essential history and evolution of concepts underpinning physics and the applications of modern physics to science, engineering, computer science, and society. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
K. Lee Lerner served as an author/contributing subject matter expert for World of Chemistry. Lerner authored articles on a range of topics related to molecular physics, atomic and nuclear chemistry, thermodynamics, ,chemical reactions,... more
K. Lee Lerner served as an author/contributing subject matter expert for World of Chemistry. Lerner authored articles on a range of topics related to molecular physics, atomic and nuclear chemistry, thermodynamics, ,chemical reactions, and rates of reaction.
World of Chemistry was written for high school, AP, and early undergraduate students as well as anyone interested in gaining a foundation in the essential history and evolution of concepts underpinning the science of chemistry as well as applications of modern chemistry to science, engineering, computer science, and society. (download to read more)
World of Chemistry was written for high school, AP, and early undergraduate students as well as anyone interested in gaining a foundation in the essential history and evolution of concepts underpinning the science of chemistry as well as applications of modern chemistry to science, engineering, computer science, and society. (download to read more)
A collection of essays on topics in science. K. Lee Lerner contributed essays regarding biological weapons research; the feasibility of physicists reaching a Grand Unified Theory with current technologies; the evolution of concepts of... more
A collection of essays on topics in science.
K. Lee Lerner contributed essays regarding biological weapons research; the feasibility of physicists reaching a Grand Unified Theory with current technologies; the evolution of concepts of continental drift and plate tectonics; and the validity and mathematical confidence of statistical sampling used to compile census data.
K. Lee Lerner contributed essays regarding biological weapons research; the feasibility of physicists reaching a Grand Unified Theory with current technologies; the evolution of concepts of continental drift and plate tectonics; and the validity and mathematical confidence of statistical sampling used to compile census data.
As part of their continuous updating of the Gale Science In Context Resource Center (formerly the Gale Science Resource Center) since 2003, K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner have extensively updated and revised multiple online... more
As part of their continuous updating of the Gale Science In Context Resource Center (formerly the Gale Science Resource Center) since 2003, K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner have extensively updated and revised multiple online editions of books in the Macmillan Reference Library.
*RUSA AWARD. K Lee Lerner was a substantial contributor to Science and its Times, the critically-acclaimed and RUSA award-winning series edited by Neil Schlager and published by Thomson | Gale. Across the eight volumes in the series,... more
*RUSA AWARD. K Lee Lerner was a substantial contributor to Science and its Times, the critically-acclaimed and RUSA award-winning series edited by Neil Schlager and published by Thomson | Gale.
Across the eight volumes in the series, K. Lee Lerner's contributions regarding the history of science and include articles titled: Science in the Ancient and Classical Worlds 2000 BC-699 AD; Astrology and Astronomy in the Ancient World; Medieval Science, Religion, and Astronomy; Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation; Enlightenment Age Advances in Dynamics and Celestial Mechanics; Eighteenth Century Astronomers Argue the Existence of God; The Cavendish Experiment Quest for a Gravitational Constant; Unification Nineteenth Century Advances in Electromagnetism; Einstein's Theories of Relativity; Development of Quantum Mechanics; QED Quantum Electrodynamics (QED); Arguments against Hidden Variables in Quantum Systems; A World Within: The Search for Subatomic Particles; The Development of RADAR and SONAR; Continental Drift and the Theory of Plate Tectonics; Life cycles of the stars; Nucleosynthesis and Stellar Evolution Bind Humanity to the Cosmos; Great Barringer Meteor Crater; Hubble Space Telescope; The Development of Radio Astronomy; Black holes; and Quasars- Beacons in the Cosmic Night.
K. Lee Lerner's contributions regarding the history of mathematics include articles titled: The Moscow and Rhind Papyruses; Eratosthenes calculates the circumference of Earth; Renaissance Advancements in Notation Enhance the Translation and Precision of Mathematics; Emergence of the Calculus; The Elaboration of the Calculus; Credit for Calculus - The Newton Leibniz feud; Mathematics and the Eighteenth Century Physical World; The Specialization of Mathematics and the Rise of Formalism; Establishment of the Field's Medal in Mathematics; Kepler's sphere-packing conjecture is finally proved; Bootstrap Statistics; Efron's Development of the Bootstrap; and Use of Number Theory in Cryptology.
Lerner's contributions regarding contemporary issues and developments in science and mathematics include articles on Relativity theory; Evolution and Evolutionary Mechanisms; Lysenkoism A Deadly Mix of Pseudoscience and Political Ideology, and an article related to cultural Science Wars
Also included among K. Lee Lerner's contribution to SAIT are volume/section overviews and conceptual framing essays, including: Science: A new understanding of nature 1900-1950; Mathematics. The organization of the mathematics community, 1900-1950; Mathematics. An overview of mathematics, 1950-2000. (download to read more)
Across the eight volumes in the series, K. Lee Lerner's contributions regarding the history of science and include articles titled: Science in the Ancient and Classical Worlds 2000 BC-699 AD; Astrology and Astronomy in the Ancient World; Medieval Science, Religion, and Astronomy; Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation; Enlightenment Age Advances in Dynamics and Celestial Mechanics; Eighteenth Century Astronomers Argue the Existence of God; The Cavendish Experiment Quest for a Gravitational Constant; Unification Nineteenth Century Advances in Electromagnetism; Einstein's Theories of Relativity; Development of Quantum Mechanics; QED Quantum Electrodynamics (QED); Arguments against Hidden Variables in Quantum Systems; A World Within: The Search for Subatomic Particles; The Development of RADAR and SONAR; Continental Drift and the Theory of Plate Tectonics; Life cycles of the stars; Nucleosynthesis and Stellar Evolution Bind Humanity to the Cosmos; Great Barringer Meteor Crater; Hubble Space Telescope; The Development of Radio Astronomy; Black holes; and Quasars- Beacons in the Cosmic Night.
K. Lee Lerner's contributions regarding the history of mathematics include articles titled: The Moscow and Rhind Papyruses; Eratosthenes calculates the circumference of Earth; Renaissance Advancements in Notation Enhance the Translation and Precision of Mathematics; Emergence of the Calculus; The Elaboration of the Calculus; Credit for Calculus - The Newton Leibniz feud; Mathematics and the Eighteenth Century Physical World; The Specialization of Mathematics and the Rise of Formalism; Establishment of the Field's Medal in Mathematics; Kepler's sphere-packing conjecture is finally proved; Bootstrap Statistics; Efron's Development of the Bootstrap; and Use of Number Theory in Cryptology.
Lerner's contributions regarding contemporary issues and developments in science and mathematics include articles on Relativity theory; Evolution and Evolutionary Mechanisms; Lysenkoism A Deadly Mix of Pseudoscience and Political Ideology, and an article related to cultural Science Wars
Also included among K. Lee Lerner's contribution to SAIT are volume/section overviews and conceptual framing essays, including: Science: A new understanding of nature 1900-1950; Mathematics. The organization of the mathematics community, 1900-1950; Mathematics. An overview of mathematics, 1950-2000. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, University Physics I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, University Physics I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Units and Measurement, Vectors, Motion Along a Straight Line, Motion in Two and Three Dimensions, Newton's Laws of Motion, Applications of Newton's Laws, Work and Kinetic Energy, Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy, Linear Momentum and Collisions, Fixed-Axis Rotation, Angular Momentum, Static Equilibrium and Elasticity, Gravitation, Fluid Mechanics, Temperature and Heat, The Kinetic Theory of Gases, The First Law of Thermodynamics, The Second Law of Thermodynamics, and Useful Information and Resources.
ISBN-10: 1-319-21414-2; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21414-2
ISBN-10: 1-319-21414-2; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21414-2
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, University Physics II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, University Physics II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Electric Charges and Fields, Gauss's Law, Electric Potential, Capacitance, Current and Resistance, Direct-Current Circuits, Magnetic Forces and Fields, Sources of Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetic Induction, Inductance, Alternating-Current Circuits, Electromagnetic Waves, and Useful Information and Resources.
ISBN-10: 1-319-23981-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23981-7
ISBN-10: 1-319-23981-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23981-7
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, University Physics III (Third Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, University Physics III (Third Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Oscillations; Waves; Sound; The Nature of Light; Geometric Optics and Image Formation; Interference; Diffraction; Relativity; Photons and Matter Waves; Quantum Mechanics; Atomic Structure; Condensed Matter Physics; Nuclear Physics; Particle Physics and Cosmology; and Useful Information and Resources
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Physics I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Physics I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: The Nature of Science and Physics; Kinematics; Two-Dimensional Kinematics; Force and Newton's Laws of Motion; Friction, Drag, and Elasticity; Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation; Work, Energy, and Energy Resources; Linear Momentum and Collisions; Statics and Torque; Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum; Fluid Statics; Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications; Temperature, Kinetic Theory, and the Gas Laws; Heat and Heat Transfer Methods; Thermodynamics; Oscillatory Motion and Waves; Physics of Hearing; and Useful Information and Resources.
ISBN-10: 1-319-21411-8; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21411-1
ISBN-10: 1-319-21411-8; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21411-1
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Physics II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Physics II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Electric Charge and Electric Field; Electric Potential and Electric Field; Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm's Law; Circuits and DC Instruments; Magnetism; Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies; Electromagnetic Waves; Geometric Optics; Vision and Optical Instruments; Wave Optics; Special Relativity; Introduction to Quantum Physics; Atomic Physics; Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics; Medical Applications of Nuclear Physics; Particle Physics; Frontiers of Physics; and Useful Information and Resources
ISBN-10: 1-319-23983-8; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23983-1
ISBN-10: 1-319-23983-8; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23983-1
Research Interests:
An introductory undergraduate course and/or supplemental resource. (online) Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introductory Astronomy is a fully customizable college-level... more
An introductory undergraduate course and/or supplemental resource. (online)
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introductory Astronomy is a fully customizable college-level course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: The Birth of Astronomy; Orbits and Gravity; Earth, Moon, and Sky; An Introduction to the Solar System; Cratered Worlds; Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System; Venus and Mars; The Giant Planets; Debris of the Solar System; Nuclear Powerhouse; Analyzing Starlight; Radiation and Spectra; Astronomical Instruments; A Celestial Census; Celestial Distances; Gas, and Dust in Space; The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets Outside the Solar System; Stars from Adolescence to Old Age; The Death of Stars; Black Holes and Curved Spacetime; The Milky Way Galaxy; Galaxies; The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies; Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes; The Big Bang; and Life in the Universe.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21440-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21440-1
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introductory Astronomy is a fully customizable college-level course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: The Birth of Astronomy; Orbits and Gravity; Earth, Moon, and Sky; An Introduction to the Solar System; Cratered Worlds; Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System; Venus and Mars; The Giant Planets; Debris of the Solar System; Nuclear Powerhouse; Analyzing Starlight; Radiation and Spectra; Astronomical Instruments; A Celestial Census; Celestial Distances; Gas, and Dust in Space; The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets Outside the Solar System; Stars from Adolescence to Old Age; The Death of Stars; Black Holes and Curved Spacetime; The Milky Way Galaxy; Galaxies; The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies; Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes; The Big Bang; and Life in the Universe.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21440-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21440-1
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Human Anatomy and Physiology I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Human Anatomy and Physiology I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: An Introduction to the Human Body, The Chemical Level of Organization, The Cellular Level of Organization, The Tissue Level of Organization, The Integumentary System, Bone Tissue and the Skeletal System, Axial Skeleton, The Appendicular Skeleton, Joints, Muscle Tissue, The Muscular System, The Nervous System and Nervous Tissue, Anatomy of the Nervous System, The Somatic Nervous System, The Autonomic Nervous System, The Neurological Exam
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21423-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21423-4
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21423-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21423-4
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: The Endocrine System, Blood, The Heart, Blood Vessels and Circulation, The Lymphatic and Immune System, The Respiratory System, The Digestive System, Metabolism and Nutrition, The Urinary System, Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance, The Reproductive System, Development and Inheritance, Useful Information and Resources.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-23985-4; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23985-5
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-23985-4; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23985-5
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Microbiology is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors,... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Microbiology is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: An Invisible World / How We See the Invisible World; The Cell; Prokaryotic Diversity; The Eukaryotes of Microbiology; Acellular Pathogens; Microbial Biochemistry; Microbial Metabolism; Microbial Growth; Biochemistry of the Genome; Mechanisms of Microbial Genetics; Modern Applications of Microbial Genetics; Control of Microbial Growth; Antimicrobial Drugs; Microbial Mechanisms of Pathogenicity / Disease and Epidemiology; Innate Nonspecific Host Defenses; Adaptive Specific Host Defenses; Diseases of the Immune System / Laboratory Analysis of the Immune Response; Skin and Eye Infections / Respiratory System Infections; Urogenital System Infections / Digestive System Infections; Circulatory and Lymphatic System Infections / Nervous System Infections; and Useful Information and Resources.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21443-6; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21443-2
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21443-6; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21443-2
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Biology I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Biology I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: The Study of Life; The Chemical Foundation of Life / Biological Macromolecules; Cell Structure; Structure and Function of Plasma Membranes; Metabolism; Cellular Respiration; Photosynthesis; Cell Communication; Cell Reproduction / Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction; Mendel's Experiments and Heredity / Modern Understandings of Inheritance; DNA Structure and Function; Genes and Proteins; Gene Expression; Biotechnology and Genomics; Evolution and the Origin of Species; The Evolution of Populations; Phylogenies and the History of Life; Viruses; Prokaryotes: Bacteria and Archaea; Protists / Fungi; and Useful Information and Resources.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-22742-2; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-22742-5
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-22742-2; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-22742-5
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Biology II (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Biology II (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Introduction to Animal Diversity; Invertebrates; Vertebrates; Basic Form and Function; Animal Nutrition and the Digestive System; The Nervous System / The Endocrine System; Sensory Systems / The Musculoskeletal System; The Circulatory System / The Respiratory System; The Immune System; Osmotic Regulation and Excretion; Animal Reproduction and Development; Seedless Plants; Seed Plants; Plant Form and Physiology; Plant Reproduction; Soil and Plant Nutrition; Ecology and the Biosphere; Population and Community Ecolog; Ecosystems; Conservation Biology and Biodiversity; and Useful Information and Resources
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-23987-0; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23987-9
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-23987-0; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23987-9
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Biology for Non-majors is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, College Biology for Non-majors is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Introduction to Biology; Chemistry of Life; Cell Structure and Function; How Cells Obtain Energy; Photosynthesis; Reproduction at the Cellular Level; The Cellular Basis of Inheritance; Patterns of Inheritance; Molecular Biology; Biotechnology; Evolution and Its Processes; Diversity of Life; Diversity of Microbes, Fungi, and Protists; Diversity of Plants; Diversity of Animals; The Body's Systems; The Immune system and Disease; Animal Reproduction and Development; Population and Community Ecology; andEcosystems and the Biosphere; Conservation and Biodiversity.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21403-7; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21403-6
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21403-7; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21403-6
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Environmental Science is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Environmental Science is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Environmental Science draws science content from multiple disciplines and fuses emerging theories of sustainability with contemporary public policy issues. Topics include: Humanity and the Environment; The Evolution of Environmental Policy in the United States; Climate and Global Change; Biosphere; Conservation Biology and Biodiversity; Ecosystems and the Biosphere; Ecosystems; Population and Community Ecology; Water, Pollution, and Minerals; Environmental and Resource Economics; Modern Environmental Management; Sustainable Energy Systems; Problem-Solving, Metrics, and Tools for Sustainability; Ethics, Culture, and History; Sustainable Infrastructure
Notes:I SBN-10: 1-319-23380-5; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23380-8
Notes:I SBN-10: 1-319-23380-5; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-23380-8
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introductory Psychology is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introductory Psychology is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Introduction to Psychology; Psychological Research; Biopsychology; States of Consciousness; Sensation and Perception; Learning; Thinking and Intelligence; Memory; Lifespan Development; Emotion and Motivation; Personality; Social Psychology; Industrial- Organizational Psychology; Stress, Lifestyle, and Health; Psychological Disorders; and Therapy and Treatment.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21401-0; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21401-2
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21401-0; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21401-2
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Macroeconomics is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors,... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Macroeconomics is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Welcome to Economics; Choice in a World of Scarcity; Demand and Supply; Labor and Financial Markets; Elasticity; The Macroeconomic Perspective; Economic Growth; Unemployment; Inflation; The International Trade and Capital Flows; The Aggregate Demand/Aggregate Supply Model; The Keynesian Perspective; The Neoclassical Perspective; Money and Banking; Monetary Policy and Bank Regulation; Exchange Rates and International Capital Flows; Government Budgets and Fiscal Policy; The Impacts of Government Borrowing; Macroeconomic Policy Around the World; International Trade; Globalization and Protectionism.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21408-8; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21408-1
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21408-8; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21408-1
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Macroeconomics is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors,... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Macroeconomics is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Welcome to Economics!; Choice in a World of Scarcity; Demand and Supply; Labor and Financial Markets; Elasticity; Consumer Choices; Production, Costs, and Industry Structure; Perfect Competition; Monopoly; Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly; Monopoly and Antitrust Policy; Environmental Protection and Negative Externalities; Positive Externalities and Public Goods; Labor Markets and Income; Poverty and Economic Inequality; Information, Risk, and Insurance; Financial Markets; Public Economy; International Trade; Globalization and Protectionism.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21405-3; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21405-0
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21405-3; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21405-0
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introduction to Sociology is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, Introduction to Sociology is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: An Introduction to Sociology; Sociological Research; Culture; Socialization; Groups and Organization; Deviance, Crime, and Social Control; Media and Technology; Social Stratification in the United States; Global Inequality; Race and Ethnicity; Gender, Sex, and Sexuality; Aging and the Elderly; Marriage and Family; Religion; Education; Government and Politics; Work and the Economy; Health and Medicine; Population, Urbanization, and the Environment; Social Movements and Social Change.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21395-2; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21395-4
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21395-2; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21395-4
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, American Government is a fully customizable college-level undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, American Government is a fully customizable college-level undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: American Government and Civic Engagement, The Constitution and Its Origins, American Federalism, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, The Politics of Public Opinion, Voting and Elections, The Media, Political Parties, Interest Groups and Lobbying, Congress, The Presidency, The Courts, State and Local Government, The Bureaucracy, Domestic Policy, Foreign Policy.
Research Interests:
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, United States History I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, United States History I (First Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: The Americas, Europe, and Africa Before 1492; The Atlantic World, 1492–1650; Colonial Societies, 1500–1700; Rule Britannia! The English Empire, 1660–1763; Imperial Reforms and Colonial Protests, 1763- 1774; America's War for Independence, 1775-1783; Creating Republican Governments, 1776–1790; The New Republic, 1790–1820; Industrial Transformation in the North, 1800– 1850; Jacksonian Democracy, 1820–1840; Westward Expansion, 1800–1860; The Antebellum South, 1800–1860; Antebellum Idealism and Reform Impulses, 1820–1860; The Tumultuous 1850s; The Civil War, 1860–1865; The Era of Reconstruction, 1865–1877.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21416-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21416-6
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21416-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21416-6
Research Interests: History and US History
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, United States History II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and... more
Produced by K. Lee Lerner and curated by LMG's academic subject-matter experts and editorial teams, United States History II (Second Semester) is a fully customizable undergraduate course crafted in partnership with Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning editors, instructors, and compliance experts. Topics include: Go West Young Man! Westward; Expansion, 1840-1900; Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business, 1870- 1900; The Growing Pains of Urbanization, 1870-1900; Politics in the Gilded Age, 1870- 1900; The Progressive Movement, 1890-1920; American Foreign Policy, 1890-1914; Americans and the Great War, 1914-1919; Redefining the Nation, 1919-1929; Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The Great Depression, 1929-1932; Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932-1941; Fighting the Good Fight in World War II, 1941-1945; Post-War Prosperity and Cold War Fears, 1945-1960; America in the 1960s; Political Storms at Home and Abroad, 1968-1980; From Cold War to Culture Wars, 1980-2000; and The Challenges of the Twenty-First Century.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21419-3; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21419-7
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21419-3; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21419-7
Research Interests: History and US History
Advisors for Introductory college-level undergraduate courses and/or supplemental resources in Inorganic (Introductory) Chemistry I and II (online). In partnership with subject matter experts, editors, instructors, and compliance... more
Advisors for Introductory college-level undergraduate courses and/or supplemental resources in Inorganic (Introductory) Chemistry I and II (online).
In partnership with subject matter experts, editors, instructors, and compliance experts. at Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning, LMG's editorial teams contributed to the initial development of prototype fully customizable undergraduate introductory courses in chemistry.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21449-5; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21449-4;I SBN-10: 1-319-21451-7; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21451-7; ISBN-10: 1-319-21397-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21397-8
In partnership with subject matter experts, editors, instructors, and compliance experts. at Intellus Learning and Macmillan Learning, LMG's editorial teams contributed to the initial development of prototype fully customizable undergraduate introductory courses in chemistry.
Notes: ISBN-10: 1-319-21449-5; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21449-4;I SBN-10: 1-319-21451-7; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21451-7; ISBN-10: 1-319-21397-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-319-21397-8
Research Interests:
As of today (November 30, 2021), the Delta variant remains the world's most prevalent mutation of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus first identified in January 2020 that is responsible for the global COViD-19 pandemic. The previously... more
As of today (November 30, 2021), the Delta variant remains the world's most prevalent mutation of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus first identified in January 2020 that is responsible for the global COViD-19 pandemic.
The previously named B.1.1.529 variant now known as the Omicron variant was first reported by South African scientists on 9 November 2021 and then quickly visualized (see image below) by researchers at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome. This does not mean that the variant necessarily first arose in South Africa. Variants can also arise independently and spontaneously in multiple locations.
On November 26, the WHO designated the Omicron variant a variant of concern (VOC) subject to special reporting and investigation. The Omicron variant is the most mutated form of SARS-CoV-2 yet sequenced. <download to read more>
The previously named B.1.1.529 variant now known as the Omicron variant was first reported by South African scientists on 9 November 2021 and then quickly visualized (see image below) by researchers at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome. This does not mean that the variant necessarily first arose in South Africa. Variants can also arise independently and spontaneously in multiple locations.
On November 26, the WHO designated the Omicron variant a variant of concern (VOC) subject to special reporting and investigation. The Omicron variant is the most mutated form of SARS-CoV-2 yet sequenced. <download to read more>
Research Interests: Biophysics, Science Communication, Science Education, Science, Biology, and 15 moreVIRUS Mutation and Biodiversity, Molecular Biology and genetics, Science teacher education, SCIENCE TEACHING, Mutations, Epidemiology and Public Health, Moleculer Biology, Science learning and Teaching, Biochemistry and molecular biology, Molecular Structure, Covid-19, Coronavirus COVID-19, SARS CoV SARS CoV2, Pandemic Coronavirus COVID19, and COVID-19 PANDEMIC
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments, pharmaceutical companies, and teams of scientists have invested heavily in the research and testing of potential vaccines. From foundational molecular analysis of the novel and highly... more
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments, pharmaceutical companies, and teams of scientists have invested heavily in the research and testing of potential vaccines.
From foundational molecular analysis of the novel and highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) to advanced clinical trials of vaccines to ensure that they are both effective and safe, scientists have gathered and published an unprecedented amount of journal articles and data on the virus and the human immune response to it. <download to read more>
From foundational molecular analysis of the novel and highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) to advanced clinical trials of vaccines to ensure that they are both effective and safe, scientists have gathered and published an unprecedented amount of journal articles and data on the virus and the human immune response to it. <download to read more>
Research Interests:
Beginning in December 2019, a small cluster of cases of a pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Genetic sequencing of samples taken from the respiratory tract secretions of those exhibiting the... more
Beginning in December 2019, a small cluster of cases of a pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Genetic sequencing of samples taken from the respiratory tract secretions of those exhibiting the suspicious pneumonia revealed the causative agent as a previously unknown coronavirus, subsequently named the 2019-nCoV virus. The virus is now officially named SARS-CoV-2 (also styled SARS-CoV2). The disease associated with the virus is now known as COVID-19 (also styled as Covid-19). The disease outbreak is also commonly known as the novel coronavirus outbreak or COVID-19 pandemic.
By March 25th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cited approximately 440,000 confirmed cases globally, with almost 20,000 deaths. Every continent in both the northern and southern hemispheres reported confirmed cases, and on March 11th, the WHO officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. (download to read more)
By March 25th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cited approximately 440,000 confirmed cases globally, with almost 20,000 deaths. Every continent in both the northern and southern hemispheres reported confirmed cases, and on March 11th, the WHO officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Introduction This is a highly curated timeline and set of references intended to memorialize the evolution of scientific research and knowledge during a period covering the first public emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 starting late in... more
Introduction
This is a highly curated timeline and set of references intended to memorialize the evolution of scientific research and knowledge during a period covering the first public emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 starting late in December 2019 through the early months (until June 2020) of what some became the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to be a scholarly academic resource for journalists and others researching the history of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic.
Although there are references early in this timeline to nCoV-2019 and/or the novel Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the virus was soon officially named SARS-CoV-2 (also styled SARS-CoV2) and the disease associated with the virus was designated as COVID-19 (also styled as Covid-19).
While in some cases updates and additional resources are found indented below main entries. Readers should note that many entries and comments refer to intermediate findings and data later discarded or modified by subsequent research.
In creating this reference, I focused on essential articles from peer-reviewed journals but I have also added in some general news and opinion pieces that were important to understanding the evolution of government and public health policies (or the absence thereof). In general, I have avoided politics per se, but the timeline and archive should be useful to those wanting to provide context for stories (e.g., what was known and when).
I have also taken care to include scientific articles that addressed and debunked conspiracy theories related to SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic that first appeared in the early months of the pandemic. I do not include exhaustive debunkings because that is beyond the scope of this project. In addition, it is my sad experience that no amount of resources provided can dissuade the conspiratorial mind. There are no set of facts that can’t be twisted, cherry picked, dismiss, or ignored by the byzantine mind.
This thread also incorporates many of the articles --and some of my comments — from a thread a thread I started on Facebook for friends and colleagues in January 2020. Alas, the platform does not allow me to transfer comments and so many questions and insights offered by friends and colleagues were lost in the formulation of this thread. Quite a few hat tips to Jay Flynn at Wiley were also lost and are owed for his suggestions and sharing of articles he posted to his own curated thread.
Thanks are also due to other publishers who, very early on, opened their archives to the world in order to facilitate communication among scientists, inform the public, and defeat both misinformation and disinformation.
A Creative Commons License (CC By-NC-ND 4.0) is granted with author attribution under the following term: No commercial use is permitted, and changes/derivatives are not authorized.
Articles listed are linked to their peer-reviewed source. In some cases where timing is critical, the date listed is the date submitted or a preprint posted rather than the journal publication date.
Full text .pdf copies of articles mentioned below are available for download at scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner/blog/pandemic-reader.
--- K. Lee Lerner
kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu
scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner
This is a highly curated timeline and set of references intended to memorialize the evolution of scientific research and knowledge during a period covering the first public emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 starting late in December 2019 through the early months (until June 2020) of what some became the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to be a scholarly academic resource for journalists and others researching the history of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic.
Although there are references early in this timeline to nCoV-2019 and/or the novel Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the virus was soon officially named SARS-CoV-2 (also styled SARS-CoV2) and the disease associated with the virus was designated as COVID-19 (also styled as Covid-19).
While in some cases updates and additional resources are found indented below main entries. Readers should note that many entries and comments refer to intermediate findings and data later discarded or modified by subsequent research.
In creating this reference, I focused on essential articles from peer-reviewed journals but I have also added in some general news and opinion pieces that were important to understanding the evolution of government and public health policies (or the absence thereof). In general, I have avoided politics per se, but the timeline and archive should be useful to those wanting to provide context for stories (e.g., what was known and when).
I have also taken care to include scientific articles that addressed and debunked conspiracy theories related to SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic that first appeared in the early months of the pandemic. I do not include exhaustive debunkings because that is beyond the scope of this project. In addition, it is my sad experience that no amount of resources provided can dissuade the conspiratorial mind. There are no set of facts that can’t be twisted, cherry picked, dismiss, or ignored by the byzantine mind.
This thread also incorporates many of the articles --and some of my comments — from a thread a thread I started on Facebook for friends and colleagues in January 2020. Alas, the platform does not allow me to transfer comments and so many questions and insights offered by friends and colleagues were lost in the formulation of this thread. Quite a few hat tips to Jay Flynn at Wiley were also lost and are owed for his suggestions and sharing of articles he posted to his own curated thread.
Thanks are also due to other publishers who, very early on, opened their archives to the world in order to facilitate communication among scientists, inform the public, and defeat both misinformation and disinformation.
A Creative Commons License (CC By-NC-ND 4.0) is granted with author attribution under the following term: No commercial use is permitted, and changes/derivatives are not authorized.
Articles listed are linked to their peer-reviewed source. In some cases where timing is critical, the date listed is the date submitted or a preprint posted rather than the journal publication date.
Full text .pdf copies of articles mentioned below are available for download at scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner/blog/pandemic-reader.
--- K. Lee Lerner
kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu
scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner
Research Interests:
A one page (two sided) set of formulas and basic definitions for a first course in epidemiology covering essential concepts including β rate, R0, prevalence, cumulative Incidence:, absolute risk, cumulative Incidence, confidence... more
A one page (two sided) set of formulas and basic definitions for a first course in epidemiology covering essential concepts including β rate, R0, prevalence, cumulative Incidence:, absolute risk, cumulative Incidence, confidence Intervals, standard error, sample, confidence intervals, risk difference, relative risk, odds ratio, attributable risk, cohorts, case controls, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), mortality data,: healthcare disparities, case-control studies,, selection bias, recall bias, single or double blinded studies, ecological studies, cross sectional studies, selection controls, non-differential misclassification, differential exposure, detection bias. confounders, etc. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Introduction The story of the Alamo is at the heart of the story of Texas. Both its facts and myths are foundational to the identity of Texans and what distinguishes them from others. This is a selected collection of both published... more
Introduction
The story of the Alamo is at the heart of the story of Texas. Both its facts and myths are foundational to the identity of Texans and what distinguishes them from others.
This is a selected collection of both published and unpublished writings, poems, photos, and primary source transcriptions drawn from thousands of pages of notes researching the Texas Revolution. Originally crafted as a potential graduate studies thesis or capstone project, it quickly focused on use, evaluation, and integration of primary sources in journalism and in academic publishing. I plan to update it annually while observing annual remembrance days commemorating the siege of the Alamo that begins February 23rd each year and ends on the anniversary of the battle and fall of the Alamo on March 6th. -- K. Lee Lerner, Cambridge , Mass. March 6, 2012
All content copyright, K. Lee Lerner / LMG. *** NO PORTION OF THE ATTACHED CONTENT MAY BE USED OR LICENSED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE AUTHOR *** Contact K. Lee Lerner at kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu
(download to read more)
The story of the Alamo is at the heart of the story of Texas. Both its facts and myths are foundational to the identity of Texans and what distinguishes them from others.
This is a selected collection of both published and unpublished writings, poems, photos, and primary source transcriptions drawn from thousands of pages of notes researching the Texas Revolution. Originally crafted as a potential graduate studies thesis or capstone project, it quickly focused on use, evaluation, and integration of primary sources in journalism and in academic publishing. I plan to update it annually while observing annual remembrance days commemorating the siege of the Alamo that begins February 23rd each year and ends on the anniversary of the battle and fall of the Alamo on March 6th. -- K. Lee Lerner, Cambridge , Mass. March 6, 2012
All content copyright, K. Lee Lerner / LMG. *** NO PORTION OF THE ATTACHED CONTENT MAY BE USED OR LICENSED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE AUTHOR *** Contact K. Lee Lerner at kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
After a disaster the role of the incident commanders and other decision makers, must eventually must shift from assisting coordination of emergency search, rescue, and relief operations to positioning resources and preparing personnel for... more
After a disaster the role of the incident commanders and other decision makers, must eventually must shift from assisting coordination of emergency search, rescue, and relief operations to positioning resources and preparing personnel for integrated recovery operations. (continued… download to read more)
Research Interests:
Analysis by specialists (medical, government, security personnel, etc.) enhances situational awareness, reduces situational analysis uncertainties, boosts the capacity to act and react with what Howitt and Leonard describe as situational... more
Analysis by specialists (medical, government, security personnel, etc.) enhances situational awareness, reduces situational analysis uncertainties, boosts the capacity to act and react with what Howitt and Leonard describe as situational anticipation, and enables crisis mangers to more quickly recognize and respond to novelty in crisis situations. (continued… download to read more)
Research Interests:
In April 2010, a oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, caused an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil drilling rig operated by BP (formerly British Petroleum) and a vast oil spill into the Gulf... more
In April 2010, a oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, caused an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil drilling rig operated by BP (formerly British Petroleum) and a vast oil spill into the Gulf waters that lasted for 87 days before being capped. The explosion killed 11 workers and injured 17. The incident is commonly called the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and the Macondo blowout. Within 24 hours, the Coast Guard determined the incident had the potential to become a major environment disaster for the United States.
Research Interests:
Radiation exposure occurs any time that electromagnetic rays or fast-moving particles interacts with living tissue. Ionizing radiation is particularly damaging to tissue; examples include x rays, gamma radiation, and fast-moving subatomic... more
Radiation exposure occurs any time that electromagnetic rays or fast-moving particles interacts with living tissue. Ionizing radiation is particularly damaging to tissue; examples include x rays, gamma radiation, and fast-moving subatomic particles such as neutrons. Biological damage caused by exposure to ionizing ranges from mild tissue burns to cancer, genetic damage, and ultimately, death.
While radiation in the form of heat, visible light, and even ultraviolet light is essential to life, the word "radiation" is often used to refer only to those emissions which can damage or kill living things. Such harm is specifically attributed to radioactive particles as well as the electromagnetic rays with frequencies higher than visible light (ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays). Harmful electromagnetic radiation is also known as ionizing radiation because it strips atoms of one or more of their electrons, leaving highly reactive ions called free radicals which can damage tissue or genetic material.
There are, however, potential benefits of controlled exposures to certain kinds of radiation, which can be used for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of certain diseases. (download to read more)
While radiation in the form of heat, visible light, and even ultraviolet light is essential to life, the word "radiation" is often used to refer only to those emissions which can damage or kill living things. Such harm is specifically attributed to radioactive particles as well as the electromagnetic rays with frequencies higher than visible light (ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays). Harmful electromagnetic radiation is also known as ionizing radiation because it strips atoms of one or more of their electrons, leaving highly reactive ions called free radicals which can damage tissue or genetic material.
There are, however, potential benefits of controlled exposures to certain kinds of radiation, which can be used for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of certain diseases. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
On the heels of a National Academy of Sciences report critical of the FBI's investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks that claimed five lives, prominent anthrax researchers are preparing to publicly slam, the evidence the bureau replied... more
On the heels of a National Academy of Sciences report critical of the FBI's investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks that claimed five lives, prominent anthrax researchers are preparing to publicly slam, the evidence the bureau replied upon in posthumously blaming the attacks entirely on a civilian researcher in the Department of the Army.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI can also expect continued calls in Congress to establish a 9/11-like commission to investigate the case. (continued.. download to read more)
In addition, a full text copy of the NAS report mentioned in this article, "Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letters" is available as a full text download (see attachments)
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI can also expect continued calls in Congress to establish a 9/11-like commission to investigate the case. (continued.. download to read more)
In addition, a full text copy of the NAS report mentioned in this article, "Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letters" is available as a full text download (see attachments)
Research Interests:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was the first viral highly transmissible emergent disease to appear among humans during the twenty-first century. Caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS is far more lethal than the pandemic 2009... more
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was the first viral highly transmissible emergent disease to appear among humans during the twenty-first century. Caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS is far more lethal than the pandemic 2009 H1N1 flu (caused by a Type A H1N1 influenza virus). Although less lethal than the H5N1 avian flu virus, the SARS virus is more transmissible among humans than the H5N1 virus.
In 2012, a novel human coronavirus, now called Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), emerged in the Middle East to cause fatal human infections. MERS-CoV human infection is similar to SARS-CoV in having a high fatality rate and the ability to spread from person to person which resulted in secondary cases among close contacts including healthcare workers without travel history to the Middle East.
Both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV viruses also have close genetic and physiological relationships with known bat coronaviruses. (download to read moe)
In 2012, a novel human coronavirus, now called Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), emerged in the Middle East to cause fatal human infections. MERS-CoV human infection is similar to SARS-CoV in having a high fatality rate and the ability to spread from person to person which resulted in secondary cases among close contacts including healthcare workers without travel history to the Middle East.
Both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV viruses also have close genetic and physiological relationships with known bat coronaviruses. (download to read moe)
Research Interests:
A contentious issue that forces us to confront humankind's deepest fears, the debate over whether the United States should resume research and development programs on biological weapons often disregards the fact that although the United... more
A contentious issue that forces us to confront humankind's deepest fears, the debate over whether the United States should resume research and development programs on biological weapons often disregards the fact that although the United States biological weapons programs formally ended in 1969-by then President Richard M. Nixon's executive order-research on potential biological weapons has never stopped-only the formal research dedicated to the weaponization 1 of agents. As abhorrent as the argument may be on a personal level, there are valid strategic reasons for the United States to abandon its current BWC policy and treaty obligations in order to openly resume formal research and development programs on the actual weaponization of biological agents. Renewed research and development on biological weapons does not demand that the United States begin to accumulate or stockpile such weapons and this article makes no such argument. Regardless, the evolution of political realities in the last half of the twentieth century clearly points toward the probability that, within the first half of the twenty-first century, biological weapons will surpass nuclear and chemical weapons in terms of potential threat to the citizens of the United States. An effective defense to biologic agents-and the development of strategic weapons that will deter attack on the United States-can only be obtained through limited but deliberate biological weapons research. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
The eradication of smallpox is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century. Specimens of smallpox virus are, however, still officially held in the United States and Russia. Samples of variola DNA... more
The eradication of smallpox is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century. Specimens of smallpox virus are, however, still officially held in the United States and Russia.
Samples of variola DNA may also be recoverable from old medical samples, such as the century-old smallpox scabs discovered in an envelope tucked in a 19th century medical textbook in a New Mexico library in 2004. In 2014, U.S. official found more smallpox samples in a storage room on the National Institutes for Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. The last confirmed naturally occurring smallpox case was in 1977/ Ali Maow Maalin, a hospital employee in Merca, Somalia, survived his bout with smallpox.
Following eradication, the World Health Organization requested that all laboratories in the world either destroy their smallpox virus stocks or transfer them to one of two reference laboratories, the Institute of Viral Preparations in Moscow or the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. The stocks of the Institute of Viral Preparations were transferred in 1994 to the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology of the Russian Federation in Siberia, now the WHO Collaborating Centre for Orthopoxvirus Diagnostics. (download to read more)
Samples of variola DNA may also be recoverable from old medical samples, such as the century-old smallpox scabs discovered in an envelope tucked in a 19th century medical textbook in a New Mexico library in 2004. In 2014, U.S. official found more smallpox samples in a storage room on the National Institutes for Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. The last confirmed naturally occurring smallpox case was in 1977/ Ali Maow Maalin, a hospital employee in Merca, Somalia, survived his bout with smallpox.
Following eradication, the World Health Organization requested that all laboratories in the world either destroy their smallpox virus stocks or transfer them to one of two reference laboratories, the Institute of Viral Preparations in Moscow or the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. The stocks of the Institute of Viral Preparations were transferred in 1994 to the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology of the Russian Federation in Siberia, now the WHO Collaborating Centre for Orthopoxvirus Diagnostics. (download to read more)
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The advent of molecular technologies and the application of genetic identification in clinical and forensic microbiology have greatly improved the capability of laboratories to detect and identify organisms used in biological weapons. Not... more
The advent of molecular technologies and the application of genetic identification in clinical and forensic microbiology have greatly improved the capability of laboratories to detect and identify organisms used in biological weapons. Not only does this ability enhance national defense capabilities, but also the development and administration of countermeasures, including vaccines.
The genetic identification of microorganisms utilizes molecular technologies to evaluate specific regions of the genome and to determine the genus, species, or strain of a microorganism. This work grew out of the similar, highly successful applications in human identification using the same basic techniques. Thus, the genetic identification of microorganisms also has been referred to as microbial fingerprinting, and it is a key way in which bioinformatics can assist in the identification of pathogens….
Genetic technologies are especially useful in the detection of biological weapons. Of particular note is the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, which uses selected enzymes to make copies of genetic material. If the genetic material is unique to the microorganism (e.g., a gene encoding a toxin), then investigators can use PCR to detect a specific microorganism from among the other organisms present in the sample. Traditional PCR detects RNA at the end point of the process (the plateau stage), however advances in the technology led to real-time PCR detection. This gave scientists the ability to collect data in the exponential growth phase, making DNA and RNA quantitation more efficient and accurate, and facilitated the development of hand-held detectors. Hand-held PCR detectors used by United Nations inspectors in Iraq during their weapons inspections efforts of 2002/2003 were sensitive enough to detect a single living Bacillus anthracis bacterium (the agent of anthrax) in an average kitchen-sized room. (download to read more)
The genetic identification of microorganisms utilizes molecular technologies to evaluate specific regions of the genome and to determine the genus, species, or strain of a microorganism. This work grew out of the similar, highly successful applications in human identification using the same basic techniques. Thus, the genetic identification of microorganisms also has been referred to as microbial fingerprinting, and it is a key way in which bioinformatics can assist in the identification of pathogens….
Genetic technologies are especially useful in the detection of biological weapons. Of particular note is the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, which uses selected enzymes to make copies of genetic material. If the genetic material is unique to the microorganism (e.g., a gene encoding a toxin), then investigators can use PCR to detect a specific microorganism from among the other organisms present in the sample. Traditional PCR detects RNA at the end point of the process (the plateau stage), however advances in the technology led to real-time PCR detection. This gave scientists the ability to collect data in the exponential growth phase, making DNA and RNA quantitation more efficient and accurate, and facilitated the development of hand-held detectors. Hand-held PCR detectors used by United Nations inspectors in Iraq during their weapons inspections efforts of 2002/2003 were sensitive enough to detect a single living Bacillus anthracis bacterium (the agent of anthrax) in an average kitchen-sized room. (download to read more)
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Pathogens -- including bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause disease -- are constantly evolving and the genetic changes can increase their virulence (capacity to cause disease) and/ or transmissibility (ability to... more
Pathogens -- including bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause disease -- are constantly evolving and the genetic changes can increase their virulence (capacity to cause disease) and/ or transmissibility (ability to spread in spread within a population). Mutations can makes microbes more capable of infection or survival in the environment, resistant to antibiotics, etc. Disease also exist at low levels and in places where they can remain undetected in a population until an outbreak occurs. For example, Ebola existed in its natural reservoir before emerging in outbreaks that took place in remote villages in Central Africa in the 1970s. Populations can also allow diseases such as measles to reemerge (become emergent again in a vulnerable population) by failing to maintain sufficient levels of immunization (i.e., herd immunity) within the population.
Epidemiologists seek to determine the origin and risk factors for emerging diseases, defined by the World Health Organization as diseases that appears in vulnerable populations for the first time, or a disease that may have existed previously but which begins to increase rapidly in occurrence or spreads geographically into new areas with vulnerable populations. The term generally is applied to infectious diseases such as influenza, drug-resistant infections, Ebola, HIV/AIDS and measles. Emerging diseases can be previously unrecognized, such as HIV/AIDS was in the 1980s, or be re-emergent. Disease like tuberculosis and measles were once well controlled in developed nations, but both have again become public health problems in areas where outbreaks were rare. (download to read more)
Epidemiologists seek to determine the origin and risk factors for emerging diseases, defined by the World Health Organization as diseases that appears in vulnerable populations for the first time, or a disease that may have existed previously but which begins to increase rapidly in occurrence or spreads geographically into new areas with vulnerable populations. The term generally is applied to infectious diseases such as influenza, drug-resistant infections, Ebola, HIV/AIDS and measles. Emerging diseases can be previously unrecognized, such as HIV/AIDS was in the 1980s, or be re-emergent. Disease like tuberculosis and measles were once well controlled in developed nations, but both have again become public health problems in areas where outbreaks were rare. (download to read more)
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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was the first emergent and highly transmissible viral disease to appear among humans during the twenty-first century. Caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS is far more lethal than the pandemic... more
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was the first emergent and highly transmissible viral disease to appear among humans during the twenty-first century. Caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS is far more lethal than the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza (caused by a Type A H1N1 influenza virus). Although less lethal than the H5N1 avian flu virus, the SARS virus is more transmissible among humans than the H5N1 virus.
The first known case of SARS was traced to a November 2002 case in Guangdong province, China. By mid-February 2003, Chinese health officials tracked more than 300 cases, including five deaths in Guangdong province from what was at the time described as an acute respiratory syndrome. Chinese health officials initially remained silent about the outbreak, and no special precautions were taken to limit travel or prevent the spread of the disease. The world health community, therefore, had no chance to institute early testing, isolation, and quarantine measures that might have prevented the subsequent global spread of the disease.
Under a new generation of political leadership, Chinese officials subsequently apologized for a slow and inefficient response to the SARS outbreak. Allegations that officials covered up the extent of the spread of the disease caused the dismissal of several local administrators, including China's public health minister and the mayor of Beijing.
In many regards, the SARS outbreak revealed what was effective in terms of public health responses, readiness, and resources. The outbreak also spurred reforms in the International Health Regulations (IHR) designed to increase both surveillance and reporting of infectious diseases and to enhance cooperation in preventing the international spread of disease. (download to read more)
The first known case of SARS was traced to a November 2002 case in Guangdong province, China. By mid-February 2003, Chinese health officials tracked more than 300 cases, including five deaths in Guangdong province from what was at the time described as an acute respiratory syndrome. Chinese health officials initially remained silent about the outbreak, and no special precautions were taken to limit travel or prevent the spread of the disease. The world health community, therefore, had no chance to institute early testing, isolation, and quarantine measures that might have prevented the subsequent global spread of the disease.
Under a new generation of political leadership, Chinese officials subsequently apologized for a slow and inefficient response to the SARS outbreak. Allegations that officials covered up the extent of the spread of the disease caused the dismissal of several local administrators, including China's public health minister and the mayor of Beijing.
In many regards, the SARS outbreak revealed what was effective in terms of public health responses, readiness, and resources. The outbreak also spurred reforms in the International Health Regulations (IHR) designed to increase both surveillance and reporting of infectious diseases and to enhance cooperation in preventing the international spread of disease. (download to read more)
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The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, also commonly known as North Korea) is a strict and isolationist dictatorship ruled by Kim Jong-un (1984-2013). Despite decades of international diplomatic efforts,... more
The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, also commonly known as North Korea) is a strict and isolationist dictatorship ruled by Kim Jong-un (1984-2013). Despite decades of international diplomatic efforts, superior U.S. military capacity, United Nations prohibitions, and attempts at both international aid and sanctions aimed at eliminating its nuclear and missile programs, North Korea continues to develop increasingly sophisticated nuclear weapons and higher capacity missiles. (download to read more)
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Iran's first nuclear technology was obtained as a gift from the United States under the Atoms for Peace program begun by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953. Although intended to produce a source of power for energy and non-military uses,... more
Iran's first nuclear technology was obtained as a gift from the United States under the Atoms for Peace program begun by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953. Although intended to produce a source of power for energy and non-military uses, the technologies required to produce nuclear power and nuclear weapons largely overlap. For decades, there has been speculation about whether Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons. The building blocks are clearly in place, but intelligence agencies in the United States, France, Germany, Israel, and the United Kingdom vary in their estimates about how long it could take Iran to put the pieces together to produce a nuclear weapon.
Both peaceful and military uses require enrichment technology and procedures that extract and concentrate uranium-235 (235U), an isotope capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction, from raw uranium ore that contains mostly 99 percent uranium-238 (238U), an isotope incapable of sustaining the chain reaction needed to produce a nuclear explosion. The percentage of enrichment required for use in weapons is much higher than the levels needed to produce nuclear reactor fuel.
The Atoms for Peace program eventually came to be seen as a mistake by the United States, which has sought to recover the nuclear fuel dispersed around the world by the program. It has not always been able to do so because of political change.
By 1979, when the United States-backed dictator of Iran, the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980), was overthrown by fundamentalist Islamist revolutionaries, Iran already had a sophisticated nuclear program. The existing technology was inherited by the new regime.
Iran has consistently insisted that its nuclear facilities and activities are intended only for the peaceful production of nuclear energy. In 2002, however, Iranian dissidents publicized the existence of secret nuclear facilities they contended were part of secret Iranian program to produce nuclear weapons. The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) began inspections of Iran's facilities later that year. (download to read more)
Both peaceful and military uses require enrichment technology and procedures that extract and concentrate uranium-235 (235U), an isotope capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction, from raw uranium ore that contains mostly 99 percent uranium-238 (238U), an isotope incapable of sustaining the chain reaction needed to produce a nuclear explosion. The percentage of enrichment required for use in weapons is much higher than the levels needed to produce nuclear reactor fuel.
The Atoms for Peace program eventually came to be seen as a mistake by the United States, which has sought to recover the nuclear fuel dispersed around the world by the program. It has not always been able to do so because of political change.
By 1979, when the United States-backed dictator of Iran, the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980), was overthrown by fundamentalist Islamist revolutionaries, Iran already had a sophisticated nuclear program. The existing technology was inherited by the new regime.
Iran has consistently insisted that its nuclear facilities and activities are intended only for the peaceful production of nuclear energy. In 2002, however, Iranian dissidents publicized the existence of secret nuclear facilities they contended were part of secret Iranian program to produce nuclear weapons. The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) began inspections of Iran's facilities later that year. (download to read more)
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Weapon-grade (or "bomb-grade") uranium or plutonium is any alloy or oxide compound that contains enough of certain isotopes of these elements to serve as the active ingredient in a nuclear weapon. Some civilian weapon-grade materials are... more
Weapon-grade (or "bomb-grade") uranium or plutonium is any alloy or oxide compound that contains enough of certain isotopes of these elements to serve as the active ingredient in a nuclear weapon. Some civilian weapon-grade materials are tracked by international organizations, especially the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), to prevent diversion to bombs. The goal is to prevent nuclear proliferation, that is, the possession of nuclear weapons by unauthorized nations and/or groups.
Those states that already had nuclear weapons at the time of the treaty's creation—the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China—are not subject to IAEA safeguards. Only four states—Cuba, India, Israel, and Pakistan—have not signed the NPT and are not part of any international safeguard system. Of these four, India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons and Israel is widely assumed to have a nuclear weapons.
The IAEA tracks weapon-grade materials (or, in the case of plutonium, dilute materials that could be refined to weapons grade) in non-military nuclear fuel cycles in states that are signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968.
EURATOM safeguards civil plutonium and uranium in the European countries, including materials not covered by mandatory IAEA safeguards under the NPT (i.e., those in the UK and France). The IAEA and EURATOM cooperatively safeguard European materials to avoid redundancy.
Military nuclear materials are tracked only by the governments that own them. Because the tracking techniques employed internally by nuclear- weapons states vary from nation to nation and are always partly or wholly secret. (download to read more)
Those states that already had nuclear weapons at the time of the treaty's creation—the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China—are not subject to IAEA safeguards. Only four states—Cuba, India, Israel, and Pakistan—have not signed the NPT and are not part of any international safeguard system. Of these four, India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons and Israel is widely assumed to have a nuclear weapons.
The IAEA tracks weapon-grade materials (or, in the case of plutonium, dilute materials that could be refined to weapons grade) in non-military nuclear fuel cycles in states that are signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968.
EURATOM safeguards civil plutonium and uranium in the European countries, including materials not covered by mandatory IAEA safeguards under the NPT (i.e., those in the UK and France). The IAEA and EURATOM cooperatively safeguard European materials to avoid redundancy.
Military nuclear materials are tracked only by the governments that own them. Because the tracking techniques employed internally by nuclear- weapons states vary from nation to nation and are always partly or wholly secret. (download to read more)
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In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent war against the Taleban and al-Qaeda in Afganistan, United States leaders turned their attention toward Iraq, specifically its... more
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent war against the Taleban and al-Qaeda in Afganistan, United States leaders turned their attention toward Iraq, specifically its dictatorial leader, Saddam Hussein. Although Iraq was not as powerful a military threat as it was during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991, U.S. officials asserted that Iraq's proven development and use of weapons of mass destruction made Iraq a potential source of those weapons for terrorists who could then use them against U.S. or other Western targets.
During the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, Hussein ordered the use of chemical weapons against Iranian forces, and additionally used chemical weapons against civilians in rebellious areas of Iraq.
After Iraqi forces were expelled by U.S. led western coalition forces during the Persian Gulf War, as a part of the agreements that prevented the occupation of Iraq and allowed Hussein to remain in power, Hussein agreed to destroy all weapons of mass destruction and forsake the future development of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
Over a period of twelve years, 17 specific United Nations Security Council resolutions, weapons inspection programs, and economic sanctions against Iraq failed to secure Hussein's full compliance with U.N. resolutions and assure the international community that Iraq had indeed disposed of weapons of mass destruction and abandoned programs to develop new weapons of mass destruction.
Hussein, in an effort to bolster his strong-man image that helped maintain his power in Iraq and influence in the region, played cat and mouse with international inspection teams. Fearing it would make him weak and vulnerable, Hussein refused to give up the appearance that his regime still might control weapons of mass destruction.
Despite U.N. resolutions, in 1998 Iraq expelled U.N. weapons inspectors and no meaningful inspections took place between 1998 and 2002.
Hussein's obstruction, pretense, and posturing resulted in highly polarized Western intelligence assessments of his warfare capacity and willingness to use WMD's. Especially in light of the barrage of bellicose threats issued by Hussein and his official spokesman, intelligence agencies in the West scrambled to make an accurate assessment of Hussein's warfare --and specifically WMD -- capacity.
Iraqi defiance of U.N. resolutions continued throughout the 1990s. Confounding the threats from Hussein was the fact that while older weapons were subsequently discovered and destroyed by U.N. inspection teams in Iraq, there was no direct evidence -- and only weak or conflicting evidence -- that Hussein's threats were backed by the acquisition or development of either replacement or new weapons of mass destruction.
Hussein played a dangerous bluff -- bet on the lives of the Iraqi people -- that was ultimately called when the United States invaded and deposed him from power.
As of July 2003, no new weapons of mass destruction -- or significant infrastructure to indicate programs to build same -- had been found by U.S. or other Coalition forces in control of Iraq. By the end of May 2003, both British and American intelligence agencies began to downplay the possibility of finding large stores of such weapons. Although both U.S. and British officials continued to assert prior claims about the extent of Iraq's arsenal, questions arose as to whether the weapons had been removed, destroyed, or whether intelligence reports regarding the weapons had been mishandled, exaggerated, or falsified.
Although some seized upon the growing controversy regarding the lack of WMD finds as a partisan political issue, the record was clear that all Western intelligence agencies, including those of war dissenter nations France and Germany, agreed before the war that Hussein's regime possessed weapons of mass destruction.
At the end of July 2003, several inquires were underway into the formulation and use by Coalition governments of intelligence related to Iraqi possession development of weapons of mass destruction.
Author's note: This article contains two Addendum sections:
Addendum I: U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair's "Iraq War speech" to Parliament that resulted in the government voting to use 'all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction" on March 18, 2003.
ADDENDUM II: A brief overview of the immediate aftermath of the invasion of Iraq.
(Author's note subsequently edited in August 2003 to be a separate article in EEIS.)
(download to read more)
During the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, Hussein ordered the use of chemical weapons against Iranian forces, and additionally used chemical weapons against civilians in rebellious areas of Iraq.
After Iraqi forces were expelled by U.S. led western coalition forces during the Persian Gulf War, as a part of the agreements that prevented the occupation of Iraq and allowed Hussein to remain in power, Hussein agreed to destroy all weapons of mass destruction and forsake the future development of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
Over a period of twelve years, 17 specific United Nations Security Council resolutions, weapons inspection programs, and economic sanctions against Iraq failed to secure Hussein's full compliance with U.N. resolutions and assure the international community that Iraq had indeed disposed of weapons of mass destruction and abandoned programs to develop new weapons of mass destruction.
Hussein, in an effort to bolster his strong-man image that helped maintain his power in Iraq and influence in the region, played cat and mouse with international inspection teams. Fearing it would make him weak and vulnerable, Hussein refused to give up the appearance that his regime still might control weapons of mass destruction.
Despite U.N. resolutions, in 1998 Iraq expelled U.N. weapons inspectors and no meaningful inspections took place between 1998 and 2002.
Hussein's obstruction, pretense, and posturing resulted in highly polarized Western intelligence assessments of his warfare capacity and willingness to use WMD's. Especially in light of the barrage of bellicose threats issued by Hussein and his official spokesman, intelligence agencies in the West scrambled to make an accurate assessment of Hussein's warfare --and specifically WMD -- capacity.
Iraqi defiance of U.N. resolutions continued throughout the 1990s. Confounding the threats from Hussein was the fact that while older weapons were subsequently discovered and destroyed by U.N. inspection teams in Iraq, there was no direct evidence -- and only weak or conflicting evidence -- that Hussein's threats were backed by the acquisition or development of either replacement or new weapons of mass destruction.
Hussein played a dangerous bluff -- bet on the lives of the Iraqi people -- that was ultimately called when the United States invaded and deposed him from power.
As of July 2003, no new weapons of mass destruction -- or significant infrastructure to indicate programs to build same -- had been found by U.S. or other Coalition forces in control of Iraq. By the end of May 2003, both British and American intelligence agencies began to downplay the possibility of finding large stores of such weapons. Although both U.S. and British officials continued to assert prior claims about the extent of Iraq's arsenal, questions arose as to whether the weapons had been removed, destroyed, or whether intelligence reports regarding the weapons had been mishandled, exaggerated, or falsified.
Although some seized upon the growing controversy regarding the lack of WMD finds as a partisan political issue, the record was clear that all Western intelligence agencies, including those of war dissenter nations France and Germany, agreed before the war that Hussein's regime possessed weapons of mass destruction.
At the end of July 2003, several inquires were underway into the formulation and use by Coalition governments of intelligence related to Iraqi possession development of weapons of mass destruction.
Author's note: This article contains two Addendum sections:
Addendum I: U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair's "Iraq War speech" to Parliament that resulted in the government voting to use 'all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction" on March 18, 2003.
ADDENDUM II: A brief overview of the immediate aftermath of the invasion of Iraq.
(Author's note subsequently edited in August 2003 to be a separate article in EEIS.)
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
Weapons of mass destruction (WMD), nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, are commonly detected by monitoring an array of activities common to their development and testing. Lack of access to weapons production facilities, which in... more
Weapons of mass destruction (WMD), nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, are commonly detected by monitoring an array of activities common to their development and testing. Lack of access to weapons production facilities, which in the context of both state level and terrorist activities, offer special testing challenges and create the need for sophisticated monitoring protocols as well as the capacity to detect weapons without access to suspect sites, while in transit, and/or while in component pre-assembly phases of development. WMD detection techniques and devices span and array of technologies. In the early 2000s, detection technology included devices like the Handheld Advanced Nucleic Acid Analyzer (HANAA) and techniques ranging from standard forensic laboratory testing to Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectroscopy (MALDI-MS). Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS) and other deployable devices allowed rapid identification of biologic agents while portable devices were available that could identify chemicals in a vapor within minutes under challenging conditions. The genetic detection of biological agents is increasingly exquisite. Gene probe sensors can detect and identify bacteria based upon the presence of a stretch of genetic material that is unique to the microorganism. (download to read more)
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This is an overview article originally published in the Gale Global Issues in Context resource center and database, written by K. Lee Lerner in 2009 and updated by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, ca 2009-2018. Biological... more
This is an overview article originally published in the Gale Global Issues in Context resource center and database, written by K. Lee Lerner in 2009 and updated by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, ca 2009-2018.
Biological warfare involves the delivery of toxins or microorganisms for the hostile purpose of inflicting disease on humans, animals, or plants. Biological warfare is as old as civilization. In early forms it involved drawing enemy troops into disease-ridden areas, using animal and plant toxins to poison arrows, spreading disease by polluting the environment (for example, catapulting the bodies of plague victims into enemy territory), or deliberately distributing items contaminated with highly infectious diseases, such as giving out blankets previously used by people infected with smallpox.
Biological weapons use payloads that contain microorganisms (or the toxic components of the microorganisms) that can cause infections or exposure. Examples of microorganisms include viruses (such as smallpox, Ebola, influenza), bacteria (such as Bacillus anthracis, and protozoa. The most prominent example of a toxic component is the variety of toxins that are produced and released from bacteria, such as neurotoxins produced by Clostridium.
The use of chemical weapons dates back centuries, when early combatants learned that smoke from burning sulfur caused discomfort when it drifted into enemy fortifications. The dawn of modern chemical warfare occurred during World War I (1914- 1918). On 15 April 1915, German forces released about 160 tons of chlorine gas into the wind near the Belgian village of Ypres. The clouds of the gas drifted into Allied
forces, killing some 5,000 soldiers. Two days later, another chlorine attack at the same village killed 5,000 more soldiers. During the remainder of World War I, German, French, and British forces used chlorine gas and such chemicals as Mustard Gas and Phosgene with increasing frequency. An estimated 113,000 tons of chemical weapons were used from 1915 to 1918, killing some 92,000 people and injuring over one million people. The horrors of chemical warfare during World War I prompted the drafting of the Geneva Protocol of 1925, which banned chemical and biological weapons of warfare. (download to read more)
Biological warfare involves the delivery of toxins or microorganisms for the hostile purpose of inflicting disease on humans, animals, or plants. Biological warfare is as old as civilization. In early forms it involved drawing enemy troops into disease-ridden areas, using animal and plant toxins to poison arrows, spreading disease by polluting the environment (for example, catapulting the bodies of plague victims into enemy territory), or deliberately distributing items contaminated with highly infectious diseases, such as giving out blankets previously used by people infected with smallpox.
Biological weapons use payloads that contain microorganisms (or the toxic components of the microorganisms) that can cause infections or exposure. Examples of microorganisms include viruses (such as smallpox, Ebola, influenza), bacteria (such as Bacillus anthracis, and protozoa. The most prominent example of a toxic component is the variety of toxins that are produced and released from bacteria, such as neurotoxins produced by Clostridium.
The use of chemical weapons dates back centuries, when early combatants learned that smoke from burning sulfur caused discomfort when it drifted into enemy fortifications. The dawn of modern chemical warfare occurred during World War I (1914- 1918). On 15 April 1915, German forces released about 160 tons of chlorine gas into the wind near the Belgian village of Ypres. The clouds of the gas drifted into Allied
forces, killing some 5,000 soldiers. Two days later, another chlorine attack at the same village killed 5,000 more soldiers. During the remainder of World War I, German, French, and British forces used chlorine gas and such chemicals as Mustard Gas and Phosgene with increasing frequency. An estimated 113,000 tons of chemical weapons were used from 1915 to 1918, killing some 92,000 people and injuring over one million people. The horrors of chemical warfare during World War I prompted the drafting of the Geneva Protocol of 1925, which banned chemical and biological weapons of warfare. (download to read more)
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Cryptography is a division of applied mathematics concerned with developing schemes and formula to enhance the privacy of communications through the use of codes. Cryptography allows its users, whether governments, military, businesses or... more
Cryptography is a division of applied mathematics concerned with developing schemes and formula to enhance the privacy of communications through the use of codes. Cryptography allows its users, whether governments, military, businesses or individuals, to maintain privacy and confidentiality in their communications. The goal of every cryptographic scheme is to be crack proof (i.e., only able to be decoded and understood by authorized recipients). Cryptography is also a means to ensure the integrity and preservation of data from tampering. Modern cryptographic systems rely on functions associated with advanced mathematics, including a specialized branch of mathematics termed number theory that explores the properties of numbers and the relationships between numbers. (download to read more)
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Although they rely on two fundamentally different types of wave transmission, Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) and Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) both are remote sensing systems with important military, scientific and commercial... more
Although they rely on two fundamentally different types of wave transmission, Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) and Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) both are remote sensing systems with important military, scientific and commercial applications. RADAR sends out electromagnetic waves, active SONAR transmits acoustic (i.e., sound) waves. In both systems these waves return echoes from certain features or targets that allow the determination of important properties and attributes of the target (i.e., shape, size, speed, distance, etc.). Because electromagnetic waves are strongly attenuated (diminished) in water, RADAR signals are mostly used for ground or atmospheric observations. Because SONAR signals easily penetrate water, they are ideal for navigation and measurement under water <download to read more>
The KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti or Committee of State Security) was the preeminent Soviet intelligence agency and Soviet equivalent of the American CIA. During the later Soviet period, the KGB served as organization... more
The KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti or Committee of State Security) was the preeminent Soviet intelligence agency and Soviet equivalent of the American CIA.
During the later Soviet period, the KGB served as organization primarily responsible intelligence and counterintelligence matters. Although the NKVD was tasked with internal security, the KBG role in political security and counterintelligence was so broad that its operations often touched on internal security matters. Even Soviet border guards were eventually placed under KGB supervision.
The head of the KGB enjoyed an important position in the totalitarian regime hierarchy. In 1967, Andropov, then head of KGB and later Soviet premier, described the role of the KGB and other state security bodes as engaged in "a bitter and stubborn battle on all fronts, economic, political, and ideological.
The KGB and Western intelligence services played a continual deadly game of "cat and mouse" (both as pursuers and the pursued) throughout the Cold War. KGB officers and operatives played an important role in the attempt to overthrow the government of the first (and last) president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev and was essentially abolished or devolved into successor agencies after the failure of the anti-Gorbachev putsch and the collapse of the USSR in 1991.
The KGB's culture continue to heavily influence Russian politics and policy. After the fall of the Soviet Union, former KGB officer Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, became President of the successor, Russian Federation. Moreover, the following Russian Federation agencies were created from within the KGB: the Federal Security Service (FSB); the Federal Agency of Government Intercommunication, which is responsible for communications between top state officials; the Guard Service, which guards top state officials; and the Outer Intelligence Service, which collects and processes all data coming from abroad.
Some of the bizarre disinformation created by the KGB and regurgitated anti-U.S. critics, still survives as urban myth or folk legend. For example, documents in the KGB archives now provide evidence that KGB operatives mounted a disinformation campaign laden with pseudo scientific "proofs" and language that was designed to influence third-world nations that the United States had deliberately created the AIDS virus in the laboratory to use as a biological weapon. (download to read more)
[Author's note: in 2016 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and DIA united in approving an Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) concluding that "Russia, like its Soviet predecessor, has a history of conducting covert influence campaigns focused on U.S. presidential elections" including the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign. The ICA conclusion -- based on evidence known by 29 December 2016 and offered with generally high confidence was that Russian hacking, along with propaganda and disinformation efforts (including the creation and dissemination of fake news), were undertaken with the direct knowledge and approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials. Read more at https://www.academia.edu/30817272/_The_Bear_Gets_a_BOGO_The_ICA_on_Russian_Meddling_in_the_2016_U.S._Presidential_Election ]
During the later Soviet period, the KGB served as organization primarily responsible intelligence and counterintelligence matters. Although the NKVD was tasked with internal security, the KBG role in political security and counterintelligence was so broad that its operations often touched on internal security matters. Even Soviet border guards were eventually placed under KGB supervision.
The head of the KGB enjoyed an important position in the totalitarian regime hierarchy. In 1967, Andropov, then head of KGB and later Soviet premier, described the role of the KGB and other state security bodes as engaged in "a bitter and stubborn battle on all fronts, economic, political, and ideological.
The KGB and Western intelligence services played a continual deadly game of "cat and mouse" (both as pursuers and the pursued) throughout the Cold War. KGB officers and operatives played an important role in the attempt to overthrow the government of the first (and last) president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev and was essentially abolished or devolved into successor agencies after the failure of the anti-Gorbachev putsch and the collapse of the USSR in 1991.
The KGB's culture continue to heavily influence Russian politics and policy. After the fall of the Soviet Union, former KGB officer Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, became President of the successor, Russian Federation. Moreover, the following Russian Federation agencies were created from within the KGB: the Federal Security Service (FSB); the Federal Agency of Government Intercommunication, which is responsible for communications between top state officials; the Guard Service, which guards top state officials; and the Outer Intelligence Service, which collects and processes all data coming from abroad.
Some of the bizarre disinformation created by the KGB and regurgitated anti-U.S. critics, still survives as urban myth or folk legend. For example, documents in the KGB archives now provide evidence that KGB operatives mounted a disinformation campaign laden with pseudo scientific "proofs" and language that was designed to influence third-world nations that the United States had deliberately created the AIDS virus in the laboratory to use as a biological weapon. (download to read more)
[Author's note: in 2016 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and DIA united in approving an Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) concluding that "Russia, like its Soviet predecessor, has a history of conducting covert influence campaigns focused on U.S. presidential elections" including the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign. The ICA conclusion -- based on evidence known by 29 December 2016 and offered with generally high confidence was that Russian hacking, along with propaganda and disinformation efforts (including the creation and dissemination of fake news), were undertaken with the direct knowledge and approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials. Read more at https://www.academia.edu/30817272/_The_Bear_Gets_a_BOGO_The_ICA_on_Russian_Meddling_in_the_2016_U.S._Presidential_Election ]
Research Interests: History, International Relations, Social Sciences, Globalization, Teacher Education, and 23 moreTerrorism, Science Education, International Studies, Intelligence Studies, Intelligence, International Security, History of Science, Political Science, Security Studies, Science, History of the USSR, Intelligence and Espionage, Public Health, Historia, History of Security, Counterintelligence and Intelligence, Espionage, HUMINT and Counterintelligence, History of Espionage, Inernational relations, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Science Educaton, CYBER ESPIONAGE, and Public Policy
The intelligence community of the United Kingdom is both older and more complicated than that of the United States. MI5, or the Security Service, and MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service, are the most well known components of the British... more
The intelligence community of the United Kingdom is both older and more complicated than that of the United States. MI5, or the Security Service, and MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service, are the most well known components of the British intelligence structure, but these are just two parts of a vast intelligence apparatus. Communications intelligence is the responsibility of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), which works closely with the Communications Electronics Security Group, while a number of agencies manage military intelligence under the aegis of the Ministry of Defense. London's Metropolitan Police, or Scotland Yard, has its own Special Branch concerned with intelligence.
The "MI" by which the two principal British security services are known (MI5, or Security Service, and MI6, or Secret Intelligence Service) refers to their common origins in military intelligence. Both can trace their roots to the Secret Service Bureau, created in 1909 after a report by Parliament's Committee on Imperial Defense concluded that "an extensive system of German espionage exists in this country..." Working with the War Office, Admiralty, and various operatives and agents overseas, the bureau had both a Home Section and a Foreign Section--precursors, respectively, of MI5 and MI6.
Command and control operates through no less than four entities: the Central Intelligence Machinery, the Ministerial Committee on the Intelligence Services, the Permanent Secretaries' Committee on the Intelligence Services, and the Joint Intelligence Committee.
(download to read more)
The "MI" by which the two principal British security services are known (MI5, or Security Service, and MI6, or Secret Intelligence Service) refers to their common origins in military intelligence. Both can trace their roots to the Secret Service Bureau, created in 1909 after a report by Parliament's Committee on Imperial Defense concluded that "an extensive system of German espionage exists in this country..." Working with the War Office, Admiralty, and various operatives and agents overseas, the bureau had both a Home Section and a Foreign Section--precursors, respectively, of MI5 and MI6.
Command and control operates through no less than four entities: the Central Intelligence Machinery, the Ministerial Committee on the Intelligence Services, the Permanent Secretaries' Committee on the Intelligence Services, and the Joint Intelligence Committee.
(download to read more)
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The disastrous effects of Lysenkoism -- a term used to describe the impact of Trofim Denisovich Lysenko's influence upon science and agriculture in the Soviet Union during the first half of the 20th century -- darkly illustrates the... more
The disastrous effects of Lysenkoism -- a term used to describe the impact of Trofim Denisovich Lysenko's influence upon science and agriculture in the Soviet Union during the first half of the 20th century -- darkly illustrates the perils of intruding politics and ideology into the affairs of science.
Despite the near medieval conditions in which the majority of the population of Czarist Russia lived, the achievements of pre-Revolutionary Russia in science rivaled those of Europe and America. In fact, achievement in science had been one of the few avenues to the aristocracy open to the non-nobility. The Revolution had sought to maintain this tradition, and win over the leaders of Russian science. From outset new communist leaders Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky fought -- even in the midst of civil war and famine -- to make available considerable resources for scientific research.
In the political storms that ravaged the Soviet Union following the death of Lenin, the expulsion of Trotsky, and the rise of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, Lysenko's pseudoscientific ideas that all organisms, given the proper conditions, have the capacity to be or do anything had certain attractive parallels with the social philosophies of Karl Marx (and the 20th century French philosopher Henri Bergson) that promoted the idea that man was largely a product of his own will.
Beyond the absurdity and tragedy of rejecting of nearly a century of advancements in genetics, Stalin and Lysenko combined to exacerbate famine and other deprivations facing Soviet citizens. Moreover, the culture of Lysenkoism was another facet of repression and persecution. Such was the fate of scientists who dared oppose Lysenko's Stalin-backed doctrines.
Enamored with the political acceptability and alleged scientific merit of Lysenko's ideas, Stalin took matters one step further by personally attacking modern genetics as counter-revolutionary or bourgeois science. While the rest of the scientific world could not conceive of understanding evolution without genetics, Stalin's Soviet Union used its political power to suppress rational scientific inquiry. Under Stalin, science was made to serve political ideology. (DOWNLOAD TO READ MORE)
Despite the near medieval conditions in which the majority of the population of Czarist Russia lived, the achievements of pre-Revolutionary Russia in science rivaled those of Europe and America. In fact, achievement in science had been one of the few avenues to the aristocracy open to the non-nobility. The Revolution had sought to maintain this tradition, and win over the leaders of Russian science. From outset new communist leaders Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky fought -- even in the midst of civil war and famine -- to make available considerable resources for scientific research.
In the political storms that ravaged the Soviet Union following the death of Lenin, the expulsion of Trotsky, and the rise of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, Lysenko's pseudoscientific ideas that all organisms, given the proper conditions, have the capacity to be or do anything had certain attractive parallels with the social philosophies of Karl Marx (and the 20th century French philosopher Henri Bergson) that promoted the idea that man was largely a product of his own will.
Beyond the absurdity and tragedy of rejecting of nearly a century of advancements in genetics, Stalin and Lysenko combined to exacerbate famine and other deprivations facing Soviet citizens. Moreover, the culture of Lysenkoism was another facet of repression and persecution. Such was the fate of scientists who dared oppose Lysenko's Stalin-backed doctrines.
Enamored with the political acceptability and alleged scientific merit of Lysenko's ideas, Stalin took matters one step further by personally attacking modern genetics as counter-revolutionary or bourgeois science. While the rest of the scientific world could not conceive of understanding evolution without genetics, Stalin's Soviet Union used its political power to suppress rational scientific inquiry. Under Stalin, science was made to serve political ideology. (DOWNLOAD TO READ MORE)
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This is a lightly revised DRAFT COPY of an article originally published in in the Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and published in three volumes by Thomson Gale... more
This is a lightly revised DRAFT COPY of an article originally published in in the Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and published in three volumes by Thomson Gale (now Cengage Gale) in 2003. EEIS was selected to be part of Georgetown University's Selected Resources for Security Studies, the Defense Intelligence Agency Library, FBI Academic Library, Naval War College Library, UK Defence Staff College, and other official defense/intelligence collections. This article was also published in the Essential Primary Sources series edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and published in ten volumes by Thomson Gale (now Cengage Gale) in 2007.
Primary sources allow readers and researchers to come as close as possible to understanding the perceptions and context of events and thus, to more fully appreciate how and why misconceptions occur.
The definition of what constitutes a primary source is often the subject of scholarly debate and interpretation. Although primary sources come from a wide spectrum of resources, they are united by the fact that they individually provide insight into the historical milieu (context and environment) during which they were produced.
Primary sources include materials such as newspaper articles, press dispatches, autobiographies, essays, letters, diaries, speeches, song lyrics, posters, works of art—and in the twenty-first century, web logs—that offer direct, first-hand insight or witness to events of their day.
CATEGORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES (download to read more)
Primary sources allow readers and researchers to come as close as possible to understanding the perceptions and context of events and thus, to more fully appreciate how and why misconceptions occur.
The definition of what constitutes a primary source is often the subject of scholarly debate and interpretation. Although primary sources come from a wide spectrum of resources, they are united by the fact that they individually provide insight into the historical milieu (context and environment) during which they were produced.
Primary sources include materials such as newspaper articles, press dispatches, autobiographies, essays, letters, diaries, speeches, song lyrics, posters, works of art—and in the twenty-first century, web logs—that offer direct, first-hand insight or witness to events of their day.
CATEGORIES OF PRIMARY SOURCES (download to read more)
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The nervous system governs a process of immediate, short-term communication and control that extends across various body systems. In contrast to the endocrine system, which achieves long-term control via chemical messengers (hormones),... more
The nervous system governs a process of immediate, short-term communication and control that extends across various body systems. In contrast to the endocrine system, which achieves long-term control via chemical messengers (hormones), the nervous system relies on both chemicals and electricity to transmit an array of signals and commands. (download to read more)
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An action potential is a series of electrical and underlying chemical changes that travels down the length of a neural cell (neuron). It represents a change in electrical potential from the resting potential of the neuronal cell membrane.... more
An action potential is a series of electrical and underlying chemical changes that travels down the length of a neural cell (neuron). It represents a change in electrical potential from the resting potential of the neuronal cell membrane. The neural impulse is created by the controlled development of action potentials that sweep down the body (axon) of a neural cell.
There are two major control and communication systems in the human body, the endocrine system and the nervous system. In many respects, these two systems are complementary. Endocrine hormonal regulation creates long-term effects, while the nervous system is a mechanism for nearly immediate control (which includes homeostatic mechanisms such as blood pressure regulation). Action potentials are a central feature of this rapid communication in the body. (download to read more)
There are two major control and communication systems in the human body, the endocrine system and the nervous system. In many respects, these two systems are complementary. Endocrine hormonal regulation creates long-term effects, while the nervous system is a mechanism for nearly immediate control (which includes homeostatic mechanisms such as blood pressure regulation). Action potentials are a central feature of this rapid communication in the body. (download to read more)
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Cell membrane transport is a process by which chemicals and other substances move across cell membranes. Animal cells are bound by an outer membrane that, in accord with the fluid mosaic model, consists of a phospholipid bilayer... more
Cell membrane transport is a process by which chemicals and other substances move across cell membranes. Animal cells are bound by an outer membrane that, in accord with the fluid mosaic model, consists of a phospholipid bilayer interspersed with proteins. These protein molecules act as receptor sites. There are a variety of channels in the membrane (as well as a number of internal cellular membranes) that partially partition the intercellular matrix. These internal membranes ultimately become continuous with the nuclear membrane. There are three principal means by which molecules can pass through the boundary cellular membrane; these are the mechanisms of outer cellular membrane transport. They are passive diffusion (also called gradient diffusion), facilitated diffusion, and active transport. (download to read more)
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This is a preprint of an article originally published in K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds. World of Anatomy and Physiology. Thomson | Gale. 2002. The organs of the neural system develop from ectodermal cells, the outermost... more
This is a preprint of an article originally published in K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds. World of Anatomy and Physiology. Thomson | Gale. 2002.
The organs of the neural system develop from ectodermal cells, the outermost layer of embryonic germ cells. The covering of the neural system and the blood vessels that supply nervous tissue derive from the mesoderm.
Immediately after formation of the embryonic disk, a thickening occurs in the ectoderm along the longitudinal axis to form the neural plate. This plate then folds along its long axis to form a groove. The sides of the groove are neural folds, which fuse on the dorsal side to form the neural tube. The neural tube is divided into three basic layers, and the cell types in these layers take on the name of the layer in which they are located. The outermost layer of cells in the marginal layer becomes marginal layer cells. The middle layer, known as the mantle layer, gives rise to mantle cells. The innermost layer, the ependymal layer, forms ependymal cells. (download to read more)
The organs of the neural system develop from ectodermal cells, the outermost layer of embryonic germ cells. The covering of the neural system and the blood vessels that supply nervous tissue derive from the mesoderm.
Immediately after formation of the embryonic disk, a thickening occurs in the ectoderm along the longitudinal axis to form the neural plate. This plate then folds along its long axis to form a groove. The sides of the groove are neural folds, which fuse on the dorsal side to form the neural tube. The neural tube is divided into three basic layers, and the cell types in these layers take on the name of the layer in which they are located. The outermost layer of cells in the marginal layer becomes marginal layer cells. The middle layer, known as the mantle layer, gives rise to mantle cells. The innermost layer, the ependymal layer, forms ependymal cells. (download to read more)
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This is a preprint synthesis of articles "Ectoderm," "Endoderm," "Mesoderm," and "Notochord" originally published in K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds. World of Anatomy and Physiology. Thomson | Gale. 2002. Ectoderm... more
This is a preprint synthesis of articles "Ectoderm," "Endoderm," "Mesoderm," and "Notochord" originally published in K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, eds. World of Anatomy and Physiology. Thomson | Gale. 2002.
Ectoderm
Ectoderm is one of three principal germinal layers of cells that are formed early in embryonic development. Ectoderm comprises the outermost germinal layer from which the nervous system, eyes, ears, epidermis, and integumentary elements (glands, hair, and nails) develop. Membranes derived from ectoderm are in contact with endoderm derived structures at membranes of the mouth and anus.
In the embryonic disk, ectoderm and endoderm sandwich mesoderm, the third primitive germinal layer. When the embryonic disk ultimately folds into a tube, the basic "tube within a tube" plan of development becomes evident. A core endodermal tube establishes a primitive digestive pathway bounded by an oral orifice and an anal orifice. Around that innermost tube is an outer tube comprised of ectoderm. The ectoderm serves as a protective layer and the layer from which the nervous system and sense organs develop. Mesodermal cells fill the space between the inner (endodermal) and outer (ectodermal) tube. Mesodermal cells ultimately contribute to the muscles, organs, and other internal body structures.
About a week following fertilization, the human embryonic blastocyst is embedded in (download to read more)
Ectoderm
Ectoderm is one of three principal germinal layers of cells that are formed early in embryonic development. Ectoderm comprises the outermost germinal layer from which the nervous system, eyes, ears, epidermis, and integumentary elements (glands, hair, and nails) develop. Membranes derived from ectoderm are in contact with endoderm derived structures at membranes of the mouth and anus.
In the embryonic disk, ectoderm and endoderm sandwich mesoderm, the third primitive germinal layer. When the embryonic disk ultimately folds into a tube, the basic "tube within a tube" plan of development becomes evident. A core endodermal tube establishes a primitive digestive pathway bounded by an oral orifice and an anal orifice. Around that innermost tube is an outer tube comprised of ectoderm. The ectoderm serves as a protective layer and the layer from which the nervous system and sense organs develop. Mesodermal cells fill the space between the inner (endodermal) and outer (ectodermal) tube. Mesodermal cells ultimately contribute to the muscles, organs, and other internal body structures.
About a week following fertilization, the human embryonic blastocyst is embedded in (download to read more)
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Gametogenesis is the production of haploid sex cells (in humans, ovum and spermatozoa) that carry one-half of each parent's genetic complement. These cells arise from the germ cell line of each parent. Germ cells and the germ cell... more
Gametogenesis is the production of haploid sex cells (in humans, ovum and spermatozoa) that carry one-half of each parent's genetic complement. These cells arise from the germ cell line of each parent.
Germ cells and the germ cell line
Germ cells are one of two fundamental cell types in the human body. Germ cells are responsible for the production of sex cells or gametes (in humans, ovum and spermatozoa). Germ cells also constitute a cell line through which genes are passed from generation to generation.
The vast majority of cells in the body are somatic cells. Indeed, the term somatic cell encompasses all of the differentiated cell types, (e.g., vascular, muscular, cardiac, etc.) In addition, somatic cells may also contain undifferentiated stem cells (cells that, with regard to differentiation are still multipotential). Regardless, while the mechanism of genetic replication and cell division is via mitosis in somatic cells, in germ cells a series of meiotic divisions during gametogenesis produces male and female gametes (i.e., ovum and spermatozoa that upon fusion (fertilization) create a single celled zygote that is capable of creating a new organism. (download to read more)
Germ cells and the germ cell line
Germ cells are one of two fundamental cell types in the human body. Germ cells are responsible for the production of sex cells or gametes (in humans, ovum and spermatozoa). Germ cells also constitute a cell line through which genes are passed from generation to generation.
The vast majority of cells in the body are somatic cells. Indeed, the term somatic cell encompasses all of the differentiated cell types, (e.g., vascular, muscular, cardiac, etc.) In addition, somatic cells may also contain undifferentiated stem cells (cells that, with regard to differentiation are still multipotential). Regardless, while the mechanism of genetic replication and cell division is via mitosis in somatic cells, in germ cells a series of meiotic divisions during gametogenesis produces male and female gametes (i.e., ovum and spermatozoa that upon fusion (fertilization) create a single celled zygote that is capable of creating a new organism. (download to read more)
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Over the centuries, anatomists developed a method of naming anatomical structures, and this has evolved into a standardized anatomical nomenclature that clarifies what part of the body is being discussed and where that part is located. A... more
Over the centuries, anatomists developed a method of naming anatomical structures, and this has evolved into a standardized anatomical nomenclature that clarifies what part of the body is being discussed and where that part is located. A standardized language for describing body structures is also essential.
Because classical anatomical studies--and particularly embryological studies--were often carried out in animals, the development of the nomenclature relative to comparative anatomy had an enormous impact on the development of human anatomical nomenclature. Without a clear, standard nomenclature, there are obvious difficulties in relating structures from quadrupeds (animals that walk on four legs) with abdominal and thoracic regions at the same level to structures in human bipeds (for whom an upward and downward orientation might seem more obvious). (download to read more)
Because classical anatomical studies--and particularly embryological studies--were often carried out in animals, the development of the nomenclature relative to comparative anatomy had an enormous impact on the development of human anatomical nomenclature. Without a clear, standard nomenclature, there are obvious difficulties in relating structures from quadrupeds (animals that walk on four legs) with abdominal and thoracic regions at the same level to structures in human bipeds (for whom an upward and downward orientation might seem more obvious). (download to read more)
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In descriptions of a given population of organisms, the alleles most commonly present (genotype), or the most commonly expressed set of characteristics (phenotype) is referred to as the wild type. Because the wild type (also often printed... more
In descriptions of a given population of organisms, the alleles most commonly present (genotype), or the most commonly expressed set of characteristics (phenotype) is referred to as the wild type. Because the wild type (also often printed in a hyphenated form as "wild-type") represents the most common genotype, alleles that are not a part of that genotype are often considered mutant alleles. Accordingly, the designation of wild type is based upon a quantitative (numerical) representation or estimation of the norm (normal) or standard in a population. (download to read more)
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In a strict sense, mutations are changes in genes not caused by genetic recombination. A change in the base sequence of DNA, for example, represents a mutational change. Spontaneous mutations are mutations that occur at a given frequency... more
In a strict sense, mutations are changes in genes not caused by genetic recombination. A change in the base sequence of DNA, for example, represents a mutational change. Spontaneous mutations are mutations that occur at a given frequency without the need for an inducing agent of change (mutagenic agent). The term mutation is also used in a less technical sense to describe changes in the human genome (i.e., evolution) that result from a broad spectrum of processes that act to increase or decrease genetic variation within a population. (download to read more)
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Evolution is the process of biological change over time. Such changes, especially at the genetic level are accomplished by a complex set of evolutionary mechanisms that act to increase or decrease genetic variation. Evolutionary theory... more
Evolution is the process of biological change over time. Such changes, especially at the genetic level are accomplished by a complex set of evolutionary mechanisms that act to increase or decrease genetic variation.
Evolutionary theory is the cornerstone of modern biology, and unites all the fields of biology under one theoretical umbrella to explain the changes in any given gene pool of a population over time. Biological evolutionary theory is compatible with nucelosynthesis (the evolution of the elements) and current cosmological theories in physics regarding the origin and evolution of the universe.
There is no currently accepted scientific data that is incompatible with the general postulates of evolutionary theory, and the mechanisms of evolution. Moreover, there is an abundance of observational and experimental data to support the theory and its subtle variations…
Evolution requires genetic variation, and these variations or changes (mutations) can be beneficial, neutral or deleterious. In general, there are two major types of evolutionary mechanisms, those that act to increase genetic variation, and mechanisms that operate to decrease genetic variation.
Mechanisms that increase genetic variation include mutation, recombination and gene flow….
...In contrast to mechanisms that operate to increase genetic variation, there are fewer mechanisms that operate to decrease genetic variation. Mechanisms that decrease genetic variation include genetic drift and natural selection. (download to read more).
Evolutionary theory is the cornerstone of modern biology, and unites all the fields of biology under one theoretical umbrella to explain the changes in any given gene pool of a population over time. Biological evolutionary theory is compatible with nucelosynthesis (the evolution of the elements) and current cosmological theories in physics regarding the origin and evolution of the universe.
There is no currently accepted scientific data that is incompatible with the general postulates of evolutionary theory, and the mechanisms of evolution. Moreover, there is an abundance of observational and experimental data to support the theory and its subtle variations…
Evolution requires genetic variation, and these variations or changes (mutations) can be beneficial, neutral or deleterious. In general, there are two major types of evolutionary mechanisms, those that act to increase genetic variation, and mechanisms that operate to decrease genetic variation.
Mechanisms that increase genetic variation include mutation, recombination and gene flow….
...In contrast to mechanisms that operate to increase genetic variation, there are fewer mechanisms that operate to decrease genetic variation. Mechanisms that decrease genetic variation include genetic drift and natural selection. (download to read more).
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Continental drift, in the context of the modern theory of plate tectonics, is explained by the movement of lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere (the molten, ductile, upper portion of the Earth's mantle). Precisely used, the term... more
Continental drift, in the context of the modern theory of plate tectonics, is explained by the movement of lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere (the molten, ductile, upper portion of the Earth's mantle). Precisely used, the term "continental drift" is actually rooted in antiquated concepts regarding the structure of the Earth. Today, geophysicists and geologists explain the movement or drift of the continents within the context of plate tectonic theory. The visible continents, a part of the lithospheric plates upon which they ride, shift slowly over time as a result of the forces driving plate tectonics. Moreover, plate tectonic theory is so robust in its ability to explain and predict geological processes that it is equivalent in many regards to the fundamental and unifying principles of evolution in biology, and nucleosynthesis in physics and chemistry. (download to read more)
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The term quasar is used to describe quasi-stellar radio sources that are the most distant, energetic objects ever observed. Quasars are enigmatic. Despite their great distance from Earth, some are actually brighter than hundreds of... more
The term quasar is used to describe quasi-stellar radio sources that are the most distant, energetic objects ever observed. Quasars are enigmatic. Despite their great distance from Earth, some are actually brighter than hundreds of galaxies combined, yet are physically smaller in size than our own solar system. Astronomers calculate that the first quasar identified, 3C273 (3rd Cambridge catalog, 273rd radio source) located in the constellation Virgo, is moving at the incredible speed of one-tenth the speed of light and, although dim to optical astronomers, is actually five trillion times as bright as the Sun. Many astronomers theorize that very distant quasars represent the earliest stages of galactic evolution. The observations and interpretation of quasars remain controversial and challenge many theories regarding the origin and age of the Universe. In particular, studies of the evolution and distribution of quasars boosted acceptance of Big Bang-based models of cosmology (i.e., theories concerning the creation of the Universe) over other scientific and philosophical arguments that relied on steady-state models of the Universe.
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Nucleosynthesis is the process of building nuclei of atoms heavier than hydrogen. The Big Bang produced hydrogen, helium, and some lithium, but all later creation of higher weight atoms has occurred in the hearts of stars via... more
Nucleosynthesis is the process of building nuclei of atoms heavier than hydrogen. The Big Bang produced hydrogen, helium, and some lithium, but all later creation of higher weight atoms has occurred in the hearts of stars via nucleosynthesis. All elements heavier than hydrogen of which Earth and humans are made were forged in stellar interiors by nucleosynthesis.
Until the second half of the nineteenth century, astronomy was principally concerned with accurately describing the movements of planets and stars. Developments in the electromagnetic theory of light in the late nineteenth century along with the articulation of quantum and relativity theories in the early twentieth century, however, gave astronomers the tools they needed to probe the inner workings of the sun and other stars. In the first two-thirds of the century, astronomers and physicists unraveled the life cycles of most types of stars and reconciled the predictions of physical theory with astronomical observation. Insights into the birth and death of stars led to the stunning conclusion that Earth and all life upon it, including human beings, are in a direct and physical sense a product of stellar evolution. In astronomy, the term "evolution" is used to name the orderly process by which individual stars change as they age: stellar evolution is unrelated to biological evolution. (download to read more)
Until the second half of the nineteenth century, astronomy was principally concerned with accurately describing the movements of planets and stars. Developments in the electromagnetic theory of light in the late nineteenth century along with the articulation of quantum and relativity theories in the early twentieth century, however, gave astronomers the tools they needed to probe the inner workings of the sun and other stars. In the first two-thirds of the century, astronomers and physicists unraveled the life cycles of most types of stars and reconciled the predictions of physical theory with astronomical observation. Insights into the birth and death of stars led to the stunning conclusion that Earth and all life upon it, including human beings, are in a direct and physical sense a product of stellar evolution. In astronomy, the term "evolution" is used to name the orderly process by which individual stars change as they age: stellar evolution is unrelated to biological evolution. (download to read more)
Chaos and order, as used in chaos theory, are terms used to describe conditions of complex systems in which, out of seemingly random, disordered (aperiodic) processes, there arise processes that are deterministic and predictable.... more
Chaos and order, as used in chaos theory, are terms used to describe conditions of complex systems in which, out of seemingly random, disordered (aperiodic) processes, there arise processes that are deterministic and predictable. Accordingly, despite its name, chaos theory attempts to identify and quantify order in apparently unpredictable systems.
Along with quantum and relativity theories, chaos theory, with its inclusive concepts of chaos and order, is widely regarded as one of the great intellectual leaps of the twentieth century. (download to read more)
Along with quantum and relativity theories, chaos theory, with its inclusive concepts of chaos and order, is widely regarded as one of the great intellectual leaps of the twentieth century. (download to read more)
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The standard model of quantum physics offers a theoretically and mathematically sound model of particle behavior that serves as an empirically validated middle-ground between the need for undiscovered hidden variables that determine... more
The standard model of quantum physics offers a theoretically and mathematically sound model of particle behavior that serves as an empirically validated middle-ground between the need for undiscovered hidden variables that determine particle behavior, and a mystical anthropocentric universe where it is the observations of humans that determine reality. Although the implications of the latter can be easily dismissed as New Age-like metaphysical nonsense, the debate over the existence of hidden variables in quantum theory remained a subject of serious scientific debate during the 20th century.
Based upon our everyday experience, well explained by the deterministic concepts of classical physics, it is intuitive that there be hidden variables to determine quantum states. Nature is not, however, obliged to act in accord with what is convenient or easy to understand. Although the existence and understanding of heretofore hidden variables might seemingly explain Albert Einstein’s “spooky” forces, the existence of such variables would simply provide the need to determine whether they, too, included their own hidden variables. Quantum theory breaks this never-ending chain of causality by asserting (with substantial empirical evidence) that there are no hidden variables. Moreover, quantum theory replaces the need for a deterministic evaluation of natural phenomena with an understanding of particles and particle behavior based upon statistical probabilities. (download to read more)
Based upon our everyday experience, well explained by the deterministic concepts of classical physics, it is intuitive that there be hidden variables to determine quantum states. Nature is not, however, obliged to act in accord with what is convenient or easy to understand. Although the existence and understanding of heretofore hidden variables might seemingly explain Albert Einstein’s “spooky” forces, the existence of such variables would simply provide the need to determine whether they, too, included their own hidden variables. Quantum theory breaks this never-ending chain of causality by asserting (with substantial empirical evidence) that there are no hidden variables. Moreover, quantum theory replaces the need for a deterministic evaluation of natural phenomena with an understanding of particles and particle behavior based upon statistical probabilities. (download to read more)
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Quantum electrodynamics (QED), is a scientific theory that is also known as the quantum theory of light. QED describes the quantum properties (properties that are conserved and that occur in discrete amounts called quanta) and mechanics... more
Quantum electrodynamics (QED), is a scientific theory that is also known as the quantum theory of light. QED describes the quantum properties (properties that are conserved and that occur in discrete amounts called quanta) and mechanics associated with the interaction of light (i.e., electromagnetic radiation) with matter. The practical value of QED rests upon its ability, as set of equations, to allow calculations related to the absorption and emission of light by atoms and to allow scientists to make very accurate predictions regarding the result of the interactions between photons and charged atomic particles such as electrons. QED is a fundamentally important scientific theory because it accounts for all observed physical phenomena except those associated with aspects of relativity theory and radioactive decay.
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Quantum mechanics describes the relationships between energy and matter on the atomic and subatomic scale. At the beginning of the 20th century, German physicist Maxwell Planck proposed that atoms absorb or emit electromagnetic radiation... more
Quantum mechanics describes the relationships between energy and matter on the atomic and subatomic scale. At the beginning of the 20th century, German physicist Maxwell Planck proposed that atoms absorb or emit electromagnetic radiation in bundles of energy termed quanta. This quantum concept seemed counter-intuitive to well-established Newtonian physics. Advancements associated with quantum mechanics (e.g., the uncertainty principle) also had profound implications with regard to the philosophical scientific arguments regarding the limitations of human knowledge…. Later in the 1920s, the concept of quantization and its application to physical phenomena was further advanced by more mathematically complex models based on the work of the French physicist Louis Victor de Broglie and Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger that depicted the particle and wave nature of electrons. De Broglie showed that the electron was not merely a particle but a wave form. This proposal led Schrodinger to publish his wave equation in 1926. Schroödinger's work described electrons as "standing wave" surrounding the nucleus and his system of quantum mechanics is called wave mechanics. German physicist Max Bornand English physicist P.A.M Dirac made further advances in defining the subatomic particles (principally the electron) as a wave rather than as a particle and in reconciling portions of quantum theory with relativity theory.
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The Bohr model of atomic structure was developed by Danish physicist and Nobel laureate Niels Bohr (1885-1962). Published in 1913, Bohr's model improved the classical atomic models of physicists J. J. Thomson and Ernest Rutherford by... more
The Bohr model of atomic structure was developed by Danish physicist and Nobel laureate Niels Bohr (1885-1962). Published in 1913, Bohr's model improved the classical atomic models of physicists J. J. Thomson and Ernest Rutherford by incorporating quantum theory. While working on his doctoral dissertation at Copenhagen University, Bohr studied physicist Max Planck's quantum theory of radiation. After graduation, Bohr worked in England with Thomson and subsequently with Rutherford. During this time Bohr developed his model of atomic structure. (download to read more)
Research Interests: Physics, Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Philosophy, and 11 morePhilosophy of Science, Teacher Education, Science Education, Chemistry Education, History of Science, Atomic Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Physics Education, SCIENCE TEACHING, History of Chemistry, and Scince Education
At the dawn of the twentieth century the classical laws of physics put forth by Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) in the late seventeenth century stood venerated and triumphant. The laws described with great accuracy the phenomena of everyday... more
At the dawn of the twentieth century the classical laws of physics put forth by Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) in the late seventeenth century stood venerated and triumphant. The laws described with great accuracy the phenomena of everyday existence. A key assumption of Newtonian laws was a reliance upon an absolute frame of reference for natural phenomena. As a consequence of this assumption, scientists searched for an elusive "ether" through which light waves could pass. In one grand and sweeping "theory of special relativity," Albert Einstein was able to account for the seemingly conflicting and counter-intuitive predictions stemming from work in electromagnetic radiation, experimental determinations of the constancy of the speed of light, length contraction, time dilation, and mass enlargements. A decade later, Einstein once again revolutionized concepts of space and time with the publication of his "general theory of relativity."
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Advances in 19th century concepts of electromagnetism moved rapidly from experimental novelties to prominent and practical applications. At the start of the century gas and oil lamps burned in homes, but by the end of the century... more
Advances in 19th century concepts of electromagnetism moved rapidly from experimental novelties to prominent and practical applications. At the start of the century gas and oil lamps burned in homes, but by the end of the century electric light bulbs illuminated an increasing number of electrified homes. By mid-century (1865) a telegraph cable connected the United States and England. Yet, within a few decades, even this magnificent technological achievement was eclipsed by advancements in electromagnetic theory that spurred the discovery and development of the radio waves that sparked a 20th century communications revolution. So rapid were the advances in electromagnetism that by the end of the 19th century high-energy electromagnetic radiation in the form of x-rays was used to diagnose injury. The mathematical unification of 19th century experimental work in electromagnetism profoundly shaped the relativity and quantum theories of 20th century physics.
In the late 18th and 19th centuries philosophical and religious ideas led many scientists to accept the argument that seemingly separate forces of nature (e.g., electricity, magnetism, light, etc.) shared a common and fundamental source. In addition, profound philosophical and scientific questions posed by Issac Newton's Optics (published in 1704) regarding the nature of light still dominated the 19th century intellectual landscape. Accordingly, in addition to a search for a common source of all natural phenomena, an elusive "ether" through which light could pass was thought necessary to explain the wave-like behavior of light.
The discovery of the relationship between electricity and magnetism at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century was hampered by a rift in the descriptions and models of nature used by mathematicians and experimentalists. To a significant extent, advances in electromagnetic theory during the 19th century mirrored unification of these approaches. The culmination of this merger coming with Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell's (1831-1879) development of a set of equations that accurately described electromagnetic phenomena better than any previous non-mathematical model.
The development of Maxwell's equations embodied the mathematical genius of the German mathematician Carl Fredrich Gauss (1777-1855), the reasonings and laboratory work of French scientist Andre Marie Ampere (1775-1836), the observations of Danish scientist Hans Christian Oersted (1777-1851), and a wealth of experimental evidence provided by English physicist and chemist Micheal Faraday (1791-1867). (download to read more)
In the late 18th and 19th centuries philosophical and religious ideas led many scientists to accept the argument that seemingly separate forces of nature (e.g., electricity, magnetism, light, etc.) shared a common and fundamental source. In addition, profound philosophical and scientific questions posed by Issac Newton's Optics (published in 1704) regarding the nature of light still dominated the 19th century intellectual landscape. Accordingly, in addition to a search for a common source of all natural phenomena, an elusive "ether" through which light could pass was thought necessary to explain the wave-like behavior of light.
The discovery of the relationship between electricity and magnetism at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century was hampered by a rift in the descriptions and models of nature used by mathematicians and experimentalists. To a significant extent, advances in electromagnetic theory during the 19th century mirrored unification of these approaches. The culmination of this merger coming with Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell's (1831-1879) development of a set of equations that accurately described electromagnetic phenomena better than any previous non-mathematical model.
The development of Maxwell's equations embodied the mathematical genius of the German mathematician Carl Fredrich Gauss (1777-1855), the reasonings and laboratory work of French scientist Andre Marie Ampere (1775-1836), the observations of Danish scientist Hans Christian Oersted (1777-1851), and a wealth of experimental evidence provided by English physicist and chemist Micheal Faraday (1791-1867). (download to read more)
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Mathematics is the study of the relationships among, and operations performed on both tangible and abstract quantities. In its ancient origins, mathematics was concerned with magnitudes, geometries and other practical and measurable... more
Mathematics is the study of the relationships among, and operations performed on both tangible and abstract quantities. In its ancient origins, mathematics was concerned with magnitudes, geometries and other practical and measurable phenomena. During the 19th century, mathematics, and an increasing number of mathematicians, became enticed with relationships based on pure reason and upon the abstract ideas and deductions properly drawn from those relationships. In addition to advancing mathematical methods related to applications useful to science, engineering or economics (hence the term applied mathematics), the rise of the formalization of symbolic logic and abstract reasoning during the 19th century allowed mathematicians to develop the definitions, complex relations, and theorems of pure mathematics. Within both pure and applied mathematics, 19th century mathematicians took on increasingly specialized roles corresponding to the rapid compartmentalization and specialization of mathematics in general.
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I'll accept that most young pro-Palestinian protestors on American campuses now setting up encampments along the lines of the Occupy Movement in 2011, are not intentionally antisemitic. I will credit them their youthful convictions they... more
I'll accept that most young pro-Palestinian protestors on American campuses now setting up encampments along the lines of the Occupy Movement in 2011, are not intentionally antisemitic. I will credit them their youthful convictions they are doing something meaningful because they care about the Palestinian people. And they would be right that one would need to be a callous soul not to see the plight of long-suffering Palestinians. The innocent among them anyway.
No matter how detached from truth and evidence these student protestors might be, it's fine for students to make statements, issue demands, and think they are changing the world. Youth is a time for the naive.
In Israel, naivety is washed away by national service that give young people cohesion, purpose, and a tangible taste of geopolitical realities. In Gaza, the innocence of youth is stolen by the shameful ends of those geopolitical realities as well as Hamas' hateful teachings and active recruitment of the young to fill their terrorist ranks.
Soon enough, the most of self-proclaimed pro-Palestinian protestors on American campuses will learn that their demands will be largely -- if not totally -- ignored by most of their institutions and certainly in the larger world. Many will go on to learn the hard geopolitical realities that have thwarted peace for generations.
Some may even shed their ignorance of history and develop empathy with and for the people of Israel who, along with their ancestors, have endured centuries of prejudice, persecution, humiliations, murderous attacks, and the attempted brutal genocide of the Holocaust that still motivates Israeli policy to be built on a foundation of "never again."
Legitimate criticism of Israel and its policies can -- and does -- exist without lapsing into antisemitism, and such criticism has a rightful and often needed place in civic discourse. But these protestors will also learn that attacks on Israel -- by people, groups, or nation-states -- will not earn a turned cheek. They will learn such attacks will bring retribution, destruction, and death.
While many protestor statements may trip close to the IHRA and U.S. State Department adopted definitions of antisemitism (posted and linked below), let's give their brainwashed minds a break and try to write off as youthful hubris their delusions that they are the incarnation of protestors of past "unjust" wars and/or protestors of apartheid in South Africa.
(download to read more)
No matter how detached from truth and evidence these student protestors might be, it's fine for students to make statements, issue demands, and think they are changing the world. Youth is a time for the naive.
In Israel, naivety is washed away by national service that give young people cohesion, purpose, and a tangible taste of geopolitical realities. In Gaza, the innocence of youth is stolen by the shameful ends of those geopolitical realities as well as Hamas' hateful teachings and active recruitment of the young to fill their terrorist ranks.
Soon enough, the most of self-proclaimed pro-Palestinian protestors on American campuses will learn that their demands will be largely -- if not totally -- ignored by most of their institutions and certainly in the larger world. Many will go on to learn the hard geopolitical realities that have thwarted peace for generations.
Some may even shed their ignorance of history and develop empathy with and for the people of Israel who, along with their ancestors, have endured centuries of prejudice, persecution, humiliations, murderous attacks, and the attempted brutal genocide of the Holocaust that still motivates Israeli policy to be built on a foundation of "never again."
Legitimate criticism of Israel and its policies can -- and does -- exist without lapsing into antisemitism, and such criticism has a rightful and often needed place in civic discourse. But these protestors will also learn that attacks on Israel -- by people, groups, or nation-states -- will not earn a turned cheek. They will learn such attacks will bring retribution, destruction, and death.
While many protestor statements may trip close to the IHRA and U.S. State Department adopted definitions of antisemitism (posted and linked below), let's give their brainwashed minds a break and try to write off as youthful hubris their delusions that they are the incarnation of protestors of past "unjust" wars and/or protestors of apartheid in South Africa.
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the South's war of rebellion otherwise known as the American Civil War.... The actions of... more
On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the South's war of rebellion otherwise known as the American Civil War.... The actions of the two generals offer lessons and warnings about the resolution of modern conflicts.
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Highly Recommended Reading: 'Nuclear War: A scenario' by Annie Jacobsen. | | Annie Jacobsen's 'Nuclear War' is a meticulously researched book everyone-everyone-should read. The audiobook narrated by the author is also engaging and... more
Highly Recommended Reading: 'Nuclear War: A scenario' by Annie Jacobsen. | |
Annie Jacobsen's 'Nuclear War' is a meticulously researched book everyone-everyone-should read. The audiobook narrated by the author is also engaging and well done. The contains valuable insights on potential challenges to, and holes in, the nuclear weapon deterrence strategies employed since World War Two that have, thus far successfully prevented global nuclear catastrophe. Jacobsen's book does great service by making it clear that the evidence from studies and war game simulations overwhelmingly shows that strategic or large scale nuclear wars involving the U.S. Russia, and now China are unwinnable. Everyone loses. Everyone. Always.
With detail and articulation, Jacobsen shows the deterrence philosophy and methodology for what is: a complex system. As least for scientists and engineers, the peril is thus immediately revealed because complex systems are destined to fail, and the nuclear deterrence system need only fail once to potentially bring on the end of civilization and, possibly, humanity itself. While the system has worked since the end of World War II, a single failure could essentially wipe clean all humanity has achieved and zero out all its potential.
(download to read more)
Annie Jacobsen's 'Nuclear War' is a meticulously researched book everyone-everyone-should read. The audiobook narrated by the author is also engaging and well done. The contains valuable insights on potential challenges to, and holes in, the nuclear weapon deterrence strategies employed since World War Two that have, thus far successfully prevented global nuclear catastrophe. Jacobsen's book does great service by making it clear that the evidence from studies and war game simulations overwhelmingly shows that strategic or large scale nuclear wars involving the U.S. Russia, and now China are unwinnable. Everyone loses. Everyone. Always.
With detail and articulation, Jacobsen shows the deterrence philosophy and methodology for what is: a complex system. As least for scientists and engineers, the peril is thus immediately revealed because complex systems are destined to fail, and the nuclear deterrence system need only fail once to potentially bring on the end of civilization and, possibly, humanity itself. While the system has worked since the end of World War II, a single failure could essentially wipe clean all humanity has achieved and zero out all its potential.
(download to read more)
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San Antonio, Texas. No matter where I roam in this world, I have dual citizenship, for Texas is my country too. Accordingly, each year, to commemorate the siege and sacrificial battle of the Alamo, the massacre at Goliad, and the... more
San Antonio, Texas. No matter where I roam in this world, I have dual citizenship, for Texas is my country too.
Accordingly, each year, to commemorate the siege and sacrificial battle of the Alamo, the massacre at Goliad, and the victory at San Jacinto that secured independence for Texas, the American flag that usually flies in front Sibley is replaced by a Texas flag that once flew over the Alamo. If I am traveling, arrangements are made to continue the tradition.
Before dawn, on March 6, 1836, Mexican General and Dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna ordered his forces laying siege to the Alamo to attack without quarter. The brief battle that followed ended 13 days of defiance that brought glory to the Alamo's Texian defenders and gave life to a revolution that would forge the Republic of Texas.
As is not uncommon with dualling depictions of history, the truth of the Alamo lies somewhere between Texas nationalist mythology and distortions crafted to cynically recast and reframe narratives related to the Texas Revolution so that they falsely align with fashionable ideological agenda. Ironically, hypocritically, and gallingly, some of the most progressive reframing of narratives related to the Alamo rely on suppressing or dismissing the accounts of witnesses who were women, enslaved men, Tejanos, or Mexican soldiers.
This is nothing new, of course. History is always contested territory.
As with many great battles in history, fact mixes with myth concerning the battle of the Alamo and other events critical to the Texas Revolution, In our contemporary culture wars, how people view the events and motivations of those who fought at the Alamo and in that revolution usually runs close to how they view the founding of America and the intentions of its founders.
An honest effort to understand the Alamo must be careful to stay close to the scant evidence available
(download to read more)
Accordingly, each year, to commemorate the siege and sacrificial battle of the Alamo, the massacre at Goliad, and the victory at San Jacinto that secured independence for Texas, the American flag that usually flies in front Sibley is replaced by a Texas flag that once flew over the Alamo. If I am traveling, arrangements are made to continue the tradition.
Before dawn, on March 6, 1836, Mexican General and Dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna ordered his forces laying siege to the Alamo to attack without quarter. The brief battle that followed ended 13 days of defiance that brought glory to the Alamo's Texian defenders and gave life to a revolution that would forge the Republic of Texas.
As is not uncommon with dualling depictions of history, the truth of the Alamo lies somewhere between Texas nationalist mythology and distortions crafted to cynically recast and reframe narratives related to the Texas Revolution so that they falsely align with fashionable ideological agenda. Ironically, hypocritically, and gallingly, some of the most progressive reframing of narratives related to the Alamo rely on suppressing or dismissing the accounts of witnesses who were women, enslaved men, Tejanos, or Mexican soldiers.
This is nothing new, of course. History is always contested territory.
As with many great battles in history, fact mixes with myth concerning the battle of the Alamo and other events critical to the Texas Revolution, In our contemporary culture wars, how people view the events and motivations of those who fought at the Alamo and in that revolution usually runs close to how they view the founding of America and the intentions of its founders.
An honest effort to understand the Alamo must be careful to stay close to the scant evidence available
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
Most people are trying to put the COVID-19 pandemic, with all it tragedies, disruptions, uncertainties, and inanities in the rear view mirror. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 global health emergency over on May... more
Most people are trying to put the COVID-19 pandemic, with all it tragedies, disruptions, uncertainties, and inanities in the rear view mirror. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 global health emergency over on May 5th, and the U.S declared the public health emergency over on May 11th. Budget realities mean that governments and public health agencies are scaling down testing, with WHO recently estimating a 90 percent reduction in global COVID-19-related variant testing and reporting compared to levels in November 2021 during the Omicron variant outbreak.)
Yet, the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19 keeps evolving. Natural evolutionary mechanisms ensure that genetic mutations and changes keep creating new variants.
Not that every new variant is potentially more transmissible or lethal (in fact, most are not), but the combination of greatly reduced testing and sequencing combined with the evolution of highly mutated variants like the BA.2.86 variant discovered in July 2023 indicates a need to potentially shift vaccine strategies that have been primarily oriented to protecting against specific widely circulating variants.
Yet, the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19 keeps evolving. Natural evolutionary mechanisms ensure that genetic mutations and changes keep creating new variants.
Not that every new variant is potentially more transmissible or lethal (in fact, most are not), but the combination of greatly reduced testing and sequencing combined with the evolution of highly mutated variants like the BA.2.86 variant discovered in July 2023 indicates a need to potentially shift vaccine strategies that have been primarily oriented to protecting against specific widely circulating variants.
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Highly recommended and, if you care about science, essential reading: 'A Paper That Says Science Should Be Impartial Was Rejected by Major Journals. You Can’t Make This Up,' by Pamela Paul, published in The New York Times (link below and... more
Highly recommended and, if you care about science, essential reading: 'A Paper That Says Science Should Be Impartial Was Rejected by Major Journals. You Can’t Make This Up,' by Pamela Paul, published in The New York Times (link below and in comments).
Anti-intellectual, anti-liberal, and anti-science movements shift about over time with regard to who holds the shame-stick. In the U.S., that baton is now firmly in the hands of the progressivista Leftists who have gained an outsize influence in the Democratic party.
Science is inherently able to withstand and eventually overcome the arguments of those who allow partisan or trendy ideology to supersede evidence, but they can do substantial damage that crosses generations. (download to read more)
Anti-intellectual, anti-liberal, and anti-science movements shift about over time with regard to who holds the shame-stick. In the U.S., that baton is now firmly in the hands of the progressivista Leftists who have gained an outsize influence in the Democratic party.
Science is inherently able to withstand and eventually overcome the arguments of those who allow partisan or trendy ideology to supersede evidence, but they can do substantial damage that crosses generations. (download to read more)
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Reading Julius Caesar is a wonderful exercise in propaganda detection and discussions about such detection in Caesar's commentaries are the quickest way to reveal a person' s depth of scholarly acquittance with the material. (download to... more
Reading Julius Caesar is a wonderful exercise in propaganda detection and discussions about such detection in Caesar's commentaries are the quickest way to reveal a person' s depth of scholarly acquittance with the material. (download to read more)
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For all their flaws and imperfections, especially as judged by contemporary standards, and for whatever failings history may eventually affix to them, the institutions of the British monarchy and the leadership of Churchill saved western... more
For all their flaws and imperfections, especially as judged by contemporary standards, and for whatever failings history may eventually affix to them, the institutions of the British monarchy and the leadership of Churchill saved western civilization during the Second World War. (download to read more)
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine has posed novel problems related to nuclear safety for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Western intelligence communities, and media outlets because this is the first time a large scale... more
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has posed novel problems related to nuclear safety for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Western intelligence communities, and media outlets because this is the first time a large scale shooting war has threatened multiple nuclear power plants. Early concerns about perils posed by radioactive materials stored at the damaged and decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant have now turned to fears about evident damage to the Zaporizhzhia (also spelled Zaporizhia) nuclear plant located on the Dnipro river-fed Kakhovka reservoir in a southern area of Ukraine now occupied by Russian forces.
The challenges include sifting sources for misinformation and disinformation.
(download to read more)
The challenges include sifting sources for misinformation and disinformation.
(download to read more)
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The deaths in San Antonio of more than 50 migrants found in trailer-truck abandoned in Texas summer heat... Right now, vulnerable migrants are dehumanized into political footballs as the United States border policies swing between overly... more
The deaths in San Antonio of more than 50 migrants found in trailer-truck abandoned in Texas summer heat... Right now, vulnerable migrants are dehumanized into political footballs as the United States border policies swing between overly permissive and overly restrictive extremes... I would hope that people on both the left and right in American politics would look at this tragedy as a reminder that shaping a cogent and consistent border policy that maintains U.S. integrity, discourages illegal migration, and protects us from the worst in other societies is important. It is equally important to treat genuine asylum seekers with dignity and treat those who simply want to work with the basic protections and security green cards provide. In sum, we should strive for policies that are both humane and emblematic of a great nation substantially built by people from other lands.
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Policymakers must now assume that Iran has the enriched uranium it needs to build a nuclear weapon. Containment is a failure as Iran’s breakout time is now essentially at zero. [Additional background for non-scientists is appended].... more
Policymakers must now assume that Iran has the enriched uranium it needs to build a nuclear weapon. Containment is a failure as Iran’s breakout time is now essentially at zero. [Additional background for non-scientists is appended]. According to estimates prepared from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports and Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), Iran now has sufficient stores of highly enriched uranium (e.g., HEU or 60 percent enriched uranium ) to fashion a crude nuclear weapon. [1] As I predicted in March, Iran now has sufficient HEU, the required centrifuges, and the skill to rapidly increase enrichment of weapon-grade uranium (e.g., WGU or 90 percent enriched uranium) within a few weeks. [2] … (download to read more)
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Ten things to know about the war in Ukraine, including Putin's potential use of a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine: 1. Time is now an ally of Ukraine. With Western logistical support, time is now on Ukraine's side. Until recently time... more
Ten things to know about the war in Ukraine, including Putin's potential use of a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine:
1. Time is now an ally of Ukraine. With Western logistical support, time is now on Ukraine's side. Until recently time was viewed as something that worked against Ukraine. Given Russia's superior numbers, the defeat and occupation of Ukraine was widely viewed (myself included) as just a matter of time. The stout Ukrainian resistance combined with Russian Army and Air Force arrogance and incompetence have now, however, turned time into a Ukrainian asset. Absent substantial help from China, or Putin's use of tactical nuclear weapons (for political purposes his most viable WMD option) the war has devolved into one of attrition that gives a constantly resupplied Ukraine a fighting chance.
2. Putin's WMD reasoning. A war of attrition increases the potential that Putin will resort to the use of a tactical nuclear weapon. How likely is it that Putin might pursue a nuclear option? If Putin is irrational then rational analysis will not yield medium or high confidence assessments of his potential decisions, but one way to approach this problem is to assess negative outcomes a rational Putin might weigh in deciding whether to use a nuclear device.
3. Perilous options. Should Putin attempt the use of a tactical nuclear weapon, he not only faces the prospect that (1) subordinates may not follow orders, but also (2) that a nuclear weapon fizzles. If either of those things happen, it is the end of the Putin regime.
4. A military plundered by corruption. How much confidence does Putin have in his command and control? ….
5. How potent is the Russian nuclear threat? There is also great uncertainty regarding the state of Russian nuclear weapons. Given the state of Russian military infrastructure and performance, it is questionable whether the Russian have adequately maintained and replenished enriched uranium or plutonium stocks. Nuclear weapons also depend on other components that degrade with time… (download to read more)
1. Time is now an ally of Ukraine. With Western logistical support, time is now on Ukraine's side. Until recently time was viewed as something that worked against Ukraine. Given Russia's superior numbers, the defeat and occupation of Ukraine was widely viewed (myself included) as just a matter of time. The stout Ukrainian resistance combined with Russian Army and Air Force arrogance and incompetence have now, however, turned time into a Ukrainian asset. Absent substantial help from China, or Putin's use of tactical nuclear weapons (for political purposes his most viable WMD option) the war has devolved into one of attrition that gives a constantly resupplied Ukraine a fighting chance.
2. Putin's WMD reasoning. A war of attrition increases the potential that Putin will resort to the use of a tactical nuclear weapon. How likely is it that Putin might pursue a nuclear option? If Putin is irrational then rational analysis will not yield medium or high confidence assessments of his potential decisions, but one way to approach this problem is to assess negative outcomes a rational Putin might weigh in deciding whether to use a nuclear device.
3. Perilous options. Should Putin attempt the use of a tactical nuclear weapon, he not only faces the prospect that (1) subordinates may not follow orders, but also (2) that a nuclear weapon fizzles. If either of those things happen, it is the end of the Putin regime.
4. A military plundered by corruption. How much confidence does Putin have in his command and control? ….
5. How potent is the Russian nuclear threat? There is also great uncertainty regarding the state of Russian nuclear weapons. Given the state of Russian military infrastructure and performance, it is questionable whether the Russian have adequately maintained and replenished enriched uranium or plutonium stocks. Nuclear weapons also depend on other components that degrade with time… (download to read more)
Research Interests:
March 22, 2022 Russian media is a tightly controlled instrument of state propaganda. Sadly, large segments of our western media are now independently engaged in cheerleading that often crossed into propaganda. The Ten Essential Techniques... more
March 22, 2022
Russian media is a tightly controlled instrument of state propaganda. Sadly, large segments of our western media are now independently engaged in cheerleading that often crossed into propaganda.
The Ten Essential Techniques and Elements of Propaganda. Go ahead... test it against all sides in all wars. Although formulated for war, with some minor modifications the list is also applicable to political and culture war propaganda.
"1. We don’t want war; we are only defending ourselves.
2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war.
3. Our adversary’s leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil… (download to read more)
Russian media is a tightly controlled instrument of state propaganda. Sadly, large segments of our western media are now independently engaged in cheerleading that often crossed into propaganda.
The Ten Essential Techniques and Elements of Propaganda. Go ahead... test it against all sides in all wars. Although formulated for war, with some minor modifications the list is also applicable to political and culture war propaganda.
"1. We don’t want war; we are only defending ourselves.
2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war.
3. Our adversary’s leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil… (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Based on reports by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Open Nuclear Network (ONN) and other open source intelligence, here are 10 things you need to know about the North Korea missile program and the latest North Korean missile test:... more
Based on reports by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Open Nuclear Network (ONN) and other open source intelligence, here are 10 things you need to know about the North Korea missile program and the latest North Korean missile test:
With a flight duration of 71 minutes, the March 24, 2022 test, assumed to be a Hwasong-17 missile test, was the longest duration flight by a North Korean ICBM. The missile reached an estimated altitude of 3730 miles (6,000 km) and 3850 miles (6,200 km) according to respective reports from Japan and South Korea. The launch was nearly vertical, ranging only 730 miles (1,180 km) to fall into the Sea of Japan, but if the missile had been launched on a standard ballistic missile trajectory, the estimated range would reach across the continental United States. (download to read more)
With a flight duration of 71 minutes, the March 24, 2022 test, assumed to be a Hwasong-17 missile test, was the longest duration flight by a North Korean ICBM. The missile reached an estimated altitude of 3730 miles (6,000 km) and 3850 miles (6,200 km) according to respective reports from Japan and South Korea. The launch was nearly vertical, ranging only 730 miles (1,180 km) to fall into the Sea of Japan, but if the missile had been launched on a standard ballistic missile trajectory, the estimated range would reach across the continental United States. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Ten things you need to know about the nuclear capacity of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to offer cogent analysis of Iran’s compliance with the existing Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and/or ongoing negotiations by the... more
Ten things you need to know about the nuclear capacity of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to offer cogent analysis of Iran’s compliance with the existing Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and/or ongoing negotiations by the U.S. to adapt that agreement before joining it once again as a participating party.
Based on a recent International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Iran Verification and Monitoring Report of March 3, 2022 [1], and subsequent Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) analysis [2], Iran is continuing to advance its nuclear capabilities, hide nuclear research facilities, and thwart international inspections.
(download to read more)
Based on a recent International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Iran Verification and Monitoring Report of March 3, 2022 [1], and subsequent Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) analysis [2], Iran is continuing to advance its nuclear capabilities, hide nuclear research facilities, and thwart international inspections.
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
Reality intrusion on Iran nuclear talks: Iran's nuclear progress renders the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) essentially moot. Even with revisions proposed by the Biden Administration, recommitment to the JCPOA would provide... more
Reality intrusion on Iran nuclear talks: Iran's nuclear progress renders the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) essentially moot. Even with revisions proposed by the Biden Administration, recommitment to the JCPOA would provide little protection.
The JCPOA is intended to provide a one-year window of safety between Iran's commitment to build a nuclear weapon and the possession of sufficient enriched uranium to construct such a weapon. Iran has already reduced that window of time to weeks. (download to read more)
The JCPOA is intended to provide a one-year window of safety between Iran's commitment to build a nuclear weapon and the possession of sufficient enriched uranium to construct such a weapon. Iran has already reduced that window of time to weeks. (download to read more)
With regard to the Steele Dossier, the question I address is not the ultimate truth or falsity of those assertions. My concern is the subsequent scrutiny laid on the dossier as well the subsequent use of unsubstantial claims to enhance... more
With regard to the Steele Dossier, the question I address is not the ultimate truth or falsity of those assertions. My concern is the subsequent scrutiny laid on the dossier as well the subsequent use of unsubstantial claims to enhance ratings or advance partisan interests. The who, what, when, where, and why regarding the media and political use the now discredited Steele Dossier is an story import for journalistic integrity. It hauntingly smacks of a publish-then-verify attitude that pumps ratings, or worse, a willingness to publish unverified and potentially unverifiable allegations because they support a preconceived partisan narrative. Both practices should be anathematic to the ethical practice of journalism. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Periodically prized, falling in and out of fashion's favor since the 14th century, handcrafted artisan Venetian Murano glass ranges from relatively simple, small bottles and perfume atomizers to large, colorful, and complex works of... more
Periodically prized, falling in and out of fashion's favor since the 14th century, handcrafted artisan Venetian Murano glass ranges from relatively simple, small bottles and perfume atomizers to large, colorful, and complex works of collectible art.
Murano glass is manufactured using techniques dating back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was Venice's position as a mercantile and shipping hub between 1300 and 1500 that helped establish a worldwide appetite for the glass made by generations of glass workers, both men and women, on the nearby island of Murano. References describing Murano glass as "dragon glass" refer not only to fiery flecks of color in Murano glass but also to the legend that the bones of a slain dragon are embedded in the colorful mosaic floor of the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria and San Donato.
…
In 2021, archaeologists working the Brooks Range of Alaska found Murano beads brought by aboriginal explorers across the Bering Strait in their search for caribou hunting grounds….Along with beads found at other Alaskan sites, these Murano beads became the earliest known artifacts found thus far in the Americas.
Some of the alchemical secrets of Murano artistry included the fast, high-temperature melting of metal oxides and salts of tin and titanium to create vibrant colors, as well as the embedding of tiny copper crystals in aventurine glass to mimic the presence of gold. Highly refined glass, slow-cured in kilns to remove impurities, was made clear for "cristallo."
Murano glass, a fusion of science and art, has always carried a mystique.
It was once widely believed that glass containers could be used as poison detectors. Bottles made from exquisitely delicate Murano glass (or Venetian glass) were thought to fracture or explode when filled with poison.
There is no scientific evidence, however, supporting claims that the crystalline structure of Murano glass would vibrate beyond the frequency and amplitude expected with temperature changes.
Murano glassware technology and techniques can be dated to at least 1800 BC in Egypt. As early as the third century BC, glassmakers created "thousand-flowers glass," which became signatory of both Islamic and Renaissance glass art. It was a widely exported product of Murano in the 14th century.
Millefiori glass is a form of murrine glass in which thin slices of glass rods, each composed of several multi-colored glass strands, are melted into one single rod. The cross-sections of these glass rods look like flowers, or flower petals. Silica sand, soda ash, and lime are mixed and heated to 2372 degrees Fahrenheit (1300 C) to form lead-free liquid crystal. Bars of molten glass are then shaped and placed in preheated patterned molds to assume their intended shape before being placed back in the furnace to be encased in molten crystal. The molten glob is then stretched into a murrini cane, cooled, and cut to the desired length. Individual cane rods are bundled into complex murrini rods which, after cooling, are again cut to desired lengths before being incorporated into paperweights, decorative objects, and pieces of jewelry.
Murano glass is manufactured using techniques dating back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was Venice's position as a mercantile and shipping hub between 1300 and 1500 that helped establish a worldwide appetite for the glass made by generations of glass workers, both men and women, on the nearby island of Murano. References describing Murano glass as "dragon glass" refer not only to fiery flecks of color in Murano glass but also to the legend that the bones of a slain dragon are embedded in the colorful mosaic floor of the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria and San Donato.
…
In 2021, archaeologists working the Brooks Range of Alaska found Murano beads brought by aboriginal explorers across the Bering Strait in their search for caribou hunting grounds….Along with beads found at other Alaskan sites, these Murano beads became the earliest known artifacts found thus far in the Americas.
Some of the alchemical secrets of Murano artistry included the fast, high-temperature melting of metal oxides and salts of tin and titanium to create vibrant colors, as well as the embedding of tiny copper crystals in aventurine glass to mimic the presence of gold. Highly refined glass, slow-cured in kilns to remove impurities, was made clear for "cristallo."
Murano glass, a fusion of science and art, has always carried a mystique.
It was once widely believed that glass containers could be used as poison detectors. Bottles made from exquisitely delicate Murano glass (or Venetian glass) were thought to fracture or explode when filled with poison.
There is no scientific evidence, however, supporting claims that the crystalline structure of Murano glass would vibrate beyond the frequency and amplitude expected with temperature changes.
Murano glassware technology and techniques can be dated to at least 1800 BC in Egypt. As early as the third century BC, glassmakers created "thousand-flowers glass," which became signatory of both Islamic and Renaissance glass art. It was a widely exported product of Murano in the 14th century.
Millefiori glass is a form of murrine glass in which thin slices of glass rods, each composed of several multi-colored glass strands, are melted into one single rod. The cross-sections of these glass rods look like flowers, or flower petals. Silica sand, soda ash, and lime are mixed and heated to 2372 degrees Fahrenheit (1300 C) to form lead-free liquid crystal. Bars of molten glass are then shaped and placed in preheated patterned molds to assume their intended shape before being placed back in the furnace to be encased in molten crystal. The molten glob is then stretched into a murrini cane, cooled, and cut to the desired length. Individual cane rods are bundled into complex murrini rods which, after cooling, are again cut to desired lengths before being incorporated into paperweights, decorative objects, and pieces of jewelry.
Research Interests:
Part I: Hemingway's enduring intimacy I am a scientist, an author, occasionally a journalist, and an editor of science and factual media. I'm not a literary scholar, but I have read all of Hemingway's published works and spent many... more
Part I: Hemingway's enduring intimacy
I am a scientist, an author, occasionally a journalist, and an editor of science and factual media. I'm not a literary scholar, but I have read all of Hemingway's published works and spent many days with his personal writings and photos preserved in the Hemingway archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.
Spelunking in the collection donated by Mary Welsh Hemingway was always one of my favorite personal diversions when in Boston. After making a reservation with a research librarian, I'd jump on the Red Line from Harvard to the JFK/UMass exit. That being sufficient "T" time, I would take a taxi back to my room at the Harvard Club in Back Bay or to the house I rented in Cambridge, just off campus on Kirkland Place.
It would be hard to mistake the Hemingway room, adorned as it is with a mounted antelope head from his 1933 safari, a lion-skin rug, and his portrait.
My explorations in the Hemingway collection were admittedly cursory. l followed my own interests and requested material related to Hemingway's coverage of the Spanish Civil War and WWII. I confess to an almost promiscuous voyeurism in viewing rarely seen writings and photos of someone whom I felt I already knew intimately. Great writers have the ability to span time, distance, and differences to make their readers intimate companions.
Six decades after his death, Hemingway still has legions of us who think we know him. We think we understand him, and we envy and try to emulate his life, his writing, or both.
(download to read more)
DEDICATION: For my grandsons Owen Cafferty Lerner and Cary Cafferty Lerner: May you grow to enjoy Hemingway's writing and learn from his life. Use what is valuable and reject what is destructive as you find your own path to becoming better men.
I am a scientist, an author, occasionally a journalist, and an editor of science and factual media. I'm not a literary scholar, but I have read all of Hemingway's published works and spent many days with his personal writings and photos preserved in the Hemingway archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.
Spelunking in the collection donated by Mary Welsh Hemingway was always one of my favorite personal diversions when in Boston. After making a reservation with a research librarian, I'd jump on the Red Line from Harvard to the JFK/UMass exit. That being sufficient "T" time, I would take a taxi back to my room at the Harvard Club in Back Bay or to the house I rented in Cambridge, just off campus on Kirkland Place.
It would be hard to mistake the Hemingway room, adorned as it is with a mounted antelope head from his 1933 safari, a lion-skin rug, and his portrait.
My explorations in the Hemingway collection were admittedly cursory. l followed my own interests and requested material related to Hemingway's coverage of the Spanish Civil War and WWII. I confess to an almost promiscuous voyeurism in viewing rarely seen writings and photos of someone whom I felt I already knew intimately. Great writers have the ability to span time, distance, and differences to make their readers intimate companions.
Six decades after his death, Hemingway still has legions of us who think we know him. We think we understand him, and we envy and try to emulate his life, his writing, or both.
(download to read more)
DEDICATION: For my grandsons Owen Cafferty Lerner and Cary Cafferty Lerner: May you grow to enjoy Hemingway's writing and learn from his life. Use what is valuable and reject what is destructive as you find your own path to becoming better men.
Research Interests:
Prisoners of War Fannin's men at Goliad brutally murdered Remember Goliad and Remember the Alamo! Just weeks after the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, the Mexican army under the command of the dictator Santa Anna defeated vastly... more
Prisoners of War
Fannin's men at Goliad
brutally murdered
Remember Goliad and
Remember the Alamo!
Just weeks after the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, the Mexican army under the command of the dictator Santa Anna defeated vastly outnumbered soldiers of the nascent Texas Army under the command of Col. James Walker Fannin at the battle of Coleto (March 19 to March 20). The captured Texians, now prisoners of war, were held at the Presidio La Bahia, where -- in accord with the direct written order of Santa Anna -- they were massacred by Mexican troops under the command of Mexican Gen. Urrea on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836.
On that fateful Sunday, of the approximately 400 POWs, those who were able to walk were marched out in three directions under the guise of being transferred to other garrisons. About a half a mile from the Presidio, the columns were halted and the men shot. (download to read more)
Fannin's men at Goliad
brutally murdered
Remember Goliad and
Remember the Alamo!
Just weeks after the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, the Mexican army under the command of the dictator Santa Anna defeated vastly outnumbered soldiers of the nascent Texas Army under the command of Col. James Walker Fannin at the battle of Coleto (March 19 to March 20). The captured Texians, now prisoners of war, were held at the Presidio La Bahia, where -- in accord with the direct written order of Santa Anna -- they were massacred by Mexican troops under the command of Mexican Gen. Urrea on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836.
On that fateful Sunday, of the approximately 400 POWs, those who were able to walk were marched out in three directions under the guise of being transferred to other garrisons. About a half a mile from the Presidio, the columns were halted and the men shot. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
Mortal flesh grounded yet his spirit will live on Now, like Sparta's myths, his legend will grow with time The voice and creed will live on December 8, 2020 Pensacola FL-- Bravo zulu maximus for Chuck Yeager on his service, a life fully... more
Mortal flesh grounded
yet his spirit will live on
Now, like Sparta's myths,
his legend will grow with time
The voice and creed will live on
December 8, 2020
Pensacola FL-- Bravo zulu maximus for Chuck Yeager on his service, a life fully and well lived, and for his "no bridge too low" approach to all of it.
Today is a day for solitary reflection on life, and also probably a good bit of bourbon. A legendary icon and true American hero has passed. General Chuck Yeager, always a man among men–and for a time, THE man among men–died last night at age 97.
What the force is to the Jedi, Yeagerisms are to pilots. It is a force that binds us and training must be undertaken to properly use it. Yeager's way was THE way.
Yeager was a WWII hero who once shot down five enemy aircraft in a single day, and a legendary test pilot. As Yeager would dismissively say, he was the first pilot "confirmed to exceed the speed of sound and live to talk about it," but he was also the originator of Yeagerisms, and it was this quality and force of character that Tom Wolfe so aptly later captured and immortalized in The Right Stuff.
Every pilot who has ever kicked a rudder to line up at the top of a loop, landed a crippled plane, ejected from a flaming hunk of falling metal, or walked away from a crash understands Yeagerisms. No matter their personal titer of the right stuff, no matter their accent, they will invariably drawl out the tale in a way that shows they believe doing your duty or your job is the most important thing, but also that coolness while doing it is THE thing. (download to read more)
yet his spirit will live on
Now, like Sparta's myths,
his legend will grow with time
The voice and creed will live on
December 8, 2020
Pensacola FL-- Bravo zulu maximus for Chuck Yeager on his service, a life fully and well lived, and for his "no bridge too low" approach to all of it.
Today is a day for solitary reflection on life, and also probably a good bit of bourbon. A legendary icon and true American hero has passed. General Chuck Yeager, always a man among men–and for a time, THE man among men–died last night at age 97.
What the force is to the Jedi, Yeagerisms are to pilots. It is a force that binds us and training must be undertaken to properly use it. Yeager's way was THE way.
Yeager was a WWII hero who once shot down five enemy aircraft in a single day, and a legendary test pilot. As Yeager would dismissively say, he was the first pilot "confirmed to exceed the speed of sound and live to talk about it," but he was also the originator of Yeagerisms, and it was this quality and force of character that Tom Wolfe so aptly later captured and immortalized in The Right Stuff.
Every pilot who has ever kicked a rudder to line up at the top of a loop, landed a crippled plane, ejected from a flaming hunk of falling metal, or walked away from a crash understands Yeagerisms. No matter their personal titer of the right stuff, no matter their accent, they will invariably drawl out the tale in a way that shows they believe doing your duty or your job is the most important thing, but also that coolness while doing it is THE thing. (download to read more)
Research Interests:
March 23, 2021 What does the end of a pandemic look like? Expert opinion varies as to how the current COVID-19 global pandemic will end. Many questions still lack answers. Most public health experts argue that eradicating or... more
March 23, 2021
What does the end of a pandemic look like?
Expert opinion varies as to how the current COVID-19 global pandemic will end. Many questions still lack answers.
Most public health experts argue that eradicating or eliminating the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is no longer possible. The probability is that, even with broad vaccination programs, the virus will remain endemic (i.e., persisting at some level in the human population), if not globally, at least regionally.
Previously, only two viruses, the deadly smallpox virus and the rinderpest virus that causes disease in cattle, have been declared eradicated (i.e., removed from any presence in the general population and consigned to laboratories designed to house and study dangerous pathogens).
Sadly, the chances are very slim–virtually nonexistent–that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be eradicated. Even if it were possible to vaccinate everyone, this would not eliminate the virus because of its zoonotic nature. Zoonotic viruses have an undiscovered animal reservoir that harbors the virus and allows it to exist, reproduce, and mutate outside the human body.
Download to read more
What does the end of a pandemic look like?
Expert opinion varies as to how the current COVID-19 global pandemic will end. Many questions still lack answers.
Most public health experts argue that eradicating or eliminating the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is no longer possible. The probability is that, even with broad vaccination programs, the virus will remain endemic (i.e., persisting at some level in the human population), if not globally, at least regionally.
Previously, only two viruses, the deadly smallpox virus and the rinderpest virus that causes disease in cattle, have been declared eradicated (i.e., removed from any presence in the general population and consigned to laboratories designed to house and study dangerous pathogens).
Sadly, the chances are very slim–virtually nonexistent–that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be eradicated. Even if it were possible to vaccinate everyone, this would not eliminate the virus because of its zoonotic nature. Zoonotic viruses have an undiscovered animal reservoir that harbors the virus and allows it to exist, reproduce, and mutate outside the human body.
Download to read more
Research Interests:
In a disaster, the coronavirus pandemic providing a ready example, cries to abandon caution and gamble on solutions can lead to spectacular success and deadly failures. President Trump continues to tout an antibiotic and anti-viral... more
In a disaster, the coronavirus pandemic providing a ready example, cries to abandon caution and gamble on solutions can lead to spectacular success and deadly failures.
President Trump continues to tout an antibiotic and anti-viral drug called hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for Covid-19. More than just promoting the treatment, Trump urges its use, including prophylactic use.
With regard to efficacy, Trump said, "It may work, it may not." Moreover, because the drug has proven relatively safe when used under other specific circumstances (e.g., treatment of malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases), Trump asserts, "What is there to lose?"
At a minimum, a loss of scientific rigor and the potential to repeat some of the same mistakes made the hasty FDA approval of azidothymidine, aka AZT or Retrovir, in 1987. Like hydroxychloroquine, AZT wasn't a new compound, it was created in the 60s as chemotherapy drug. AZT proved ineffective for that purpose but was dusted off and, in desperation to stem rising HIV/AIDS deaths, tried as an anti-viral. Encouraging success from flawed trials and political pressure pushed the FDA into a rapid approval. While AZT arguably offered some benefits, and became part of the cocktail of drugs developed in the 90s to control AIDS, patients also suffered debilitating side effects, problems related to over dosage, and drug resistance.
In the current battle against SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19 pandemic, the FDA has granted an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine, and clinical use of the drug has been tried in China, Italy, and other places where critically ill patients had no other options. There is a spectrum of anecdotal evidence, from highly encouraging to "of no use" to potentially dangerous.
I hope the president is right, but even if he is ultimately proven correct then it's not because of his scientific insight but rather prophetic fulfillment of the saying, "Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut." He certainly isn't using science.
In support of using hydroxychloroquine, Trump cites a "French study" that he claims shows "spectacular" or "encouraging" results. Alas, the paper announcing the French group's findings, 'Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial' (published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (IJAA) (See Note #1) was subsequently denounced by the journal's publisher, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC), who said that the organization "shares the concerns regarding the above article published recently in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (IJAA). The ISAC Board believes the article does not meet the Society’s expected standard, especially relating to the lack of better explanations of the inclusion criteria and the triage of patients to ensure patient safety." (See Note #2)
Originally published 22 March, 2020.
(download to read more)
President Trump continues to tout an antibiotic and anti-viral drug called hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for Covid-19. More than just promoting the treatment, Trump urges its use, including prophylactic use.
With regard to efficacy, Trump said, "It may work, it may not." Moreover, because the drug has proven relatively safe when used under other specific circumstances (e.g., treatment of malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases), Trump asserts, "What is there to lose?"
At a minimum, a loss of scientific rigor and the potential to repeat some of the same mistakes made the hasty FDA approval of azidothymidine, aka AZT or Retrovir, in 1987. Like hydroxychloroquine, AZT wasn't a new compound, it was created in the 60s as chemotherapy drug. AZT proved ineffective for that purpose but was dusted off and, in desperation to stem rising HIV/AIDS deaths, tried as an anti-viral. Encouraging success from flawed trials and political pressure pushed the FDA into a rapid approval. While AZT arguably offered some benefits, and became part of the cocktail of drugs developed in the 90s to control AIDS, patients also suffered debilitating side effects, problems related to over dosage, and drug resistance.
In the current battle against SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19 pandemic, the FDA has granted an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine, and clinical use of the drug has been tried in China, Italy, and other places where critically ill patients had no other options. There is a spectrum of anecdotal evidence, from highly encouraging to "of no use" to potentially dangerous.
I hope the president is right, but even if he is ultimately proven correct then it's not because of his scientific insight but rather prophetic fulfillment of the saying, "Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut." He certainly isn't using science.
In support of using hydroxychloroquine, Trump cites a "French study" that he claims shows "spectacular" or "encouraging" results. Alas, the paper announcing the French group's findings, 'Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial' (published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (IJAA) (See Note #1) was subsequently denounced by the journal's publisher, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC), who said that the organization "shares the concerns regarding the above article published recently in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (IJAA). The ISAC Board believes the article does not meet the Society’s expected standard, especially relating to the lack of better explanations of the inclusion criteria and the triage of patients to ensure patient safety." (See Note #2)
Originally published 22 March, 2020.
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
Abstract Any assessment of Soleimani's acts, expenditures, and influence in creating satellite militias across the Middle East over the past decade, especially with his expenditures made possible by the economic boost to the Iranian... more
Abstract
Any assessment of Soleimani's acts, expenditures, and influence in creating satellite militias across the Middle East over the past decade, especially with his expenditures made possible by the economic boost to the Iranian economy after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (hereafter referred to as the Iran nuclear agreement), will quickly dispel any assertions that recent escalations in tensions with Iran are the result of the U.S. pulling out of that deal. That's Tehran's line, and those who push it become pro-terrorist propagandists. The Iranian nuclear agreement, with the economic boost and cash it brought Iran–along with the Obama administration's weakness toward Iran–fueled the regional instability and terrorism orchestrated by Iran.
Iran will, of course, threaten retaliation, and because they can only fight asymmetrically, Iran will probably mount a violent response, most likely through proxies, against innocent civilians or U.S. diplomatic missions. "Death to America" will once again be the chant du jour. In the end, however, allowing Iran to dictate or constrain our policy and actions by threat of asymmetrical warfare is capitulation to terror.
Courage is required. We must see through those proxy smokescreens and hold Tehran accountable by ensuring that the price for such acts is ultimately too steep a price to pay even for a theocracy exhorting martyrdom. Cost versus benefit calculus must be made to apply to both sides.
…
Questions about presidential notifications to Congress are inherently contextual, and the requirements surrounding notifications to Congress rely on several factors, the first being whether an action is a Title 50 covert action that requires prior congressional notification...However, even if one determines that the U.S. structured the airstrikes on Soleimani to allow potential deniability if things went wrong (thus making the operation potentially classifiable as a covert operation), many exceptions exist to the Title 50 notification requirements. "Traditional military activities" are exempt and, as defined under 50 U.S.C. 3093(e)(2), provide an exception that would apply in the killing of Soleimani. This was an attack by U.S. military forces in a defined theater of operations (Iraq) against an Iranian military commander of a group designated an enemy and/or terrorist group. As the strike was conducted by U.S. armed forces under U.S. military command, the airstrikes count as traditional military activities. That makes the killing Title 10 action, not a Title 50 action. (See footnote 2.) (continued… download to read more)
Any assessment of Soleimani's acts, expenditures, and influence in creating satellite militias across the Middle East over the past decade, especially with his expenditures made possible by the economic boost to the Iranian economy after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (hereafter referred to as the Iran nuclear agreement), will quickly dispel any assertions that recent escalations in tensions with Iran are the result of the U.S. pulling out of that deal. That's Tehran's line, and those who push it become pro-terrorist propagandists. The Iranian nuclear agreement, with the economic boost and cash it brought Iran–along with the Obama administration's weakness toward Iran–fueled the regional instability and terrorism orchestrated by Iran.
Iran will, of course, threaten retaliation, and because they can only fight asymmetrically, Iran will probably mount a violent response, most likely through proxies, against innocent civilians or U.S. diplomatic missions. "Death to America" will once again be the chant du jour. In the end, however, allowing Iran to dictate or constrain our policy and actions by threat of asymmetrical warfare is capitulation to terror.
Courage is required. We must see through those proxy smokescreens and hold Tehran accountable by ensuring that the price for such acts is ultimately too steep a price to pay even for a theocracy exhorting martyrdom. Cost versus benefit calculus must be made to apply to both sides.
…
Questions about presidential notifications to Congress are inherently contextual, and the requirements surrounding notifications to Congress rely on several factors, the first being whether an action is a Title 50 covert action that requires prior congressional notification...However, even if one determines that the U.S. structured the airstrikes on Soleimani to allow potential deniability if things went wrong (thus making the operation potentially classifiable as a covert operation), many exceptions exist to the Title 50 notification requirements. "Traditional military activities" are exempt and, as defined under 50 U.S.C. 3093(e)(2), provide an exception that would apply in the killing of Soleimani. This was an attack by U.S. military forces in a defined theater of operations (Iraq) against an Iranian military commander of a group designated an enemy and/or terrorist group. As the strike was conducted by U.S. armed forces under U.S. military command, the airstrikes count as traditional military activities. That makes the killing Title 10 action, not a Title 50 action. (See footnote 2.) (continued… download to read more)
Research Interests: History, Military History, Terrorism, Middle East Studies, Intelligence, and 9 moreInternational Security, Political Science, Middle East Politics, Military and Politics, Counter terrorism, Use of Force & Counter-terrorism, Iraq War, Iran nuclear program, and Wars: Dynamics of Wars, Civil Wars, Militias & Guerrilla Warfare
Around the world, women and children shoulder a disproportionate burden of the pain and suffering caused by disease, disorder, and dogma. The struggle for women's rights is a struggle for human rights… [Photo Essay]
Research Interests:
Washington -- Officials at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Md. have temporarily suspended all biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) and biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) operations. USAMRIID... more
Washington -- Officials at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Md. have temporarily suspended all biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) and biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) operations. USAMRIID conducts research into defensive countermeasures against biological warfare and is the only Department of Defense laboratory equipped to conduct research with the world's most lethal biological agents.
After conducting on-site inspections in June, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inspectors determined that USAMRIID labs failed to meet biosafety standards In July, the CDC issued a "cease and desist" order that suspended USAMRIID'S registration with the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP). Without FASP certification, labs are not allowed to possess or handle disease-causing select agents nor conduct toxins research.
(download to read more)
After conducting on-site inspections in June, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inspectors determined that USAMRIID labs failed to meet biosafety standards In July, the CDC issued a "cease and desist" order that suspended USAMRIID'S registration with the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP). Without FASP certification, labs are not allowed to possess or handle disease-causing select agents nor conduct toxins research.
(download to read more)
Research Interests:
Based on her intelligence, experience, demeanor, and capacity, I think Gina Haspel is the right person to be CIA Director. I was impressed with her testimony during confirmation hearings. I agree with her that "the C.I.A.'s post-Sept. 11... more
Based on her intelligence, experience, demeanor, and capacity, I think Gina Haspel is the right person to be CIA Director. I was impressed with her testimony during confirmation hearings. I agree with her that "the C.I.A.'s post-Sept. 11 interrogation program " did damage to our officers and our standing in the world. "
I do not equivocate on denouncing torture. Torture is the resort of the unskilled interrogator, the desperate, the sadistic and the cruel. I do not defend the policy of implementing Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EIT) post 9/11, nor rendition (all renditions are, btw, extraordinary) to black sites, but I understand why they were implemented.
Arguments about their effectiveness are to me moot because, as I have written, in the long run torture does far more harm to the torturer. It should never be U.S. policy.
As to the role DCI Haspel in running a black site prison while EITs were in practice. At the time, EITs were the law, and EITS were not considered torture. One can debate how severe or mild the EITs werecompared to other forms of torture routinely practiced in other parts of the world, but that begins to defend EITs in I ways I personally do not wish to defend them. It is straightforward enough to assert that they were the law and sanctioned by the DOJ as part of the post-9/11 reaction of a desperate, hurting, fearful and angry nation.
While EITs were policy it was the CIA and officers within the CIA who led the push-back against use of EITs and lobbied for a reversal of DOJ policy and their eventual discard.
<download to read more>
This commentary was updated in June 2022 to reflect subsequent testimony about former Director Haspel's roles in overseeing the use of EITs on Saudi prisoner, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
I do not equivocate on denouncing torture. Torture is the resort of the unskilled interrogator, the desperate, the sadistic and the cruel. I do not defend the policy of implementing Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EIT) post 9/11, nor rendition (all renditions are, btw, extraordinary) to black sites, but I understand why they were implemented.
Arguments about their effectiveness are to me moot because, as I have written, in the long run torture does far more harm to the torturer. It should never be U.S. policy.
As to the role DCI Haspel in running a black site prison while EITs were in practice. At the time, EITs were the law, and EITS were not considered torture. One can debate how severe or mild the EITs werecompared to other forms of torture routinely practiced in other parts of the world, but that begins to defend EITs in I ways I personally do not wish to defend them. It is straightforward enough to assert that they were the law and sanctioned by the DOJ as part of the post-9/11 reaction of a desperate, hurting, fearful and angry nation.
While EITs were policy it was the CIA and officers within the CIA who led the push-back against use of EITs and lobbied for a reversal of DOJ policy and their eventual discard.
<download to read more>
This commentary was updated in June 2022 to reflect subsequent testimony about former Director Haspel's roles in overseeing the use of EITs on Saudi prisoner, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
Research Interests:
Auburn, Alabama — The most recent political football propelled a playful piece I wrote a few years back about about the differences between college and pro ball into the top 1% in terms of Academia readership within the last 30 days.... more
Auburn, Alabama — The most recent political football propelled a playful piece I wrote a few years back about about the differences between college and pro ball into the top 1% in terms of Academia readership within the last 30 days.
Yet again, President Trump is able to manipulate media coverage and lead the unwashed about using division and diversion. Normally I'd just be amused, but we have fellow citizens in real peril in Puerto Rico, brave men and women in our Armed Forces poised on the brink of war with North Korea (fault for which spreads across administrations and decades), and there still no bipartisan effort to fix costs and coverage problems with health care.
The Republic cracks under the tectonic tensions created by a right played as puppets by a lout-in-chief and a left devoted to polluting their own well by weakening, defaming, and destroying the best hope to defend and advance progressive enlightenment in a dangerous world.
A feverish madness is now epidemic across the political spectrum.
Instead of tackling important issues we have collectively engaged in reality television-like pedestrian spectacle across a number of issues. We continue to do so at peril to valid concerns (of both Left and Right) and the Republic itself.
For me the solution is clear: Stand (both literally and physically) beside those who kneel.
Peaceful protest is a fundamental First Amendment right secured with the American blood and treasure since the founding of the Republic. No matter how distasteful the display (whether kneeling or burning flags), patriots do not fear peaceful protest, and in fact protect the right to protest precisely when it is most uncomfortable or incompatible with their views. Protestors can do no injury to the memory or sacrifice of soldiers, but we can squander their sacrifice by seeking to compel behavior deemed as patriotic.
Real issues underlie these protests, but those who choose to kneel, sit, or turn their back on the flag while the National Anthem plays (and I'll add talk, chew gum, or comment of the quality of the singer) simply eschew brief moments of commonality for narcissistic protest that achieves nothing but more division. They do not dishonor America, they bring shame only on themselves.
Kneeling is a sign of subjugation. The defeated, the weak, and vassals kneel. Men stand.
Agree with the act or not, think of the powerful symbolism of the Black Power salutes of Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics that said, "We stand here as Americans but we are also men who will fight injustice and for empowerment and equality." In contrast, kneeling looks like protestors opting out of commonality with their fellow citizens --and in a symbolic way, opting out of the common experiment that is America.
I fully recognize our imperfections and that "all men are created' equal remains aspirational. I want to know the concerns of my fellow citizens. I want to reconcile division. I want to do better personally, and I want us to do better collectively.
I have no interest, however, in the thoughts of those who opt out. For me it is a disqualifying sign of ignorance of the state of the world and America's place in the world.
Yet again, President Trump is able to manipulate media coverage and lead the unwashed about using division and diversion. Normally I'd just be amused, but we have fellow citizens in real peril in Puerto Rico, brave men and women in our Armed Forces poised on the brink of war with North Korea (fault for which spreads across administrations and decades), and there still no bipartisan effort to fix costs and coverage problems with health care.
The Republic cracks under the tectonic tensions created by a right played as puppets by a lout-in-chief and a left devoted to polluting their own well by weakening, defaming, and destroying the best hope to defend and advance progressive enlightenment in a dangerous world.
A feverish madness is now epidemic across the political spectrum.
Instead of tackling important issues we have collectively engaged in reality television-like pedestrian spectacle across a number of issues. We continue to do so at peril to valid concerns (of both Left and Right) and the Republic itself.
For me the solution is clear: Stand (both literally and physically) beside those who kneel.
Peaceful protest is a fundamental First Amendment right secured with the American blood and treasure since the founding of the Republic. No matter how distasteful the display (whether kneeling or burning flags), patriots do not fear peaceful protest, and in fact protect the right to protest precisely when it is most uncomfortable or incompatible with their views. Protestors can do no injury to the memory or sacrifice of soldiers, but we can squander their sacrifice by seeking to compel behavior deemed as patriotic.
Real issues underlie these protests, but those who choose to kneel, sit, or turn their back on the flag while the National Anthem plays (and I'll add talk, chew gum, or comment of the quality of the singer) simply eschew brief moments of commonality for narcissistic protest that achieves nothing but more division. They do not dishonor America, they bring shame only on themselves.
Kneeling is a sign of subjugation. The defeated, the weak, and vassals kneel. Men stand.
Agree with the act or not, think of the powerful symbolism of the Black Power salutes of Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics that said, "We stand here as Americans but we are also men who will fight injustice and for empowerment and equality." In contrast, kneeling looks like protestors opting out of commonality with their fellow citizens --and in a symbolic way, opting out of the common experiment that is America.
I fully recognize our imperfections and that "all men are created' equal remains aspirational. I want to know the concerns of my fellow citizens. I want to reconcile division. I want to do better personally, and I want us to do better collectively.
I have no interest, however, in the thoughts of those who opt out. For me it is a disqualifying sign of ignorance of the state of the world and America's place in the world.
Research Interests:
Cambridge, Mass. — It was grey, raining, and cool in Cambridge yesterday during Harvard's 366th Commencement, but Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust was on fire. Her Annual Report to the Alumni Association turned into a brave,... more
Cambridge, Mass. — It was grey, raining, and cool in Cambridge yesterday during Harvard's 366th Commencement, but Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust was on fire. Her Annual Report to the Alumni Association turned into a brave, brilliant, soaring -- and I hope game changing — defense of free speech and the role of the universities in both protecting and nurturing free speech on campus.
Once again, Harvard sets the standard, and those who have shown intellectual cowardice on this issue should feel great shame. ( download to read more)
Once again, Harvard sets the standard, and those who have shown intellectual cowardice on this issue should feel great shame. ( download to read more)
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Inauguration Day for the next President of the United States is a time when patriots are separated from the merely partisan. Once every four years, patriots set aside their partisan differences to celebrate a peaceful transition of the... more
Inauguration Day for the next President of the United States is a time when patriots are separated from the merely partisan. Once every four years, patriots set aside their partisan differences to celebrate a peaceful transition of the Presidency in the world's most powerful nation. We are called to show respect for the office, if not for the office holder. In so doing, we show respect for America, we embrace our Constitution, and our best hopes. We show respect for our fellow citizens and ourselves. (continued, download to read more)
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For those of you wondering why I recently took an impassioned interest in defending the Electoral College, the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Russian meddling in the... more
For those of you wondering why I recently took an impassioned interest in defending the Electoral College, the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Russian meddling in the recent U.S. elections explains my combative stance.
Whether intending to elect or defeat a foreign candidate or cause, influencing elections is an old game played globally by both Russian and U.S. intelligence agencies. Destabilizing institutions and reducing confidence in government are often key components. The ICA acknowledges that "Russia, like its Soviet predecessor, has a history of conducting covert influence campaigns focused on U.S. presidential elections" and that recent efforts, including "press placements to disparage candidates perceived as hostile to the Kremlin" were an escalated use of existing techniques.
For many us familiar with Russian tradecraft, the Bear's paw prints were abundant and easily visible months before the election.
Omitting classified supporting evidence that would reveal methods and sources, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Security Agency (NSA) cooperated to draft the ICA. Their joint conclusion -- based on evidence known by 29 December 2016 and offered with generally high confidence -- was that Russian hacking, along with propaganda and disinformation efforts (including the creation and dissemination of fake news), were undertaken with the direct knowledge and approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials. The Russian effort, initially designed to "denigrate Secretary Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency" and eventually included efforts to "help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him" (about this last assertion, the NSA offered only moderate versus high confidence).
The Russian effort was part of a continuing and "longstanding desire to undermine the U.S.-led liberal democratic order" by undermining "public faith in the U.S. democratic process." (continued... download to read more)
Whether intending to elect or defeat a foreign candidate or cause, influencing elections is an old game played globally by both Russian and U.S. intelligence agencies. Destabilizing institutions and reducing confidence in government are often key components. The ICA acknowledges that "Russia, like its Soviet predecessor, has a history of conducting covert influence campaigns focused on U.S. presidential elections" and that recent efforts, including "press placements to disparage candidates perceived as hostile to the Kremlin" were an escalated use of existing techniques.
For many us familiar with Russian tradecraft, the Bear's paw prints were abundant and easily visible months before the election.
Omitting classified supporting evidence that would reveal methods and sources, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Security Agency (NSA) cooperated to draft the ICA. Their joint conclusion -- based on evidence known by 29 December 2016 and offered with generally high confidence -- was that Russian hacking, along with propaganda and disinformation efforts (including the creation and dissemination of fake news), were undertaken with the direct knowledge and approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials. The Russian effort, initially designed to "denigrate Secretary Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency" and eventually included efforts to "help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him" (about this last assertion, the NSA offered only moderate versus high confidence).
The Russian effort was part of a continuing and "longstanding desire to undermine the U.S.-led liberal democratic order" by undermining "public faith in the U.S. democratic process." (continued... download to read more)
Research Interests:
Saint Amant, La. — A slow-moving tropical system dumped record rains across southeast Louisiana, with some places reporting more than two feet of rain over a three-day period in mid-August 2016. Cresting floodwaters from several rivers... more
Saint Amant, La. — A slow-moving tropical system dumped record rains across southeast Louisiana, with some places reporting more than two feet of rain over a three-day period in mid-August 2016. Cresting floodwaters from several rivers eclipsed previous records. Federal disaster officials characterized the rainfall as "historic," and President Obama declared a "major disaster."
Water rose so fast in some areas that emergency services and shelters also needed quick evacuation. Rescue helicopters plucked people from rooftops and dropped water during the day to stranded motorists cut off by floodwaters as a ragtag fleet of volunteers with small fishing boats, airboats, and hunting canoes joined state and federal rescue efforts to save neighbors from fast-rising waters. (continued…download to read more)
Water rose so fast in some areas that emergency services and shelters also needed quick evacuation. Rescue helicopters plucked people from rooftops and dropped water during the day to stranded motorists cut off by floodwaters as a ragtag fleet of volunteers with small fishing boats, airboats, and hunting canoes joined state and federal rescue efforts to save neighbors from fast-rising waters. (continued…download to read more)
Research Interests:
Washington --- Is "American exceptionalism" now hubris? With socioeconomic indicators regarding quality-of-life issues portraying America as far from first, with America's civil discourse corrupted by the shameful shouting exhibitions in... more
Washington --- Is "American exceptionalism" now hubris?
With socioeconomic indicators regarding quality-of-life issues portraying America as far from first, with America's civil discourse corrupted by the shameful shouting exhibitions in the Republican primaries, with Americans —both left and right -- increasingly drawn toward polarizing populist movements, and with American exceptionalism increasingly scorned globally --or cast in a negative light as an implicitly interventionist creed--a number of pieces recently published in the BBC and elsewhere have essentially asked, "is 'American exceptionalism' hubris?"
[Download to read more]
With socioeconomic indicators regarding quality-of-life issues portraying America as far from first, with America's civil discourse corrupted by the shameful shouting exhibitions in the Republican primaries, with Americans —both left and right -- increasingly drawn toward polarizing populist movements, and with American exceptionalism increasingly scorned globally --or cast in a negative light as an implicitly interventionist creed--a number of pieces recently published in the BBC and elsewhere have essentially asked, "is 'American exceptionalism' hubris?"
[Download to read more]
Research Interests:
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently confirmed that laboratory tests of samples taken following Daesh attacks on Kurdish forces southwest of Erbil in August 2015 tested positive for sulphur mustard.... more
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently confirmed that laboratory tests of samples taken following Daesh attacks on Kurdish forces southwest of Erbil in August 2015 tested positive for sulphur mustard. (see Reuters dispatch by Anthony Deutsch, "Exclusive: Samples confirm Islamic State used mustard gas in Iraq - diplomat" < http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0VO1IC >)
Reuters reported that a OPCCW representative "speaking on condition of anonymity because the findings have not yet been released, said the result confirmed that chemical weapons had been used by Islamic State fighters."
This is the second documented use by Daesh/ISIS forces following tests that confirmed use of mustard gas by Daesh/ISIS forces in Syria.
As the Reuters dispatch also points out, the precursors and technology to make these weapons are easy enough to find or create in oil producing regions, and so it is possible ISIS is developing them de novo. More ominous would be if new weapons are be created from remnants of Syria’s former stockpile because it would mean faulty accounting for the weapons supposedly dismantled under international supervision back in 2014.
The Syrian stockpile was allegedly dismantled under international supervision as part of a deal to avoid potential US/UN intervention following the use of Sarin nerve gas by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against a rebellious area near Damascus in 2013. Assad denied he authorized use of chemical weapons. (continued… download ot read more)
Reuters reported that a OPCCW representative "speaking on condition of anonymity because the findings have not yet been released, said the result confirmed that chemical weapons had been used by Islamic State fighters."
This is the second documented use by Daesh/ISIS forces following tests that confirmed use of mustard gas by Daesh/ISIS forces in Syria.
As the Reuters dispatch also points out, the precursors and technology to make these weapons are easy enough to find or create in oil producing regions, and so it is possible ISIS is developing them de novo. More ominous would be if new weapons are be created from remnants of Syria’s former stockpile because it would mean faulty accounting for the weapons supposedly dismantled under international supervision back in 2014.
The Syrian stockpile was allegedly dismantled under international supervision as part of a deal to avoid potential US/UN intervention following the use of Sarin nerve gas by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against a rebellious area near Damascus in 2013. Assad denied he authorized use of chemical weapons. (continued… download ot read more)
Research Interests: Chemical Engineering, Terrorism, Middle East Studies, Digital Media, International Security, and 11 moreHistory of Science, Political Science, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Chemical Weapons, Security Studies, Social Media, Intelligence and Espionage, Public Health, Iraq War, Public Policy, and Weapons of mass destruction and terrorism
Paris — A few hours before dawn, local French anti-terrorist police barricaded Place Jean Jaurès and streets located near the Basilica Saint Denis. They raided a suspected terrorist hideout located on Rue du Corbillon. Police met armed... more
Paris — A few hours before dawn, local French anti-terrorist police barricaded Place Jean Jaurès and streets located near the Basilica Saint Denis. They raided a suspected terrorist hideout located on Rue du Corbillon. Police met armed resistance. Initially there were two waves of gunfire and explosions spaced at about 15 minute intervals, then a long pause. Heavy firing resumed about three hours later. Just before dawn there were large explosions and multiple bursts of gunfire. (continued, download to read more)
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Suffering stunned sorrow and anguish, it is tempting to try to understand the unspeakably vile murder of innocent worshipers in a Charleston church in terms of ready-made labels. Most of America, and the world at large, will be tempted to... more
Suffering stunned sorrow and anguish, it is tempting to try to understand the unspeakably vile murder of innocent worshipers in a Charleston church in terms of ready-made labels. Most of America, and the world at large, will be tempted to see this as white-on-black hate crime, and in terms of lingering racial hatreds in the South. If so, the analysis is already scripted.
Regardless the deranged murder's motives, close examination of his muddy justifications will be -- as hate often is -- ultimately unfathomable. The only suspect is Dylan Roof, a 21-year-old white male, his Facebook page has a photo of him sporting the flags of Rhodesia and apartheid-era South Africa, a period in history that ended just as the alleged killer was born. His young eyes seem filled with old hatreds. With a shooter so young, we are forced to collectively ask, "Who creates these monsters?"
<download to read more>
Regardless the deranged murder's motives, close examination of his muddy justifications will be -- as hate often is -- ultimately unfathomable. The only suspect is Dylan Roof, a 21-year-old white male, his Facebook page has a photo of him sporting the flags of Rhodesia and apartheid-era South Africa, a period in history that ended just as the alleged killer was born. His young eyes seem filled with old hatreds. With a shooter so young, we are forced to collectively ask, "Who creates these monsters?"
<download to read more>
Research Interests:
The Cosmos reveals a canvas of past starlight under dark night skies, Prometheus stole fire now we obscure divine light Dark skies bind us to the cosmos April, 2015 Fort Davis, Texas -- More than 80 percent of Americans and 60... more
The Cosmos reveals
a canvas of past starlight under dark night skies, Prometheus stole fire
now we obscure divine light
Dark skies bind us to the cosmos
April, 2015
Fort Davis, Texas -- More than 80 percent of Americans and 60 percent of Europeans are no longer able to see the Milky Way at night. According to the recently published World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness, about one third of all people in the world cannot see the diffuse light of the Milky Way in the night sky due to obscuring atmospheric pollution -- including light pollution -- that creates sky glow. (Download to read more)
a canvas of past starlight under dark night skies, Prometheus stole fire
now we obscure divine light
Dark skies bind us to the cosmos
April, 2015
Fort Davis, Texas -- More than 80 percent of Americans and 60 percent of Europeans are no longer able to see the Milky Way at night. According to the recently published World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness, about one third of all people in the world cannot see the diffuse light of the Milky Way in the night sky due to obscuring atmospheric pollution -- including light pollution -- that creates sky glow. (Download to read more)
Research Interests:
Cambridge, Mass. — The earliest Texas Rangers were hard men in a hard land. They saw the world in black and white, the word "alleged" having little meaning with regard to dispensing frontier justice -- which often consisted of a mere... more
Cambridge, Mass. — The earliest Texas Rangers were hard men in a hard land. They saw the world in black and white, the word "alleged" having little meaning with regard to dispensing frontier justice -- which often consisted of a mere formality of trial before hanging. Among these rugged men rode one Ranger, Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry (1825-1903, with a more scholarly disposition and ties to Harvard.
<download to read more>
Content ©LMG™ Photo Credit: Harper’s Weekly, February 9, 1861, Collection of U.S. House of Representatives
<download to read more>
Content ©LMG™ Photo Credit: Harper’s Weekly, February 9, 1861, Collection of U.S. House of Representatives
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Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine — In civil conflicts, even the terminology over who is rebel, traitor, or terrorist becomes contentious. Ultimately history, shaped by the victorious, will decide. The West assumes the parties in this crisis are... more
Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine — In civil conflicts, even the terminology over who is rebel, traitor, or terrorist becomes contentious. Ultimately history, shaped by the victorious, will decide.
The West assumes the parties in this crisis are sharply polarized. Akin to the Spanish Civil War, while neighbors may differ with intense and lethal passions, the factions, fidelity, and goals are, at least at the outset, deeply nuanced.
Several clocks count down toward renewed unrest. As in other revolutions or rebellions, the patience of the people who deposed the prior Ukrainian government is not endless. They seek tangible improvements in their daily lives from the interim government (and any subsequently elected government).
History has shown us that once rebellion is in the blood, it becomes easier to take a second drink. (continued, download to read)
The West assumes the parties in this crisis are sharply polarized. Akin to the Spanish Civil War, while neighbors may differ with intense and lethal passions, the factions, fidelity, and goals are, at least at the outset, deeply nuanced.
Several clocks count down toward renewed unrest. As in other revolutions or rebellions, the patience of the people who deposed the prior Ukrainian government is not endless. They seek tangible improvements in their daily lives from the interim government (and any subsequently elected government).
History has shown us that once rebellion is in the blood, it becomes easier to take a second drink. (continued, download to read)
Research Interests:
Pripyat, Ukraine — The now iconic Ferris wheel and rides at the never-used carnival built for 1986 Soviet May Day celebrations rest in the radioactively-poisoned town of Pripyat, the closest city to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant... more
Pripyat, Ukraine — The now iconic Ferris wheel and rides at the never-used carnival built for 1986 Soviet May Day celebrations rest in the radioactively-poisoned town of Pripyat, the closest city to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant destroyed in the cataclysmic explosion in 1986. Now a ghost town located just 3 km from the plant, the city was evacuated and subsequently abandoned Soviet clean up crews or "liquidators" — many who died or suffered deleterious health effects — briefly lived in Pripyat during early emergency containment operations at Chernobyl. (continued… download to view)
Research Interests:
Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone, Ukraine -- On the Ukrainian holiday commemorating victory over the Nazis in WWII, a return to the entombed, but still smoldering, reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant makes vivid another great... more
Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone, Ukraine -- On the Ukrainian holiday commemorating victory over the Nazis in WWII, a return to the entombed, but still smoldering, reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant makes vivid another great war waged following the nuclear accident in 1986. The fight to contain the shattering explosion that exposed the nuclear core had all the hallmarks of war. It was brutal and costly, governments lied and blundered, and lives were devalued and sacrificed in a grisly calculus.
Heroes fought bravely, but heroes were also thus anointed as poor compensation for unnecessary, and often unknowing, sacrifice. After the war was won--or more aptly a temporary truce with nature secured--those called to duty were cast adrift to lead uncertain lives. (continued… download to read)
Heroes fought bravely, but heroes were also thus anointed as poor compensation for unnecessary, and often unknowing, sacrifice. After the war was won--or more aptly a temporary truce with nature secured--those called to duty were cast adrift to lead uncertain lives. (continued… download to read)
Research Interests:
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine -- Construction continues on the New Safe Confinement (NSC) dome intended to cover the sarcophagus entombing the remains of the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant destroyed by... more
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine -- Construction continues on the New Safe Confinement (NSC) dome intended to cover the sarcophagus entombing the remains of the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant destroyed by explosion in 1986.
Following the April 1986 accident, then Soviet Union threw "liquidators" (soldiers, miners, and impressed workers) into hastily construction of the original sarcophagus. Built with great loss of life due to radiation exposure and subsequent illness, Soviet engineers soon calculated the original containment building would last only about 30 years and would require constant maintenance to mitigate leaks. (continued… download to read)
Following the April 1986 accident, then Soviet Union threw "liquidators" (soldiers, miners, and impressed workers) into hastily construction of the original sarcophagus. Built with great loss of life due to radiation exposure and subsequent illness, Soviet engineers soon calculated the original containment building would last only about 30 years and would require constant maintenance to mitigate leaks. (continued… download to read)
Research Interests:
Cambridge, MA -- From the outset, Edward Snowden has deviated substantially from typical "whistleblower" behavior. At a Harvard Kennedy School of Government forum on NSA Secrecy and National Security held in April 2014, a select panel... more
Cambridge, MA -- From the outset, Edward Snowden has deviated substantially from typical "whistleblower" behavior.
At a Harvard Kennedy School of Government forum on NSA Secrecy and National Security held in April 2014, a select panel of national security experts, including John Deutch, Director of Central Intelligence from1995 to 96, discussed Snowden's revelations of NSA domestic spying using technology. Deutch characterized the NSA program cast into the public eye by Snowden as "very much in the interests of the United States and counter-terrorism."
Other panel participants included moderator Graham Allison (Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs), Jane Harman (Director, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center), J, Dina Temple-Raston (NPR Counterterrorism Correspondent and Harvard Neiman Fellow), David Sanger (Chief Washington Correspondent of the New York Times), and Joseph Nye (Dean, Harvard Kennedy School (1995-2004).
The panel strongly agreed that Snowden's disclosures of U.S. technology and intelligence gathering capacity and protocols were extremely damaging to defense and the security of the United States, including security against both terrorism and criminal activity.
<download to read more>
Photo Credit: (left to right), panel moderator Graham Allison (Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs), Jane Harman (Director, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center), John Deutch (Director of Central Intelligence, 1995-96), Dina Temple-Raston (NPR Counterterrorism Correspondent and Harvard Neiman Fellow), David Sanger (Chief Washington Correspondent of the New York Times), and Joseph Nye (Dean, Harvard Kennedy School (1995-2004), Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA. April 2014. ©LMG Photo by K. Lee Lerner. All rights reserved.
At a Harvard Kennedy School of Government forum on NSA Secrecy and National Security held in April 2014, a select panel of national security experts, including John Deutch, Director of Central Intelligence from1995 to 96, discussed Snowden's revelations of NSA domestic spying using technology. Deutch characterized the NSA program cast into the public eye by Snowden as "very much in the interests of the United States and counter-terrorism."
Other panel participants included moderator Graham Allison (Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs), Jane Harman (Director, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center), J, Dina Temple-Raston (NPR Counterterrorism Correspondent and Harvard Neiman Fellow), David Sanger (Chief Washington Correspondent of the New York Times), and Joseph Nye (Dean, Harvard Kennedy School (1995-2004).
The panel strongly agreed that Snowden's disclosures of U.S. technology and intelligence gathering capacity and protocols were extremely damaging to defense and the security of the United States, including security against both terrorism and criminal activity.
<download to read more>
Photo Credit: (left to right), panel moderator Graham Allison (Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs), Jane Harman (Director, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center), John Deutch (Director of Central Intelligence, 1995-96), Dina Temple-Raston (NPR Counterterrorism Correspondent and Harvard Neiman Fellow), David Sanger (Chief Washington Correspondent of the New York Times), and Joseph Nye (Dean, Harvard Kennedy School (1995-2004), Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA. April 2014. ©LMG Photo by K. Lee Lerner. All rights reserved.
Research Interests:
Cambridge, Mass.-Every autumn a madness for football in America manifests in fans of both the pro and college game. In both cases, the fever does not subside until a new champion is crowned. Although the level of football played in the... more
Cambridge, Mass.-Every autumn a madness for football in America manifests in fans of both the pro and college game. In both cases, the fever does not subside until a new champion is crowned. Although the level of football played in the pros is substantially higher-and played by the bigger, faster, and most skilled of the post-college crop-college football holds distinct advantages over the professional game. Many football fans have both pro and college favorites but college football has an authenticity the pro game lacks, and its combination of intimate connection and passionate play is why college football is superior to the pro game. Here are 10 reasons why the collage game is superior to the pro game: (download to read more)
Research Interests: History, Sociology, Psychology, Social Psychology, Social Sciences, and 17 moreHumor, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Sports History, Sports Management, Social Media, Humor/Satire, Humor Studies, Football, Sport, Sports, Sports Coaching, Football Culture, Sports Journalism, History of Football, Crowd Behaviour and Psychology, College Students, and Sociology of Football
AUGUST 28, 2013 Washington — An attack on Syria may indeed spread the war -- and risks escalation and backlash -- but larger interests are at stake. Like it or not, the US is the world's sheriff in these matters. A deeply flawed... more
AUGUST 28, 2013
Washington — An attack on Syria may indeed spread the war -- and risks escalation and backlash -- but larger interests are at stake. Like it or not, the US is the world's sheriff in these matters.
A deeply flawed analysis recently published in the Guardian exposes the weakest of all arguments against the West taking action, that being because, "chemical weapons are far from being the greatest threat to Syria's people."
The point is that WMD use is a threat to ALL humanity. (download to read more)
Photo Credits: Save the Children of Syria. TAHIR SQUARE, Egypt — While Egypt's Revolution has, at least for now, moved into a battle for ballots, the legacy of Arab Spring remains bloodied by bullets and bombs in Syria. The destruction, danger, and death in Syria is not new but groups in Egypt tried to raise awareness during the 2012 Egyptian Presidential campaign, both as a direct call to action and as warning of what might happen should civil war break out in Egypt. 25 May, 2012. ©LMG. Photo by K. Lee Lerner. All rights reserved.
Washington — An attack on Syria may indeed spread the war -- and risks escalation and backlash -- but larger interests are at stake. Like it or not, the US is the world's sheriff in these matters.
A deeply flawed analysis recently published in the Guardian exposes the weakest of all arguments against the West taking action, that being because, "chemical weapons are far from being the greatest threat to Syria's people."
The point is that WMD use is a threat to ALL humanity. (download to read more)
Photo Credits: Save the Children of Syria. TAHIR SQUARE, Egypt — While Egypt's Revolution has, at least for now, moved into a battle for ballots, the legacy of Arab Spring remains bloodied by bullets and bombs in Syria. The destruction, danger, and death in Syria is not new but groups in Egypt tried to raise awareness during the 2012 Egyptian Presidential campaign, both as a direct call to action and as warning of what might happen should civil war break out in Egypt. 25 May, 2012. ©LMG. Photo by K. Lee Lerner. All rights reserved.
Research Interests:
Cambridge, Mass. July 3, 2013 -- It's the sesquicentennial of Pickett's charge at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Given the significant advantages enjoyed by the industrialized North, without a loss of resolve by the Union... more
Cambridge, Mass. July 3, 2013 -- It's the sesquicentennial of Pickett's charge at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.
Given the significant advantages enjoyed by the industrialized North, without a loss of resolve by the Union or significant foreign intervention on behalf of the South, the American Civil War was a "lost cause" for the Confederates from the outset. That the outnumbered and outgunned rebel soldiers earned early victories and thrust into Pennsylvania in 1863 owed significantly to superior military leadership.
Both Union and Confederate soldiers fought and sacrificed, but during the war's early years, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, and others simply outmaneuvered vastly stronger Federal forces.
Following failed attempts to break the Union army flanks at Gettysburg, it was, however, Lee's insistence on a charge designed to break the center of the Yankee lines that marked the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.
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Photo: Memorial Hall, Harvard University.©LMG Photo by K. Lee Lerner. All Rights Reserved.
Given the significant advantages enjoyed by the industrialized North, without a loss of resolve by the Union or significant foreign intervention on behalf of the South, the American Civil War was a "lost cause" for the Confederates from the outset. That the outnumbered and outgunned rebel soldiers earned early victories and thrust into Pennsylvania in 1863 owed significantly to superior military leadership.
Both Union and Confederate soldiers fought and sacrificed, but during the war's early years, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, and others simply outmaneuvered vastly stronger Federal forces.
Following failed attempts to break the Union army flanks at Gettysburg, it was, however, Lee's insistence on a charge designed to break the center of the Yankee lines that marked the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.
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<download to read more>
Photo: Memorial Hall, Harvard University.©LMG Photo by K. Lee Lerner. All Rights Reserved.
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Pétionville Internal Displacement Camp, Haiti -- Unaccustomed to comfort, the young woman roused herself from the shade and shelter provided by her tent. She shifted her nursing baby to her left hip, and swept back the remaining bit of... more
Pétionville Internal Displacement Camp, Haiti -- Unaccustomed to comfort, the young woman roused herself from the shade and shelter provided by her tent. She shifted her nursing baby to her left hip, and swept back the remaining bit of flap serving as her front door to step into the heat, dust, and din of Haiti. Displaced Haitian mothers still struggle to ensure their children have food and access to medical care, often spending a considerable amount of time each day traveling between aid distribution sites and clinics. Life in the displacement camps places an extra hardship on women, who are still expected to assume responsibility for domestic chores, cooking, and child care…" (continued… download to read more)
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SANTIAGO, Chile — Writing finished, a late night walkabout for a cerveza while working in Santiago, Chile, a few weeks ago ended with me sitting with a woman at a bar hosting a lusty karaoke night. That's karaoke with verses sung in... more
SANTIAGO, Chile — Writing finished, a late night walkabout for a cerveza while working in Santiago, Chile, a few weeks ago ended with me sitting with a woman at a bar hosting a lusty karaoke night. That's karaoke with verses sung in Spanish, of course.
My drinking companion, wearing a dress considerably too short for her age and the cool fall Chilean weather, first approached me outside the bar and offered me a successive series of services. There were no strings attached, just fees. (download to read more)
My drinking companion, wearing a dress considerably too short for her age and the cool fall Chilean weather, first approached me outside the bar and offered me a successive series of services. There were no strings attached, just fees. (download to read more)
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[Author's note: In April 2013, along with a half-dozen other journalists and writers from around the world, I was allowed access to photograph inside the media-restricted Fukushima exclusion zone. As a form of protest, a local official... more
[Author's note: In April 2013, along with a half-dozen other journalists and writers from around the world, I was allowed access to photograph inside the media-restricted Fukushima exclusion zone. As a form of protest, a local official (identified and described below) unlocked gates to the contaminated zone then off limits. Accompanied by a translator, I was then allowed to take photos of the instrumentation used to monitor radiation levels, contaminated soil removal facilities, and other sites. I was in the zone for two hours, — a time calculated to offer a reasonably safe level of radiation exposure. — K. Lee Lerner]
NAGADORO, Japan — Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) initially reported the safe scram — execution of a nuclear plant’s emergency reactor shutdown plan — of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi plant located about 150 miles north of Tokyo. (continued… download to read more)
NAGADORO, Japan — Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) initially reported the safe scram — execution of a nuclear plant’s emergency reactor shutdown plan — of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi plant located about 150 miles north of Tokyo. (continued… download to read more)
Research Interests: Engineering, Civil Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, History, Mathematics, and 26 morePhysics, Nuclear Physics, Chemistry, International Relations, Epistemology, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, Data Mining, International Law, International Security, Political Science, Crisis Management, Biology, Disaster Management, Public Health, Physics Education, Nuclear Energy, Natural Disasters, Failure Analysis, Radioactive waste management, Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima nuclear disaster, Fukushima, Science and Factual Media., Public Policy, and Fukushima Nuclear Accident
A deadly wall of water sweeping inland submerged the bridge in the background and scrubbed tracks from the high-speed concrete railroad bed in Rikuzentakata, Japan. (continued..download to view)
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Author's Note: This compilation of selected poems contains many photos and poems written in the traditional three-line (5-7-5) form of Haiku and the five line (5-7-5-7-7) Tanka form of Haiku, as well as and other forms of verse. Unless... more
Author's Note: This compilation of selected poems contains many photos and poems written in the traditional three-line (5-7-5) form of Haiku and the five line (5-7-5-7-7) Tanka form of Haiku, as well as and other forms of verse. Unless otherwise noted, all photos and content are by K. Lee Lerner and licensed under a Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND, otherwise all photos and content are ©2023 K. Lee Lerner All rights reserved. For additional information, contact K. Lee Lerner at kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu
Research Interests:
Author's Note: This compilation of selected poems contains many photos and poems written in the traditional three-line (5-7-5) form of Haiku and the five line (5-7-5-7-7) Tanka form of Haiku, as well as and other forms of verse. Unless... more
Author's Note: This compilation of selected poems contains many photos and poems written in the traditional three-line (5-7-5) form of Haiku and the five line (5-7-5-7-7) Tanka form of Haiku, as well as and other forms of verse. Unless otherwise noted, all photos and content are by K. Lee Lerner and licensed under a Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND, otherwise all photos and content are ©2023 K. Lee Lerner All rights reserved. For additional information, contact K. Lee Lerner at kleelerner@alumni.harvard.edu
Research Interests:
A compilation of selected poems about the Alamo and Texas Revolution
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Alligators: Science concepts in poetic verse. A Reason and Rhyme Book™ The Alligator in haiku, using tankas A form of haiku with two additional lines each with seven syllables American alligators. (A. mississippiensis) excpt one... more
Alligators: Science concepts in poetic verse. A Reason and Rhyme Book™
The Alligator
in haiku, using tankas
A form of haiku
with two additional lines
each with seven syllables
American alligators. (A. mississippiensis) excpt one photo of a crocodile taken at Massai Mara in Kenya. Content and photos by K. Lee Lerner. ©LMG. All rights reserved.
The Alligator
in haiku, using tankas
A form of haiku
with two additional lines
each with seven syllables
American alligators. (A. mississippiensis) excpt one photo of a crocodile taken at Massai Mara in Kenya. Content and photos by K. Lee Lerner. ©LMG. All rights reserved.
Research Interests: Animal Science, Photography, Teacher Education, Science Education, Wetlands, and 11 moreAnimal Behavior, Early Childhood Education, Marine Ecology, Children's and Young Adult Literature, Middle School/Level Education, Ecology, Children's Media, Parent Involvement, Nature, Highschool, and K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum
Frequently cited quotes from K Lee Lerner's books, papers, articles, and essays. (download to read more) Additional quote collections are available online at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1437692.K_Lee_Lerner... more
Frequently cited quotes from K Lee Lerner's books, papers, articles, and essays.
(download to read more)
Additional quote collections are available online at:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1437692.K_Lee_Lerner
https://www.wisefamousquotes.com/k-lee-lerner-quotes/
https://quotation.io/page/author/k-lee-lerner
(download to read more)
Additional quote collections are available online at:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1437692.K_Lee_Lerner
https://www.wisefamousquotes.com/k-lee-lerner-quotes/
https://quotation.io/page/author/k-lee-lerner
Research Interests:
The most currect index is available at: https://blogs.harvard.edu/kleelerner/index/
A select bibliography of published works by K. Lee Lerner (this document is due substantial revision to include both academic and general writing prior to 2003. I will be revising the format and reposting hundreds of Taking Bearing... more
A select bibliography of published works by K. Lee Lerner (this document is due substantial revision to include both academic and general writing prior to 2003. I will be revising the format and reposting hundreds of Taking Bearing columns and related posts. When the task is complete I will remove this note. If you recall a specific entry or are following a broken link to an entry, contact me at kleelerner at alumni.harvard.edu and I will do my best to provide you with a copy. Cheers, Lee