Technology, Engineering, Agriculture & Industrial Books

Smartphones have to be made someplace, and that place is China. In just five years, a company names Xiaomi (which means "little rice" in Mandarin) has grown into the most valuable startup ever, becoming the third largest manufacturer of smartphones,...

More than ever, Americans care about the quality and safety of the food they eat. They're bringing back an American tradition: raising their own backyard chickens for eggs and companionship. And they care about the quality of life of their chickens...

This is a thorough, non-technical handbook and guide to the basics of septic systems - the physical process that takes place in the septic system and the simple technology needed to make it work. Emphasis is on conventional...

During recent years, environmental debate worldwide has been dominated by climate change, carbon emissions and eff orts to achieve low carbon economies. But a number of academic, technical, political, business and NGO initiatives indicate that there is a...

Small but mighty - a comprehensive guide to the use of two-wheel tractors for highly productive gardens, landscapes, and farms TWO-WHEEL TRACTORS are multifunctional, economical, practical, maneuverable, portable, and low impact. Yet choosing the...

A little plant science grows a long way Plant Science for Gardeners empowers growers to analyze common problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden for optimal plant health and productivity.Most gardeners learn by accumulating rules...

Cut and come again forestry reviving the ancient practice of resprout silviculture to power local woodland-based economies.Coppice Agroforestry is a richly illustrated, comprehensive guide to resprout silviculture managing trees and shrubs by coppicing,...

Dig into the fruits of your labor! Profitable, innovative organic fruit farming strategies and skills for modern growers of any scale.The Berry Grower is an innovative guide for growing and marketing organic small fruits and berries that offers...

What's natural, what's caused by humans, and why climate change is a disaster for all.A Brief History of the Earth's Climate is an accessible myth-busting guide to the natural evolution of the Earth's climate over 4.6...

An essential primer from one of North America's largest urban farms. Urban farming has the power to change diets, economies, and lives. Yet starting an urban farm can seem daunting with skills and knowledge that extend beyond growing to include...

Build healthy soil and grow better plantsHealthy soil means thriving plants. Yet untangling the soil food web and optimizing your soil health is beyond most gardeners, many of whom lack an in-depth knowledge of the soil ecosystem.Soil Science for...

Grow vegetables year-round in a greenhouse powered only by solar energy Originally developed in China to feed millions, Chinese greenhouses are earth-sheltered, solar-heated, east-west oriented, intelligently glazed, and well-insulated. They have proven...

The updated bestselling guide to laid-back beekeeping for all, naturally! Are you a beginner beekeeper curious about bees or a practicing beekeeper looking for natural alternatives that work? Then this book is for you! In the second edition of the...

A delicious alternative to the status quo when it comes to how we farm, cook, and eat Nutrition, environmental impact, ethics, sustainability - it seems like there's no end to the food factors we must consider. At the center of the dietary storm is...

Simple green roof design and installation for the do-it-yourself builder Essential Green Roof Construction is a comprehensive, in-depth guide to building simple green roofs for houses and small buildings. Packed with detailed photos, illustrations, case...

The devil is in the details - the science and art of designing and building durable, efficient, straw bale buildings Straw bale buildings promise superior insulation and flexibility across a range of design aesthetics, while using a typically...

"Offering clear and comprehensive instructions for low-tech growing for a range of budgets, interests, and scales, this book offers practical inspiration and a sense that "hey, I can do this!" , owner, DIY FungiDIY Mushroom Cultivation is full of...

How to raise rabbits for a steady source of meat and income Rabbits are one of the most sustainable, nutritious, and economic meat sources available. They can easily be raised in a variety of locations and climates, and require less space and...

Learn how to use natural no-till systems to increase profitability, efficiency, carbon sequestration, and soil health on your small farm. Farming without tilling has long been a goal of agriculture, yet tilling remains one of the most dominant...

Design a rainwater harvesting system for any home in any climate.Water is a crucial resource increasingly under stress. Yet rainfall, even in arid climates, can make up a sizable portion of any home, acreage, or farm's water requirements if harvested and...

From wastestream to mainstream, a practical guide to composting toilet systems.Composting toilets are a key feature for local resilience, money saving, water conservation, resource recovery, septic system replacement, and an improved bathroom experience...

Natural plasters made of clay, lime, and other materials mixed with sand are beautiful building finishes. Fun to work with, low-impact, and allowing infinite creativity, they are high performance and provide proven, centuries-long durability.Yet until...

Earthbag construction - building with polypropylene bags usually filled with earthen materials - is a versatile, easy-to-master, low-impact, and highly durable form of building, suitable for structures from houses to root cellars.Containing over 75...

Design and build a hoophouse or polytunnel, and grow abundant produce year-round in any climate The Year-Round Hoophouse is the comprehensive guide to designing and building a hoophouse and making a success of growing abundant, delicious fresh produce...

Design your own sustainable homeMany people dream of building a beautiful, environmentally friendly home. But until now there has been no systematic guide to help potential builders work through the complete process of imagining, planning, designing, and...

In the face of drought and desertification, well-designed, water harvesting earthworks such as swales, ponds, and dams are the most effective way to channel water into productive use. The result can be increased food production, higher groundwater...

The completely revised and updated comprehensive guide to small wind energy systems. Skyrocketing energy costs and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources are making homeowners and businesses look at different ways to use energy...

Permaculture tends to be very much in the domain of home gardeners and property owners. But what if we could take it all a step further, and merge the fields of permaculture and market gardening?In The Permaculture Market Garden, author Zach...

Hempcrete is a versatile, energy-efficient natural insulation material, useful for walls, roofs, and floors. Made from the inner stem of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder, it is a very strong, lightweight and breathable alternative to...

Most supermarket mushrooms are bland and boring; products of an industrial process which typically relies on expensive equipment and harmful pesticides. Many people would like to add more flavorful and diverse fungi to their diets, but lack the knowledge...

Merlin, Gandalf, Voldemort-these well-known sorcerers from popular culture are famed for their amazing spells and spectacular magical powers. In ancient times, however, a wizard was actually a freelance intellectual whose main stock in trade was good...

Concise, balanced and - occasionally - hilarious this is a story that has as much to tell you about the human race as it does about aliens.This no-nonsense guide to one of our most enduring mysteries presents a short history of the strangest encounters,...

Tracing war's expansion beyond the battlefield to the concept of the human being itself As military and other forms of political violence become the planetary norm, On Posthuman War traces the expansion of war beyond traditional theaters of battle...

To the Japanese, the sword is a spiritual weapon. It possesses a particular divinity, reflecting the soul of its maker, owner, and user. Around its mystical powers has grown the centuries-old ritual and practice of Samurai swordsmanship which is still...

How to put democracy at the heart of AI governance.Artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping our world. Police forces use them to decide where to send police officers, judges to decide whom to release on bail, welfare agencies to decide...

An essential exploration of the engineering aesthetics of celebrated structures from long-span bridges to high-rise buildingsWhat do structures such as the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the concrete roofs of Pier Luigi Nervi have in common?...

The first modern scholarly synthesis of animal domesticationAcross the globe and at different times in the past millennia, the evolutionary history of domesticated animals has been greatly affected by the myriad, complex, and diverse interactions humans...

A scientist's inspiring vision of our return to the Moon as humanity's next thrilling step in space exploration.Just over half a century since Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the lunar surface, a new space race to the Moon is well underway and...

A brief guide to the real science of interstellar travel.With known exoplanets now numbering in the thousands and initiatives like 100 Year Starship and Breakthrough Starshot advancing the idea of interstellar travel, the age-old dream of venturing forth...

A revolutionary new framework that draws on insights from ecology for the design and analysis of long-duration robots.Robots are increasingly leaving the confines of laboratories, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities, venturing into agriculture and...

One of today's leading astronomers takes readers inside the decades-long search for the first galaxies and the origin of starlight.Astronomers are like time travelers, scanning the night sky for the outermost galaxies that first came into being when our...

Leading technologists, historians, and journalists reveal the stories behind the computer coding that touches all aspects of life - for better or worse.Few of us give much thought to computer code or how it comes to be. The very word...

The natural world teems with remarkable conversations, many beyond human hearing range. Scientists are using groundbreaking digital technologies to uncover these astonishing sounds, revealing vibrant communication among our fellow creatures across the...

One of Inverse's Best Science Books of 2018Co-Winner of the AIP Science Communication Book Award, American Institute of Physics Finalist for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books, Young Adult Science Books Discovering the...

A savoury account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolutionNature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavour. But what exactly are flavours? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a...

A rich history of underwater filmmaking and how it has profoundly influenced the aesthetics of movies and public perception of the oceans.In The Underwater Eye, Margaret Cohen tells the fascinating story of how the development of modern diving equipment...

The essential introduction to the principles and applications of feedback systems - now fully revised and expanded This textbook covers the mathematics needed to model, analyse, and design feedback systems. Now more user-friendly than ever, this...

An entertaining mathematical exploration of the heat equation and its role in the triumphant development of the trans-Atlantic telegraph cableHeat, like gravity, shapes nearly every aspect of our world and universe, from how milk dissolves in coffee to...