This book invites the reader to understand our Universe, not just marvel at it. From the clock-like motions of the planets to the catastrophic collapse of a star into a black hole, gravity controls the Universe. Gravity is central to modern physics, helping to answer the deepest questions about the nature of time, the origin of the Universe and the unification of the forces of nature. Linking key experiments and observations through careful physical reasoning, the author builds the reader's insight step-by-step from simple but profound facts about gravity on Earth to the frontiers of research. Topics covered include the nature of stars and galaxies, the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, black holes, gravitational waves, inflation and the Big Bang. Suitable for general readers and for undergraduate courses, the treatment uses only high-school level mathematics, supplemented by optional computer programs, to explain the laws of physics governing gravity.

Integrating hands-on guidance with theoretical game design concepts, this book gives readers a solid foundation in game development. Suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and aspiring indie developers, the book shows how to use the sophisticated yet user-friendly HTML5-based game engine Construct 2 to develop and release polished, two-dimensional games on a multitude of different platforms. It also covers the foundational knowledge of game analysis and design. Sample Construct 2 project files for the games designed in the book are available on the author's website.

A thorough but enjoyable study of Special Relativity, from its initial postulates all the way up to the world famous E=mc2. Designed to be easy to understand, but also complete in explaining and deriving. Reader should have basic understanding of physics and algebra, but need not be familiar with advanced math or Special Relativity. Anniversary edition: Published one hundred years after Einstein's paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," to the month.

Detailed weather observations on local and regional levels are essential to a range of needs from forecasting tornadoes to making decisions that affect energy security, public health and safety, transportation, agriculture and all of our economic interests. As technological capabilities have become increasingly affordable, businesses, state and local governments, and individual weather enthusiasts have set up observing systems throughout the United States. However, because there is no national network tying many of these systems together, data collection methods are inconsistent and public accessibility is limited. This book identifies short-term and long-term goals for federal government sponsors and other public and private partners in establishing a coordinated nationwide "network of networks" of weather and climate observations.

As long as our minds are dominated by the conditions of the external world, we are bound to remain in a state of dissatisfaction, always vulnerable to grief and fear. How then can we develop an inner sense of well-being and redefine our relationship to a world that seems unavoidably painful and unkind? Many have found a practical answer to that question in the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. Here at last is an organized overview of these teachings, beginning with the basic themes of the sutras--the general discourses of the Buddha--and continuing through the esoteric concepts and advanced practices of Tantra. Unlike other introductions to Tibetan Buddhism, this accessible, enjoyable work doesn't stop with theory and history, but relates timeless spiritual principles to the pressing issues of modern life, both in terms of our daily experience and our uniquely Western world view. This fascinating, highly readable book asks neither unquestioning faith nor blind obedience to abstract concepts or religious beliefs. Rather, it challenges us to question and investigate life's issues for ourselves in the light of an ancient and effective approach to the sufferings and joys of the human condition.

How did all species fit on the ark? Where is Jesus now? What is the purpose of heaven? These are questions many Christians have asked themselves, but they have also led many people to become atheists. This book doesn’t answer them; it shows how these questions are missing the point and explains how core Christian values arise naturally from the human experience and why these values are so important to live a life of contentment, despite all trials. This book combines knowledge in science (not pseudo-science) with understanding in wisdom texts including the Bible, Stoicism, and Taoism. It explains why forgiveness, optimism, gratitude, humility, and love are so important in our lives. Along the way, readers will learn about relativity, the size of the universe, the purpose of life, how to feel content, mental strength, and how Job expresses sentiments similar to Taoism. The book talks about Christian history, the effect of fasting on the body and mind, and stories such as the Frog in the Well. This book isn’t trying to convince the reader; it’s a journey through life, science, and religion that will certainly teach something new.

“From the Ground…Up” is not just the story of Raj, the protagonist, but a universal journey that reflects the aspirations and struggles we all face. Once we set a goal, we must find the means and the determination to achieve it. Along the way, the Supreme Power tests us, yet we must continue to believe in ourselves and work tirelessly toward our dreams, it is in these very challenges that we find the strength to push forward. This tale weaves together the obstacles, humor, opportunities, and romance that define our experiences. As Raj navigates the ups and downs of his journey, he learns that perseverance and belief in oneself are key to overcoming life's hurdles. Will Raj succeed in his pursuit? Will he reach the heights he dreams of? Only time will tell.

Rome is not one city but many, each with its own history unfolding from a different center: now the trading port on the Tiber; now the Forum of antiquity; the Palatine of imperial power; the Lateran Church of Christian ascendancy; the Vatican; the Quirinal palace. Beginning with the very shaping of the ground on which Rome first rose, this book conjures all these cities, past and present, conducting the reader through time and space to the complex and shifting realities--architectural, historical, political, and social--that constitute Rome. A multifaceted historical portrait, this richly illustrated work is as gritty as it is gorgeous, immersing readers in the practical world of each period. James McGregor's explorations afford the pleasures of a novel thick with characters and plot twists: amid the life struggles, hopes, and failures of countless generations, we see how things truly worked, then and now; we learn about the materials of which Rome was built; of the Tiber and its bridges; of roads, aqueducts, and sewers; and, always, of power, especially the power to shape the city and imprint it with a particular personality--like that of Nero or Trajan or Pope Sixtus V--or a particular institution. McGregor traces the successive urban forms that rulers have imposed, from emperors and popes to national governments including Mussolini's. And, in archaeologists' and museums' presentation of Rome's past, he shows that the documenting of history itself is fraught with power and politics. In McGregor's own beautifully written account, the power and politics emerge clearly, manifest in the distinctive styles and structures, practical concerns and aesthetic interests that constitute the myriad Romes of our day and days past.

Quantum computing — the application of quantum mechanics to information — represents a fundamental break from classical information and promises to dramatically increase a computer's power. Many difficult problems, such as the factorization of large numbers, have so far resisted attack by classical computers yet are easily solved with quantum computers. If they become feasible, quantum computers will end standard practices such as RSA encryption.Most of the books or papers on quantum computing require (or assume) prior knowledge of certain areas such as linear algebra or quantum mechanics. The majority of the currently-available literature is hard to understand for the average computer enthusiast or interested layman. This text attempts to teach quantum computing from the ground up in an easily readable way, providing a comprehensive tutorial that includes all the necessary mathematics, computer science and physics.

The location of an object can often be determined from indirect measurements using a process called estimation. This book explains the mathematical formulation of location-estimation problems and the statistical properties of these mathematical models. It also presents algorithms that are used to resolve these models to obtain location estimates, including the simplest linear models, nonlinear models (location estimation using satellite navigation systems and estimation of the signal arrival time from those satellites), dynamical systems (estimation of an entire path taken by a vehicle), and models with integer ambiguities (GPS location estimation that is centimeter-level accurate). Location Estimation from the Ground Up clearly presents analytic and algorithmic topics not covered in other books, including simple algorithms for Kalman filtering and smoothing, the solution of separable nonlinear optimization problems, estimation with integer ambiguities, and the implicit-function approach to estimating covariance matrices when the estimator is a minimizer or maximizer. It takes a unified approach to estimation while highlighting the differences between classes of estimation problems. The only book on estimation written for math and computer science students and graduates, it includes problems at the end of each chapter, many with solutions, to help readers deepen their understanding of the material and guide them through small programming projects that apply theory and algorithms to the solution of real-world location-estimation problems. The book’s core audience consists of engineers, including software engineers and algorithm developers, and graduate students who work on location-estimation projects and who need help translating the theory into algorithms, code, and deep understanding of the problem in front of them. Instructors in mathematics, computer science, and engineering may also find the book of interest as a primary or supplementary text for courses in location estimation and navigation.