The enthralling examination of one of the most popular and most intriguing animals in the deep blue sea The ocean is the last remaining source of profound mystery and discovery on Earth with eighty percent of it still largely unexplored; thus, it is of perennial fascination. In Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid, journalist Wendy Williams introduces one of the ocean’s most charismatic, monstrous, enigmatic, and curious inhabitants: the squid. More than just calamari, squid species are fascinatingly odd creatures, with much to teach us about our own species, not to mention the obsessive interest so many of us can't help but have for the enormous beast that is the giant squid, which is quick to attack sperm whales, and even submarines and boats. Williams also examines other equally enthralling cephalopods, including the octopus and the cuttlefish, and explores their otherworldly abilities, such as camouflage and bioluminescence. Kraken takes the reader on a wild ride through the world of squid science and adventure, along the way answering some riddles about how the human brain works, what intelligence really is, and what monsters lie in the deep. Wendy Williams weaves a rich narrative tapestry around her subject, drawing powerfully on the passions and discoveries of scientists, fisherman, and squid enthusiasts around the world.

Words are essential to our everyday lives. An average person spends his or her day enveloped in conversations, e-mails, phone calls, text messages, directions, headlines, and more. But how often do we stop to think about the origins of the words we use? Have you ever thought about which words in English have been borrowed from Arabic, Dutch, or Portuguese? Try admiral, landscape, and marmalade, just for starters. The Secret Life of Words is a wide-ranging account not only of the history of English language and vocabulary, but also of how words witness history, reflect social change, and remind us of our past. Henry Hitchings delves into the insatiable, ever-changing English language and reveals how and why it has absorbed words from more than 350 other languages—many originating from the most unlikely of places, such as shampoo from Hindi and kiosk from Turkish. From the Norman Conquest to the present day, Hitchings narrates the story of English as a living archive of our human experience. He uncovers the secrets behind everyday words and explores the surprising origins of our most commonplace expressions. The Secret Life of Words is a rich, lively celebration of the language and vocabulary that we too often take for granted.

One of the world’s leading astrobiologists takes us on an awe-inspiring journey across the cosmos to investigate some of humanity’s most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe? And, how did life on Earth begin? We are in a golden age in astronomy, living on the cusp of breakthroughs that will revolutionize our understanding of our place in the cosmos in. Yet a profound question remains: Are we alone in the universe? We have never been closer to answering this question. In The Secret Life of the Universe, astrobiologist and the director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute Nathalie A. Cabrol takes us to the frontiers of the search for life. The book’s odyssey begins by exploring how life began on Earth in order to understand what’s necessary for its existence elsewhere. What role did our Moon play? And could life on Mars have seeded life on Earth? Cabrol continues this dazzling interplanetary tour, illuminating the likeliest places for life in our neighborhood: While Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn are among the top contenders, recent missions are redefining the limits of habitability to include unexpected worlds. Finally, we seek life beyond our Solar System, becoming witness to a revolution in the night sky: the realization that there are as many planets as stars in our galaxy. With more than 300 million exoplanets in the habitable zone of their stars in the Milky Way alone, to think we are alone, or the only advanced intelligent civilization, may be little more than nonsense. The Secret Life of the Universe is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the search for life. This is an exhilarating journey for anyone who has ever looked up at the stars and wondered what might be out there.

It is May 2026 when a strange anomaly transforms thousands of women around the world into mermaids. As Homeland Security agents begin investigating, they record their observations in a classified United States government report. There is no question that Operation Mermaid, originally founded in 1949, is back in full swing. Days later as several mermaids practice swimming in the open water, one finds a relic inside a shipwreck. Inside are plans for an abandoned Cold War era weapon known as Project Kraken. As a scientist's true identity is revealed, a Second Transformation rocks the world, increasing the size and scope of the mermaid population once again. As relationships change between mermaids, sirens, and the government, only time will tell if a worldwide disaster has been averted. In this intriguing science fiction tale, the lives of newly-initiated mermaids are intertwined with a failed Cold War project, leaving government agents to solve a complex puzzle.

Winner of the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, Kraken is a darkly comic, wildly absurd adventure by author of Perdido Street Station, China Miéville. Deep in the research wing of the Natural History Museum is a prize specimen, something that comes along much less often than once in a lifetime: a perfect, and perfectly preserved, giant squid. But what does it mean when the creature suddenly and impossibly disappears? For curator Billy Harrow it's the start of a headlong pitch into a London of warring cults, surreal magic, apostates and assassins. It might just be that the creature he's been preserving is more than a biological rarity: there are those who are sure it's a god. A god that someone is hoping will end the world.

An “ingenious, horrifying” (The Guardian) first contact story by one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant—and neglected—science fiction and horror writers, whom Stephen King called “the best writer of science fiction that England has ever produced.” “Few books capture the obscure, elliptical way that threats move from the background to the foreground of reality like The Kraken Wakes. . . . Feels all too familiar in today’s age of anti-vaxxer disinformation and QAnon conspiracists.” —Alexandra Kleeman, from the Introduction What if aliens invaded and colonized Earth’s oceans rather than its land? Britain, 1953: It begins with red dots appearing across the sky and crashing to the oceans’ deeps. At first, many people believe that these aliens are interested in only what’s down below. But when the polar ice-caps begin to melt, it becomes clear that these beings are not interested in sharing the Earth and that humankind might just be on the brink of extinction. . . .

Explore Earth's enigmatic wonders in 'Enigmatic Earth: Unveiling Nature's Oddities and Wonders.' Delve into mesmerizing phenomena, from lenticular clouds to the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. Discover nature's mysteries in this captivating eBook.

“Kid” Wolffe is an up-and-coming boxer in 1920s New York. An honest fighter’s got little chance at success on the mob-controlled circuit—until ambitious lieutenant “Hinky” Friedman starts making moves to take over her boss’s business, and sees a use for the kid. Teitelstam is a struggling tattoo artist, whose natural talent for ink magic won’t amount to much without formal training. So he’s got no idea why Hinky would offer him ten times what he’s worth to come work for her. But Hinky has a vision for a better world, and her high-stakes plan to make it reality requires both Wolffe’s fists and Teitelstam’s magic. What neither Wolffe nor Teitelstam expects is to fall in love; and in this world, love might be more dangerous than deadly magic or an underworld turf war…

This is a multi-authored book on the complex subject of psychic trauma as encountered at different stages of the life-cycle, and describes some of the clinical challenges, technical issues and differing theoretical approaches that arise when working with the traumatized individual.The concept of psychic trauma is a complex subject, but one which has more recently gained prominence. This book contains a collection of papers which grew out of a series of talks given by the Psychoanalytic Forum of the British Psychoanalytical Society entitled Trauma Through the Life Cycle. The authors, all highly respected authorities in their fields, give insights into what we mean by psychic trauma, what constitutes a traumatic event, and the psychopathological sequelae to trauma at different stages of life. Judith Trowell and Nick Midgley look at the effects of infantile and childhood traumas. Catalina Bronstein and Sara Flanders, from differing psychoanalytic perspectives consider how childhood traumas can become reactivated in adolescence and colour subsequent developmental situations.