Essays on evolvability from the perspectives of quantitative and population genetics, evolutionary developmental biology, systems biology, macroevolution, and the philosophy of science. Evolvability—the capability of organisms to evolve—wasn't recognized as a fundamental concept in evolutionary theory until 1990. Though there is still some debate as to whether it represents a truly new c…
This open access book focuses on both the theory and practice associated with the tools and approaches for decisionmaking in the face of deep uncertainty. It explores approaches and tools supporting the design of strategic plans under deep uncertainty, and their testing in the real world, including barriers and enablers for their use in practice. The book broadens traditional approaches and too…
An argument for the centrality of rights in health security, and how to apply ethical principles to protecting those rights during public health crises. In recent years, efforts to respond to infectious diseases have been described in terms of national and global security, leading to the formation of the field of “health security.” In War on All Fronts, Nicholas G. Evans provides a novel…
The roots of a racial reckoning through the lens of cannabis. From the start, the War on Drugs targeted Black, Brown, and Indigenous Americans already disadvantaged by a system stacked against them. Even now, as white Americans who largely escaped the fire capitalize on the legalization movement and a booming cannabis industry, their less fortunate peers continue to suffer the consequences of …
This book argues that that the rise of great firms -- those with sustainable high return on invested capital (ROIC) -- will lay the foundation for China's successful economic transformation. Drawn from the author's research on corporate finance and the Chinese economy, the author maintains that being big could be easy but means little for corporate China, especially in the context of China's tr…
How scientists saved humanity from the deadliest infectious diseases—and what we can do to prepare ourselves for future epidemics. After the unprecedented events of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be hard to imagine a time not so long ago when deadly diseases were a routine part of life. It is harder still to fathom that the best medical thinking at that time blamed these diseases on noxious…
Using cooperative game theory, this book shows how bargaining structure affects the distribution of value among the constituent firms of the value chain. Results show that positions in the bargaining structure most conducive to value capture are those where large complementarity gains are realized and split, ideally, among a small number of negotiators. Further, leveraging case studies from the…
ow the presence of the tsetse fly turned the African forest into an open laboratory where African knowledge formed the basis of colonial tsetse control policies. The tsetse fly is a pan-African insect that bites an infective forest animal and ingests blood filled with invisible parasites, which it carries and transmits into cattle and people as it bites them, leading to n'gana (animal trypan…
International mathematics education researchers give a differentiated overview of views and beliefs of both teachers and students. Beliefs about how to teach mathematics have a high impact on the instructional practice of teachers. In the same way, views and beliefs about mathematics are an essential factor to explain achievement and performance of students. The 19th MAVI conference added a var…
Viewing and Imaging the Solar System: A Guide for Amateur Astronomers is for those who want to develop their ability to observe and image Solar System objects, including the planets and moons, the Sun, and comets and asteroids. They might be beginners, or they may have already owned and used an astronomical telescope for a year or more. Newcomers are almost always wowed by sights such as the…