Explore the World. Discoveries That Shaped Our World

Covers the history of twelve important diseases and addresses public health responses and societal upheavals. Chronicles the ways disease outbreaks shaped traditions and institutions of Western civilization. Explains the effects, causes, and outcomes from past epidemics. Describes a dozen diseases to show how disease control either was achieved or failed. Makes clear the interrelationship between diseases and history. Presents material in a compelling, clear, and jargon-free prose for a wide audience. Provides a picture of the best practices for dealing with disease outbreaks.

With so many social challenges facing our world, trying to effect change feels daunting. The problems are complex, the politics murky, and the players innumerable. Yet, every day there are regular heroes making a significant impact on our most intractable social issues. “Can’t Not Do” is a catchphrase for the urge that captures the heart of effective social change agents—explaining, in their own words, their passion and drive: “I can’t not do this.” “It’s not that I can do this, it’s that I can’t not.” “I could not imagine not doing something about this issue.” The surprising truth from the trenches is: we already have numerous proven solutions for our many social challenges; what our world needs most, and what most changes our children’s future, are more people prepared and committed to act on their social impulses for the long haul. Innovation helps. Money helps, too. But greater numbers of committed people help the most. If you feel an internal, persistent call to do more for the world, Can’t Not Do will help you to bridge the gap between “wanting to do” and “doing”—to access the drive of an effective change agent, to break through self-imposed barriers, to learn key principles for success, and to start seeing yourself acting as a change agent. There is no “secret sauce” someone is born with and no special club needed to be successful at social change. Rather, successful change agents share some fundamental orientations to the world and to their committed cause and, over time, learn certain lessons that help them become more effective. These lessons are reflected in Can’t Not Do in seven seemingly simple questions that provide guideposts and unlock the reader’s potential to make a difference for a social cause they care about. This isn’t a self-help book. It’s an inspiring narrative intertwined with a “street-readiness” dialogue, between the author and you, between you and your inner aspirations. These are authentic success stories, vital questions, and unconventional answers that can guide and inspire you to realize your greatest potential.

Discover the inventions that have made our world what it is today A great invention opens the door to a new era in human history. The stone axe, for example, invented some 2 million years ago in East Africa, enabled us to enter the human path of endless improvements through inventions. The taming of fire enabled us to cook food as well as leave the warmth of Africa and move to the frigid lands of the North. From the stone axe to the computer and the Internet, this book provides a fascinating tour of the most important inventions and inventors throughout history. You'll discover the landmark achievements and the men and women that made the world what it is today. Great Inventions That Changed the World is written by Professor James Wei, a renowned educator and engineer who holds several patents for his own inventions. Following an introductory chapter examining the role of inventors and inventions in fueling innovation and global advancement, the book is organized to show how inventions are spurred by human needs and desires, including: Work Food, clothing, and housing Health and reproduction Security As you progress through the book, you'll not only learn about inventions and inventors, but also the impact they have had on our lives and the society and environment in which we live today. Inventions solve problems, but as this book so expertly demonstrates, they can also directly or indirectly create new problems as well, from pollution to global warming to bioterrorism. By enabling us to understand the impact of inventions throughout history, this book can help guide the next generation of citizens, decision makers, and inventors.

The common language of genius: Eureka! While the roads that lead to breakthrough scientific discovery can be as varied and complex as the human mind, the moment of insight for all scientists is remarkably similar. The word «eureka!», attributed to the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, has come to express that universal moment of joy, wonder-and even shock-at discovering something entirely new. In this collection of twelve scientific stories, Leslie Alan Horvitz describes the drama of sudden insight as experienced by a dozen distinct personalities, detailing discoveries both well known and obscure. From Darwin, Einstein, and the team of Watson and Crick to such lesser known luminaries as fractal creator Mandelbrot and periodic table mastermind Dmitri Medellev, Eureka! perfectly illustrates Louis Pasteur's quip that chance favors the prepared mind. The book also describes how amateur scientist Joseph Priestley stumbled onto the existence of oxygen in the eighteenth century and how television pioneer Philo Farnsworth developed his idea for a TV screen while plowing his family's Idaho farm.

If there is an X PRIZE for collaborative thought leadership of the social ecosystem, this book would get it. Dr. Peter H. Diamandis Chairman and CEO, X PRIZE Foundation The World that Changes the World is thought leadership at its best—envisioning the future through reflection and analysis of past trends and contemporary challenges. Senator the Hon. Ursula Stephens Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector The multifaceted, multinational, multisectoral insights in this volume offer inspiration, ideas, and opportunity for action and impact. Dr. Melissa A. Berman President and CEO, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc. This is a comprehensive primer representing the diversity of perspectives that comprises the evolving global social ecosystem. Dr. Pamela Hartigan Director, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Sa?d Business School, Oxford University The World that Changes the World puts together the pieces of this puzzle by explaining how these varied actors of the social ecosystem function and interact with each other. Matthew Bishop Co-Author, Philanthrocapitalism: How giving can save the world A valuable one-stop resource for the many players in, and observers of, the social ecosystem. Doug Miller Honorary President, European Venture Philanthropy Association The World that Changes the World should become the pocket guide for changemakers of the world in the same way that The Lonely Planet is for travelers of the world. Gib Bulloch Founder and Executive Director, Accenture Development Partnerships

"The average life expectancy at «birth» of a firm is roughly 15 years, and only one out of twenty lives longer than fifty years. Firms are born, they grow, then they struggle to keep up with changing markets. Slow adapters often become big losers, fall by the wayside, and die. Serial Innovators studies the factors affecting the aging of firms, particularly those that slow down their ability to adapt to changes in the marketplace. The book reviews recent findings in relevant academic fields—behavioral economics, psychology, neuroscience, organizational science, network theory, anthropology, sociology, and strategy—to understand how firms, as they grow, develop rigidities that prevent change. It develops a model of organization that is adaptive, innovative, and can create significant value for its stakeholders for long periods of time".

Supercharge your impact on global issues and drive transformative change in the world around you Impact the World: Live Your Values and Drive Change As a Citizen Statesperson is your motivational guide to becoming a superpowered individual committed to improving your community—and the world—through your values and actions. You’ll discover why the intersection of a renewed civic spirit and new technologies empowering individuals at the local level equates to an unprecedented opportunity to channel global impact. From poverty and homelessness to violence and corruption, we often see challenges in the world around us and ask, “Why doesn’t someone do something?” We look to people with more experience, or people with more influence, or people with more time or resources than ourselves to step up and find answers to some of our biggest problems. But what if we didn’t wait for others? What if we stepped up, and looked for ways to employ our skills to solve the biggest and most complex problems of our time? That’s what leaders do. That’s what citizen statespeople do. This book is a call to action. From local to global, from the private sector to government, and to the frontlines of social entrepreneurship, authors Carrie Rich and Dean Fealk explore the benefits and challenges of becoming a citizen statesperson, showing how to pull together disparate threads to solve pressing social, political, and economic challenges. You’ll also discover: ● The lifecycle of a citizen statesperson, including an enlightening discussion of how to build your personal brand ● Inspiring case studies of real-life citizen statespeople around the world ● Explorations of the new technologies that can be used to accelerate the impact of a citizen statesperson on the world Simultaneously optimistic, inspiring, intensely practical, and engaging, Impact the World will earn a valued place in the libraries of civic leaders, activists, social justice advocates, business executives, politicians, volunteers, public servants, and anyone else looking for a way to magnify their influence and impact in any area that matters to them.

Medical students and junior and senior doctors are frequently called upon to give research presentations, write reports, and answer exam questions on specific areas of medical research. Understanding Medical Research: The Studies That Shaped Medicine is an exciting new title that offers a unique and valuable approach to understanding historically influential studies in important areas of medicine. Featuring chapters from Sir Liam Donaldson and Sir David Weatherall, amongst others, world leading researchers identify ten primary research papers that have shaped the direction of research in their given topic, examining why they were carried out, key findings, and how they changed the field. Each chapter also contains short sections on ‘Key Questions Remaining’ which outline outstanding areas where further research is needed, and a link to ‘Key Laboratories/Clinics’ which point the reader to major research groups of international standing. Covering the seminal research in core areas of medicine, Understanding Medical Research provides an authoritative framework on each topic for medical students and healthcare professionals.