Intelligent Non-hierarchical Manufacturing Networks

‘Harry Wallop is one of the sharpest and funniest journalists writing in Britain today. He has an instinct for the killer detail that truly brings a story to life.' – Jay RaynerThis is the story of how we became defined by what we consume.Discover what the thickness of froth on your morning coffee or where you buy your jeans really says about you, and the role of retailers and big business in this new class system.In this revealing account, award-winning journalist and consumer affairs expert, Harry Wallop takes a fresh look along society’s dividing lines and uncovers how our lifestyles and consumer choices are the new determining factors of class and social status in modern Britain.Find out which new social categories you and your friends belong to in today's modern consumer world. Are you an Asda Mum, Wood Burning Stover or Sun Skittler? Do you know a Portland Privateer or Rockabilly? And exactly who are the Hyphen-Leighs?Insightful and engaging, Consumed will completely change the way you think about your shopping habits.

Quantum Evolution presents a revolutionary new scientific theory by asking: is there a force of will behind evolution? In his astonishing first book, Johnjoe McFadden shows that there is.‘McFadden’s bold hypothesis that quantum physics plays a key role in the origin and evolution of life looks increasingly plausible. The weird behaviour of matter and information at the quantum level could be just what is needed to explain life’s astonishing properties. If these ideas are right, they will transform our understanding of the relationship between physics and biology.’ PAUL DAVIESIn this brilliant debut, Johnjoe McFadden puts forward a theory of quantum evolution. He shows how living organisms have the ability to will themselves into action. Indeed, such an ability may be life’s most fundamental attribute. This has radical implications. Evolution may not be random at all, as recent evolutionary theories have taught: rather, cells may, in certain circumstances, be able to choose to mutate particular genes that provide an advantage in the environment in which the cell finds itself. This ‘will’ – described by McFadden as ‘the life force’ – has startling implications. It is at the root of consciousness and free-will and provides a new understanding of the origins of life and the purpose of death.

A cutting-edge science book in the style of ‘Fermat’s Last Theorem’ and ‘Chaos’ from an exciting and accessible voice in popular science writing.Bio-inspiration is a form of engineering but not in the conventional sense. Extending beyond our established and preconceived notions, scientists, architects and engineers are looking at imitating nature by manufacturing 'wet' materials such as spider silk or the surface of the gecko's foot.The amazing power of the gecko's foot has long been known – it can climb a vertical glass wall and even walk upside down on the ceiling – but no ideas could be harnessed from it because its mechanism could not be seen with the power of optical microscopes. Recently however the secret was solved by a team of scientists in Oregon who established that the mechanism really is dry, and that it does not involve suction, capillary action or anything else the lay person might imagine. Each foot has half a million bristles and each bristle ramifies into hundreds of finer spatula-shaped projections. The fine scale of the gecko's foot is beyond the capacity of conventional microengineering, but a team of nanotechnologists have already made a good initial approximation.The gecko's foot is just one of many examples of this new 'smart' science. We also discover, amongst other things, how George de Mestral's brush with the spiny fruits of the cocklebur inspired him to invent Velcro; how the shape of leaves opening from a bud has inspired the design of solar-powered satellites; and the parallels between cantilever bridges and the spines of large mammals such as the bison.The new 'smart' science of Bio-inspiration is going to produce a plethora of products over the next decades that will transform our lives, and force us to look at the world in a completely new way. It is science we will be reading about in our papers very soon; it is the science of tomorrow's world.

Lady Thatcher, a unique figure in global politics, shares her views about the dangers and opportunities of the new millennium.Lady Thatcher's previous books on her political career have been bestsellers, The Downing Street Years went to No.1. She is a unique world figure and this book, containing her views about the dangers and opportunities of the new millennium, will attract great interest both in Britain and around the world.In her own words:"I wanted to write one more book – and I wanted it to be about the future. In this age of spin-doctors and sound bites, the ever present danger is that leaders will follow fashion and not their instincts and beliefs. That was not how the West won the Cold War, not how we created the basis for today's freedom and prosperity. If we wish to make our achievements secure for our children and grandchildren, the West must stay vigilant and strong. In this book it will be my purpose to show that it can – and must- be done.”

How to stay safe and be confident on and off the road.Almost every family owns a car, and every year more vehicles are introduced on to roads which are already congested, adding to the danger and frustrations of motoring. Whether for commuting, shopping or dropping off school children, it is the very convenience of driving that makes it hazardous.Following the format of his worldwide bestselling SAS SURVIVAL HANDBOOK, whose sales have topped one million copies, and applying the world-class techniques and philosophies of the SAS, its former Chief Survival Instructor, Lofty Wiseman, shows how a little forethought and common sense can make motoring both safe and pleasurable.This book takes the reader through every area of the driving experience, from selecting and maintaining a car, planning a journey and carrying the right essentials to passenger safety and car security. In addition, it covers adverse driving conditions, breakdowns, defensive driving, accidents and first aid, long-distance driving, towing, driving off-road and abroad, and how to deal with road rage.This ebook contains the following accessibility features:• Linked contents lists for each chapter, making it easier to find key pieces of information.• Redesigned tables for reading on eink readers, mobile phones and via assistive technology.