Books in Contemporary Discourse in the Field of Astronomy series

This book examines the lives of stars, following their formation, and looking at their characteristics and planetary systems, and the end of their lives. Using twenty articles published in current science journals, the editor presents a balanced look at the current thought on the cycle of stars. A volume introduction and an explanation of the significance of each article helps to make the information exceptionally accessible.

This anthology comprises twenty research papers and articles that discuss the role the Sun plays in the solar system, with a primary emphasis on its effects on Earth. It includes discussions on sunspots, sun-climate connections, solar energy, global warming, and photosynthesis. Each entry is prefaced with an accessible introduction that covers key concepts, places the discussion in historical context, or frames its position within the wider scientific discourse.

This anthology provides insight into some of the more recent information that has been gathered by scientists about the planets in our solar system. Is there water on Mars? Is Pluto really a planet? What do surfaces of the planets farthest from the Sun look like? The cutting-edge collection of articles on these topics is an excellent source of the latest information on this fascinating subject.

This book offers the latest thinking on the physics principles and processes behind such everyday activities as ball bouncing, stone skipping, soccer kicks, and spear or javelin throwing, and revisits Newton's Laws of Motion and the power of momentum. It also covers the animal world, discussing the physics of falling cats, bugs that walk on water, and the origins of flight in birds. With twenty selections drawn from leading journals and periodicals, this anthology presents the most recent scholarship and cutting-edge theories concerning the laws of motion and their real-life manifestations in the world around us.