Physics for Future Presidents; The Science Behind the Headlines
New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. 380 pages. Illustrations. Notes. Index. Publisher's ephemera laid in. Richard A. Muller (born January 6, 1944) is an American physicist and professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley. Includes sections on Terrorist Nukes, Plutonium Bombs, Radioactivity, Nuclear Weapons, Neutron Bombs, Proliferation, Breeder Reactors, Laser Fusion, Spy Satellites and other military technology. Muller joined the JASON advisory group, which brings together prominent scientists as consultants for the Department of Defense. He was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow in 1982. He also received the Alan T. Waterman Award in 1978 from the National Science Foundation "for highly original and innovative research which has led to important discoveries and inventions in diverse areas of physics, including astrophysics, radioisotope dating, and optics". His "Physics for Future Presidents" series of lectures has been published in book form. Derived from a Kirkus review: The author distinguishes between concerns about a coming domestic oil shortage and the threat posed by global warming. The author explains that the necessity to import petroleum is a threat to military security and the major cause of the U.S. balance-of-trade deficit, but it is not a significant contributor to global warming. He anticipates that the developing sector will adopt nuclear power, employing small modular nuclear reactors that are designed to be intrinsically safe. Muller makes an intriguing case that for the U.S., extracting natural gas and oil from shale will be cost-effective, can be regulated to ensure environmental safety, and is a plentiful, untapped source of supply. In his opinion, plug-in electric automobiles will prove unfeasible because of the time required to recharge them and the replacement cost of batteries, but hybrid vehicles that use gasoline or natural gas as fuel are an attractive option. An informative discussion of economic and environmental issues. Condition: Very good / Very good.
Keywords: Terrorism, Nuclear Weapons, Plutonium, Neutron Bombs, Proliferation, Breeder Reactors, Laser Fusion, Spy Satellites, Military Technology, Radioactivity, Proliferation
ISBN: 9780393066272
[Book #76293]
Price: $37.50