[PDF] Information For Life eBook

Author : Gérard Battail
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 264 pages
File Size : 44,57 MB
Release : 2013-07-30
Category : Science
ISBN : 9400770405

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Communication, one of the most important functions of life, occurs at any spatial scale from the molecular one up to that of populations and ecosystems, and any time scale from that of fast chemical reactions up to that of geological ages. Information theory, a mathematical science of communication initiated by Shannon in 1948, has been very successful in engineering, but biologists ignore it. This book aims at bridging this gap. It proposes an abstract definition of information based on the engineers' experience which makes it usable in life sciences. It expounds information theory and error-correcting codes, its by-products, as simply as possible. Then, the fundamental biological problem of heredity is examined. It is shown that biology does not adequately account for the conservation of genomes during geological ages, which can be understood only if it is assumed that genomes are made resilient to casual errors by proper coding. Moreover, the good conservation of very old parts of genomes, like the HOX genes, implies that the assumed genomic codes have a nested structure which makes an information the more resilient to errors, the older it is. The consequences that information theory draws from these hypotheses meet very basic but yet unexplained biological facts, e.g., the existence of successive generations, that of discrete species and the trend of evolution towards complexity. Being necessarily inscribed on physical media, information appears as a bridge between the abstract and the concrete. Recording, communicating and using information exclusively occur in the living world. Information is thus coextensive with life and delineates the border between the living and the inanimate.

Author : Bernd-Olaf Küppers
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 252 pages
File Size : 23,14 MB
Release : 1990
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9780262111423

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The relationship between law and chance in the early evolution of life is the guidingtheme of this provocative study. The author explores modern ideas about the origin of life from thestandpoint of philosophy of science, emphasizing the contribution made by information theory.Küppersasserts that all life phenomena are steered by information and that this information is alreadydefined materially in a universal form at the level of the biological macromolecule. The question ofthe origin of life turns out to be the question of the origin of biological informationInformationand the Origin of Life takes up the fundamental problems of whether and, if so, to what extent theorigin of semantic information during evolution can be explained as a general phenomenon within theframework of physics and chemistry. The results could have far-reaching consequences for such fieldsas the philosophy of mind and artificial intelligence.Bernd-Olaf Küppers has long focused hisattention on basic questions of natural science and the philosophy of science at the borders ofphysics, chemistry, and biology. He has been engaged since 1971 in research at the Max PlanckInstitute for Biophysical Chemistry, and from 1979 to 1984 he held lecture courses in philosophy atthe University of Göttingen

Author : Sara Imari Walker
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 517 pages
File Size : 23,32 MB
Release : 2017-02-23
Category : Science
ISBN : 1108116507

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Recent advances suggest that the concept of information might hold the key to unravelling the mystery of life's nature and origin. Fresh insights from a broad and authoritative range of articulate and respected experts focus on the transition from matter to life, and hence reconcile the deep conceptual schism between the way we describe physical and biological systems. A unique cross-disciplinary perspective, drawing on expertise from philosophy, biology, chemistry, physics, and cognitive and social sciences, provides a new way to look at the deepest questions of our existence. This book addresses the role of information in life, and how it can make a difference to what we know about the world. Students, researchers, and all those interested in what life is and how it began will gain insights into the nature of life and its origins that touch on nearly every domain of science.

Author : UNICEF.
Publisher : UNICEF
Page : 216 pages
File Size : 21,3 MB
Release : 2010
Category : Education
ISBN : 9280644661

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The fourth edition of Facts for Life contains essential information that families and communities need to know to raise healthy children. This handbook provides practical advice on pregnancy, childbirth, childhood illnesses, child development and the care of children. This edition also features a new chapter on child protection. The book is intended for parents, families, health workers, teachers, youth groups, women's groups, community organisations, government officials, employers, trade unions, media, and non-governmental and faith-based organisations.

Author : Caleb Scharf
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 353 pages
File Size : 32,97 MB
Release : 2022-06-14
Category : Computers
ISBN : 0593087259

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“Full of fascinating insights drawn from an impressive range of disciplines, The Ascent of Information casts the familiar and the foreign in a dramatic new light.” —Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe Your information has a life of its own, and it’s using you to get what it wants. One of the most peculiar and possibly unique features of humans is the vast amount of information we carry outside our biological selves. But in our rush to build the infrastructure for the 20 quintillion bits we create every day, we’ve failed to ask exactly why we’re expending ever-increasing amounts of energy, resources, and human effort to maintain all this data. Drawing on deep ideas and frontier thinking in evolutionary biology, computer science, information theory, and astrobiology, Caleb Scharf argues that information is, in a very real sense, alive. All the data we create—all of our emails, tweets, selfies, A.I.-generated text and funny cat videos—amounts to an aggregate lifeform. It has goals and needs. It can control our behavior and influence our well-being. And it’s an organism that has evolved right alongside us. This symbiotic relationship with information offers a startling new lens for looking at the world. Data isn’t just something we produce; it’s the reason we exist. This powerful idea has the potential to upend the way we think about our technology, our role as humans, and the fundamental nature of life. The Ascent of Information offers a humbling vision of a universe built of and for information. Scharf explores how our relationship with data will affect our ongoing evolution as a species. Understanding this relationship will be crucial to preventing our data from becoming more of a burden than an asset, and to preserving the possibility of a human future.

Author : Gretchen Rubin
Publisher : Harmony
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 20,59 MB
Release : 2019-03-05
Category : Self-Help
ISBN : 1984822802

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this lovely, easy-to-use illustrated guide to decluttering, the beloved author of The Happiness Project shows us how to take control of our stuff—and, by extension, our lives. Gretchen Rubin knows firsthand that creating order can make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. But for most of us, a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution doesn't work. When we tailor our approach to suit our own particular challenges and habits, we can find inner calm. With a sense of fun, and a clear idea of what’s realistic for most people, Rubin suggests dozens of manageable tips and tricks for creating a more serene, orderly environment, including: • Never label anything “miscellaneous.” • Ask yourself, “Do I need more than one?” • Don’t aim for minimalism. • Remember: If you can’t retrieve it, you won’t use it. • Stay current with a child’s interests. • Beware the urge to “procrasticlear.” By getting rid of things we don’t use, don’t need, or don’t love, we free our minds (and our shelves) for what we truly value.

Author : Hubert P. Yockey
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 276 pages
File Size : 40,15 MB
Release : 2005-04-18
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780521802932

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Author : Marcello Ienca
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 862 pages
File Size : 28,62 MB
Release : 2022-05-26
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 1108809391

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Debates on the human-rights implications of new and emerging technologies have been hampered by the lack of a comprehensive theoretical framework for the complex issues involved. This volume provides that framework, bringing a multidisciplinary and international perspective to the evolution of human rights in the digital and biotechnological era. It delves into the latest frontiers of technological innovation in the life sciences and information technology sectors, such as neurotechnology, robotics, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. Leading experts from the technological, medical, and social sciences as well as law, philosophy, and business share their extensive knowledge about the transformation of the rights framework in response to technological innovation. In addition to providing a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and international state-of-the art descriptive analysis, the volume also offers policy recommendations to protect and promote human rights in the context of emerging socio-technological trends.

Author : Mario Alemi
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 125 pages
File Size : 20,9 MB
Release : 2019-12-03
Category : Computers
ISBN : 3030259625

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This Open Access book explores questions such as why and how did the first biological cells appear? And then complex organisms, brains, societies and –now– connected human societies? Physicists have good models for describing the evolution of the universe since the Big Bang, but can we apply the same concepts to the evolution of aggregated matter –living matter included? The Amazing Journey analyzes the latest results in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and sociology under the light of the evolution of intelligence, seen as the ability of processing information. The main strength of this book is using just two concepts used in physics –information and energy– to explain: The emergence and evolution of life: procaryotes, eukaryotes and complex organisms The emergence and evolution of the brain The emergence and evolution of societies (human and not) Possible evolution of our "internet society" and the role that Artificial Intelligence is playing

Author : National Academy of Sciences
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 190 pages
File Size : 30,72 MB
Release : 1992-01-01
Category : Medical
ISBN : 0309040493

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Results from the National Research Council's (NRC) landmark study Diet and health are readily accessible to nonscientists in this friendly, easy-to-read guide. Readers will find the heart of the book in the first chapter: the Food and Nutrition Board's nine-point dietary plan to reduce the risk of diet-related chronic illness. The nine points are presented as sensible guidelines that are easy to follow on a daily basis, without complicated measuring or calculatingâ€"and without sacrificing favorite foods. Eat for Life gives practical recommendations on foods to eat and in a "how-to" section provides tips on shopping (how to read food labels), cooking (how to turn a high-fat dish into a low-fat one), and eating out (how to read a menu with nutrition in mind). The volume explains what protein, fiber, cholesterol, and fats are and what foods contain them, and tells readers how to reduce their risk of chronic disease by modifying the types of food they eat. Each chronic disease is clearly defined, with information provided on its prevalence in the United States. Written for everyone concerned about how they can influence their health by what they eat, Eat for Life offers potentially lifesaving information in an understandable and persuasive way. Alternative Selection, Quality Paperback Book Club