Target Earth: The Grand Scale Problems of the 21st Century
At the start of the 21st century, humankind finds itself on a non-sustainable course - a course that, unless it is changed, will lead to catastrophes of awesome consequences. Severe climate change, water shortages, mass famines, global pandemics, global terrorism... All these mega-problems are interrelated and need a long-term view of the future. They are global problems and cannot be solved by one country alone. This could be humanity's last century, or it could be the century in which civiliz
Bottom billion or bottom zero? Policies for international poverty reduction
Some developing countries have achieved rapid economic growth and poverty reduction while others have stagnated. This talk will review the determinants of success and the prospects for lagging regions to improve performance and eliminate poverty. Achieving an end-state of "zero" has emerged as an important policy goal for a number of 21st Century challenges. The most prominent example is the "Global Zero" campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons. Yet, in a century of globalization, when the life of
A New Approach to Nuclear Disarmament: Learning from International Humanitarian Law Success
Achieving an end-state of "zero" has emerged as an important policy goal for a number of 21st Century challenges. The most prominent example is the "Global Zero" campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons. Few issues are more appropriate subjects of humanitarian concern and international humanitarian law than the choice, possession, use and misuse of weapons. A body of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Disarmament Treaty Law has been built up over the last century to control and prohibit a ra
India and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty
How does a nuclear power & non-signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty engage in international debate on the issue? Following the US-led campaign for global nuclear disarmament and a nuclear weapons free world, the international community eagerly await the review conference of the parties to the treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to be held in New York between 3-28 May 2010. But what of India? Or Pakistan, Israel and North Korea? Four states with nuclear weapons
Just War Theory & Chemical/Biological Weapons
For several thousand years, philosophers, lawyers, and theologians have
developed a theory of the just war, where rules are set for deciding
when a war should be fought and what tactics can be employed in war.
During the entirety of that period chemical and biological weapons have
been banned. In this public lecture, reasons are given for thinking
that just war theory cannot support a complete ban on such weapons,
unless a similar ban on the use of bombs is also endorsed.
Biosecurity: Upgrading the Web of Prevention
In this lecture Professor Dando reviews international control of the
biotechnology revolution, the threat of deliberate disease - from
biowarfare, bioterrorism, and the possible misuse of benignly intended
civil research. He looks at the recent history of the Biological and
Toxin Weapons Convention and the emphasis on in-depth implementation of
the Convention including codes of conduct and education for life
scientists. Professor Dando argues that there is much evidence that
life scien
Darwin’s Compass: Why the evolution of humans is inevitable
Orthodox neo-Darwinism very much emphasises the random and contingent. Re-run the tape of life, as Steven Jay Gould famously observed, and the outcomes would be utterly different. Terrestrial life maybe, but certainly no humans. They, like tulips and tape-worms, are just another evolutionary fluke. The basis of this is hardly surprising: think of random mutations, massive shifts in the environment, not to mention the odd giant rock dropping out of the sky. Life is on a roller-coaster and is flun
The Dark Side of the Universe
Professor Silk discusses how our understanding of cosmology has evolved
in recent years from the old Big Bang cosmology of the Einstein era.
Observations have shown us that the universe is mostly dark. This is
one of the greatest mysteries in the cosmos. Not only is the observed
night sky dark, but also most of the matter in the universe is dark.
Astronomers today are seeking to unravel the nature of the mysterious
but pervasive dark matter and dark energy, which account for two-thirds
of the ma
A Crisis in Human Rights: Genocide in Darfur and Beyond
Focusing on the crisis in Darfur, the speakers will offer a comprehensive view of how and why a conflict evolves into a full-fledged genocide. The Darfur genocide has involved not just the outright immediate killing of people, but also the creation of conditions that have made life impossible by chasing people out into the desert and destroying their homes, villages, food supplies and livelihoods. Speakers will present eyewitness accounts of events on the ground in Darfur as well as academic res
1.561 Motion Based Design (MIT)
This course presents a rational basis for the preliminary design of motion-sensitive structures. Topics covered include: analytical and numerical techniques for establishing the optimal stiffness distribution, the role of damping in controlling motion, tuned mass dampers, base isolation systems, and active structural control. Examples illustrating the application of the motion-based design paradigm to building structures subjected to seismic excitation are discussed.
Transport Processes in the Environment, Fall 2004
Introduction to momentum and scalar transport in environmental flows, with emphasis given to river and lake systems. Derivation and solutions to the differential form of mass conservation equations. Topics include: molecular and turbulent diffusion, boundary layers, dissolution, phase partitioning, bed-water exchange, air-water exchange, settling and coagulation, buoyancy-driven flows, and stratification in lakes.
Wood Works
In some years back the craft upholstery was used to describe the making of carpets, curtains, wall hangings, mattresses and the covering of furniture with fabrics etc. However, with the upsurge of specialization during the industrial revolution, which now dominates the industrial world, the word upholstery is limited to the manufacture and repair of stuffed furniture. The making of curtains and wall hangings has now become a specialized area for interior decorators whilst the production of mattr
Beginner Modeling Exercises
The goal of this paper written as part of the MIT Systems Dynamics in Education Project is to teach the reader how to distinguish between stocks and flows. A stock is an accumulation that is changed over time by inflows and outflows. The reader will gain intuition about stocks and flow through and extensive list of different examples and will practice modeling simple systems with constant flows. STELLA modeling examples include, but are not restricted to, skunks populations, landfills, a bank ac
Visualizing Cultures
Visualizing Cultures opens a window on modern times by wedding popular images and scholarly commentary in ways that were not technologically possible until recently. Focusing to date on Japan and Asia in the modern world, these units enable users to “see” historical moments as they were actually depicted for mass audiences at the time from various national, cultural, racial, ideological, and individual perspectives. The graphics themselves also reflect the evolving nature of different medium
Calculating Molecular Weight
The molecular weight is the mass of one mole of a substance. Usually, the units used for this are grams per mole. In this movie, we show how to calculate the molecular weight of a substance from the atomic weights given on the periodic table. On another page, we use the molecular weight to convert between the macroscopic scale (grams of a substance) and the microscopic scale (number of molecules of that substance).
Great Courses Great Faculty: Dr. Tom Fleming
Dr. Tom Fleming is an Associate Astronomer in the University of Arizona's Department of Astronomy and the Steward Observatory. Watch Dr. Fleming's October 6, 2010, class lecture for NATS 102 The Physical Universe.
The Physical Universe presents the astronomical phenomena of the universe in the context of physical science. In this lecture on asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets, Dr. Fleming discusses Pluto, its moon Charon, the asteroid Ceres, the Kuiper belt, and a possible tenth planet and it
SAGP Guide to Clinical Medical Practice
Manual originating from personal notes made over many years of semi-rural private and hospital practice in South Africa.
A useful resource based on many years of semi-rural private and hospital practice in South Africa involving major trauma, surgery and obstetrics, in addition to the common problems of general practice. I have always felt it very useful to be able to confirm facts and figures at the bedside if needed and this has been the motivation that has taken me over 40 years. This meant
Social Attitudes and Public Opinion
This course examines the nature of attitudes, beliefs, and values, and the influences which indiviudals' attitudes have upon their behavior. Various theories of attitude organization and attitude change are discussed, and the development of social attitudes is explored by examining the differential impact of the family, the educational system, the mass media, and the general social environment. The changing content of public opinion over time and its relationship to the political system are also
Founder's Day Symposium: Introduction and David Wall Rice
Founder's Day Symposium - Black Men in the 21st Century: Myths, Data and Reality
PART 1 of 6
This ongoing summit extends the mission of the Morehouse Research Institute and builds upon a critical mass of research at the College that looks at the affirmative development of black men and boys. Additionally, this symposium served as an exciting review of current thinking from national experts in light of America's first African American President.
David Wall Rice, 95 (Moderator): A graduate of
Founder's Day Symposium: Horace L. Griffin
Founder's Day Symposium - Black Men in the 21st Century: Myths, Data and Reality
PART 2 of 6
This ongoing summit extends the mission of the Morehouse Research Institute and builds upon a critical mass of research at the College that looks at the affirmative development of black men and boys. Additionally, this symposium served as an exciting review of current thinking from national experts in light of America's first African American President.
Horace L. Griffin, 83, is associate professor o
