Machine History

The Dead Hand is the suspense-filled story of the people who sought to brake the speeding locomotive of the arms race, then rushed to secure the nuclear and biological weapons left behind by the collapse of the Soviet Union - a dangerous legacy that haunts us even today. The Cold War was an epoch of massive overkill. In the last half of the 20th century the two superpowers had perfected the science of mass destruction and possessed nuclear weapons with the combined power of a million Hiroshimas.

In a book that will recalibrate our view of this defining feature of our planet, physicist Helen Czerski dives deep to illuminate the murky depths of the ocean engine, examining the messengers, passengers and voyagers that live in it, travel over it, and survive because of it. From the ancient Polynesians who navigated the Pacific by reading the waves to permanent residents of the deep such as the Greenland shark that can live for hundreds of years, she explains the vast currents, invisible ocean walls and underwater waterfalls that all have their place in the ocean's complex system.

This is an audiobook about AI and AI risk. But it's also more importantly about a community of people who are trying to think rationally about intelligence, and the places that these thoughts are taking them, and what insight they can and can't give us about the future of the human race over the next few years. It explains why these people are worried, why they might be right and why they might be wrong.

Veteran bootlegger. Prolific bank robber. Kidnapper extraordinaire. Ruthless criminal mastermind. With a nickname as hardcore as George “Machine Gun” Kelly's, it should come as no surprise that such terms are frequently associated with him. Eighty-six years may have come and gone since his death, but this Depression-era mobster's name and legacy are still as relevant as ever. You will learn about Machine Gun Kelly like never before.

This audiobook contains a broad overview of time travel in science fiction, along with a detailed examination of the philosophical implications of time travel. The emphasis of this book is now on the philosophical and on science fiction, rather than on physics, as in the author’s earlier books on the subject. In that spirit there are, for example, no tech notes filled with algebra, integrals, and differential equations, as there are in the first and second editions of Time Machines.

Discover a cutting-edge guide to maximizing the potential of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) with the exciting eBook, "ATM Advantage." This comprehensive guide delves deep into the world of ATMs, offering invaluable insights, tips, and strategies to navigate and benefit from their ever-evolving features. The initial chapters provide a fascinating look at the history and integral features of ATMs, before leading readers along the diverse paths of ATM usage. The eBook also presents robust security tips, equipping readers to spot skimming devices and avoid fraud, thereby encouraging confident...

50 Groundbreaking Roller Coasters is a comprehensive list of the most influential scream machines that drove the evolution of the modern roller coaster. It's a new and interesting look at roller coaster history. What makes a majority of the roller coasters listed in this book even more impressive is the fact that they were designed using pencil and paper rather than computers. Perfect for coaster fans, theme park travelers, and thrill ride historians alike, this book dives into the technology, stories, and bold ideas behind each groundbreaking coaster. Learn how engineers and visionaries ...

Switzerland County has its origins in the original wine making Swiss immigrants that migrated into the Ohio River Valley in the early Nineteenth Century. These families were an important part of United States wine making history, as they produced the first commercial wines in the nation. New Switzerland The immigrants named their principal town Vevay, after the Swiss town from which most of them originated. The industrious settlers soon turned the hills and valleys of their new settlement, often called New Switzerland, into productive farms and vineyards. Hay Farming Blight ruined the vines...

A decade after a twenty-year war against creatures of myth and legend, a retired commander is called back into duty. Thirty years ago, the Earth split open and Hell’s filth poured onto her soil. For twenty years, the War raged in every city on every continent to save humankind. In a seemingly losing battle, an elite force rose and finally turned the tide, a force led by Commander Kane Garner. They drove Hell’s filth back into the ground and capped it with a nuclear weapon. They had won the War, and the world returned to a new normal. Garner, now retired, finds solace and contentment ...

Africa is the world’s poorest continent and, arguably, its richest. In The Looting Machine, Tom Burgis takes listeners on a gripping journey into the world of the magnates and militiamen, the despots and jet-setting executives who gorge on Africa’s vast stocks of oil, gas, metals, and precious stones. Combining deep reporting with an action-packed narrative, Burgis presents a blistering investigation of the plunder of a continent and the terrible human toll.

In Work Mate Marry Love, Harvard Business School professor and former Barnard College president Debora L. Spar offers an incisive and provocative account of how technology has transformed our intimate lives in the past, and how it will do so again in the future. Surveying the course of history, she shows how marriage as we understand it resulted from the rise of agriculture, and that the nuclear family emerged with the industrial revolution. In their day, the street light, the car, and later the pill all upended courtship and sex.

There has been a lot of ink devoted to discussions of how robots will replace us and take our jobs. But MIT Media Lab researcher and technology policy expert Kate Darling argues just the opposite, and that treating robots with a bit of humanity, more like the way we treat animals, will actually serve us better.

Literary Theory for Robots reveals the hidden history of modern machine intelligence, taking listeners on a spellbinding journey from medieval Arabic philosophy to visions of a universal language, past Hollywood fiction factories, and missile defense systems trained on Russian folktales. In this provocative reflection on the shared pasts of literature and computer science, former Microsoft engineer and professor of comparative literature Dennis Yi Tenen provides crucial context for recent developments in AI, which holds important lessons for the future of humans living with smart technology.

Stand Beside Amelia Earhart and Albert Einstein! Chant Baker’s time-traveling adventures propel him into the lives of two of history’s most brilliant minds—Amelia Earhart, the daring aviator, and Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics. Witnessing their achievements and struggles firsthand, Chant learns that history’s greatest legends are also some of its most human. But as his journeys through time grow more dangerous, his thoughts keep returning to Mary, the girl he met in Shakespeare’s time. Their budding romance is tested as Chant’s travels take him further away—and ...

This book is designed to be an introduction to machine learning algorithms for a complete beginner. It starts with an explanation of exactly what machine learning algorithms are and then walks you through the languages and frameworks used to create them. Studying machine learning is considered to be quite challenging due to the impression that special talent is required or some unachievable level of mathematics is needed in order to understand the various algorithms and techniques. But anyone can learn to become a machine learner and put the theory into practice.

The names Klaus Barbie, Adolf Eichmann, Hermann Goering, Reinhard Heydrich, Heinrich Himmler, and Ernst Kaltenbrunner struck terror into law-abiding citizens, let alone those who resisted Adolf Hitler. These men were leaders of the Gestapo, the secret police during the times of the Nazis. This book outlines who the Gestapo were, how they operated, what their numbers were, the terrible crimes they committed, and how they paid for these in the end when they were hunted down after the war.

More than twenty years ago, 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan set into motion a hugely consequential shift in America's foreign policy: a perpetual state of war that is almost entirely invisible to the American public. War Made Invisible, by the journalist and political analyst Norman Solomon, exposes how this happened, and what its consequences are, from military and civilian casualties to drained resources at home.

Step into a world where the grand tapestry of history unfolds at the tip of your fingers. "Miniature Time Machines" invites you on an extraordinary journey of passion, precision, and the unparalleled art of bringing the echoes of yesteryears into vivid, tangible existence. Turn the intangible into an intricate reality that can rest in the palm of your hand, and be transported through the mists of time with each meticulously crafted piece. At its core, this book explores the boundless fascination with history and the art of recreating it on a diminutive scale. It’s an inspiring guide for ...

ChatGPT for Boomers isn't just a survival guide for the AI age. It's a love letter to the absurdities of modern life, a toast to the joys of perpetual learning, and perhaps, a gentle prod to embrace the inevitable while having a good chuckle along the way. So pour yourself a stiff drink, settle into your favorite armchair, and prepare for an enlightening and laughter-filled journey into the world of ChatGPT.

Race Against Time with General Custer and Joan of Arc! After unlocking the mysteries of time travel, Chant Baker’s adventures only intensify in Day Tripper. His travels take him to the heart of history’s most dangerous events. He faces the battlefield alongside General Custer at the Little Bighorn and marches with Joan of Arc as she fights for France. With every leap through time, Chant faces life-or-death moments that test his courage and quick thinking. But while he battles to keep history on track, his heart faces another challenge—his growing feelings for Mary, the mysterious girl...