Author: Joris Mercelis
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262357984
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 379
Book Description
The changing relationships between science and industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, illustrated by the career of the “father of plastics.” The Belgian-born American chemist, inventor, and entrepreneur Leo Baekeland (1863–1944) is best known for his invention of the first synthetic plastic—his near-namesake Bakelite—which had applications ranging from electrical insulators to Art Deco jewelry. Toward the end of his career, Baekeland was called the “father of plastics”—given credit for the establishment of a sector to which many other researchers, inventors, and firms inside and outside the United States had also made significant contributions. In Beyond Bakelite, Joris Mercelis examines Baekeland's career, using it as a lens through which to view the changing relationships between science and industry on both sides of the Atlantic in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He gives special attention to the intellectual property strategies and scientific entrepreneurship of the period, making clear their relevance to contemporary concerns. Mercelis describes the growth of what he terms the “science-industry nexus” and the developing interdependence of science and industry. After examining Baekeland's emergence as a pragmatic innovator and leader in scientific circles, Mercelis analyzes Baekeland's international and domestic IP strategies and his efforts to reform the US patent system; his dual roles as scientist and industrialist; the importance of theoretical knowledge to the science-industry nexus; and the American Bakelite companies' research and development practices, technically oriented sales approach, and remuneration schemes. Mercelis argues that the expansion and transformation of the science-industry nexus shaped the careers and legacies of Baekeland and many of his contemporaries.
Beyond Bakelite
Author: Joris Mercelis
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262357984
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 379
Book Description
The changing relationships between science and industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, illustrated by the career of the “father of plastics.” The Belgian-born American chemist, inventor, and entrepreneur Leo Baekeland (1863–1944) is best known for his invention of the first synthetic plastic—his near-namesake Bakelite—which had applications ranging from electrical insulators to Art Deco jewelry. Toward the end of his career, Baekeland was called the “father of plastics”—given credit for the establishment of a sector to which many other researchers, inventors, and firms inside and outside the United States had also made significant contributions. In Beyond Bakelite, Joris Mercelis examines Baekeland's career, using it as a lens through which to view the changing relationships between science and industry on both sides of the Atlantic in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He gives special attention to the intellectual property strategies and scientific entrepreneurship of the period, making clear their relevance to contemporary concerns. Mercelis describes the growth of what he terms the “science-industry nexus” and the developing interdependence of science and industry. After examining Baekeland's emergence as a pragmatic innovator and leader in scientific circles, Mercelis analyzes Baekeland's international and domestic IP strategies and his efforts to reform the US patent system; his dual roles as scientist and industrialist; the importance of theoretical knowledge to the science-industry nexus; and the American Bakelite companies' research and development practices, technically oriented sales approach, and remuneration schemes. Mercelis argues that the expansion and transformation of the science-industry nexus shaped the careers and legacies of Baekeland and many of his contemporaries.
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262357984
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 379
Book Description
The changing relationships between science and industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, illustrated by the career of the “father of plastics.” The Belgian-born American chemist, inventor, and entrepreneur Leo Baekeland (1863–1944) is best known for his invention of the first synthetic plastic—his near-namesake Bakelite—which had applications ranging from electrical insulators to Art Deco jewelry. Toward the end of his career, Baekeland was called the “father of plastics”—given credit for the establishment of a sector to which many other researchers, inventors, and firms inside and outside the United States had also made significant contributions. In Beyond Bakelite, Joris Mercelis examines Baekeland's career, using it as a lens through which to view the changing relationships between science and industry on both sides of the Atlantic in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He gives special attention to the intellectual property strategies and scientific entrepreneurship of the period, making clear their relevance to contemporary concerns. Mercelis describes the growth of what he terms the “science-industry nexus” and the developing interdependence of science and industry. After examining Baekeland's emergence as a pragmatic innovator and leader in scientific circles, Mercelis analyzes Baekeland's international and domestic IP strategies and his efforts to reform the US patent system; his dual roles as scientist and industrialist; the importance of theoretical knowledge to the science-industry nexus; and the American Bakelite companies' research and development practices, technically oriented sales approach, and remuneration schemes. Mercelis argues that the expansion and transformation of the science-industry nexus shaped the careers and legacies of Baekeland and many of his contemporaries.
Beyond Archigram
Author: Hadas A. Steiner
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134718152
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 469
Book Description
Beyond Archigram is the first study of the prehistory of digital representation to focus on the magazine Archigram, the magazine published in London irregularly between 1961 and 1970 and the name of the group that created it. Archigram is among the most significant phenomena to emerge in post-war architectural culture. The wired environments first advertised on its pages formulated an architectural vocabulary of metamorphosis and obsolescence that cross-pollinated industrial and digital technology at the same time as complex systems were becoming commercially available. Through archival, theoretical and visual analysis, Hadas Steiner explores the process through which this model was envisaged and disseminated within an international network of practitioners and shows how the assimilation of Archigram imagery set the course for the visual output of what are now commonplace tools in architectural practice. This book will provide a foundation for further inquiry into the integration of digital technology at every level of design.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134718152
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 469
Book Description
Beyond Archigram is the first study of the prehistory of digital representation to focus on the magazine Archigram, the magazine published in London irregularly between 1961 and 1970 and the name of the group that created it. Archigram is among the most significant phenomena to emerge in post-war architectural culture. The wired environments first advertised on its pages formulated an architectural vocabulary of metamorphosis and obsolescence that cross-pollinated industrial and digital technology at the same time as complex systems were becoming commercially available. Through archival, theoretical and visual analysis, Hadas Steiner explores the process through which this model was envisaged and disseminated within an international network of practitioners and shows how the assimilation of Archigram imagery set the course for the visual output of what are now commonplace tools in architectural practice. This book will provide a foundation for further inquiry into the integration of digital technology at every level of design.
Beyond Oil and Gas
Author: George A. Olah
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 3527608354
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
In this masterpiece, the renowned chemistry Nobel Laureate, George A. Olah and his colleagues discuss in a clear and readily accessible manner the use of methanol as a viable alternative to our diminishing fossil fuel resources. They look at the pros and cons of our current main energy sources, namely oil and natural gas, and varied renewable energies, and new ways to overcome obstacles. Following an introduction, Olah, Goeppert and Prakash look at the interrelation of fuels and energy, and at the extent of our non-renewable fossil fuel resources. Despite the diminishing reserve and global warming, the authors point out the continuing need for hydrocarbons and their products. They also discuss the envisioned hydrogen economy and its significant shortcomings. The main section then focuses on the methanol economy, including the conversion carbon dioxide from industrial exhausts (such as flue gases from fossil fuel burning power plants) and carbon dioxide contained in the atmoshere into convenient liquid methanol for fuel uses (notably in fuel cells) and as a raw material for hydrocarbons. The book is rounded off with a glimpse into the future. A forward-looking and inspiring work regarding the major challenges of future energy and environmental problems.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 3527608354
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
In this masterpiece, the renowned chemistry Nobel Laureate, George A. Olah and his colleagues discuss in a clear and readily accessible manner the use of methanol as a viable alternative to our diminishing fossil fuel resources. They look at the pros and cons of our current main energy sources, namely oil and natural gas, and varied renewable energies, and new ways to overcome obstacles. Following an introduction, Olah, Goeppert and Prakash look at the interrelation of fuels and energy, and at the extent of our non-renewable fossil fuel resources. Despite the diminishing reserve and global warming, the authors point out the continuing need for hydrocarbons and their products. They also discuss the envisioned hydrogen economy and its significant shortcomings. The main section then focuses on the methanol economy, including the conversion carbon dioxide from industrial exhausts (such as flue gases from fossil fuel burning power plants) and carbon dioxide contained in the atmoshere into convenient liquid methanol for fuel uses (notably in fuel cells) and as a raw material for hydrocarbons. The book is rounded off with a glimpse into the future. A forward-looking and inspiring work regarding the major challenges of future energy and environmental problems.
Beyond World'S End
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Publisher: Baen Books
ISBN: 0671319558
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Book Description
An Eric Banyon fantasy.
Publisher: Baen Books
ISBN: 0671319558
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Book Description
An Eric Banyon fantasy.
Savage Grace
Author: Natalie Robins
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 184739602X
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 927
Book Description
On Friday, 17th November 1972, a shocking crime rocked London. Wealthy American socialite Barbara Baekeland had been stabbed to death in her Chelsea apartment. The man arrested for the murder: her own son. A spellbinding tale of money and madness, incest and matricide, SAVAGE GRACE is the saga of Brooks and Barbara Baekeland - heirs to the Bakelite plastics fortune - and their handsome, gentle son, Tony. Alternately neglected and smothered by his parents, he was finally driven to destroy the whole family in a violent chain of events.Unfolding against a glamorous international background, SAVAGE GRACE tells the doomed Baekelands' story through remarkably candid interviews, private letters and diaries, as well as confidential hospital and prison records. A true-crime classic, it exposes the harrowing truth behind the envied lives of the rich.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 184739602X
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 927
Book Description
On Friday, 17th November 1972, a shocking crime rocked London. Wealthy American socialite Barbara Baekeland had been stabbed to death in her Chelsea apartment. The man arrested for the murder: her own son. A spellbinding tale of money and madness, incest and matricide, SAVAGE GRACE is the saga of Brooks and Barbara Baekeland - heirs to the Bakelite plastics fortune - and their handsome, gentle son, Tony. Alternately neglected and smothered by his parents, he was finally driven to destroy the whole family in a violent chain of events.Unfolding against a glamorous international background, SAVAGE GRACE tells the doomed Baekelands' story through remarkably candid interviews, private letters and diaries, as well as confidential hospital and prison records. A true-crime classic, it exposes the harrowing truth behind the envied lives of the rich.
Microplastics
Author: Kevin B DiBacco
Publisher: Yellow Dog Studio
ISBN: 1965190642
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 119
Book Description
A Hidden Threat to Our Food and Health," Kevin B. DiBacco delivers a comprehensive examination of the growing problem of microplastic contamination in our food supply and its potential impacts on human health and the environment. The book begins with a historical overview of plastic production and its infiltration into the food system, tracing the development from early synthetic polymers to the ubiquitous use of plastic in modern food packaging and processing. DiBacco delves into the various sources and pathways of microplastic contamination in food, from seafood and bottled water to less obvious culprits like honey and tea bags. Through case studies, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and microplastics in the Arctic, he illustrates the global reach and complexity of this issue. The author explores the potential health effects of microplastic ingestion, discussing how these tiny particles can enter the human body and interact with our cells, tissues, and organs. He highlights the need for more research while emphasizing the importance of taking precautionary action. The book examines the current regulatory landscape surrounding microplastics in food, noting the lack of comprehensive oversight and the challenges in developing effective regulations. DiBacco calls for improved standards, testing methods, and labeling requirements to address this emerging threat. Finally, "The Microplastics Crisis" offers a range of strategies and solutions for reducing microplastic intake, from individual consumer actions to industry innovations and government initiatives. The author emphasizes the power of education, consumer choice, and systemic change in addressing this global challenge. Throughout the book, DiBacco maintains an engaging and authoritative voice, making complex scientific concepts accessible to a general audience. He brings a sense of urgency and hope to the subject, reminding readers of the high stakes and the possibilities for positive change in our relationship with plastic and our food system.
Publisher: Yellow Dog Studio
ISBN: 1965190642
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 119
Book Description
A Hidden Threat to Our Food and Health," Kevin B. DiBacco delivers a comprehensive examination of the growing problem of microplastic contamination in our food supply and its potential impacts on human health and the environment. The book begins with a historical overview of plastic production and its infiltration into the food system, tracing the development from early synthetic polymers to the ubiquitous use of plastic in modern food packaging and processing. DiBacco delves into the various sources and pathways of microplastic contamination in food, from seafood and bottled water to less obvious culprits like honey and tea bags. Through case studies, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and microplastics in the Arctic, he illustrates the global reach and complexity of this issue. The author explores the potential health effects of microplastic ingestion, discussing how these tiny particles can enter the human body and interact with our cells, tissues, and organs. He highlights the need for more research while emphasizing the importance of taking precautionary action. The book examines the current regulatory landscape surrounding microplastics in food, noting the lack of comprehensive oversight and the challenges in developing effective regulations. DiBacco calls for improved standards, testing methods, and labeling requirements to address this emerging threat. Finally, "The Microplastics Crisis" offers a range of strategies and solutions for reducing microplastic intake, from individual consumer actions to industry innovations and government initiatives. The author emphasizes the power of education, consumer choice, and systemic change in addressing this global challenge. Throughout the book, DiBacco maintains an engaging and authoritative voice, making complex scientific concepts accessible to a general audience. He brings a sense of urgency and hope to the subject, reminding readers of the high stakes and the possibilities for positive change in our relationship with plastic and our food system.
Natural Fibers to Composites
Author: Yasir Nawab
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031205979
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
Natural fiber composites are a preferred alternative to conventional composites due to their environment-friendly nature. However, their market share is limited due to: a) limited number and quantities of natural fibers available for composites, b) diversity in fibers structure, c) poor mechanical properties of fibers as well as composites, d) susceptibility to microbial attacks, and e) cellulose degradation temperature around 200 deg C, which hinders the development of natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites using thermoforming at high temperatures. A number of researchers have contributed to the solution of the problem of poor mechanical properties and issues related to fabrication during the last decade. This book covers these different solutions. The book is divided into two principal themes: a) structure–property relationship: fibers to composites—it includes the discussion on fibers, their surface modifications, variation in the structure of reinforcement, and approaches for the enhancement of properties. b) Fabrication process of composites—it includes the novel approaches used for the development of natural fiber composites using the commingling technique for thermoplastic composites.
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031205979
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
Natural fiber composites are a preferred alternative to conventional composites due to their environment-friendly nature. However, their market share is limited due to: a) limited number and quantities of natural fibers available for composites, b) diversity in fibers structure, c) poor mechanical properties of fibers as well as composites, d) susceptibility to microbial attacks, and e) cellulose degradation temperature around 200 deg C, which hinders the development of natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites using thermoforming at high temperatures. A number of researchers have contributed to the solution of the problem of poor mechanical properties and issues related to fabrication during the last decade. This book covers these different solutions. The book is divided into two principal themes: a) structure–property relationship: fibers to composites—it includes the discussion on fibers, their surface modifications, variation in the structure of reinforcement, and approaches for the enhancement of properties. b) Fabrication process of composites—it includes the novel approaches used for the development of natural fiber composites using the commingling technique for thermoplastic composites.
Free Innovation
Author: Eric Von Hippel
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262551926
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
A leading innovation scholar explains the growing phenomenon and impact of free innovation, in which innovations developed by consumers and given away “for free.” In this book, Eric von Hippel, author of the influential Democratizing Innovation, integrates new theory and research findings into the framework of a “free innovation paradigm.” Free innovation, as he defines it, involves innovations developed by consumers who are self-rewarded for their efforts, and who give their designs away “for free.” It is an inherently simple grassroots innovation process, unencumbered by compensated transactions and intellectual property rights. Free innovation is already widespread in national economies and is steadily increasing in both scale and scope. Today, tens of millions of consumers are collectively spending tens of billions of dollars annually on innovation development. However, because free innovations are developed during consumers' unpaid, discretionary time and are given away rather than sold, their collective impact and value have until very recently been hidden from view. This has caused researchers, governments, and firms to focus too much on the Schumpeterian idea of innovation as a producer-dominated activity. Free innovation has both advantages and drawbacks. Because free innovators are self-rewarded by such factors as personal utility, learning, and fun, they often pioneer new areas before producers see commercial potential. At the same time, because they give away their innovations, free innovators generally have very little incentive to invest in diffusing what they create, which reduces the social value of their efforts. The best solution, von Hippel and his colleagues argue, is a division of labor between free innovators and producers, enabling each to do what they do best. The result will be both increased producer profits and increased social welfare—a gain for all.
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262551926
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
A leading innovation scholar explains the growing phenomenon and impact of free innovation, in which innovations developed by consumers and given away “for free.” In this book, Eric von Hippel, author of the influential Democratizing Innovation, integrates new theory and research findings into the framework of a “free innovation paradigm.” Free innovation, as he defines it, involves innovations developed by consumers who are self-rewarded for their efforts, and who give their designs away “for free.” It is an inherently simple grassroots innovation process, unencumbered by compensated transactions and intellectual property rights. Free innovation is already widespread in national economies and is steadily increasing in both scale and scope. Today, tens of millions of consumers are collectively spending tens of billions of dollars annually on innovation development. However, because free innovations are developed during consumers' unpaid, discretionary time and are given away rather than sold, their collective impact and value have until very recently been hidden from view. This has caused researchers, governments, and firms to focus too much on the Schumpeterian idea of innovation as a producer-dominated activity. Free innovation has both advantages and drawbacks. Because free innovators are self-rewarded by such factors as personal utility, learning, and fun, they often pioneer new areas before producers see commercial potential. At the same time, because they give away their innovations, free innovators generally have very little incentive to invest in diffusing what they create, which reduces the social value of their efforts. The best solution, von Hippel and his colleagues argue, is a division of labor between free innovators and producers, enabling each to do what they do best. The result will be both increased producer profits and increased social welfare—a gain for all.
Mad Travelers
Author: Dave Seminara
Publisher: Post Hill Press
ISBN: 1642938599
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
At twenty-three, William Simon Baekeland was well on his way to becoming the world’s best traveled person. The “billionaire” heir to a great plastics fortune had already visited 163 countries, but his real passion was finding ways to visit the world’s most challenging destinations—war torn cities, disputed territories, and remote or officially off-limits islands at the margins of the map. He earned rock-star status in the world of extreme travel by finding ingenious ways to bring the world’s most widely traveled people to difficult-to-reach and forbidden places. But when his story began to unravel, an eccentric group of hyper-well-traveled country collectors were left wondering how they had allowed their obsession to blind them to the warning signs that William Baekeland wasn’t who they thought he was. Mad Travelers: A Tale of Wanderlust, Greed and the Quest to Reach the Ends of the Earth delves deep inside the subculture of country collecting, taking readers to danger zones like Mogadishu and geographical oddities like Norway’s nearly impossible-to-reach Bouvet Island. Along the way, this raucous tale of adventure and international intrigue illuminates the perils and pleasures of wanderlust while examining a fundamental question: why are some people compelled to travel, while others are content to stay home? Mad Travelers is a perceptive and at times hilarious account of how the pursuit of everywhere put the world’s greatest travelers at the mercy of a brilliant young con man. Soon to be an HBO documentary.
Publisher: Post Hill Press
ISBN: 1642938599
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
At twenty-three, William Simon Baekeland was well on his way to becoming the world’s best traveled person. The “billionaire” heir to a great plastics fortune had already visited 163 countries, but his real passion was finding ways to visit the world’s most challenging destinations—war torn cities, disputed territories, and remote or officially off-limits islands at the margins of the map. He earned rock-star status in the world of extreme travel by finding ingenious ways to bring the world’s most widely traveled people to difficult-to-reach and forbidden places. But when his story began to unravel, an eccentric group of hyper-well-traveled country collectors were left wondering how they had allowed their obsession to blind them to the warning signs that William Baekeland wasn’t who they thought he was. Mad Travelers: A Tale of Wanderlust, Greed and the Quest to Reach the Ends of the Earth delves deep inside the subculture of country collecting, taking readers to danger zones like Mogadishu and geographical oddities like Norway’s nearly impossible-to-reach Bouvet Island. Along the way, this raucous tale of adventure and international intrigue illuminates the perils and pleasures of wanderlust while examining a fundamental question: why are some people compelled to travel, while others are content to stay home? Mad Travelers is a perceptive and at times hilarious account of how the pursuit of everywhere put the world’s greatest travelers at the mercy of a brilliant young con man. Soon to be an HBO documentary.
American Independent Inventors in an Era of Corporate R&D
Author: Eric S. Hintz
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262365715
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 369
Book Description
How America's individual inventors persisted alongside corporate R&D labs as an important source of inventions. During the nineteenth century, heroic individual inventors such as Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell created entirely new industries while achieving widespread fame. However, by 1927, a New York Times editorial suggested that teams of corporate scientists at General Electric, AT&T, and DuPont had replaced the solitary "garret inventor" as the wellspring of invention. But these inventors never disappeared. In this book, Eric Hintz argues that lesser-known inventors such as Chester Carlson (Xerox photocopier), Samuel Ruben (Duracell batteries), and Earl Tupper (Tupperware) continued to develop important technologies throughout the twentieth century. Moreover, Hintz explains how independent inventors gradually fell from public view as corporate brands increasingly became associated with high-tech innovation. Focusing on the years from 1890 to 1950, Hintz documents how American independent inventors competed (and sometimes partnered) with their corporate rivals, adopted a variety of flexible commercialization strategies, established a series of short-lived professional groups, lobbied for fairer patent laws, and mobilized for two world wars. After 1950, the experiences of independent inventors generally mirrored the patterns of their predecessors, and they continued to be overshadowed during corporate R&D's postwar golden age. The independents enjoyed a resurgence, however, at the turn of the twenty-first century, as Apple's Steve Jobs and Shark Tank's Lori Greiner heralded a new generation of heroic inventor-entrepreneurs. By recovering the stories of a group once considered extinct, Hintz shows that independent inventors have long been—and remain—an important source of new technologies.
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262365715
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 369
Book Description
How America's individual inventors persisted alongside corporate R&D labs as an important source of inventions. During the nineteenth century, heroic individual inventors such as Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell created entirely new industries while achieving widespread fame. However, by 1927, a New York Times editorial suggested that teams of corporate scientists at General Electric, AT&T, and DuPont had replaced the solitary "garret inventor" as the wellspring of invention. But these inventors never disappeared. In this book, Eric Hintz argues that lesser-known inventors such as Chester Carlson (Xerox photocopier), Samuel Ruben (Duracell batteries), and Earl Tupper (Tupperware) continued to develop important technologies throughout the twentieth century. Moreover, Hintz explains how independent inventors gradually fell from public view as corporate brands increasingly became associated with high-tech innovation. Focusing on the years from 1890 to 1950, Hintz documents how American independent inventors competed (and sometimes partnered) with their corporate rivals, adopted a variety of flexible commercialization strategies, established a series of short-lived professional groups, lobbied for fairer patent laws, and mobilized for two world wars. After 1950, the experiences of independent inventors generally mirrored the patterns of their predecessors, and they continued to be overshadowed during corporate R&D's postwar golden age. The independents enjoyed a resurgence, however, at the turn of the twenty-first century, as Apple's Steve Jobs and Shark Tank's Lori Greiner heralded a new generation of heroic inventor-entrepreneurs. By recovering the stories of a group once considered extinct, Hintz shows that independent inventors have long been—and remain—an important source of new technologies.