The Martian

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Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

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Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing, Third Edition: Volume Two: Permeability, Shear Strength and Compressibility Tests

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This volume provides a comprehensive working manual for the laboratory testing of soils for civil engineers. It is an essential practical handbook for all who are engaged in laboratory testing of soils as well as being of great value to professional engineers, consultants, academics and students in geotechnical engineering. Revised and updated, the contents reflect current practice in standard laboratory test procedures for determining some of the important engineering properties of soils.

The authors have had many years experience in managing large soil testing laboratories since the early 1950s through to the present day, whilst actively contributing to the development of geotechnical testing through training courses, lectures, committees and working groups. They recognise that it is particularly important for test methods to be fully understood and a step-by-step approach has therefore been used in presenting each section.

The test procedures comprise the measurement of soil permeability, CBR value, drained and undrained shear strength, and consolidation characteristics. Additional material in this new edition includes the Fall cone procedure for measurement of shear strength in clays based on the European Technical Specification, a simplified direct approach and a useful arrangement for applying pressures in multistage triaxial tests to meet the requirements of BS1377. The latest requirements for calibration of equipment and measuring devices are presented and discussed, together with the significance of quality assurance based on recognised laboratory accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025.

Descriptions of test methods are complemented by many numerical examples in order to illustrate the methods for recording test data, making calculations, presenting graphical plots and deriving test results. Fundamental principles are explained, where appropriate, so that the operator can have a better understanding of the significance of the tests and guidance is given where experience has shown that difficulties may be encountered. The importance of good techniques, essential checks on test equipment and laboratory safety are all emphasised.

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Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition

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The 2011 Garden Writers of America Gold Award for Best Writing/Book proves soil is anything but an inert substance. Healthy soil is teeming with life — not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains healthy plants, and thus become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of artificial substances, many of them toxic to humans as well as other forms of life. But there is an alternative to this vicious circle: to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web — the complex world of soil-dwelling organisms whose interactions create a nurturing environment for plants. By eschewing jargon and overly technical language, the authors make the benefits of cultivating the soil food web available to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

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Soil Mates: Companion Planting for Your Vegetable Garden

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Matchmaking in the garden!
 
In this charming guide to companion planting for your vegetable-garden favorites, you’ll learn why Broccoli ♥ Rosemary and whether Cucumber + Corn = friends with benefits. (Just watch out for Celery! Leggy and leafy, she is notoriously easygoing and will happily settle down with just about anyone, raising a ruckus in your raised beds.) Complete with 20 pairings, tasty recipes, prep-aration tips, and more, Soil Mates is the perfect partner for your horticultural matchmaker.

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Soil Science and Management (Texas Science)

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Soil Science and Management, fifth edition, emphasizes the human interaction with and effect on soils, rather than treating the soil as an independent element. Non-technical and easy-to-understand, Soil Science and Management, fifth edition teaches the essentials of soils from the perspective of farmers, horticulturalists, environmentalists and other who are concerned about how soils work and how they are used more effectively. An emphasis on management and the sustainable use of soil and water resources makes it especially relevant to these audiences. The inclusion of nutrient management, best practices and relevant legal issues and government programs make this text a practical application for students. The images have been updated and are now in full color, reinforcing the content contained in the text.

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