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This book provides a fascinating insight into the life and scientific work of Laura Bassi, the first female member of the influential Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna and also the first woman to be appointed a university professor in physics, or universal philosophy as it was then termed. The book describes Laura Bassi's research activities and achievements, explaining the influence of Newton, her role in promoting Newtonian experimental physics in Bologna, and her work as an experimentalist, including on electricity. Much attention is paid to the context in which Bassi developed her career. The very considerable difficulties faced by a woman surrounded by male university teachers and members of the Academy are discussed, casting light on the constraints that led Bassi to set up the first experimental physics laboratory in her home, complete with the many instruments required for experimentation and private teaching. The aim is to provide a rounded and well-documentedaccount of the scientific endeavors and achievements of a too often overlooked scientist who struggled to overcome the prejudices of her age.

Vistas in Astronomy, Volume 1: Co-operation and Organization, History and Philosophy, Dynamics, Theoretical Astrophysics, Instruments, Radio Astronomy, Solar Physics brings together the ideas that form the structural units of what is known about astronomy. This book is organized into seven sections encompassing 93 chapters. Section I provides a summary of the significant contributions of international cooperation and various astronomy-related organizations in the advancement of astronomy. Section II highlights the historical developments in astronomy, from the early studies of the Egyptians to the formulation of philosophical concepts of cosmology. Sections III and IV describes the dynamic and theoretical aspects of astrophysics. These sections consider research studies on stellar dynamics, atmospheres, and magnetic fields, as well as the formation of condensation in a gaseous nebula. Part V is devoted o the developments in telescope optics and mirrors, spectrographs, electronic calculating machines, and photometers, while Section VI examines the field of radio astronomy. Part VII looks into solar physics related studies, including the structure and movements of sunspots, eclipse observation, and spectroscopic investigations of the solar corona. This book is of great value to astronomers, astrophysicists, solar physicists, and researchers in the allied fields.

A rich variety of real-life physical problems which are still poorly understood are of a nonlinear nature. Examples include turbulence, granular flows, detonations and flame propagation, fracture dynamics, and a wealth of new biological and chemical phenomena which are being discovered. Particularly interesting among the manifestations of nonlinearity are coherent structures. This book contains reviews and contributions reporting on the state of the art regarding the role of coherent structures and patterns in nonlinear science.