Author: Rob Hartman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692862766
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 118
Book Description
In A Short Guide to Hacking Your Nervous System, you'll discover breathing and meditation techniques used by military special operations teams and martial artists to prevail during conflict and combat. All the exercises are put into the context of situations you may encounter throughout the day, and discusses the impact on your nervous system in a simple and concise manner. People who have experienced these techniques firsthand report experiencing:� Better Sleep� Reduced Anxiety� Less irritability� Improved Focus� Deep RelaxationSay goodbye to stress and improve your life today!
Hacking Your Nervous System
Author: Rob Hartman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692862766
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 118
Book Description
In A Short Guide to Hacking Your Nervous System, you'll discover breathing and meditation techniques used by military special operations teams and martial artists to prevail during conflict and combat. All the exercises are put into the context of situations you may encounter throughout the day, and discusses the impact on your nervous system in a simple and concise manner. People who have experienced these techniques firsthand report experiencing:� Better Sleep� Reduced Anxiety� Less irritability� Improved Focus� Deep RelaxationSay goodbye to stress and improve your life today!
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692862766
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 118
Book Description
In A Short Guide to Hacking Your Nervous System, you'll discover breathing and meditation techniques used by military special operations teams and martial artists to prevail during conflict and combat. All the exercises are put into the context of situations you may encounter throughout the day, and discusses the impact on your nervous system in a simple and concise manner. People who have experienced these techniques firsthand report experiencing:� Better Sleep� Reduced Anxiety� Less irritability� Improved Focus� Deep RelaxationSay goodbye to stress and improve your life today!
The Hacking of the American Mind
Author: Robert H. Lustig
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101982586
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 354
Book Description
"Explores how industry has manipulated our most deep-seated survival instincts."—David Perlmutter, MD, Author, #1 New York Times bestseller, Grain Brain and Brain Maker The New York Times–bestselling author of Fat Chance reveals the corporate scheme to sell pleasure, driving the international epidemic of addiction, depression, and chronic disease. While researching the toxic and addictive properties of sugar for his New York Times bestseller Fat Chance, Robert Lustig made an alarming discovery—our pursuit of happiness is being subverted by a culture of addiction and depression from which we may never recover. Dopamine is the “reward” neurotransmitter that tells our brains we want more; yet every substance or behavior that releases dopamine in the extreme leads to addiction. Serotonin is the “contentment” neurotransmitter that tells our brains we don’t need any more; yet its deficiency leads to depression. Ideally, both are in optimal supply. Yet dopamine evolved to overwhelm serotonin—because our ancestors were more likely to survive if they were constantly motivated—with the result that constant desire can chemically destroy our ability to feel happiness, while sending us down the slippery slope to addiction. In the last forty years, government legislation and subsidies have promoted ever-available temptation (sugar, drugs, social media, porn) combined with constant stress (work, home, money, Internet), with the end result of an unprecedented epidemic of addiction, anxiety, depression, and chronic disease. And with the advent of neuromarketing, corporate America has successfully imprisoned us in an endless loop of desire and consumption from which there is no obvious escape. With his customary wit and incisiveness, Lustig not only reveals the science that drives these states of mind, he points his finger directly at the corporations that helped create this mess, and the government actors who facilitated it, and he offers solutions we can all use in the pursuit of happiness, even in the face of overwhelming opposition. Always fearless and provocative, Lustig marshals a call to action, with seminal implications for our health, our well-being, and our culture.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101982586
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 354
Book Description
"Explores how industry has manipulated our most deep-seated survival instincts."—David Perlmutter, MD, Author, #1 New York Times bestseller, Grain Brain and Brain Maker The New York Times–bestselling author of Fat Chance reveals the corporate scheme to sell pleasure, driving the international epidemic of addiction, depression, and chronic disease. While researching the toxic and addictive properties of sugar for his New York Times bestseller Fat Chance, Robert Lustig made an alarming discovery—our pursuit of happiness is being subverted by a culture of addiction and depression from which we may never recover. Dopamine is the “reward” neurotransmitter that tells our brains we want more; yet every substance or behavior that releases dopamine in the extreme leads to addiction. Serotonin is the “contentment” neurotransmitter that tells our brains we don’t need any more; yet its deficiency leads to depression. Ideally, both are in optimal supply. Yet dopamine evolved to overwhelm serotonin—because our ancestors were more likely to survive if they were constantly motivated—with the result that constant desire can chemically destroy our ability to feel happiness, while sending us down the slippery slope to addiction. In the last forty years, government legislation and subsidies have promoted ever-available temptation (sugar, drugs, social media, porn) combined with constant stress (work, home, money, Internet), with the end result of an unprecedented epidemic of addiction, anxiety, depression, and chronic disease. And with the advent of neuromarketing, corporate America has successfully imprisoned us in an endless loop of desire and consumption from which there is no obvious escape. With his customary wit and incisiveness, Lustig not only reveals the science that drives these states of mind, he points his finger directly at the corporations that helped create this mess, and the government actors who facilitated it, and he offers solutions we can all use in the pursuit of happiness, even in the face of overwhelming opposition. Always fearless and provocative, Lustig marshals a call to action, with seminal implications for our health, our well-being, and our culture.
The Mind-Body Stress Reset
Author: Rebekkah LaDyne
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684034299
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Harness your mind-body connection for lasting ease and well-being In our busy, get-it-done-now culture, stress has become the new normal—a normal that’s embedding itself into our minds and our bodies. If left unchecked, stress can dictate how we think, feel, and act. Overwhelm, anxiousness, malaise, and unease are a daily experience. And over time, these stress-reactions turn into habits, leaving us stuck in a mental and physical rut. So, how can you soothe stress before it becomes your go-to? In this practical and accessible guide, you’ll find powerful and effective tools for calming stress in both mind and body. Based on the innovative Mind-Body Reset (MBR) program, you’ll learn how to stop stress in its tracks with simple somatic exercises. You’ll also discover how you can “reset” your nervous system, alleviate stress flare-ups, and boost your overall health and happiness. If you’re ready to combat stress, cultivate calm, and live a more vital life, it’s time for a reset!
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684034299
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Harness your mind-body connection for lasting ease and well-being In our busy, get-it-done-now culture, stress has become the new normal—a normal that’s embedding itself into our minds and our bodies. If left unchecked, stress can dictate how we think, feel, and act. Overwhelm, anxiousness, malaise, and unease are a daily experience. And over time, these stress-reactions turn into habits, leaving us stuck in a mental and physical rut. So, how can you soothe stress before it becomes your go-to? In this practical and accessible guide, you’ll find powerful and effective tools for calming stress in both mind and body. Based on the innovative Mind-Body Reset (MBR) program, you’ll learn how to stop stress in its tracks with simple somatic exercises. You’ll also discover how you can “reset” your nervous system, alleviate stress flare-ups, and boost your overall health and happiness. If you’re ready to combat stress, cultivate calm, and live a more vital life, it’s time for a reset!
Into the Magic Shop
Author: James R. Doty, MD
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698404025
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
The award-winning New York Times bestseller about the extraordinary things that can happen when we harness the power of both the brain and the heart Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end until at twelve he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. Instead he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others. She gave him his first glimpse of the unique relationship between the brain and the heart. Doty would go on to put Ruth’s practices to work with extraordinary results—power and wealth that he could only imagine as a twelve-year-old, riding his orange Sting-Ray bike. But he neglects Ruth’s most important lesson, to keep his heart open, with disastrous results—until he has the opportunity to make a spectacular charitable contribution that will virtually ruin him. Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698404025
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
The award-winning New York Times bestseller about the extraordinary things that can happen when we harness the power of both the brain and the heart Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end until at twelve he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. Instead he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others. She gave him his first glimpse of the unique relationship between the brain and the heart. Doty would go on to put Ruth’s practices to work with extraordinary results—power and wealth that he could only imagine as a twelve-year-old, riding his orange Sting-Ray bike. But he neglects Ruth’s most important lesson, to keep his heart open, with disastrous results—until he has the opportunity to make a spectacular charitable contribution that will virtually ruin him. Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts.
Neurological Rehabilitation
Author: Jonathan R. Wolpaw
Publisher: Elsevier Inc. Chapters
ISBN: 0128077956
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 18
Book Description
Brain−computer interfaces (BCIs) are systems that give their users communication and control capabilities that do not depend on muscles. The user's intentions are determined from activity recorded by electrodes on the scalp, on the cortical surface, or within the brain. BCIs can enable people who are paralyzed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), brainstem stroke, or other disorders to convey their needs and wishes to others, to operate word-processing programs or other software, or possibly to control a wheelchair or a neuroprosthesis. BCI technology might also augment rehabilitation protocols aimed at restoring useful motor function. With continued development and clinical implementation, BCIs could substantially improve the lives of those with severe disabilities.
Publisher: Elsevier Inc. Chapters
ISBN: 0128077956
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 18
Book Description
Brain−computer interfaces (BCIs) are systems that give their users communication and control capabilities that do not depend on muscles. The user's intentions are determined from activity recorded by electrodes on the scalp, on the cortical surface, or within the brain. BCIs can enable people who are paralyzed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), brainstem stroke, or other disorders to convey their needs and wishes to others, to operate word-processing programs or other software, or possibly to control a wheelchair or a neuroprosthesis. BCI technology might also augment rehabilitation protocols aimed at restoring useful motor function. With continued development and clinical implementation, BCIs could substantially improve the lives of those with severe disabilities.
Smarter Tomorrow
Author: Elizabeth R. Ricker
Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
ISBN: 0316535087
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
What if you could upgrade your brain in 15 minutes a day? Let Elizabeth Ricker, an MIT and Harvard-trained brain researcher turned Silicon Valley technologist, show you how. Join Ricker on a wild and edifying romp through the cutting-edge world of neuroscience and biohacking. You'll encounter Olympic athletes, a game show contestant, a memory marvel, a famous CEO, and scientists galore. From Ricker’s decade-long quest, you will learn: ● The brain-based reason so many self-improvement projects fail . . . But how a little-known secret of Nobel Prize winning scientists could finally unlock success ● Which four abilities—both cognitive and emotional—can predict success in work and relationships . . . and a new system for improving all four ● Which seven research-tested tools can supercharge mental performance. They range from low-tech (a surprising new mindset) to downright futuristic (an electrical device for at-home brain stimulation) Best of all, you will learn to upgrade your brain with Ricker’s 20 customizable self-experiments and a sample, 12-week schedule. Ricker distills insights from dozens of interviews and hundreds of research studies from around the world. She tests almost everything on herself, whether it’s nicotine, video games, meditation, or a little-known beverage from the Pacific islands. Some experiments fail hilariously—but others transform her cognition. She is able to sharpen her memory, increase her attention span, boost her mood, and clear her brain fog. By following Ricker’s system, you’ll uncover your own boosts to mental performance, too. Join a growing, global movement of neurohackers revolutionizing their careers and relationships. Let this book change 15 minutes of your day, and it may just change the rest of your life!
Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
ISBN: 0316535087
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
What if you could upgrade your brain in 15 minutes a day? Let Elizabeth Ricker, an MIT and Harvard-trained brain researcher turned Silicon Valley technologist, show you how. Join Ricker on a wild and edifying romp through the cutting-edge world of neuroscience and biohacking. You'll encounter Olympic athletes, a game show contestant, a memory marvel, a famous CEO, and scientists galore. From Ricker’s decade-long quest, you will learn: ● The brain-based reason so many self-improvement projects fail . . . But how a little-known secret of Nobel Prize winning scientists could finally unlock success ● Which four abilities—both cognitive and emotional—can predict success in work and relationships . . . and a new system for improving all four ● Which seven research-tested tools can supercharge mental performance. They range from low-tech (a surprising new mindset) to downright futuristic (an electrical device for at-home brain stimulation) Best of all, you will learn to upgrade your brain with Ricker’s 20 customizable self-experiments and a sample, 12-week schedule. Ricker distills insights from dozens of interviews and hundreds of research studies from around the world. She tests almost everything on herself, whether it’s nicotine, video games, meditation, or a little-known beverage from the Pacific islands. Some experiments fail hilariously—but others transform her cognition. She is able to sharpen her memory, increase her attention span, boost her mood, and clear her brain fog. By following Ricker’s system, you’ll uncover your own boosts to mental performance, too. Join a growing, global movement of neurohackers revolutionizing their careers and relationships. Let this book change 15 minutes of your day, and it may just change the rest of your life!
Calm Clarity
Author: Due Quach
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1524704806
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 385
Book Description
Author of the viral Medium piece, "Poor and Traumatized at Harvard," Due Quach shares her Calm Clarity program to show readers how to deal with toxic stress and adversity. We often don't realize how much control we have over our thoughts, feelings, and actions--on some days, the most minor irritation can upset us, but on others, we are in our best form and can rise to challenges with grace. These fluctuations depend on the neural networks firing in our brains, and we have the power to consciously break hardwired thought patterns. Due Quach developed an intimate understanding of the brain during her personal journey of healing from post-traumatic stress disorder. According to Quach, people function in three primary emotional states: Brain 1.0, Brain 2.0, and Brain 3.0. In Brain 1.0, people act out of fear and self-preservation. Brain 2.0 involves instant gratification and chasing short-term rewards at the expense of long-term well-being. Brain 3.0 is a state of mind that Quach calls "Calm Clarity," in which people's actions are aligned with their core values. As Quach confronted PTSD and successfully weaned herself off medication, she learned how to activate, exercise, and strengthen Brain 3.0 like a muscle. In Calm Clarity, she draws on the latest scientific research and ancient spiritual traditions alike to show us how we too can take ownership of our thoughts, feelings, and actions in order to be our best selves.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1524704806
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 385
Book Description
Author of the viral Medium piece, "Poor and Traumatized at Harvard," Due Quach shares her Calm Clarity program to show readers how to deal with toxic stress and adversity. We often don't realize how much control we have over our thoughts, feelings, and actions--on some days, the most minor irritation can upset us, but on others, we are in our best form and can rise to challenges with grace. These fluctuations depend on the neural networks firing in our brains, and we have the power to consciously break hardwired thought patterns. Due Quach developed an intimate understanding of the brain during her personal journey of healing from post-traumatic stress disorder. According to Quach, people function in three primary emotional states: Brain 1.0, Brain 2.0, and Brain 3.0. In Brain 1.0, people act out of fear and self-preservation. Brain 2.0 involves instant gratification and chasing short-term rewards at the expense of long-term well-being. Brain 3.0 is a state of mind that Quach calls "Calm Clarity," in which people's actions are aligned with their core values. As Quach confronted PTSD and successfully weaned herself off medication, she learned how to activate, exercise, and strengthen Brain 3.0 like a muscle. In Calm Clarity, she draws on the latest scientific research and ancient spiritual traditions alike to show us how we too can take ownership of our thoughts, feelings, and actions in order to be our best selves.
Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve
Author: Stanley Rosenberg
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1623170257
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 297
Book Description
The bestselling guide to the vagus nerve, now in 20+ languages: unlock the self-healing power of Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory Vagus exercises for reducing anxiety, healing trauma, and rebalancing your autonomic nervous system This comprehensive guide offers an easy-to-understand overview of the vagus nerve—and helps you unlock your body’s innate capacity to heal from stress, trauma, anxiety, and injury. Dr. Stanley Rosenberg, PhD, dispels long-held myths about the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and offers up-to-date research on how our physical health, emotional wellness, and the vagus nerve are all interconnected. Most importantly, he shows how these insights can help you heal your ANS—and live a less stressed, more balanced, and emotionally regulated life. This book offers: An in-depth overview of Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory Step-by-step self-help techniques for regulating the vagus nerve Vagus exercises to relieve emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms Real-life case studies and stories from the author’s clinical practice Insights into the vagus nerve’s role in social behavior An overview of what happens in our bodies when we get stuck in stress states—and how to heal them Simple, research-backed recommendations for initiating deep relaxation, improving sleep, healing from trauma, and stimulating recovery from illness and injury Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve is written for therapists, bodyworkers, trauma survivors, parents, and anyone struggling with chronic stress. Grounded in neurobiology research, clinical stories, and easy-to-follow exercises, this book gives you the tools to bring your body back into a state of safety, balance, and optimal functioning.
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1623170257
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 297
Book Description
The bestselling guide to the vagus nerve, now in 20+ languages: unlock the self-healing power of Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory Vagus exercises for reducing anxiety, healing trauma, and rebalancing your autonomic nervous system This comprehensive guide offers an easy-to-understand overview of the vagus nerve—and helps you unlock your body’s innate capacity to heal from stress, trauma, anxiety, and injury. Dr. Stanley Rosenberg, PhD, dispels long-held myths about the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and offers up-to-date research on how our physical health, emotional wellness, and the vagus nerve are all interconnected. Most importantly, he shows how these insights can help you heal your ANS—and live a less stressed, more balanced, and emotionally regulated life. This book offers: An in-depth overview of Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory Step-by-step self-help techniques for regulating the vagus nerve Vagus exercises to relieve emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms Real-life case studies and stories from the author’s clinical practice Insights into the vagus nerve’s role in social behavior An overview of what happens in our bodies when we get stuck in stress states—and how to heal them Simple, research-backed recommendations for initiating deep relaxation, improving sleep, healing from trauma, and stimulating recovery from illness and injury Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve is written for therapists, bodyworkers, trauma survivors, parents, and anyone struggling with chronic stress. Grounded in neurobiology research, clinical stories, and easy-to-follow exercises, this book gives you the tools to bring your body back into a state of safety, balance, and optimal functioning.
Hack Your Anxiety
Author: Alicia H. Clark PsyD
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1492664146
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 421
Book Description
A revolutionary mental health book with practical advice for turning your anxiety into an advantage. In this revolutionary book, Dr. Alicia H. Clark recognizes anxiety as an unsung hero in the path to success and well-being. Anxiety is a powerful motivating force that can be harnessed to create a better you, if you've got the right tools. Hack Your Anxiety provides a road map to approach anxiety in a new—and empowering—light so you can stop anxiety from stopping you. In this book on anxiety, Clark will help you deal with: Panic attacks Anxiety in your relationship Parenting and youth Work, money and success Social support 10 myths and misconceptions And more Weaving together modern neuroscience, case studies, interviews, and personal anecdotes, Hack Your Anxiety demonstrates how anxiety can be reclaimed as a potent force for living our best lives. Read with other anxiety books like Dare by Barry McDonagh, Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Claire Weekes, Managing Worry and Anxiety by Jean Holthaus, The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell PhD, and Wired That Way by Marita Littauer.
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1492664146
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 421
Book Description
A revolutionary mental health book with practical advice for turning your anxiety into an advantage. In this revolutionary book, Dr. Alicia H. Clark recognizes anxiety as an unsung hero in the path to success and well-being. Anxiety is a powerful motivating force that can be harnessed to create a better you, if you've got the right tools. Hack Your Anxiety provides a road map to approach anxiety in a new—and empowering—light so you can stop anxiety from stopping you. In this book on anxiety, Clark will help you deal with: Panic attacks Anxiety in your relationship Parenting and youth Work, money and success Social support 10 myths and misconceptions And more Weaving together modern neuroscience, case studies, interviews, and personal anecdotes, Hack Your Anxiety demonstrates how anxiety can be reclaimed as a potent force for living our best lives. Read with other anxiety books like Dare by Barry McDonagh, Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Claire Weekes, Managing Worry and Anxiety by Jean Holthaus, The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell PhD, and Wired That Way by Marita Littauer.
Hack the Planet
Author: Eli Kintisch
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
ISBN: 047061871X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 269
Book Description
An inside tour of the incredible—and probably dangerous—plans to counteract the effects of climate change through experiments that range from the plausible to the fantastic David Battisti had arrived in Cambridge expecting a bloodbath. So had many of the other scientists who had joined him for an invitation-only workshop on climate science in 2007, with geoengineering at the top of the agenda. We can't take deliberately altering the atmosphere seriously, he thought, because there’s no way we'll ever know enough to control it. But by the second day, with bad climate news piling on bad climate news, he was having second thoughts. When the scientists voted in a straw poll on whether to support geoengineering research, Battisti, filled with fear about the future, voted in favor. While the pernicious effects of global warming are clear, efforts to reduce the carbon emissions that cause it have fallen far short of what’s needed. Some scientists have started exploring more direct and radical ways to cool the planet, such as: Pouring reflective pollution into the upper atmosphere Making clouds brighter Growing enormous blooms of algae in the ocean Schemes that were science fiction just a few years ago have become earnest plans being studied by alarmed scientists, determined to avoid a climate catastrophe. In Hack the Planet, Science magazine reporter Eli Kintisch looks more closely at this array of ideas and characters, asking if these risky schemes will work, and just how geoengineering is changing the world. Scientists are developing geoengineering techniques for worst-case scenarios. But what would those desperate times look like? Kintisch outlines four circumstances: collapsing ice sheets, megadroughts, a catastrophic methane release, and slowing of the global ocean conveyor belt. As incredible and outlandish as many of these plans may seem, could they soon become our only hope for avoiding calamity? Or will the plans of brilliant and well-intentioned scientists cause unforeseeable disasters as they play out in the real world? And does the advent of geoengineering mean that humanity has failed in its role as steward of the planet—or taken on a new responsibility? Kintisch lays out the possibilities and dangers of geoengineering in a time of planetary tipping points. His investigation is required reading as the debate over global warming shifts to whether humanity should Hack the Planet.
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
ISBN: 047061871X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 269
Book Description
An inside tour of the incredible—and probably dangerous—plans to counteract the effects of climate change through experiments that range from the plausible to the fantastic David Battisti had arrived in Cambridge expecting a bloodbath. So had many of the other scientists who had joined him for an invitation-only workshop on climate science in 2007, with geoengineering at the top of the agenda. We can't take deliberately altering the atmosphere seriously, he thought, because there’s no way we'll ever know enough to control it. But by the second day, with bad climate news piling on bad climate news, he was having second thoughts. When the scientists voted in a straw poll on whether to support geoengineering research, Battisti, filled with fear about the future, voted in favor. While the pernicious effects of global warming are clear, efforts to reduce the carbon emissions that cause it have fallen far short of what’s needed. Some scientists have started exploring more direct and radical ways to cool the planet, such as: Pouring reflective pollution into the upper atmosphere Making clouds brighter Growing enormous blooms of algae in the ocean Schemes that were science fiction just a few years ago have become earnest plans being studied by alarmed scientists, determined to avoid a climate catastrophe. In Hack the Planet, Science magazine reporter Eli Kintisch looks more closely at this array of ideas and characters, asking if these risky schemes will work, and just how geoengineering is changing the world. Scientists are developing geoengineering techniques for worst-case scenarios. But what would those desperate times look like? Kintisch outlines four circumstances: collapsing ice sheets, megadroughts, a catastrophic methane release, and slowing of the global ocean conveyor belt. As incredible and outlandish as many of these plans may seem, could they soon become our only hope for avoiding calamity? Or will the plans of brilliant and well-intentioned scientists cause unforeseeable disasters as they play out in the real world? And does the advent of geoengineering mean that humanity has failed in its role as steward of the planet—or taken on a new responsibility? Kintisch lays out the possibilities and dangers of geoengineering in a time of planetary tipping points. His investigation is required reading as the debate over global warming shifts to whether humanity should Hack the Planet.