contamination

Bactéries, virus, levures, champignons et autres microorganismes… Souvent indispensables, parfois indésirables, les microbes nous entourent et nous habitent. Sans que nous le sachions toujours, notre cohabitation avec eux s’illustre à travers notre quotidien, de la confection de nos aliments jusqu’à la médecine légale. Cet ouvrage fait découvrir au grand public les 1001 fonctions des microbes.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), avian flu, Ebola virus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are increasingly attracting the attention of scientists, risk managers, the media and the general public. Specialists analyse the ecological, social, institutional and political dynamics associated with emerging infectious diseases. They discuss the challenges as well as the opportunities taken up by the stakeholders who must tackle these diseases.

What do the Brittany beaches, the Venice lagoon and the Qingdao Chinese coast have in common? All three made the headlines due to the impressive “green tides” caused by the summer accumulation of macroalgae. What is causing this sudden disruption? And is there a solution? This little book responds without being complacent or alarmist, well away from debates that all too often hide reality.

Perchlorate, nonylphenol, ultraviolet rays, ozone, DDT, climate change ... This book provides for the first time a comprehensive overview of environmental pollutants and their effects on human health. Their visible health consequences, but also the unseen ones, are presented with great clarity. By providing specific examples of how the risks posed by some of these products are managed, it highlights the very different ways in which our society deals with health threats.

Avec la soutien de la Fondation de France. 

Deteriorating historic monuments, collapsing bridges and metal structures, leaking liquids and toxic products, contaminated foodstuffs, etc. Who is to blame? Microorganisms. Who are they? What mechanisms do they use to achieve this damage? What are the risks, challenges and costs involved? This little book will reveal all.

Flat or cupped, oysters are a prominent feature in French gastronomy and coastal trade. From farming methods to the various French “crus” and classifications, from its natural history to its history plain and simple, this book explores the oyster in just 60 questions. How are oysters farmed? How is the quality monitored? How do you eat them?

Between science and technique, nature and culture, there’s a wealth of information here for foodies and sea enthusiasts!

Flu, measles, gastro-enteritis, the list goes on. Throughout our lives, viruses regularly cross our paths. Others such as the Zika virus, H1N1 and Ebola hit the news headlines. In this book we’re given descriptions of a wide variety of viruses, how they’re transmitted and learn about the multiplication process at work. We’ll also find out why they cause illnesses and sometimes kill, how to fight them, and even how to utilise them for controlling other diseases.

Within the span of two centuries, rivers of European cities have gone from serving as the dump site for all urban waste to being a vibrant natural environment integrated into the city. This book analyses this transformation by assessing water quality, human pressure on water courses and the effectiveness of measures taken to remedy the situation. It takes an interdisciplinary look from the perspective of the environment, technology and society to shed light on the relationship that four European cities (Berlin, Brussels, Milan and Paris) have with their rivers and their transformations since the 19th century.

A richly illustrated book giving a complete overview of viticulture and wine: growing conditions of vines, wine components and microbiology, winemaking methods, processing and bottling of wine, the wine production sector in France, wine tasting and sensory analysis and other vine products. Special attention is paid to high-end products (Champagne, Cognac), wine and cooking, wine-producing countries, wine consumption around the world and in France and the health benefits of wine.

This book explores three major issues concerning cereals for human consumption, particularly wheat: protein content, health quality of crops and grain products and nutritional value. Strategies are offered to reconcile the various quality requirements and overcome the contradictions regarding better sustainability.