Mechanical engineering including mechanical and chemical engineering. At its simplest, thermodynamics is the study of energy, its use and transformation through a system. Typically, engineering thermodynamics is concerned with changing energy from one form to another. As an example, automotive engines convert chemical energy (enthalpy) from the fuel into heat, and then into mechanical work that eventually turns the wheels. Thermodynamics principles are used by mechanical engineers in the fields of heat transfer, thermofluids, and energy conversion. Mechanical engineers use thermo-science to design engines and power plants, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, heat exchangers, heat sinks, radiators, refrigeration, insulation, and others.
Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle is a 2011 natural history book by American conservation biologist Thor Hanson. Published by Basic Books and written for general audiences, the book discusses the significance of feathers, their evolution, and their history both in nature and in use by humans. "Feathers" is divided into five parts. In "Evolution", Hanson discusses the scientific debate over how feathers evolved, interviewing ornithologists Richard Prum and Alan Feduccia, as well as paleontologist Xing Xu. In "Fluff", Hanson discusses how feathers play a role in regulating a bird's body temperature