Springer Diffusive Spreading in Nature, Technology and Society

This book deals with randomly moving objects and their spreading. The objects considered are particles like atoms and molecules, but also living beings such as humans, animals, plants, bacteria and even abstract entities like ideas, rumors, information, innovations and linguistic features. The book explores and communicates the laws behind these movements and reports about astonishing similarities and very specific features typical of the given object under considerations. Leading scientists in disciplines as diverse as archeology, epidemics, linguistics and sociology, in collaboration with their colleagues from engineering, natural sciences and mathematics, introduce the phenomena of spreading as relevant for their fields. An introductory chapter on “Spreading Fundamentals” provides a common basis for all these considerations, with a minimum of mathematics, selected and presented for enjoying rather than frustrating the reader. Review “It is this new view on a subject, to which also the reader of this book is cordially invited during his walk through the most diverse realms of spreading phenomena, with manifold, excellent opportunities provided by the individual chapters and with a wealth of correlations between these chapters, by which the book has become much more than their simple sum.” (Armin Uhlmann, zbMATH 1405.00009, 2019) “This book provides a broad overview of the state of the art in understanding and studying diffusive spreading throughout an impressive array of subjects. … The book has numerous examples that will be useful to instructors in a mass transfer class, and the book should be of interest to a wide audience of chemical engineers. It is genuinely enjoyable reading in that hazy area between work-related and leisure reading.” (Randall Q. Snurr, AIChE Journal, January, 2019) “The book covers topics related to nature, technology and society, as promised by the book title. The key messages of the various chapters, twenty in total, are thoroughly elaborated and presented addressing a broad readership. The boundaries among the individual scientific disciplines are crossed. … it is the wide scope considered in the book and the scholarly presentation which makes me warmly recommend the book for a broad audience, within and beyond the readership of our journal.” (K. Hammer, Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, September, 2018) “This book is a nicely edited and well-presented compilation of the papers given at the Sixth International Diffusion conference, held at the Technical University of Dresden in August 2015. … this is an excellent book which should be of lasting value to anyone who is interested this important subject.” (Douglas Ruthven, Adsorption - Journal of the International Adsorption Society, Vol. 24 (04), May, 2018) From the Back Cover This book deals with randomly moving objects and their spreading. The objects considered are particles like atoms and molecules, just as living beings like humans, animals, plants, bacteria and even abstract entities like ideas, rumors, information, innovations and linguistic features. The book explores and communicates the laws behind these movements and reports about astonishing similarities and very specific features typical of the given object under considerations. Leading scientists in disciplines as different as archeology, epidemics, linguistics and sociology, in contact with their colleagues from engineering, natural sciences and mathematics, introduce into the phenomena of spreading as relevant for their fields. An introductory chapter on “Spreading Fundamentals” provides a common basis for all these considerations, with a minimum of mathematics, selected and presented for enjoying rather than frustrating the reader. About the Author Prof. Jörg Kärger Professional Career 1962 – 1968 Studying Physics at Leipzig University 1968 – 1970 PhD-fellow Leipzig University, Dr. rer. nat. in