Dr Joel L. Schiff is the author of ten previously published titles, several of which have been with Springer. These works cover natural history, astrophysics, and high-level mathematics, with a focus on understanding the world we live in. He has over forty years' experience in orchid cultivation and has contributed to the registration of orchid hybrids. A former work on orchids, Rare and Exotic Orchids: Their Nature and Cultural Significance , was published by Springer Nature, 2018, and complements the present work.