Twentieth Century Discovery

The overwhelming proliferation of scientific and technologic information in the twentieth century is a fact of life to which literate people must adjust. Those deeply engrossed in one aspect of the phenomenon find the maintenance of a balanced "overview" increasingly difficult. Even the very well-organized and energetic reader often feels that "keeping up" is almost impossible. Contributions such as Twentieth Century Discovery can be helpful in keeping informed in areas outside one's own field. In this book, Dr. Asimov (who is a remarkable phenomenon himself) has written a set of essays on five separate areas of scientific discovery which are characterized by recent rapid change and clear-cut relevance to the immediate future of human society. The essay on ecology outlines the pressing problems of expanding populations and finite resources and, in considering the possible ameliorations, dwells most extensively on the recent proliferation of ingenious methods of curbing insect populations. Another section on the possible origins of life carries the reader from Darwin to the laboratory synthesis of protein and, in the subsequent discussion of subatomic particles, the rapid developments in nuclear physics of the last few decades are summarized. The final two essays deal with modern astronomy and the exploration of space, respectively. In these timely sections, which cover up through Apollo 8, the author captures the surge of events and enthusiasm which have marked this historic progression. The author's style emphasizes clarity and readability and is most sparing in the inclusion of detail. This facilitates comprehension for those unfamiliar with the immediate topic but could well be a source of dissatisfaction to the expert. The book is perhaps analogous to a tourist's guidebook which does not undertake a definitive analysis of each monument or historic building but concentrates on acquainting the traveler with its existence and the essential reasons for its inclusion. Any educated adult should find this book readable and, unless he has "kept up" exceedingly well, instructive. Knowledge in the field of nucleic acids has been increasing at a bewildering pace in the last decade. To students and investigators wishing to enter this exciting area of research, the task of acquiring basic general knowledge of nucleic acids is a very difficult one. Coverage of nucleic acids in basic biochemistry textbooks is woefully inadequate. Reviews on specialized topics have become plentiful in recent years, and very useful texts on techniques are now available. Professor Davidson's book occupies a …