Twentieth-Century Science (World History Series)

Grade 6-9. This survey of scientific developments chronologically traces one broad field of science per chapter. "The Information Revolution," for example, starts with radio waves and early computers, and finishes with the Internet and artificial intelligence. The genetic engineering section begins with Mendel, then explains how later scientists used his work to make discoveries about DNA. This approach neatly shows how scientists build and expand on the work of others, and how competition between individuals and nations accelerates progress. Henderson and Yount describe many complex scientific concepts in limited space, including the mapping of the atom, nuclear fusion, gene splicing, and the Big Bang theory. Many readers will require other sources to understand the science fully, but the significance of each development in 20th-century history is made clear. The emphasis here is on science rather than technology, but the authors point out how some discoveries and techniques would have been impossible without such inventions as lasers, ultrasound, and fiber optics. For the most part, an enthusiastic tone stresses the positive aspects of science, avoiding controversial related topics such as cloning and animal testing. Most of the black-and-white photographs depict scientists at work, while a few more useful diagrams help explain the concepts being discussed. Several half-page inset boxes feature first-person accounts or opinions, adding a bit of liveliness to the sometimes dry text. Despite the unavoidable difficulties involved in covering a century of science in 100 pages, this title is a serviceable overview with plenty of useful information.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.