Science Unshackled

How Obscure, Abstract, Seemingly Useless Scientific Research Turned Out to Be the Basis for Modern Life

Inbunden, Engelska, 2014

389 kr

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Why in the world are we paying for all this "basic" research? The answer to this question becomes clear in this romp through the "seemingly useless" world of pure science, where one thing leads to another in ways that result in major scientific advancements. With a novelistic style, C. Renee James reveals how obscure studies of natural phenomena - including curved space-time, poisonous cone snails, exploding black holes, and the precise chemical makeup of the sun-led unexpectedly to WiFi, GPS, genetic sequencing, pain medications, and cancer treatments. Science Unshackled brings both science and scientists to life and shows how simple curiosity can result in life-changing breakthroughs. Scientists engaged in basic research, funded in large part by governments around the globe and throughout the centuries, never know when exploring small questions will have big impacts. But, by following the scientific method, disciplined inquiry can lead to wondrous and practical discoveries that benefit all of us in the end. The next time someone asks you why "the government" wastes its money on weird research, recall the intriguing stories James has told and tell them the answer.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2014-11-10
Mått152 x 229 x 20 mm
Vikt431 g
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor216
FörlagJohns Hopkins University Press
ISBN9781421415000

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PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: Finding Ourselves1. A Brief History of Timing2. Going with the Flow3. From Principia to Principe4. The Attraction of Time5. Fine-tuning Our Clocks6. Around the World in 80 Hours (Give or Take)Part II: Identity Crisis7. One Strand8. Two Strands9. The First Rungs of the Ladder10. Interchangeable Pieces11. Igniting the Fuse12. Breaking Down, Building Up13. A Curious Boy14. Copycat15. Molecule of the Year16. The Genetic Bread MachinePart III: Finding a Hot Spot17. A Universal "Hot Spot"18. Classic Black19. A Tunnel to Oblivion20. Chasing Wild Geese21. Going Wireless22. Where Credit Is Due23. Anatomy of a Successful FailurePart IV: Pick Your Poison24. Desperate Times, Desperate Measures25. Barking up the Right Tree26. The Inside Story on Pain27. A Bitter Sting28. A Simple Question29. The Gift of the MagusPart V: Dreaming of the Star Treatment30. Ingredients of the Stars31. The Sun's Secret Recipe32. Reading between the Lines33. Through a Star Darkly34. The Opacity Project35. The Iron Lady and the Gold Standard36. Therapy of the StarsAfterwordReferencesIndex