Science unshackled : how obscure, abstract, seemingly useless scientific research turned out to be the basis for modern life
C. R. James
Bok · Engelsk · 2014
| Omfang | XVI, 198 sider ;
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| Opplysninger | A brief history of timing -- Going with the flow -- From principia to principe -- The attraction of time -- Fine tuning time -- Around the world in 80 hours (give or take) -- Identity crisis -- One strand -- Two strands -- The first rungs of the ladder -- Interchangeable pieces -- Igniting the fuse -- Breaking down, building up -- A curious boy -- Copycat -- The molecule of the year -- The genetic bread machine -- Finding a hot spot -- A universal "hot spot" -- Classic black -- A tunnel to oblivion -- Chasing wild geese -- Going wireless -- Heated debates and hot spots -- Anatomy of a successful failure -- Pick your poison -- Desperate times, desperate measures -- Barking up the right tree -- The inside story on pain -- A bitter sting -- A simple question -- The gift of the magus -- Dreaming of getting the star treatment -- Ingredients of the stars -- The sun's secret recipe -- Reading between the lines -- Through a star darkly -- The opacity project -- The iron lady and the gold standard -- The star treatment.. - 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. Renée 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.
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| ISBN | 1421415003. - 9781421415000
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