Encyclopedia of Science and Technology

Edited by acclaimed science writer and physicist James Trefil, the Encyclopedia's 1000 entries combine in-depth coverage with a vivid graphic format to bring every facet of science, technology, and medicine into stunning focus. From absolute zero to the Mesozoic era to semiconductors to the twin paradox, Trefil and his co-authors have an uncanny ability to convey how the universe works and to show readers how to apply that knowledge to everyday problems.

Edited by acclaimed science writer and physicist James Trefil, the Encyclopedia's 1000 entries combine in-depth coverage with a vivid graphic format to bring every facet of science, technology, and medicine into stunning focus. From absolute zero to the Mesozoic era to semiconductors to the twin paradox, Trefil and his co-authors have an uncanny ability to convey how the universe works and to show readers how to apply that knowledge to everyday problems.

Library Journal

Prolific science writer Trefil (physics, George Mason Univ.) is a committed advocate for scientific literacy, as evidenced by works he has coedited (e.g., Dictionary of Cultural Literacy) as well as this one-volume encyclopedia. Here he defines key concepts in nearly 1000 entries, arranged alphabetically and color-coded to indicate whether the topic is related to life science, physical science, or technology. Accessible to the general reader, the articles range widely from AIDS and artificial intelligence to welding and the Zeeman effect. The excellent cross references direct the reader to related articles that cover either more fundamental or more advanced information. Color is used to striking effect not only in the 750 high-quality illustrations but also in headings, highlighted definitions, and sidebars. Even the index mirrors the color scheme of the headings. Many articles have brief citations to further reading tucked in the margins. Although it does not have as many entries as The International Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (LJ 4/1/99), this work contains longer articles; and while the larger McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science & Technology (LJ 8/89) provides more depth, it is geared more toward the academic user. With Trefil's focus on scientific literacy, this resource complements the two mentioned above by relating concepts to today's problems. A true pleasure to browse and to read; highly recommended for all libraries. Teresa Berry, Univ. of Tennessee Libs., Knoxville Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

General Editor, James S. Trefil, a noted physicist and author, is a professor of physics at George Mason University and an expert in explaining science to nonscientists. A regular contributor to Smithsonian magazine, he is co-author of The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (1988) and 101 Things You Don't Know About Science and No One Else Does Either (1997).

Consulting Editor and Biophysicist Harold Morowitz is a professor of biology at George Mason University who has published widely on popular topics in science. His books include The Thermodynamics of Pizza (1991), Entropy and the Magic Flute (1993), and The Kindly Dr. Guillotin (1998).

Consulting Editor Paul Ceruzzi is Curator of Aerospace Electronics and Computing at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. He is the author of two books on computing, including The History of Modern Computing and has served as a consultant for two BBC television series on computing and science.