The Age Of Science (Cornelia & Michael Bessie Series)

Was it worth it? The 20th century saw unprecedented investment in scientific research and education, and Gerard Piel was on the beat for decades. The Age of Science is his summary of our learning up to Y2K, and few writers are better suited to the task. After all, this is the man who practically invented modern science journalism and revived Scientific American in the 1940s. The book covers physics, biology, earth science, and anthropology, with a strong emphasis on the physical sciences. There are some curious omissions--little is said about the electronics revolution and less about the computer revolution it spawned--but regarding fundamentals, The Age of Science is hard to beat. Some readers may feel a bit out of depth during the more arcane discussions, but a competent scientific dictionary should help immensely. The semi-calligraphic illustrations hit the mark more often than not, yielding a new milestone of scientific literacy. --Rob Lightner