The Age of Science

October 1, 2001
Because scientists have amassed an enormous amount of new knowledge over the past century, attempts to summarize it all in a single volume are unlikely to succeed. From his unique former position as publisher of Scientific American
for 38 years, Piel seems as equipped as anyone to achieve such an undertaking. Unfortunately, even his effort falls short. Piel organizes his material into seven sections: the fundamental forces of nature, quantum mechanics, cosmology, molecular biology, geology, the evolution of life and human evolution. Each chapter appears to have been written for a different audience; the ones focusing on physics require fairly sophisticated understanding ("In the cloud chamber, lithium yielded a two-prong track at the point of collision, signifying its break-up into two alpha particles"). Those on biology and geology are much more accessible to lay readers ("evidence is strong that Mendel designed his experiments to test his hunch that a trait is carried thus intact from one generation to the next"). No field of study, however, is handled in a completely satisfying manner, whoever the intended audience. Piel simply does not supply more than a cursory overview of any topic. Many subjects deserving of attention, given the book's title, are omitted; there is virtually no discussion of any medical topic, of the creation and dissemination of computing technology or of environmental advances, to name just a few. Although the book is generous with illustrations (mostly maps and diagrams), their cartoonish style renders them more distracting than enlightening.

November 15, 2001
Here, Piel, publisher of Scientific American magazine from 1948 to 1986, attempts to explain a paradox of 20th-century science: the fractionation of science into specialties and subspecialties while the field as a whole was becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. This he accomplishes by showing how scientists, as they looked to the extremes of space and time and into the microscopic worlds of cells and atoms, were discovering the fundamental physical laws that underlie and unify our universe. Forgoing the strict chronological arrangement or biographical focus of other recent works on 20th-century science, Piel's broad survey explores quantum mechanics, subatomic particles, astrophysics, genetics, cell biology, planetary geology, and evolution. "Pure" science is emphasized, so advances in engineering, such as material science and computing, are omitted. The illustrations aid understanding by depicting largely theoretical phenomena in simple, loose diagrams. While it generally succeeds in making science intelligible to the lay reader, this book is still challenging if rewarding. Suitable for academic and larger public libraries. Wade M. Lee, Univ. of Toledo Lib., OH

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2001
This is an excellent survey of science's major breakthroughs written by someone who has had decades of practice in communicating scientific issues to the interested lay public; Piel was the publisher of " Scientific "American from the late 1940s to the late 1980s. Here, he is effectively supported by dozens of illustrations; still, the clarity emanates from his prose through its precision and seamless integration of science's disciplines. Physics, the king of the natural sciences, permeates the book, and the history of physicsproper constitutes three-fifths of his text. After providing an overview of how scientists comprehend the natural world, Piel dives into the divinations of motion, gravitation, and light, then spotlights the glaring shortcomings in classical theories, circa 1900. From the revolutionary ideas of a Planck and an Einstein, Piel presses on through the experiments and theories regarding the subatomic particle and the big bang. Turning terrestrial, he discusses the anatomy of the cell, evolution, the symbiosis between life and geology, and, finally, human origins. A masterfully presented science primer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)