science & nature quotations - isaac asimove - Arvind Gupta

380 Pages·2006·14.38 MB·English

IsaacAshovb
BOOKOF
SCIEI\CEN
\
Editedb y
IsaacA simou
and A. Shulman
lason
A BLUE CLIFF EDITIONS BOOK
-
XN
WeidenfeUWtf:;
Copyright @ 1988b y Blue Cliff Editions, Inc.
All rights reservedN. o reproductiono f this book in whole or in part or in any
form may be madew ithout written authorizationo f the copyright owner.
Publishedb y Weidenfeld& Nicolson, New York
A Division of Vheatland Corporation
10 East5 3rd Street
New York, NY 10022
Publishedin Canadab y GeneraPl ublishingC ompany,L td.
Due to limitationso f spacep, ermissionsa ppearo n Page 337.
Library of CongressC ataloging-in-PublicatioDn ata
IsaacA simov'sb ook of sciencea ndn atureq uotations/ editedb y Isaac
Asimov andJasonA . Shulman.-lst ed.
p. cm.
'A
Blue Cliff editionsb ook."
Includesi ndex.
rsBN 1-555-84111-2
1. Science-Quotations,m axims, etc. I. Asimov,l saac,I 92A-
II. Shulman,J ason. Iil. Title: Book of sciencea ndn ature
quotations.
Q173.r831 983 87-22489
5oo-dc19 cIP
Manufacturedin the United Stateso f America
Designedb y lrving PerkinsA ssociatesI,n c.
First Edition
1098765432r
FOR MY DAUGHTER ARIANA ELIZABETH:
May the Seasst ayD rE
andt he Skys tayH W
May yourH eait ttoy Oput
andB eautfyiU yourE yt,
J. A. S.

Acklrowledg*ents
THts BooK could not haveb een createdw ithout a number of peopleI
would like to acknowledg. here:
A*y Appleby, ash ead researcherw, as responsiblef or gathering mosr
of the raw material used in the book. Her skill in findirg quotarions for
every subject I could conceive of (and some she inventedl) was truly
amtzing. This proJectc ould not have gotten out of its infancy without
her care and work.
SusanW alker not only added many of the quotations, but did much
of the original researchi n finding quotations from news stories and
scientific abstracts alike. Her contribution has been to add primary
material to this book, and thereby make it useful to both scholarsa nd
lay people for years to come.
Elizabeth Guss added additional primary material and helped us add
the spice that made the final work more flavorful.
Peter Pickow created the original programmirg we used to collect
the databaseth at eventually becamet his book. We areg rateful to have a
Pickow original in our computer.
Mark Polizzotti, our editor at Weidenfeld & Nicolsor, nor only read
and commented in detail on the entire manuscript, but like a good
gardener helped us pull out weeds and add new plants in barren spors.
Jackie Ogburn, as managirg editor of Blue Cliff Editions, had the
truly mammothjob of organrzing aUt he raw material into a recog1y1z-
ably literate form. This took erudition, intelligence, fortitude, and
patience.I t took the ability tojuggle thousandso fbits ofinformarion on
the computer and have it turn out right. It took a knowledge of
philosophy, science, and the art of bookmaking. Ms. Ogburn also
played a vital role in the basic organization of this book, from adding
quotations in areaso f dearth and implementing changes in categories
that enhanced the final structure of the work, to adding her editorial
voice in the final choice of marerial itself
vlt
vul Acknowledgmel:Its
Finally,m y thankst o IsaacA simov the inspirationo f my boyhood.
He is the man who, more than any other,t aught me that the subjecto f
sciencec an be passionatea nd exciting, and that the study of science
warms the soul while it enlightenst he mind.
Thank you to all.
JasoN SHuruAN
Contents
FOREV/ORD
xiii
INTRODUCTION
xix
1. Aeronautics
3
2. Agriculture
8
3. Anatomy
1,2
4. Animal Behavior 15
5. Anthropology
18
6. Archaeology
22
7. Astronomy
26
8. The Atom
31
9. Biochemistry
34
10. Biology
36
17. Botany
39
72. Chemistry
43
13. Comets and Meteors 47
14. Computer Science 51
15. Cytology
54
16. Dietetics
57
17. The Earth
61
19. Ecology
64
19. Electricity and Electronics 69
20. Embryology
73
21. Energy
75
?2. Engineering
78
?3. Entomology
80
24. Error
83
25. Evolution
86
26. Experiment
94
27. Fact
97
28. Forestry
101
29. Genetics
104
30. Geology
108
31. Gravity
1,12
32. Hypothesis
114
33. Invention
117
y.
Laboratory
121
Contents
r23
35. Light
125
36. Linguistics
132
37. Logic
1,34
38. Marine Biology
r37
39. Matter
r40
40. Medicine
151
41,. Meteotology
156
42. Microbiology
159
43. Mineralogy
1&
4. The Moon
167
45. Narural Law
171,
M. Nature
176
47. Nuclear Energy
180
48. Nuclear Weapons
183
49. Observation
186
50. Oceanography
189
51. Optics
192
52. The Origin of Life
1,97
53. Ornithology
202
54. Paleontology
207
55. Parapsychology
2t0
56. Physics
21,4
57. Physiology
218
58. The Planets
22r
59. Probability
2?3
ffi. Psychology and PsychiatrY
233
6I. Radiation
235
62. Reproduction
239
63. Research
243
&. Science
65. Sciencea nd Art 251
255
6. Sciencea nd Education
262
67. Sciencea nd Journalism
265
68. Sciencea nd Mathematics
268
69. Sciencea nd Philosophy
270
70. Sciencea nd Politics
273
71. Sciencea nd Religion
28r
72. Sciencea nd SocietY
284
73. Scientific Apparatus
287
74. Scientific Funding
290
75. Scientific Method
294
76. Scientists
301
77. Sociology
Contents
78. SpaceE xploration 306
79. The Stars 309
80. SubjectiveS ciences 312
81. The Sun 31s
82. Thxonomy
318
83. Technology
321
84. Theory
324
85. The LJniverse 328
86. Zoology
334
INDEX
339