Milestones in Discovery and Invention Series

The deep sea takes up almost 70 percent of Earth's surface and more than 97 percent, by volume, of the part of the planet available to living things. And yet, it was only in the 20th century that humans developed the technology to venture more than a few hundred feet down into this daunting world. In fact, today's deepwater marine science owes much of its existence to the U.S. Navy's ability to detect enemy submarines by sound during World War II. ""Modern Marine Science"" profiles 12 men and women who led the way into the oceans' deepest waters through research and new technologies. From Charles Darwin to Henry Stommel to Robert Ballard, this volume explores the lives and accomplishments of these scientific revolutionaries.

Modern Genetics

by Lisa Yount

Published 1 January 2006

Since the dawn of time, people have noticed that members of families tend to look alike, having similar hair or eye color, for instance. Similarly, ancient farmers and herders realized that if they mated, or bred, plants or animals with desirable traits (such as the ability to grow quickly or resist disease), they had a better than average chance of obtaining offspring with those traits. Still, the actual science of genetics and genetic engineering is only about 100 years old. Many genetic engineers and biologists have contributed to new understandings of heredity and the ways genes can be manipulated to stimulate certain characteristics in living things. ""Modern Genetics"" profiles 14 men and women who were among the leaders in making important genetic discoveries in research and new technologies. Profiles include James Watson, Francis Crick, Herbert Boyer, Stanley N. Cohen, Michael Bishop, and Harold Varmus.

Modern Astronomy

by Lisa Yount

Published 1 January 2006

Meet 12 men and women whose research and work in new technologies brought about a revolution in the understanding of time and space during the 20th century. From Edwin Hubble to George Gamow to Geoffrey Marcy, ""Modern Astronomy"" illuminates the lives and achievements of these innovative scientists. Readers will gain a clear understanding of the common threads that intertwine the astronomers' lives; the political, economic, and social events of their times; people with whom they worked; and the developments that preceded their research. In-text sidebars highlight each subject's work. Chapter chronologies offer suggestions for further reading. The general bibliography includes listings of organizations and Web resources.

Modern Marine Science

by Lisa Yount

Published 9 January 2006

Modern Astronomy

by Lisa Yount

Published 8 January 2006

Modern Genetics

by Lisa Yount

Published 8 January 2006

Medical Technology

by Lisa Yount

Published 31 July 1998

The Milestones in Discovery and Invention series acknowledges that science and technology are intricate webs of insight, experiment, and breakthrough passed from one generation to the next. Created especially for young adults, this series traces the flow of scientific and technological ideas through the innovations that changed the face of society and made further exploration possible.

Combining biography, scientific reasoning, and history, each volume in the series investigates a particular field, such as nuclear physics, communications, and medical technology. Enhanced by the use of primary sources, each chapter examines a milestone invention, the specific inventor (or inventors), the process and inspiration, and how the discovery forever changed the world.

Further reading lists at the end of each chapter provide direction to those who wish to learn more.

Chapters cover the work and discoveries of William Morton, Joseph Lister, Wilhelm Rontgen, Karl Landsteiner, Willem Kolff and Robert Jarvik, Christian Barnard and Norman Shumway, Godfrey Hounsfield and Raymond Damadian, and explore medical technology for the twentieth-first century.

Forensic Science

by Lisa Yount

Published 30 December 2006

The lives of real forensic scientists - scientists who apply their skills to crimes or other legal matters - are not as glamorous as those of television heroes, nor are their results as sure. They may need weeks or months to identify criminals or victims instead of hours, or they may never do so at all. ""Forensic Science"" profiles key figures in this newsmaking field, both pioneers and today's top forensics experts. Eye-catching, in-text sidebars explore specific aspects of each scientist's work. Each chapter includes a chronology and suggestions for further reading; the book's general bibliography provides students with information on forensics-related organizations and Web resources.