Book reviews Nationalism and Internationalism in Science, 1880-1939. By Elisabeth Crawford. Pp. 157. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f27.95, US $44.95 ISBN 52140386 3.

In her study, Elisabeth Crawford draws upon one of the most interesting archival collections made available to historical research in recent years: the Nobel archives of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Highlighting in her intro- ductory chapters the shortcomings of existing historiography on scientific internationalism, she chooses the Nobel Prize nomination process in physics and chemistry to probe into the extent and depth of both internationalism and national- ism in the sciences. The ‘Nobel population’ - nominators and nominees, roughly 950 individ- uals between 1901 and 1939, drawn from 25 countries - provides the basis for her analysis. The frequency of nominations of foreign scien- tists compared to own-country nominations, for instance, seems indeed, to be a reliable indicator of the relative prevalence of nationalism or in- ternationalism among scientific elites. Not sur- prisingly, Crawford’s statistical analysis corroborates the heightening of national bias during and in the aftermath of World War I, her ‘hard data’ allowing her to substantiate differ- ences in this respect between disciplines and be- tween national scientific communities. Shifting attention from the World War I syndrome to the Nobel population of Eastern Europe and the dy- namics of the centre-periphery interaction, the author derives new insights on independence and complementarity that quite certainly suggest further exploration.

Brigitte Schroeder-Gudehus

Copy-editing. By Judith Butcher. Pp. 471 Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f 19.95, US $44.95 ISBN 0 521 4007 0.

Converting an author’s manuscript - however straightforward and well-prepared - into consis- tent and acceptable printed form is a far more complicated process than those not directly in- volved appreciate. Since 1975 copy-editors and their associates - editors, authors, and printers - have been indebted to Judith Butcher (formerly head of the copy-editing department of Cambridge University Press) for her handbook on the subject. It is as much a work of a scholar- ship as many of the texts it is designed to put in order for publication. Its range is impressive. Apart from basic processing - such as marking up a manuscript for the printer, presenting refer- ences, and the organization of prelims - it gives guidance on such esoteric topics as music print- ing, old and Middle English Letters, the setting of poetry, phonetic symbols, and how to deal with foreign languages, including their hyphen- ation and transliteration.

It deals also with related problems of which

Endeavour, New Series, Volume 17, No. 2.1993. 016o-s3z7/93 s6.00 + 0.00. Pwgamon Press Ltd. Plinted in Great Britain.

all concerned need to be beware - copyright, performing rights, authors liability for correc- tion cost, and so on.

In the nature of things, so comprehensive a reference book can in its entirety be helpful to only relatively few users. Those concerned with the preparation for press of scientific texts will find their need well provided for, but they will also find useful the recently published Oxford Dictionary for Scien@c Writers and Editors.

Trevor 1. Williams

Light Microscopy. By D. J. Raw/ins. Pp. 143. BIOS Scientific Publishers. 1992. Paperbackf 14.50, US $29.00 ISBN 1 872748 Il.

The optical microscope is the emblematic sym- bol of twentieth century science and medicine: a position which reflects the role of this instru- ment for 400 years. Yet for much of this time it has been too often claimed by contemporary ob- servers that optical microscopes had arrived at an inherent limit in their ability to extend vision of the microscopic world. With the advent of the achromatic (and subsequently the apochromatic) objective in the nineteenth century such claims were particularly frequent. So, too, following the development of the electron microscope in the present century. Yet as Light Microscopy so persuasively demonstrates, thanks to modern technology optical microscopy has undergone a renaissance in recent years.

account of the history, development, and future potential of the subject.’ Spaceship Neutrino’ fulfils this purpose admirably. it covers, at a very readable and nonspecialist level, a whole range of neutrino phenomena, ranging from the use of accelerator produced neutrino beams to probe the structure of the proton to its impor- tant, indeed dominant, role in both astrophysics - giving us information on stellar interiors - and in the cosmos at large, where neutrinos may well constitute the bulk of the ‘unseen’ matter of the Universe. I had only two reservations on this excellent text. The book charts the progress and successes but hardly mentions the numerous wrong experiments, false trails, incorrect theo- ries, and misconceptions which have both dogged and enlivened the subject. And I really did miss that famous poem on neutrinos by John Ogden.

D. H. Perkins

Fluorescence Microscopy Volume 1. By F. W. D. Rost. Pp. 253. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f50.00, US $85.00 ISBN 0 5212364 1 X.

As a nonspecialist, this reviewer found this book informative and easy to follow. Recent major developments - for example in confocal and video microscopy - are clearly set out, to- gether with phase contrast, fluorescence, polar- ized light, reflected light, and Nomarsky microscopy. Practical work is supported through a method-selection flow-chart; there are sections on the optical components of the microscope, and on setting up the instrument for various methods of observation; in addition case studies are used to illustrate the appropriate use of these methods. The text is completed by helpful illus- trations, a glossary of technical terms, and a good index. It is difficult to see how the author could have achieved more in the space avail- able!

The principles of fluorescence microscopy, the fundamental chemistry and physics underlying the phenomenon of fluorescence, and then the optical systems of various types of microscopes and of some commercial microscopes are de- scribed. The last four chapters (which are very practically orientated) deal with how to set up a microscope, photograph the images, and inter- pret them. The last chapter discusses quantifica- tion of data and then there is a far too short description of a scanning microscope and some of the (albeit not so widely used) modem tech- niques. Useful hints and tips which pepper the text reflect the author’s experience and enthusi- asms. It is refreshing to find so much practical data on photography and this and other data is expanded upon in the substantial Appendix. The only factual error I could find was the statement that xenon lamps show substantial emission in the ultraviolet.

R. H. Nurrall

Spaceship Neutrino. By Christine Sutton. Pp. 244. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f25.00 ISBN 052136404 3; paperback $10.95, US $24.95 ISBN 0 52136703 4.

The book is well produced, with photographs usually being of good quality. I found the style of the author (the first person singular is adopted throughout) a bit disconcerting. Undoubtedly the book is an excellent primer and teaching aid, and practitioners will also find much useful in- formation. I eagerly await the publication of Volume 2.

R. S. Davison

The neutrino is one of the fundamental con- stituents of matter with unique properties - no- tably its feeble interactions and therefore enormous penetrating power - which have given it a special place in physics and particularly in the Universe at large. Postulated by Pauli 60 years ago as a ‘desperate remedy’ to save en- ergy and momentum conservation in nuclear beta decay the role of the neutrino in the physi- cal world is tailor-made for a popular scientific

Risk: Analysis, Perception and Management. Report of a Royal Society Study Group. Pp 201. The Royal Society. 1992. Paperback f 15.50 ISBN 0 85403 467 6.

This report deals with risk assessment for engi- neering systems (including computer control) and toxic materials, also the measurement, inter- pretation, and management of risk. It consists essentially of general information and discus- sion, but also includes some detailed references.

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The introduction (Chapter 1) combines defin- itions and technical terms with a brief overview of the report. Chapter 2, on engineering risk, covers most relevant topics and answers some common criticisms, but lacks many references to modern uncertainty analysis and offline qual- ity control. Chapter 3 concentrates on four top- ics: advances in toxic material risk evaluation, immunotoxicity (AIDS), nutritional toxicology (food), and ecotoxicology (environment), in- cluding risk management and decision making for each of the subjects.

Risks assessed by observation on humans are the subject of Chapter 4, including typical sources of data and discussion of specific risks (for example radiation and smoking). Tables of risks and life expectancies associated with vari- ous activities are provided. Chapter 5, on risk perception, deals with the plurality of views on perceived risks, their relation to cultural and psychological factors and the resulting conse- quences for decision making. On discussion of public trust in risk control, needs for effective communication and increased public knowl- edge/involvement are implied. The final chap- ter, on risk management, with its appendix on risk-benefit analysis, discusses some case stud- ies, including transport, crowd control and global warming. Overall, the book is a useful contribution to continuing discussion on an im- portant subject.

David Parkinson.

Guide to the Sun. By Kenneth J. H. Philips. Pp. 386. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f 19.95, US $29.95 ISBN 0 52139483 X

This book aims to provide an up-to-date guide to our contemporary understanding of a wide range of topics in solar physics, written for a broad readership with an elementary knowledge of physics or astronomy. It starts with a compact chapter on the history of solar observations from Sun worship to the space age, and proceeds through separate chapters on the solar interior, photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. Not surprisingly, the longest chapter in the book deals with solar activity. Other chapters con- sider solar-planetary relationships (particularly solar-terrestrial) and, topically, terrestrial meth- ods of harnessing solar energy. There is a valu- able up-to-date chapter on how the Sun relates to other stars. ‘How the Sun was born and what its eventual fate will be are also fully ex- plained’ according to the confident introductory blurb. The final chapter deals with instrumenta- tion and observational techniques, both ground- based and spacecraft.

- aptly describes its author’s approach, and though there is not one colour picture (though plenty of others), it nevertheless presents an en- thralling story. William Sheehan writes well and with obvious enthusiasm, and his text covers its appointed ground well. The struggles of as- tronomers - amateur and professional - to un- derstand the solar system become evident from the beginning and the steady, though often slow, progress in the growth of our knowledge is clearly sketched. Thus the author shows the achievements and use of spacecraft in their proper perspective, and this is no mean achieve- ment. A book to be much recommended.

Colin Ronan

The Cambridge Guide to Astronomical Discovery. By William Liller. Pp. 257. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f 19.95, US $29.95 ISBN 0 521 4 1839 90.

The book is very well written and, in general, excellently printed and produced. Surprisingly, many of the line drawings look distinctly unpro- fessional with evidence of ‘shaky hands’, and it is a pity that all the photographs are in black- and-white. A few samples of colour versions on the jacket show what has been missed (as well as a 90’ rotation for figure 5.11!). However, the overall impression of this work is that it ad- mirably succeeds in the task undertaken: it is a highly readable, informative, and up-to-date ac- count by an author who is an expert in the field. Referring to various unsolved questions in the

For thirty years a professional astronomer at Harvard University, the author retired to Chile as an amateur astronomer. His wide experience gives this book authority. Nine chapters occupy two-thirds of the text followed by 10 appendices of data. After an introduction, the chapters cover: comets, novae, and supernovae, asteroids and variable stars, descriptions by amateurs of their techniques and discoveries, visual search- ing, photographic searching, electronic (CCD) searching, and reporting and validating discov- eries. The appendices contain much interesting and useful information. They cover how time is expressed, coordinate systems, magnitude and colour, limiting magnitudes for objects and ob- serving methods, and orbits. Finally, discoveries during the 198Os, sky atlases, literature, clubs, and suppliers of books and equipment are listed. The author suggests a significant role for ama- teurs because professionals concentrate on cer- tain areas of astronomy and of the sky Amateurs able to learn detailed sky patterns and observe regularly for many hours may succeed where professionals fail. Discovery of astro- nomical objects is possible with a good pair of binoculars or 35 mm camera. However, dedica-

Epilogue, he comments ‘a future edition of this book may well give the answers’. That will be something to look forward to eagerly.

Geoffrey M. Brown

Worlds in the Sky. By William Sheehan. Pp. 243. University of Arizona Press. 1992. Paperback $17.95 ISBN 0 816 51308 2.

Today, books about the planets are concerned almost exclusively with the results of investiga- tions by spacecraft, from Lunik 1 to Magellan. This approach is understandable, but it does ne- glect the years of painstaking optical research from Earth-based observatories and the genera- tions of amateur astronomers who have led such advances. This book redresses the balance. Written by an expert American planetary ob- server, it is dedicated to Richard Baum and Harold Hill, two noted British amateur ob- servers, some of whose observational drawings grace its pages.

Its subtitle - ‘Planetary Discovery from the Earliest Times through Voyager and Magellan’

tion, favourable weather, good observing condi- tions, and a systematic search plan are ex- tremely important. An excellent and very readable book, it contains an enormous amount of useful, pertinent, and up-to-date information for anyone seriously considering embarking on the discovery trail.

G. S. Allbright

Planet Earth. Cosmology, and the Evolution of Life and Environment. By Cesare Emiliani. Pp. 218. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f55.00, US $100.00 ISBN 0 52140123 2; paper- back f 19.95, US $34.95 ISBN 0 521 40949 7.

Cesare Emiliani has for many years been one of the leaders in using the record of oceanic sedi- ments to understand how the climate system works. Over the years he has tried to puzzle out how the Earth is put together and how it has evolved. This book is a distillation of a lifetime of questioning by a major scientist. It is not con- fined to the recent past, which was the topic of much of his research; instead, it covers the whole sweep of our history, from the Big Bang, through the long history of life, on to doomsday and the human imperative to evolve better stom- pers on grapes so as to make better wine and thus win over the most desirable mates. Which about illustrates the flavour of the book: this is no dour text of innumerable undigested fact, but a lively work, filled with opinion and contro- versy.

The contents of the book are eclectic in the extreme. From a discussion of philosophical generalities, the text moves to atoms, the cos- mology, and the Earth in space. This is followed by a brief outline of the nuts and bolts of geol- ogy: minerals, plates, sediments, basic princi- ples of stratigraphy, and so on. Then comes a quick gallop through history, rich in fossils, and a wind-up on Greeks, Romans, and Arabs. The final part of the book is of great value to the ha- rassed teacher: appendix after appendix of use- ful facts. Wonderful!

This is a work of opinion, stimulating, excit- ing, not necessarily right. It is the sort of thing a final-year class would enjoy. For the nongeolo- gist who is a scientist it will be fine bedtime reading, well worth buying, if you can stand the blaspheming conversation between two di- nosaurs (expletives deleted).

E. G. Nisbet.

A Tapestry of Orbits. By Desmond King- He/e. Pp. 244. Cambridge Universitv Press. 7992. Hardbackf35.00 ISBNb 521 39323 x.

This book contains a fascinating account of the development of models for satellite orbits, as they were produced from the earliest days of Sputnik satellites, up to the present. Told in the author’s distinctive and stimulating style, and from a personal standpoint, there has been a de- liberate attempt to keep the mathematics to a minimum, and thus preserve readability. Extraordinary facts about the financing of British space research emerge throughout the text. The actual achievements obtained, despite parsimonious funding, particularly in the later

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