which act like a bucket of icy cold water. For them, the failure to account for things such as the electron-muon mass difference is decisive in their scorn for superstrings. The great problem for young scientists now is, should they make the enormous investment required to learn su- perstrings, given that there is no hard evidence for them and given that the common herd is run- ning in that direction? These interviews may help in this decision.

George Jaroszkiewicz

Dust in the Galactic Environment. By D.C.B. Whittet. Pp. 295. American Institute of Physics. 7992. Hardback f 19.50, US 539.00 ISBN 0 7503 0209 7.

Since the advent of sensitive infrared detectors in the early 1970s the study of dust particles in space has become a major research field in mod- em astronomy. Dust is no longer viewed as an irritant but enables astronomers to study a wide range of cosmic phenomena ranging from star formation to star death. In this book, Doug Whittet one of the foremost and peripatetic - he has appointments in three countries - re- searchers in the field gives a lucid, thorough and up-to-date account of the subject. After a brief description of the importance of dust in astron- omy, Whittet reviews several topics including the composition and extinction properties of the dust grains, their absorption and emission prop- erties over wavelengths ranging from the vac- uum ultraviolet to the far infrared, and their formation and evolution in the galaxy. Although the author suggests that the book might be suit- able as an undergraduate text, it will be more successful at graduate level. As with many text- books aimed at describing an active and con- tentious research field, there are times when one baulks at the author’s preferences and prejudices showing through so clearly. Nonetheless, this is only a minor quibble since the keen researcher will be able to follow up other points of view using the 600 or so references contained in an admirable book which provides an excellent and comprehensive introduction to the subject.

Tom Miller

Frontier Topics in Nuclear and Astrophysics - Graduate Lectures. Proceedings of the 22nd Masurian Lakes Summer School on Nuclear Physics held in Piaski, Poland, August P&September 5. 1991. Edited by Z. Sujkowski and G. Szefliriska. Pp. 386. Institute of Physics Publishing. f24.50 US $49.00, ISBN 0 7503 0 172 4.

Summer schools provide excellent opportunities for graduate students to attend lectures by active researchers on the latest work in their tield, and to discuss their results in relaxed and informal surroundings. Publishing the lectures forces the speakers to put their thoughts on paper and thus makes the material more generally available. This summer school concentrated on the proper- ties of hot, dense nuclear matter under extreme conditions, both in the laboratory and in stellar objects. The subjects discussed included heavy- ion reaction dynamics, rotational bands and

level densities of superdeformed nuclei, photon decay of giant dipole resonances, charge-ex-

change reactions, neutron stars, cosmochronol- ogy, supernovae and solar neutrinos. Some of the latest experimental techniques, such as the use of radioactive beams, were described, to- gether with the theoretical analyses of the data obtained. The lecturers are all well-known ac- tive researchers and these accounts of their work provide a useful summary of our current knowl- edge.

P. E. Hodgson

UN - ESA Workshop on Basic Space Science, held at the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore, India on 30 April-3 May 1991. Edited by H. J. Hanbold and R. K. Khana. Pp. 340. American Institute of Publishing. New York. 1992. f66.00, US $99.00 ISBN 0 883 189518.

A workshop on basic space science was orga- nized by the Outer Space Affairs Division of the U.N. European Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organization. This publication contains the majority of the presentations made. The introductory addresses at the beginning give a perspective of the subject especially in the context of space sciences in developing coun- tries. This is followed by overviews on space science in India and astronomical research in Japan. The publication contains in the section on solar-terrestrial interactions excellent overviews on biosphere-geosphere interactions, solar wind-magnetospheric processes, equatorial elec- trojet and spread F phenomenon. These are im- portant and topical, particularly in view of the current International Geosphere-Biosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Energy Programmes. The arti- cles on Solar System variability and EUV stud- ies presented in the section on Solar System science are highly informative. The last section, on space astronomy and astrophysics, contains very interesting presentations on the recent ad- vances in these areas of space science, including the results of the International Extreme Ultraviolet Project and the Cosmic Background Explorer Experiment (COBE). Finally, the workshop recommendations are appended: these will be extremely useful for both space science policy makers and scientists.

B. V. Krishna Murthy

The Fullness of Space. By Gareth Wynn- Williams. Pp. 202 Cambridge University Press. Hardback f35.00, US $65.00 ISBN 052 13559 7 5; paperback f 15.95, US $29.95 ISBN 0521426383.

Good ideas do not always materialize in the form of good books. The author’s link-theme between the various research fields and different phenomena in space is the existence of matter in what would otherwise be vacuum (empty space). The contents of space are, therefore, lim- itless but his success comes in the choice of sub- jects, the way they are tackled, and the presentation. It is easy reading - to the scientist incomplete - but not so simplified as to be in- sulting. To the nonspecialist it reads well with key words (perhaps over-highlighted) and the significance of the subject brought out.

To avoid distractions in the text, a range of appendices is included. These are useful to the lay reader, or perhaps the interdisciplinarian

seeking a scientific primer on the universe, and they include most things from units to Greek let- ters and lists of elements. A useful index and suggestions for further reading is thrown in. Lacking throughout is the use of references, a good decision certainly, but the book also lacks mention of key workers in the field, that rich web of human colour which is the powerhouse of progress in reality. The scientific reader would find little of how to explore more deeply; the nonscientist left with the impression of achievements being the result of multitudes of white coated boffin clones.

An excellent primer for the scientist with an astrophysical appetite and certainly a useful text for courses where science, or certainly astro- physics, is not the major subject.

J. A. M. McDonnell

Industrial Applications of Single Cell Oils. Edited by David J. Kyle and Co/in Ratledge. Pp. 300. American Oil Chemists Society. 1992. Hardback 575. ISBN 0 9353 7539 X. The title of this text could be misleading. Single Cell Oils (SCO), intended as an equivalent to Single Cell Protein (SCP), are the edible oils (triacylgycerols) that can be extracted from a microbial cell. The term is applicable to the in- dustrial production of long-chain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, cocoa butter substitutes and wax esters from bacteria, fungi, yeast and mi- croalgae. The text is a collection of papers/chap- ters on both the industrial production of, and novel processes for the formation of this range of fatty acids from these microbes. An important aspect is the use of microbial oils for a particu- lar application: that is, designer oils.

The 16 chapters are clearly and concisely written, giving a comprehensive and yet detailed treatment. There is a considerable amount of very useful data for the researcher and industri- alist, on biomass and fatty acid production, mainly for batch culture, as well as on culture and process operational specifications, including engineering flow sheets. The text is also a source of fundamental information, discussing the role of the underlying biochemistry of lipid biosynthesis, accumulation in the cell and fatty acid elongation and desaturation.

Overall, should you wish to know about edi- ble oil formation in microbes, then this text is the place to start.

A. J. Knights

The Chemistry of Inorganic Ring Systems. Edited by Ralf Steodel. Pp. 486 Elsevier. 1992. US $274.50 ISBN 0 444 88933 7. This is volume 14 of the series ‘Studies in Inorganic Chemistry’. Of the 22 chapters, 19 are based on lectures given at the Sixth International Symposium on Inorganic Ring Systems (IRIS VI) which was held at the Technical University, Berlin, in August 1991. Speedy publication has been achieved using camera-ready copy, and a monograph of the most recent progress in the chemistry of rings and clusters of the main group elements (ex- cluding the heaviest ones) has been produced, on which the Editor is to be congratulated.

Between chapter one, ‘Cluster, cages and

43

concatenations’ by Greenwood, and chapter 22, ‘Nomenclature of inorganic ring systems’ by Haiduc, there is a selection of contributions re- viewing an area of chemistry or presenting the most recent findings of the authors covering preparation, reactions, structure or bonding con- siderations. Consequently, the indepth coverage is variable but a broad overview of the subject is gained.

Undoubtedly, the most useful aspect of such volumes is to remind the chapter authors where they were at a point in time, to provide essential reading with up-to-date literature, including over 1100 references, for their future students and other interested chemists and to show scien- tists at large that such an area of chemistry is alive and well. IRIS VII is planned for 1994 in Banff, Canada.

Kenneth Jones

Crown Ethers and Analogous Compounds. Studies in Organic Chemistry Volume 45. Edited by M. Hiraoka. Pp. 496. Elsevier. 1992. US $228.50 ISBN 0 444 81913.

The book aims to present current knowledge in one of the major new areas of chemistry set in motion by C. .I. Pedersen’s 1967 publications on crown ethers at the end of its first quarter cen- tury. The Editor provides the first, orienting chapter and there then follow two chapters on synthesis, one of them (M. Okahara and Y. Nakatsuji containing 410 references) very com- prehensive, covering published synthetic routes, the next (H. Tsukube, 175 references) describ- ing general guidelines for design of compounds for particular purposes, including membrane transport. These two chapters, together with the detailed discussion of macrocyclic polyamines in chapter 8 by E. Kimura (the field for which he has just been awarded the 1992 Izatt-Christensen award), comprise three-fifths of the book. There are also four shorter chapters on applications; K. Kimura and T. Shono de- scribe crown applications in ion-selective elec- trodes and liquid chromatography; S. Sasaki and K. Koga describe enzyme modelling; T. Kaneda gives a clear description of the requirements for complexation with chromogenic acerands, with many detailed examples, and S. Shinkai ex- plains the ‘switching’ of crown ethers, now playing such a wide role in responding to stim- uli such as pH, electrochemical, and photochem- ical switching. However, the publication of this book has clearly taken some time; the references (1129 in all) stop at the end of 1988. The book will be helpful for advanced researchers in the field as a source of information.

Joyce C. Lockhart

Capillary Electrophoresis. By S. F. Y. Li. Pp. 586. Elsevier. 1992. Hardback $225.50 ISBN 0 444 89433 0.

Intensive research into Capillary Electrophoresis (C.E.) over about the last 12 years has culmi- nated in the publication of this, the first book on the subject. The author has performed a thor- ough survey of the literature and presented his findings in eight chapters, drawing heavily on the reports in the original papers. He has re- viewed the background to the variety of elec-

44

trophoretic methods and the factors driving the separation. A critical survey of the principal components of the equipment for C.E. - viz. sample introduction devices, detection tech- niques, and capillary technology - is presented, followed by a discussion on electrolyte systems and special methods of approach and, impor- tantly, a section indicating the sample types to which the method has been applied. The final chapter surveys the publications which have ap- peared up to April 1992 and the last section lists the publications which will appear in J. Chromotog. in 1992. Nearly 1100 papers have been cited, although there is some duplication in the references between chapters.

This is a substantial book and has been well produced with, for most part, clear diagrams and figures. There is a significant number of trivial errors, which is surprising in a book of this qual- ity. On page 260 in table 5.9 the solubility of p- cyclodextrin in water should be 18.5g 1100 ml-r. There is no doubt that this book is a prime source of information both for newcomers and for those versed in the technique. It is strongly recommended.

C. F. Simpson

Physical Chemistry. By R. A. Alberty and R. J. Silbey. Pp. 898. Wiley. 1992. Paperback f 19.95 ISBN 0 47155220 8.

This book can be warmly recommended as an instructive text including all major aspects of physical chemistry to BSc. level. The subject is explained in a coherent and integrated manner that is based on extended experience in the field. This ‘first edition’ derives from its successful predecessor (Daniels and Alberty, Physical Chemistry), so that it is in effect a sixteenth edi- tion with antecedents going back to 1913.

The content is presented in four parts (ther- modynamics, quantum mechanics and spec- troscopy, statistical mechanics and kinetics and macroscopic and microscopic structures). The short introductions to each part provide unifying perspectives on the overall subject together with the inter-relationships between its parts. About 800 pages of text are illustrated by 356 line drawings and the presentations of theory include 244 worked examples together with many prob- lems at the end of each chapter. An introductory note explains the rationale of SI units which are consistently applied to the ‘over 300 physical quantities’ mentioned.

While chapter titles and sub-indices were use- ful, I found the end-index very disappointing. I also noticed some misprints. This edition is to be welcomed as a worthy continuation of a well- established text. It is good value at less than f20.

Andrew K. Galwey

Fascinating Molecules in Organic Chemistry. By Fritz Vtigtle. Pp. 304 Wiley. 1992. f75.00 ISBN 0 47193147 0.

This book, and its companion volume Supramolecular Chemistry (Wiley, 1991), are based on lectures given by Professor Vbgtle at Bonn University. He focuses mainly on com- pounds of particular structural interest. This vol- ume considers polyhedral systems (tetrahedrane,

cubane, dodecahedrane, adamantane, pagodane and propellants), assorted ring systems (azulene, biphenylene, circulenes and helicenes), trip- tycenes, cyclophanes, phthalocyanines and (somewhat incongruously) aspirin.

The treatment is illustrative rather than com- prehensive, the author explaining how com- pounds with strained/intricate structures may be prepared. Thus one can learn much useful syn- thetic chemistry from this book, and see what sorts of system are now accessible. The treat- ment is inevitably patchy: I was disappointed by the introductory chapter on shapes and symme- try, and by the sections on tetrahedranes and biphenylenes. The fullerenes, which admittedly came on the scene only as Professor Vogtle was completing his book, merit fuller treatment than they get here, and the reference to the icosahe- dron in the introductory chapter is disappoint- ingly not followed up later by reference to carboranes. Although cyclopropenium cations are discussed, pyramidal carbocations (C,H,+, C&Ie,2+) and, indeed, hypercarbon chemistry in general, are ignored.

However, these are carps from an inorganiclorganometallic viewpoint, where the scope for structural diversity is so much greater than in mainstream organic chemistry. This book will help to convey some of the excitement chemists get from assembling pleasing shapes from the construction kit in which carbon and other atoms are the components.

K. Wade

Electron Flow in Organic Chemistry. By P. H. Scudder. Pp. 374. Wiley. Paperback, f 12.95 ISBN 0 47157366 3.

If you understand the sense in which electrons can be considered to flow, then the philosophy of this quite remarkable book will at once be- come clear. It is electron density in covalent bonds that holds together the atoms that make up organic molecules. When chemical reactions occur, these bonds change and the electron den- sity distribution changes too. This movement of electron density holds the key to understanding why organic transformations take the course they do. Students attempting to master this sub- ject face some severe difficulties which arise be- cause of the great variety of issues that must be addressed at the same time as an organic mecha- nism problem is tackled. Here lies the strength of Paul Scudder’s book. The mechanism analy- sis problem is broken down into a series of iter- ative cycles (‘understand the system’, ‘find possible routes‘, ‘evaluate and cross-check’): obvious advice, perhaps, but nonetheless the key to the subject that so many students fail to find. These didactic steps are illustrated over and over with different mechanism examples. Some simple devices also impress. All the lone pairs are drawn around heteroatoms, with charges indicated separately beside the atom. This breaks ranks with many books but if carried though consistently is probably a clearer style. Reaction coordinates are ex- plained by reference to a cross-section of a re- activity surface - definitely the simplest explanation of a concept that has puzzled many generations of organic chemistry stu- dents.