Great Ideas of Science

Scientific discoveries are remarkably varied in scope and content--made in the field, on the lab bench, or at the computer, with apparatus as sophisticated as a space-based telescope or as simple as a pencil and paper. But all of the discoveries of science are ultimately disseminated through the written word. In countless professional periodicals and technical treatises, the men and women of science have followed the same writing formula: What did I discover? How can you repeat what I did? What does it mean?

This reader, conceived as a companion to The Sciences: An Integrated Approach, employs the "Great Ideas in Science" approach. Science forms a seamless web of knowledge about the universe, and a few overarching concepts (the "great ideas") unify astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. Our goal is to serve the educational needs of people who will not be scientists but who need some knowledge of science to function as citizens. Throughout this volume you will share in these discoveries, as they were first presented to the public, and you will understand why we believe that science is the greatest ongoing adventure.