Probe Books

Michael Lemonick's 'Echo of the Big Bang' is a very interesting text that weaves some of the recent history and personality of science into one of the more interesting astrophysical discoveries of modern times.

The last chapter of the book is the one that those readers looking for the 'science' will want to read most, for it contains the summary of the findings of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), launched in 2001. The probe collected data for over a year, looking for the signature of the Big Bang - the background radiation in the universe (Cosmic Microwave Background radiation, or CMB) that was variously discovered and misinterpreted until the 1960s. The probe's findings could be summaries in five key numbers:

1) the universe is 13.7 billion years old
2) Ordinary atoms make up 4.4 percent of the universe
3) Dark matter makes up a surprising 23 percent of matter in the universe
4) The Hubble constant (the rate of expansion per distance) is 71 kilometers per second per megaparsec (in other words, the further out, the fast the expansion)
5) Stars began 'turning on' in the universe 200 million years after the start, much earlier than expected

Okay, so these are fairly simple observations. What do they mean and why are they important?

Lemonick's book takes a longer view toward astrophysical cosmology (as opposed to the more philsophical and theological kinds) - this is a relatively new branch of one of the oldest sciences. Astronomy has been important since the earliest days of literate humanity, and possibly even precedes literacy - charting the stars for theological/religious/superstitious reasons as well as practical reasons (seasons, time keeping) have always been important. However, it has only been since the Enlightenment that major attention has been given to analysing the different components of the sky, and while broad-based interest in the constitution of the universe has been present in philosophical an intellectual history, it has only been since the twentieth century that science has taken on the task of explaining the large-scale structure of the universe. This has led to many fascinating turns, many of which have played out in the popular press, like the astronomic struggle between the Steady State theory and the Big Bang theory.

Lemonick recounts the various near-miss discoveries of the CMB radiation, particularly the various Bell Lab accounts, the various mis-diagnoses from observational astronomers around the world, and finally efforts from ground-based and satellite/above-atmosphere observations to lead to the inescapable conclusion that, whatever it was, there was something out there creating fairly general and stable readings on various instrumentation.

The greater part of the text deals with the formation of the latest mission, which led to the discoveries listed above. Detailing the planning, the formation of the team of researchers, the budgetary issues, the set-backs due to changing NASA priorities and fortunes, and the personality quirks and conflicts that inevitably arise in projects, this is a fascinating glimpse of the human side of the scientific enterprise. The formation of how scientists even decide what to look for and how to look for it is interesting in and of itself; sometimes the scientific process doesn't seem so, well, scientific. How could it be, being run by scientists who are first human beings?

Lemonick also shows some of the aftermath of the discoveries (still a bit new at the time of the writing of this text, or of this review) - he references John Horgan's assertion that all the important discoveries of science have been made; I cannot help but think here of similar statements being made at the end of the nineteenth century, when active speculation about closing patent offices existed as 'everything that can be invented already has been'; history has a sense of irony in that it was a patent clerk (Einstein) who would prove this to be an example of classical physic's hubris. But Lemonick explains the emphasis in astronomy is already shifting; more headlines are made from discovering possible planets around neighbouring stars than grand theoretical constructs or larger-scale explanations. Where science really goes next, in the next decade, is a mystery; much more so is the direction for the next century and beyond.

Don't be put off by the size and modest production of of this book. This is extrememly well written. There is an honest attempt here to communicate as clearly as possible to the general public. Yes, given the quality of the writing there should have been more diagrams and more money spent in promoting it, but this book is still much better than anything Hawking has written for the general public and certainly much better than Smoot's ...effort on COBE. But it is too short and I wish the author had spent more time on the history of earlier attempts to measure the CMB. I think he was afraid of boring his audience, but I think a little more technical and scientific detail, maybe even a few equations, might have made things clearer. Also towards the end the author introduces ekpyrotic universes without much clarity and he is not very clear on the actual nature of the "acoustic" peaks except to say that they were expected to be seen if the universe was finite and curved...which it apparently is not. Excellent general discussion of the engineering problems involved in actually trying to build something. No book is perfect but if you are interested in the WMAP this is well worth buying. There are several other experiment going up in the future....a European MAP, an infrared background radiation scanner, as well as a series of polarization mappers and gravitational wave detectors. I hope the author stays on this beat because in my opinion he is one of the best science writers for the general public that I have read.

This is a very well written, well explained, well researched story of the WMAP probe that is providing us with precision measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The author presents the story in a classic timeline, starting before Penzias and Wilson, proceding through COBE, and climaxing with the WMAP results. The author focuses on the people and events, more than the science; but does not neglect the science either. We learn about the personalities, rivalries, friendships, and feuds of the people involved. We also learn about the science of the big bang, and the importance of the miniscule fluctiations in the CMB.

I found some of the pages to be a little dry; but nothing that caused me to yawn or skim. Overall the book moves along at a good pace, and it fun to read.

I was just a little annoyed by the author's minor tendency to sensationalize. For example, he started the book with a flash-forward to the end where one of the investigators (Dave Spergel) is poring over his data in trepidation about making a "shocking claim". We don't find out what this shocking claim is until the end of the book, where we find out that, in fact, the flash-forward was to a period when Spergel was speculating about the results based on data that was not fully analyzed.

Anyway, it's a fun read and certainly worth the time and money. It's good to know facts like the universe is 13.7 billion years old, that the hubble constant is 71km/s/mpc, and that the first stars turned on about two hundred million years after the big bang.

Readable account of cosmology and the role of the cosmic background microwave radiation. The book is weakened by containing several undocumented statements that the author (a journalist, not a scientist) couldn't possible know from his own experience. For example:

Henrietta Leavitt's "...study was ignored, in part because the researcher was a woman and thus unqualified to be a "real" scientist." (Lemonick's quotes around 'real')(p. 22).

"...observational astronomers don't tend to spend much time studying up on theoretical physics." (p. 38).

Well written and easy to read. But the book is primarily a history of one satellite study of background radiation. The book is heavy on the history and interaction of the scientists (which is very interesting), but is light on explaining what they found and how what they found increased our knowledge about the beginnings of our universe. I was a little disappointed with lack of an attempt to explain the science. For example, the book hypes the fact that the universe is 13.7 billion years old, but does not tell how they arrived at this number. The books says the universe is 23% dark matter, but does not explain where this number comes from. Still I recommend the book for a good picture of how science is conducted. And I should mention that two of the scientists in the story won the 2006 Nobel Prize in physics for this study.

This book needs to be read by everyone in the Space industry, especially those in quality organizations. Remember, those unaware of the past are doomed to repeat it .....

Harland takes us considerably beyond the simple news reporting of a space system failure. We learn that these have occurred quite frequently in the last 50 years. The book gives an appreciation why. Starting with the fact that the launch rockets are essentially large bombs, that have hopefully controlled explosions. But not always.

Then, when the probe or satellite gets into space, much else can go awry. The batteries might fail. The communication chips that talk to ground control might have been misprogrammed. The gyroscope needed to orient the satellite could be defective. And so on. If you are an engineer, the book is a nice education in what has to work in most space systems.

I've been a fan of the space program since I can remember! After reading this book, it makes one wonder how we get anything up at all. I've learned a few more things than I knew before!

Knowing even the so-called 'experts' screw up, and some of the incidents dissected in this book could apply to ANY industry. Unless you follow carefully, it's easy to lose track of which satellite, bus, or mission is discussed. I consider this book a very enjoyable read.

This is an excellent book that IMHO anyone in the space business should read. Over 350 pages covering literally hundreds of cases of "what went wrong" with launchers, satellites, missions, instruments, designs, and procedures from the 1940s to the present. It is well written, entertaining, highly educational, and can be read in many short sittings since the average incident description is about one page long. The book not only covers what went wrong, but in many cases also what was done to fix it. "Space Systems Failures" is a valiant and perhaps unequaled attempt to preserve institutional memory and the lessons learned, often at great price, by the world's space programs.

Good at identifying launch failure events and summarizing history, but lacks details on the actual failure modes. Tough area to cover since much of the info is classified, proprietary or lost deep in corporate files.

Young Lovers, Big Bang, Swashbuckling Adventure, Theory of the Universe and Everything, all these elements come together in 'Moses Probe.' I hope you will have as much fun reading Moses Probe as I had writing it.

I really liked this book. It was a fun read and kept my attention - hard to put down. I found it to have a classic "good vs evil" theme - but wait - who is good and who is evil? You'll have to read it to find out!

The Moses Probe is an imaginative story where riders can jump from universe to universe riding upon the backs of large insects. Throw in a love story, a planet in danger and some very nasty bad guys and you've got the entire makings for one thrilling ride.

Lt. Jack Flyte, ( I love that name.) is all set for a manned fight to Alpha Centauri. He's said his good-bye's knowing when he returns to Earth, nothing will be the same. He's even bid good-bye to Dr. Cheryl Bellini, the women he loves. Yet with a call from her, he attends a meeting that will change his life forever.

When in college the two of them had been involved with one Dr. Leahy and his fanciful dreams of instantaneous flight. But is it just a dream, or, thanks to the Moses Probe, is there more to it? And is Jack willing to abandon his dream of faster-then-light travel to take a chance on someone else's words alone?

The Moses Probe opens up new worlds and I found myself as a reader hoping it to be more than just fiction. I think you will enjoy this story as much as I did.

During a rescue of Luke Skywalker in the film "The Empire Strikes Back," the viewer is treated to a cockpit view from the "snow speeder" craft as the searchers swoop close to ridges and plunge sharply into deep valleys. The first time I saw that scene, it made my stomach jump. I was surprised that images could cause such a physical effect.

Ted Magnuson brought me to a similar reaction with mere words; the exhilarating action he packed between the covers of THE MOSES PROBE.

This story takes place in 2112. Protagonist Jac Flyte eagerly prepares for his mission to Alpha Centauri, made possible by the recent invention of faster-than-light travel. An old fiancé, Dr. Cheryl Bellini, pulls him away from that exercise for the opportunity to travel instantaneously to the center of the universe. Predictably, this sets up the romance component of the novel, but it doesn't travel too far down that trail before snapping back into action. Together they travel to the planet Protos--aboard biotechnical marvels built according to the instructions found within the "Moses Probe," a capsule sent to Earth from Protos 25 years earlier.

While Earth a century from now retains much of what is familiar (the author's vision is anything but ridiculous), the Protoans are highly advanced and speak in unfamiliar terms. Like several of the advanced life-forms one might expect to encounter in "Star Trek," the universe is the territory of the Protoans, both physically and spiritually. Suddenly our planet seems small and inconsequential. Magnuson includes a helpful glossary in the back of the book for the alien words, but I found it easy to discern their meaning from the context.

This book is loaded with battles between good and evil, with mystery and deception, and imagery fit for the silver screen. It may take you most of the book to decide which is "good" and which is "evil." The plot is complicated, including some minor items that don't seem necessary, yet it races along beginning to end--and like any well-told story, leaves us with questions to ponder. I'll have to read this one again! Five stars for THE MOSES PROBE.

-Byron C. Justice, author of "Violent Night"

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (08/06)

What if man could be instantly transported anywhere in the universe? "The Moses Probe" contains that technology. Some will stop at nothing to get the information, even murder. "The Moses Probe" by Ted Magnuson will thrill both Science Fiction and Fantasy fans.

Long a joke to his colleagues, Dr. Leahy a brilliant but eccentric scientist has cracked the code in the Moses Probe. Lt. Jac Flyte is leaving, Cheryl, a cosmologist and the woman he loves to journey with to Alpha Centauri. Cheryl calls Jac and begs him to look at what Dr. Leahy has discovered. Jac is skeptical that anyone could ever travel faster than the speed of light but he agrees to listen. putting his position with the Alpha Centauri Mission at risk. When Jac and Cheryl find Dr. Leahy dead they decide to commit to each other and continue pursuing Dr. Leahy's work.

"Leahy's Bio' Ethereal Transports--are animals." Jac and Cheryl have "...entered a world where giant dragonflies awaited his decision to breach the time-space continuum." Soon Jac and Cheryl are flying off on an adventure that could cost them their lives.

From the moment I saw the cover of this book and the title I was enticed to pick it up. I had to read it. This book has a little of everything - intrigue, suspense, adventure, fantasy, science fiction and romance. Don't forget to add murder to the list. This book is well written. The subject matter is interesting and intriguing. It will appeal to readers of many genre especially science fiction and fantasy. The characters are interesting and come alive on paper.

a uniquely mind-opening work that deftly explores the "cutting edge" of severe anatomical explorations.

A forbidden work that surely upsets conservatives everywhere.

This book contains interviews, essays, and art from some of the most cutting edge body artists, authors, and fringe culture critics from around the world. Stelarc, Franko B, Ron Athey, and Orlan all give their take on why they do what they do. Sex, cyborgs, freaks, and the eroticism of destruction are all examined. This is a book for those who think without boundaries. Only a few selections which drag or seem out of place keep this from being a 5 star work. For more content like this, also refer to 'Suture : The Arts Journal', edited by Jack Sargeant (also a contributor to this work).

"Body Probe" goes beyond grotesque. This isn't about mere critiques of Stelarc's, Orlan's or Marina Abramovic's work. This isn't a book for the kind of people who'd wonder whether this is art or not, this isn't a book for the average reader. You have to seriously consider the human body as the most complex and beautiful art subject to enjoy this. You have to believe that the mutant flesh is about to become the next trend. After reading "Body Probe", you'll be sure the cyber culture is here for good and it has the most intimate ralationship with the flesh, an aesthetic revolution that has no turning back.

Body Probe is an amazing collection of interviews and essays of radical performance art, s & m culture, cyborgs, and the films of David Cronenberg, among many other interesting things. The color and b/w pictures are well arranged. Stand-out features of the book include an interview with Mark van Saper, a leading fetish clothing designer, and an intriguing essay about sex in space, which includes some David Bowie lyrics. For those who dare to venture to the boundaries of free expression and the use of the body as an art form, then this book is highly recommended.

Here's a new read for me: a mystery romance. I've never even wanted to pick up anything resembling this genre before, but I couldn't pass up "Deadly Probe". Whoa! I started with the idea that I would be able to put this baby down, but at 2 AM, I was still kicking it with the great characters and delightful plot surges! I am definitely a Miriam Lee fan now and can't wait for the next one, "Masquerade Journey".

I'm usually hesitant about reading anything with romance stuff in it. But a friend told me about this book. It was so highly recommended, I started reading right away--the only problem I had was I had trouble putting it down! A chapter ended, and I felt compelled to go on reading. It turned out the romance part was small, but the plot twists and surprises kept me reading. I never guessed "who did it" or the motive.

This Miriam Lee really has a knack for stories that are challenging, yet an easy read. I'm awaiting the arrival of her next book, Masquerade Journey, at your online shop. If it's half as good as the first one, I should be happy. I recommend Deadly Probe to all who like a challenging mystery and don't mind an old-fashioned, light romance. Denise Dunkel

I stumbled upon Miriam Lee's book signing at a local event. Normally, I do not read fiction, especially Mystery Romance. I thought I'd have a signed coffee table book to show off to friends---WAS I WRONG! THIS BOOK KEPT ME GLUED, I read and read until I finished because the suspense and plot twists kept me hanging. The romance was just enough to add flair but not filth. Miriam Lee has a new fan - I have recommended her to family and friends and will buy all her books.

I don't usually read this kind of book, but my friend had it and I was bored. I picked it up intending to make fun of a "mystery/romance"--but it sure surprised me!

I read it in one sitting and look forward to the next Miriam Lee book.

Ross

Although on the surface this is a book about the recent robotic missions to Mars, the book is really an exploration of the culture of the project scientists at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Bergreen paints very full portraits of many key people involved in NASA, JPL, etc including the scientists, graduate students, industry representatives, etc. The book reminded me very much of Jim Watson's excellent account of his work to elucidate the structure of DNA, "The Race for the Double Helix" in that it showed the human side of science. Jim Garvin, Jim Head, Sean Solomon, and the other scientists in this book seek good and solid data, but also (understandably) seek publications in prestigious journals to advance their careers. They worry openly about funding and grant support. Jim Garvin has what sounds like a strained relationship with his wife, who does not really seem to understand her husband's passion and dedication. Some of the investigators don't like each other, and show this openly. These sorts of interludes were very interesting as many books about science and scientists are sterile and portray scientists as absent-minded-professor types who are not grounded in the real world (which is only very rarely the case).

The book is very readable and well written. My only complaint is that the book would have benefited from some illustrations. The images from the Mars Orbiter were discussed ad nauseum, but no representative images were between the covers of the book! Also, I would have liked to have seen a few photos of some of the hardware and researchers discussed.

While Laurence Bergreen's book "Voyage to Mars" does contain some information about Mars space missions, robotic probes, and scientific study of Mars, it is primarily about the scientists, both men and women, who study Mars and design experiments for NASA robotic explorers and how they dedicated their lives to the study and exploration of this planet. Most of the book covers the people involved in Mars research since the Mars Observer failure in 1992.

This book follows the lives (personal and professional) of several NASA scientists who study Mars, whether they're off in some remote location studying geology that's similar to Mars or designing an experiment for a robotic exploration mission. The book includes the many battles that each one fights, whether is with NASA bureaucracy, their personal lives, with each other for experiments to be flown on an upcoming Mars spacecraft, or dealing with each other's conflicting theories on Martian geological history. One of the things that I gleaned from reading this book is that while each of the people maybe specialized in a given area, they all have a board background in planetary sciences and spacecraft design. Also, there seems to be a lot jealously between scientists, especially for those people who worked on the "Life on Mars" Rock. It was also nice to see that a good portion of the people that NASA employs are women.

Since I've known several of the people involved in Mars research who are described in this book for over a decade, I can definitely say that the stories presented are true and I found the personal descriptions of various individuals to be dead on as well as those of NASA facilities. The book could, however, benefit from some photos and illustrations instead of the detailed of various Martian geological features. It also would have been nice to some parts of the book devoted to the engineers who help make these missions possible, but that might be an inappropriate topic for this book.

Bergreen's book is a very intimate look at how science really works. In successive chapters, he takes us inside four groups of men and women: the team of scientists that worked on the Martian meteorite ALH84001; the Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner team, the team in charge of the Mars Global Surveyor's laser altimeter, and finally, inside Dan Goldin's NASA. What we see is a far cry from the polished interviews on TV, or the neatly written articles in Nature or Science. The truth is that scientists rarely agree on anything other than very broad assumptions, and often not even on those. Instead, scientists, even those working together on the same project, can heatedly disagree with one another's assumptions or interpretations, making it difficult to agree on the best way data should be released to the public.

An example from the MGS laser altimeter team (specifically the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter or MOLA). This instrument shoots blasts of laser light from the orbiting spacecraft to the surface of Mars, and times their return to the sensor. By doing so, an incredibly accurate topographical relief map of Mars can be created. However, Mars has no absolute altitude marker like Earth (sea-level). Therefore, the scientists have to agree on an altitude reference against which all other measurements are compared. The specific reference chosen is critical because it will be used in all subsequent analyses of MOLA data. Any error could potentially be a spoiler for generations of future reserachers. Bergreen was there when they discussed whether they were ready to commit to an altitude reference and start releasing data (many team members argued "yes!") or whether more data and study were needed before the team published such critical information (other team members said "wait!").

Also typical was the conflict in choosing a landing site for the Mars Polar Lander. Scientists pour over the data from MGS and pick a site that is geologically interesting. Engineers pour over the MGS data and pick a site that is safe. The two goals are often at direct odds with one another. The engineers want stastical rock-counts so that they can ensure their craft won't topple over a boulder. Scientists argue that the sites chosen by the engineers will nullify all the science objectives of the mission. Such discussions can quickly become personal as emotions boil over and passionate beliefs give way to shouting contests.

Bergreen's book is in many ways reminiscent of Overbye's Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos, only directed at Planetary scientists instead of cosmologists. This book will be of extreme interest to Marsophiles, but will also be enlightening to those who want an inside look at Dan Goldin's NASA, or at the process actually followed by scientists in the trenches. I recommend this book highly to these two groups as well as anyone else who hasn't updated their knowledge of Mars exploration since Viking.

Travelers often opine that the experience of a trip itself, the way stations and characters encountered, rather than the final destination, is the most exciting aspect of a journey. After reading Laurence Bergreen's latest offering, VOYAGE TO MARS: NASA'S SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH (hardcover edition), one may reasonably conclude that the peripatetic author is as fascinated with the personas and psyches of the various individuals he encounters along the way as he is with the ostensible subject of the book: Mars. Indeed, a glance at Bergreen's previous books, works covering the gamut from Al Capone to Louis Armstrong to Irving Berlin, shows that the author is a keen observer and no stranger to character studies; his most recent book is no exception.

Bergreen's tour, which starts on Surtsey, a volcanic island off the Icelandic coast, eventually ends on Mars. Throughout, he manages to weave an interesting narrative, replete with detailed personal observations of the scientists and engineers he encounters along the way, which is interspersed with some fairly decent Mars science written in layspeak. The author recounts the often-rancorous Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) team meetings and the clash of egos between scientists pushing their own competing theories and hypotheses about Mars. He encounters scientists in the nascent astrobiology community, some of who are veterans from the Viking mission to Mars of the mid-1970's, and who have bittersweet memories of the main finding from that mission, namely that Mars was a lifeless world. He smoothly segues into the modern view (based on more recent analyses) that the question of life on Mars, either extant or extinct, may not be a closed issue. The reader is caught up in the excitement and the glimpses into the inner sanctum, which is made all the more fascinating because the subject is the Red Planet. The reading is pleasurable (I read the entire book in two sittings) and insightful, but there are a few problems. As a scientist, I am trained to be alert to what is termed "observational bias", which, upon careful reading, appears to raise its head in the pages of the book. It is almost axiomatic that scientists, as well as science teams, tend to be very competitive. So it is not surprising that Bergreen appears to view the world primarily through the prism of the MOLA team. Indeed, he seems to accept their characterizations of others (especially competitors on the other MGS science teams); an interesting parallel to Stockholm syndrome. Additionally, given that Bergreen is really not a "participant" in the normal sense of the word, there are the inevitable factual errors (mostly minor) that are sprinkled throughout the book. Without wanting to appear as a nitpicker, I'll list a few that came to my attention:

Page 104: "...the same moment in 1993 when Mars Observer slipped behind Mars and never resumed contact with Earth." Fact: The failed Mars Observer spacecraft lost contact with Earth three days BEFORE Mars Orbit Insertion and Earth occultation.

Page 104: "For the first time in twenty-one years, a spacecraft [Mars Global Surveyor] was orbiting Mars." Fact: The author is apparently unaware of the Soviet Phobos 2 spacecraft, which successfully entered Mars orbit on January 29, 1989, although the spacecraft was lost in March of 1989 when controllers lost contact while it was approaching its primary target, Phobos, the larger of the two Martian moons.

Page 111: "...[Mars Observer] and finally launched in 1991." Fact: Mars Observer launched in 1992.

Page 114: "He's [Malin] a member of the MOLA team." Fact: Dr. Michael C. Malin is Principal Investigator for the Mars Orbiter Camera team and a Co-Investigator for the Thermal Emission Spectrometer team; he is not a member of the MOLA team, and would therefore normally not be expected to attend their meetings. This "factual error" by the author is less innocuous than it appears and perhaps was colored by observational bias accruing from his association with the MOLA team. Moreover, the misidentification is used to strengthen his claims that Malin is secretive, elusive, one who holds onto data, and one who does not respond to email, etc., which do not appear to be well-supported by the facts, although one can easily believe that the MOLA team encouraged this view. In fairness, though, it is possible that the author simply confused membership on the MOLA team with membership on the much larger and more inclusive MGS Project Science Group.

Page 138: "...and the Journal of Geophysics Review." Fact: After checking with the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) online database, I discovered that no such journal exists. It is likely that the author confused two separate journals, the Journal of Geophysical Research and Geophysical Research Letters, both of which are key publications for planetary scientists.

Page 205: "Stardust will swing around Mars..." Fact: The Stardust spacecraft did not and will not "swing around Mars." It does, however, travel beyond Mars' orbit, but never comes closer than several million kilometers to the Red Planet at any time during its baseline mission.

Page 216: "And a little camera will pop up..." Fact: The author, while apparently describing a portion of the mission profile for the two Deep Space 2 penetrators (part of the failed Mars Surveyor 98 mission), incorrectly describes their instrument packages. There was no camera aboard either of the impact probes; however, Bergreen may be referring to the Surface Stereo Imager, a camera system aboard the Mars Polar Lander.

Despite these errors (which might have been eliminated by more careful proofreading and better research), the book is a fascinating read and, given the relative lack of publicity on the subject, a good source of information on the current state of Mars exploration efforts. If for no other reason, though, I would recommend the book for its introduction to the reader of some of the key figures in Mars exploration, past and present, which gives a personality to the often obscure names that are only found in science journals.

This book not only provided expert subject matter, it also provided a lot of good templates/resources to take advantage of. Whether you are seasoned interviewed/recruiter or just starting in the process, this book will put in the right direction of the true interview.

This books leads you through the application process from the employer viewpoint. It shows you where to, what to consider and how to circumvent traps.

It doesn't provide you with worksheet-like lists where you can make crosses to evaluate the candidate.

This is an updated version of an old book about interviewing techniques. It is reasonably up-to-date, but it takes a rather quaint view of the hiring process. It assumes that a typical company has a large and politically powerful human-resources department which has been given vast amounts of time, staff, and resources to engage in a fastidiously objective hiring process. It also assumes that a company's management actually knows what the firm's future personnel needs are. Most unrealistically of all, it assumes that HR and line managers actually communicate with one another. Even in 1968 when Chiron & Fears wrote the first edition of this book, this was a pollyannaish viewpoint. In 2003, their assumptions add up to a ludicrous fantasy.

The heart of the book is a detailed explanation of a methodology for conducting structured hiring interviews. It also covers yearly perfomance reviews and related topics. The authors frankly describe how to create an illusory rapport with the interviewee while homing in on the character flaws which might make him or her unfit to hold the job he or she is interviewing for. The flaws the authors think you should be particularly worried about are laziness and stupidity.

It is a useful book for anyone who has to do hiring interviews, even when the company is trying to cut corners in the hiring process. It is even more useful for the interviewee, because after the reading the book, you have a better idea what the person on the other side of the desk is looking for. (By the way, the authors tell interviewers to AVOID sitting on the far side of a desk.)

It is worth buying the book just for the discussion of the dreaded "strengths and weaknesses" question. You should admit to a weakness while proving you don't really have that weakness. A good weakness to admit to seems to be "I don't work hard enough"--- assuming you can convince the interviewer that you are in fact a workaholic.

I have taken a sarcastic view of this book's content, but it is well worth reading and contains many excellent suggestions. Although I personally don't agree with many aspects of Chiron and Fears' methodology, I do think the business world would be a more humane place if more companies used a similar methodology (or just about ANY methodology) to evaluate job applicants.

I gave the book a 5th star for actually being readable and entertaining (unlike most management books.)

I used this book in my homeschool dissection club and found that it is a good reference tool, but lacks a thorough description of the internal anatomy. The diagrams of the internal anatomy are also very vague. This book is best used with online dissecton diagrams and instuctions. In a nutshell, this book came in handy every time I dissected, but only after I had a complete understanding of the internal anatomy of the specimen from other sources.

I have been looking for a book about dissection for many years. Now I have found one. This book is graet. Besides have detailed discription on dissections it also has many experiment to go with the dissection. This book is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a privileged owner of the 1961 edition of this book, having bought it in a jumble sale in 1984 for a mere Singapore 70 cents (less for U.S.). Open-ended & with great science projects, this book defies obsolescence and is a must for any parent/nation committed in honing young minds into the field of experimental biology and science.

With this book, William Berman leaves a legacy which plays surrogate to any young inquiring mind wishing for the most inspiring biology teacher.

To William Berman...Thanks!

Christmas time this past year I was told that I had heavy metal poisoning from dental amalgams. After many months, many doctors and thousands of dollars trying to find an answer,in this book I found descriptions of all my symptoms that I had not found in other books. He told about how it effects the brain and every cell in the body. This book is very detailed and well researched. I found information in this book that I didn't find in other books or doctors. I am now recovering after amalgam removal. If you have amalgam (mercury fillings), and are having health problems this could be the answer. It was mine.

I have suffered from mercury amalgam poisoning. This book covers a great deal of important scientific inquiry into this important issue. It describes the danger of mercury vapor (as opposed to leaking solid mercury) and details exactly how the mercury is taken in through the nose, and also through the nerves, and crosses the blood-brain barrier going directly to the brain! If you really want information on micromercurial poisoning, you will find it in this book.

The only problem is that you have to be really dedicated to the issue to read this book. The book seems to be a fairly poor translation from the original Swedish. Items are repeated, and the entire book seems to meander, switching from one topic to another, then later back again. Patience is needed, but the info is there and is valuable.

Patrick Stortebecker goes into a great amount of detail explaining HOW mercury is transmitted from amalgams to the brain. From a medical standpoint, this book should convince any doctor who is willing to read it, how serious amalgam poisoning really is. Other books I've read on amalgam poisoning never really explained how mercury reaches the brain. They just assumed it did. This book proves it! This is a must read for anyone who needs a medical explanation to how mercury travels from the teeth to the brain and bloodstream. The book is a dry read (clinically unemotional) with a purely medical tone. The author was an associate professor to neurology and reads somewhat like a medical book rather than a novel. Be prepared to digest it slowly. The Swedish translation is a bit rough. If this book doesn't convince you or your doctor of the dangers of mercury poisoning, then nothing will.

Michael Hanlon has written a book which captures the excitement of getting Galileo to Jupiter. This includes lots of engineering and management fixes to keep things on track, as well as the euphoria when everything finally works, esp. with the atmospheric probe and the Jupiter orbital insertion. He also describes very well the neat science learned while in orbit, esp. the Europa ocean debate.

My only problem with the book is that it's kind of at the PR-level of knowledge. That is, if you were following along with the mission, then there's probably not a lot new to learn here. (If you weren't following along, then feel free to disregard this review! :-) There are some interesting new tidbits, like the proposed work on an underground lake in Antarctica, to prepare for a drilling mission on Europa.

Journeys of exploration have always been risky ventures. When the trip involves several years over millions of kilometres, the odds of unblemished success grow enormous. Engaging in such a venture in the realm of space, almost beyond the reach of human control suggests hazards beyond imagining. This book describes such a venture, perhaps the most ambitious ever undertaken. That the measure of success achieved was so great is a tribute to all those who planned and implemented it. Michael Hanlon gives us a ringside seat in his portrayal of the journey of the Galileo Mission to Jupiter. Although not a participant, he ably captures the dedication and skills of the Mission Team. Further, he's able to place us in the space vehicle as it traversed one of the most bizarre journeys ever undertaken.

The Galileo Mission was spurred by the preceding Pioneer and Voyager missions of the 1970s. These four robots cruised through the outer solar system, returning stunning views of the largest planet and its associates beyond. In doing so, they raised numerous and unanswerable questions about our neighbours in space. Unlike the previous probes, Hanlon takes us through the planning that led Galileo's flight to Venus, back past Earth to its final destination far out in the solar system. The efforts put into the flight brought Galileo to within 5 km of its intended position when it arrived at Venus - a staggering achievement.

All the planning and engineering couldn't prevent problems, however. NASA's attempt to open the main transmitting antenna failed when some minor pins failed to release. When Galileo arrived at its primary destination, the antenna looked like an umbrella wracked by high winds. NASA used other methods to maintain communication, resulting in the stunning images seen here. It was a frustrating experience for the mission team, yet Galileo added a treasure house of new information about our neighbours in space.

We are so accustomed to the notion that we are the sole home of life, that the problems surrounding Galileo's termination render this issue the most bizarre of the trip. Europa, the ice-coated satellite of Jupiter, may contain living organisms in its hidden sea. In order not to contaminate that life, if it exists, Galileo had to be purposely sacrificed. Hanlon describes the options and why each was considered worthwhile. Galileo went to explore the Jovian system and was still transmitting images as he completed this vividly descriptive work. He is to be commended for a gripping account. We may be the only life in this group of planets, but Galileo's records give us a major argument to continue our search for life elsewhere. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

In `The Worlds of Galileo', Mike Hanlon, one of Britain's leading newspaper science editors, relates how NASA's Galileo spacecraft overcame a series of severe problems and went on to revolutionise our understanding of the Jovian system.

Drawing upon interviews with the key participants, Hanlon explains the project's origin in the cash-strapped 1970s, the political travails of the early 1980s, and the redesign in the aftermath of the Challenger accident. After the spacecraft's epic voyage out to Jupiter, he focuses upon the astonishing `fire and ice' moons of volcanic Io and Europa, where there appears to be an ocean beneath a thin shell of ice.

Hanlon handles the geological discussion with ease, so this is a highly readable account. Certainly, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who contributed the foreword, was impressed. Finally, St Martins Press is to be congratulated for having produced a very handsome volume with colour imagery throughout.