Research and Discovery: Landmarks and Pioneers in American Science

This three-volume reference work consists primarily of half-page to page-long entries providing information on scientific progress in the United States from European settlement to the present. Arranged in 14 sections according to the disciplines of natural history, geography, botany, biology, medicine and health, geosciences, social sciences, behavioral sciences, astronomy, physics, chemistry, mathematics and computer science, applied science, and history and philosophy of science, the entries cover important figures, including scientists, educators, inventors, and administrators; educational, scientific, professional, and governmental organizations; and landmark events. Each section opens with three to four in-depth essays on broader topics and themes concerning the relevant discipline's development over the course of American history. Each section also contains a handful of documents (e.g., the section on geosciences appends excerpts of an 18th-century astronomical journal, description of comets from a 19th century astronomy textbook, and Percival Lowell's description of Mars). Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)