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Science Books
July 7, 2005
Seen and Unseen: Discovering the Microbes of Yellowstone
B. Sheehan, David J. Patterson, Brett Leigh Dicks, Joan M. Henson (2005)
ISBN: 0762730935
While full praise should go to the photographers, biologists and microbiologists who made Seen and Unseen possible, it is Yellowstone National Park that is the star of this tremendously entertaining and informative book. Yellowstone National Park’s landscape has been shaped by millennia of natural water and ice movements, with its main feature being no less than a massive volcanic caldera. Unlike many nature books that set out to explore the flora and fauna of well-known natural landmarks, Seen and Unseen literally puts Yellowstone National Park under the microscope. Residing in every lake, wetland and animal is the unseen world of the microbe - bacteria, algae, diatoms, and other microscopic organisms - that make-up the world we see. In order to provide some perspective, there are spectacular photographs of both the tiny life-forms and the location in which they were found. To demonstrate the heat tolerance of one type of bacteria we see lush images of the hot spring where it resides, or the bison whose digestion of grass is aided by yet another variety of microbe. That each of the contributors to this book are leaders in their respective fields will come as no surprise to anyone inspired by the informative scientific explanations and wondrous state-of-the-art photography.
Farewell to the Internal Clock: A contribution in the field of chronobiology
Gunter Klein, Peter Becker (2005)
ISBN: 0387403159
Chronobiology is a field of biology that studies external physical phenomena and time relative to living organisms. Gunter Klein argues that humans should be considered squarely under the influence of forces such as tides and lunar cycles. While many would consider Klein’s hypothesis a controversial and provocative one that verges on pseudoscience, he introduces his book as follows: "This book is not a contribution to the numerous superstitious beliefs relating to the moon. Rather, the following will demonstrate and above all prove by means of experiments which can be reproduced at any time that the moon does in fact influence certain biological rhythms, evoking them and determining their timing." There is little doubt that humans live much of their lives via an internal bodyclock, such as the 24-hour daily biological cycle known as the circadian rhythm, but the question remains as to whether these behaviours are learned or imposed. Klein addresses these questions and more, offering a new scientific perspective on ancient and mystical questions. Klein argues his case convincingly throughout the book, and whether you agree or disagree with his conclusions, the debates and discussions that will rage as a result of Klein’s work will encourage further explorations into this intriguing field of study.
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