Break- Breakthroughs in Science Isaac Asimov Illustrated by Karoly and Szanto Isaac Asimov here describes the astonishing achievements of that small group of scientists who have broken through to new worlds for mankind. Working for the most part alone in their laboratories, they were the first to venture into uncharted and awe-inspiring areas of thought. But the results of their leaps into the unknown affect our lives everyday. There is Archimedes who showed how one man could drag a heavy ship and whose in ventions are even todaysavingmen from back- breaking work; there are Copernicus and Galileo who laid the foundations of modern astronomy; Jenner, the first man to use vac cination; Marie and Pierre Curie who paved the way for the Atomic Age; and Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry. And there are many others from every field of science. As with anything Professor Asimov writes, the book is unfailingly entertaining as well as informative. "When this material was first serialized in Scholastic Magazine, the response was so favorable that it is now being made available in permanent form. The original half-tone illustrations prepared by Karoly and Szanto have been retained and provide a lively visual counterpart to the text. The breath-takingadvances that science has made in recent years tend to obscure the im portant and dramaticwork ofearlier pioneers, yet it is their discoveries that have made our present knowledge possible. This book will restore the perspective for younger readers, givingthem a wealth ofhistorical information and providing an inspiration for those plan ning a career in science. 10 up Ajges KANSASCITY,MO.PUBLICLIBRARY D DDD1 DSD7bSb 509 A83fc 66-07653 Asitnov in science Breafctoro-ughs 509 A83b 66-07653 Asimov $^.00 Breakbhrougb.s in science ' Breakthroughs -Scie:ice Breakthroughs t? Theseessaysfirstappearedin SeniorScholastic Thanks are due thefollowingindividualswho acted as consultantsinthe preparation oftheseries: DR.JOHNR. DUNNING Dean, School ofEngineering Columbia University, NewYork DR. MAURICE EWING Director, Lamont Geological Observatory NewYork Palisades, DR. JOHNE. NAFE Lamont Geological Observatory New York Palisades, DR. ALFREDE.MIRSKY Professor and Member Rockefeller Institute NewYork,New York DR. HERBERT C. BROWN ProfessorofChemistry Purdue University Lafayette, Indiana COPYRIGHT 1959 BY SCHOLASTIC MAGAZINES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN ANY FORM. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER: 60-9092 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. By the same author Fiction Pebble in the Sky Robot I, The Stars Like Dust Foundation Foundation and Empire The Currents of Space Second Foundation The Caves of Steel The Martian Way and Other Stories The End of Eternity The Naked Sun Room Earth is Enough The Death Dealers Nine Tomorrows Non-Fiction and Human Metabolism* Biochemistry The Chemicals of Life Races and People* Chemistry and Human Health* Atom Inside the Building Blocks ofthe Universe Only a Trillion The World of Carbon The "World ofNitrogen Words of Science Realm ofNumbers Realm of Measure Breakthroughs in Science * in collaboration