IsaacAshovb BOOKOF SCIEI\CEN \ Editedb y IsaacA simou and A. Shulman lason A BLUE CLIFF EDITIONS BOOK - XN WeidenfeUWtf:; Copyright @ 1988b y Blue Cliff Editions, Inc. All rights reservedN. o reproductiono f this book in whole or in part or in any form may be madew ithout written authorizationo f the copyright owner. Publishedb y Weidenfeld& Nicolson, New York A Division of Vheatland Corporation 10 East5 3rd Street New York, NY 10022 Publishedin Canadab y GeneraPl ublishingC ompany,L td. Due to limitationso f spacep, ermissionsa ppearo n Page 337. Library of CongressC ataloging-in-PublicatioDn ata IsaacA simov'sb ook of sciencea ndn atureq uotations/ editedb y Isaac Asimov andJasonA . Shulman.-lst ed. p. cm. 'A Blue Cliff editionsb ook." Includesi ndex. rsBN 1-555-84111-2 1. Science-Quotations,m axims, etc. I. Asimov,l saac,I 92A- II. Shulman,J ason. Iil. Title: Book of sciencea ndn ature quotations. Q173.r831 983 87-22489 5oo-dc19 cIP Manufacturedin the United Stateso f America Designedb y lrving PerkinsA ssociatesI,n c. First Edition 1098765432r FOR MY DAUGHTER ARIANA ELIZABETH: May the Seasst ayD rE andt he Skys tayH W May yourH eait ttoy Oput andB eautfyiU yourE yt, J. A. S. Acklrowledg*ents THts BooK could not haveb een createdw ithout a number of peopleI would like to acknowledg. here: A*y Appleby, ash ead researcherw, as responsiblef or gathering mosr of the raw material used in the book. Her skill in findirg quotarions for every subject I could conceive of (and some she inventedl) was truly amtzing. This proJectc ould not have gotten out of its infancy without her care and work. SusanW alker not only added many of the quotations, but did much of the original researchi n finding quotations from news stories and scientific abstracts alike. Her contribution has been to add primary material to this book, and thereby make it useful to both scholarsa nd lay people for years to come. Elizabeth Guss added additional primary material and helped us add the spice that made the final work more flavorful. Peter Pickow created the original programmirg we used to collect the databaseth at eventually becamet his book. We areg rateful to have a Pickow original in our computer. Mark Polizzotti, our editor at Weidenfeld & Nicolsor, nor only read and commented in detail on the entire manuscript, but like a good gardener helped us pull out weeds and add new plants in barren spors. Jackie Ogburn, as managirg editor of Blue Cliff Editions, had the truly mammothjob of organrzing aUt he raw material into a recog1y1z- ably literate form. This took erudition, intelligence, fortitude, and patience.I t took the ability tojuggle thousandso fbits ofinformarion on the computer and have it turn out right. It took a knowledge of philosophy, science, and the art of bookmaking. Ms. Ogburn also played a vital role in the basic organization of this book, from adding quotations in areaso f dearth and implementing changes in categories that enhanced the final structure of the work, to adding her editorial voice in the final choice of marerial itself vlt vul Acknowledgmel:Its Finally,m y thankst o IsaacA simov the inspirationo f my boyhood. He is the man who, more than any other,t aught me that the subjecto f sciencec an be passionatea nd exciting, and that the study of science warms the soul while it enlightenst he mind. Thank you to all. JasoN SHuruAN Contents FOREV/ORD xiii INTRODUCTION xix 1. Aeronautics 3 2. Agriculture 8 3. Anatomy 1,2 4. Animal Behavior 15 5. Anthropology 18 6. Archaeology 22 7. Astronomy 26 8. The Atom 31 9. Biochemistry 34 10. Biology 36 17. Botany 39 72. Chemistry 43 13. Comets and Meteors 47 14. Computer Science 51 15. Cytology 54 16. Dietetics 57 17. The Earth 61 19. Ecology 64 19. Electricity and Electronics 69 20. Embryology 73 21. Energy 75 ?2. Engineering 78 ?3. Entomology 80 24. Error 83 25. Evolution 86 26. Experiment 94 27. Fact 97 28. Forestry 101 29. Genetics 104 30. Geology 108 31. Gravity 1,12 32. Hypothesis 114 33. Invention 117 y. Laboratory 121 Contents r23 35. Light 125 36. Linguistics 132 37. Logic 1,34 38. Marine Biology r37 39. Matter r40 40. Medicine 151 41,. Meteotology 156 42. Microbiology 159 43. Mineralogy 1& 4. The Moon 167 45. Narural Law 171, M. Nature 176 47. Nuclear Energy 180 48. Nuclear Weapons 183 49. Observation 186 50. Oceanography 189 51. Optics 192 52. The Origin of Life 1,97 53. Ornithology 202 54. Paleontology 207 55. Parapsychology 2t0 56. Physics 21,4 57. Physiology 218 58. The Planets 22r 59. Probability 2?3 ffi. Psychology and PsychiatrY 233 6I. Radiation 235 62. Reproduction 239 63. Research 243 &. Science 65. Sciencea nd Art 251 255 6. Sciencea nd Education 262 67. Sciencea nd Journalism 265 68. Sciencea nd Mathematics 268 69. Sciencea nd Philosophy 270 70. Sciencea nd Politics 273 71. Sciencea nd Religion 28r 72. Sciencea nd SocietY 284 73. Scientific Apparatus 287 74. Scientific Funding 290 75. Scientific Method 294 76. Scientists 301 77. Sociology Contents 78. SpaceE xploration 306 79. The Stars 309 80. SubjectiveS ciences 312 81. The Sun 31s 82. Thxonomy 318 83. Technology 321 84. Theory 324 85. The LJniverse 328 86. Zoology 334 INDEX 339