Kathleen Lonsdale

Women of Science is a collection of essays dealing with contributions women have made to various scientific disciplines, written by women scientists in those disciplines. The areas covered are: astronomy, archaeology, biology, chemistry, crystallography, engineering, geology, mathematics, medicine, and physics. The women who have written these essays are, for the most part, not professional historians, but rather scientific professionals who felt the necessity of researching the contributions women have made to the devlopment of their fields. The essays are unique, not only because they recover lost women who made significant contributions to their disciplines, but also because they are written with a depth of understanding that only a scientist working in a specific area can have. The essays will be of interest not only to students (especially women students) of science who may be unaware of the many contributions women have made, but also to readers of the history of science whoses texts more often than not fail to include the work of most women scientists.

Biographies of more than 100 Irish scientists (or those with strong Irish connections), in the disciplines of Chemistry and Physics, including Astronomy, Mathematics etc., describing them in their Irish and international scientific, social, educational and political context. Written in an attractive informal style for the hypothetical 'educated layman' who does not need to have studied science. Well received in Irish and international reviews.

Though rarely noted, women have been active participants in the chemical sciences since the beginning of recorded history. This thought-provoking book brings to life the many talented women who--besides the universally respected Marie Curie--made significant contributions to chemistry. The Rayner-Canhams examine the forces that have defined women's roles in the progress of chemistry, observing that many were thwarted from capitalizing on their achievements by the prejudices of their time. Their book discusses women chemists from as far past as the Babylonian civilization but focuses on professional women chemists from the mid-19th century, when women gained access to higher education. Read this book and learn about the chemist-assistants of the French salons, about independent researchers in the 19th century, about the three disciplinary havens for women in the 20th century, about how war helped bring women into the chemical industry--and much more!

Crystallography is one of the most multidisciplinary sciences, with roots in fields as varied as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, computation and earth and planetary science. The structural knowledge gained from crystallography has been instrumental in acquiring new levels of understanding in numerous scientific areas. Perspectives in Crystallography provides an overview of the current state of the field, reviews its historical origins and explains how crystallography contributes to the sustainability of life. This book resonates with the recent United Nations and UNESCO International Year of Crystallography, a celebration of its achievements and importance, undertaken with the International Union of Crystallography. The author of this book is the editor in chief of Crystallography Reviews, where some of the contents have been previously published. Here, subjects of interest to specialists and non-specialists have been brought together in a single source. The book opens with a description of the ways to explain crystallography to diverse general audiences. It also addresses various topics in crystallography, including: The evolution and importance of synchrotron radiation to crystallography The structural chemistry and biology of colouration in marine crustacea Predicting protonation states of proteins versus crystallographic experimentation The book then offers a projection of crystal structure analysis in the next 100 years and concludes by emphasizing the societal impacts of crystallography that allow for sustainability of life. Perspectives in Crystallography offers a threefold look into the past, present and long-term development and relevance of crystal structure analysis. It is concerned not only with the state of the field, but with its role in the perpetuation of life on earth. As such, it is a reference of vital interest to a broad range of analytical and practical sciences.

Each topic is treated from the beginning, without assuming prior knowledge. Each chapter starts with an opening section covering an application. These help students to understand the relevance of the topic: they are motivational and they make the text more accessible to the majority of students. Concept Maps have been added, which together with Summaries throughout, aid understanding of main ideas and connections between topics. Margin points highlight key points, making the text more accessible for learning and revision. Checkpoints in each chapter test students' understanding and support their private study.

Inspired by the lapidaries of the ancient world, this book is a beautifully designed collection of true stories about sixty different stones that have influenced our shared history The earliest scientists ground and processed minerals in a centuries-long quest for a mythic stone that would prolong human life. Michelangelo climbed mountains in Tuscany searching for the sugar-white marble that would yield his sculptures. Catherine the Great wore the wealth of Russia stitched in gemstones onto the front of her bodices. Through the realms of art, myth, geology, philosophy and power, the story of humanity can be told through the minerals and materials that have allowed us to evolve and create. From the Taiwanese national treasure known as the Meat-Shaped Stone to Malta’s prehistoric “fat lady” temples carved in globigerina limestone to the amethyst crystals still believed to have healing powers, Lapidarium is a jewel box of sixty far-flung stones and the stories that accompany them. Together, they explore how human culture has formed stone, and the roles stone has played in forming human culture.

UCL has one of the foremost university Special Collections in the UK. It is a treasure trove of national and international importance, comprising over a million items dating from the 4th-century AD to the present day. Treasures from UCL draws together detailed descriptions and images of 70 of the most prized items. Between the magnificent illuminated Latin Bible of the 13th-century and the personal items of one of the 20th-century’s greatest writers, George Orwell, the many highlights of this remarkable collection will delight and intrigue anyone who picks up this book.

During the early decades of the Cold War, the People's Republic of China remained outside much of mainstream international science. Nevertheless, Chinese scientists found alternative channels through which to communicate and interact with counterparts across the world, beyond simple East/West divides. By examining the international activities of elite Chinese scientists, Gordon Barrett demonstrates that these activities were deeply embedded in the Chinese Communist Party's wider efforts to win hearts and minds from the 1940s to the 1970s. Using a wide range of archival material, including declassified documents from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Archive, Barrett provides fresh insights into the relationship between science and foreign relations in the People's Republic of China.