Scientific Man-Power in Great Britaindoi: 10.1038/163617a0pmid: 18118521
THE recent debates on defence and on man-power in the House of commons have one feature in common. Though the more responsible speeches there ran a thread of anxiety as to the man-power resources of Great Britain ; whether that distribution was, in fact the most appropriate for current and future needs, and whether the most effective use was being made of man-power in the occupations where it is at present deployed. In the defence debate, concern as to the actual targets for man power was expressed on the Government side of the House, notably in regard to recruiting both for the Army and for the Air Force. Further, the Minister of Defence referred to his intention of expanding the research staffs in the scientific services, which for the last two or three years have been kept below the desired strength because of what were regarded as the more urgent claims of the universities, the teaching profession and industry, in accordance with the priorities recommended in the Barlow Report on scientific man-power.
Glacial Geology and the Pleistocene EpochSANDFORD, K. S.
doi: 10.1038/163619b0pmid: N/A
PROF. R. F. FLINT'S distinguished work in the broad field of glacial geology has been prominent for a generation, and his book is important for that and for other reasons. It deals with the Pleistocene period from the points of view of a geologist and of glaciologist. Characteristically, perhaps, the author used stream-terrace data as little as possible, and indeed much of the field work in North America lends itself to the successful pursuit of other methods. Correlation, perennially a difficult subject, is treated so far as possible on geological evidence, not on archæology. The author strives to avoid deduction from any theory of climatic fluctuation which sets up a fixed chronology ; he incorporates with his own wide knowledge and experience a considered opinion of an enormous amount of literature, of which a formidable list occupies some forty pages. Significant is the author's introductory statement that "a continuous effort has been made to discriminate between reasoning by induction from field evidence and reasoning by deduction from assumed general conditions" ; and there, in a sentence, lies the duty of every scientific worker in the field, laboratory and library.
CarotinoideCOOK, A. H.
doi: 10.1038/163619a0pmid: N/A
POSSIBLY no better example can be found of astonishingly rapid development of the chemistry of a widely distributed and exceedingly complex group of natural compounds, following upon the introduction of micromethods and specially devised processes, than is afforded by the carotenoids. The first monograph devoted to this topic, "Carotenoids and Related Pigments" (by L. S. Palmer ; New Fork, 1922), contained virtually no detail of structural significance, though this was soon to appear (see, for example, "Carotenoide", by F. Meyer in Meyer-Jacobsen's "Lehrbuch der organischen Chemie", first and second editions, vol. 2, chapter 5 ; 1929). The adoption of micromethods of oxidation and reduction, the recognition of light absorption of the carotenoids as a valuable characteristic, and, above all, the timely revival of chromatographic analysis, without which the development of carotenoid chemistry might well have been delayed for years, resulted in a surprisingly swift revelation of the main outlines of the chemistry of natural polyenes.
Theory of Groups and its Application to Physical ProblemsCOOKE, R. G.
doi: 10.1038/163620a0pmid: N/A
IT is an obvious truism to say that the day is long past when each 'branch' of science was placed in a separate water tight compartment on its own, divorced from all the other 'branches'. On the contrary, it has become increasingly clear in recent years that these 'branches' are unified in one collective science, and that an advance in one 'branch' will offen lead, at a later date, to an advance in some apparently totally different field of investigation.
Shrubs and Trees for Australian GardensSALISBURBY, E. J.
doi: 10.1038/163620b0pmid: N/A
THE flora of Australia is one that has always attracted the norticulturist as well as the botanist, both on account of the beauty of many of its species and also because of the high proportion of endemic types. The present work, which is written in nontechnical language by a landscape architect and former curator of parks, treats of the trees and shrubs grown in Australia with respect to their horticultural value. To this end the descriptive matter is not such as to serve for the identification of species, but rather for assessing their garden significance and appropriateness for diverse purposes. Sections treat of the trees and shrubs recommended for the various climatic zones in Australia and for special requirements such as for town and roadside planting, those suitable for arid conditions, for the seaside and for small gardens.
Leitfähigkeit und Leitungsmechanismus fester StoffeEISENSCHITZ, R.
doi: 10.1038/163621a0pmid: N/A
THIS book originetes from a lecture course which the author, himstelf an experimental physicist, gave during the war to an audience consisting largely of electrical engineers, with the aim of bridging the gap between the outlook of engineers and physicists. The book covers a field somewhat wider than the diginal lectures and is written partly in collaboration with experts on special subjects.
Crystal StructuresLIPSON, H.
doi: 10.1038/163622a0pmid: N/A
IN 1931 Dr. R.W. G. Wyckoff's "Structure of Crystals" was published and was followed by a supplement in the year 1934 ; these volumes contained of crystal-structure determinations up to about 1933, and many X-ray crystallographers will have found them of utmost value, both as sources of information about structures and as sources of references.
AsparagusSTOUGHTON, R. H.
doi: 10.1038/163623d0pmid: N/A
THAT delectable vegetable, asparagus, has been cultivated man for more than two thousand years ; the elder cato speaks of its cultivation, and it may be presumed that it was known and grown long before that time. Yet in all this long time it has changed little in its character, and, as the author of this book points out, no really fixed and distinct forms or varieties have been produced. It is strange that so esteemed a luxury should never have received much attention from plant-breeders. Largely through chance, Mr. A. W. Kidner took up the problem of selection and breeding of giant forms of asparagus, and through long years of empirical observation, isolation and cross-fertilization developed strains of superlative quality. There is no doubt of the success that has attended his efforts, and they show what might still be done if the genetics of the plant were really worked out and strains homozygous for the desirable qualities fixed.
An Introduction to Mathematicsdoi: 10.1038/163623c0pmid: N/A
THAT the late Prof. A. N. Whitehead's little volume should establish itself as a classic is not surprising. It was published in the "Home University Library" in 1911, was reprinted about eight times and finally was reset in its present form in 1948 under the supervision of Prof. J. H. C. Whitehead, of Oxford, the late author's nephew. The diagrams have been re-drawn ; but apart from the correction of inaccuracies and typographical errors, the author's original wording has, in no instance, been altered. In the reset edition the number of pages has been reduced from 256 to 191 ; but the text is still quite clear and readable. In seeking to explain the nature of mathematics, it still affords a very interesting account of how mathematics forms the background of all science.