Who names newly discovered planets? What exactly are black holes? Where are there the most earthquakes? When did the first Homo sapiens walk the earth? Why is the night sky dark? How does the fluoride in toothpaste prevent cavities? Since 1845, Scientific American has answered questions and provided the best information available in all areas of science. Now, Scientific American is proud to present an accessible, one-volume reference covering all the sciences. Whether you want to examine the tiniest microbes, the properties of the earth's core, or the farthest reaches of space, this handy desk reference is the resource to turn to for the answers you need. * Over 500 biographies of key science figures * Thousands of glossary terms * Hundreds of useful Web sites * Tables, charts, diagrams, and illustrations * Sidebars featuring fascinating facts, mnemonic aids, and quizzes * Essays exploring ideas in-depth

Under the auspices of one of the world's premier libraries, The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference offers the most comprehensive single volume available of frequently needed information on science. More than a simple dictionary or encyclopedia yet easier to use and understand than a textbook, it offers an enormous wealth of information on each of the major scientific disciplines, including: topic overviews, definitions of terms and theories, lists and descriptions of key scientists and discoveries, tables and charts of commonly needed scientific data, lists of additional sources of information...and lots more. Best of all, this reference is written and designed to be both accurate and accessible. More than 100 original state-of-the-art computer illustrations illuminate the text, while countless sidebars present information on connected topics, and extensive cross-references make it easy to explore related issues. Finally, an entire chapter is devoted to resources, including such useful information as a complete list of Nobel Prize winners and names and addresses of scientific organizations, publications, museums, nature centers, and other places to visit.