Thomas Hankins and Robert Silverman investigate an array of instruments from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century that seem at first to be marginal to science--magnetic clocks that were said to operate by the movements of sunflower seeds, magic lanterns, ocular harpsichords (machines that played different colored lights in harmonious mixtures), Aeolian harps (a form of wind chime), and other instruments of "natural magic" designed to produce wondrous effects. By looking at these and the first recording instruments, the stereoscope, and speaking machines, the authors show that "scientific instruments" first made their appearance as devices used to evoke wonder in the beholder, as in works of magic and the theater.

The authors also demonstrate that these instruments, even though they were often "tricks," were seen by their inventors as more than trickery. In the view of Athanasius Kircher, for instance, the sunflower clock was not merely a hoax, but an effort to demonstrate, however fraudulently, his truly held belief that the ability of a flower to follow the sun was due to the same cosmic magnetic influence as that which moved the planets and caused the rotation of the earth. The marvels revealed in this work raise and answer questions about the connections between natural science and natural magic, the meaning of demonstration, the role of language and the senses in science, and the connections among art, music, literature, and natural science.

Originally published in 1999.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This book describes the developmental history of the vacuum system of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) at the Japan Electron Optics Laboratory (JEOL) from its inception to its use in today's high-technology microscopes. The author and his colleagues were engaged in developing vacuum technology for electron microscopes (JEM series) at JEOL for many years. This volume presents a summary and explanation of their work and the technology that makes possible a clean ultrahigh vacuum. The typical users of the TEM are top-level researchers working at the frontiers of new materials or with new biological specimens. They often use the TEM under extremely severe conditions, with problems sometimes occurring in the vacuum system of the microscopes. JEOL engineers then must work as quickly as possible to improve the vacuum evacuation system so as to prevent the recurrence of such problems. Among the wealth of explanatory material in this book are examples of users' reports of problems in the vacuum system of the JEM, such as the occurrence of a micro-discharge and the back-streaming of the diffusion pump (DP) oil vapor. This work is a valuable resource for researchers who use the transmission electron microscope and for engineers and scientists interested in its technology.

The growth of interest and research activity in X -ray microscopy is reflected in the increasing size and scope of a related series of international conferences, the latest of which (XRM90) was held at King's College London (3-7 September 1990) with over 130 delegates. Previous conferences in Gottingen and Brookhaven resulted in books in the Springer Series in Optical Sciences, and this volume, the proceedings of XRM90, maintains this tradition. Because of the large number of papers their lengths were strictly limited and, while most papers can be directly identified with conference presentations, in a few cases those on similar topics by the same authors have been combined into a longer paper to allow better use of the space. The book is divided into six parts, with Parts IT-VI covering the major areas of interest at the conference. In Part 1 are two overviews; Ron Burge presented the opening paper of the conference, while the closing, summary, contrlbution by Janos Kirz is included here as a comprehensive introduction to the remainder of the book. Part IT covers developments in X -ray sources and optics. The high average brightnesses of synchrotron radiation sources have made many applications pos sible, while the more convenient, laboratory-based, plasma sources offer much promise for the future. Several contributions report significant advances in X-ray optics, which must clearly continue fully to exploit the latest sources.

This volume is based on papers presented at the International Symposium on X-Ray Microscopy held at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY, August 31-September 4, 1987. Previous recent symposia on the sub ject were held in New York in 1979, Gottingen in 1983 and Taipei in 1986. Developments in x-ray microscopy continue at a rapid pace, with im portant advances in all major areas: x-ray sources, optics and components, and microscopes and imaging systems. Taken as a whole, the work pre sented here emphasizes three major directions: (a) improvements in the capability and image-quality of x-ray microscopy, expressed principally in systems attached to large, high-brightness x-ray sources; (b) greater access to x-ray microscopy, expressed chiefly in systems employing small, often pulsed, x-ray sources; and (c) increased rate of exploration of applications of x-ray microscopy. The number of papers presented at the symposium has roughly dou bled compared with that of its predecessors. While we are delighted at this growth as a manifestation of vitality and rapid growth of the field, we did have to ask the authors to limit the length of their papers and to submit them in camera-ready form. We thank the authors for their con tributions and for their efforts in adhering to the guidelines on manuscript preparation.

Providing the knowledge and practical experience to begin analysing scientific data, this book is ideal for physical sciences students wishing to improve their data handling skills. The book focuses on explaining and developing the practice and understanding of basic statistical analysis, concentrating on a few core ideas, such as the visual display of information, modelling using the likelihood function, and simulating random data. Key concepts are developed through a combination of graphical explanations, worked examples, example computer code and case studies using real data. Students will develop an understanding of the ideas behind statistical methods and gain experience in applying them in practice. Further resources are available at www.cambridge.org/9781107607590, including data files for the case studies so students can practise analysing data, and exercises to test students' understanding.

One of the most universal functions of any scientific or engineer ing laboratory is the gathering of data to provide answers to immediate questions or information to be filed for future refer ence. Such data gathering may be achieved in various ways, depending on the nature and quantity of the information. The most prevalent of such data gathering methods is undoubtedly analog recording. Electrical analog recorders are available in a variety of sizes, speeds, sensitivities, and prices. They are suitable for recording any signal which is in, or can be converted to, electrical form. These recorders are found in every modern laboratory. Without them the importance of many functional relations would be missed altogether. How could one adequately diagnose a heart ailment without a cardiographic recorder, or obtain infrared or magnetic resonance spectra on any practicable basis without a strip-chart recorder? True, various curves that are now traced automatically with a recorder can be plotted manually from point-by-point measure ments. This procedure, however, is not only time-consuming, but may cause valid bits of information to be overlooked entirely, simply because the points were taken too far apart. Another factor favoring the use of recorders is the ability to pinpoint faulty operation of the data-gathering system. Artifacts that might not be observable at all in point-by-point observations 1 The Laboratory Recorder 2 will often be readily identifiable on a recording. Asymmetry of a peaked curve, for example, is only dearly evident in a recording.

The standard protocols for the purification of all known cytoskeleton proteins are presented in this manual. Proteins are listed alphabetically and each protocol follows a common format. Thus, the manual provides a quick and easy reference to all relevant procedures for cytoskeleton protein purification.
The isolation procedure for each protein is shown in a clear flowchart, while the source of the protein, equipment and material needed, a list of suppliers, standard references, accession No. of sequences as well as further relevant facts and practical tips are given on a separate page.

A variety of powerful techniques for monitoring and analysing events during signal transduction at the single cell level are described in this lab manual. An introductionary section on cell handling includes guidelines for constructing a perfusion chamber. A main section of the book presents protocols on fluorescence techniques such as flow cytometry, microfluorescence, ion imaging and confocal microscopy. The electrophysiological section illustrates multiple applications of the patch-clamp technique in various cell types from both animals and plants. Emphasis is put on calibration and validation of the different techniques to measure changes of membrane potential, and intracellular ion concentration or pH.

Volume 7 Proceedings of the Eindhoven Conference June 1718 1968.

The first insights into the site and mechanisms of RNA process- ing to functional mRNA in eukaryotic cells came from the group of Georgiev (Lukanidin et al. 1972) who demonstrated the association of rapidly labelled, heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA) with a limited number of specific proteins in the cell nucleus. These "informofers", i. e. packaged precursors of mRNA (pre-mRNA or hnRNA), are in a form presumably amenable to the action of nucleases. With the availability of better analytical techniques, the considerable heterogeneity of hnRNA associated proteins was revealed (Niessing and Sekeris 1970), suggesting a role that was more composite, rather than solely structural, for these proteins. Later studies investigated the RNA binding behavior of these proteins (Schenkel et al. 1988, 1989; Wilk et al. 1983). For a long time, the small nuclear RNAs, well characterized with respect to primary structure (reviewed by Reddy and Busch 1983), were naively ignored regarding their function. Several events then set the stage for a detailed study of the intricate mechanisms of the splicing process and other steps involved in hnRNA processing: (1) The demonstration of a second class of nuclear ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), composed of small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and another characteristic group ofheterogene- ous proteins (Lerner et al. 1980; Guialis et al. 1983); (2) the detec- tion of the association of snRNPs with hnRNPs by virtue of base pairing between hnRNA and snRNA (Flytzanis et al.

This volume contains the proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Vacuum Microbalance Techniques held at Wakefield, Massachusetts on June 12 and 13, 1969. The tenth anniversary of the first confer ence will be registered as this volume passes through the typeset ting and proofreading stages. The eight volumes that have spawned from this continuing series of conferences now contain a total of 125 papers. Thus, these volumes serve as a major repository of the world's literature on vacuum microbalance techniques. The Ninth and Tenth Conferences will be held in West Germany in June 1970 and in Texas in 1971. Each of the eight meetings has served as a forum where new developments in this rapidly advancing field can be presented and discussed constructively within a conference atmosphere of cordial informality. The interaction of the participants at the conferences has led to the first treatise on ultra mlcrogravtmetry;' edited by S. P. Wolsky and E. J. Zdanuk, with most of the fourteen chapters written by steady contributors to the volumes on Vacuum Micro balance Techniques. The number of research investigations and published works in which a vacuum microbalance is utilized con tinues to expandr apldly. f This is a direct result of several types of automatic recording balances that are now available commercial ly. 3 The Eighth Conference was held to bring together again re search scientists and engineers who exploit the measurement of mass as a means of studying physical and chemical phenomena.

Vacuum apparatus is widely used in research and industrial establishments for providing and monitoring the working environments required for the operation of many kinds of scientific instruments and process plant. The vacuum conditions needed range from the relatively coarse vacuum requirements in applications covering diverse fields such as food packaging, dentistry (investment casting), vacuum forming, vacuum metallur gical processes, vacuum impregnation, molecular distillation, vacuum drying and freeze drying etc. to the other extreme involving the highest possible vacuum as in particle accelerators, space technology -both in simulation and outer space, and research studies of atomically clean surfaces and pure condensed metal films. Vacua commence with the rough vacuum region, i.e. from atmosphere to 100 Pa * passing 6 through medium vacuum of 100 Pa to 0.1 Pa and high vacuum of 0.1 Pa to 1 J.lPa (10- Pa) until ultra high vacuum is reached below 1 J.lPa to the limit of measurable pressure about 12 I pPa (10- Pa)."

This book deals with the underlying theory and practical aspects of pressure gauges that are at present in general use. Because of the ever-increasing demands to provide a wider range of sophisticated and reliable vacuum equipment a good understanding of these instruments is of vital importance to all workers in the research and industrial sectors. Of the gauges considered only the mechanical types are absolute, in the sense that they measure pressure directly as a force upon a liquid column or a solid surface. Under ideal conditions it is possible to calculate their sensitiv ities, which are the same for all gases and vapours. The recent developments in the viscous or molecular damping gauges indicate that these may also be considered absolute. Other gauges are indirect in that they involve the measurement of some secondary phenomenon which is pressure-dependent and therefore these gauges can only be used for measurement after calibration against an absolute standard. The radiometer or Knudsen type gauge has been excluded from the text since these are now only of historic interest. Also no mention is made of the integration techniques involving surface changes (such as work function) although these could have application under very special circumstances. The McLeod gauge is dealt with in some detail, for even though this gauge has few practical applications, it is the most sensitive absolute gauge available and has value as a reference standard."

Neutrons are extremely versatile probes for investigating structure and dynamics in condensed matter. Due to their large penetration depth, they are ideal for in-situ measurements of samples situated in sophisticated and advanced environments. The advent of new high-intensity neutron sources and instruments, as well as the development of new real-time techniques, allows the tracking of transformation processes in condensed matter on a microscopic scale. The present volume provides a review of the state of the art of this new and exciting field of kinetics with neutrons.

Problem-solving is the cornerstone of all walks of scientific research. Fascinating Problems for Young Physicists attempts to clear the boundaries of seemingly abstract physical laws and their tangible effects through a step-by-step approach to physics in the world around us. It consists of 42 problems with detailed solutions, each describing a specific, interesting physical phenomenon. Each problem is further divided into questions designed to guide the reader through, encouraging engagement with and learning the physics behind the phenomenon. By solving the problems, the reader will be able to discover, for example, what the relation is between the mass of an animal and its expected lifetime, or what the efficiency limit is of wind turbines. Intended for first-year undergraduate students and interested high school students, this book develops inquiry-based scientific practice and enables students to acquire the necessary skills for applying the laws of physics to realistic situations.

In 1979, a conference on x-ray microscopy was organized by the New York Academy of Sciences, and in 1983, the Second Interna tional Symposium on X-ray Imaging was organized by the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Gottingen, Federal Republic of Germany. This volume contains the contributions to the symposium "X-ray Microscopy '86," held in Taipei, Taiwan, the Republic of China in August 1986. This is the first volume which intends to provide up-to date information on x-ray imaging to biologists, therefore, emphasis was given to specimen preparation techniques and image interpreta tion. Specimen preparation represents a major part of every microscopy work, therefore, it should be strongly emphasized in this emerging field of x-ray microscopy. Theoretically, x-ray microscopy offers the potential for the study of unfixed, hydrated biological ma terials. Since very few biological system can be directly observed without specimen preparation, we would like to emphasize that new information on biological specimens can only be obtained if the speci men is properly prepared. In the past decade, many of the published x-ray images were obtained from poorly prepared biological speci mens, mainly air-dried materials. Therefore, one of the goals of this conference is to bring the importance of specimen preparation to the attention of x-ray microscopy community. X-ray microscopy can be subdivided into several major areas. They are the classic x-ray projection microscope, x-ray contact imag ing (microradiography) and the more recent x-ray scanning micro scope, x-ray photoelectron microscope and x-ray imaging microscope."

The combination of atomic force microscopy with ultrasonic methods allows the nearfield detection of acoustic signals. The nondestructive characterization and nanoscale quantitative mapping of surface adhesion and stiffness or friction is possible. The aim of this book is to provide a comprehensive review of different scanning probe acoustic techniques, including AFAM, UAFM, SNFUH, UFM, SMM and torsional tapping modes. Basic theoretical explanations are given to understand not only the probe dynamics but also the dynamics of tip surface contacts. Calibration and enhancement are discussed to better define the performance of the techniques, which are also compared with other classical techniques such as nanoindentation or surface acoustic wave. Different application fields are described, including biological surfaces, polymers and thin films.

In modern scanning electron microscopy, sample surface preparation is of key importance, just as it is in transmission electron microscopy. With the procedures for sample surface preparation provided in the present book, the enormous potential of advanced scanning electron microscopes can be realized fully. This will take the reader to an entirely new level of scanning electron microscopy and finely-detailed images never seen before.

This book describes energy loss magnetic chiral dichroism (EMCD), a phenomenon in energy loss spectroscopy discovered in 2006. EMCD is the equivalent of XMCD but is based on fast probe electrons in the electron microscope. A spatial resolution of 2 nm has been demonstrated, and the lattice-resolved mapping of atomic spins appears feasible. EMCD is, thus, a promising technique for magnetic studies on the nanometer and sub-nanometer scale, providing the technical and logistic advantages of electron microscopy, such as in situ chemical and structural information, easy access, and low cost.

The definitive guide to the principles and practice of experimental organic chemistry - fully updated and now featuring more than 100 experiments The latest edition of this popular guide to experimental organic chemistry takes students from their first day in the laboratory right through to complex research procedures. All sections have been updated to reflect new techniques, equipment and technologies, and the text has been revised with an even sharper focus on practical skills and procedures. The first half of the book is devoted to safe laboratory practice as well as purification and analytical techniques; particularly spectroscopic analysis. The second half contains step-by-step experimental procedures, each one illustrating a basic principle, or important reaction type. Tried and tested over almost three decades, over 100 validated experiments are graded according to their complexity and all are chosen to highlight important chemical transformations and to teach key experimental skills. New sections cover updated health and safety guidelines, additional spectroscopic techniques, electronic notebooks and record keeping, and techniques, such as semi-automated chromatography and enabling technologies such as the use of microwave and flow chemistry. New experiments include transition metal-catalysed cross-coupling, organocatalysis, asymmetric synthesis, flow chemistry, and microwave-assisted synthesis. Key aspects of this third edition include: * Detailed descriptions of the correct use of common apparatus used in the organic laboratory * Outlines of practical skills that all chemistry students must learn * Highlights of aspects of health and safety in the laboratory, both in the first section and throughout the experimental procedures * Four new sections reflecting advances in techniques and technologies, from electronic databases and information retrieval to semi-automated chromatography * More than 100 validated experiments of graded complexity from introductory to research level * A user-friendly experiment directory * An instructor manual and PowerPoint slides of the figures in the book available on a companion website A comprehensive guide to contemporary organic chemistry laboratory principles, procedures, protocols, tools and techniques, Experimental Organic Chemistry, Third Edition is both an essential laboratory textbook for students of chemistry at all levels, and a handy bench reference for experienced chemists.

Soft matter science is nowadays an acronym for an increasingly important class of materials, which ranges from polymers, liquid crystals, colloids up to complex macromolecular assemblies, covering sizes from the nanoscale up the microscale. Computer simulations have proven as an indispensable, if not the most powerful, tool to understand properties of these materials and link theoretical models to experiments. In this first volume of a small series recognized leaders of the field review advanced topics and provide critical insight into the state-of-the-art methods and scientific questions of this lively domain of soft condensed matter research.

This series presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics and materials science. It is addressed to all scientists at universities and in industry who wish to keep abreast of advances in the topics covered.

Impact Factor Ranking: Always number one in Polymer Science. More information as well as the electronic version of the whole content available at: www.springerlink.com

Lasers are employed throughout science and technology, in fundamental research, the remote sensing of atmospheric gases or pollutants, communications, medical diagnostics and therapies, and the manufacturing of microelectronic devices. Understanding the principles of their operation, which underlie all of these areas, is essential for a modern scientific education. This text introduces the characteristics and operation of lasers through laboratory experiments designed for the undergraduate curricula in Chemistry and Physics. Introductory chapters describe the properties of light, the history of laser invention, the atomic, molecular and optical principles behind how lasers work, and the kinds of lasers available today. Other chapters include the basic theory of spectroscopy and computational chemistry used to interpret laser experiments. Experiments range from simple in-class demonstrations to more elaborate configurations for advanced students. Each chapter has historical and theoretical background, as well as options suggested for variations on the prescribed experiments. The text will be useful for undergraduates students in advanced lab classes, for instructors designing these classes, or for graduate students beginning a career in laser science.

The term scienti?c inquiry as manifest in different educational settings covers a wide range of diverse activities. The differences in types of scienti?c inquiry can be organized along a continuum according to the degree of teacher control and intellectual sophistication involved in each type of inquiry. Types of scienti?c inquiry can also be de?ned according to whether they produce cultural knowledge or personal knowledge. Authentic scienti?c inquiry is de?ned according to ?ve characteristics: devel- ment of personal and cultural knowledge; contextualized scienti?c knowledge; the progression toward high-order problem solving; social interaction for s- enti?c goals; and scienti?c inquiry as a multi-stage and multi-representational process. The de?nition of scienti?c inquiry that forms the basis for the development of an assessment program consists of a two-part analytical frame: the de?nition of knowledge types relevant to scienti?c inquiry and the de?nition of an organi- tional frame for these knowledge types. Four types of knowledge are signi?cant for the de?nition of a speci?c s- enti?c inquiry program: cognitive knowledge, physical knowledge, represen- tional knowledge, and presentational knowledge. All four of these knowledge types are considered signi?cant. These four types of knowledge are organized in a framework that consists of two intersecting axes: the axis of knowledge types and the axis of stages of a s- ci?c scienti?c inquiry. This framework describes scienti?c inquiry as multi-stage process that involves the development of a series of in-lab outcomes (represen- tions) over an extended period of time.