This 1993 volume is a lucid and accurate history of the technical research that led to the first atomic bombs. The authors explore how the 'critical assembly' of scientists, engineers and military personnel at Los Alamos, responding to wartime deadlines, collaborated to create a new approach to large-scale research. The book opens with an introduction laying out major themes. After a synopsis of the prehistory of the bomb project, from the discovery of nuclear fission to the start of the Manhattan Engineer District, and an overview of the early materials programme, the book examines the establishment of the Los Alamos Laboratory, the implosion and gun assembly programmes, nuclear physics research, chemistry and metallurgy, explosives, uranium and plutonium development, confirmation of spontaneous fission in pile-produced plutonium, the thermonuclear bomb, critical assemblies, the Trinity test, and delivery of the combat weapons. Readers interested in history of science will find this volume a crucial resource for understanding the underpinnings of contemporary science and technology.

This 1993 volume is a lucid and accurate history of the technical research that led to the first atomic bombs. The authors explore how the 'critical assembly' of scientists, engineers and military personnel at Los Alamos, responding to wartime deadlines, collaborated to create a new approach to large-scale research. The book opens with an introduction laying out major themes. After a synopsis of the prehistory of the bomb project, from the discovery of nuclear fission to the start of the Manhattan Engineer District, and an overview of the early materials programme, the book examines the establishment of the Los Alamos Laboratory, the implosion and gun assembly programmes, nuclear physics research, chemistry and metallurgy, explosives, uranium and plutonium development, confirmation of spontaneous fission in pile-produced plutonium, the thermonuclear bomb, critical assemblies, the Trinity test, and delivery of the combat weapons. Readers interested in history of science will find this volume a crucial resource for understanding the underpinnings of contemporary science and technology.

Rett disorder, first described by Andreas Rett in 1966, is a condition which involves the functions on which intelligence and expression depend. It is probably the most common genetic disorder encountered in profoundly intellectually disabled females. Its many manifestations include epilepsy, scoliosis, nutritional difficulties, and disorders of mood and movement. This book provides an up-to-date account of current research into the disorder at a time when the causative mutations have just been discovered on the MeCP2 gene. The first section of the book presents the clinical signs and the latest research into the genetic, neuro- anatomical and neuro-chemical aspects of Rett disorder. The second section moves on to deal with the neuro-physiological research, concentrating on the autonomic system, which is deeply implicated in the disease mechanisms. The final section of the book examines the behavioural and psychological features of Rett disorder and discusses issues relating to communication. The chapters are written by a distinguished, international team of experts, all currently active in research. The contributions bring our understanding of the Rett disorder right up-to-date, as the study of the condition moves from an era of description into a time when there are real possibilities for beneficial interventions.