The American Heritage Science Dictionary

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary defines the vocabulary of the sciences in language general readers will understand and enjoy. With 8,500 entries, it covers all the major fields of science, from the fundamental disciplines of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to the applied realms of medicine, earth science, technology, and anthropology.

Each entry has a clear, concise definition that gets to the meaning and importance of each term. There are 175 notes on key scientific concepts, such as relativity, genomic sequencing, nanotechnology, and plate tectonics, as well as 320 biographies of notable scientists from ancients such as Aristotle and Archimedes to modern greats like Rosalyn Yalow and Leo Szilard. Illustrations accompany more than 350 entries.

Fully updated for 2011, the dictionary covers the latest scientific discoveries and developments. There is information on the newest named element, copernicium, and the discovery of element 117. Entries encompass the latest finds in anthropology, including information on Homo floresiensis, as well as newsworthy items such as the suspected carcinogen bisphenol A.

This is the perfect resource for people looking to improve their science literacy or understand the scientific breakthroughs reported in the news.