Advancements in science and engineering have occurred at a surprisingly rapid pace since the release of the seventh edition of this encyclopedia. Large portions of the reference have required comprehensive rewriting and new illustrations. Scores of new topics have been included to create this thoroughly updated eighth edition. The appearance of this new edition in 1994 marks the continuation of a tradition commenced well over a half-century ago in 1938 Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, First Edition, was published and welcomed by educators worldwide at a time when what we know today as modern science was just getting underway. The early encyclopedia was well received by students and educators alike during a critical time span when science became established as a major factor in shaping the progress and economy of individual nations and at the global level. A vital need existed for a permanent science reference that could be updated periodically and made conveniently available to audiences that numbered in the millions. The pioneering VNSE met these criteria and continues today as a reliable technical information source for making private and public decisions that present a backdrop of technical alternatives.

Publisher description

Contains: Animal Life, Biosciences, Chemistry, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Energy Sources & Power Technology, Mathematics & Information Sciences, Material & Engineering Sciences, Medicine, Anatomy, & Physiology, Physics, Plant Sciences, Space & Planetary Sciences.

This book focuses on current practices in scientific and technical communication, historical aspects, and characteristics and biblio-graphic control of various forms of scientific and technical literature. It integrates the inventory approach for scientific and technical communication.

Includes information on the Kapok tree or Bombax ceiba, Vol.2, p. 2847-2848.

Part 2 of 'Profiles of the Nutrients' by Richard Rydon covers the Minerals and Trace Elements required by the human body. The topics considered include the six major Minerals and eighteen Trace Elements. In all, the series comprises three books. The first part deals with Carbohydrates, Lipids and Proteins. And the third part deals with Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble Vitamins.

This book describes abstract and applied mathematics of the unique properties of 4D spiral spacetimes called toryx and helyx. There is a good reason for studying the mathematics of these two spacetimes. Their unique properties provide them with a capability to be the prime elements of nature. In that capacity their potential role in nature would be comparable with a role of the DNA double helyces discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. The DNA double helyces contain genetic codes defining the properties of both organic entities and living organisms, whereas both toryx and helyx contain generic codes defining the properties of matter and radiation entities of the Universe. Also similar are the locations of these codes. The genetic codes of DNA are located inside of cells of all organic entities and living organisms, whereas the generic codes of toryces and helyces reside inside of all elementary matter and radiation particles, the building blocks of the Universe.