What I Require From Life: Writings on science and life from J.B.S. HaldaneKrishna Dronamraju J. B. S. Haldane (1892-64) was one of the scientific giants of the 20th century. A polymath who made important contributions to sciences ranging from physiology to genetics and biochemistry, he was also a highly skilled writer and an extraordinary character - brilliant, witty, idealistic, funny, and pugnacious. What I Require From Life is a compilation of his popular scientific essays written from the 1940s to last years of his life, that reflect not only his masterful ability to communicate scientific understanding, but also his deep commitment to socialism. The essays included here fall into two groups; those written by Haldane during the 1940s when he embraced Marxism, and those written during his last years in India (1957-64), and they range from An Autobiography in Brief (written three years before his death), to his Marxist view of evolution The Chicken or the Egg? , to his poignant poem Cancer is a Funny Thing. Edited with an introduction by Haldane's last graduate pupil, Professor Krishna Dronamraju, this collection of thought-provoking and beautifully-written science writing also comes with a Preface written by the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who provides a personal perspective on Haldane's unique place in 20th century science. |
Contents
Why I am a materialist | |
Adventures of words | |
What scientists in Russia are doing | |
Averages | |
9 | |
11 | |
What is the fourth dimension? | |
Relativity | |
Matter and energy | |
How we measured the atom | |
Essays from the Indian Period 195764 | |
Hitting the moon | |
The dog in the sputnik | |
What I want to know about Gagarin | |
Is man a machine? | |
Breathing | |
Why are you lefthanded? | |
Domestic animals | |
Overcrowding at the | |
Life slows down for winter | |
Bird migration | |
Why the robin sings | |
How bees communicate | |
The mysterious eels | |
Movies for toads | |
The chicken or the egg? | |
The mathematics of evolution | |
Back to the water | |
The common cold | |
Medical measurements | |
The differential calculus | |
Some autumn stars | |
The Pleiades and Orion | |
Some neighbouring stars | |
The seven rishis | |
Jyestha | |
Simplifying astronomy | |
New light on memory | |
Relations between biology and other sciences | |
Darwin in Indian perspective | |
Keeping cool | |
Drugresistant bacteria | |
Glossary | |
Other editions - View all
What I Require From Life: Writings on science and life from J.B.S. Haldane Krishna Dronamraju No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
animals apparatus astronomers atoms bacteria bees biologists biology birds birds migrate blood brain breathing breed brightest star calculate called carbon dioxide century certainly changes chemical cluster coal cold colour constellation cool course cows Daily Worker dance Darwin deal distance doubt dust earth eels eggs electric ephedrine Europe evolution example experiments explosion fact fairly Gagarin Gamma Velorum genetics give Haldane Haldane’s heat Hinduism human important India Indian Statistical Institute J. B. S. Haldane Jyesţha killed kilometres kind Kshattriya less light live mass mathematical means measure methods miles million molecules moon moving natural selection nebulae needed ordinary Orion oxygen parsecs penicillin perhaps physics plants Pleiades population possible pressure probably problems produce reason round Samkhya scientific scientists Sirius Soviet Union space species speed sun’s surface temperature theory things thousand toad weight winter workers