Best american science writing 2002, the

If, as Matt Ridley suggests in his introduction, science is simply the search for new forms of ignorance, then perhaps it follows that with science's advances come new questions. Will human genetic engineering become commonplace? Will human cloning ever be safe? Are there many universes? How much will the climate change during the coming century? The Best American Science Writing 2002 gathers top writers and scientists covering the latest developments in the fastest-changing, farthest-reaching scientific fields, such as medicine, genetics, computer technology, evolutionary psychology, cutting-edge physics, and the environment. The topics covered in this year's essays include; the medically and ethically unprecedented issues posed by cloning and genetic engineering; the revolutionary discovery that adult brain cells might in fact regenerate; a peculiar episode in which genetic engineering and artistic culture collide; an insightful contrast between suicide terrorists and rescue workers who risk their lives; an exploration of the mysteries encoded in the universe's smallest units, be they cells or quanta; and two contrasting views, both valid, on the state of the environment. In the end, the unanswered questions are what sustain scientific inquiry, open new frontiers of knowledge, and lead to new technologies and medical treatments. The Best American Science Writing 2002 is a series of exciting reports from science's front lines, where what we don't know is every bit as important as what we know.