This book provides brief summaries of scientific topics in an encyclopedic, alphabetically organized, cross-referenced and indexed format. Several thousand short entries define concepts of mathematics, astronomy, biology, oceanography and more, a few include drawings that clarify the text. Entries also include some famous individuals in the scientific community and historical information on scientific concepts. Written in non-technical language, it is designed for the common reader looking to augment their understanding of the increasingly discussed scientific world. Does not include pronunciation of terms. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR