The articles in this collection are taken from the pages of American Scientist, an interdisciplinary magazine of science published since 1913 by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. Founded in 1886, Sigma Xi is an honor society for scientists and engineers that today has about 100,000 members in more than 500 chapters and clubs at universities and colleges, government laboratories, and industry research centers. Membership is by invitation, in recognition of research potential achievement. The mission of the Society is threefold: to foster interactions worldwide among science, technology, and society; to encourage appreciation for and support of original investigation in science and technology; and to honor scientific accomplishment. In addition to sponsoring national forums on topics related to its mission, the Society awards research grants annually to hundreds of promising graduate and undergraduate students. -- from back cover.