Discovering what lies behind a hill or beyond the neighborhood can be as simple as taking a short walk. But curiosity and the urge to make new discoveries usually require people to undertake much more adventurous journeys, and scientists often study realms far removed from everyday observation—sometimes even beyond the present means of travel or vision. Today's scientists probe the tiny domain of atoms, pilot submersibles into marine trenches far beneath the waves, and analyze processes occurring deep within the stars, all in the name of scientific research.
Exploring topics at the forefront of research in a variety of scientific disciplines, the new, eight-title Frontiers of Science set focuses on the methods and imagination of people who push the boundaries of science by investigating subjects that are not readily observable or are otherwise cloaked in mystery. Each accessible title covers six relevant topics—each expanded on by a chronology, as well as a discussion of its scientific and social relevance, critical questions and research techniques designed to answer these questions, what scientists have learned and may learn in the future, technological applications of this knowledge, and recommendations for further reading.