| Acknowledgements | xi |
| About the Author | xiii |
| Introduction | xv |
| Public Worries | xvi |
| Sometimes Forgotten Advances in Science and Technology | xix |
| The Need for Informed Citizens | xxiv |
| The "Science Views" Columns | xxv |
Chapter I | Superstition and the Paranormal | 1 |
1. | UFOs, Social Security and Generation X | 2 |
2. | Alien Abductions | 5 |
3. | Astrology | 7 |
4. | Astral Projection | 9 |
5. | Psychics | 11 |
6. | Magicians, Randi and Geller | 14 |
7. | The Chupacabras | 16 |
8. | The Shroud of Turin | 18 |
9. | Noah's Ark | 20 |
Chapter II | Science and Antiscience | 23 |
1. | Introduction to "Science Views" | 26 |
2. | Science and the Public | 28 |
3. | The Metric System | 30 |
4. | Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History | 32 |
5. | The Smithsonian Museum | 34 |
6. | Higher Superstition | 36 |
7. | The Culture Wars | 38 |
8. | Pathological Science | 40 |
9. | Science and Technology by Mandate | 42 |
10. | Forensic Use of DNA | 44 |
11. | Gambling | 46 |
Chapter III | Medical Science | 49 |
| Brief History of Medicine | 49 |
| Alternative Medicine | 54 |
1. | Fluoridation | 59 |
2. | Aging | 61 |
3. | Breast Implants | 63 |
4. | Repressed Memories | 65 |
5. | Does HIV cause Aids? | 67 |
6. | Medical Research with Animals | 69 |
7. | The Mad Cow Disease | 71 |
8. | Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer | 73 |
9. | Nuclear Medicine | 75 |
10. | Traditional Chinese Medicine | 77 |
Chapter IV | The Environment | 79 |
| Formation of the Earth | 82 |
| The Weather | 85 |
| Evolution of Plants and Animals | 87 |
| Environmental Policy | 89 |
1. | Population Limits | 93 |
2. | Zero Risk Pesticide Policy | 95 |
3. | Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in Food | 97 |
4. | The Asbestos Hazard | 99 |
5. | The Alar False Alarm | 101 |
6. | The Dioxin Debate | 103 |
7. | Credibility of Asteroid and Air Pollution Risks | 105 |
8. | The Endangered Species Act | 107 |
9. | Telescopes and Red Squirrels | 109 |
10. | Low Level Radioactive Waste | 112 |
11. | The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository | 113 |
12. | Transport of Spent Nuclear Reactor Fuel | 116 |
Chapter V | Energy Science | 119 |
| Deregulation of Electric Power | 120 |
| Alternative Energy Myths | 121 |
| Nuclear Energy | 123 |
| A Reality Check on Battery-Electric Vehicles | 127 |
| Thermonuclear Fusion | 128 |
1. | Electrical Power | 131 |
2. | Coal Power | 133 |
3. | Petroleum | 135 |
4. | Natural Gas | 137 |
5. | Nuclear Reactor Fission Power | 139 |
6. | Solar Power | 141 |
7. | Solar Photovoltaic Power | 143 |
8. | Wind Power | 144 |
9. | Geothermal Power | 147 |
10. | Biomass Production of Energy | 149 |
11. | Fuel Cells | 151 |
12. | Thermonuclear Fusion Power | 153 |
13. | Cold Fusion | 155 |
14. | Battery-Electric Vehicles | 158 |
Chapter VI | Basic and Applied Science | 161 |
| The Origin of the Universe | 162 |
| Superconductivity | 165 |
| The Golden Age of American Science | 167 |
| Is American Science in Decline? | 170 |
1. | The Big Bang Origin of the Universe | 172 |
2. | The End of the World | 175 |
3. | The Structure of Matter | 177 |
4. | Antimatter Atoms | 179 |
5. | Molecule of the Year | 181 |
6. | The Earth's Atmosphere | 183 |
7. | Earthquakes and Continental Drift | 185 |
8. | Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection | 187 |
9. | The Dinosaurs' Demise | 189 |
10. | Molecular Adam and Mitochondrial Eve | 191 |
11. | Genetic Cloning | 193 |
12. | Was Ancient Life found from Mars? | 195 |
13. | Agricultural Sciences | 197 |
14. | The Rad Lab at Ucb | 199 |
15. | The 1995 Nobel Prizes in the Sciences | 201 |
16. | Space Travel | 203 |
Chapter VII | Science Education | 207 |
| The Public's Views | 207 |
| Education | 209 |
| The Media | 212 |
| References | 217 |
| Index | 225 |