Description
Book SynopsisThere are few fields of science that carbon-14 has not touched. In
Hot Carbon, John F. Marra tells the untold story of this scientific revolution, weaving together the workings of the many disciplines that employ carbon-14 with gripping tales of the individuals who pioneered its possibilities.
Trade ReviewWonderfully engaging...
Hot Carbon offers a timely perspective on how mind-bogglingly connected our planet is — and how 14C will continue to be important in helping us to understand what lies ahead. * Nature *
It has been a joy to read an academic book where the author did not seek to dazzle by his own brilliance. It was even a greater joy to find a narrative strong enough to sustain my interest from beginning to end. -- Richard Joyner * Times Higher Education *
[A] remarkable history of carbon-14. * Observer *
You may never have heard of carbon-14, but from chemistry to physiology to oceanography, no isotope has affected more aspects of modern life. With precision and verve, oceanographer John F. Marra profiles the most important isotope on earth. -- Eli Kintisch, correspondent,
Science magazine
This is an engaging and witty account of the discovery of carbon-14 – there are surprising twists and turns along the way. With its entertaining descriptions of carbon-14’s role in understanding fundamental life processes, dating archaeological specimens, and chronicling past climate, this book is a page-turner for anyone interested in the history of scientific discovery. -- James J. McCarthy, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography, Harvard University
The more times I read this book, the more favorably impressed I am with the clarity and drama of the narrative. Marra’s work will be very well received and appreciated by those interested in how science advances. This is true particularly now, when there is so much controversy surrounding the validity of science per se. -- Richard T. Barber, Harvey W. Smith Professor Emeritus of Biological Oceanography in the Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Duke University
Hot Carbon offers a timely perspective on how mind-bogglingly connected our planet is – and how 14 C will continue to be important in helping us to understand what lies ahead. * True Viral News *
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
Prologue: Aboard the Research Vessel
Endeavor, South of Iceland, May 1991
1. Discovery
2. Discovery’s Wake
3. The “Invisible Phenomenon”
4. Dating
5. Photosynthesis
6. Calvin’s Cycle
7. Scintillations and Accelerations
8. The Shroud of Turin and Other Relics
9. Ocean Circulation
10. Carbon-14 in the Ocean
11. Ocean Fertility
12. Resolution: Plankton Rate Processes in Oligotrophic Oceans
13. Carbon-14 and Climate
Epilogue
Appendix 1. List of Nobel Prize Winners Mentioned
Appendix 2. The Periodic Table of Elements
Notes
References
Index
