The Further Inventions of Daedalus: A Compendium of Plausible Schemes

One of the longest-running jokes on the scientific scene, the "Daedalus" column began in New Scientist in the mid-1960s and transferred to Nature in the 1980s. Each week it offers a new scheme to challenge accepted notions of scientific principles, schemes that are neither feasible nor completely absurd. Always entertaining, the Daedalus schemes often have a serious purpose and raise crucial questions about science (sample title: "A Womb with a View, or At Least a Phone").

This delightful book compiles roughly one hundred of David Jones's popular columns, each of which exhibits a keen and approachable mixture of entertaining and thought-provoking material. Like the collection of articles that came before it, this work will appeal to a broad audience of the scientifically curious.

David Jones is an independent science consultant to industry and the media, providing--among other things--ideas, brainstorming services, and scientific demonstrations for television. He now and again conducts research into physical chemistry as a guest member of the staff at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.