Super Vision: A New View of Nature

What does nature really look like? Today, aided by the wizardry of modern scientific imaging instruments, we are able to see far more of the physical world than we ever dreamed possible. These devices can discern millions of invisible colors, look back in cosmic time some 14 billion years, peer behind and within seemingly opaque borders such as skin and bone, and capture events that last a mere trillionth of a second. Looking through their "eyes," we have acquired powers far more potent than Superman's X-ray vision: the powers of Super Vision.

From microscopes to telescopes, from magnetic-field detectors to chemical mapping probes, today's instruments make possible an entirely new view of nature. Super Vision is a comprehensive showcase of 200 breathtaking scientific images that span the world of phenomena from subatomic particles to the incomprehensibly vast structure of the universe. The accompanying text tells readers what they are looking at and explains the underlying technology. Also included is a huge, groundbreaking chart clearly illustrating the relative sizes of objects covered in the book. At once a primer on the scientific worldview and a reminder of the awesome, multidimensional beauty of nature, Super Vision simultaneously informs and delights.

Ivan Amato is an award-winning freelance science writer and associate editor for Science News. His work has been published in many magazines, including Time, Fortune, U.S. News & World Report, Scientific American, Discover, and Wired, as well as in many newspapers. His books include Stuff, which was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book for 1997. Philip Morrison is a physicist who is well known for his numerous books (including Powers of Ten), films, and television specials (the PBS series "The Ring of Truth"). He is currently an emeritus professor of physics at MIT. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences.