Scientific Tourism

Science is the only truly global human activity. Hence as they go about their business its practitioners have a unique opportunity to observe and comment on the places, customs and happenings going on around them. Yet few take advantage of this good fortune by recording aspects of the passing scene as they found it, not from a scientific standpoint as such, but informed by an eye trained in the natural sciences. This book is a unique exception to that generalisation. The author is a distinguished inorganic chemist, pioneer of the burgeoning new field of materials chemistry. Starting from nearby Europe, his career has taken him across continents, encompassing diverse landscapes, history, cultures and customs. The result is not a book about science but a collection of apercus on the wonderfully diverse world we all inhabit. The text will be enhanced by many illustrations, mostly from the author's own collection.