Double Helix - The Story of the Discovery of DNA Structure - 20th Century Popular Science Classic Collection

Author: J.D. Watson (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: 20th Century Classic Popular Science Collection, Original English Edition of World-Class Popular Science Masterpieces, Commentaries and Introductions by Renowned Domestic Science and Culture Experts. How to identify worthwhile projects from ordinary and mundane research work? Why did a person considered lazy by many ultimately win the Nobel Prize? In the scientific community, is truth itself more important, or is who discovers the truth more important? Read the authentic original English edition of the world-famous popular science classic The Double Helix, accompanied by the vivid and insightful commentaries by Professor Wu Jiarui, Vice President of the Shanghai Institute of Life Sciences. The 20th century was a glorious era in the history of scientific development, marked by groundbreaking achievements in physics and biology that profoundly transformed the world, human cognition, production methods, and lifestyles. It was also a heroic century in the history of science, where a host of unique scientific masters emerged and took the stage, showcasing the science stage with unprecedented brilliance.
The 20th century witnessed two world wars. The atomic bomb born from World War II revealed the immense power of science to the public, prompting humanity to seriously reflect on science and recognize that it must be aligned with human conscience and humanistic spirit. Only by using science wisely can it benefit humanity, promote peace, and contribute to the sustainable development of human society. By the 1980s, humanity further realized the need to work together to protect the ecology, control environmental pollution, and explore sustainable development paths. The formation of the concept of sustainable development was a major milestone in the advancement of social development perspectives in the 20th century.
Looking back at the journey of science in the 20th century—from rapid scientific innovation to profound collisions between science and humanistic ethics, forging a path where science and humanistic spirit intertwined and progressed—it ultimately left an extraordinary chapter in the history of human civilization. The extraordinary scientific achievements and abundant intellectual nourishment created by the scientific and philosophical masters of the 20th century gave rise to a wealth of outstanding popular science works, providing the public with rich spiritual sustenance. People can follow in the footsteps of scientific masters like Einstein, Schr?dinger, Gamow, Watson, Weinberg, and Hawking to explore the of scientific creation, ascend the to scientific summits, and marvel at the magical landscapes of scientific heights. They can accompany Rachel Carson in Silent Spring to contemplate the fate of robins, or join Carl Sagan in observing the universe and life. Today, most of these scientific and philosophical masters have passed away, but these outstanding popular science works remain their immortal spiritual legacy for future generations.
The 20th century has passed, and the 21st century is undoubtedly an era of globalization and knowledge. It is also an age of internationalized and networked technology. Sustainable development remains the only path for human progress, with natural sciences, social sciences, and humanistic spirit converging and integrating. The cultural environment of the world will undergo significant changes, and Eastern and Western cultures will further blend and elevate themselves in the process of collision, creating a new culture with both international and national characteristics. In the next 15 years, China aims to complete the transition to an innovative nation. The foundation for establishing an innovation system and supporting mechanisms lies in significantly improving the cultural education levels and scientific literacy of the population, transforming China's vast population into unparalleled innovative human resources. In a country as large as China, disseminating and popularizing science and technology knowledge and the scientific spirit is a grand systematic project that requires active efforts from the government and all sectors of society. The Chinese Academy of Sciences also shoulders a glorious and arduous task. We have the obligation to integrate the resources of the entire academy to make and improve science popularization efforts, playing a greater role for the nation and society.
Science Press, as a strategic force in the publication of science popularization books, should play a significant role. The 20th Century Popular Science Classic Collection offers readers an authentic feast of classic popular science, supplemented by Chinese commentaries, which is a commendable attempt. We hope these classic works will inspire readers, broaden their scientific horizons, and even more, serve as models to advance the creation and publication of our own original science popularization and science culture works.