Book excerpt: Under the auspices of one of the world's premier libraries, The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference offers the most comprehensive single volume available of frequently needed information on science. More than a simple dictionary or encyclopedia yet easier to use and understand than a textbook, it offers an enormous wealth of information on each of the major scientific disciplines, including: topic overviews, definitions of terms and theories, lists and descriptions of key scientists and discoveries, tables and charts of commonly needed scientific data, lists of additional sources of information...and lots more. Best of all, this reference is written and designed to be both accurate and accessible. More than 100 original state-of-the-art computer illustrations illuminate the text, while countless sidebars present information on connected topics, and extensive cross-references make it easy to explore related issues. Finally, an entire chapter is devoted to resources, including such useful information as a complete list of Nobel Prize winners and names and addresses of scientific organizations, publications, museums, nature centers, and other places to visit.