multiple oscillators, then on to CAMP oscil- lations in Dictyostelium, pulsatile hormone release, calcium oscillations, the mitotic oscillator and circadian rhythms. Readers needing the last word, or wanting the full story, on any of these biological systems will be disappointed, but those needing a readable entrhe to the modeling of these oscillatory processes (one that is grounded in biochemistry and molecular biology) will be rewarded.

Taken as a whole, Biochemical Oscillations and Cellular Rhythms is a very credible work. Goldbeter is to be congratu- lated for persevering in pulling together an enormous and disparate body of literature in a coherent and readable manner. In the author’s words, ‘The book is devoted to the study of the molecular bases of simple and complex patterns of temporal organization in biochemical and cellular systems. The approach followed relies on the analysis of models whose temporal behavior is governed by a set of chemical kinetic equations.’ Overall it works quite well; I predict that this book will remain useful for a long time.

J. Dunlap

Archaeological Chemistry. By A.M. Pollard and C. Heron. Pp. 75. Royal Society of Chemistry, 1996. ISBN 0 85404 523 6.

Archaeologists have always worked hand- in-hand with scientists in other fields. Chemistry brings to archaeology an ability to examine materials in new ways. Traditionally, archaeologists looked at arte- facts in terms of size and form, decorative and functional detail and composition, determined at best with an optical micro- scope. The same is true for biological ma- terial, including human remains. Chemical and biochemical analyses can now provide detailed information about the composition of both organic and inorganic substances, and both natural and artificial materials.

At the beginning of Archaeological Chemistry, the authors give ‘a brief but largely non-mathematical introduction to some of the many analytical techniques used in modem archaeological chemistry’. This chapter of 60 pages is mainly devoted to spectral analysis of elements, with a shorter section on chromatographic tech- niques and brief mention of techniques such as electron spin resonance and differential thermal analysis. The remaining chapters show how chemistry is being used to solve archaeological problems, to authenticate ancient artefacts and to guide the conser- vation of archaeological materials.

Chemical analysis is encountered most often in the study of provenance. A chapter on Mediterranean Neolithic and Bronze Age obsidian artefacts illustrates the effective- ness of geochemistry in pinpointing the source outcrops of this culturally important

rock type. The chemical signatures of a&i- cial materials such as ceramics, metals and glass are less easy to interpret. These ma- terials are separately considered in Archaeological Chemistry with proper emphasis on major interpretative problems. Firstly, the chemical signature of raw ma- terials which might indicate the place of ori- gin is often overprinted by the chemical effects of the manufacturing process. Thus, the provenancing of metal objects remains a controversial area, illustrated here in a thorough account of the use of lead isotope analysis. Secondly, chemical changes occur after manufacture through use and ulti- mately through burial. Such changes, encountered in the conservation of early glass, illustrate both these points.

Biochemical analyses are important in the recognition of substances used in ancient cultures for practical, domestic and ritualis- tic purposes. A chapter on the biochemistry of resins examines the sources of adhesives used in the production of stone age tools and weapons, and notes the widespread impor- tance of resins as medicinal and psycho- active substances. Biochemists have also explored the potential of amino acid racem- ization as a basis for relative dating. The authors use the history of this work in North American archaeological studies to illustrate the intellectual hazards associated with the introduction of neti scientific technologies.

Archaeological Chemistry is published by the Royal Society of Chemishy. The authors come from the highly respected Department of Archaeological Sciences at Bradford. The volume is well-produced, has useful appen- dices containing basic chemical infor- mation, and each of the chapters has a sep- arate list of references. This book is cheap enough to be accessible to students of either chemistry or archaeology at levels of inter- est from undergraduate upward. It will be invaluable to both chemists and archaeolo- gists, particularly those in either discipline who are keen to broaden their vision of their subject.

Christopher Green

The Thread of Life. By S. Aldridge. Pp. 258. Cambridge University Press, 1996. f16.95NS$24.95. lSBNO521 46542 7.

This book is about DNA. The text begins with a recipe for extracting DNA from an onion at home. The author then gives an his- torical account of how DNA was discovered and how its structure and functions were deduced. The progression from single cellu- lar organisms to multicellular organisms is discussed along with the idea of endosym- biosis. The first few chapters are the most difficult part of the book to read: there are too many anecdotes, so at times tbe purpose of the text (to explain what DNA is) is lost. However, the book has many good points.

The wide use of diverse examples to help explain the effects of different phenomena is commendable. For example, the Central Dogma is discussed, together with excep- tions including retroviruses such as HIV and prion diseases such as BSE and CJD.

The author gives a good account of the development and many applications of genetic engineering. Several techniques are described, including, of course, the polym- erase chain reaction (PCR). There is a rather long and misplaced description of Southern blotting. The use of this technique has declined since the development of PCR. A wide range of example applications of genetic engineering are described. These include the long-established method of recombinant insulin production, identifi- cation of human disease causing mutations, transgenics and gene therapy, crop disease resistance and even the production of unusual roses. The topic of genome map- ping and data bases for several organisms is touched upon. Unbiased accounts of contro- versial issues are given, including many current media favourites, such as pre- implantation diagnosis, presymptomatic testing for diseases such as Huntington’s chorea and breast cancer, the creation of transgenic pigs to provide donor organs for humans, patents, and the plunder of gene pools from developing countries. The author discusses ethical problems and many other questions such as whether surplus trans- genie sheep should be allowed to enter the human food chain.

The section on biotechnology contains numerous examples of the use of geneti- cally modified organisms. These include the use of a modified bacterium to protect strawberries from frost damage, the develop- ment of paint-shipping bacteria, microbial copper mining, transgenic sheep for the pro- duction of blood clotting factors, and trans- genie plants for polymer production. Other issues such as the development of drugs and vaccines and the need for alternative energy sources to reduce global warming are also covered.

This book should provide anyone with lit- tle prior knowledge of genetic engineering with a good insight in to this field, provided they skim through the Fist few chapters.

E. Green

Charles Darwin’s Letters: A Selectlon. Edited by E Burkhardt. Pp. 249. Cambridge University Press, 1996. f 14.95/US$21.95. ISBN 0 521 562 12 0.

More than ten years ago, there began to appear the first volumes of a new compre- hensive edition of Charles Darwin’s corre- spondence. The editorial team is aiming to complete the work in more than two dozen volumes, in time for the year 2009, two hundred years after Darwin’s birth and a century and a half after he published

134