Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

{sup N}ow this 'Big Bang' idea seemed to me to be unsatisfactory...for it is an irrational process that cannot be described in scientific terms.' With this rather derisory remark (or at least so intended) in a 1950 radio broadcast, Fred Hoyle named the theory that rivalled his steady-state theory. The Big Bang has subsequently become the dominant paradigm in attempts to understand our universe. It is also one of the dominant ways in which popular-science writing seeks to persuade people to part with their cash. Simon Singh has rapidly made a name for himself as one of the leading popularizers of science, with his previous books Fermat's Last Theorem and The Code Book bringing accessible science to a wide audience . Big Bang brings him to a much busier marketplace, where he must compete both with other science writers and with working scientists. (U.K.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR-1000) was used to quantitatively analyze the diagnosis and prevention of osteoporosis. The peak bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine appeared in normal men in their twenties and in normal women in their thirties. There was acceleration of bone loss in the 50 to 60 year age bracket (premenopause and postmenopause) in normal women. On the contrary, the peak BMD of the femoral neck in normal men and women appeared in their twenties after which it decreased slightly with age. Comparison showed that the femoral neck BMD of normal women was lower than that of men throughout all ages. The fracture threshold, 0.756 g/cm[sup 2] for the spine, was obtained by scanning 73 females with spinal fractures, the mean BMDs for L2-L4 at the 90th percentile level were used as the fracture threshold. The fracture threshold of femoral neck fracture was the femoral proximal BMD of the 9th decile. Classification by the Public Welfare Silver Science ...