Weighing the World

Mass spectrometry is one of the most rapidly growing fields in science. In this book we will learn why and how this technology is changing our view and understanding of the world around us. We'll see how mass spectrometry is being used to convict criminals and to detect explosives. We'll see how it is leading us to the discovery of new drugs and telling us what becomes of these drugs in the body before toxic side effects could ever appear. We'll talk about the curious mission of the Curiosity Rover and how this new science even effects when we change our motor oil. We'll look at where the technology came from as well as where it appears to be heading by describing some of the cutting edge research and techniques that are opening up our understanding of our world -- and even our minds.