Description | Public lecture given at the Royal Society, following the winning of the 1999 General Prize for the book of the same title. Set up in 1988 as the "Science Book Prizes", the Royal Society Prizes for Science Books were named the Rhône-Poulenc Prizes for Science Books from 1990 - 2000, and the Aventis Prizes for Science Books from 2001 - 2006. |