Why in the world are we paying for all this -basic- research? The answer to this question becomes clear in this romp through the -seemingly useless- world of pure science, where one thing leads to another in ways that result in major scientific advancements.

With a novelistic style, C. Renee James reveals how obscure studies of natural phenomena--including curved space-time, poisonous cone snails, exploding black holes, and the precise chemical makeup of the sun--led unexpectedly to WiFi, GPS, genetic sequencing, pain medications, and cancer treatments. Science Unshackled...