周期表の基盤にあるのは、すべての元素と化合物の性質の基礎となる量子論であり、現代化学にとって必要不可欠なものです。その形成に寄与した元素の性質を決める要因や、周期表の構成から読み取れることが原子論や量子力学の発展により明らかにされてきたことなど、進化を丁寧にたどります。国際周期表年の2019年夏に出版した改訂新版には、113、115、117、118番元素にニホニウム、モスコビウム、テネシン、オガネソンの名称が決定し第7周期までの周期表が完成したことや、元素の起源、第3族元素に関する最新の知見を盛り込みます。
   

• Explains the nature of stem cells and introduces the different kinds of stem cells
• Explores their important applications in the treatment of disease and injuries
• Describes the rise of popular but false stem cell treatments, and how to distinguish between real and fake therapies
• Considers current research using stem cells and possible developments over the coming years

   
The topic of stem cells has a high profile in the media. We've made important advances in our scientific understanding, but despite this the clinical applications of stem cells are still in their infancy and most real stem cell therapy carried out today is some form of bone marrow transplantation. At the same time, a scandalous spread of unproven stem cell treatments by private clinics represents a serious problem, with treatments being offered which are backed by limited scientific rationale, and which are at best ineffective, and at worse harmful.
   
This Very Short Introduction introduces stem cells, exploring what they are, and what scientists do with them. Introducing the different types of stem cells, Jonathan Slack explains how they can be used to treat diseases such as retinal degeneration, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and spinal trauma. He also discusses the important technique of bone marrow transplantation and some other types of current stem cell therapy, used for the treatment of blindness and of severe burns. Slack warns against fake stem cell treatments and discusses how to distinguish real from fake treatments. He also describes the latest scientific progress in the field, and looks forward to what we can expect to happen in the next few years