Advances in X-Ray Analysis: Volume 7 Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Conference on Applications of X-Ray Analysis Held August 7–9, 1963

Consider for a few moments the staggering magnitude of technological advance which has occurred since the birth four centuries ago of that early progenitor of the scientific method, Galileo. Think also about the extent of scientific knowledge avail­ able during the lifetime of Galileo and his associates; knowledge increasing slowly through several centuries, accelerating rapidly during the past twenty years, culminat­ ing at the present time in a virtual impossibility that one person - one communit- possibly even one nation - can hope to generate or use productively more than a minute portion of the world's scientific knowledge. New developments - expanded technological concepts - occur with dazzling rapidity, often faster than they can be assimilated. At the same time there are practical limitations to the extent of formal education. Continuing education, upgrading of scientific know-how, retraining to assure full utilization of existing knowledge - these are urgent problems which today confront the nation's scientific community. And there is never enough time. The problem is compounded by the increasing burden of information retrieval.