Andrew Briggs Andrew Briggs read physics at Oxford University, and then studied for a Ph.D. at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. In 1980 he returned to Oxford to develop applications of acoustic microscopy in materials science. Two years later he was appointed to a Royal Society Research Fellowship in the Physical Sciences. In 1984 he was appointed to a University Lectureship and elected to a Fellowship of Wolfson College. From 1989-1991 he was Honorary Treasurer of the Royal. Microscopical Society. His book on acoustic microscopy was published earlier this year.

• List of Contributors vii Introduction Andrew Briggs 11 Will Anybody Ever Use Metals a in Alloys Again? Sir Alan Cottrell 42 Will Ceramics Ever Be as Strong as Steel?J. D. Birchall 323 Why Are New Materials Interesting? Sir Peter Hirsch 384 It's All Very Well in Practice but What About in The Theory? D. G. Pettifor 865 How Shall We Communicate and Calculate? J. C. Bass 1165 How Successful Are Superconductors? Sir Martin 1407 Can Materials Stimulate Advances in Orthopedics?W. Bonfield 1688 Can There Be a Materials Policy in the UK? C. J. Humphreys 177Index 195