In Their Own Words

For thousands of years, politics, religion, and science have clashed. Scientists, despite their knowledge, have been persecuted in various ways for discovering some of nature's most incredible properties. In a fascinating look at many scientists who have been wrongly condemned, William M. Saltman's It Began with the Gift of Fire traces the history of the resistance to scientific breakthroughs.

Saltman, a physical chemist, has achieved international recognition for his publications, patents, and work in government, academia, and industry. He holds 22 patents on various chemical and polymer processes and has written dozens of journal articles and a renowned scientific book.