Only a Trillion


Only a Trillion is a collection of ten science essays and three scientific spoof articles by Isaac Asimov. It was the first collection of science essays published by Asimov. It was first published by Abelard-Schuman in 1957. A paperback edition published by Ace Books in 1976 included updates of outdated material. The book was also published under the title Marvels of Science by Collier Books in 1962.
The title refers to the number of atoms of astatine-215 in the top 10 miles of the Earth's crust of the North and South American continents – only a trillion.

Contents

  1. The Atoms That Vanish
  2. The Explosions Within Us
  3. Hemoglobin and the Universe
  4. Victory on Paper
  5. The Abnormality of Being Normal
  6. Planets Have an Air About Them
  7. The Unblind Workings of Chance
  8. The Trapping of the Sun
  9. The Sea-Urchin and We
  10. The Sound of Panting
  11. The Marvellous Properties of Thiotimoline
  12. # The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline
  13. # The Micropsychiatric Applications of Thiotimoline
  14. Pâté de Foie Gras

    Reception

stated that Asimov "lmost certainly had enormous fun writing this collection of articles. He staggers, frightens, amazes and, in two, fiendishly misleads his reader".
Following the publication of Only a Trillion, Asimov compiled several more science essays into the manuscript for another, similar book titled Only a Light-Year, but that book was never published, because Only a Trillion had not sold enough copies.