A senior and well-published scientist describes, through anecdotes, parables, and stories how scientists conceive, ask, and answer questions, and how what they do develops from the culture of their time. Part 1 describes the origins of modern biological science Part 2 describes the rules for experimental science, what constitutes a good versus a poor experiment, how hypotheses, such as the hypothesis or the origin of AIDS, are tested and evaluated. The author goes on to describe the origins of molecular biology and the "cool tricks" that created a billionfold greater ability to analyze living things, leading to the miraculous capabilities that we have today.