Yet, as is exemplified by our poor understanding of something as basic as the energetics involved in insect flight, or the time scales of mutagenesis and evolution, our knowledge of bioenergetics is sorely lacking. Could it be that the foundations upon which this knowledge is based, is missing a critical component without which we will remain in the dark? From the pioneering work of Stanley Miller in the "primordial soup" experiments, to the modern day use of electrical discharges to energize cloned cells, the mechanism of electrical energy in these processes has been largely misunderstood.

Dr. Paulo Correa and his wife Alexandra have courageously tackled these issues and present a most impressive body of work that seeks to refine the accounting process for energy flows in biologic and chemical processes. In order to do this, the Correas step the reader through their 20 year path that has led to some astounding discoveries into the structure of the electron, the hydrogen atom, and the water molecule. They have enriched the understanding of pH and the formation of free radicals to include, more fully, the electron's role. They explore the structure of hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals bonds. The fine structures of these bonds, the very bonds of enzymatic processes and membrane receptor binding, are revealed in a new light with tools that will enable the experimentalist and theorist alike, to glean new insight into the energetic control of these processes. By using a novel approach to energetics that the authors refer to as aetherometry, a rigorous accounting of kinetic, electromagnetic, electrical and even gravitational energies is accomplished. Furthermore, the inclusion of these energetic components leads to a new understanding of the "latent heat" involved in these reactions.

This monumental work is not for the close-minded nor is it for the feint of heart. It is indeed probably 50 years ahead of its time and will be appreciated only by those rare individuals who are able to look beyond the dogma of modern physics and quantum mechanics to a more functional and less statistically based model. But for those who are so able, this book will provide rich rewards.