A collection of non-specialist essays on Cambridge University's 'contribution' to certain key disciplines.Written primarily for a non-specialist audience, these essays describe contributions made by some of the University of Cambridge's most colourful and able characters in a number of academic disciplines. The essays reveal particularly fertile periods of development and chart voyages of discovery which have occurred all over Cambridge, under group or individual leadership. Approaches vary, from the presentation of historically significant discoveries to the explanation of current research--'contributions' in the making.Written primarily for a non-specialist audience, these essays describe contributions made by some of the University of Cambridge's most colourful and able characters in a number of academic disciplines. The essays reveal particularly fertile periods of development and chart voyages of discovery which have occurred all over Cambridge, under group or individual leadership. Approaches vary, from the presentation of historically significant discoveries to the explanation of current research--'contributions' in the making.Written primarily for a nonspecialist audience, these essays describe contributions made by some of the University of Cambridge's most colorful and able characters in a number of academic disciplines. The essays reveal particularly fertile periods of development and chart voyages of discovery that have occurred all over Cambridge, under group or individual leadership. Approaches vary, from the presentation of historically significant discoveries to the explanation of current research-- contributions in the making.Preface; 1. Some Cambridge contributions to astronomy and cosmology Martin Rees; 2. Cambridge's contribution to medical science Mark Weatherall; 3. Cambridge and the study of English Stefan Collini; 4. The Cambridge contribution to economics Geoffrey Harcourt; 5. 'Nasty forward minxes': Cambridge and the higher education of wol£M