THE NEW SCIENCE JOURNALISTS edited by...

THE NEW SCIENCE JOURNALISTS edited by Ted Anton and Rick McCourt (Ballantine: $12.50; 340 pp., paperback original). Writers who explain science, technology and medicine to the public have assumed an increasing importance: Complex stories may have a major impact on a reader’s life. The most effective pieces in this anthology balance data with anecdotes that put a human face on arcane material. Mike Toner explains why growing numbers of microbes are developing a resistance to antibiotics; Deborah Blum presents a balanced account of the acrimonious debate over animal research. But John Seabrook’s creepy account of his on-line acquaintance with Microsoft’s Bill Gates may leave the reader wondering about the validity of the information superhighway.