"The Science Review has been around since 1986," said Mohammed N. Khan, head editor of the Review.

"There's been a very noticeable increase in the number of science publications," Khan said. "Just look at the stands outside registration. Look at the kiosks."

But the Science Review does not plan to alter its content because of the new publications, Khan said. "We're going to keep the format we have because it has been successful."

"If we have a neuroscience article that's interesting, we'll go ahead and publish it," he continued. "We might have a different style or approach."

An Awareness of Science

Harvard faculty and students attribute the proliferation of science publications to different factors.

Some believe the increase is a direct result of increased interest in science.

"I think that there is a growing awareness of the interest and value of science and engineering as part of a liberal arts education," said Mallinckrodt Professor of Chemistry George M. Whitesides.

"There is also growing awareness of the analytical training that science/engineering courses provide as a background for a variety of future professions," he added.

"Chemistry concentrators are up to 140 from 100 a couple years ago," said Jim E. Davis, head tutor in the chemistry department.

The biology department has also experienced growth of up to 50 percent, said Biology Head Tutor and Mangelsdorf Professor of Natural Sciences Woody J. Hastings.

Not only has the number of concentrators in these departments risen, the general enrollment in science classes has risen as well.

According to Davis, chemistry classes have outgrown their rooms.

"There certainly is increased enrollment, and I attribute that to increased interest," he said.

"The number of scientists in the nation and the world goes up by a factor of two every ten years," said Loeb University Professor Walter Gilbert. "The same is true for the number of scientific publications."