SELECTIONS FROM SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN JULY 1997 ARTICLES Gamma-Ray Bursts Taking Computers to Task NEWS AND ANALYSIS In Focus Chinese Science and Human Rights Science and the Citizen Uncovering An Ancient Ape A Cosmic Direction? Parrots and Plunder By the Numbers: Access to the Internet In Brief Technology and Business Dam Safety The Infinitesimal Gets Smaller A Machine That Reads Faces Healing Sick Hearts Floating Tunnels Cyber View Taking the Web on the Road Profile Michael L. Dertouzos: What Will Really Be AMATEUR SCIENTIST Catching, Raising and Collecting Butterflies. WORKING KNOWLEDGE Guitar-Effects Pedals REVIEWS Sex and Complexity Exploring the Ocean in Depth Briefly Noted COMMENTARIES CONNECTIONS: Cool Stuff WONDERS: Bandwidth Galore FROM THE EDITORS 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago Letters to the Editors