Reich gives in this book a detailed report of his experiments, which to his way of thinking must convince the scientific world that 'bions' may be successfully produced by certain technical methods. 'Bions' are the most primitive particles of 'living' substance, and are similar to amoebæ except that they are of artificial origin. They are derived from earth, coal, grass or moss after sterilization, and may be made visible under the microscope when magnified three thousand times. They demonstrate the 'significant features of organic life'—motility, contraction and expansion,