What do the discovery of the coffee bean, the invention of the
aqualung, the perception of the importance of the size of the moon,
the conquest of smallpox, and supersonic flight all have in common?
They are milestones in the history of science, a saga that began
before the ancient Greeks and one that will continue for thousands
of years to come. These and other fascinating stories about several
of the world's most important inventions and discoveries are
featured in The Book of Scientfic Anecdotes. This witty,
informative, and highly readable collection includes more than
sixty anecdotes chosen and edited by science writer Adrian Berry.
Divided into eleven sections, the book covers topics ranging from
man's exploration of the world - and space - to the revolution in
communications, scientific martyrs, and "bogus science". It
contains a wealth of fascinating, little-known facts and
information, as well as anecdotes about people who have played
crucial roles in the progress of science - Louis Pasteur, Einstein,
and Galileo - along-side lesser-known individuals -" Lucy", the
woman who lived more than three million years ago; Gilbert Vernam,
the creator of the "one-time pad", the world's first unbreakable
cipher; and J. S. Haldane, the only man to have tested safely in
the mines by reciting Shakespeare. The scientific achievements of
this century - relativity, quantum mechanics, nuclear power,
genetic engineering, space travel, jet aircraft, desktop computers,
and the beginnings of artificial intelligence - have swept away
most of the predictions of the last. What do these breakthroughs
augur for the twenty-first century? The Book of Scientific
Anecdotes illuminates some of the inventionsand discoveries that
have changed the world, and the people who made them.
General
Imprint: |
Prometheus Books UK
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
December 1994 |
First published: |
April 1993 |
Authors: |
Adrian Berry
|
Dimensions: |
241 x 165 x 25mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
239 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-87975-806-6 |
Categories: |
Books >
Science & Mathematics >
General
Promotions
|
LSN: |
0-87975-806-6 |
Barcode: |
9780879758066 |
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