The story of the history of science has many beginnings. Geometry
was founded by the ancient Greeks and astronomy has its roots in
ancient China, while quantum mechanics and genetics are disciplines
that started only in the 20th century. The word 'scientist' has
only been in use since the mid-19th century; Isaac Newton referred
to himself as a 'natural philosopher' although his work became one
of the cornerstones of science. Taking the mid-16th century as its
starting point, the Oxford Companion to the History of Modern
Science focuses on the era when science began its rise to the
powerful position it occupies today. Biographies of scientists,
explanations of scientific subjects and concepts and descriptions
of scientific instruments, all clearly written, form the majority
of the entries, but there are also broader and very readable essays
exploring the wider context of science in society, including
'Science Fiction', 'Gender and Science', 'Slogans from Science'.
The degree of expertise required to appreciate the entries varies
widely, from the easily understandable 'Age of the Earth' to the
impenetrable 'Quark', which condenses an explanation of subatomic
particles into a column and a half. This is a book which it is a
pleasure to dip into at random. Accessible and useful to both the
lay and scientific reader, it includes some refreshing humour and
many personal stories of science and scientists. Entries are
cross-referenced to other entries but if you are searching for a
particular topic the generous index at the back offers the best way
of tracking down information. There is a sprinkling of
black-and-white illustrations among the text and a few pages of
captioned colour pictures. (Kirkus UK)
The Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science is a one-volume encyclopedia offering an excellent overview of the field of science and its development over the past few generations, ranging from biographies on Galileo and Dorothy Hodgkin to the discussions chronicling the change of science from simply a tool of learning to a major force in society. Along with chemistry, physics, and biology, the major scientific disciplines are represented in this alphabetically arranged work including astrology, ethnology, and zoology, among many others. The coverage is not limited to just one geographical area but is world-wide, tracing science from its traditional centres and explaining how non-western societies have modified and contributed to its global arena.
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