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Measure of the Earth - The Enlightenment Expedition That Reshaped Our World (Paperback)
Loot Price: R733
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Measure of the Earth - The Enlightenment Expedition That Reshaped Our World (Paperback)
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In the 18th century, Europe's scientific community was torn between
two opposing theories: Descartes' argument that the Earth was
spherical, and Newton's contention that it was flattened at the
poles. Recognizing that the answer was the key to securely
navigating the earth's oceans, France and Spain organized a joint
expedition to colonial Peru. Their goal was to measure a degree of
latitude at the Equator by comparing this measurement to one taken
back in Europe, they would be able to determine the planet's shape
and put an end to the debate. But what seemed a straightforward
scientific exercise was almost immediately marred by a series of
unforeseen catastrophes: treacherous terrain, deeply suspicious
locals, and the voyagers' own hubris. A thrilling tale of
adventure, political history, and scientific discovery, Larrie D.
Ferreiro's Measure of the Earth recounts the greatest scientific
exhibition of the Enlightenment through the eyes of the men who
completed it,pioneers who overcame tremendous adversity to traverse
the towering Andes Mountains and discern the Earth's true shape.
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