History of science Books

Book SynopsisPlacing babies'' lives at the center of her narrative, historian Janet Golden analyzes the dramatic transformations in the lives of American babies during the twentieth century. She examines how babies shaped American society and culture and led their families into the modern world to become more accepting of scientific medicine, active consumers, open to new theories of human psychological development, and welcoming of government advice and programs. Importantly Golden also connects the reduction in infant mortality to the increasing privatization of American lives. She also examines the influence of cultural traditions and religious practices upon the diversity of infant lives, exploring the ways class, race, region, gender, and community shaped life in the nursery and household.Trade Review'This is a wonderful book about how our evolving view of infancy changed our world; Janet Golden has brought the lost images and voices of babies and their caregivers back into our national story and created a book that will be of interest to all who care about American history, and about child development.' Perri Klass, author of Treatment Kind and Fair: Letters to a Young Doctor'What a unique perspective on twentieth-century America. Janet Golden, an exquisite storyteller and spectacular sleuth, uncovered odd bits of history brilliantly gleaned from babies – our non-verbal, cooing descendants. She has incubated this novel thesis: The modern era was propelled, in part, by a quest to keep babies alive, disease-free, well fed and happy. You'll be shocked, entertained and utterly convinced.' Randi Hutter Epstein, author of Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank'Golden's manuscript as history is overall so full of rich detail, so nicely presented and so widely researched that it will make an important addition to the literature on childhood, on modern childrearing, and on the larger question of where children fit into American history. It is the complex, often unexpected, and subtle way in which Golden argues for how babies have brought Americans into the modern world that makes the book both a pleasure to read and groundbreaking.' Paula Fass, author of The End of American Childhood: A History of Parenting from Life on the Frontier to the Managed Child'This fascinating, richly researched history is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the American paradox: How a nation that professes to love babies can have the highest rate of infant mortality in any wealthy society. As Golden demonstrates, shifting attitudes toward babies radically reshaped medical practice, consumer spending, governmental policy, and public understanding of human development - even as large numbers of infants continued to grow up in poverty and without adequate care or stimulation.' Steven Mintz, author of The Prime of Life: A History of Modern Adulthood'Golden contends that the early-20th-century focus on babies as a source of joy, rather than merely future adults, ushered in modernity in America. The incubator brought crowds to Nebraska's 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition to watch premature infants, but by the 1930s incubators were regular features in hospitals, where by then most babies were born. The attention of the public brought government involvement in registering infants' births, publishing manuals on how to raise them, and medical discoveries that reduced infant mortality and dramatically improved their well-being … Besides doctors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists, retailers mined the new baby market to advertise accessories, canned food, and toys. Consumers were gifted baby books to record their development. A collection of 1,500 of those books, along with US Children's Bureau documents and advice literature, are the main primary sources for Golden's persuasive argument. Recommended.' N. Zmora, Choice'A fresh new look at twentieth-century America, told through the lens of society's least powerful and most vulnerable class of individuals … There is much here to interest and intrigue historians of childhood, the family, and public health. Scholars will no doubt appreciate the questions her book raises for thinking about the nature of modernity, the processes involved in the creation of the twentieth-century 'baby,' as well as the limits and possibilities in extending agency to infants. Additionally, Golden has laid an important foundation for anyone who wishes to seriously consider the ways in which even the youngest and least powerful among us have shaped and reflected our personal, cultural, and political values.' Jessica Martucci, The American Historical ReviewTable of Contents1. Infant lives and deaths: incubators, demographics, photographs; 2. Valuing babies: economics, social welfare, progressives; 3. Helping citizen baby: the US Children's Bureau, good advice, better babies; 4. Bringing up babies I: giving, spending, saving, praying; 5. Bringing up babies II: health and illness, food and drink; 6. Helping baby citizens: traditional healers, patent medicines, local cultures; 7. The inner lives of babies: infant psychology; 8. Babies' changing times: depression, war, peace; 9. Baby boom babies; Coda. Kissing and dismissing babies: American exceptionalism.

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Book SynopsisThe book provides a balanced and up to date contribution to the realism/anti-realism debate in philosophy of science. It reviews the evidence for and against realism and anti-realism, including evidence from the history of science, and various logical considerations.Trade Review'With its insightful and engaging critique Resisting Scientific Realism takes on every argument that scientific realists have offered, but does much more than that. What emerges along the way is a strengthened anti-realism skillfully aligned with epistemic modesty about the continuing historical development of the sciences. It will be a delightful and rewarding read for realists and anti-realists alike.' Bas Van Fraassen, Princeton University, New Jersey'Resisting Scientific Realism is a wonderfully rich, impressively clear, and meticulously argued, thought-provoking book … it is required reading for anyone interested in the contemporary development of the scientific realism debate in the philosophy of science literature.' Philosophia'Resisting Scientific Realism exhibits excellent scholarship and philosophical creativity. It is a valuable contribution to the literature on scientific anti-realism, containing important arguments with which realists must contend, and directing the scientific realism debate towards exciting new (or unfairly neglected) topics. The writing is admirably clear and elegant. If you are interested in scientific anti-realism or scientific theory change, you should read this book.' British Journal for the Philosophy of Science'It is essential reading for those interested in the classic arguments in the realism debate.' Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews'… it offers various intertwined strands of argument with the aim of persuading the reader that realism faces significant challenges, and hence, anti-realism cannot be so easily dismissed as is typically thought.' Steven French, Metascience'Wray's book Resisting Scientific Realism is a welcome addition to the philosophy of science literature. It joins just a handful of book-length discussions of the realism debate in the past 20 years. I expect that anybody interested in the realism debate, or the relationship between science and truth more generally, would profit from reading it.' Peter Vickers, Metascience'Brad Wray's Resisting Scientific Realism is precisely what the title suggests: an attempt to resist scientific realism, and in particular an attempt to resist the realist ways to reconcile the two foregoing facts … I should add without any hesitation that Brad Wray has written an admirable book, full of insightful argument and constructive criticism.' Stathis Psillos, Metascience'K. Brad Wray's Resisting Scientific Realism offers a spirited and engaging attack on scientific realism that includes new historical examples, useful engagement with familiar examples and arguments, and some novel arguments of its own. It aspires both to present a comprehensive survey of the arguments against scientific realism and to challenge the influential realist argument that the approximate truth of our best scientific theories offers the best or only explanation for the success of those theories.' P. Kyle Stanford, Metascience'Resisting Scientific Realism is a wonderfully rich, impressively clear, and meticulously argued, thought-provoking book. It is well-balanced in its exposition of case studies from the history of science, discussion of the relevant history of philosophy of science, and engagement with the realism vs. anti-realism debate in the philosophy of science literature.' Elay Shech, PhilosophiaTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Against Realism: 1. The Copernican Revolution in astronomy; 2. The underdetermination of theory choice by evidence; 3. The argument from underconsideration; 4. Epistemic privilege: another realist dogma; 5. Four pessimistic inductions; 6. Pessimism, optimism, and the exponential growth of science; 7. The nature of radical theory change; 8. Do the theoretical values really support scientific realism?; Part II. Strengthening Anti-Realism: 9. But can the anti-realist explain the success of science?; 10. Selection and predictive success; 11. How are false theories able to make true predictions?; 12. Discarded theories: the role of changing interests; 13. A synthesis.

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Book SynopsisThe practice of weather forecasting underwent a crucial transformation in the Middle Ages. Exploring how scientifically-based meteorology spread and flourished from c.700c.1600, this study reveals the dramatic changes in forecasting and how the new science of ''astro-meteorology'' developed. Both narrower and more practical in its approach than earlier forms of meteorology, this new science claimed to deliver weather forecasts for months and even years ahead, on the premise that weather is caused by the atmospheric effects of the planets and stars, and mediated by local and seasonal climatic conditions. Anne Lawrence-Mathers explores how these forecasts were made and explains the growing practice of recording actual weather. These records were used to support forecasting practices, and their popularity grew from the fourteenth century onwards. Essential reading for anyone interested in medieval science, Medieval Meteorology demonstrates that the roots of scientific forecasting are muchTrade Review'A wonderful, wide-ranging, and comprehensive study of a subject both ubiquitous and particular; the weather. Medieval Meteorology takes a broadly chronological approach in a wide sweep from the ancient world to the end of the European Middle Ages and the Early Modern period. The continuities from ancient to medieval understanding of the subject are convincingly shown, alongside the critical difference brought about by the reception of works by Islamicate authors from the twelfth century onwards. There is no better place to start, for specialist scholars or general readers. Conveyed in an accessible manner, it is no less formidable in its learning for ease of style and persuasive arguments. Pick up and read.' Giles Gasper, Durham University'In this trail-blazing study, Anne Lawrence-Mathers demonstrates how 'astro-meteorology' emerged as an innovative form of rational weather prognostication out of the medieval convergence of classical, Arab-Islamic and folk knowledge. Her account of astro-meteorology's quest for precise and timely weather forecasting constitutes a deeply significant, and hitherto untold, chapter in the history of European scientific culture.' Faith Wallis, McGill University, Montreal'This excellent study deserves the attention of historians of science and medievalists.' R. E. Winn, Choice'Essential reading for anyone interested in medieval science, Medieval Meteorology demonstrates that the roots of scientific forecasting are much deeper than is usually recognized.' Jana Byars, New Books Network'As a methodical intellectual history, the monograph is impressive and timely.' Sarah Carson, IsisTable of ContentsPreface; Introduction; 1. Re-creating meteorology in the early Middle Ages: Isidore and Bede; 2. Meteorology, weather forecasting and the early-medieval Renaissance of astronomy; 3. Exploratory encounters with the work of Arab astronomers and meteorologists; 4. Meteorology, the new science of the stars, and the rise of weather forecasting; 5. The contested rise of astro-meteorology; 6. Applying the science of astro-meteorology; 7. Astro-meteorology and mechanisation; 8. Weather forecasting and the impact of print; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisCarbon plays a fundamental role on Earth. It forms the chemical backbone for all essential organic molecules produced by living organisms. Carbon-based fuels supply most of society''s energy, and atmospheric carbon dioxide has a huge impact on Earth''s climate. This book provides a complete history of the emergence and development of the new interdisciplinary field of deep carbon science. It traces four centuries of history during which the inner workings of the dynamic Earth were discovered, and documents extraordinary scientific revolutions that changed our understanding of carbon on Earth forever: carbon''s origin in exploding stars; the discovery of the internal heat source driving the Earth''s carbon cycle; and the tectonic revolution. Written with an engaging narrative style and covering the scientific endeavours of more than a hundred pioneers of deep geoscience, this is a fascinating book for students and researchers working in Earth system science and deep carbon research.Trade Review'A beautifully accessible history of geology told through the unique lens of how the element carbon cycles between different parts of the Earth. The reader will be drawn into the stories behind some of the key discoveries and developments in the field. A must read for anyone interested in how scientific revolutions are made. Cin-Ty Lee, Rice University'A very interesting narrative that weaves the historical development of ideas and controversies in Geoscience into the theme of the significance of the Deep Earth Carbon cycle. Mitton has researched both the well-known and the less well-known personalities and anecdotes that bring the human element into the quest to discover how the Earth works.' Andrew Putnis, University of Münster'Simon Mitton's book takes us through centuries of frontline research on the origin and evolution of carbon in the universe and our planet… rarely have the challenges and innovations of geological research been exposed in such a broad context and in connection with other branches of science. Most appealing is the realization that a common thread links almost all scientific disciplines, which are complementary and constantly feed one another, sometimes in unexpected ways. Simon Mitton puts us in the driver's seat with his lively sketches of scientists at work. We take comfort in the outstanding advances that have been made and at the same time realize how far we still need to go. I was sorry when I reached the end of his book because I wanted the story to continue for much longer.' Claude Jaupart, Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris'Simon Mitton's book 'From Crust to Core, A Chronicle of Deep Carbon Science' takes the reader on a wonderful trip through the time, documenting the challenges and advances made by different generations of scientists to develop an understanding of Earth's processes. This comprehensive work extends until the construction of the revolutionary paradigm known as Earth System science, on which Deep Carbon Science is unfolding today.' Antonio Costa, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Bologna, Italy'… I recommend this book as delivering an enriching contextual narrative of the development of the subject that is well suited to basic background reading for all aspiring Earth scientists.' Gillian R. Foulger, The ObservatoryTable of Contents1. Why Carbon in Earth Matters; 2. The Origin of Deep Carbon in Deep Space; 3. Deliveries of Cosmic Carbon Continue; 4. On the Nature of Earth's Interior; 5. Earth's Interior Revealed; 6. Thousands, Millions or Billions, the Question of Timing; 7. Physics and Chemistry of Deep Earth; 8. Confronting the Continental Drift Conundrum; 9. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Rift Valley; 10. Earth's Deep Dynamics Discovered; 11. Reversals of Fortune; 12. Deep Carbon's Cycles, Reservoirs and Fluxes; 13. Carbon Bearing Phases in the Mantle; 14. Diamond in the Mantle; 15. Deep Life; Glossary; Biographical notes; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisAfter Atomic Junction, along the Haatso-Atomic Road there lies the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, home to Africa''s first nuclear programme after independence. Travelling along this road, Abena Dove Osseo-Asare gathers together stories of conflict and compromise on an African nuclear frontier. She speaks with a generation of African scientists who became captivated with ''the atom'' and studied in the Soviet Union to make nuclear physics their own. On Pluton Lane and Gamma Avenue, these scientists displaced quiet farming villages in their bid to establish a scientific metropolis, creating an epicentre for Ghana''s nuclear physics community. By placing interviews with town leaders, physicists and local entrepreneurs alongside archival records, Osseo-Asare explores the impact of scientific pursuit on areas surrounding the reactor, focusing on how residents came to interpret activities on these ''Atomic Lands''. This combination of historical research, personal and ethnographic observatiTrade Review'A carefully researched but also deeply personal history of nuclear science in Ghana. Osseo-Asare's history takes us from Ghanaian nuclear scientists' measurements of fallout from French nuclear tests in Algeria in the early 1960s through to Ghana's acquisition of a nuclear reactor from China in the 1990s, and further into the present day. Commendable for its breadth of perspective and fascinating detail.' Hugh Gusterson, George Washington University, Washington, DC'A meticulous historian with an ethnographer's eye for rich detail, Osseo-Asare boldly overturns standard accounts of Cold War atomic science, placing Ghanaian aspirations for decolonized knowledge and talented black researchers at the center. A brilliant and utterly original rendering of one nation's nuclear dreams that are at once liberatory and frustrated.' Alondra Nelson, President of the Social Science Research Council'… a well-rounded account of an independent African country's nuclear past. Given the author's family ties to Ghana and particularly to the Ghanaian community of nuclear scientists, the story reflects a very personal engagement with the subject. Osseo-Asare has most likely produced the authoritative account of Ghana's nuclear endeavor, including its achievements and setbacks, in a clear and balanced manner.' Robin Möser, African Studies Review'Atomic Junction is a pleasure to read. Osseo-Asare writes with flair and weaves together evidence from a range of archival and oral narratives with major themes in the history of atomic power, science in the Cold War, decolonization, and social and cultural history … This undoubtedly is an important contribution to the growing literature in the history of science and technology in postcolonial Africa.' Jeremy M. Rich, H-Africa'Atomic Junction is a great feat of multidisciplinary research presented in a tightly written and lucid narrative.' Damilola Adebayo, Technology and Culture'… a masterful contribution to the growing scholarship on the history of science and technology in Africa.' Jennifer Hart, H-AfricaTable of ContentsPreface: nuclear reveries; 1. Introduction: 'no country has monopoly of ability'; 2. Nuclear winds: particles without boundaries; 3. Scientific equity: physics from the Soviets; 4. Atomic reactors: a fission facility for Ghana; 5. Radiation within: monitoring particles in bodies; 6. Atomic lands: risks on a nuclear frontier; Epilogue: nuclear power at the crossroads.

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Book SynopsisThe IAU Centenary Symposium was held at its General Assembly in Vienna in 2018. It starts with plenary lectures, by Malcolm Longair on 100 years of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, and by Catherine Cesarsky, who reflects on a century of IAU history. There follows reminiscences from past IAU presidents and general secretaries and presentations on various aspects of IAU history, including some of the famous astronomers who served the Union. The volume then examines the relations between the IAU and different geographical regions, including the issues relating to the Central Powers after World War I, and the ''China crisis'', when China withdrew from the Union in 1960 and was absent for two decades. The IAU''s internal structures and organization are reviewed, along with trends in astronomical publishing and astronomical education. IAU S349 finishes with a vision of the IAU''s future from its current president, Ewine van Dishoeck.Trade Review'… its own history occupied one plenary session … and one symposium, though scraps of history wormed their way into a supernova session and elsewhere …' Virginia Trimble, The Observatory Magazine'Under One Sky is primarily a publication celebrating the centenary of the IAU and only secondarily a serious contribution to the organizational history of the astronomical sciences. On the other hand, it includes a wealth of biographical and other information as well as several chapters that will be of interest to historians of modern astronomy.' Helge Kragh, Journal for the History of AstronomyTable of ContentsPart I. Centenary Celebration Session. 1. 100 years of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology M. Longair; 2. Reflections on 100 years of IAU C. Cesarsky; Part II. Reminiscences from Past IAU Presidents; Part II. Reminiscences from Past IAU Presidents; Part III. Reminiscences from Past IAU General Secretaries; Part IV. The IAU and its History; Part V. The IAU and its Relation to Diverse Geographical Regions of the World; Part VI. IAU Structures and Organization; Part VII. Astronomical Publishing; Part VIII. The International School for Young Astronomers; Education and Outreach; Part IX. Some Miscellaneous Topics in Astronomical History; Part X. The IAU in the Future.

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Book SynopsisThis second volume of The Cambridge History of the Gothic provides a rigorous account of the Gothic in British, American and Continental European culture, from the Romantic period through to the Victorian fin de siècle. Here, leading scholars in the fields of literature, theatre, architecture and the history of science and popular entertainment explore the Gothic in its numerous interdisciplinary forms and guises, as well as across a range of different international contexts. As much a cultural history of the Gothic in this period as an account of the ways in which the Gothic mode has participated in the formative historical events of modernity, the volume offers fresh perspectives on familiar themes while also drawing new critical attention to a range of hitherto overlooked concerns. From Romanticism, to Penny Bloods, Dickens and even the railway system, the volume provides a compelling and comprehensive study of nineteenth-century Gothic culture.Trade Review'… many readers of The Cambridge History of the Gothic will likely find themselves - and the Gothic - in a similarly transformed and renewed state.' Michael Gamer, Review 19'One of the great strengths of Townshend and Wright's turn to mode instead of form is that they are able to develop a truly interdisciplinary collection of essays, putting literature, history, art, architecture, and drama into conversation with one another.' Joellen Mary Delucia, Eighteenth-Century StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Gothic romanticism and the summer of 1816 Angela Wright and Madeleine Callaghan; 2. Fantasmagoriana: The cosmopolitan gothic and Frankenstein Maximiliaan van Woudenberg; 3. The mutation of the vampire in nineteenth-century gothic Jerrold E. Hogle; 4. From romantic gothic to Victorian medievalism: 1817 and 1877 Tom Duggett; 5. Nineteenth-century gothic architectural aesthetics: A. W. N. Pugin, John Ruskin and William Morris Alexandra Warwick; 6. Gothic fiction, from shilling shockers to penny bloods Anthony Mandal; 7. The theatrical gothic in the nineteenth century Kelly Jones; 8. 'Specterology': gothic showmanship in nineteenth-century popular shows and media Joe Kember; 9. The gothic in Victorian poetry Serena Trowbridge; 10. The genesis of the Victorian ghost story Scott Brewster; 11. Charles dickens and the gothic John Bowen; 12. Victorian domestic gothic fiction Tamar Heller; 13. The gothic in nineteenth-century Spain Xavier Aldana Reyes and Rocío Rødtjer; 14. The gothic in nineteenth-century Italy Francesca Saggini; 15. The gothic in nineteenth-century Scotland Suzanne Gilbert; 16. The gothic in nineteenth-century Ireland Christina Morin; 17. The gothic in nineteenth-century America Charles L. Crow; 18. Nineteenth-century British and American gothic and the history of slavery Maisha Wester; 19. Genealogies of monstrosity: Darwin, the biology of crime and nineteenth-century British gothic literature Corinna Wagner; 20. Gothic and the coming of the railways William Hughes; 21. Gothic imperialism at the fin de siècle Andrew Smith.

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Book SynopsisNieto-Galan explores the links between chemistry and industrial and military projects, national rivalries and international endeavours in twentieth-century Spain. He unveils the chemists' positions of power and their engagement in fierce ideological battles, drawing out elements of co-production between science and politics.Trade Review'Scientists were prominent in building Spain's democratic Republic - two, the chemist José Giral and the physiologist Juan Negrín, became prime ministers. Science under the Franco dictatorship was dominated by one chemist, José María Albareda while another, Manuel Lora-Tamayo, was Minister of Education and Science in the 1960s. This fascinating and totally original work examines the links between chemistry and politics in a way that casts its light far beyond the specifics of Spain.' Paul Preston, London School of Economics and Political Science'After taking sides during the Spanish Civil War, chemists either emigrated, endured persecution in Spain, or supported the Franco regime - the latter often selling out their colleagues in the process. Today the Fascist chemists are honored in Spain, but not their victims, an injustice this path-breaking and important book will correct.' Mark Walker, Union College, New York'Anyone interested in the history of chemistry, the relationship between power and science, and the formations of scientific communities and identities would find this carefully researched book an open invitation to follow further research and explore the unresolved topics that the book elucidates.' Santiago Guzmán Gámez'The book provides a rich account of the political dimension of chemistry … the book provides an extraordinary understanding of the role of chemistry and its practitioners in the shaping of science and society in the twentieth century.' Ignacio Suay-Matallana'… Nieto-Galan's account is very convincing … has not only written an inspiring book on the 'moral ambiguity of chemistry,' but has also contributed significantly to the intersection of science, power, and politics in the twentieth century.' Anna Catharina Hofmann, Technology and CultureTable of ContentsList of figures; Preface; Acknowledgments; Chronology; List of abbreviations; Introduction; Biographies of power; A political chemistry; 1. Dreams of Modernity; 1.1 Cosmopolitanism; 1.2 Laboratories and schools; 1.3 Useful chemistry; 2. A republican science; 2.1 A new enlightenment; 2.2 Nobel visitors; 2.3 The Silver Age of industry; 3. War weapons; 3.1 A chemical civil war; 3.2 A damaged community; 3.3 Tortured skills; 4. Totalitarian ambitions; 4.1 Fascist chemistry; 4.2 Chemistry and religion; 5. Autarchic ambiguities; 5.1 'Our' chemicals; 5.2 'Technical' chemistry; 5.3 Chemical diplomacy; 6. Technocratic progress; 6.1 'Neutral' expertise; 6.2 Cold war allies; 6.3 Corporate chemistry; 7. Liberal dissent; 7.1 Chemists in exile; 7.2 Internal refugees; Conclusion: the moral ambiguity of chemistry; Pure-applied chemistry; Modernisation paradoxes; A troubled identity; Chemists as intellectuals; History and memory; Addendum: Juan Julio Bonet Sugrañes (1940–2006); Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisMartin Harwit''s influential book, Cosmic Discovery, is rereleased after more than thirty-five years, with a new preface written by the author. The work chronicles the astronomical discoveries up to the late twentieth century and draws conclusions that major discoveries have often been unexpected, unrelated to prevailing astronomical theories and made by outsiders from other fields. One trend alone seems to prevail: major discoveries follow major technological innovations in observational instruments. The author also examines discovery in terms of its political, financial, and sociological contexts, including the role of industry and the military in enabling new technologies, and methods of funding. The challenges encountered by astronomy in the 1980s are remarkably similar to those astronomers face today. Difficulties persist in controlling recurrent cost overruns on planned missions, and in confronting mounting costs in developing observatories for detecting gravitational waves, highTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The search; 2. Discoveries; 3. Observation; 4. Detection, recognition, and classification of phenomena; 5. The fringes of legitimacy: the need for enlightened planning; Appendices; References; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis volume is part of the definitive edition of letters written by and to Charles Darwin, the most celebrated naturalist of the nineteenth century. Notes and appendixes put these fascinating and wide-ranging letters in context, making the letters accessible to both scholars and general readers. Darwin depended on correspondence to collect data from all over the world, and to discuss his emerging ideas with scientific colleagues, many of whom he never met in person. The letters are published chronologically. In 1880, Darwin published On The Power of Movement in Plants, and began writing his final book, The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms. He was engaged in controversy with Samuel Butler, following publication of his last book, Erasmus Darwin. At the end of the year, he succeeded in raising support for a Civil List pension for Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of natural selection.Trade Review'How much one learns about Charles Darwin the man, and not just the scientist, as one reads through these volumes. We are all hugely indebted to the editors of the Darwin Correspondence Project.' Michael Ruse, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations; List of Letters; Introduction; Acknowledgments; List of Provenances; Note on Editorial Policy; Darwin/Wedgwood Genealogy; Abbreviations and Symbols; The Correspondence; Appendixes: I. Translations; II. Chronology; III. Diplomas and Testimonials; IV. Presentation List for Movement in Plants; V. Reviews of Movement in Plants; VI. Alfred Russel Wallace Memorial; Manuscript Alterations and Comments; Biographical Register and Index to Correspondents; Bibliography; Notes on Manuscript Sources; Index.

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Book SynopsisProgress Unchained reinterprets the history of the idea of progress using parallels between evolutionary biology and changing views of human history. Early concepts of progress in both areas saw it as the ascent of a linear scale of development toward a final goal. The ''chain of being'' defined a hierarchy of living things with humans at the head, while social thinkers interpreted history as a development toward a final paradise or utopia. Darwinism reconfigured biological progress as a ''tree of life'' with multiple lines of advance not necessarily leading to humans, each driven by the rare innovations that generate entirely new functions. Popular writers such as H. G. Wells used a similar model to depict human progress, with competing technological innovations producing ever-more rapid changes in society. Bowler shows that as the idea of progress has become open-ended and unpredictable, a variety of alternative futures have been imagined.Trade Review'From the antique idea of a Chain of Being to the continually branching Tree of Life, Bowler brings a lifetime of learning to the intellectual history of progress. Few could show us with such precision and clarity how progress came to be 'unchained', and what this history might mean for our own visions of the future.' Alison Bashford, University of New South Wales'Evolutionary speculation has always been bound up with social ideas and hopes of progress. Peter Bowler argues that Charles Darwin altered the debate fundamentally, showing that evolution is no predetermined upward rise, but increasingly a function of human creativity. This wonderfully provocative book is as entertaining to read as its underlying erudition impresses. Highly recommended.' Michael Ruse, Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph'In this timely and wide-ranging survey, a leading historian of evolutionary theory explores the doctrine of progress and the fate during the nineteenth and earlier twentieth centuries of pictures of an attainable utopia. Peter Bowler's study of writings in public science and science fiction provides fascinating reading for anyone interested in how models of what is to come changed in history and may change again.' Simon Schaffer, University of Cambridge'… the book is well written and altogether thought provoking.' J. L. Hunt, CHOICETable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction: ladders and trees; Part I. The Ladder of Progress and the End of History: 2. From the chain of being to the ladder of creation; 3. The hierarchy of humanity; 4. Progress to paradise: Christianity, idealism and history; 5. Ascent to utopia: the quest for a perfect society; 6. End of an era?; Part II. Toward a World of Unlimited Possibilities: 7. Darwinian visions; 8. The uniqueness of humans; 9. Branching out: the evolution of civilizations; 10. Toward an uncertain future; 11. Epilogue: where did it all go wrong?; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThis complete edition of Newton's optical papers contains two volumes: the first details his Optical Lectures, delivered at Cambridge University between 1670 and 1672, while the second documents the evolution of the Opticks, the most influential optical and experimental work of the eighteenth century. The Lectures is Newton's first major scientific treatise, and represents a crucial link between his early years of discovery and his mature publications. The complete text of both surviving versions of the Lectures, an early version and a vastly expanded revision, is included here, together with translation and commentary. The second volume opens with the first edition of the Opticks (1704) and the first draft in Latin. The manuscripts of the queries that Newton added to the Latin translation in 1706 and the second English edition (1717) follow this, accompanied by shorter manuscripts, copious notes and commentary. This is an essential resource for the study of Newtonian science.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA brilliant history of how we came to know our best friends better – the trials and tribulations, the highs and lows. Jules Howard reveals how we came to know dogs better and how that’s helped us understand ourselves. * Professor Alice Roberts, biological anthropologist, broadcaster and author of 'Ancestors' *Full of insight and brilliantly researched, Wonderdog is a delightful read and a fascinating look at how much more there is to learn from man’s best friend. * Kate MacDougall, author of 'London’s No. 1 Dog Walking Agency' *The book about dogs I never knew I needed, full of answers to questions I never thought to ask. A fascinating and eye-opening read for anyone that has ever loved a dog. * Dr Jess French, veterinarian, zoologist, broadcaster and author of 'Puppy Talk' *With Wonderdog, Jules Howard explores the highs and the lows of science's sometimes troubled relationship with the domesticated wolf with which we share our homes and lives. With his characteristic lightness of touch, Howard takes us on journey of discovery that will leave no dog lover unmoved and no dog hater unconverted. A splendid, entertaining and hugely informative read! * Professor Adam Hart, scientist, broadcaster and author of 'Unfit for Purpose' *Turning wolves into dogs took knowledge, insight and a few cheeky treats along the way. This book contains all three and is the perfect companion to any dog lover. * Professor Ben Garrod, evolutionary biologist, primatologist and broadcaster *Howard does a masterful job blending the latest science with doses of common sense as he covers what we know and still need to know to give dogs the best lives possible. Wonderdog is a must-read. * Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado, author of 'Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do' *Howard’s portrayals of the villains and heroes in the research world of the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries makes for fascinating reading [...] his transformed view of love is a fitting end to an account describing the arc of dog research as bending towards just treatment for dogs. * Barbara J. King, anthropologist and author of 'Animals' Best Friends' *Wonderdog offers readers a whirlwind tour of 150 years of research on the minds and behavior of man’s best friend. From Darwin and Pavlov to the latest research in canine science, Wonderdog reflects first-rate scholarship yet reads like a detective novel. This book puts Jules Howard in the top ranks of contemporary science writers. * Hal Herzog, author of 'Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals' *Wonderdog is a paean to these clever, flexible, charming animals who sit and walk alongside us -- and also a humane, thoughtful consideration of the science using and about dogs. You'll want to read it with a dog by your side, so you can regularly turn to them admiringly and tickle their ears. * Alexandra Horowitz, professor and bestselling author of 'Inside of a Dog' *A wonderful book! I loved it. Informative and engaging. * Virginia Morrell, author of 'Animal Wise' *An informative homage to dogs and to the scientists who have tried to get to the bottom of dog psychology. -- Ysenda Maxine Graham * Daily Mail *Wonderdog succeeds in drawing readers in and delivering reliable scientific information packaged in compelling and sometimes heart-warming anecdotes. I have no doubt that even the science-phobic among dog lovers can find Wonderdog exhilarating. * Forbes *In his book Wonderdog, the zoologist Jules Howard writes that dogs, unlike wolves, make eye contact with humans. They have a specific facial muscle group for those “puppy dog eyes”, and after sustained human contact, according to one study, their oxytocin levels soared. The spike was much more pronounced in their owners, though. This directs us to the more important thrust of Howard’s book, which is that the question isn’t how well dogs love us; it’s how we are changed by loving dogs. Fascinating and profound. -- Zoe Williams * The Guardian *Amusing and enlightening [...] It's a celebration of "a vibrant and engaging era in the history of animal science", and a love-letter to man's best friend. -- Mark Whitley * Countryman *In Wonderdog, science writer Jules Howard explores how for centuries scientists have studied dogs … many gems are there. -- Julia Llewellyn Smith * The Mail on Sunday *Heartwarming -- Kevin Maher * The Times *Zoologist Howard (Death on Earth) enlists the help of veterinary professionals, psychologists, ethologists, neurologists, historians, and others in this eclectic history of dogs [...] Howard peppers in charming stories of his own childhood dog, Biff, giving the survey equal parts heft and heart: 'We had all the hallmarks of love for one another, Biff and I.' This is just the thing for dog lovers. * Publishers Weekly *This insightful historical account of the study of canine minds is essentially a love letter to science, through the good times and the bad [...] Engagingly written, 'Wonderdog' is a refreshing celebration of dogs' minds. * Your Dog *This book tells the fascinating story of how we came to understand the complex minds of dogs, while making key discoveries about ourselves along the way. * Woman's Own *Table of ContentsPrologue Introduction SECTION I: SIT, STAY 1: From the streets they came 2: Emancipation Day 3: Sacrificed for science 4: The Brown Dog Affair SECTION II: FETCH, RETRIEVE 5: Alpha, beta, doubter 6: Skinner, unboxed 7: The cognition ignition 8: How nature met nurture SECTION III: MEET, PLAY, LOVE 9: What is it like to be a dog? 10: Flip, the switch 11: The power of play 12: To see love coming Epilogue: ... and see love depart Acknowledgements Research notes and further reading Index

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Book SynopsisBBC Radio 4''s celebrated THE LIFE SCIENTIFIC has featured some of the world''s most renowned experts in the field of deadly viruses. The interviews make sobering reading, a reminder of all the deadly viruses that have threatened global health, and why for the scientists working on the front line in the war against viruses, the arrival of Covid-19 came as no surprise. Among the contributors to this all-too-timely book are:Jeremy Farrar, before he became Director of the Wellcome Trust, worked in an Infectious Diseases Hospital in Vietnam. He was on the frontline tackling SARS and nine months later a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5N1. Peter Piot was at the forefront of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. He was the first to identify HIV in Africa. It took him fifteen years to persuade the world that it was also a heterosexual disease. Later as Executive Director of UN AIDS he fought for years to get the UN to take the threat of HIV seriously.

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Book SynopsisWhat does it take to be an inventor?Judging by the ingenious individuals who have come into The Life Scientific studio in the last eight years, there is no simple answer. Mathematicians, electricians, molecular biologists and mechanics can all transform lives. Some think with their hands, others make things in their minds. Most have a vision of the future. All are driven by a passionate determination to solve problems.These intimate accounts, based on interviews recorded for the popular BBC Radio 4 programme The Life Scientific, chart the life journeys of scientists and engineers working in Britain today from childhood interests to innovation. Explaining what they did when and why, they make science seem straightforward and exciting, revealing moments of disappointment, creativity, frustration and joy. The result is an illuminating collection of biographical short stories that make scientists and the work they do accessible to us all.

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Book Synopsis'The most sheerly enjoyable history of science of recent years' The Spectator'This is one of the best science books I have read in a decade' Paul DaviesLife is Simple tells the remarkable story of how a thirteenth century monk's search for simplicity led to the emergence of the modern world.We begin in the turbulent times of the medieval friar, William of Occam, who first articulated the principle that the best answer to any problem is the simplest. This theory, known as Occam's razor, cut through the thickets of medieval metaphysics to clear a path for modern science. We follow the razor in the hands of the giants of science, from Copernicus, to Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Rubin and Higgs. Its success suggests that we live in the simplest possible habitable universe and supports the revolutionary theory that our cosmos has evolved.By highlighting the very human passion, curiosity, mistakes and struggles of those who were inspired by Occam's razor to create the modern world, Johnjoe McFadden provides new insight into what science is really about. And that the principle of simplicity is as relevant today as ever.Trade ReviewLIFE IS SIMPLE tells, in an entertaining and engaging way, the remarkable story of a simple idea that begins its epic journey 800 years ago with a medieval Franciscan friar and yet somehow still influences some of the most profound ideas in science today. -- Jim al-KhaliliOccam's razor, like Hobson's choice and Schrödinger's cat, is a phrase that's entered the language. We know more or less what it means without necessarily knowing anything about its inventor or realising the immense power it has as a philosophical and scientific principle. LIFE IS SIMPLE describes brilliantly the context in which William of Occam lived and worked, and the transforming effect that his simple-seeming doctrine has had on the development of our understanding of nature and the universe. -- Philip PullmanThe most sheerly enjoyable history of science of recent years -- Simon Ings, The SpectatorI read LIFE IS SIMPLE and found myself captured by the central premise: that science, though perceived as complicated, is actually the pursuit of simplicity. Johnjoe has created a fascinating book that weaves history, science and humanity together to illuminate what science really is - a topic that could not be more timely. The world is currently waking up to the complexities of science and its role in our world, and this book is an enlightening aid to that new understanding. -- Michael Brooks, physicist and science writerIn LIFE IS SIMPLE, geneticist Johnjoe McFadden offers a breezy but well-researched look at how the razor has inspired some of science's biggest ideas...his examples illustrate with persuasive power how 'simplicity continues to present us with the most profound, enigmatic and sometimes unsettling insights' into how the universe works -- Scientific AmericanLIFE IS SIMPLE is a history that takes you through many centuries of understanding the changing language and philosophy of science. I highly recommend you buy it -- Robin Ince, broadcaster and author of The Importance of Being Interested: Adventures in Scientific CuriosityWith flair and accessibility, McFadden walks readers through Occam's many intellectually revolutionary ideas...A dense, provocative, and satisfying foray into the history of science -- Kirkus ReviewsA compelling assessment of an idea many of us know but few deeply understand -- John Keogh, BooklistI learned a great deal from reading this book and I thought that the concept of simplicity as the main plot of the story worked well -- Bernard Lightman, Distinguished Research Professor, University of York, Canada. President History of Science Society and editor of Isis, the preeminent international History of Science journal.McFadden's love for William is hard to resist. If you are at all interested in the history of ideas, this is a fabulous read. Even after you've taken a few detours through other material to become better oriented in the controversy over what exactly he's good for, William plausibly still stands as a daring, original figure who deserves a place in the Pantheon, and McFadden has done a great service in bringing the whole William and his influence to wider attention. In short, Life is Simple is enthralling. -- Prospect MagazineCenturies ago, the principle of Ockham's razor changed our world by showing simpler answers to be preferable and more often true. In Life Is Simple, scientist Johnjoe McFadden traces centuries of discoveries, taking us from a geocentric cosmos to quantum mechanics and DNA, arguing that simplicity has revealed profound answers to the greatest mysteries . . . Recasting both the history of science and our universe's origins, McFadden transforms our understanding of ourselves and our world -- Irish Tech NewsA tour through two millennia of scientific discovery . . . interesting and illuminating -- Wall Street JournalFor all its technical triumphs, science does not take place in a cultural vacuum. McFadden's wonderful and thoroughly-researched account of the history of ideas reveals how simplicity as an overarching principle weaves through all the sciences, telling us something profound about the nature of reality. His vivid descriptions and clear exposition make the subject come alive, and resonate with significance. This is one of the best science books I have read in a decade. -- Paul Davies, Regents’ Professor of Physics at Arizona State University and author of What’s Eating the Universe?Like a talented stylist or editor, courageous scientists have identified what is redundant . . . and promptly scratched it out. McFadden's book brings this observation to life using two millennia of scientific advancement, never castigating those who were wrong, but instead highlighting how they helped to shape the correct answers that came later -- Caroline Delbert, Popular MechanicsMcFadden includes much interesting material drawn from Ockham and other historical sources. His evident enthusiasm is particularly welcome as this book is directed not only at fellow scientists but also at a wider readership -- Geoffrey Cantor, Times HigherJohnjoe McFadden's delightfully lucid book is itself a model of deceptive simplicity. The words glide off the page in this trenchant analysis of nature's complexities that brings fresh life to centuries of scientific discovery and also points the way towards a clearer future -- Patricia Fara, Emeritus Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and award-winning author of Science: A Four Thousand Year HistoryThoroughly fascinating . . . Far from being a narrow specialist, [McFadden] has a firm grasp of the complexities of many branches of science . . . Breath-taking in its comprehensiveness and clarity -- Irish Times

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Book SynopsisA biography of the gifted ornithologist, animal painter, and writer whose extensive depictions of birds are still considered a monumental achievement in the worlds of animal biology and art. Historical illustrations, photographs, and original documents are presented throughout the book.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/audubon-the-naturalist-a-history-of-his-life-and-time-volume-i/

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Book SynopsisA biography of the gifted ornithologist, animal painter, and writer whose extensive depictions of birds are still considered a monumental achievement in the worlds of animal biology and art. Historical illustrations, photographs, and original documents are presented throughout the book.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/audubon-the-naturalist-a-history-of-his-life-and-time-volume-ii/

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Book SynopsisThe book is the first attempt to connect the natural sciences into a history of creation. The idea is a bold one, and there are many circumstances of time and place to render its boldness more than usually conspicuous. The author's desire in the composition of the book was to give the true view of the history of nature, with as little disturbance as possible to existing beliefs, whether philosophical or religious.

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Book SynopsisNineteenth-Century Science is a science anthology which provides over 30 selections from original 19th-century scientific monographs, textbooks and articles written by such authors as Charles Darwin, Mary Somerville, J.W. Goethe, John Dalton, Charles Lyell and Hermann von Helmholtz. The volume surveys scientific discovery and thought from Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's theory of evolution of 1809 to the isolation of radium by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. Each selection opens with a biographical introduction, situating each scientist and discovery within the context of history and culture of the period. Each entry is also followed by a list of further suggested reading on the topic. A broad range of technical and popular material has been included, from Mendeleev’s detailed description of the periodic table to Faraday’s highly accessible lecture for young people on chemistry of a burning candle. The anthology will be of interest to the general reader who would like to explore in detail the scientific, cultural, and intellectual development of the nineteenth-century, as well as to students and teachers who specialize in the science, literature, history, or sociology of the period. The book provides examples from all the disciplines of western science-chemistry, physics, medicine, astronomy, biology, evolutionary theory, etc. The majority of the entries consist of complete, unabridged journal articles or book chapters from original 19th-century scientific texts.Trade ReviewWeber has given us the best anthology of nineteenth-century science available. Drawing on a wide variety of rich sources, from Paley to Dalton, Lyell, Chambers, Combe, Darwin, Pasteur, Helmholtz, Huxley, and Curie, among others, Weber opens a window onto the fascinating world of nineteenth-century science." - Bernard Lightman, Professor of Humanities, York University, and author of Victorian Science in Context (University of Chicago Press).Table of ContentsList of illustrationsAcknowledgementsIntroduction BENJAMIN BANNEKERBenjamin Banneker’s Pennsylvania Almanack, 1783Banneker’s New-Jersey Almanac, 1795 XAVIER BICHATPhysiological Researches on Life and Death WILLIAM PALEYNatural Theology ERASMUS DARWINThe Temple of Nature JOHN DALTONA New System of Chemical Philosophy JEAN-BAPTISTE LAMARCKZoological Philosophy JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHETheory of Colours ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDTThe Island of Cuba CHARLES BABBAGEReflections on the Decline of Science in England CHARLES LYELLPrinciples of Geology MARY FAIRFAX SOMERVILLEOn the Connexion of the Physical Sciences THEODOR SCHWANNMicroscopical Researches NIKOLAI IVANOVICH LOBACHEVSKYGeometrical Researches on the Theory of Parallels ROBERT CHAMBERSVestiges of the Natural History of Creation GEORGE COMBEThe Constitution of Man WILLIAM WHEWELLThe Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences HERBERT SPENCERSocial Statics AUGUSTE COMTEThe Positive Philosophy CHARLES ROBERT DARWINOrigin of SpeciesDescent of Man LOUIS PASTEUR“Infusorian Animalcules Living Without Free Oxygen” “Experiments Related to Spontaneous Generation” MICHAEL FARADAYChemical History of a Candle FRIEDRICH MAX MÜLLERThe Science of Language HERMANN VON HELMHOLTZ“On the Conservation of Force” JAMES CLERK MAXWELL“A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field” CLAUDE BERNARDIntroduction à I’étude de la médecine expérimentale JOSEPH LISTER“On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery” SIR FRANCIS GALTONHereditary Genius JOHN TYNDALLThe Belfast Address WILLIAM THOMSON, LORD KELVIN“Review of Evidence Regarding the Physical Condition of the Earth” DMITRII IVANOVICH MENDELEEV“The Periodic Law of the Chemical Elements” WILLIAM JAMESThe Principles of Psychology THOMAS HENRY HUXLEYEvolution and Ethics WILHELM CONRAD RÖNTGEN“On a New Kind of Rays” MARIE SKLODOWSKA CURIE“The Discovery of Radium” GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVERFeeding Acorns ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE“On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type”The Wonderful Century Index of NamesIndex of Topics

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Book SynopsisBlack powder, the world’s first chemical explosive, was originally developed in the seventh century, during China’s Tang dynasty. It was a crude mixture at first, but over time chemists discovered the optimum proportion of sulfur, charcoal, and nitrates, as well as the best way to mix them so that the particles of each component were tiny and homogenous, resulting in a complete and powerful reaction. Author and chemistry buff Simon Quellen Field takes readers on a decades-long journey through the history of things that go boom, from the early days of black powder to today’s modern plastic explosives. Not just the who, when, and why, but also the how. How did Chinese alchemists come to create black powder? What accidents led to the discovery of high explosives? How do explosives actually work on a molecular scale? And though most people have a vague understanding that dynamite is more powerful than gunpowder, what does it mean to be more powerful? Boom! The Chemistry and History of Explosives goes back to the original papers and patents written by the chemists who invented them, to shed light on their development, to explore the consequences of their use for good and ill, and to give the reader a basic understanding of the chemistry that makes them possible.

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Book SynopsisRichard Garwin was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama Called a "true genius" by Enrico Fermi, Richard Garwin has influenced modern life in far-reaching ways, yet he is hardly known outside the physics community. This is the first biography of one of America's great minds--a top physicist, a brilliant technological innovator, and a trusted advisor of presidents for sixty years. Among his many contributions to modern technology are innovations we now take for granted: air-traffic control systems, touch screens, color monitors, laser printers, GPS satellite navigation, and many other facets of everyday contemporary life. But certainly his most important work has been on behalf of nuclear disarmament. As a key member of the Los Alamos team that developed the hydrogen bomb (he created the final design), Garwin subsequently devoted much of his career to ensuring that nuclear weapons never again be used. He has spent hundreds of hours testifying before Congress, serving on government advisory committees, and doing work that is still classified, all the while working for IBM as a researcher. A genuine polymath, his ideas extend from propulsion systems for interplanetary flight to preventing flu epidemics. Never shy about offering his opinions, even to rigid government bureaucracies unwilling to change, Garwin continues to show leaders how to do the smart thing. The world is a more interesting and safer place because of his many accomplishments.

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Book SynopsisMedicine, anatomy, astronomy, mathematics and cosmology, science began with the Greeks, and Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes and Hippocrates were amongst its stars. That man ever managed to develop a 'scientific' attitude to the natural world at all is one of the true wonders of human thought.Eureka! shows how, free from intellectual and religious dogma, these early thinkers rejected myths and capricious gods and, in distinguishing between the natural and supernatural, effectively discovered nature.Andrew Gregory, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at University College London, unravels the genesis of science in this fascinating exploration of the origins of Western civilisation, and our desire for a rational, legitimating system of the world.Trade ReviewAn excellent summary of why modern science should thanks these pioneers...5 out of 5 -- FocusAnybody interested in a readable and engaging account of the background behind the landmarks of science need travel no further than Icon's fascinating treatments of our scientific history -- Steve Jones, author of The Serpent's PromiseSomehow everyone from Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes and Pythagorus to Democritus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Archimedes has been crammed into this readable, pocket-sized primer -- New Scientist

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Book SynopsisElectricity was the scientific fashion of the Enlightenment, 'an Entertainment for Angels, rather than for Men'. Lecturers attracted huge audiences to marvel at sparkling fountains, flaming drinks, pirouetting dancers and electrified boys. Enlightenment optimists predicted that this new-found power of nature would cure illnesses, improve crop production, even bring the dead back to life. Benjamin Franklin, better known as one of America's founding fathers, played a key role in developing the new instruments and theories of electricity during the eighteenth century. Celebrated for drawing lightning down from the sky with a kite, Franklin was an Enlightenment expert on electricity, developing one of the most successful explanations of this mysterious phenomenon.But Patricia Fara, Senior Tutor of Clare College Cambridge, reveals how the study of electricity became intertwined with Enlightenment politics. By demonstrating their control of the natural world, Enlightenment philosophers hoped to gain authority over society. And their stunning electrical performances provided dramatic evidence of their special powers.Trade ReviewVividly captures the ferment created by the new science of the Enlightenment... Fara deftly shows how new knowledge emerged from a rich mix of improved technology, medical quackery, Continental theorising, religious doubt and scientific rivalry. -- New ScientistNeat and stylish... Fara's account of Benjamin Franklin's circle of friends and colleagues brings them squabbling, eureka-ing to life. -- GuardianCombines telling anecdote with wise commentary... presents us with numerous tasty and well-presented historical morsels -- Times Higher Education Supplement

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Book SynopsisThe essays in this volume present a nuanced analysis of the development of scientific fields and institutions in Eastern Europe during the "long 19th century" (1789-1914).In 19th century Western Europe science often developed in the context of emerging national states. In Eastern and East-Central Europe, however, until World War I science operated in the imperial framework of the Habsburg and Tsarist Empires. The imperial characteristics of these states (such as multinationality, linguistic diversity, and a pronounced polarity between centers and peripheries) created specific conditions for the sciences. Taking this observation as a starting point, this volume addresses the interplay of science and empire in Imperial Russia and the Habsburg Monarchy in a comparative framework.

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Book SynopsisWhat role does gender play in scientific research and the development of technologies? This book provides methodological expertise, research experiences and empirical findings in the dynamic field of Science and Technology Studies. The authors, coming from computer science, social sciences, or cultural studies of science, discuss how to ask questions about gender and give examples for the application in interdisciplinary research, development and teaching. Topics range from the design of information and communication technologies, epistemologies of biology and chemistry to teaching mathematics and professional processes in engineering. Contributions by Anne Balsamo, Wendy Faulkner, Rebecca Jordan-Young, Barbara Orland, Els Rommes, and others.Trade ReviewBesprochen in: International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 8/2 (2016), Marie Larsson

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Book SynopsisThis is the first academic biography of the scientist and politician Jacob Moleschott (1822-1893). Based on a vast range of primary sources in German, Italian, Dutch, French, and Latin, it not only sheds new light on the history of materialism in the natural sciences, but also shows the deep entanglement of science, politics, and popularization in 19th-century Europe. Applying new methods from cultural history and the history of science, Laura Meneghello focuses on processes of knowledge circulation, transnational mobility, and the role of translation in 19th-century science.Trade Review"Meneghello provides an important contribution to the understanding of the interaction of biology and politics in the nineteenth century." -- Florence Vienne, Metascience, 28 (2019)"The author [succeeds] in drawing a rich and comprehensive picture of Moleschott as a member of the scientific landscape of his time between national coverage and international recognition." -- Carolin Kosuch, Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken, 98 (2018/19), translated from German"A worthy successor to Frederick Gregorys landmark study of 1977 and a fine exemplar of the insight afforded by scientific biography." -- Gabriel Finkelstein, ISIS, 109/4 (2018)With her biography of Moleschott, Meneghello has closed a desideratum that reveals exciting transnational perspectives on the role that popular science played in the process of European nation-building." -- Claus Spenninger, Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte 41/3 (2018), translated from German

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Book SynopsisWhen the German chemist Emil Fischer presented his lock-and-key hypothesis in 1899, his analogy to describe the molecular relationship between enzymes and substrates quickly gained vast influence and provided future generations of scientists with a tool to investigate the relation between chemical structure and biological specificity. Rebecca Mertens explains the appeal of the lock-and-key analogy by its role in model building and in the construction of long-term, cross-generational research programs. She argues that a crucial feature of these research programs, namely ascertaining the continuity of core ideas and concepts, is provided by a certain way of analogy-based modelling.

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Book SynopsisThe notion of "the problematic" has changed its meaning within the history of power and knowledge since the early 20th century, leading up to today's performative, neocybernetic fascination with generalized management ideas and technocratic models of science. This book explores central scenes, conceptual elaborations, and practical affiliations of what historically has been called "the problem" or "the problematic". By way of considering modes of problematization as modes of inhabitation, intervention, and transformation the contributions map its current conceptual-political uses as well as onto-epistemological challenges. Thus, "problematization" is positioned as a critical concept that links, often in intricate ways, several currents from speculative philosophy to the formation of interdisciplinary fields. The "problematic", as it turns out, has been the source of change in philosophy and the sciences all along.

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Book SynopsisSurendra Verma's new book presents 175 key scientific laws, principles, and theories in a concise and easy-to-read format. It offers a comprehensive overview of scientific knowledge throughout history, making it a valuable reference for readers.

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Book SynopsisHow does one lay the foundations of a science? In 322 BC, Theophrastus (372-286 BC) took over the school of his teacher Aristotle and thus also the first European institution of research, the Lyceum, which he managed for 35 years. One of the objectives of the Lyceum research team was that everything in nature was to be examined, and it was. In posterity, the botanical works of Theophrastus will still be examples of ground-breaking empirical research with long-lasting results. But from where did the project workers get the amount of botanical data, and according to which scientific principles did they process their results? This is the first Danish introduction to the botanical writings of Theophrastus -- one of the real classics of the history of science.

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Book SynopsisThe Fontana History of Chemistry, which draws extensively on both the author’s own original research and that of other scholars world wide, is conceived as a work of synthesis. Nothing like it has been attempted in decades.

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Book SynopsisNominally a history of the hot air balloon, Falling Upwards' is really a history of hope and fantasy and the quixotic characters who disobeyed that most fundamental laws of physics and gave humans flight' New Republic, Best Books of 2013CHOSEN AS BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR IN ** Guardian ** New Statesman ** Daily Telegraph ** New Republic ** TIME Magazine 10 Top Nonfiction Books of 2013 ** The New Republic Best Books of 2013 ** Kirkus Best Books of the Year (2013)**From ambitious scientists rising above the clouds to test the air, to brave generals floating over enemy lines to watch troop movements, this wonderful book offers a seamless fusion of history, art, science, biography and the metaphysics of flight. It is a masterly portrait of human endeavour, recklessness, vision and hope.In this heart-lifting book, Richard Holmes, author of the best-selling The Age of Wonder, follows the daring and enigmatic men and women who risked their lives to take to the air (or fall into the sky). Why tTrade ReviewSELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY: JIM CRACE, GUARDIAN – ‘A whole wide world of significance’ SARAH SANDS, NEW STATESMAN – ‘Sheer delight’ MICHAEL PRODGER, EVENING STANDARD – ‘Picaresque history’ DAN JONES, DAILY TELEGRAPH – ‘Tremendously inventive’ LEV GROSSMAN, TIME MAGAZINE – ‘Thrilling history’ CHLOE SCHAMA, NEW REPUBLIC – ‘Unadulterated delight’ KIRKUS – ‘Gripping’ MAIL ON SUNDAY – ‘Tragic’ ‘A book as delightful as it is unexpected … [an] extraordinary cabinet of drifting aerial wonderment, a book that will linger and last, as it floats ever upward in the mind’ Simon Winchester, Wall Street Journal ‘Holmes presents a full-blown, lyrical history of the same subject, investigating the strangeness, detachment and powerful romance of ‘falling upwards’ into a seemingly alien and uninhabitable element. He lovingly charts … a history full of awe and inefficiency … A truly masterly storyteller’ Evening Standard ‘Endlessly exhilarating … packed full of swashbuckling stories, as well as fascinating historical accounts of the use of balloons. It is also a singularly beautiful book, wonderfully designed and illustrated and quite clearly a product of love’ Mail on Sunday ‘What Holmes teases out … is that ballooning gave us, quite literally, a different point of view … This exhilarating book, wonderfully written, generously illustrated and beautifully published, captures all that and more’ Spectator ‘Holmes conjures an extraordinarily vivid, violent, thrilling history, full of bizarre personalities, narrow escapes and fatal plunges. A peerless prose artist, infectiously curious’ Time Magazine

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisJacquard''s Web is the story of some of the most ingenious inventors the world has ever known, a fascinating account of how a hand-loom invented in Napoleonic France led to the development of the modern information age. James Essinger, a master story-teller, shows through a series of remarkable and meticulously researched historical connections (spanning two centuries and never investigated before) that the Jacquard loom kick-started a process of scientific evolution which would lead directly to the development of the modern computer. The invention of Jacquard''s loom in 1804 enabled the master silk-weavers of Lyons to weave fabrics 25 times faster than had previously been possible. The device used punched cards, which stored instructions for weaving whatever pattern or design was required; it proved an outstanding success. These cards can very reasonably be described as the world''s first computer programmes. In this engaging and delightful book, James Essinger reveals a plethora of eTrade ReviewJacquard's web is a special book that explains more than the connections between loom and computer: it presents a fascinating history of talented and creative people developing and inventing the tools of progress. * Chris Arney, Mathematical Reviews *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; 1. The engraving that wasn't ; 2. A better mouse-trap ; 3. The son of a master weaver ; 4. The emperor's new clothes ; 5. From weaving to computing ; 6. The difference engine ; 7. The analytical engine ; 8. A question of faith and funding ; 9. The lady who loved the Jacquard loom ; 10. A crisis with the American census ; 11. The first Jacquard looms that wove information ; 12. The birth of IBM ; 13. The Thomas Watson phenomenon ; 14. Howard Aiken dreams of a computer ; 15. IBM and the Harvard Mark 1 ; 16. Weaving at the speed of light ; 17. The future ; Index

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Book SynopsisAmong all the great discoveries and inventions of the nineteenth century, few offer us a more fascinating insight into Victorian society than the discovery of anaesthesia. Now considered to be one of the greatest inventions for humanity since the printing press, anaesthesia offered pain-free operations, childbirth with reduced suffering, and instant access to the world beyond consciousness. And yet, upon its introduction, Victorian medics, moralists, clergymen, and scientists, were plunged into turmoil.This vivid and engaging account of the early days of anaesthesia unravels some key moments in medical history: from Humphry Davy''s early experiments with nitrous oxide and the dramas that drove the discovery of ether anaesthesia in America, to the outrage provoked by Queen Victoria''s use of chloroform during the birth of Prince Leopold. And there are grisly ones too: frequent deaths, and even notorious murders. Interweaved throughout the story, a fascinating social change is revealed. Trade ReviewExcellent...an exemplary popular history of anasthesia in nineteenth-century Europe and the USA...a remarkable achievement, one that deserves to become both a classic of popular medical history and a staple of undergraduate reading lists. * Richard Barnett, Social History of Medicine 23:2 *This is...an engaging account of one of the most important medical innovations of the 19th century. * Nancy Durrant, The Times *[An] immensely readable book. * Health and History *Snow also leads into anaesthesia's more profound implications for our understanding of consciousness. * Nancy Durrant, The Times *a history of anesthesia in Great Britain and the United States that medical professionals, historians, and the general public can all read with pleasure... Snow does indeed demonstrate the importance of anestllesia to medical histoty, current medical practice, and especially to untold millions of patients around the world past and present. * Pharmacy in History *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Discoveries ; 3. Anaesthesia in Action ; 4. Women, Sex and Suffering ; 5. On Battlefields ; 6. The Dark Side of Chloroform ; 7. Changed Understandings of Pain ; 8. Into the Twentieth Century and Beyond ; Endnotes ; Further reading

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