History of science Books

Book SynopsisCosmic Origins tells the story of how physicists and astronomers have struggled for more than a century to understand the beginnings of our universe, from its origins in the Big Bang to the modern day. The book will introduce the science as a narrative, by telling the story of the scientists who made each major discovery. It will also address and explain aspects of our theories that some cosmologists are still hesitant to accept, as well as gaps in our knowledge and even apparent inconsistencies in our measurements. Clearly written by a master of scientific exposition, this book will fascinate the curious general reader as well as providing essential background reading for college-level courses on physics and astronomy.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- The Expanding Universe.- The Discovery of the Big Bang.- Behind the Veil.- The Dark Universe.- The Age of Precision Cosmology.

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Book Synopsis700 years after Dante Alighieri's death, this book intertwines the voice of the great poet with that of an exceptional contemporary, Marco Polo, who was equally curious about the geography of both earthly and celestial worlds. If Polo was the “ordinary genius” of the XIII century, the designation of “sorcerer genius” must go to Alighieri, the man with encyclopedic wisdom, at ease with his era’s philosophy, theology, and science. The sorcerer genius—well versed in this world—must create their own, which he did with The Divine Comedy. On the other hand, The Travels of Marco Polo, the greatest classic in travel literature, offers wonder and provides delight. This book combines the unforgettable characters of both books, the darkness of the infernal landscapes with the immensity of the Asian deserts, the richness of the Mongol empire with the glamor of medieval philosophy, the aspirations and dreams of two great explorers with knowledge of the science of their time, as well as the ever-eternal cosmology. This is an accessible and entertaining book for high school students, scholars of scientific history and the history of ideas, and curious readers who want to know more about Dante and Marco Polo and their unquenchable thirst for knowledge.This book is a translation of an original Italian edition. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation.Table of ContentsContentsPrologueThe Merchant and the Poet1. Ordinary geniuses and sorcerers2. The gigantic crystal3. The enigma of the lost manuscript4. The disease of writing5. In the darkness of Hell6. The hill of Purgatory7. The light of Heaven8. The troubles of Botticelli9. A non-existent book10. Diplomatic missions11. The art of traveling12. The endless quarrelsVenice and Florence1. The opening of the thirteenth century2. The world seen from Rialto3. An extraordinary republic4. The horses of San Marco5. The art of wool6. At the roots of hatred8. International intrigue9. "How other people's bread tastes like salt"The astrolabe and the compass1. It all began in Jerusalem2. The shadow of an ancient master3. Behind the scenes4. In the heart of Tartaria5. The noble castle6. Pax Mongolian7. Francesca or love and sin8. The women of the far East9. Monsters, animals and giants10. The ineffable Presten John11. Travelers in the stubborn and opposite direction12. The sect of the Assassins13. The Southern Cross14. In the footsteps of Alexander the Great15. The purgatory fire16. The miracle of the mountain17. Dreams, prayers and numbers18. Round trip from Hormuz19. Flowers and trees, light and fire20. The highest place in the world21. The elements, the ether and trasumanar22. The Silk Road23. Light, dance and music24. At the court of the Great Khan25. The question to the eagle26. The discovery of Asia27. Medieval cleverness28. The white rose of the blessed29. The long goodbye

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Book SynopsisWhy has the chicken become the meat par excellence, the most plentifully eaten and popular animal protein in the world, consumed from Beijing to Barcelona? As renowned historian Paul Josephson shows, the story of the chicken's rise involves a whole host of factors; from art, to nineteenth-century migration patterns to cold-war geopolitics. And whereas sheep needed too much space, or the cow was difficult to transport, these compact, lightweight birds produced relatively little waste, were easy to transport and could happily peck away in any urban back garden. Josephson tells this story from all sides: the transformation of the chicken from backyard scratcher to hyper-efficient industrial meat-product has been achieved due to the skill of entrepreneurs who first recognized the possibilities of chicken meat and the gene scientists who bred the plumpest and most fertile birds. But it has also been forced through by ruthless capitalists and lobbyists for “big farmer”, at the expense of animal welfare and the environment. With no sign of our lust for chicken abating, we're now reaching a crisis point: billions of birds are slaughtered every year, after having lived lives that are nasty, brutish and short. The waste from these victims is polluting rivers and poisoning animals. We’re now plunging “egg-first” into environmental disaster. Alongside this story Josephson tells another, of an animal with endearing characteristics who, arguably, can lay claim to being man’s best friend long before the dog reared its snout or the cat came in from the cold. Lionized in medieval romances and modern cartoons, the chicken’s relationship to humanity runs deep; by treating these animals as mere food products, we become less than human.Trade Review"Timely, important and forensically researched."Australian Book Review"This book swiftly and very readably outlines the century-long rise of [factory farming corporations] and the re-creation of the chicken into the world�s staple food. Josephson brings the various corporate and scientific personalities of his story alive, and despite the relatively breezy tone he�s chosen to adopt, he never flinches from the ugly reality of his subject."Open Letters Review"Wise and scrupulously referenced."The Spectator MagazineTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Egg First 1 Chicken Culture 2 Ecology and Industry 3 Chicken as Machine 4 Shit and Feathers 5 Pecking and Protest 6 Drumsticks Epilogue: Broiler Chernobyl Notes Index

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Book SynopsisNobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger's What is Life? is one of the great science classics of the twentieth century. The philosopher Karl Popper hailed it as a 'beautiful and important book' by 'a great man to whom I owe a personal debt for many exciting discussions'.Table of ContentsPreface; 1. The classical physicist's approach to the subject; 2. The hereditary mechanism; 3. Mutations; 4. The quantum-mechanical evidence; 5. Delbruck's model discussed and tested; 6. Order, disorder and entropy; 7. Is life based on the laws of physics?; Epilogue: on determinism and free will; Mind and Matter: 1. The physical basis of consciousness; 2. The future of understanding; 3. The principle of objectivation; 4. The arithmetical paradox: the oneness of mind; 5. Science and religion; 6. The mystery of the sensual qualities; Autobiographical sketches (translated from the German by Schrödinger's granddaughter Verena).

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Book SynopsisHugely readable and entertaining' JIM AL-KHALILIAn accessible and crystal-clear portrait of this discipline's breadth, largely told through its history' PHIL BALL, PHYSICS WORLDEinstein's Fridge tells the story of how scientists uncovered the least known and yet most consequential of all the sciences, and learned to harness the power of heat and ice.The laws of thermodynamics govern everything from the behaviour of atoms to that of living cells, from the engines that power our world to the black hole at the centre of our galaxy. Not only that, but thermodynamics explains why we must eat and breathe, how the lights come on, and ultimately how the universe will end. The people who decoded its laws came from every branch of the sciences they were engineers, physicists, chemists, biologists, cosmologists and mathematicians.Their discoveries, set over two hundred years, kick-started the industrial revolution, changed the course of world wars and informed modern understanding of black holesTrade Review‘Sen knows how to grab the attention of an audience … [An] elegantly written and engaging book … It’s a measure of Sen’s achievement that by combining science, history, and biography he takes us on a successful tour through thermodynamics.’ Manjit Kumar, Financial Times ‘When you combine some of the most profound concepts in physics with exceptional storytelling, this is what you get: popular science writing at its very best. Einstein’s Fridge is a hugely readable and entertaining history of thermodynamics and how it has created and shaped our world.’ Jim Al-Khalili, author of The World According to Physics ‘Makes a strong case that thermodynamics is every bit as lively as those other fields – and vastly more useful for understanding what makes the universe tick … Thermodynamics does not bow to other fields; other fields bow to it.’ Sam Kean, Wall Street Journal ‘Superb … Einstein’s Fridge offers an accessible and crystal-clear portrait of this discipline’s breadth … [The book] wanders widely while never losing its connection to the central theme … Splendid’ Phil Ball, Physics World ‘Although thermodynamics has been studied for hundreds of years, film-maker Sen writes, few nonscientists appreciate how its principles have shaped the modern world.’ Scientific American ‘Sen makes a convincing case for the importance of thermodynamics in his impressive debut … He accomplishes all of this with splendid prose, making ample use of analogies to explain complex scientific ideas. Sen’s history of hot and cold is pop-science that hits the mark.’ Publisher’s Weekly ‘This entertaining, eye-opening account of how the laws of thermodynamics are essential to understanding the world today – from refrigeration and jet engines to calorie counting and global warming – is a lesson in how to do popular science right.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Sen performs an exquisite examination of an ostensibly simple distinction, the difference between hot and cold.’ Booklist

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Book SynopsisThe revealing backstory of spaceflight before the establishment of NASA.NASA''s history is a familiar story, culminating with the agency successfully landing men on the moon in 1969, but its prehistory is an important and rarely told tale. Breaking the Chains of Gravity looks at the evolving roots of America''s space program--the scientific advances, the personalities, and the rivalries between the various arms of the United States military.America''s space agency drew together some of the best minds the non-Soviet world had to offer. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the U.S. Air Force, meanwhile, brought rocket technology into the world of manned flight. The road to NASA and successful spaceflight was paved by fascinating stories and characters. At the end of World War II, Wernher von Braun escaped Nazi Germany and came to America where he began developing missiles for the United States Army. Ten years after he createdTrade ReviewTeitel explores the fascinating history of one of the most crucial space flight innovations that made the Apollo moon landings possible. * How it Works *Teitel delivers on detail, such as the exploits of supersonic-flight pioneer Chuck Yeager. * Nature *A really compulsive story, excellently and engagingly told, effortlessly carries the burden of fact and detail with as much deceptive ease as a Redstone Rocket. * Adventures in Historyland *Breaking the Chains of Gravity tells the story of how we began to explore the cosmos – the lessons we had to learn the hard way – and shows why space exploration even today remains anything but routine. * Bobak Ferdowsi, Flight Director, Mars Science Laboratory *Teitel … illuminates the foundations of American spaceflight with this exceptional and detailed ‘prehistory’ of the field … fascinating new territory, filled with a galaxy of lively characters. * Publisher's Weekly *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: Hobby Rocketeers Chapter 2: The Rocket Loophole Chapter 3: The Turning Tide of War Chapter 4: Escape and Surrender Chapter 5: Nazi Rockets in New Mexico Chapter 6: Rockets Meet Airplanes Chapter 7: A New War, a New Missile, and a New Leader Chapter 8: Higher and Faster Chapter 9: Edging into Hypersonics Chapter 10: The Floating Astronaut Chapter 11: Space Becomes an Option Chapter 12: The First Satellite Race Chapter 13: One Little Ball’s Big Impact Chapter 14: The Fight to Control Space Epilogue: America Finds Its Footing in Space Glossary of People Glossary of Places and Organizations Glossary of Rockets Selected Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

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Book Synopsis** GUARDIAN SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 **‘Popular science at its best’Mail on Sunday‘Eminently accessible and enjoyable’ObserverWith every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds in the Roman Senate, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding. In fact, you're probably inhaling some of it now. Of the sextillions of molecules entering or leaving your lungs at this moment, some might also bear traces of Cleopatra's perfumes, German mustard gas, particles exhaled by dinosaurs or emitted by atomic bombs, even remnants of stardust from the universe's creation. In Caesar’s Last Breath, New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean takes us on a journey through the periodic table, around the globe and across time to tell the epic story of the air we breathe.Trade ReviewAbsorbing, entertaining... provocative but compelling... eminently accessible and enjoyable. A real gas - in short! -- Robin McKie * Observer *Funny, clever and altogether effervescent... Kean writes superbly about science itself... A joy for any reader -- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *There is no denying the pleasure and indeed the wealth of scientific information to be obtained from reading Caesar’s Last Breath. It will change forever the way I think about breathing. * Financial Times *Kean is the teacher you wish you'd had: genial, companionable and infectiously enthusiastic. This is an entertaining and accessible guide to the mysterious vapour of gases. Popular science at its best. -- Simon Humphreys * Mail on Sunday *It’s a helluva read. And it’s a gas. -- Tim Radford * The Guardian *An altogether excellent read, an invigorating and stylish mixture of chemistry, history and reportage that brings to light many of the untold stories of the air that surrounds and sustains us * Times Literary Supplement *This vibrant, fact-filled science book makes the chemistry of air riveting * Sunday Times Must Reads *Told with Kean’s trademark combination of goofy wisecracking and an exceptional knack for communicating the principles of science * Wall Street Journal *Fascinating stories, so insightful, informative, and disarmingly written. It gave this astronaut a new respect for the air around us all, and made me delightfully more aware of each breath I take. -- Col. Chris Hadfield, author of An Astronaut's Guide to Life on EarthBrims with such fascinating tales of chemical history that it'll change the very way you think about breathing.... Kean crams the book full of wild yarns told with humorously dramatic flair.... The effect is oddly intimate, the way all good storytelling is -- you feel like you're sharing moments of geeky amusement with a particularly hip chemistry teacher * San Francisco Chronicle *The most fun to be had from nonfiction is a good science book, with a writer of craft who can capture both the excitement and the elegance of science, the incredible fact that this is really how it works. Sam Kean is such a writer and Caesar's Last Breath is such a book. An enormous pleasure to read. -- Mark Kurlansky, author of CodSam Kean has done it again - this time clearly and entertainingly explaining the science of the air around us. He is a gifted storyteller with a knack for finding the magic hidden in the everyday. -- Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times ''Must Read'' book.Described by the Sunday Times as a gently studious Bill Bryson crossed with an upbeat and relaxed WG Sebald, Tide is a superb book... a delight to read. It is profound and powerful, and should win prizes.From Cnut to D-Day, the history and science of the unceasing tide is explored for the first time.Half of the world''s population lives in coastal regions lapped by tidal waters. Yet how little most of us know about the tide - a key force on our planet that has altered the course of history and will transform our future.Our ability to predict and understand the tide depends on centuries of science, from the observations of Aristotle and the theories of Newton to today''s supercomputer calculations. This story is punctuated here by notable tidal episodes in history, from Caesar''s thwarted invasion of Britain to the catastrophic flooding of Venice, and interwoven with a rich folklore that continues to inspire art and literature today.With Aldersey-Williams as our guide to the most feared and celebrated tidal features on the planet, from the original maelstrøm in Scandinavia to the world''s highest tides in Nova Scotia to the crumbling coast of East Anglia, the importance of the tide, and the way it has shaped - and will continue to shape - our civilization, becomes startlingly clear.Trade ReviewA spring tide of colour and historical anecdote laps over the more austere mudflats of the actual science. So much so that I find myself looking forward to the next piece of technical exposition -- Tom Whipple * The Times *Imagine, if possible, a gently studious Bill Bryson crossed with an upbeat and relaxed WG Sebald. It is a superb book... a delight to read. It is profound and powerful, and should win prizes. -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *This fascinating book deftly explores the dramatic history, critical importance, and scientific wonder of the tides. Hugh Aldersey-Williams is a marvelous guide who takes the reader on a sweeping and thought-provoking adventure into the heart of one of the most captivating, mysterious, and elemental forces of nature -- Eric Jay Dolin, author of Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American LighthousePrepare for a voyage with the best of companions - Hugh Aldersey-Williams is a storyteller supreme, and he's found a subject worthy of his talents -- Edward Dolnick, author of The Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton, the Royal Society, and the Birth of the Modern WorldScience writing at its best ... fascinating and beautiful -- Matt Ridley on 'Periodic Tales'Immensely engaging and continually makes one sit up in surprise -- Richard Cohen on 'Periodic Tales' * Sunday Times *Aldersey-Williams is full of good stories and he knows how to tell them well -- Graham Farmelo on 'Periodic Tales' * Sunday Telegraph *Engaging and thoughtful... Like some of the most compelling biographers, Aldersey-Williams partly inhabits his subject * Literary Review on The Adventures of Sir Thomas Browne in the 21st Century *Exposes new facts and ideas every other page -- Horatio Clare * Observer *Aldersey-Williams's corrective meshes a history of the science with tide-related technologies and tidally sculpted events. It's an eloquent ebb and flow * Nature *

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Book SynopsisMichael Faraday is one of the best known scientific figures of all time. Known as the discoverer of electro-magnetic induction, the principle behind the electric generator and transformer, he has frequently been portrayed as the ''father'' of electrical engineering from whence much of his popular fame derives. This Very Short Introduction dispels the myth that Faraday was an experimental genius working alone in his basement laboratory, making fundamental discoveries that were later applied by others. Instead, it portrays Faraday as a grand theorist of the physical world profoundly influencing later physicists such as Thomson (Kelvin), Maxwell, and Einstein. Frank A.J.L. James explores Faraday''s life from his origins in eighteenth-century Westmorland and Yorkshire, his religious and scientific background, to the growth of his fame in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As well as introducing his scientific research, he also puts Faraday in the various institutional contexts in whicTable of Contents1. Beginnings ; 2. A career in science ; 3. Science and practice ; 4. Electricity ; 5. Magnetism, matter, and space ; 6. Faraday as a celebrity ; 7. Faraday in the 20th Century ; References ; Further Reading

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"James Peebles, Co-Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""It's hard to imagine anyone better placed to recount the inside story of modern cosmology. . . . For anyone seriously interested in the ways of science and how we came to understand our place in the Universe, this is essential reading."---Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"As expected, the quality is top-notch. . . . [Cosmology's Century] is also very well written. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in the first hundred years of modern cosmology."---Phillip Helbig, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisAn enchanting biography of the most resonant and most necessary chemical element on Earth.Carbon. It is the building block of every cell that makes up every living thing. It is the essential component of the food we eat, the fuel we burn, the wood we use and the air we breathe. It is worth billions as a luxury and half a trillion as a necessity, but there are still mysteries to be solved about the element that can be both diamond and coal. Where does it come from, what does it do, and why, above all, does life need it?In Symphony in C, leading carbon scientist Robert M. Hazen takes us on a vibrant journey through the origin and evolution of life's most widespread element. The story unfolds in four movements Earth, Air, Fire and Water and transports us through nearly 14 billion years of cosmic history, explaining how carbon is formed in the hearts of stars and why all life forms earthbound or alien use it as the basis of their biology. Symphony in C is a sweeping chronicle of carbTrade ReviewPraise for Symphony in C ‘A valuable and welcome explanation of why we would do well to pay more attention to the sixth element – and of how much more remains to be discovered about its planetary role through time’ Nature ‘Covering topics from carbon’s ancient origins to the threats that carbon compounds pose to our future climate, Hazen’s book is a fascinating read. Symphony in C chronicles cutting-edge science that’s helping researchers make better sense of the carbon-rich world around us’ Science News ‘From the Big Bang to coal, carbohydrates, and ultra-strong high-tech nanofibers, Robert M. Hazen provides an illuminating and enjoyable guide to the remarkable odyssey of carbon, the element of life. Enjoy the trip!’ Andrew Knoll, Fisher Professor of Natural History, Harvard University ‘C is the element carbon. C is a musical note. Scientist-musician Hazen uses the element and the note to compose a symphonic masterpiece that reveals how the primitive life that began on our planet four billion years ago has evolved into Darwin’s “endless forms most beautiful“’ David W. Deamer, author of Assembling Life ‘Hazen’s virtuoso performance captures the wonder of the sixth element – from volcanic gases to al dente pasta to life’s very beginnings – while telling the wonderful stories about the people behind the discoveries’ Terry Plank, Arthur D. Storke Memorial Professor of Geochemistry, Columbia University ‘This book is an incredibly rich story of carbon and its role in of life. Hazen has outdone himself in delivering an engaging, edifying, great read. If you don’t know why carbon is important in your life, or even if you think you do, you should put down whatever you’re reading and get this book’ Paul G. Falkowski, author of Life’s Engines``

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Book SynopsisAugust, 1755. Newcastle, on the north bank of the Tyne.In the fields, men and women are getting the harvest in. Sunlight, or rain. Scudding clouds and backbreaking labour. Three hundred feet underground, young Charles Hutton is at the coalface. Cramped, dust-choked, wielding a five-pound pick by candlelight. Eighteen years old, he's been down the pits on and off for more than a decade, and now it looks like a life sentence. No unusual story, although Charles is a clever lad gifted at maths and languages and for a time he hoped for a different life. Many hoped.Charles Hutton, astonishingly, would actually live the life he dreamed of. Twenty years later you'd have found him in Slaughter's coffee house in London, eating a few oysters with the President of the Royal Society.By the time he died, in 1823, he was a fellow of scientific academies in four countries, while the Lord Chancellor of England counted himself fortunate to have known him. Hard work, talent, and no small share of luck Trade ReviewPraise for Gunpowder and Geometry ‘Benjamin Wardhaugh tells an almost incredible story of a boy working down the put hewing coal who went on to become a great mathmatician and national celebrity. He brings both the coal industry and Georgian London to life with style and wit.’ Matt Ridley Praise for Benjamin Wardhaugh: ‘Wardhaugh has done a brilliant job in revealing a most curious period in British life’ Steve Craggs, Northern Echo ‘Mathematics remains a bedrock of our society. This wonderful book goes a long way in highlighting why.’ Jamie Condliffe, New Scientist ‘Wardhaugh's fascinating account of Poor Robin's Almanac persuasively reveals the power of the almanac to give mathematics a human face.’ Marcus du Sautoy ‘Wardhaugh's book should be readily available and kept with your personal reference books. It should also be in your school library.’ Donald Cook, Mathematical Review

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Book SynopsisHigh in the Canadian Rockies is a small limestone quarry formed 530 million years ago. Called the Burgess Shale, it holds the remains of an ancient sea where dozens of strange creatures lived - a forgotten corner of evolution preserved in incredible detail. In this book Stephen Jay Gould explores what the Burgess Shale might tell us about evolution and the nature of history.The Darwinian theory of evolution is a well-known, well-explored area. But there is one aspect of human life which this theory of evolution fails to account for: chance. Using the brilliantly preserved fossil fauna of the Burgess Shale as his case study, Gould argues that chance was in fact one of the decisive factors in the evolution of life on this planet, and that, with a flip of coin, everything could have been very different indeed.Trade ReviewA masterpiece of analysis and imagination...It centres on a sensational discovery in the field of palaeontology - the existence, in the Burgess Shale... of 530-million-year-old fossils unique in age, preservation and diversity...With skill and passion, Gould takes this mute collection of fossils and makes them speak to us. The result challenges some of our most cherished self-perceptions and urges a fundamental re-assessment of our place in the history of life on earth * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisFrom award-winning science writer John Gribbin, Science: A History is the enthralling story of the men and women who changed the way we see the world, and the turbulent times they lived in. From Galileo, tried by the Inquisition for his ideas, to Newton, who wrote his rivals out of the history books; from Marie Curie, forced to work apart from male students for fear she might excite them, to Louis Agassiz, who marched his colleagues up a mountain to prove that the ice ages had occurred. Filled with pioneers, visionaries, eccentrics and madmen, this is the history of science as it has never been told before. ''Gripping and entertaining ... Wonderfully and pleasurably accessible''   Independent on Sunday ''Tremendous ... moves me to bestow a reviewer''s cliché I long ago vowed never to use: a tour de force''   Spectator ''A magnificent history ... enormously entertaining''   Daily Telegraph ''A splendid book ... demolishes innumerable myths and exposes the factual roots of some of science''s well known tales (for example, Galileo never dropped weights of different sizes from Pisa''s leaning tower)''   Economist ''We experience his subjects'' triumphs and failures as if we knew them personally ... I found myself whizzing through the pages''   Sunday Telegraph John Gribbin is one of today''s greatest writers of popular science and the author of bestselling books, including In Search of Schrödinger''s Cat, Stardust, Science: A History and In Search of the Multiverse. Gribbin trained as an astrophysicist at Cambridge University and is currently Visiting Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex.

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Book Synopsis''An intellectual hero ... A superb celebrator of science in all its manifestations'' Ian McEwan''Darwin''s great successor'' Jeffrey SachsThe legendary biologist Edward O. Wilson offers his most philosophically probing work to date''Creativity is the unique and defining trait of our species; and its ultimate goal, self-understanding,'' begins Edward Wilson''s sweeping examination of the humanities and their relationship to the sciences. By studying fields as diverse as paleontology, evolutionary biology and neuroscience, Wilson demonstrates that human creativity began not 10,000 years ago, as we have long assumed, but over 100,000 years ago in the Paleolithic Age. Chronicling the evolution of creativity from primates to humans, Wilson shows how the humanities, in large part spurred on by the invention of language, have played a previously unexamined role in defining our species. Exploring a surprising range of creative endeavors - the instinct to create gTrade ReviewA meditation on how our genetic and cultural nature shapes our experience of the world, and how that in turn influences the form and content of our creative output ... A stimulating ride -- Dan Jones * Nature *From our senior statesman of Science comes this fascinating, eloquent, and important reflection on the vital kinship between the Humanities and the Sciences, the well of creativity fueling them both, and our need as a species to combine their truths to deal with today's demanding problems. It's a message that couldn't be more timely -- Diane Ackerman, author of 'The Zookeeper's Wife'An intellectual hero ... A superb celebrator of science in all its manifestations -- Ian McEwanDarwin's great successor ... One of humanity's greatest and most intrepid explorers -- Jeffrey SachsWilson speaks with a humane eloquence which calls to us all -- Oliver SacksAs always, Wilson tosses off astonishing insights with charming ease (he's a master of the lyrically short sentence). These profoundly humane meditations on nature, creativity, and our primal yearnings will delight his longtime fans and provide newcomers with the perfect introduction to the career and ideas of one of our most distinguished living scientists--whose high-school nickname, I was enchanted to learn, was 'Snake Wilson -- Jim Holt, author of 'Why Does the World Exist?'With his trademark boundless intellect and elegant writing, Wilson argues that we need both the sciences and the humanities in order to understand the deep origins of what makes us human -- Alan Paige Lightman, physicist, novelist, and Professor of the Practice of the Humanities at MIT

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Book SynopsisChosen as a Book of the Year by The Times, Daily Telegraph, TLS, BBC History Magazine and Tablet''Compulsive, brilliantly clear and superbly well-written, it''s a charismatic evocation of another world'' Ian Mortimer, author of The Time Traveller''s Guide to Medieval EnglandThe Middle Ages were a time of wonder. They gave us the first universities, the first eyeglasses and the first mechanical clocks as medieval thinkers sought to understand the world around them, from the passing of the seasons to the stars in the sky. In this book, we walk the path of medieval science with a real-life guide, a fourteenth-century monk named John of Westwyk - inventor, astrologer, crusader - who was educated in England''s grandest monastery and exiled to a clifftop priory. Following the traces of his life, we learn to see the natural world through Brother John''s eyes: navigating by the stars, multiplying Roman numerals, curing disease and tTrade ReviewStunning: both exquisitely written and so very clever. By following the life of one little-known monk, John of Westwyk, Falk opens up for us the sophisticated and utterly different ways in which people in the Middle Ages thought and makes us question our assumptions about the medieval past. -- Suzannah Lipscomb * BBC History Magazine Books of the Year *Turns our understanding of medieval science on its head ... Falk shows how scientific inquiries central to the Renaissance actually began generations earlier than we thought, and despite our perception of the church as the enemy of science, those intellectual pioneers were often monks * The Telegraph Books of the Year *As fascinating as it is exquisitely written . . . the range of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering is impressive. More impressive still is the elegance with which Falk tells the tale -- Tom Whipple * Times Books of the Year *Remarkable ... a book that illuminates not just the visionaries of the past but also the troubled state of anti-intellectualism in the modern world * Financial Times *"Might it change minds?" is my criterion. The Light Ages might. Seb Falk's dazzling study of a late-medieval scientist is an uncontainably tentacular monograph, reaching from a windswept cell at Tynemouth, where John of Westwyck built an astrolabe, to penetrate unexplored recesses of the history and philosophy of science, and extending across Christendom into the cultures that surrounded and informed it. Falk excises errors about the Middle Ages without filleting their enchantment -- Felipe Fernández-Armesto * TLS Books of the Year *Unambiguously and successfully an antidote to the cliché of the 'Dark Ages' as a millennium of stagnation and regression . . . Falk's approach is to explain the things we share with our medieval forebears and the things we differ on: to reveal how they saw the universe * Literary Review *Riveting. . . a brilliant study of medieval astronomy and learning . . . I agree with Falk. We need to give more respect to the giants of the Middle Ages on whose shoulders we stand * Spectator *Fascinating . . . the Dark Ages were anything but dark; Falk's book is a lucid and eloquent reproof to anyone who says otherwise * Prospect *Seb Falk lays out the wonders of medieval science. . . The mechanical clock, spectacles, advances in navigation, a grasp of tides and currents - these were among the achievements of the Middle Ages * The Economist *A wonderful book, as at home bringing to life the obscure details of a Hertfordshire monk as it is explicating the infinite reaches of space and time. Required reading for anyone who thinks that the Middle Ages were a dark age -- Tom Holland, author of DominionCompulsive, brilliantly clear, and superbly well-written, The Light Ages is more than just a very good book on medieval science: it's a charismatic evocation of another world. Seb Falk uses the monk John of Westwyk to weld us into the medieval ways of imagining as well as thinking. And there are surprises galore for everyone, no matter how knowledgeable they may think they are. I can't recommend it highly enough -- Ian Mortimer, author of The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval EnglandIf you think the term 'medieval science' is a contradiction then you should read this hugely enlightening and important book -- Jim Al-Khalili, Author of The World According to PhysicsLike a fictional scientist cloning dinosaurs from wisps of DNA, Seb Falk takes barely surviving fragments of evidence about an almost forgotten astronomer in a storm-chilled, clifftop cell to conjure the vast, teeming world of scientific research, practice and invention in the late Middle Ages. Profoundly scholarly, wonderfully lucid and grippingly vivid, The Light Ages will awe the pedants and delight the public -- Felipe Fernández-Armesto, author of Out of Our MindsSeb Falk has framed a fascinating book around his personal quest to understand how scientific thinking flourished. The Light Ages reveals the intellectual sophistication that flourished against a backdrop of ritual and liturgy. It offers for most of us a novel perspective on a 'dark' historical era, and should fascinate a wide readership -- Lord Martin Rees, author of On the FutureLong before the word 'scientist' was coined, John of Westwyk devised a precision instrument to explore the universe and our place in it. Falk recreates the schooling of this ordinary (if gadget-obsessed) medieval monk in loving detail. There's a world of science on every page -- Nancy Marie Brown, author of The Abacus and the Cross

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Book SynopsisDunbar takes readers through the theory of evolution and provides readers with answers to popular questions surrounding Darwin's original theory and how it has impacted science today.Trade ReviewThis is an enjoyable, well-written book packed with interesting facts and theories about evolutionary processes and history. * Richard A. Richards, The Quarterly Review of Biology *Table of ContentsChapter 1: Evolution by Natural Selection Chapter 2: Adaptation and Speciation Chapter 3: Genetics and the Mechanisms of Transmission Chapter 4: Viruses, Slime Moulds, and the Origins of Life and Sex Chapter 5: Individuals and Species Chapter 6: Human Evolution Chapter 7: Evolution and Human Behavior Chapter 8: Cultural Evolution

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Book SynopsisThis volume situates the historiography of science in India within a social theory of science. Focussing on several strands from the corpus of writing over the last 150 years, it examines the paradigm shift within science studies, the move away from a West-centric theory of science, and future trends and possibilities. The book explores ideas about the interplay between scientism and romanticism, internal and external accounts of science, creative tension between scientism and romanticism, model of colonial science and its relationship with the emergence of national science, and distortions of nationalist historiography. These ideas are analysed in the light of contemporary researches in the sociology of sciences, human sciences as well as from a global perspective.Table of ContentsBIBLIOGRAPHY

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Book SynopsisHow does the physics we know today - a highly professionalised enterprise, inextricably linked to government and industry - link back to its origins as a liberal art in Ancient Greece? What is the path that leads from the old philosophy of nature and its concern with humankind''s place in the universe to modern massive international projects that hunt down fundamental particles and industrial laboratories that manufacture marvels? This Very Short Introduction introduces us to Islamic astronomers and mathematicians calculating the size of the earth whilst their caliphs conquered much of it; to medieval scholar-theologians investigating light; to Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, and Newton, measuring, and trying to explain, the universe. We visit the ''House of Wisdom'' in 9th-century Baghdad; Europe''s first universities; the courts of the Renaissance; the Scientific Revolution and the academies of the 18th century; and the increasingly specialised world of 20th and 21st century science. Highlighting the shifting relationship between physics, philosophy, mathematics, and technology - and the implications for humankind''s self-understanding - Heilbron explores the changing place and purpose of physics in the cultures and societies that have nurtured it over the centuries. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA comprehensive treatment of the history of physics in the West * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer *Pick up a copy to get to grips with the 2500-year history of physics. * Tushna Commissariat, Physics World *Elegantly written and entertaining. * Daan Wegener, Isis Review *This book is essential reading. Insightful ... never boring. * Frost Magazine *delightful... Heilbron leaves us rooted in lived reality * Nature, Robert P. Crease *manages to pack an awful lot into that very short space ... interesting and informative for non-scientists * A Hermit's Progress *The book is effectively a short history of ideas that moves around the cultures of Europe depending on time and place, so there is a fascinating chapter on Islamic contributions. * Network Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Invention and Diversity in Greece and Rome 2: Selection and Development in Islam 3: Domestication in the West 4: A Second Creation 5: Classical Physics and its Cure 6: From Old World to New 7: By Way of Conclusion References and Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Based solely on its originality, wealth of detail, and subject matter, Crossing the Boundaries of Life deserves to be on the must-read list of every historian of the twentieth-century life sciences.” * Journal of the History of Biology *"Based on personal contact and archival research, including an epilogue addressing contending epistemic debates (cellular context vs. molecular processes), this book provides an excellent account of how paradigm shifts actually occur in science. The text is readable for a general audience and provides a host of primary resources. . . . Highly recommended." * Choice *“Those who are willing to be guided through the rough and tumble of a long experimental research trajectory and its details will be richly rewarded in the end. To the reviewer's knowledge, this book is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of what it means to do cell biology at the molecular level, and to trace historically how it came to be done.” -- Hans-Jörg Rheinberger * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (translated from German) *"This complexity of the cell, and equally—if not more so—the complexity of the history of the scientific study of the cell, is something that struck me most forcibly as I wended my way through the pages of Karl Matlin’s Crossing the Boundaries of Life. . . . there is a rich vein of information as well as ideas for entire historical projects to be mined in this book." * Metascience *"Matlin charts new terrain in the history of the life sciences. His book is original, relevant, and provides a wealth of new stories and conceptual problems for the history and philosophy of cell and molecular biology. This exciting piece of scholarship covers a crucial episode of these sciences which merits scholarly attention. Matlin moves the field a step forward." -- Mathias Grote, author of Membranes to Molecular MachinesTable of ContentsPreface Prologue. A Very Small Difference . . . Part I. The Cytologist’s Dilemma 1. The Living Substance 2. The Membrane Boundary 3. Breakthroughs Part II. From Cells to Molecules 4. The Endoplasmic Reticulum 5. The Signal Hypothesis 6. The Strange Case of the Signal Recognition Particle 7. Enemies, Real and Imagined 8. The Light at the End of the Tunnel Part III. Form Redux 9. Topogenesis and Spatial Information 10. In Vitro Veritas? 11. Form, Context, and the Epistemic Strategy of Cell Biology Epilogue. 1975 and All That A Note on Sources References

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Book SynopsisDid the universe start with a Big Bang? Is light a wave, a particle or both? Is a Theory of Everything possible?Explaining the key milestones in the field of science in a clear and simple way, The Science Book answers these questions and more besides, and is the perfect introduction to the subject. Untangling knotty theories and shedding light on abstract concepts, entries unpack each complex idea with a combination of easy-to-follow explanations, innovative graphics, and intriguing quotes.Discover the most important theories of history's greatest scientists, why Copernicus's ideas were so contentious, how Einstein developed the concept general and special relativity, and the reasoning behind Crick and Watson's proposed structure for DNA, and much more besides.Fully revised and updated with eight brand-new pages of content, The Science Book is a truly accessible and comprehensive route into a fascinating subject. Packed with scientific q

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Book Synopsis''Extraordinary'' Leonard Susskind''A rare event'' Sean Carroll_____When leading theoretical physicist Professor Michael Dine was asked where you could find an accessible and authoritative book that would teach you about the Big Bang, Dark Matter, the Higgs boson and the cutting edge of physics now, he had nothing he could recommend.So he wrote it himself.In This Way to the Universe, Dine takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of modern physics - from Newtonian mechanics to quantum, from particle to nuclear physics - delving into the wonders of our universe at its largest, smallest, and within our daily lives. If you are looking for the one book to help you understand physics, written in language anyone can follow, this is it._____''A tour de force of literally all of fundamental physics'' BBC Sky at Night magazine''Everything you wanted to know about physics but were afraid to ask'' Priyamvada NatarajaTrade ReviewThis book is a rare event: a grand overview of the leading ideas in modern fundamental physics, presented by someone who is a true master -- Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to HereThis book, written by one of the great masters of modern physics, is an extraordinary journey into what we know, what we hope to know, and what we don't know, about the universe and the laws that govern it -- Leonard Susskind, author of The Theoretical Minimum seriesIt is not an easy task to take the complexities of theoretical physics . . . and translate it into common prose. It is even more difficult to make it accessible to the lay enthusiast. The author has done an admirable job and hasn't shirked away from many of the more difficult and arcane topics. As a comprehensive and uncompromising tour de force of literally all of fundamental physics, there can be few better alternatives * BBC Sky at Night magazine *Renowned physicist Michael Dine takes us from the innards of the atom to the depths of black holes in this readable . . . celebration of science's most mind-bending discipline. The text is conversational and full of delightful asides . . . Dine's enthusiastic storytelling makes the read worth it for those who want to finally wrap their mind around string theory or the Higgs boson -- Tess Joosse * Scientific American *Michael Dine takes the reader on a fascinating and wide-ranging tour of the world of physics, both theoretical and experimental, emphasizing the remarkable discoveries that make up modern physics and the daunting challenges that remain. Dine is a leader in theoretical physics and tells the story of the last few decades based on his own personal experiences and involvement -- Edward Witten, theoretical physicist and professor at the Institute for Advanced StudyEverything you wanted to know about physics but were afraid to ask. This Way to the Universe is a fascinating and sweeping tour of the history of ideas in modern physics and cosmology from a remarkable theoretical physicist and engaging storyteller. A riveting read, the book offers a ringside view to many of the latest theoretical and experimental developments from a key protagonist. A treat for the intellectually curious -- Priyamvada Natarajan, author of Mapping the HeavensDine delivers a detailed, if often sceptical, account of the great questions and often unsatisfactory answers to problems in astro- and quantum physics, examining such topics as the Big Bang, inflation theory, galaxy formation, black holes, dark matter and energy, string theory, and supersymmetry . . . Excellent popular science * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisScience is a serious business, right? Wrong. Scientists have been participants in the best reality show of all time, with all the highs, lows, bust-ups, and strange personalities of any show on telly today. From Luke O''Neill - the science teacher you wish you''d had - this hugely accessible history of science reveals the human stories behind the biggest discoveries.For example, we meet Charles Darwin as he weighs up the pros and cons of marrying his cousin: ''constant companion'' vs ''less money for books''. Tough call.To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before covers everything from space travel and evolution to alchemy and AI. Written by one of our leading scientists, this is an insider''s account that celebrates the joy of science. It is filled with all the juicy bits that other histories leave out.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive edition of one of the most important scientific books of the twentieth century, setting out the conceptual structure underlying evolutionary biology.This classic work by Julian Huxley, first published in 1942, captured and synthesized all that was then known about evolutionary biology and gave a name to the Modern Synthesis, the conceptual structure underlying the field for most of the twentieth century. Many considered Huxley's book a popularization of the ideas then emerging in evolutionary biology, but in fact Evolution: The Modern Synthesis is a work of serious scholarship that is also accessible to the general educated public. It is a book in the intellectual tradition of Charles Darwin and Thomas Henry Huxley—Julian Huxley's grandfather, known for his energetic championing of Darwin's ideas. A contemporary reviewer called Evolution: The Modern Synthesis “the outstanding evolutionary treatise of the decade, perhaps the century.

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Book SynopsisA lively exploration of how invisibility has gone from science fiction to factTrade Review“The science of invisibility remains largely theoretical and abstract. It is in the literature that the field comes alive, and Gbur may be the world’s leading expert on invisibility fiction.”—Nathaniel Rich, New York Times Book Review“Gbur steers us through the sometimes challenging history of the ideas on which current research depends. . . . A list that helps us appreciate the potential benefits of invisible cats.”—Richard Dunn, Times Literary Supplement“Gbur shows how optical science and ideas about the atom intertwined over two centuries. . . . I defy you not to spend your next paycheck hunting down the wilder items in Gbur’s ‘Invisibibliography.’”—Simon Ings, Fortean TimesA CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2023“Invisibility is such an addictive book, packed with smart and weird science, literature and culture, Greg Gbur’s elegant prose, and the fascinating question of whether we may one day be able to achieve that long-held dream of vanishing in a shimmer of light.”—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the 20th Century“A lovely, well-informed book on the science and fiction of invisibility.”—Ulf Leonhardt, author of Geometry and Light: The Science of Invisibility“Greg Gbur weaves an engaging tapestry of literature, history, and physics to illustrate how an idea that has captivated human imagination for thousands of years may one day become a reality.”—Liz Heinecke, author of Radiant: The Dancer, The Scientist, and a Friendship Forged in Light“A well-written and engaging overview of the history of optics, taking the reader on a fascinating scientific journey.”—Andrea Alù, founding director of the Photonics Initiative at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center

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Book SynopsisThis volume opens with a series of articles making up a monographic study of the Henry family of Manchester, a dynasty that was active in science, medicine, education and industry from the 1760s to the 1830s. This work is important in studying the relations between science and industry, and not least because it emphasises just how much can be learnt from looking at 'second-rank' figures in the provinces. The second group of papers pursues topics in the history of 19th-century chemistry and the development of the chemical industry, in particular that dealing with synthetic dyestuffs.Trade Review’This book is a welcome addition to the Variorum Collected Studies Series and serves as a timely reminder of the great debt that we owe to a historian of chemistry who pioneered the study of regional themes and lesser events and individuals.’ Bulletin of the History of Chemistry, Vol. 22 ’Farrar’s work is a major contribution not only to the history of chemistry, but to history more generally.’ Canadian Journal of History, Vol. XXXIII ’This collection is an important one for historians of chemistry, and for historians of nineteenth-century society, especially in Britain.’ Annals of Science, Vol. 56Table of ContentsContents: Introduction; Obituary of W.V. Farrar, D.S.L. Cardwell; The Henrys of Manchester: Thomas Henry (1734-1816); Thomas Henry’s sons: Thomas, Peter and William; William Henry and John Dalton; William Henry: hydrocarbons and the gas industry: minor chemical papers; William Henry: contagion and cholera; the textbook; William Charles Henry: the magnesia factory; Victorian pure and applied science: Sir B.C. Brodie and his calculus of chemical operations; 19th-century speculations on the complexity of the chemical elements; Richard Laming and the coal gas industry, with his views on the structure of matter; Some early ventures in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen; Andrew Ure, F.R.S., and the philosophy of manufactures; Robert Angus Smith, F.R.S., and ’sanitary science’; Synthetic dyes before 1860; Science and the German university system, 1790-1850; Edward Schunck F.R.S.: a pioneer of natural-product chemistry; Index.

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Book SynopsisRacing Green is the story of how advances in motorsport science are changing the world, helping it become smarter and more environmentally friendly. Motor racing is already one of the most scientifically demanding sports: it involves a combination of peak physical and mental skill, world-class mechanical nous and perennial technological innovation. These innovations, first developed for racing, have been incorporated into everyday car designs to improve their safety from ABS brakes to crash helmets and ecological impact, via electric engines and more efficient fuels and tyres. Author Kit Chapman is a lifelong motorsports fan who has previously worked with Virgin Racing's Formula E team on the chemistry and material science of their cars. With help from his wide range of contacts in the industry, Kit criss-crosses the globe from Ohio to Monaco, Spain to Bahrain. He steps behind the scenes of current engineering breakthroughs, picking up extraordinary tales along the way,Trade ReviewChapman writes engagingly about the benefits motor racing has brought to a climate problem that needs all hands on the wheel. * Financial Times *An entertaining and often insightful read that will be enjoyed by both racing fans and people generally interested in processes of innovation. * Science *A reminder of the crucial role that motorsport plays in the mission to save our planet. * Lucas di Grassi *Chapman expertly places scientific developments in societal and historical contexts while making you feel like he’s sharing stories over beer at the local pub … If you’re not a racing fan, you probably know one. Racing Green would be an excellent way to get them interested in the science behind the cars. But I also highly recommend Chapman’s book to scientists as a case study in how story can be just as powerful a force for change as fact. -- Diandra Leslie-Pelecky * Physics World *Chapman’s clear passion for all things motorsport seeps heavily through the narrative of this book, and he engagingly walks us through the history of motorsport, and the extraordinary engineering that goes into all the materials and parts. * Engineering & Technology *Motorsport science isn’t a thrilling topic for most people, but it’s presented so well here and the writing is so compelling that it’s undeniably interesting. * Auto Express *Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: THE FASTEST R&D LAB ON EARTH Chapter One: Fire and ICE Chapter Two: Speeding Bullets Chapter Three: Together in Electric Dreams Chapter Four: Applying the Brakes Chapter Five: The Last Airbenders Chapter Six: Going with the Flow Chapter Seven: Virtually There PART II: RACING FOR LIFE Chapter Eight: The Full Might of What We Can Do Chapter Nine: Matters of Life and Death Chapter Ten: Twenty-Seven Seconds Chapter Eleven: Rise of the Robots PART III: THE MATERIAL WORLD Chapter Twelve: Flax, Fibres and Floating Frogs Chapter Thirteen: All That’s Fit to Print Chapter Fourteen: Fuelling the Future Chapter Fifteen: The Terrible History of Tyres Chapter Sixteen: Going to Extremes Appendix: Martin, Mosler & Me Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisSince the beginning of humanity's existence, plants have provided us with everything we need for our survival - they sustain us with air to breathe, food to eat, materials to make clothes and shelter with, and medicine to treat and prevent disease. Their beauty can also enhance our mood and provide spiritual and emotional nourishment.Western science has 'discovered' and named innumerable plant species over the course of its colonial history. To many Indigenous peoples, however, plants have been recognised for centuries as sentient beings, imbued with spirit and agency to help humanity. Publishing in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, The Ethnobotanical offers a unique and beautiful perspective on plants and their roles in the lives of peoples from across the planet.

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Book SynopsisToday, the language of science is English. But the dominance of this particular language is a relatively recent phenomenon - and far from a foregone conclusion. In a sweeping history that takes us from antiquity to the modern day, Michael D. Gordin untangles the web of politics, money, personality and international conflict that created the monoglot world of science we now inhabit. Beginning with the rise of Latin, Gordin reveals how we went on to use (and then lose) Dutch, Italian, Swedish and many other languages on the way, and sheds light on just how significant language is in the nationalistic realm of science - just one word mistranslated into German from Russian triggered an inflammatory face-off between the two countries for the credit of having discovered the periodic table. Intelligent, revealing and full of compelling stories, Scientific Babel shows how the world has shaped science just as much as science has transformed the world.Trade ReviewInsightful, engaging and based on superb scholarship, lightly worn -- Mark Viney * New Scientist *Erudite and engaging * Nature *He has hit on a marvellous idea and executed it with panache and laconic humour. -- John Gallagher * Guardian *It is hard to imagine that anyone with even the slightest interest in science or language will fail to find this book a treat * Prospect *Perceptive ... insightfully and engagingly written, a masterful mix of intelligence and style. He illuminates an important side of science with academic rigor, but without a trace of academic obfuscation. * Science News *

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Book SynopsisFull of personal insights and accounts of the long journey to getting a man on the moon, Missions to the Moon is the perfect companion for anyone with a love of space travel, the moon landings, or NASA, CNSA, RFSA, and the rest of the world's space programs. With dozens of stunning photographs and fascinating memorabilia – such as Apollo 11 Mission Reports and Flight Director's Logs – track the birth of the space race and Yuri Gagarin's first space flight, to the many successes and failures of the Apollo mission, all the way to that boots-on-the-ground moment we have come to know so well. Uniquely complemented by ground-breaking digital technology you can become fully immersed in this interactive story of mankind's ongoing journey into the final frontier. Table of ContentsMan and Moon • Vengeance Takes Flight • Sleeping Under a Red Moon • Aiming for the Moon • How to go to the Moon • Soviet Disasters • A Most Complex Machine • The Flight of the Phoenix • Into the Void • Christmas in Space • Flying to the Moon • Dress Rehearsals • Preparing for the Big One • The Voyage of Apollo 11 • 'Contact Light!' • Magnificent Desolation • Laughs From Luna: Apollo 12 • A Successful Failure: Apollo 13 • Shepard Returns • The Lunar Rover • The Genesis Rock • Landing in the Lunar Highlands • Final Moments: Apollo 17 • The Legacy of Apollo • Europe Returns to Space • Asia Ascendant • Moonbase.

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Book SynopsisThe Danish aristocrat and astronomer Tycho Brahe personified the inventive vitality of Renaissance life in the sixteenth century. Brahe lost his nose in a student duel, wrote Latin poetry and built one of the most astonishing villas of the period, as well as the observatory Uraniborg, while virtually inventing team research and establishing the fundamental rules of empirical science. This illustrated biography presents a new and dynamic view of Tycho's life, reassessing his gradual separation of astrology from astronomy, and his key relationships with Johannes Kepler, his sister, Sophie, and his kinsmen at the court of King Frederick II.Trade Review"This fascinating and rich biography successfully explains the aims of Tycho's startling and ambitious enterprise, to rebuild the sciences of heaven and earth in a new vision of organized inquiry and the accumulation of nature's treasures. With gripping detail and brilliant illustrations, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the cosmos and culture of early modernity."--Simon Schaffer, Professor of History of Science, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsPreface: Denmark and the Renaissance 1 Birthright Challenged, 1546-70 2 Cloister into Observatory: The New Star, 1570-73 3 Finding a New Life, 1573-6 4 Treasures of the Sea King: Kronborg and Uraniborg, 1576-82 5 Star Castle: Going Down to See Up, 1582-8 6 On the Move, 1588-99 7 The Emperor's Astrologer and His Legacy, 1599-1687 References Further Reading Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisThe epic, page-turning history of how a group of physicists toppled the Newtonian universe in the early decades of the twentieth century. Marie Curie, Max Planck, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, and Albert Einstein didn’t only revolutionise physics; they redefined our world and the reality we live in. In The Age of Uncertainty, Tobias Hürter brings to life the golden age of physics and its dazzling, flawed, and unforgettable heroes and heroines. The work of the twentieth century’s most important physicists produced scientific breakthroughs that led to an entirely new view of physics — and a view of the universe that is still not fully understood today, even as evidence for its accuracy is all around us. The men and women who made these discoveries were intellectual adventurers, renegades, dandies, and nerds, some bound together by deep friendship; others, by bitter enmity. But the age of relativity theory and quantum mechanics was also the age of wars and revolutions. The discovery of radioactivity transformed science, but also led to the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Throughout The Age of Uncertainty, Hürter reminds us about the entanglement of science and world events, for we cannot observe the world without changing it.Trade Review‘Intriguing and well-written … The Age of Uncertainty cleverly interweaves the stories of the leading early 20th-century physicists with the political and personal events that shaped their lives … Hürter’s formidable grasp of the great period of quantum discovery represents a new, exciting approach to the literature about this momentous era.’ * The Wall Street Journal *‘Remarkable … Hürter treats his subjects like the cast in a nail-bitingly enthralling drama … A stark reminder that epic thrillers aren’t always found in the fiction section.’ -- Jane Graham * Big Issue *‘Highlights the work of Marie Curie, Max Planck, Wolfgang Pauli, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, Albert Einstein, and others did together to shake up physics and introduce quantum mechanics, arguing that the field’s discovery was a collaborative effort.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Hürter guides us through the time when physicists developed their fundamental theories.’ * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *‘[The Age of Uncertainty's] great strength lies in the way Tobias Hürter brings together the cast of driven, gifted and all-too-human scientists who upended Newtonian physics, showing how the dynamics between them spurred their discoveries. Quantum mechanics is made accessible to the general reader through key moments in the scientists’ careers, such as Marie Curie’s discovery of radium, Einstein’s theory of relativity and Niels Bohr’s model of the atom, culminating in the race to produce an atomic bomb.’ -- Cameron Woodhead and Fiona Capp * The Sydney Morning Herald *‘Hürter makes the history of this important period in science and beyond highly readable … It is also an extremely interesting history on the personal and political level … Highly recommended for those with an interest in science and the people who did it.’ -- Tim Mendham * The Skeptic *

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Book SynopsisSince ancient times, humans have been engaged in a continual quest to find meaning in and make sense of sights and events in the night sky. Cultures spread around the world recorded their earliest efforts in artwork made directly on the natural landscapes around them, and from there they developed more and more sophisticated techniques for observing and documenting astronomy.This book brings readers on an astronomical journey through the ages, offering a history of how our species has recorded and interpreted the night sky over time. From cave art to parchment scribe to modern X-ray mapping of the sky, it chronicles the ever-quickening development of tools that informed and at times entirely toppled our understanding of the natural world.Our documentation and recording techniques formed the bedrock for increasingly complex forays into astronomy and celestial mechanics, which are addressed within these chapters. Additionally, the book explores how nature itself has recorded the skies in its own way, which can be unraveled through ongoing geological and archaeological studies. This tale of human discovery and ingenuity over the ages will appeal to anybody interested in the field of astronomy and its rich cultural history.Trade Review“The book is a must-read that enables readers to explore both where we have come from and the possibilities that lie ahead.” (Bernie Taylor, Physics Today, June, 2020)Table of ContentsChapter One – Introduction.- Chapter Two – Cave Paintings – Part I.- Chapter Three – Cave Paintings - Part II.- Chapter Four – The Astrolabe.- Chapter Five – Supernovae.- Chapter Six – Mercury Transitions.- Chapter Seven – Shi Shen to Charles Messier.- Chapter Eight – The 1639 Transit of Venus.- Chapter Nine – Comets.- Chapter Ten – Astronomical Observatories.- Chapter Eleven – Fossils, Tree Rings, and Ice.- Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book is an enthusiastic account of Pierre Laszlo’s life and pioneering work on catalysis of organic reactions by modified clays, and his reflections on doing science from the 1960s to 1990s. In this autobiography, readers will discover a first-hand testimony of the chemical revolution in the second half of the 20th century, and the author’s perspective on finding a calling in science and chemistry, as well as his own experience on doing science, teaching science and managing a scientific career.During this period, Pierre Laszlo led an academic laboratory and worked also in three different countries: the US, Belgium and France, where he had the opportunity to meet remarkable colleagues. In this book, he recalls his encounters and collaborations with important scientists, who shaped the nature of chemistry at times of increased pace of change, and collates a portrait of the worldwide scientific community at that time. In addition, the author tells us about the turns and twists of his own life, and how he ended up focusing his research on clay based chemistry, where clay minerals were turned in his lab to catalysis of key chemical transformations. Given its breath, the book offers a genuine information on the life and career of a chemist, and it will appeal not only to scientists and students, but also to historians of science and to the general reader. Trade Review“A Life and Career in Chemistry is filled with names of scientists and other more or less remarkable persons whom Laszlo has met and interacted with during his long and varied career. … Laszlo’s autobiography is in many respects of interest to historians of twentieth-century chemistry … . the portrait of Laszlo himself, his life, and his career that this autobiography offers is very much as its author wants to be remembered.” (Helghe Kragh, Ambix, Vol. 69 (4), November, 2022)Table of ContentsSee attachments

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Seminary Co-Op Notable Book of the Year""If categorization is crucial to making sense of the world, how should we classify Carl Linnaeus? . . . Broberg’s biography dutifully accompanies Linnaeus every step of the way."---Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker"Whether we realize it or not, we live in a Linnaean world. . . . [A]n excellent starting point for the general reader. Dispensing with the prevalent image of Linnaeus as nature’s dullest bookkeeper, Broberg paints a moving portrait of a profoundly vulnerable human being."---Christopher Irmscher, Wall Street Journal"A detailed account of his subject’s work as well as his 'darker aspects.' . . . Writing for a general audience. . . . Everything you ever wanted to know about Linnaeus and more." * Kirkus Reviews *"A rich portrait. . . . [Broberg] offers readers an immersive glimpse into the life of a scientist who was instrumental to the formation of botany, zoology, and taxonomy. . . . The Man Who Organized Nature is sure to become the definitive biography of Linnaeus."---Darren Incorvaia, Science"A striking addition to the list of key scientific biographies."---Brian Clegg, Popular Science"A reminder of the remarkable life Linnaeus lead and the influence he had on the development of modern biology. . . . His work deserves to be remembered in magisterial biographies like this."---Laurence A. Marshall, Natural History"Anna Paterson’s new English translation of the late Gunnar Broberg’s 2019 life of the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus offers, however, something genuinely new and valuable . . . The book is a beguiling and expert account of an extraordinary individual who helped shape our understanding of the natural world."---Linda Colley, Financial Times"This is surely the definitive biography of Carl Linnaeus. . . .The book gives a rounded and vivid portrait highlighting his flaws as well as creative genius." * Paradigm Explorer *"We should be grateful to Broberg for the decades of research distilled into the volume, the closest thing to a comprehensive and contextualised account of Linnaeus as we are likely to get for at least a generation."---Lorraine Daston, London Review of Books

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Book SynopsisThe social dynamics of “alternative facts”: why what you believe depends on who you knowTrade Review“Methodical and earnest.”—Jennifer Szalai, New York Times“The Misinformation Age covers big subjects like truth and the fate of the species” —Jennifer Szalai, International New York Times“The Misinformation Age fills an important void in the literature on misinformation . . . a valuable aid to anyone concerned with the alarmingly increasing prevalence of misinformation and polarization.”—Davis Kuykendall, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences “An important book for an era of weaponized information.”—George Musser, contributing editor, Scientific American and Nautilus"Fake news has revealed a dark side of networks: an almost unstoppable ability to spread false and misleading information, changing people's perception of reality and shaking the political establishment. The Misinformation Age is a timely, engaging narrative of how this happened and how the mix of fake news and networks is changing our world."—Albert-László Barabási, author of Linked: The New Science of Networks"In this perilous moment—when knowledge is powerfully eroded by new and effective campaigns of misinformation—O’Connor and Weatherall offer a critically important philosophical defense of evidence, facts, and above all, the truth."—Allan M. Brandt, Harvard University“The Misinformation Age is the best book I've read on why the fake-news epidemic is afflicting us and what we can do about it. It offers in-depth reporting and provocative analysis delivered in lively prose, a rare combination.”—John Horgan, director of the Center for Science Writings, Stevens Institute of Technology

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Book SynopsisLong before GPS and Google Earth, humans traveled vast distances using environmental clues and simple instruments. What is lost when technology substitutes for our innate capacity to find our way? Illustrated with 200 drawings, this narrative—part treatise, part travelogue, and part navigational history—brings our own world into sharper view.Trade ReviewOne of the repeated themes of The Lost Art of Finding Our Way is that even the most confused of us can improve our navigational understanding by paying closer attention to the world around us… A learned and encyclopedic grab bag, packed with information drawn from study and Huth’s own experience. -- Michael Dirda * Washington Post *It’s a great reference, filled with personal and historical anecdotes and fascinating bits of physics, astronomy, oceanography, and meteorology. And that’s one of Huth’s central points: To find your way in a world without maps, you can’t rely on any single cue—you need to make the best of whatever combination of cues is available to you… With a little study, The Lost Art of Finding Our Way could be your guide to reconnecting with the navigational aids in the world around you. -- Greg Miller * Wired *John Huth’s The Lost Art of Finding Our Way is a book for anyone who’s ever cursed themselves for not being able to get home by way of the stars and winds. Or for anyone who wants to learn how the Vikings and others once managed to. -- Thomas Meaney * Times Literary Supplement *Full of wisdom that is fast disappearing in an age of satnav and GPS. -- Arthur Musgrave * The Guardian *[Huth’s] exuberance shines through: he makes gadgets in his garage and narrates adventures at sea. Huth’s is a book filled with joy about what we might term the everyday mathematics of living on the Earth… Huth is concerned that we have become desensitized to our physical environment because of technology such as smartphones and global positioning systems, which do the work of plotting and routefinding for us. To live in what Huth dubs ‘the bubble’ created by such devices is to lose not only our wonder at the world but also a bundle of precious survival skills. To be able to find our way in the world is to reconnect with its value in a virtuous spiral of environmental awareness. -- Robert J. Mayhew * Times Higher Education *The book offers a clear, comprehensive, and entertaining short course in navigation that draws on Earth science, history, anthropology, neuroscience, archaeology, and linguistics. It provides both a primer on navigational techniques and a tour through ‘the historical evolution of way finding.’ Huth punctuates instruction on celestial navigation and reading wind, weather, and currents with engaging stories and images. These are derived from sources as varied as the oral histories of Pacific Islanders and Inuit hunters, Homer’s Odyssey, Icelandic sagas, navigational tables from the medieval Islamic world, and contemporary news reports and sailing accounts. -- Deirdre Lockwood * Science *Humanity’s lust for exploring terra incognita shaped and tested our prodigious capacity for mental mapping. Now, with the advent of the Global Positioning System, wayfaring skills are on the wane. Physicist John Edward Huth turns explorer in this rich, wide-ranging and lucidly illustrated primer on how to find yourself in the middle of somewhere. Huth’s prescription for navigating fog, darkness, open ocean, thick forests or unknown terrain rests first on harnessing compass, Sun and stars; then on the subtleties of weather forecasting and decoding markers such as the wind, waves and tides. * Nature *[An] irresistible book… Huth has an affable, smart tone, as welcoming as a Billy Collins poem. His knowledge of way-finding and its history is rangy and detailed, but his enthusiasm never flickers, lifting the educational factor to higher ground: rewarding, artful, ably conveying what can be some fairly abstruse material, the finer points of navigation being among them. There are, by the way, many, many fine points regarding navigation, and if Huth gets a bit windy in pointing them out, well, let the wind blow. It’s refreshing. -- Peter Lewis * Barnes & Noble Review *Early humans learned to navigate on land and sea by watching the world around them… Huth recovers some of this history by looking at Norse legends, the records of Arab traders moving across the Indian Ocean and Pacific Islanders… Huth’s subject is fascinating… We have lost many of our innate abilities on the way to this technologically advanced moment in time. But John Edward Huth believes, and his book shows, that some of what was lost can still be found. We just need to relearn how to read the signs. -- Anthony Sattin * Literary Review *Lamenting the loss of navigational skills, [Huth] set out to collect in one volume the many schemes that kept our forebears alive. Ancient explorers could, through navigational nous, undertake voyages over great expanses of ocean and land to establish settlements and trade routes, and return home. -- Peter Monaghan * Chronicle of Higher Education *Just as we are said to have abandoned the art of memory when we started writing things down, so Huth says that we have lost our instinct for knowing how to get from here to there. Before the scientific revolution we had the ability to interpret environmental information that enabled us to navigate long distances. Huth surveys Pacific Islanders, medieval Arab traders, Vikings and early Western European travellers before examining techniques for navigators to look to the stars for astronomical beacons, as well as to the weather and the water. -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *

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Book SynopsisAccessible treatment offers highly detailed accounts concerning development of ideas and theories about the nature of electricity and space (aether), focusing on period from Descartes to Lorentz, Einstein, and Minkowski.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In Conchophilia seven scholars dissect why Renaissance-era collectors braved maritime hazards to beachcomb. Finding the pearliest treasures at shorelines called for avoiding crocodiles, spiny urchins and ‘burning sea slime’. . . . Painters depicted shells, with names as wonderful as ‘precious wentletrap’ and ‘speckled episcopal miter,’ arrayed on banquet tables or in the hands of exulting deities. Metalsmiths set nautiluses on gold pedestals sculpted with mermaid and sea foam motifs. Collectors had favorite shells cemented onto grotto walls, sometimes in the bristly shapes of pine cones and artichokes."---Eve M. Kahn, New York Times"This richly illustrated collection of essays conceptualises the shell and how it was used in material and visual culture, philosophy, and aesthetics as a ‘vessel’ to comprehend early modern society, primarily in a Dutch and German context. . . . [A] well-produced and beautiful book, even its softly glowing endpapers reminiscent of polished shells and nacre. Of interest to art historians, historians of science, and historians of visual and material culture, the essays are also clearly written and approachable, offering many pearls of wisdom. I highly recommend it."---Anna Marie Roos, Early Modern Low Countries"The exquisitely illustrated, thought-provoking book examines the complicated provenances, varied uses, and key role of shells in shaping this period’s visual and aesthetic culture."---Lauren Moya Ford, Hyperallergic"[Conchophilia does] an excellent job in surveying both art history and the history of science to discuss the uses of shells in art. . . . The lavish illustrations alone are worth the price of purchase. . . . Truly a feast for the eyes."---Alan R. Kabat, American Conchologist"Conchophilia is well-designed and beautifully illustrated, a book that deploys wonderful narratives about the love of shells in early modern Europe. . . . A captivating combination of the material and the social, of shells and people."---Marlise Rijks, Early Science and Medicine"A very handsome book replete with full-color photographs, Conchophilia is a joy to read, as appealing and stimulating as the curiosities it considers."---James Clifton, Historians of Netherlandish Art Reviews"All the studies in this beautiful book command respect: they are distinctly original and relevant and unfold with keen intelligence. With a novel, methodical approach, and by means of very subtle and magnificently illustrated analyses, they illuminate European collections of the first modern era."---Myriam Marrache-Gouraud, Renaissance and Reformation"A thought-provoking and beautifully produced book. . . . [A]s all authors convincingly show in their chapters, a case can be made for the particular poignant love of shells from the early sixteenth century onward. Both as literal and metaphorical vessels, it is argued, shells prompted reflection, contemplation, and discussion, as material manifestations of exoticness, (natural and divine) craftmanship, and aesthetics."---Marika Keblusek, Renaissance Quarterly"A fascinating book."---Christopher Stocks, Country Life

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Book SynopsisThe human body is a marvel - but what happens when it comes under attack? A fascinating guide to why we get sick and how we get better.The human body is a marvel - but what happens when it comes under attack? A fascinating guide to why we get sick and how we get better. ‘Lovely, warm, erudite and, above all, chatty.’ Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra Processed People Nature wants you dead. Not just you, but your children and everyone you have ever met and everyone they have ever met; in fact, everyone. It wants you to cough and sneeze and poop yourself into an early grave. It wants your blood vessels to burst and pustules to explode all over your body. And - until recently - it was really good at doing this… The subject of infection and how to fight it grows more urgent every day. How do pathogens cause disease? And what tools can we give our bodies to do battle? Infectious is not onlyTrade Review‘Tregoning is a gifted writer of popular science. He has a knack for explaining the intricacies of vaccines and immunity without dumbing them down, and he moves things briskly along with a barrage of often self-deprecating humor.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘This book catapults us to the frontier of the vital science of infections and immune responses. Tregoning is a perfect guide, writing with wit and intelligence about a subject that surely everyone feels the importance of now. Brilliant and right on the zeitgeist.’ -- Daniel M. Davis, author of The Beautiful Cure‘Packed with fascinating facts, intriguing anecdotes and more than a few Dad jokes, Infectious is an expertly guided, pacey tour through the world of all the stuff that’s trying to kill us and how our immune systems and human ingenuity are fighting back.’ -- Dr Kat Arney, science communicator and author of Rebel Cell‘What a book! A book for everyone, an expert, or an interested lay person, young or retired or somewhere in the middle. Informed, engaging, generous and superbly written. If you have secretly wondered about some of the information of the last year (as we all have) and want one book to explain it all with total clarity – this is the book for you. I started it and could not put it down. The best, most accessible, high-quality science book I have read this year. Utterly brilliant.’ -- Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust‘To call this book timely would be yet another contender for understatement of this strange decade. As the pandemic has upended the world and ravaged the population, it’s a duty for all of us civilians to turn to experts like Dr Tregoning with due humility, and educate ourselves about what’s happening to us, how we got here, how we’ve dealt with similar events in the past, and how we might get through this. This book is thorough, engaging, entertaining and utterly vital.’ -- Frank Turner, singer-songwriter‘Lovely, warm, erudite and, above all, chatty.’ -- Chris van Tulleken‘Despite the serious subject, Tregoning (who got COVID-19) maintains a sense of humor… This is a fascinating and timely account of often unheralded scientists heroically battling bacteria and viruses.’ * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In Conchophilia seven scholars dissect why Renaissance-era collectors braved maritime hazards to beachcomb. Finding the pearliest treasures at shorelines called for avoiding crocodiles, spiny urchins and ‘burning sea slime’. . . . Painters depicted shells, with names as wonderful as ‘precious wentletrap’ and ‘speckled episcopal miter,’ arrayed on banquet tables or in the hands of exulting deities. Metalsmiths set nautiluses on gold pedestals sculpted with mermaid and sea foam motifs. Collectors had favorite shells cemented onto grotto walls, sometimes in the bristly shapes of pine cones and artichokes."---Eve M. Kahn, New York Times"This richly illustrated collection of essays conceptualises the shell and how it was used in material and visual culture, philosophy, and aesthetics as a ‘vessel’ to comprehend early modern society, primarily in a Dutch and German context. . . . [A] well-produced and beautiful book, even its softly glowing endpapers reminiscent of polished shells and nacre. Of interest to art historians, historians of science, and historians of visual and material culture, the essays are also clearly written and approachable, offering many pearls of wisdom. I highly recommend it."---Anna Marie Roos, Early Modern Low Countries"The exquisitely illustrated, thought-provoking book examines the complicated provenances, varied uses, and key role of shells in shaping this period’s visual and aesthetic culture."---Lauren Moya Ford, Hyperallergic"[Conchophilia does] an excellent job in surveying both art history and the history of science to discuss the uses of shells in art. . . . The lavish illustrations alone are worth the price of purchase. . . . Truly a feast for the eyes."---Alan R. Kabat, American Conchologist"Conchophilia is well-designed and beautifully illustrated, a book that deploys wonderful narratives about the love of shells in early modern Europe. . . . A captivating combination of the material and the social, of shells and people."---Marlise Rijks, Early Science and Medicine"A very handsome book replete with full-color photographs, Conchophilia is a joy to read, as appealing and stimulating as the curiosities it considers."---James Clifton, Historians of Netherlandish Art Reviews"All the studies in this beautiful book command respect: they are distinctly original and relevant and unfold with keen intelligence. With a novel, methodical approach, and by means of very subtle and magnificently illustrated analyses, they illuminate European collections of the first modern era."---Myriam Marrache-Gouraud, Renaissance and Reformation"A thought-provoking and beautifully produced book. . . . [A]s all authors convincingly show in their chapters, a case can be made for the particular poignant love of shells from the early sixteenth century onward. Both as literal and metaphorical vessels, it is argued, shells prompted reflection, contemplation, and discussion, as material manifestations of exoticness, (natural and divine) craftmanship, and aesthetics."---Marika Keblusek, Renaissance Quarterly"A fascinating book."---Christopher Stocks, Country Life

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Book SynopsisJohn Forrester’s passionate yet probing engagement with Freud and psychoanalysis is legendary. Here, in six introductory lectures delivered to his students at the University of Cambridge, his range and lucidity bring the evolution of Freud’s thinking and the nature of Freud’s discoveries into sharp focus. With an historian’s eye for context, Forrester explores Freud’s biography, the scientific moment, the radical subject matter of the field itself – sex, dreams, desire, the unconscious, childhood, language – as well as Freud’s development of a new clinical practice. Forrester also explores both the growth of the psychoanalytic movement and the question of what kind of beast it might be as it travels through time and geography. He illuminates the cultural and revolutionary impact of psychoanalytic thinking – not only Freud’s, but that of some of his progeny in the many places where the movement flourished. Freud and Psychoanalysis takes us from Vienna to London, from Paris to New York and Hollywood, from the lab to the couch, to the campus, to film and to literature. This is a slim book that packs a big punch. It invites any curious reader into a field and a way of thinking that shaped the twentieth century.Trade Review"Clear and compelling, these lectures are at once more than accessible and often startlingly informative. In his characteristically lucid and incisive way, Forrester makes Freud new and intriguing. This book is that rare thing: a collection as much for the curious as for the knowledgeable, and the best book on Freud for many years."Adam Phillips“[Psychoanalysis is] our inheritance. It will always be there for us. To understand it, we can do no better than to look to Forrester.” Chronicle of Higher EducationTable of ContentsEditor’s Preface Lisa AppignanesiForeword Darian LeaderLecture One: A Whole Climate of OpinionLecture Two: The Historical Foundations of PsychoanalysisLecture Three: Dreams and SexualityLecture Four: Psychoanalysis as a Theory of CultureLecture Five: Psychoanalysis as a MovementLecture Six: The Significance of Psychoanalysis in the Twentieth CenturyEndnotesFurther Reading

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