Search results for ""author patricia fara""

Science: A Four Thousand Year History rewrites science's past. Instead of focussing on difficult experiments and abstract theories, Patricia Fara shows how science has always belonged to the practical world of war, politics, and business. Rather than glorifying scientists as idealized heroes, she tells true stories about real people - men (and some women) who needed to earn their living, who made mistakes, and who trampled down their rivals in their quest for success. Fara sweeps through the centuries, from ancient Babylon right up to the latest hi-tech experiments in genetics and particle physics, illuminating the financial interests, imperial ambitions, and publishing enterprises that have made science the powerful global phenomenon that it is today. She also ranges internationally, illustrating the importance of scientific projects based around the world, from China to the Islamic empire, as well as the more familiar tale of science in Europe, from Copernicus to Charles Darwin and beyond. Above all, this four thousand year history challenges scientific supremacy, arguing controversially that science is successful not because it is always right - but because people have said that it is right.

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The story of Isaac Newton's decades in London - as ambitious cosmopolitan gentleman, President of London's Royal Society, Master of the Mint, and investor in the slave trade. Isaac Newton is celebrated throughout the world as a great scientific genius who conceived the theory of gravity. But in his early fifties, he abandoned his life as a reclusive university scholar to spend three decades in London, a long period of metropolitan activity that is often overlooked. Enmeshed in Enlightenment politics and social affairs, Newton participated in the linked spheres of early science and imperialist capitalism. Instead of the quiet cloisters and dark libraries of Cambridge's all-male world, he now moved in fashionable London society, which was characterized by patronage relationships, sexual intrigues and ruthless ambition. Knighted by Queen Anne, and a close ally of influential Whig politicians, Newton occupied a powerful position as President of London's Royal Society. He also became Master of the Mint, responsible for the nation's money at a time of financial crisis, and himself making and losing small fortunes on the stock market. A major investor in the East India Company, Newton benefited from the global trading networks that relied on selling African captives to wealthy plantation owners in the Americas, and was responsible for monitoring the import of African gold to be melted down for English guineas. Patricia Fara reveals Newton's life as a cosmopolitan gentleman by focussing on a Hogarth painting of an elite Hanoverian drawing room. Gazing down from the mantelpiece, a bust of Newton looms over an aristocratic audience watching their children perform a play about European colonialism and the search for gold. Packed with Newtonian imagery, this conversation piece depicts the privileged, exploitative life in which this eminent Enlightenment figure engaged, an uncomfortable side of Newton's life with which we are much less familiar.

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Electricity was the scientific fashion of the Enlightenment, 'an Entertainment for Angels, rather than for Men'. Lecturers attracted huge audiences to marvel at sparkling fountains, flaming drinks, pirouetting dancers and electrified boys. Enlightenment optimists predicted that this new-found power of nature would cure illnesses, improve crop production, even bring the dead back to life. Benjamin Franklin, better known as one of America's founding fathers, played a key role in developing the new instruments and theories of electricity during the eighteenth century. Celebrated for drawing lightning down from the sky with a kite, Franklin was an Enlightenment expert on electricity, developing one of the most successful explanations of this mysterious phenomenon.But Patricia Fara, Senior Tutor of Clare College Cambridge, reveals how the study of electricity became intertwined with Enlightenment politics. By demonstrating their control of the natural world, Enlightenment philosophers hoped to gain authority over society. And their stunning electrical performances provided dramatic evidence of their special powers.

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Explore spectacular visual timelines that tell the story of science, from fossils to quantum physics, and discover exactly how science has changed the world - one discovery at a time.Timelines of Science takes you on an astonishing journey through history, showing how dedication, disasters, and eureka moments have brought us antibiotics, electricity, space exploration, and so much more!Packed with fascinating facts, amazing images, and some seriously staggering science, this science history book shows how thousands of years of human endeavour have expanded our knowledge and shaped our lives. Find out why the fruitless search for a potion of eternal life led to the birth to chemistry. See how the invention of magnifying lenses opened new windows into the cosmos and micro-cosmos. And learn how happy accidents led to the discovery of X-rays, batteries, pulsars, and even the big bang.Dive deep into the pages of this sublime science book to discover: - Timeline features show how scientific ideas developed over time- Easy-to-read explanations of general science topics, such as the life cycle of a star or the history of Earth's changing climate- Supporting boxes explain modern scientific concepts, adding educational value and aiding understanding- Feature spreads highlight specific breakthroughs, with the story presented as running text in a newspaper-style layout- Biographies showcase the lives of key men and women who reshaped scientific thoughtTimelines of Science is not just about science - it's also a book about people! The stories of discovery are told through the lives of extraordinary men and women who often dared to challenge conventional wisdom in their trailblazing pursuit of scientific truth.Filled with dazzling illustrations, spectacular photography, and easy-to-follow storytelling, Timelines of Science is guaranteed to capture the imagination of children and adults of all ages and abilities.A must-have volume for children 9+ interested in science, technology, and invention, doubling up as the perfect gift to for budding scientists, Timelines of Science is sure to delight.Explore the series!If you like Timelines of Science, why not check out other our exciting titles in the Timelines series? Explore the unique collection of visual timelines which bring big topics to life. Discover leaders, legends and legacies in Timelines of Black History, uncover the past from woolly mammoths to World Wars in Timelines of Everything and explore the natural world through time with Timelines of Nature.

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