A sophisticated work tracing the arduous mid-18th-century international expedition to the Latin American equator to determine the “figure of the earth.”
The reigning scientific debate of the Enlightenment concerned the shape of the earth—was it round or flat at the poles? France’s Academy of Sciences, founded by Louis XIV’s Minister of Finance Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1666, had relied on Descartes’ theory of vortices and believed strongly that the earth was elongated at the poles. On the other hand, Isaac Newton postulated daringly that due to the force of gravity, the earth bulged out at the equator and was flattened at the poles. The two camps needed to prove decisively who was correct. French Minister of the Navy Maurepas was anxious to know if Newton was correct, as the shape of the earth could affect navigation, so he organized a geodesic mission to the equator in order to measure the length of latitude to determine it. The mission to equatorial Peru included French mathematician Pierre Bouguer, chemist Charles-Marie de la Condamine and astronomer Louis Godin. The Geodesic Mission to the Equator invited several Spanish scientists as well and set out in 1735 on what was deemed a three- or four-year mission. It actually lasted nearly 10, involving unbelievable delays, money squandered disgracefully by their leader Godin, long periods of separation, native hostility, war with Spain, a rival expedition to the Arctic Circle and innumerable hardships. In the end, the mission was remarkably accurate, proving the earth was oblate and that Newton was right, and influencing subsequent expeditions by Alexander von Humboldt, Darwin and others. Ferreiro’s fascinating, absorbing journey involves some complicated explanations, and he lays them out patiently for general readers.
Pub Date: June 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-465-01723-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Basic Books
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An intriguing meditation on the nature of the universe and our attempts to understand it that should appeal to both...
Italian theoretical physicist Rovelli (General Relativity: The Most Beautiful of Theories, 2015, etc.) shares his thoughts on the broader scientific and philosophical implications of the great revolution that has taken place over the past century.
These seven lessons, which first appeared as articles in the Sunday supplement of the Italian newspaper Sole 24 Ore, are addressed to readers with little knowledge of physics. In less than 100 pages, the author, who teaches physics in both France and the United States, cogently covers the great accomplishments of the past and the open questions still baffling physicists today. In the first lesson, he focuses on Einstein's theory of general relativity. He describes Einstein's recognition that gravity "is not diffused through space [but] is that space itself" as "a stroke of pure genius." In the second lesson, Rovelli deals with the puzzling features of quantum physics that challenge our picture of reality. In the remaining sections, the author introduces the constant fluctuations of atoms, the granular nature of space, and more. "It is hardly surprising that there are more things in heaven and earth, dear reader, than have been dreamed of in our philosophy—or in our physics,” he writes. Rovelli also discusses the issues raised in loop quantum gravity, a theory that he co-developed. These issues lead to his extraordinary claim that the passage of time is not fundamental but rather derived from the granular nature of space. The author suggests that there have been two separate pathways throughout human history: mythology and the accumulation of knowledge through observation. He believes that scientists today share the same curiosity about nature exhibited by early man.
An intriguing meditation on the nature of the universe and our attempts to understand it that should appeal to both scientists and general readers.Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-18441-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Riverhead
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A magnificent account of a central reality of our times, incorporating deep scientific expertise, broad political and social knowledge, and ethical insight, and Idled with beautifully written biographical sketches of the men and women who created nuclear physics. Rhodes describes in detail the great scientific achievements that led up to the invention of the atomic bomb. Everything of importance is examined, from the discovery of the atomic nucleus and of nuclear fission to the emergence of quantum physics, the invention of the mass-spectroscope and of the cyclotron, the creation of such man-made elements as plutonium and tritium, and implementation of the nuclear chain reaction in uranium. Even more important, Rhodes shows how these achievements were thrust into the arms of the state, which culminated in the unfolding of the nuclear arms race. Often brilliantly, he records the rise of fascism and of anti-Semitism, and the intensification of nationalist ambitions. He traces the outbreak of WW II, which provoked a hysterical rivalry among nations to devise the bomb. This book contains a grim description of Japanese resistance, and of the horrible psychological numbing that caused an unparalleled tolerance for human suffering and destruction. Rhodes depicts the Faustian scale of the Manhattan Project. His account of the dropping of the bomb itself, and of the awful firebombing that prepared its way, is unforgettable. Although Rhodes' gallery of names and events is sometimes dizzying, his scientific discussions often daunting, he has written a book of great drama and sweep. A superb accomplishment.
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1986
ISBN: 0684813785
Page Count: 932
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1986
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
