The Dawn of Science [electronic resource] : Glimpses from History for the Curious Mind /
Padmanabhan, Thanu.author.
Padmanabhan, Vasanthi.author.
This lucid and captivating book takes the reader back to the early history of all the sciences, starting from antiquity and ending roughly at the time of Newton — covering the period which can legitimately be called the “dawn” of the sciences. Each of the 24 chapters focuses on a particular and significant development in the evolution of science, and is connected in a coherent way to the others to yield a smooth, continuous narrative. The at-a-glance diagrams showing the “When” and “Where” give a brief summary of what was happening at the time, thereby providing the broader context of the scientific events highlighted in that chapter. Embellished with colourful photographs and illustrations, and “boxed” highlights scattered throughout the text, this book is a must-read for everyone interested in the history of science, and how it shaped our world today.
In the Beginning -- The Athenian Contribution -- From the Ishango Bone to Euclid -- Archimedes - the Giant among the Ancients -- The Healing Art and Its Science -- The Legacy from the Arab World -- The Indo-Arabic Numerals -- The Printing of a Page -- Exploring the 'Seven Seas' -- The First Steps of Modern Medicine -- Making the Earth Move -- The Logarithm - An Unsung Hero -- The Way of the Wanderers -- The Galileo and the Dynamical World -- Affairs of the Heart -- The Weight of the Intangible -- Geometry Without Figures -- Life's Infinite Vaiety: Finding Order in Species -- A Measure of the Heavens -- Calculus Developed in South India -- Story of the Calendar -- And Then All was Light - The Thirst for Power -- Chemistry Comes of Age. .
This lucid and captivating book takes the reader back to the early history of all the sciences, starting from antiquity and ending roughly at the time of Newton — covering the period which can legitimately be called the “dawn” of the sciences. Each of the 24 chapters focuses on a particular and significant development in the evolution of science, and is connected in a coherent way to the others to yield a smooth, continuous narrative. The at-a-glance diagrams showing the “When” and “Where” give a brief summary of what was happening at the time, thereby providing the broader context of the scientific events highlighted in that chapter. Embellished with colourful photographs and illustrations, and “boxed” highlights scattered throughout the text, this book is a must-read for everyone interested in the history of science, and how it shaped our world today.
Physics.
Medicine—History.
Chemistry—History.
Biology—History.
Popular Science in Physics.
History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics.
History of Medicine.
History of Chemistry.
History of Biology.