Clique em uma foto para ir ao Google Livros
Carregando... Weighing the Soulde Len Fisher
Nenhum(a) Carregando...
Registre-se no LibraryThing tpara descobrir se gostará deste livro. Ainda não há conversas na Discussão sobre este livro. A breezy sort of review of the most controversial scientific discoveries, focusing mainly on things we cannot see, but can prove exist, like energy, electricity, and so on. It was a fun style, but random in the things he chose to write about. I wasn't really sure what the theme tying all these things together was supposed to be. Still, fun for science types. This account of the genesis of certain scientific beliefs went over my head at times, despite having successfully completed a level 1 university science course. On the whole, though, it is entertainingly written. My favourite part of the book was actually the glimpses of the childhood roots of the author's scientific career. He must have been an engaging, but also an exasperating child. sem resenhas | adicionar uma resenha
In his new book Len Fisher tells the stories of scientific experiments and ideas that appeared bizarre, peculiar or downright daft at the time, but which all led to a greater understanding of Nature's disobedience of a 'commonsense' view of the world. The search for explanations in situations where commonsense fails have led to improved engines, the discovery of electricity, X-rays, the structure of DNA and the invention of lasers, CD players and computers. All these are examples of Nature's counter-intuitive behaviour being harnessed by man. Len's engaging style takes us from Newton to The Flat Earth Society, from Ohm's Law to Frankenstein, from Einstein to The Water Babies. In revealing the human stories behind some of science's greatest discoveries he proves Shopenhauer's famous maxim: 'All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently opposed; and Third, is is accepted as self-evident.' Não foram encontradas descrições de bibliotecas. |
Current DiscussionsNenhum(a)Capas populares
Google Books — Carregando... GênerosClassificação decimal de Dewey (CDD)500Natural sciences and mathematics General Science General ScienceClassificação da Biblioteca do Congresso dos E.U.A. (LCC)AvaliaçãoMédia:
É você?Torne-se um autor do LibraryThing. Hachette Book Group2 edições deste livro foram publicadas por Hachette Book Group. Edições: 1559707321, 1559707828 |
From the cover notes:
"In this witty, insightful and engaging book, scientist and broadcaster Len Fisher reveals why common sense can be the biggest enemy of good science as he takes us on a tour from one American doctor's attempts to weigh the departing human soul, via alchemy, frogs' legs, lightning rods, polaroid sunglasses, the structure of DNA, Frankenstein's monster and the dimensions of Hell, to the necessary, but common sense-defying, mysteries of modern science."
And from the author's introduction:
"This book tells the stories of scientist whose ideas appeared bizarre, peculiar or downright daft to their contemporaries...science and common sense often don't mix...Those who proposed bizarre-sounding ideas were often forced to do so after recognising that the accepted wisdom, or 'common sense', of their era was simply insufficient to understand what was going on...This book traces the route of the procession trought the stories of those who forced the changes, and shows how many of their ideas, which seemed to be so at odds with the common sense of the times, are now used by scientists to understand and tackle everyday problems."
The cover notes were enough for me to rescue this book from the 'bargain bin' and take it home. I, quite simply, love to learn, and thought that the subject matter sounded fascinating.
You don't need to know a lot about science to enjoy this book, but you should be interested in the subject matter. Recommended also for history buffs; Fisher has researched thoroughly to ensure that his stories of scientists past are grounded in reliable documents such as original diaries, papers and notes.
A very interesting read that you can pick up, and put down, as the mood strikes.