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Science in 100 Key Breakthroughs
An illustrated survey of the 100 key discoveries of science across several millennia. In 100 bite-size sections, Science in 100 Key Breakthroughs encapsulates the history of Western science, from astronomy and physics to geology, biology and psychology -- and everything in between. Starting with the origins of counting more than 35,000 years ago, the book tells the rich and fascinating story of inspired inventions and how gradual progress and inspired leaps of imagination advanced science. More than 200 computer-generated images, photographs and illustrations highlight concise text that describes 100 critical junctures in scientific progress. Some of these Science in 100 Key Breakthroughs is proof of our desire to understand the world around us and our determination to find the answers.
- GenresScienceNonfiction
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 17, 2016
An invaluable perspective to science. You might even consider it a history book, but I consider that a bit reductionistic. It helped me a lot delving into the areas I had ignored lately.
May 1, 2012
This proves my nerd status.
January 30, 2012
A history of science in 100 chronologically arranged discoveries or technical breakthroughs, each assigned four pages of text and illustrations.
September 2, 2021
Here is a one-star review at amazon:
"Refers to botanist Gregor Mendel as American, rather then Austrian, on p. 147."
I looked for other reviews that highlighted errors, but I didn't find any more such reviews. Nor did I find any egregious errors. I will give a generous five stars because:
(a) An outstanding achievement by the young author. In the sections that I know something about, I found the narrative on point. As for the other sections (maybe I am easy to deceive) I came away feeling well informed.
(b) "2021 will be like 2020, only worse"... or so said some pundit...something like that. But this book is thoroughly spiritually uplifting. Homo Sapiens are very clever, especially when using the scientific method and involved collectively in scientific endeavors. Proud to be a member of the species.
(c) I still don't understand String Theory. At all. That is not the author's fault.
"Refers to botanist Gregor Mendel as American, rather then Austrian, on p. 147."
I looked for other reviews that highlighted errors, but I didn't find any more such reviews. Nor did I find any egregious errors. I will give a generous five stars because:
(a) An outstanding achievement by the young author. In the sections that I know something about, I found the narrative on point. As for the other sections (maybe I am easy to deceive) I came away feeling well informed.
(b) "2021 will be like 2020, only worse"... or so said some pundit...something like that. But this book is thoroughly spiritually uplifting. Homo Sapiens are very clever, especially when using the scientific method and involved collectively in scientific endeavors. Proud to be a member of the species.
(c) I still don't understand String Theory. At all. That is not the author's fault.
September 5, 2020
Science in 100 Breakthroughs is by Paul Parsons. The title describes it all; the book is about scientific breakthroughs that have enlightened humanity. All of the entries are world-changing, but some are ubiquitous and don't seem to merit an entry.
The book is chronological. If the originator of the idea is known, it is listed. Furthermore, the book contains contemporary attitudes to the concepts.
The book taught me some things I did not know, and that is always the goal with these books.
The book is chronological. If the originator of the idea is known, it is listed. Furthermore, the book contains contemporary attitudes to the concepts.
The book taught me some things I did not know, and that is always the goal with these books.
October 12, 2022
Great book
October 23, 2012
I was hoping to learn something useful from this book; but much of it (more toward the end) is just worthless theories that haven't been proved.
The most frustrating aspect of this book, is the author presenting his personal beliefs and biases as fact. Consider his foolish statement: "The era in which Jesus is believed to have lived..." There is no belief about the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. To mention just a couple extra-biblical sources that confirms it are; Jewish historian Josephus (no supporter of Christianity) and the Romans records of people they put to death. Jesus existed whether anyone likes it or not.
This authors desire to get rid of God is stronger than his acceptance of historical fact.
There was this smug (paraphrased) statement: The world is far older than the Bible would have you believe" The Holy Bible never says how old the world is. Bishop Ussher (1581–1656) gave his chronology of the age of the Earth based on the time lengths given in the Bible. The Bible is not a history of the whole world, it is the select portions God wants us to know. Six day Creation is six days God's time, not man's. See 2 Peter 3:8
I could go on and on about the annoying things in this book; the author's obsession with aliens (but it's ridiculous to believe in God?!), his misplaced faith in macro-evolution (micro-evolution is the real scientific kind), his claim that no one know how the world began, etc.
I am tired of atheism. Could there be a more blind faith based philosophy? Believing you came from nothing, are here for nothing and are going to nothing. Put your trust in Jesus. The One True Living God will never change. Scientific theories and arguments change with the wind.
Ephesians 4:17-23 "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds"
The most frustrating aspect of this book, is the author presenting his personal beliefs and biases as fact. Consider his foolish statement: "The era in which Jesus is believed to have lived..." There is no belief about the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. To mention just a couple extra-biblical sources that confirms it are; Jewish historian Josephus (no supporter of Christianity) and the Romans records of people they put to death. Jesus existed whether anyone likes it or not.
This authors desire to get rid of God is stronger than his acceptance of historical fact.
There was this smug (paraphrased) statement: The world is far older than the Bible would have you believe" The Holy Bible never says how old the world is. Bishop Ussher (1581–1656) gave his chronology of the age of the Earth based on the time lengths given in the Bible. The Bible is not a history of the whole world, it is the select portions God wants us to know. Six day Creation is six days God's time, not man's. See 2 Peter 3:8
I could go on and on about the annoying things in this book; the author's obsession with aliens (but it's ridiculous to believe in God?!), his misplaced faith in macro-evolution (micro-evolution is the real scientific kind), his claim that no one know how the world began, etc.
I am tired of atheism. Could there be a more blind faith based philosophy? Believing you came from nothing, are here for nothing and are going to nothing. Put your trust in Jesus. The One True Living God will never change. Scientific theories and arguments change with the wind.
Ephesians 4:17-23 "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds"
March 27, 2020
This book contains mostly good, informative, interesting stuff... but it contains evolution, which pushes down the rating, and #100 is about 'synthetic' life, when it's not really synthetic at all(in my understanding)! The team that did this took a bacterium and put in (supposedly) all-new DNA and then called it totally artificial life.
March 21, 2012
Excellent bathroom type book on Science - and the history of the 100 key breakthroughs in science.
Bathroom book in that all topics are three pages long, and perfect single sitting reads.
Very informative, and not too high level in detail - but there is enough in each topic to be of interest even if you know that topic well.
Very enjoyable
Bathroom book in that all topics are three pages long, and perfect single sitting reads.
Very informative, and not too high level in detail - but there is enough in each topic to be of interest even if you know that topic well.
Very enjoyable
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews