Milestones of Science: The History of Humankind's Greatest Ideas

by Curt Suplee

WHY? It's the most basic question known to humankind, the query that has set us apart from all other species ever since our earliest ancestor stood erect and wondered what made the sun rise every morning or how fire could be tamed. We call ourselves Homo sapiens -- the wise men -- and our thirst for knowledge is science in its purest form. Each answer sparks new questions in an endless quest for knowledge. The rigorous methods and sophisticated tools modern scientists use to investigate everything from the smallest subatomic particles to the farthest reaches of our universe all trace to our intellectual curiosity, that uniquely human trait acquired in our prehistoric past. Highlighted by more than 300 vivid photographs and illustrations, this fascinating history chronicles the important milestones of scientific thought, each a building block for new revelations. Award-winning science writer Curt Suplee identifies the key ideas and discoveries that shaped our understanding of our world and ourselves and introduces the men and women whose questing intellects illuminated the very nature of reality itself. We hear Archimedes shout Eureka! and listen as Aristotle ponders nature's mysteries. We peer through Galileo's telescope as he revolutionizes astronomy, and through Leeuwenhoek's microscope as he finds life teeming in a single drop of water. We meet Marie Curie in a darkened lab lit by the ghostly glow of radium and stand beside the physicists of Los Alamos as the nuclear age is born in a flash of blinding light. And these are only a few of the scientific pioneers whose insights are explored and explained, a brilliant roll call that sweeps from Euclid to Edison to Einstein, from Pythagoras and Ptolemy to Descartes, Newton, Darwin, Marconi, and many, many others. In this engrossing, enlightening volume, Suplee brings science vividly to life, revealing a vital, intense pursuit far different from the dry and intimidating discipline we imagine all too often. Instead, he presents a comprehensive, compelling drama of discovery and accomplishment that encompasses every aspect of human experience as we seek to answer the quintessential question: why

Genres: Science, History, Nonfiction, History Of Science

288 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2000

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book from National Geographic which charts as the title says Humankind's greatest ideas.

The book is broken in to section which not only relate the era but also the prevailing scientific theories and discovers of the time. So you can go from the middle ages to the age of reason to physical sciences. Some of the sections run from 100s of years to just a single short century. However they theme through them all is that of wonder, inventiveness and curiosity.

The book itself is beautifully presented and easy to read, full of fascinating facts and amazing photographs - all what you would expect from a National Geographic book.

However like all National Geographic publications (at least those that I have seen) there is always a sense of wonder and excitement. Not surprising when coming from an organisation which has knowledge as one of its core values.

Books like this I loved as I was growing up - not only did it give me a window in to the wonders of the world but it also took a less obvious route to get there - often showing images and telling of stories I would not have come across anywhere else.

Today that sense of wonder has not diminished, rather it has been over crowded with instant search results and continuously connected information systems - it feels at times as if the modern world no longer has a place for books like these. Thankfully that is not the case and for me at least reading a book like this again reminds me of that.

[Danielle Cozzola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book! Personally, I feel like some things could have been added.