Synopses & Reviews
Science is fantastic. It tells us about the infinite reaches of space, the tiniest living organism, the human body, the history of Earth. People have always been doing science because they have always wanted to make sense of the world and harness its power. From ancient Greek philosophers through Einstein and Watson and Crick to the computer-assisted scientists of today, men and women have wondered, examined, experimented, calculated, and sometimes made discoveries so earthshaking that people understood the worldandmdash;or themselvesandmdash;in an entirely new way.
This inviting book tells a great adventure story: the history of science. It takes readers to the stars through the telescope, as the sun replaces the earth at the center of our universe. It delves beneath the surface of the planet, charts the evolution of chemistry's periodic table, introduces the physics that explain electricity, gravity, and the structure of atoms. It recounts the scientific quest that revealed the DNA molecule and opened unimagined new vistas for exploration.
Emphasizing surprising and personal stories of scientists both famous and unsung, A Little History of Science traces the march of science through the centuries. The book opens a window on the exciting and unpredictable nature of scientific activity and describes the uproar that may ensue when scientific findings challenge established ideas. With delightful illustrations and a warm, accessible style, this is a volume for young and old to treasure together.
Review
"Small, but perfectly formed. In thisand#160;little history, Bill Bynum has done a splendid job of weaving all the material into a narrative that is easy to understand. You will not find a better summary of the history of science."and#8212;Bernard Wood, author of Human Evolution:and#160;Aand#160;Very Short Introduction
Review
'I wish there had been such a book when I was a child. Bill Bynum's Little History of Science may be short but it tells a grand story: all of science lightly placed in ever-changing historical and philosophical contexts, but presented in a single arc from Empedocles to Tim Berners-Lee, Galen to Thomas Hunt Morgan, alchemy to insulin, the steam engine to the particle accelerator. It is a book I will be recommending for many years to come.'andmdash;Christopher Potter, author of
You Are Here: A Portable History of the UniverseReview
'Well done Bill Bynum, a master of the scientific ordinance from the Big Bang to the Digital Age.'and#8212;David Bellamy
Review
'Science is not a dry recitation of data; it's thousands of years of questions that people have posed about the universe. In
A Little History of Science, William Bynum ably distills this human saga into a delightfully clear tale. It may be little, but it manages to find room for galaxies, computers, chemistry, evolution and much more.'andmdash;Carl Zimmer, author of
A Planet of VirusesReview
and#8220;[An] entertaining history . . . for curious teen and adult readers.and#8221;and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
and#8220;A super-accessible introduction to science.and#8221;and#8212;Booklist
Review
and#8220;Bynumand#8217;s lively narrativeand#8230;certainly delivers on his opening line: and#8220;Science is special.and#8221;and#8212;Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Review
andldquo;A wonderful book to keep on the shelf and revisit over time.andrdquo;andmdash;PopMattersand#160;
Review
"Beginning with the Babylonians and ending with the World Wide Web, Bynum manages to squeeze in nearly every essential scientific idea and discovery while also discussing most major disciplinesand#8230; I happily confess I learned a lot."and#8212;Andrew Robinson, New Scientist
Review
"One advantage of a brief history is that this impressive roll of modern achievements unfolds while the leaps of prior centuries are still fresh in mind. That juxtaposition of what we know now verses what we knew then is breathtaking to contemplate. In Mr Bynumand#8217;s telling, a little history goes a long way."and#8212;Alan Hirshfeld, The Wall Street Journal
Review
and#8216;This freshest entry in Yaleand#8217;s youngster-friendly Little History series covers science from Babylonian astronomy to the Human Genome Project and the Higgs Boson, in a series of lucid short chapters on telescopes, gases, engines, planetary orbits, cells, magnetism, pneumatic chemistry, continental drift and so forth. The author is particularly interesting on the history of medicine (his own field) and#8230; and he shows a gentle tolerant humour throughout.and#8217; and#8212;Steven Poole, The Guardian
Review
"This is a thoughtful, elegantly presented volume with the younger reader in mind, although itand#8217;s an inspiring reminder to anyone of our extraordinary journey from ignorance to knowledgeand#8230; Each chapter is headed with a beautifully simple, monochrome block-print style illustration that encapsulates its themes."and#8212;Dallas Campbell, BBC Focus
Review
Visit the Little History website.
Review
"This interesting book traces the history of science in easy-to-consume bites, from the earliest recorded anatomical, mathematical and medical theories through to the most up-to-date references to the Higgs boson and the latest hypothesis on string theory. Theyand#8217;re all made readable for the inquisitive non-scientists among us." Good Reading.
Review
and#8220;Yaleand#8217;s youngster-friendly Little History series continues with science from Babylonian astronomy to the Higgs boson particle in a series of lucid short chapters on telescopes, gases, engines, plantetary orbits, cells, magnetism, pneumatic chemistry, continental drift, and so forth . . .andnbsp;andnbsp;[Bynum] takes a sly pleasure in pointing out that famous scientists have been deeply religious, and shows a gentle, tolerant humour throughout.and#8221;and#8212;Steven Poole, The Guardian
Review
andnbsp;and#8220;A Little History of Science is an entertaining read that will provide a good grounding in the subject for older children.and#8221;and#8212;John Harding, Daily Mail
Review
and#8220;The book is delightfully illustrated and is written in an engaging style. . .It would make a great present for those turned off by double physics, or an entertaining read for the boffin.and#8221;and#8212;The Good Book Guide
Review
andnbsp;and#8220;Bynumand#8217;s history of science is simple, lucid and accessible. There isnand#8217;t a single difficult sentence. Reading it could foster an enthusiasm for scientific endeavour in a young reader. . .There is an underlying theme in this gentle treatise: the need for scientists to persevere, to co-operate, to believe in the common good and to see further, in Isaac Newtonand#8217;s words, by and#8216;standing on the shoulders of giantsand#8217;.and#8221;and#8212;Tom Moriarty, Irish Times
Review
"GPS Declassified is a carefully researched, well written, fast-paced, and thoroughly enjoyable book."and#8212;William F. Mellberg, Space Review
Review
"As an introduction to GPS, its history, uses, issues and concerns GPS Declassified canand#8217;t be beat."and#8212;Robert Schaefer, New York Journal of Books
Review
"[GPS Declassified] is a good primer and a stimulus to the more challenging aspects of what is now one of the fastest growing sectors in space applications."and#8212;Spaceflight
Review
andquot;This book expertly weaves the story of GPS development and its ever-expanding use. . . . Beyond the science of GPS, the authors also provide insight into how societies evolved, grow, and expand.andquot;andmdash;M. W. Carr, CHOICE
Review
and#8220;A fine and entertaining story of the origins of the Global Positioning System, a consequential space-age technology that has affected the lives of hundreds of millions in war and peace. Non-specialist readers will easily understand principles of this sophisticated system and appreciate difficulties of GPS development by visionary individuals.and#8221;and#8212;Mike Gruntman, professor of astronautics at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles and author of Blazing the Trail: The Early History of Spacecraft and Rocketryand#160;
Review
and#8220;The authors do the impossible, making an intricate technological advance fascinating to read. They offer an informative and well-researched account of how GPS proved its worth even before the system was complete. The results it provided in the Persian Gulf War were truly revolutionary. With this seemingly miraculous kick-off, GPS technology was almost immediately integrated throughout military systems. Entrepreneurs immediately picked up on this and made it equally successful in commerce.and#8221;and#8212;Walter J. Boyne, author of How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare and former director of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution
Synopsis
A spirited volume on the great adventures of science throughout history, for curious readers of all ages
Synopsis
GPS Declassified examines the development of GPS from its secret, cold war military roots to its emergence as a worldwide consumer industry. Drawing on previously unexplored documents, the authors examine how military rivalries influenced the creation of GPS and shaped public perceptions about its origin. Since the United Statesand#8217; first program to launch a satellite in the late 1950s, the nation has pursued dual paths into spaceand#8212;one military and secret, the other scientific and public. Among the many commercial spinoffs this approach has produced, GPS arguably boasts the greatest impact on our daily lives.
Told by a son of a navy insiderand#8212;whose work helped lay the foundations for the systemand#8212;and a science and technology journalist, the story chronicles the research and technological advances required for the development of GPS. The authors peek behind the scenes at pivotal events in GPS history. They note how the technology moved from the laboratory to the battlefield to the dashboard and the smartphone, and they raise the specter of how this technology and its surrounding industry affect public policy. Insights into how the system works and how it fits into a long history of advances in navigation tie into discussions of the myriad applications for GPS.
About the Author
A Conversation with William Bynum
Q: Why did you write this book?
A: I was charmed by Gombrich's Little History of the World and thought I would like to do something like it for my grandchildren Alex and Peter. I used to teach the history of science and thought what a wonderful story it could make, to start at the beginning with the stargazers in Babylon and come up to the computer age of today. People from time immemorial, in all cultures, have thought about such things as why the sun rises and sets, how a hen's egg develops into a new chick, and why we fall ill and might be made well.
Q: What are the great turning pointsand#8212;for youand#8212;in the history of science?
A: The invention of the telescope and the microscope, which allowed people to do science on things that you couldn't even see with your naked eye.
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, which changed the way we see the living world and offered us the chance to delve into the secrets of life. Einstein's theories of relativity, which opened up the universe to new interpretations.
The coming of the modern computer, which enabled scientists to tackle questions in fields as diverse as the human genome and climate change that would have been impossible a couple of generations ago.
Q: What are the major themes of your book?
A: My book has only one theme: science as a human endeavor to understand the world. The history of science is a journey through time, illuminated on the way by great thinkers, adept experimenters, and people of enlarged curiosity. Understanding that journey tells us something about who we are as human beings.