4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ideas that are the foundation of a science discipline, January 25, 2005
This review is from: The Five Biggest Ideas in Science (Wiley Popular Science) (Paperback)
There are some ideas in science that are so all-encompassing that they can be considered to form the basis of an entire discipline. This book examines what the authors believe are the five biggest of those ideas, and I can't say that I strongly disagree with any of their choices. They are:
*) The physicist's model of the atom.
*) The periodic table of the elements.
*) The big bang theory.
*) The geological theory of plate tectonics.
*) The biological theory of evolution.
The model of the atom is the fundamental principle of particle physics and is the one that has changed the most over the last century. One hundred years ago, there were positive and negative particles in the nucleus of an atom. Now, there are neutrons, neutrinos, mesons and the even smaller quarks. The periodic table of the elements is the unifying principle of chemistry, and hasn't fundamentally changed for several centuries.
All of cosmology is based on the initial event known as the big bang; every principle and theory of how the universe operates is based on this initial event. While there are other ideas used in geology, the concepts of plate tectonics are the biggest. Finally, the development of new species over time via evolution and natural selection is the unifying principle of biology and is used to explain a great deal of human behavior.
The only one of these big ideas that I would even come close to questioning is plate tectonics. If I were to make the choice, I would replace it with the biggest idea of all, which was the earliest scientific discovery. Namely, that point in time when humans first realized that nature was not fickle, but operated according to predictable laws. It was this idea that made all of the others possible, and was quite literally the birth of science.
The explanations of the ideas are very well done and Sidney Harris cartoons are interspersed in the text. He is the premier scientific cartoonist; they are very funny, although at times it is necessary to understand the science to get the whole point. The last part of the book is made up of forty short items called idea folders. They are short explanations of other scientific ideas, such as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, matter vs. antimatter, special and general relativity, chaos and extraterrestrial life.
Written at a level that everyone can understand, the authors explain science by describing some of the most significant conclusions ever reached. They also point out that these ideas sometimes took thousands of years to reach their current form. This is significant, as it makes you realize that science continues to advance even though a general idea may form the foundation for the discipline. It also entertains you while the science is explained.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Five biggest ideas goes over big, June 15, 2000
This review is from: The Five Biggest Ideas in Science (Wiley Popular Science) (Paperback)
"The Five Biggest Ideas In Science" is a great summary of intricate scientific theories. Cartoons, diagrams and humor help explain in lay terms what makes the five theories BIG to scientists and how the scientific method works. Lively discussions and relevant examples clearly define the topics for readers. Contributions of scientists that led to the current theories also give important historical information. Idea folders associated with each chapter lead readers in search of more information. This is a must read for anyone interested in how science works.
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