A Brief History of Science: As Seen Through the Development of Scientific Instruments [Hardcover]

Thomas Crump (Author)

Book Description

Series: Brief History, The | Publication Date: January 9, 2001

From the gnomons and sundials of ancient times to the 26-kilometer underground particle accelerator of the twenty-first century, this fascinating and enlightening volume by mathematician and anthropologist Thomas Crump shows how science has continually redefined the world’s horizons, extended the frontiers of knowledge, and advanced human civilization. With sixteen pages of photographs, and vivid vignettes of scientists and their inventions, Crump guides readers through early attempts to measure time and space—from astronomical charts and calendars to Arabic numerals and algebraic notation—before he examines the birth of an essentially modern technology in the 1600s. With Galileo’s telescopic exploration of the skies at the beginning of the seventeenth century and Newton’s experiments with the prism and light at its end, the optical instruments fundamental to all scientific research had been invented. Crump then proceeds to electromagnets, cathode tubes, thermometers, vacuum pumps, X rays, accelerators, semiconductors, microprocessors, and instruments currently being designed to operate in subzero temperatures. Here, then, in an accessible, succinctly narrated volume, is the enduring human quest for knowledge through technology. Here, too, is the proof that what is knowable is, and has always been, far more compelling than what is known. “[Crump] provides lively summaries of the progress in different fields, and succeeds in breathing new life into familiar stories.”—The Economist “Fascinating reading.”—Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

otential readers should follow the author's lead and ignore the subtitle of this survey of the history of science in Europe and America, or they may be disappointed. Amsterdam-based writer Crump (Solar Eclipse; The Anthropology of Numbers) does discuss the evolution of scientific equipment, but the book is centered around the scientists, not their instruments. Crump begins with mankind's discovery of how to create fire and ends with SQUIDs, superconducting quantum interference devices. In between, there is chemistry, astronomy and 20th-century physics. The sections on advances in electricity and energy measurement make for particularly fascinating reading. Overall, however, Crump's book would have been more successful if he had followed the lead of his subtitle. He attempts to cover too much, and inevitably there are striking gaps and imbalances that leave the final product feeling scattered. (Only a few paragraphs are devoted to radio and redshift, for instance, while Crump dallies over Wernher von Braun's experiences at the end of World War II.) It might be argued that English scientists receive more attention than those of other countries, although the adept sketch of Dmitri Mendeleyev's career should be required reading for chemistry students. Crump's prose is generally reader-friendly, and mathematical and chemical notation are kept to a minimum. This will make a useful addition to home libraries. 16 pages of photographs and appendixes not seen by PW.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

'Crump successfully conveys the rich grainy texture of science and discovery, yet in an accessible way... [This] is a serious and fully furnished history of science, from which anyone interested in the development of ideas - or indeed, in history itself - will greatly profit.' - A.C. Grayling, Financial Times; 'He provides lively summaries of the progress in different fields, and succeeds in breathing new life into familiar stories.' - Economist --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 425 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub.; 1st edition (January 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786709073
• ISBN-13: 978-0786709076
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,577,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, January 28, 2011

By 

LLEEHUM - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brief History of Science (Paperback)

Dear Ones;

I am extremely disappointed with the product. You see, I have not received it and it has been almost a month since it was ordered. The order is a book, "A Brief History of Science..."

At present, I would not recommend The Book Community. They said right off it had been shipped, but obviously, the stretched the matter somewhat! Amazon seems powerless in the matter.

L. Lee Humphries

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars GREAT IDEA GONE VERY WRONG, November 20, 2005

By 

skeptic "interestedreader" (philadelphia, pa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Brief History of Science: As Seen Through the Development of Scientific Instruments (Hardcover)

i have to say i was sorely disappointed in this book... the subject sounds extremely interesting but after trying painfully to work my way through the first chapter about the discovery of fire i realized very quickly mr. crump has a very confusing, unorganized style of writing...

the first chapter talked about fire, its discovery and applications about 10% of the time... the rest of the chapter was filled with completely unrelated and confusing tangents into linguistics, the developement of mathematics, religion, astronomy and everything but fire which was supposed to be the main theme of the first chapter...

mr. crump also has a very annoying tendency to write run on sentences lumping several discrete ideas together so that by the time you get to the end of the sentence you don't remember what it was supposed to be about... also, when he does manage to stick to a single theme in the sentence he becomes verbose and again throws you off...

i can't believe someone so educated and privileged to have met so many important people in his life, to have seen so many incredible things would be so inept at communicating this to the reader... i'm a physician and read profusely... and unfortunately this has been one of the poorest pieces of scientific writing i've ever read... i'm glad that i only spent about seven dollars on it...

try again mr. crump

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your resources, October 25, 2005

By 

Patricia L. Kirby "BK" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Brief History of Science: As Seen Through the Development of Scientific Instruments (Hardcover)

This book is awful. Crump repeatedly takes unfounded shots at Christians and Clergymen. Eventually I had to give up on the book, it became intolerable.

The rest of the content was mediocre at best. He made very little effort to keep the reader interested. It read more like a lecture from a dull professor. This is not due to my lack of interest in the subject; I'm a 3rd year physics student. Thomas Crump just managed to suck and blow while writing this book. His insulting attitude towards Christianity didn't help.