Everything's Relative: And Other Fables from Science and Technology [Hardcover]

Tony Rothman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471202576 | ISBN-13: 978-0471202578 | Publication Date: September 26, 2003 | Edition: 1

The surprising truth behind many of the most cherished "facts" in science history
Morse invented the telegraph, Bell the telephone, Edison the light bulb, and Marconi the radio . . . right? Well . . . the truth is slightly more complicated. The history of science and technology is riddled with apocrypha, inaccuracies, and falsehoods, and physicist Tony Rothman has taken it upon himself to throw a monkey wrench into the works. Combining a storyteller's gifts with a scientist's focus and hardheaded devotion to the facts-such as they may be-Rothman breaks down many of the most famous "just-so" stories of physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, and technology to give credit where credit is truly due. From Einstein's possible misunderstanding of his own theories to actress Hedy Lemarr's role in the invention of the radio-controlled torpedo, he dredges his way through the legends of science history in relating the fascinating stories behind some of the most important, and often unsung, breakthroughs in science.
Tony Rothman, PhD (Bryn Mawr, PA), is a Research Associate at Bryn Mawr College. He is the author of seven other critically acclaimed science books and a frequent contributor to leading science publications, including Scientific American and Discover.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this chatty popular science volume, physicist Rothman (Instant Physics; Doubt and Certainty) dispels cherished fables of scientific achievement by revealing that scientists sometimes lie, steal from each other and pursue personal and national glory in unethical ways. Rothman dissects historical records to reveal the complex and often ugly reality of the old scientific saw, "Either you do the calculation or you get the credit." Though he states that his intended audience is "the masses weaned on high school and college texts, television and magazines," his frantic forays into quantum physics, electromagnetism and relativity may lose lay readers. But details of personal rivalries and unscrupulous behavior among mythologized figures like physicist Richard Feynman and Thomas Edison are undeniably fascinating. Rothman sets a lot of the blame for the problem at the feet of the biggest award in science and on the public's "naïve picture of science as a collection of discoveries made by isolated geniuses." He suggests abolishing the Nobel Prize, and with it scientists' desire to claim first dibs on discoveries. Ultimately, the book does offer credit to the unsung heroes of science, but it whips too quickly through names, interactions, dates and scientific principles. Readers may feel as if they've been left with tarnished heroes, without having the satisfaction of discovering clear replacements.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

& its real strength is the way it rehabilitates some of the great unknowns in scientific history& -- Focus, May 2004

&informative and well researched, this is a surprisingly new look at some very old stories. -- Good Book Guide, April 2004

The writing is witty, scientifically sound, and unburdened with extensive footnotes and literature references. -- The Alchemist, 26 March 2004

"...enthralling..." -- New Scientist, 17 January 2004

"It's hard to think of a more wonderful science writer than Tony Rothman." -- San Francisco Examiner

“… its real strength is the way it rehabilitates some of the great unknowns in scientific history…” (Focus, May 2004)

“The writing is witty, scientifically sound, and unburdened with extensive footnotes and literature references.” (The Alchemist, 26 March 2004)

“…informative and well researched, this is a surprisingly new look at some very old stories.” (Good Book Guide, April 2004)

"It's hard to think of a more wonderful science writer than Tony Rothman." (San Francisco Examiner)

"Tony Rothman is...a physicist who writes well and lucidly. His Hallmark is a rare attention to detail combined with abhorrence of any hint of condescension and an emphasis on the lighter side of physics." (Joseph Silk, Science magazine)

"...enthralling..." (New Scientist, 17 January 2004)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471202576
• ISBN-13: 978-0471202578
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #987,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who was first in science and technology?, December 10, 2003

By 

SPM "scott_maykrantz" (Eugene, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everything's Relative: And Other Fables from Science and Technology (Hardcover)

This is a book about priority in science --- who gets the credit for being there first? One undisputed case is between Darwin and Wallace. Wallace came up with evolution on his own, but he was a friend of Darwin. When Wallace informed Darwin that he planned to publish the theory, Darwin quickly finished his Origin of Species. The rest is history. Evolution is credited to Darwin, but far fewer people know about Wallace.

Tony Rothman tells about two dozen additional stories like this in Everything's Relative. He divides the book into three sections: Physics, Technology, and Biology. The discoveries in physics center on explanations for the behavior of matter and energy. But so many of these explanations were "in the air" when they came to light that you can find at least one other person who should be co-credited for just about every major discovery. Einstein, in particular, wasn't inclined to credit those who came before him, but Rothman knows the facts. He tells you where Einstein got his ideas, then he leaves you to judge who was first.

This book was hard to put down. Somehow, Rothman takes a vast number of facts --- including a lot of dates and names I've never heard before --- and strings them together in a way that is easy to understand. With an average writer, I would have been lost. But Rothman makes it easy. This is a great science book. If you've read stacks of science books already, you need this one. It will correct some of your ideas about priority. It adds to your understanding of science, as well. For those who don't read a lot about science, it's a great place to start. I wish I knew all of this stuff years ago.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Conventional History versus What Really Happened, October 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Everything's Relative: And Other Fables from Science and Technology (Hardcover)

The tremendous amount of research that must have been involved in the writing of this book simply boggles my mind. And to be able to present the findings with such wit and clarity says a lot about the capabilities of this most gifted author. In addition, this book is a real eye opener - anyone who has read it will not be able to look at history without a healthy dose of skepticism. Just because some discovery is synonymous with a certain person's name does not mean that that person was the first to have made that discovery; the author makes this clear through countless examples. A most entertaining and informative read! Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading, October 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Everything's Relative: And Other Fables from Science and Technology (Hardcover)

Forget what you learned in school! Wish I had this to read then.

Rothman's enlightening excursions into the winding nature of scientific discoveries are absolutely enthralling. Elegantly written, witty, humorous, exquisitely detailed---a mind-popping eye opener from start to finish.