Leaps in the Dark: The Making of Scientific Reputations [Hardcover]

John Waller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0192804847 | ISBN-13: 978-0192804846 | Publication Date: December 30, 2004 | Edition: 1

In Leaps in the Dark, John Waller presents another collection of revelations from the world of science. He considers experiments in which the scientists' awareness was not perhaps as keen as they might have claimed in retrospect; he investigates the jealousy and opposition that scientific ideas can provoke; he celebrates the scientists who were wrong, but for very good reasons; and he demonstrates how national interest can affect scientists and their theories. The result is an entertaining and highly readable re-examination of scientific discoveries and reputations from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. The tales in Leaps in the Dark range across a wide historical field, from a seventeenth-century witch-finder, Joseph Glanvill, to Sir Robert Watson-Watt, the self-proclaimed 'Father of radar'. Each story underscores the rich, fascinating complexity of scientific discovery. Writing in a clear and engaging style, and skilfully weaving history in with the science, John Waller brings these scientists to life, illustrating how their work and their discoveries influenced their careers and the wider world around them.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Leaps in the Dark is a good read, and ought to generate much healthy debate. Nature

About the Author

Dr. John Waller is Lecturer in the History of Medicine and Biology at the Centre for the Study of Health and Society and the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Melbourne. His previous books for a popular readership, The Discovery of the Germ (Icon Books, 2002) and Fabulous Science (Oxford University Press, 2002, now available in paperback) have been widely and favorably reviewed.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (December 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192804847
• ISBN-13: 978-0192804846
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,334,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.