This monumental book was specially designed to make mathematics more accessible to the inexperienced. It comprises nontechnical essays on every aspect of the vast subject, including articles by and about scores of eminent mathematicians, as well as literary figures, economists, biologists, and many other eminent thinkers. This unique compendium includes the work of Archimedes, Galileo, Descartes, Newton, Gregor Mendel, John Maynard Keynes, Lewis Carroll, Bertrand Russell, John von Neumann, and many others.
Throughout history, people have tried to understand Earth's place in the universe and what else, if anything, is 'out there'. This common human curiosity has led to great discoveries, from astrologers in ancient Babylon and Egypt who sought to link the strange planetary paths through the night sky to human behavior, to the 17th century when Galileo turned his first telescope on the night sky, to the 21st century when robotic explorers landed on Mars.
James MacLachlan, "Galileo Galilei: First Physicist"
“ The scientific innovations of Galileo Galilei are pivotal to our understanding of the laws of the natural world. Drawing on his diverse studies in philosophy, mathematics, mechanics, music, astronomy, and engineering, Galileo developed revolutionary theories that thoroughly changed the disciplines of physics, mathematics, astronomy, and technology. Galileo Galilei traces the great scientist's education, describes his maverick experiments in Padua and Pisa, and recreates the ingenious pathway of his famous discoveries.
Often censored and imprisoned for his radical ideas that clashed with fundamental Church doctrines, Galileo persisted in his pursuit of scientific truths to bestow upon future generations the inspiration to challenge conventional views. His theories about the motions of falling bodies, his study of pendulums, and his major discoveries in astronomy made with a self-built telescope are all clearly explained in this volume. Heavily illustrated with photographs, graphics, and technical schemes, Galileo Galilei also features a number of sidebars elucidating important details of the great mans contributions. ”
