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

by Tony Rothman

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471202578
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	09/01/2003
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.28(w) x 9.34(h) x 0.99(d)

About the Author

TONY ROTHMAN is a physicist and writer. He is the author of seven other critically acclaimed science books and a frequent contributor to leading science publications, including Scientific American and Discover.

Table of Contents

Preface.

Lapses, Sources, and Acknowledgments.

I. THE DOMAIN OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY.

1. The Mafia Invents the Barometer.

2. The Riddle of the Sphinx: Thomas Young’s Experiment.

3. Joseph Henry and the (Near) Discovery of (Nearly) Everything.

4. Neptune: The Greatest Triumph in the History of Astronomy, or the Greatest Fluke?

5. Invisible Light: The Discovery of Radioactivity.

6. Light, Ether, Corpuscles, and Charge: The Electron.

7. Einstein’s Miraculous Year (and a Few Others).

8. What Did the Eclipse Expedition Really Show? And Other Tales of General Relativity.

9. Two Quantum Tales: Bohr and Hydrogen, Dirac and the Positron.

10. A Third Quantum Tale: Southpaw Electrons and Discounted Luncheons.

II. THE DOMAIN OF TECHNOLOGY.

11. What Hath God Wrought? Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, Samuel Morse, and the Telegraph.

12. Fiat Lux: Edison, the Incandescent Bulb, and a Few Other Matters.

13. “Magna Est Veritas et Praevalet”: The Telephone.

14. A Babble of Incoherence: The Wireless Telegraph, a.k.a. Radio.

15. Mind-Destroying Rays: Television.

16. Plausibility: The Invention of Secret Electronic Communication.

III. THE DOMAIN OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY.

17. The Evolution of Evolution: Erasmus, Charles, Gregor, and Ronald.

18. Dreams with Open Eyes: Kekulé, Benzene, and Loschmidt.

19. Chance, Good and Bad: Penicillin.

IV. THE DOMAIN OF MATHEMATICS: CLOSED FOR RENOVATION.

References and Notes.

Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"If you were not a sceptic about the mythology of discovery, you will be one after reading Tony Rothman's fascinating book. It's an assemblage of compelling antistories, all eminently readable, to counter the stories scientists tell themselves, and then tell us. And that we...are all too eager to hear." —Roald Hoffman, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Editorial Reviews

* “… 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)

From the Publisher