Circumference: Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.31 (634 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0312372477 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2015-02-23 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
“Circumference” is a compelling scientific detective story that transports readers back to a time when humans had no idea how big their world was--and the fate of a man who dared to measure the incomprehensible.. Nicholas Nicastro brings to life one of history's greatest experiments when an ancient Greek named Eratosthenes first accurately determined the distance around the spherical earth. In this fascinating narrative history, Nicastro takes a look at a deceptively simple but stunning achievement made by one man, millennia ago, with only the simplest of materials at his disposal. How was he able to measure the land at a time when distance was more a matter of a shrug and a guess at the time spent on a donkey’s back? How could he be so confident in the assumptions that underlay his calculations: that the earth was round and the sun so far away that its rays struck the ground in parallel lines? Was it luc
Amazon Customer said Four Stars. Nice read. Illuminating, profound, entertaining "Circumference" is the best kind of popular science book, the kind that doesn't skimp on substance, yet helps even the most casual reader grasp its subject. True, not a lot is known about Eratosthenes himself. But as the author says in his introduction, that doesn't stop people from writing books about obscure but significant figures. I bet few people are aware of this Greek scientist's effect on something so basi. George Poirier said A Scholarly Work. Despite its title and subtitle, there is much more in this book than a description of Eratosthenes's attempt to measure the earth's circumference. Roughly the first half of the book contains information on the ancient world as it existed at about the time that Eratosthenes lived. Topics discussed include: the origin and evolution of the city of Alexandria, the people who lived and worked there, the Museum and Libr
But readers learn about much more than geodesy: Nicastro delivers the deeply human story of a multitalented genius whose tenure as the head of Alexandria’s famed library occasioned remarkable achievements in literature, history, linguistics, and philosophy despite the political turmoil that periodically rocked the Ptolemaic world. Though it would be thousands of years before his feat received appropriate recognition, Eratosthenes conducted his revolutionary science with nothing more complex than a sundial and a compass. From Booklist Forget the myth of Columbus’ daring in imagining a round earth. A distant yesterday still furnishes fascinating drama for readers today. With reader-friendly clarity, Nicastro explains the surprisingly simple calculations behind the earth measurement. --Bryce Christensen . Indeed, this