The Floating Egg: Episodes in the Making of Geology - Brossura

Osborne, Roger

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0712666869 ISBN 13: 9780712666862

Casa editrice: Pimlico, 1999

Riassunto

The Floating Egg begins with the search for an alchemist's secret, and ends with the re-imagination of a past world. Each chapter is connected to a particular corner of north-east England, and each explores the uncertain line where myth is dissolved into science, and belief gives way to knowledge.

Different episodes show how the fall of Constantinople converted the common rock of the Yorkshire cliffs into a source of extraordinary wealth and power, and how this in turn uncovered the inhabitants of a succession of past worlds; how a stone falling from the sky near this same coast changed the minds of all the natural philosophers of Europe; and how a new science was born on the top of the tower of York Minster. We learn about the cloak-and-dagger world of fossil trading in the town of Whitby; and we see the entire life-work of a forgotten scientific genius who died from consumption at the age of twenty-five, having revolutionised his science.

The stories move from documentary accounts to fictional recreations of historic events, from contemporary writing and illustrations to present-day reflection. By using different ways of describing the world of scientific endeavour, the author has produced a fascinating visually beautiful and highly entertaining book which allows us to witness the birth of a new science - the science of geology.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

"A wonderful tome...beautifully structured...utterly fascinating... Reading The Floating Egg is a captivating experience because there is at least one surprise in every chapter... Roger Osborne has combined portions of history, biology, architecture, palaeontology, astronomy - and a large dose of humour - and produced the fascinating story of how geology came to be" (The Times)

"His exploration of geology's Yorkshire roots is infallibly entertaining...A delightful book...quirky and thoroughly Yorkshire, and all the better for that" (New Scientist)

Descrizione del libro:

'If you have never read a book about geology, and didn't even think you were interested, Roger Osborne could change your life.... He succeeds magnificently in communicating his enthusiasm' - Independent on Sunday

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Pimlico
• Data di pubblicazione: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0712666869
• ISBN 13: 9780712666862
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 384