9780802715296
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
Dava Sobel
ISBN 13: 9780802715296
Publisher: Walker & Co
Publication Date: 2007
Binding: Softcover
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"An amazing and fascinating story, a book full of gems for anyone interested in history, geography, astronomy, navigation, clockmaking, and--not the least--plain old human ambition and greed....As much a tale of intrigue as it is of science."
Philadelphia Inquirer
Review:If you've grown up at a time when orbiting satellites were taken for granted, you'd probably not find reading a book about longitude an enticing prospect. But Sobel, an award-winning former science reporter for the New York Times who writes frequently for Audubon, Discover, LIFE, and Omni magazines, has transformed what could have been a dry subject into an interesting tale of scientific discovery. It is difficult to realize that a problem that can now be solved with a couple of cheap watches and a few simple calculations at one time appeared insurmountable. In 1714, the British Parliament offered a king's ransom of 20 million ($12 million in today's currency) to anyone who could solve the problem of how to measure longitude at sea. Sobel recounts clockmaker John Harrison's lifelong struggle to win this prize by developing a timepiece impervious to the pitch and roll of the sea. His clock, known today as the chronometer, was rejected by the Longitude Board, which favored a celestial solution. Despite some awkward writing, this brief, if at times sketchy, book is recommended for popular science collections. James Olson, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Lib., Chicago
Patrick O'Brian
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Longitude: The True Story Of A Lone Genius Who Solved The Greatest Scientific Problem Of His Time (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 5
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (ISBN: 9780802715296) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 5
Book Description: FRANK R WALKER CO (IL), 2007. Paperback. Book Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from US. Bookseller Inventory # WB-9780802715296 Bookseller & Payment Information | More Books from this Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question |
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (Paperback) (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 3
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Longitude (ISBN: 9780802715296) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 2
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (Paperback) (ISBN: 9780802715296) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 1
Book Description: WALKER CO, United States, 2007. Paperback. Book Condition: New. Reprint. 187 x 118 mm. Brand New Book. Anyone alive in the eighteenth century would have known that "the longitude problem" was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day--and had been for centuries. Lacking the ability to measure their longitude, sailors throughout the great ages of exploration had been literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Thousands of lives and the increasing fortunes of nations hung on a resolution. One man, John Harrison, in complete opposition to the scientific community, dared to imagine a mechanical solution--a clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. "Longitude" is the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and of Harrison's forty-year obsession with building his perfect timekeeper, known today as the chronometer. Full of heroism and chicanery, it is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation, and clockmaking, and opens a new window on our world. Bookseller Inventory # ABZ9780802715296 Bookseller & Payment Information | More Books from this Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question |
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 2
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 2
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 2
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 3
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Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time (Paperback) (ISBN: 080271529X / 0-8027-1529-X) Sobel, Dava Quantity Available: 1
Book Description: 2007. Paperback. Book Condition: New. 118mm x 15mm x 187mm. Paperback. Anyone alive in the eighteenth century would have known that "the longitude problem" was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day?and had been for centuries. L.Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. 184 pages. 0.204. Bookseller Inventory # 9780802715296 Bookseller & Payment Information | More Books from this Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question |
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