On Giants’ Shoulders: Great Scientists and Their Discoveries From Archimedes to DNA

Explore the greatest minds in the history of science with some of the top scientific thinkers of today. Archimedes Galileo Galilei Sir Isaac Newton Antoine Lavoisier Michael Faraday ó Charles Darwin Jules Henri PoincarT Sigmund Freud Marie Curie Albert Einstein Francis Crick James WatsonThe story of science is the greatest adventure of the human mind over the last 2,500 years, as scientists have progressively advanced humankind’s understanding and control of the universe. Yet for many, the scientific theories that underpin the modern world can be hard to grasp.On Giants’ Shoulders elucidates the milestones in the history of science, focusing on twelve individuals and their extraordinary breakthroughs. From a layman’s perspective, acclaimed journalist and author Melvyn Bragg discusses the life, work, and legacy of these remarkable people with leading scientists and historians in each field, including Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, Roger Penrose, Martin Rees, Oliver Sacks, John Gribbin, and Paul Davies.Interviewed by journalist Melvyn Bragg, a selection of scientists discuss twelve of the pioneers of science history—and the fascinating personalities behind the discoveries.What makes this book work so well is that Bragg is a fine journalist applying his skills as an outsider to blow away the pretensions and reveal some of the mechanics and motivations of what is still a remarkably closed world. —New ScientistEach life is pored over in a brief but brilliant intellectual post mortem with the help of prominent contemporary scientists. . . Here are the paranoia, the blind alleys of research, the rivalry, and many collisions of intellectual heavyweights. . . On Giants’ Shoulders holds delights for both scientist and layperson.—Kevin O’Sullivan, Irish TimesEach chapter has the pace and liveliness of a round table discussion. . . In a surprisingly brief space, one can thus taste a flavor of true debate as each contemporary scientist brings in their own angle.—Susan Green