A History of Science : From Agriculture to Artificial Intelligence

Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination - John Dewey In A History of Science , Mary Cruse takes readers on a fascinating journey through the evolution of this discipline in its many strands. Throughout the centuries, our conception of what constitutes 'science' has developed hugely - from ancient natural philosophers and medieval alchemists to Renaissance scholars and Enlightenment reformers. Modern science evokes images of bubbling test tubes and spotless lab coats, but this limited perception inhibits us in truly understanding the progress of science throughout history. Cruse does not fall into this trap. Learn about the development of agricultural tools, the study of weather patterns, mapmaking, mathematics and modern geology. Delve into the cutting-edge science of the 21st century - genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, sustainable energy projects. Cruse even speculates on which breakthroughs are yet to come... From the Cradle of Civilization to Silicon Valley, this book traces over 5,000 years of scientific history, following the small steps, great leaps, wrong turns, and lucky chances taken by those who came before us. Learn about the people, places, and events that have shaped the world as we know it. From the roots of anatomy in Ancient Egypt to the growth of genetic medicine, from the early days of philosophy and physics in Ancient Greece to the quantum revolution-- this is the story of our shared search for knowledge and our endeavor to understand the universe and our place in it. --page 4 of cover