Degrees Kelvin : A Tale of Genius, Invention, and Tragedy

In 1840, a precocious 16-year-old by the name of William Thomson spent his summer vacation studying an extraordinarily sophisticated mathematical controversy. His brilliant analysis inspired lavish praise and made the boy an instant intellectual celebrity. As a young scholar William dazzled a Victorian society enthralled with the seductive authority and powerful beauty of scientific discovery. At a time when no one really understood heat, light, electricity, or magnetism, Thomson found key connections between them, laying the groundwork for two of the cornerstones of 19th century science - the theories of electromagnetism and thermodynamics. Charismatic, confident, and boyishly handsome, Thomson was not a scientist who labored quietly in a lab, plying his trade in monkish isolation. When scores of able tinkerers were flummoxed by their inability to adapt overland telegraphic cables to underwater, intercontinental use, Thomson took to the high seas with new equipment that was to change the face of modern communications. And as the world's navies were transitioning from wooden to iron ships, they looked to Thomson to devise a compass that would hold true even when surrounded by steel. Gaining fame and wealth through his inventive genius, Thomson was elevated to the peerage by Queen Victoria for his many achievements. He was the first scientist ever to be so honored. Indeed, his name survives in the designation of degrees Kelvin, the temperature scale that begins with absolute zero, the point at which atomic motion ceases and there is a complete absence of heat. Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, was Great Britain's unrivalled scientific hero. But as the century drew to a close and Queen Victoria's reign ended, this legendary scientific mind began to weaken. He grudgingly gave way to others with a keener, more modern vision. But the great physicist did not go quietly. With a ready pulpit at his disposal, he publicly proclaimed his doubts over the existence of atoms. He refused to believe that radioactivity involved the transmutation of elements. And believing that the origin of life was a matter beyond the expertise of science and better left to theologians, he vehemently opposed the doctrines of evolution, repeatedly railing against Charles Darwin. Sadly, this pioneer of modern science spent his waning years arguing that the Earth and the Sun could not be more than 100 million years old. And although his early mathematical prowess had transformed our understanding of the forces of nature, he would never truly accept the revolutionary changes he had helped bring about, and it was others who took his ideas to their logical conclusion. In the end, Thomson came to stand for all that was old and complacent in the world of 19th century science. Once a scientific force to be reckoned with, a leader to whom others eagerly looked for answers, his peers in the end left him behind - and then meted out the ultimate punishment for not being able to keep step with them. For while they were content to bury him in Westminster Abbey alongside Isaac Newton, they used his death as an opportunity to write him out of the scientific record, effectively denying him his place in history. Kelvin's name soon faded from the headlines, his seminal ideas forgotten, his crucial contributions overshadowed. Destined to become the definitive biography of one of the most important figures in modern science, "Degrees Kelvin" unravels the mystery of a life composed of equal parts triumph and tragedy, hubris and humility, yielding a surprising and compelling portrait of a complex and enigmatic man. LORD KELVIN. In 1840, a precocious 16-year-old by the name of William Thomson spent his summer vacation studying an extraordinarily sophisticated mathematical controversy. His brilliant analysis inspired lavish praise and made the boy an instant intellectual celebrity. As a young scholar William dazzled a Victorian society enthralled with the seductive authority and powerful beauty of scientific discovery. At a time when no one really understood heat, light, electricity, or magnetism, Thomson found key connections between them, laying the groundwork for two of the cornerstones of 19th century science-the theories of electromagnetism and thermodynamics. Charismatic, confident, and boyishly handsome, Thomson was not a scientist who labored quietly in a lab, plying his trade in monkish isolation. When scores of able tinkerers were flummoxed by their inability to adapt overland telegraphic cables to underwater, intercontinental use, Thomson took to the high seas with new equipment that was to change the face of modern communications. And as the world's navies were transitioning from wooden to iron ships, they looked to Thomson to devise a compass that would hold true even when surrounded by steel. Gaining fame and wealth through his inventive genius, Thomson was elevated to the peerage by Queen Victoria for his many achievements. He was the first scientist ever to be so honored. Indeed, his name survives in the designation of degrees Kelvin, the temperature scale that begins with absolute zero, the point at which atomic motion ceases and there is a complete absence of heat. Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, was Great Britain's unrivaled scientific hero. But as the century drew to a close and Queen Victoria's reign ended, this legendary scientific mind began to weaken. He grudgingly gave way to others with a keener, more modern vision. But the great physicist did not go quietly. With a ready pulpit at his disposal, he publicly proclaimed his doubts over the existence of atoms. He refused to believe that radioactivity involved the transmutation of elements. And believing that the origin of life was a matter beyond the expertise of science and better left to theologians, he vehemently opposed the doctrines of evolution, repeatedly railing against Charles Darwin. Sadly, this pioneer of modern science spent his waning years arguing that the Earth and the Sun could not be more than 100 million years old. And although his early mathematical prowess had transformed our understanding of the forces of nature, he would never truly accept the revolutionary changes he had helped bring about, and it was others who took his ideas to their logical conclusion. In the end Thomson came to stand for all that was old and complacent in the world of 19th century science. Once a scientific force to be reckoned with, a leader to whom others eagerly looked for answers, his peers in the end left him behind-and then meted out the ultimate punishment for not being able to keep step with them. For while they were content to bury him in Westminster Abbey alongside Isaac Newton, they used his death as an opportunity to write him out of the scientific record, effectively denying him his place in history. Kelvin's name soon faded from the headlines, his seminal ideas forgotten, his crucial contributions overshadowed. Destined to become the definitive biography of one of the most important figures in modern science, Degrees Kelvin unravels the mystery of a life composed of equal parts triumph and tragedy, hubris and humility, yielding a surprising and compelling portrait of a complex and enigmatic man.

elevated To The Peerage By Queen Victoria For His Many Achievements, Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Was Once Great Britain's Most Celebrated Scientist. In This Accessibly Written Biography, Lindley (an Astrophysicist By Training) Describes Thomson's Groundbreaking Work In The Areas Of Heat, Light, Electricity, And Magnetism. He Also Discusses Thomson's Refusal To Accept The Validity Of Newer Discoveries, Which Eventually Led To His Ostracism From The Scientific Community. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, Or

publishers Weekly

william Thomson, Later Lord Kelvin, Was One Of The 19th Century's Best-known Scientists And Inventors. As Lindley (boltzmann's Atom; The End Of Physics; Etc.) So Comprehensively Explains, Kelvin (1824- 1907) Was Largely Responsible For The Creation Of The Twin Fields Of Electromagnetism And Thermodynamics, And Played A Significant Role In Connecting England And America By Transatlantic Telegraph Cable. Kelvin's Work Was So Important And He Was So Well Known That He Became The First British Scientist Elevated To The Peerage, And When He Died, He Was Buried In Westminster Abbey Near Isaac Newton. Yet, Unlike Other Scientists Of His And Earlier Times, Kelvin Is No Longer A Household Name. In His Thoroughly Engaging Biography, Lindley Expertly Examines Kelvin's Life And The Thought Processes Of This Mathematical Genius As Well As Providing A Rich Overview Of Physics As It Was Created From What Had Been Known As Natural Philosophy. Lindley Also Does A Superb Job Of Explaining How, Over The Course Of His Life And By Sticking To His Basic Scientific Principles, Kelvin Changed From An Extraordinarily Creative Theoretician, In Both The Pure And The Applied Realms, To A Scientific Anachronism, Defending Outmoded Ideas And Refusing To Accept New Concepts. Lindley Provides Insight Into A Misunderstood Scientific Legend And Into The Process Of Science Itself At A Critical Period Of History. (on Sale Feb. 24) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

In 1840, a precocious 16-year-old by the name of William Thomson spent his summer studying an extraordinarily sophisticated mathematical controversy. His brilliant analysis made the boy an instant intellectual celebrity. As a young scholar William dazzled a Victorian society enthralled with the seductive authority and powerful beauty of scientific discovery, laying the groundwork for the theories of electromagnetism and thermodynamics. Moving beyond pure science, he worked out a theory for signal transmission along undersea telegraph cables and designed instruments that made the first transatlantic link a success. Charismatic, confident, and boyishly handsome, Thomson was elevated to the peerage by the Queen for his achievements. Indeed, his name survives in the designation of degrees Kelvin, the temperature scale on which absolute zero is defined. Lauded for his brilliance, Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, was Great Britain's unrivaled scientific hero. But as the century drew to a close, and Queen Victoria's reign ended, this legendary scientific mind also shut down. The great physicist was publicly dubious about the existence of atoms. He refused to believe that radioactivity involved the transmutation of elements. And he vehemently opposed Charles Darwin's views on the origin of species. This pioneer of modern science spent his waning years arguing that the Earth and the Sun could not be more than 100 million years old. In the end Thomson came to stand for all that was old and complacent in the world of 19th-century science. Unraveling the mystery of a life composed of equal parts of triumph and tragedy, hubris and humility, this new biography yields a surprising and compellingportrait of a complex and enigmatic man This is an absolutely fascinating romp through nineteenth century physics which has as its vehicle the life of William Thomson - perhaps better known as Lord Kelvin. Thomson's scientific life and times are very well portrayed - he was interested in almost anything that constituted natural philosophy (today known as physics). But in addition to his pursuits in pure science, Thomson was also intensely interested in using science to develop technology for the betterment of humanity. Consequently, some of his contemporaries have criticized him for spending too much time tinkering and not enough time applying his tremendous intellect to more abstract scientific problems. Thomson's fields of activity were many: thermodynamics, electromagnetism, age of the earth and participating in the laying of the transatlantic cable being only a few. The writing style is clear, authoritative, friendly, accessible and quite captivating. The science is very well explained, despite the fact that illustrative diagrams have not been included. After reading the book, I was left rather puzzled by the word "tragedy" in its subtitle. Although the elderly William Thomson was often rather reluctant in embracing new development in physics, mainly near the turn of the twentieth century, he did lead a rich productive life and was lauded and respected by his scientific contemporaries and the public alike. Somehow, the word "tragedy" does not seem appropriate. Although anyone can enjoy this book and learn much from it, because of its scientific content, science buffs are likely to relish it the most. CONTENTS......Page 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 8 INTRODUCTION......Page 10 1 CAMBRIDGE......Page 20 2 CONUNDRUMS......Page 73 3 CABLE......Page 123 4 CONTROVERSIES......Page 173 5 COMPASS......Page 224 6 KELVIN......Page 269 EPILOGUE......Page 318 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 326 Notes......Page 334 Index......Page 362 Lindley presents a surprising and compelling portrait of William Thompson, a.k.a. Lord Kelvin, one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 19th century