Seeing further : the story of science, discovery, and the genius of the Royal Society

SUMMARY: Edited and introduced by Bill Bryson, and with contributions from Richard Dawkins, Margaret Atwood, David Attenborough, Martin Rees and Richard Fortey amongst others, this is a remarkable volume celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society.On a damp weeknight in November, 350 years ago, a dozen or so men gathered at Gresham College in London. A twenty-eight year old ' and not widely famous ' Christopher Wren was giving a lecture on astronomy. As his audience listened to him speak, they decided that it would be a good idea to create a Society to promote the accumulation of useful knowledge. With that, the Royal Society was born.Since its birth, the Royal Society has pioneered scientific exploration and discovery. Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle, Joseph Banks, Humphry Davy, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, John Locke, Alexander Fleming ' all were members. Bill Bryson's favourite member was Reverend Thomas Bayes, a brilliant mathematician who devised Bayes' theorem. Whilst it had little practical use in Bayes' lifetime, today his theorem is used for weather forecasting, astrophysics and stock market analysis. A milestone in mathematical history, it only exists because the Royal Society decided to preserve it ' just in case.The Royal Society continues to do today what it set out to do all those years ago. Its members have split the atom, discovered the double helix, the electron, the computer and the World Wide Web. Truly international in its outlook, it has created modern science. 'Seeing Further' celebrates its momentous history and achievements, bringing together the very best of science writing. Filled with illustrations of treasures from the Society's archives, this is a unique, ground-breaking volume that you'll want to pick up again and again. As Editor Of Seeing Further, Bryson Has Rounded Up An Extraordinary Roster Of Scientists Who Write And Writers Who Know Science In Order To Celebrate 350 Years Of The Royal Society, Britain's Scientific National Academy. The Contributors Include Margaret Atwood, Steve Jones, Richard Dawkins, James Gleick, Richard Holmes, And Neal Stephenson, Among Many Others, On Subjects Ranging From Metaphysics To Nuclear Physics, From The Threatened Endtimes Of Flu And Climate Change To Our Evolving Ideas About The Nature Of Time Itself, From The Hidden Mathematics That Rule The Universe To The Cosmological Principle That Guides Star Trek. At The Beginning : More Things In Heaven And Earth / James Gleick -- Of The Madness Of Mad Scientists : Jonathan Swift's Grand Academy / Margaret Atwood -- Lost In Space : The Spiritual Crisis Of Newtonian Cosmology / Margaret Wertheim -- Atoms Of Cognition : Metaphysics In The Royal Society / Neal Stephenson -- What's In A Name? : Rivalries And The Birth Of Modern Science / Rebecca Newberger Goldstein -- Charged Atmospheres : Promethean Science And The Royal Society / Simon Schaffer -- A New Age Of Flight : Joseph Banks Goes Ballooning / Richard Holmes -- Archives Of Life : Science And Collections / Richard Fortey -- Darwin's Five Bridges : The Way To Natural Selection / Richard Dawkins -- Images Of Progress : Conferences Of Engineers / Henry Petroski -- X-ray Visions : Structural Biologists And Social Action In The Twentieth Century / Georgina Ferry -- Ten Thousand Wedges : Biodiversity, Natural Selection And Random Change / Steve Jones -- Making Stuff : From Bacon To Bakelite / Philip Ball -- Just Typical : Our Changing Place In The Universe / Paul Davies -- Behind The Scenes : The Hidden Mathematics That Rules Our World / Ian Stewart -- Simple, Really : From Simplicity To Complexity--and Back Again / John D. Barrow -- Globe And Sphere, Cycles And Flows : How To See The World / Oliver Morton -- Beyond Ending : Looking Into The Void / Maggie Gee -- Confidence, Consensus And The Uncertainty Cops : Tackling Risk Management In Climate Change / Stephen H. Schneider -- Time : The Winged Chariot / Gregory Benford -- Conclusion: Looking Fifty Years Ahead / Martin Rees. Edited & Introduced By Bill Bryson ; Contributing Editor, Jon Turney. Originally Published: London : Harper Press, 2010. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 486-489) And Index. This revised e-book features all photographs, designed in beautiful full-color. Edited and introduced by Bill Bryson, with original contributions from "a glittering array of scientific writing talent" (Sunday Observer) including Richard Dawkins, Margaret Atwood, Richard Holmes, Martin Rees, Richard Fortey, Steve Jones, James Gleick, and Neal Stephenson, among others, this incomparable book tells the spectacular story of science and the international Royal Society, from 1660 to the present. Seeing Further is also gorgeously illustrated with photographs, documents, and treasures from the Society's exclusive archives. On a damp weeknight in November three hundred and fifty years ago, a dozen men gathered in London. After hearing an obscure twenty-eight-year-old named Christopher Wren lecture on the wonders of astronomy, his rapt audience was moved to create a society to promote the accumulation of useful--and fascinating--knowledge. At that, the Royal Society was born, and with it, modern science. Since then, the Royal Society has pioneered global scientific exploration and discovery. Its members have split the atom, discovered the double helix and the electron, and given us the computer and the World Wide Web. Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle, Joseph Banks, Humphry Davy, John Locke, Alexander Fleming, Stephen Hawking--all have been fellows. Bill Bryson's favorite fellow is the Reverend Thomas Bayes, a brilliant mathematician who devised Bayes' theorem. Its complexity meant that it had little practical use in Bayes' own lifetime, but today his theorem is used for weather forecasting, astrophysics, and even stock-market analysis. A milestone in mathematical history, it exists only because the Royal Society decided to preserve it--just in case. Truly global in its outlook, the Royal Society now is credited with creating modern science. Seeing Further is an unprecedented celebration of its history and the power of ideas, bringing together the very best of science writing "Bryson is as amusing as ever....As a celebration of 350 years of modern science, [Seeing Further] it is a worthy tribute." —The Economist In Seeing Further, New York Times bestseller Bill Bryson takes readers on a guided tour through the great discoveries, feuds, and personalities of modern science. Already a major bestseller in the UK, Seeing Further tells the fascinating story of science and the Royal Society with Bill Bryson's trademark wit and intelligence, and contributions from a host of well known scientists and science fiction writers, including Richard Dawkins, Neal Stephenson, James Gleick, and Margret Atwood. It is a delightful literary treat from the acclaimed author who previous explored the current state of scientific knowledge in his phenomenally popular book, A Short History of Nearly Everything. For this book, the editor has rounded up an extraordinary roster of scientists who write and writers who know science in order to celebrate 350 years of the Royal Society, Britain's scientific national academy. The contributors include Margaret Atwood, Steve Jones, Richard Dawkins, James Gleick, Richard Holmes, and Neal Stephenson, among many others, on subjects ranging from metaphysics to nuclear physics, from the threatened endtimes of flu and climate change to our evolving ideas about the nature of time itself, from the hidden mathematics that rule the universe to the cosmological principle that guides "Star Trek."