Tag: history

Learning from old science books: Part Two

Hello readers! In the last post, we dived into a Victorian science textbook: Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology, from 1830. We explored the state of the geological sciences 200 years ago, and acquainted ourselves with the intellectual battle between the vulcanists and neptunists (which was a lot less science-fiction than it sounds, and fought with … Continue reading Learning from old science books: Part Two →

Learning from old science books: Part One

Hello readers! Last week I read a Victorian geology book – possibly one of the most influential science books ever written. Principles of Geology by Charles Lyell introduced a relatively young field to a general audience, and solidified geology as a science in its own right, rather than as a mere rock collecting exercise. It … Continue reading Learning from old science books: Part One →

Six-minute summary: Ada Lovelace

Hello readers! It’s time for a six-minute summary. Ada Lovelace was one of the first computer programmers – an impressive achievement, given that she was born in 1815, well over a century before the modern concept of a "computer” was established. She worked with the eminent mathematician Charles Babbage, who had designed an “Analytical Engine” … Continue reading Six-minute summary: Ada Lovelace →

Six-minute summary: James Croll

Hello readers! This week, I’m summarising the life of a lesser-known scientist. James Croll was once a big name in the British scientific community, exchanging ideas with contemporaries such as Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin. He was a physicist, geologist, and mathematician – but when he published his first paper, he was employed only as … Continue reading Six-minute summary: James Croll →

Six-minute summary: Mary Shelley

Hello readers! This week’s six-minute summary is of a science fiction author rather than a scientist. Mary Shelley is most famous for writing Frankenstein, which is widely viewed as the first science fiction novel (although the definition of science fiction is up for debate). Frankenstein’s monster is one of the most famous literary characters in … Continue reading Six-minute summary: Mary Shelley →

Six-minute summary: Henry Cavendish

Hello readers! It’s time for another six-minute summary of a historical figure. This week, we’ll explore the life of Henry Cavendish, an eighteenth-century scientist best known for discovering hydrogen and measuring the density of the Earth. However, Cavendish kept many of his findings private, and much of his pioneering research only reached public attention decades … Continue reading Six-minute summary: Henry Cavendish →

What is science fiction? Part two: a discussion

Hello readers! Welcome to part two of my attempt to define science fiction. Last week I gave a brief history of the genre and mentioned some very old stories that have each been labelled “the first science fiction” by various academics. This week we will delve a bit deeper and explore the dividing line between … Continue reading What is science fiction? Part two: a discussion →

Six-minute summary: Inge Lehmann

Hello readers! Today’s six-minute summary is about Inge Lehmann, the Danish scientist who discovered that our planet has a solid inner core. I thought this summary would be somewhat topical following the recent media coverage of ‘giant blobs’ in the lower mantle, now proposed to be the remnants of an ancient collision with another planet … Continue reading Six-minute summary: Inge Lehmann →