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12661 results in History of science

Page 23 of 634

Reports of the Late John Smeaton
  • Made on Various Occasions, in the Course of his Employment as a Civil Engineer
  • Volume 2
  • John Smeaton
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    11 September 2014
    First published in:
    1812
  • Celebrated for his construction of the Eddystone Lighthouse near Plymouth, John Smeaton (1724–92) established himself as Britain's foremost civil engineer in the eighteenth century. A founder member of the Society of Civil Engineers, he was instrumental in promoting the growth of the profession. After his death his papers were acquired by the president of the Royal Society, Sir Joseph Banks, Smeaton's friend and patron. Using these materials, a special committee decided to publish 'every paper of any consequence' written by Smeaton, as a 'fund of practical instruction' for current and future engineers. These were published in four illustrated volumes between 1812 and 1814. Volume 2 contains Smeaton's reports on engineering works for bridges, including a proposal for the widening and improvement of London Bridge, as well as many plans for the creation or improvement of canals, mills and waterwheels.

The Common Sense of the Exact Sciences
  • William Kingdon Clifford
  • Prepared for publication by Karl Pearson
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    25 September 2014
    First published in:
    1885
  • A student of Trinity College and a member of the Cambridge Apostles, William Kingdon Clifford (1845–79) graduated as second wrangler in the mathematical tripos, became a professor of applied mathematics at University College London in 1871, and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1874. The present work was begun by Clifford during a remarkably productive period of ill health, yet it remained unfinished at his death. The statistician and philosopher of science Karl Pearson (1857–1936) was invited to edit and complete the work, finally publishing it in 1885. It tackles five of the most fundamental areas of mathematics - number, space, quantity, position and motion - explaining each one in the most basic terms, as well as deriving several original results. Also demonstrating the rationale behind these five concepts, the book particularly pleased a later Cambridge mathematician, Bertrand Russell, who read it as a teenager.

Journal of a Tour in Marocco and the Great Atlas
  • With an Appendix Including a Sketch of the Geology of Marocco
  • Joseph Dalton Hooker, John Ball
  • Assisted by George Maw
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    18 September 2015
    First published in:
    1878
  • This 1878 account of a scientific tour of Morocco and the Atlas mountains in 1871 was compiled from the journals of Sir Joseph Hooker (1817–1911) and his travelling companion, the geologist John Ball (1818–89). Their plan had been for Hooker to publish their findings soon after the journey, but his work as Director of Kew Gardens and President of the Royal Society, and Ball's frequent absences abroad, as well as his own writing commitments, caused delays. However, they argue that their information is unlikely to be out of date when, from a comparison with earlier accounts, 'no notable change is apparent during the last two centuries'. The botanical and geological interests of both men take centre stage in an engaging narrative which provides interesting details about the government, customs and daily life in an area which even in the late nineteenth century was little visited by Europeans.

Economics of Construction in Relation to Framed Structures
  • Robert H. Bow
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    25 September 2014
  • From the 1850s onwards, the civil engineer Robert Henry Bow (1827–1909) became known for his expertise in structural analysis, publishing on the design of bridge and roof trusses, and working with the prolific railway engineer Sir Thomas Bouch (of later Tay Bridge infamy). In the first part of this 1873 publication, Bow describes 337 different truss structures, grouping them into four classes according to their structural characteristics: statically determinate, kinematically determinate, indeterminate, and other. In the second part, he describes a method for graphically analysing truss structures, based on the work of Thomas Maxwell and others, and applies this method to the structures listed in the first part. Perhaps of most interest to the working engineer are the explanations as to which structures are most efficient given typical material constraints, such as girders of uniform cross-section. The work remained a useful resource for practising engineers well into the twentieth century.

Elastic Stresses in Structures
  • Translated from Castigliano's Théorem de l'equibre des systèmes élastiques et ses applications
  • Alberto Castigliano
  • Translated by Ewart S. Andrews
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    25 September 2014
    First published in:
    1919
  • Many of the modern methods of structural analysis based on concepts of virtual work and energy were developed and popularised in Italy in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Building on the work of Luigi Menabrea, the mathematician Carlo Alberto Castigliano (1847–84) provided the first full proof of these methods in his 1873 dissertation while based in Turin. Equally important was his popularisation of the theory in his Théorie de l'équilibre des systèmes élastiques et ses applications (1879), in which he applied his theory to a wide range of important real-world cases. The work is here reissued in its 1919 English translation, by the consulting engineer and lecturer Ewart S. Andrews. Castigliano covers the basic theory of elastic stresses, introducing useful approximations; he then moves on to the analysis of real structures, including roof trusses, arches and bridges in both iron and masonry.

My Garden in the Wilderness
  • Kathleen L. Murray
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    19 February 2016
    First published in:
    1915
  • This story of an Indian garden was published in 1915. Its author, Kathleen L. Murray, was living in the remote north-eastern region of Bihar in the home of her brother, an indigo producer, and some of her musings on life and gardening in India had already been published in the periodical The Statesman. She viewed this work not as a guide, but 'merely a rambling record of some years in a garden' which combined European plants such as roses and sweet peas with natives such as cannas and beaumontias. Along with her gardening successes and failures over three years, the book provides insights into the life of the European woman in India - with no employment, and required to be both idle and aloof from the lives of the wider population. Murray's descriptive powers and enthusiasm for her garden make this book both enjoyable and evocative of imperial India.

Minéralogie des volcans
  • Ou, description de toutes les substances produites ou rejetées par les feux souterrains
  • B. Faujas de Saint-Fond
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    25 September 2014
    First published in:
    1784
  • Abandoning a promising career in the law, Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond (1741–1819) enjoyed the encouragement of the eminent scientist Buffon in pursuing his love of natural history. His keen interest in rocks, minerals and fossils led to a number of important discoveries, among which was confirmation that basalt was a volcanic product. Appointed assistant naturalist at the natural history museum in Paris, he became a professor of geology in 1793, occupying this position until his death. This 1784 work begins with concise accounts of numerous varieties of basalt, describing the key features of each, before moving on to discuss several other volcanic products, including breccia and pozzolana. Of related interest, two other works by Faujas, Essai de géologie (1803–9) and the revised English edition of A Journey through England and Scotland to the Hebrides in 1784 (1907), are also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.

Reports of the Late John Smeaton
  • Made on Various Occasions, in the Course of his Employment as a Civil Engineer
  • Volume 3
  • John Smeaton
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    11 September 2014
    First published in:
    1812
  • Celebrated for his construction of the Eddystone Lighthouse near Plymouth, John Smeaton (1724–92) established himself as Britain's foremost civil engineer in the eighteenth century. A founder member of the Society of Civil Engineers, he was instrumental in promoting the growth of the profession. After his death his papers were acquired by the president of the Royal Society, Sir Joseph Banks, Smeaton's friend and patron. Using these materials, a special committee decided to publish 'every paper of any consequence' written by Smeaton, as a 'fund of practical instruction' for current and future engineers. These were published in four illustrated volumes between 1812 and 1814. As a consulting engineer, Smeaton carried out surveys and reports of existing structures, as well as drawing up proposals for new designs. Volume 3 contains mainly reports relating to bridges and harbours, including work at such major ports as Aberdeen, Dover and Hull.

Reports of the Late John Smeaton
  • Made on Various Occasions, in the Course of his Employment as a Civil Engineer
  • Volume 1
  • John Smeaton
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    11 September 2014
    First published in:
    1812
  • Celebrated for his construction of the Eddystone Lighthouse near Plymouth, John Smeaton (1724–92) established himself as Britain's foremost civil engineer in the eighteenth century. A founder member of the Society of Civil Engineers, he was instrumental in promoting the growth of the profession. After his death his papers were acquired by the president of the Royal Society, Sir Joseph Banks, Smeaton's friend and patron. Using these materials, a special committee decided to publish 'every paper of any consequence' written by Smeaton, as a 'fund of practical instruction' for current and future engineers. These were published in four illustrated volumes between 1812 and 1814. Volume 1 contains correspondence with and reports for clients regarding waterworks, canals, bridges, lighthouses and other engineering works, including harbour improvements at Christchurch, Bristol and Whitby. It also contains descriptions of some of Smeaton's inventions, such as an improved fire engine.

Reports of the Late John Smeaton
  • Made on Various Occasions, in the Course of his Employment as a Civil Engineer
  • Volume 4, Miscellaneous Papers, Comprising his Communications to the Royal Society, Printed in the Philosophical Transactions
  • John Smeaton
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    11 September 2014
    First published in:
    1814
  • Celebrated for his construction of the Eddystone Lighthouse near Plymouth, John Smeaton (1724–92) established himself as Britain's foremost civil engineer in the eighteenth century. A founder member of the Society of Civil Engineers, he was instrumental in promoting the growth of the profession. The Royal Society awarded him its Copley medal for research into wind and water power in 1759. After his death his papers were acquired by the president of the Royal Society, Sir Joseph Banks, Smeaton's friend and patron. Using these materials, a special committee decided to publish 'every paper of any consequence' written by Smeaton, as a 'fund of practical instruction' for current and future engineers. These were published in four illustrated volumes between 1812 and 1814. Published in 1814 using the original engraved plates, Volume 4 contains the papers that Smeaton published in the Royal Society's Philosophical Transactions, as well as related correspondence.

The Evolution of the Parsons Steam Turbine
  • An Account of Experimental Research on the Theory, Efficiency, and Mechanical Details of Land and Marine Reaction and Impulse-Reaction Turbines
  • Alexander Richardson
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    11 September 2014
    First published in:
    1911
  • Responsible for the generation of most of the world's electricity, and with applications to sea and land transport, the steam turbine may be regarded as a pivotal invention in the creation of a technologically advanced modern society. Charles Parsons (1854–1931) built the first practical steam turbine in 1884, and he remained at the forefront of its development for nearly fifty years, as he saw his invention become first the prime means by which thermal energy could be turned into electricity, and then the power behind pioneering cruise liners and warships. Alexander Richardson (1864–1928), an engineer and politician, had access to the inventor's papers when writing this account of the turbine's history. Published in 1911, and featuring more than 170 illustrative plates, it provides a valuable insight into the development of a technology that revolutionised power generation, marine transport and naval warfare.

Evenings at the Microscope
  • Or, Researches among the Minuter Organs and Forms of Animal Life
  • Philip Henry Gosse
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    02 July 2015
    First published in:
    1859
  • English zoologist Philip Henry Gosse (1810–88) spent several years studying the biodiversity of habitats in North America and the Caribbean. His Naturalist's Sojourn in Jamaica (1851) is reissued in this series. When he settled on the Devonshire coast, the area proved equally rich for research. In this 1859 publication, the deeply religious Gosse considers the 'Divine mechanics' of animal body parts and microorganisms seen through the lens of a microscope. He leads the reader through a selection of specimens ranging from a hog's bristle to the shoe-like protist Paramecium. Gosse's writing style, enlivened with anecdotes and literary references, earned him considerable appreciation among Victorian audiences. His entertaining text is complemented by more than 100 illustrations which showcase his draughtsmanship. While the work shares its year of publication with Darwin's groundbreaking Origin of Species, Gosse's religious views firmly shaped his interpretation of the specimens on show.

Elemente der exakten Erblichkeitslehre
  • Deutsche wesentlich erweiterte Ausgabe in fünfundzwanzig Vorlesungen
  • Wilhelm Johannsen
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    21 May 2015
    First published in:
    1909
  • The Danish plant scientist Wilhelm Johannsen (1857–1927) is remembered for his experimental work on plant heredity, and as a founding figure of modern genetics. The terms 'gene', 'genotype' and 'phenotype' were first used by him. The results of his studies on beans supported theories advanced during the 1890s by the Dutch botanist Hugo de Vries, who had unknowingly replicated the work of Gregor Mendel, published in English translation in 1902 (also reissued in this series) by William Bateson. Johannsen's proposal that changes in heredity resulted from sudden mutations rather than from slow processes of natural selection was seen at the time as a threat to Darwinian theory, though later research showed otherwise. This influential book, first published in 1909 (with later editions in 1913 and 1926), is a revised, expanded German translation of a 1905 Danish book by Johannsen, itself based on a journal article originally published in 1903.

The Mechanical Principles of Engineering and Architecture
  • Henry Moseley
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    25 September 2014
  • Seventh wrangler in the Cambridge mathematical tripos in 1826, Henry Moseley (1801–72) was adept at applying mathematical analysis to a wide variety of problems. Appointed professor of natural and experimental philosophy and astronomy at London's newly established King's College in 1831, he was instrumental in creating the institution's department of engineering and applied science. This 1843 textbook is based on the lectures in statics, dynamics and structures that he gave to students of engineering and architecture. Moseley draws on the latest continental work in mechanics, and the treatment of problems is mathematically sophisticated. Starting with basic statics and dynamics, Moseley covers topics of interest to both civil and military engineers, with sections on the theory of machines and on the stability of walls, arches and other structures. Notably, the American edition of this work was adopted as a textbook by the United States Military Academy at West Point.

A Bibliography of the Writings of Dr William Harvey
  • 1578–1657
  • Geoffrey Keynes
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    12 September 2013
  • First published in 1953, as the second edition of a 1928 original, this book supplies a detailed bibliography of Dr William Harvey, who described the workings of the circulatory system in his revolutionary 1628 treatise, De Motu Cordis. Keynes notes the various editions and translations of Harvey's three key works as well as miscellaneous writings and anthologies and their locations in libraries around the world. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Harvey.

Essai sur l'application de l'analyse à la probabilité des décisions rendues à la pluralité des voix
  • Nicolas de Condorcet
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    25 September 2014
    First published in:
    1785
  • A central figure in the early years of the French Revolution, Nicolas de Condorcet (1743–94) was active as a mathematician, philosopher, politician and economist. He argued for the values of the Enlightenment, from religious toleration to the abolition of slavery, believing that society could be improved by the application of rational thought. In this essay, first published in 1785, Condorcet analyses mathematically the process of making majority decisions, and seeks methods to improve the likelihood of their success. The work was largely forgotten in the nineteenth century, while those who did comment on it tended to find the arguments obscure. In the second half of the twentieth century, however, it was rediscovered as a foundational work in the theory of voting and societal preferences. Condorcet presents several significant results, among which Condorcet's paradox (the non-transitivity of majority preferences) is now seen as the direct ancestor of Arrow's paradox.

Biological Actions of Sex Hormones
  • Harold Burrows
  • Published online:
    05 June 2016
    Print publication:
    31 October 2013
  • Originally published in 1945, this book presents a detailed study of the nature of sex hormones and the reactions of living tissues towards them, providing a co-ordinated summary of experimental inquiries in the field. A variety of tables and illustrative figures are also included, together with a glossary and a list of references. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science and endocrinology.

Page 23 of 634