Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for A Brief History of Timekeeping by Chad Orzel - Available

A Brief History of Timekeeping

The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks

by Chad Orzel
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Read a sample Read a sample
1 of 1 copy available
2022 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS WINNER — HISTORY: GENERAL

". . . inherently interesting, unique, and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and academic library Physics of Time & Scientific Measurement history collections, and supplemental curriculum studies lists." —Midwest Book Review

"A wonderful look into understanding and recording time, Orzel's latest is appropriate for all readers who are curious about those ticks and tocks that mark nearly every aspect of our lives." —Booklist

"A thorough, enjoyable exploration of the history and science behind measuring time." —Foreword Reviews

It's all a matter of time—literally.

From the movements of the spheres to the slipperiness of relativity, the story of science unfolds through the fascinating history of humanity's efforts to keep time.

Our modern lives are ruled by clocks and watches, smartphone apps and calendar programs. While our gadgets may be new, however, the drive to measure and master time is anything but—and in A Brief History of Timekeeping, Chad Orzel traces the path from Stonehenge to your smartphone.

Predating written language and marching on through human history, the desire for ever-better timekeeping has spurred technological innovation and sparked theories that radically reshaped our understanding of the universe and our place in it.

Orzel, a physicist and the bestselling author of Breakfast with Einstein and How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog continues his tradition of demystifying thorny scientific concepts by using the clocks and calendars central to our everyday activities as a jumping-off point to explore the science underlying the ways we keep track of our time. Ancient solstice markers (which still work perfectly 5,000 years later) depend on the basic astrophysics of our solar system; mechanical clocks owe their development to Newtonian physics; and the ultra-precise atomic timekeeping that enables GPS hinges on the predictable oddities of quantum mechanics.

Along the way, Orzel visits the delicate negotiations involved in Gregorian calendar reform, the intricate and entirely unique system employed by the Maya, and how the problem of synchronizing clocks at different locations ultimately required us to abandon the idea of time as an absolute and universal quantity. Sharp and engaging, A Brief History of Timekeeping is a story not just about the science of sundials, sandglasses, and mechanical clocks, but also the politics of calendars and time zones, the philosophy of measurement, and the nature of space and time itself.

For those interested in science, technology, or history, or anyone who's ever wondered about the instruments that divide our days into moments: the time you spend reading this book may fly, and it is certain to be well spent.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 25, 2022

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781953295941

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781953295941
      • File size: 8677 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Booklist

      December 1, 2021
      Orzel (Breakfast with Einstein, 2018) delivers the fascinating history of humanity's assiduous efforts to record time, from antiquity to the present. In researched detail, Orzel begins by examining the mysteries of such ancient sites as Newgrange and Stonehenge and demonstrates how people mark seasonal changes. Much depends (then and still today) on observations and implications of the motion of sun, moon, and stars, which Orzel magnificently explains. Proceeding linearly, Orzel reviews early calendars, including the Mayan calendar, the history of the common calendar in use today, and others still in use, including the Hebrew calendar. The ingenuity of clocks, from water and sand clocks to watches and quantum clocks, is explored in delightful detail. The final chapter peers into possible future developments with Orzel noting that humanity's occupation with marking time will continue to develop in precision and technology and is nowhere near an end. A wonderful look into understanding and recording time, Orzel's latest is appropriate for all readers who are curious about those ticks and tocks that mark nearly every aspect of our lives.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading
Don't see the item you're looking for? Please click here to suggest something else.