Out of the Shadow of a Giant
How Newton Stood on the Shoulders of Hooke and Halley
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Descripción editorial
What if Isaac Newton had never lived? Robert Hooke and Edmond Halley, whose place in history has been overshadowed by the giant figure of Newton, were pioneering scientists within their own right, and instrumental in establishing the Royal Society.
Whilst Newton is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time, and the father of the English scientific revolution, John and Mary Gribbin uncover the fascinating story of Robert Hooke and Edmond Halley, whose scientific achievements neatly embrace the hundred years or so during which science as we know it became established in Britain. They argue persuasively that even without Newton science in Britain would have made a great leap forward in the second half of the seventeenth century, headed by two extraordinary men, Hooke and Halley.
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The married Gribbin team (The Cat in the Box), visiting fellows at the University of Sussex, argue forcefully that two of Isaac Newton's contemporaries, Robert Hooke (1635 1703) and Edmund Halley (1656 1742), have not been fully recognized for the importance of their contributions to science. Hooke receives pride of place here, and the Gribbins are at pains to establish the primacy of many of Hooke's ideas over those of others, noting that his concept of gravity predated and was likely poached by the "serial plagiarist" Newton. Hooke's other efforts include being a close collaborator with Robert Boyle; authoring the "first scientific bestseller," Micrographia, which centered on his observations via microscope; and thoughts on geology and fossils that presage Darwin and modern conceptions of the Earth. He also served the Royal Society in various capacities while also providing much of the surveying and architectural work following the London Fire of 1666. Halley is well known for his prediction of the comet named for him, but the Gribbins remind readers that he was also responsible for shepherding Newton's Principia into existence and that he captained several scientific voyages for the admiralty. Science readers will thank the Gribbins for restoring Hooke and Halley to the prominence that they deserve. Illus.
