The Story of Science, Book 1: Aristotle Leads the Way

593 Pages·2004·66.82 MB·English

by  Joy Hakim

© 2004 by Joy Hakim All rights reserved
Published by Smithsonian Books Editorial and Production Director: Carolyn Gleason Produced by
American Historical Publications President: Byron Hollinshead Managing Editor and Picture Editor: Sabine
Russ Editor: Lorraine Hopping Egan Copy Editor: Kate Davis
Designer and Illustrator: Marleen Adlerblum Administrative Assistant: Lisa Savage ISBN: 1-58834-160-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2004107324
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data available
eBook ISBN: 978-1-58834526-4
For permission to reproduce illustrations appearing in this book, please correspond directly with the owners
of the works, as listed in the individual picture credit. Smithsonian Books does not retain reproduction rights
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Grateful acknowledgment is made to publishers who have granted permission to quote from their
copyrighted works.

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This book is for Stephen and Henry Hollinshead and their grandfather too.
A Writer’s Reasons
“The sight of stars always sets me dreaming,” Vincent van Gogh wrote to his
brother, Theo. Somehow it consoles me to think of that tormented painter
finding repose by looking heavenward. So, in a notebook I keep (don’t all writers
have them?), I put Vincent’s words about stargazing right next to those of Huck
Finn. Huck says, “We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used
to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was
made or only just happened.”
Funny thing: the Greeks asked that question, Mark Twain asked it, and we’re
still asking. The big questions don’t seem to go away. As to stargazing? That’s
how science got started. Where did those stars come from? What are they made
of? And where are they going? Those are questions for all of us, not just for the
astrophysicists in our midst.
That’s a conviction that led me to write these books. The three books in the
series tell the story of physics and chemistry, from ancient Sumer to today’s string
theory. Which means they deal with the very big (the universe), the very small
(atoms and particles), and the in-between as well. It is, I believe, an enthralling
tale, and one that is basic to our human heritage.
I’m convinced, and I hope to convince you, that science is not just for
scientists. In the twentieth century, we compartmentalized knowledge; in the
information age, that doesn’t make sense. Today, you can be a hermit on a
mountain peak and still have access to the world’s learning. For scholarship to be
so available, so democratic, is unprecedented in world history. To use that
opportunity well, we all need to be generalists first (then we can find specialties).
And no field of knowledge is as basic or as creative as science. That ragtag
notebook of mine—cluttered with thoughts from poets, artists, and philosophers
—has helped me realize that the human quest to understand the universe
underlies almost all other creativity. I have more to say on this subject, but books
should speak for themselves. Read on and see if I persuade you.
Joy Hakim
There’s More to This Story
No one writes a book like this without a lot of help. From the beginning,
scientists, educators, friends, and my wonderfully supportive family have been
enthusiastic and generous with their time. Maybe they sensed that a project like
this needed many heads to make it happen. When I asked questions of Hans
Christian von Baeyer, he said helping with books intended for a general audience
that includes young readers might be one of the most important things he could
do. Hans, who is Chancellor Professor of Physics at the College of William &
Mary, and whose own books are terrific, welcomed me to his classroom and
helped get me started. Neil de Grasse Tyson, the Frederick P. Rose Director of
the Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History, read the
draft manuscript and made a number of useful suggestions. Physicists Rocky Kolb
and Chris Quigg read early versions of the manuscript and sent cogent comments.
John Hubisz, professor of physics at North Carolina State University and former
president of the American Association of Physics Teachers, read much of the
manuscript and offered specific and wise thoughts. Roland Otto, head of the
Center for Science & Engineering Education at Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, read a first draft, made helpful suggestions, found some errors, and
informed me. Gerry Wheeler, executive director of the National Science
Teachers Association and the author of an excellent physics text, encouraged,
read some chapters, and also answered queries. Richard Schwartz, a
mathematician who is also an artist, at the Institute for Advanced Study at
Princeton University, was exact and clear in answering questions on mathematics
and very generous with his time and knowledge. Thanks to David Beacom at the
NSTA, Juliana Texley read the manuscript and gave an informed, detailed, and
supportive critique. Texley is a master teacher of science and lead reviewer for
NSTA Recommends. Tanya Didascalou Waterman, who is a friend as well as a
great physics teacher, answered scientific questions and sent thoughts on her
native Greek language.
Ruth Wattenberg, editor of American Educator, was one of a host of educators
who actively encouraged. An article in that publication, previewing these books,
generated an enthusiastic response from teachers. Tom Adams, in the California
Department of Education, a visionary educator, was generous with good advice. I
am especially grateful to Frederick Seitz, professor and former president of
Rockefeller University, and one of America’s most distinguished scientists. His
personal encouragement and support has meant a great deal. As president of the
Richard Lounsbery Foundation, Dr. Seitz was responsible for a substantial grant
that helped bring the books to fruition. I’ve also had support and financial
assistance from Doug MacIver and the Talent Development Middle School
project at Johns Hopkins University. Working with teachers and students in
urban classrooms, the JHU writer/educators produced brilliant and innovative
teaching materials to coordinate with A History of US. I’m thrilled that Maria
Garriott and Cora Teter of TDMS are developing teacher/student materials to
accompany the science books.
I’m constantly awed by the teachers I meet. Again and again, teachers like John
Holland in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., have encouraged me in this project. I wish
there were room to thank you all, but what a gift we have in so many of you
who teach our children.
Students have also read and commented on this manuscript, especially Ben
Brown in California, Natalie and Sam Johnson in Colorado, and Madelynn von
Baeyer (Hans’s daughter) in Virginia.
I’d like to think that these books are without errors, but James McPherson
(who teaches history at Princeton) once told me that no books dealing with
history are errorless. Any that you might find are my responsibility (so let me
know, and they’ll get corrected in future editions).
Now, as to Those Who Did a Lot of the Work…
These books are a coproduction. Byron Hollinshead, who brought my history
books into being and made them a marriage of pictures and content, has done
that and much more with these books. He’s been a guide and advisor whose
good taste and sound advice always seem to be exactly what is needed. Sabine
Russ is responsible for the pictures and for a whole lot of the creative and detailed
work that goes into putting a book together. Sabine has been quite simply
indispensable. Lorri Egan, as editor, has brought expertise in science writing along
with intelligence, wit, and astonishing dedication. Kate Davis, the copy editor,
has refused to let me get away with sloppy thinking (or writing). I’ve known lots
of editors, but no one as dedicated as Kate. The beautiful design is the work of
Marleen Adlerblum, who, with patience and ingenuity, dealt with the endless
Marleen Adlerblum, who, with patience and ingenuity, dealt with the endless
complexities of layouts and revisions. (I keep changing words.) Lisa Savage
capably assisted with picture research and with many other aspects of the project.
Don Fehr, director of Smithsonian Books, was enthusiastic about this project
from the time that he learned about it, and he has been able to spread his
enthusiasm throughout that remarkable institution.