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Discusses the theories that led to the discovery that the earth was round.Tags
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themulhern Similar style of writing, for much the same age group, similar illustrations.
Member Reviews
This is the first book in the series. Asimov chose a good subject to begin with. This book takes us from myths to the first moon landings, when after 1000s of years of careful reasoning it was possible to confirm the conclusion by just looking.
Chapter 1: Is the Earth Flat?
Lots of illustrations of various myths. Anaximander observes the movement of the stars and decides that the earth is a disk surrounded by a sphere which spins around the north pole.
Chapter 2: The Disappearing Stars
As one travels north or south, the set of stars that are visible at night changes. From this Anaximander concluded that the earth possessed a curvature, and imagined that it might be a cylinder. At the same time, observations of the moon and its phases show more indicate that it is most likely a sphere. Question: Since we only see one side of the moon, can be prove that it is a sphere geometrically? Or are there other possibilities?
Chapter 3: The Disappearing Ships
Ships sail out of sight hull first, regardless of their direction. This is good evidence that the earth is actually a very big sphere, i.e, its curvature is not just north-south, but also east-west. Of course, again, those observations could have been just local. Or maybe the oceans bulged upward?
Chapter 4: The Earth's Shadow
During a lunar eclipse, the shadow of the earth that can be observed on the moon is always a segment of a circle. This is strong evidence for a spherical earth. Philolaus (circa. 450 BC), was the first to make the spherical earth assertion.
Chapter 5: The Size of the Earth
Eratosthenes works out the circumference of the earth using basic geometry/trigonometry. But others disagree, and prefer a smaller estimate. Ptolemy supports the smaller estimate and this is the value Columbus uses when he sails across the Atlantic. Columbus believes in it until he dies but others put forward a different view. Finally, everybody acknowedges that a new continent has been found. Magellan's crew sails around the world which is a clincher. And astronauts hit the moon, and take some very convincing photos.
THE END show less
Chapter 1: Is the Earth Flat?
Lots of illustrations of various myths. Anaximander observes the movement of the stars and decides that the earth is a disk surrounded by a sphere which spins around the north pole.
Chapter 2: The Disappearing Stars
As one travels north or south, the set of stars that are visible at night changes. From this Anaximander concluded that the earth possessed a curvature, and imagined that it might be a cylinder. At the same time, observations of the moon and its phases show more indicate that it is most likely a sphere. Question: Since we only see one side of the moon, can be prove that it is a sphere geometrically? Or are there other possibilities?
Chapter 3: The Disappearing Ships
Ships sail out of sight hull first, regardless of their direction. This is good evidence that the earth is actually a very big sphere, i.e, its curvature is not just north-south, but also east-west. Of course, again, those observations could have been just local. Or maybe the oceans bulged upward?
Chapter 4: The Earth's Shadow
During a lunar eclipse, the shadow of the earth that can be observed on the moon is always a segment of a circle. This is strong evidence for a spherical earth. Philolaus (circa. 450 BC), was the first to make the spherical earth assertion.
Chapter 5: The Size of the Earth
Eratosthenes works out the circumference of the earth using basic geometry/trigonometry. But others disagree, and prefer a smaller estimate. Ptolemy supports the smaller estimate and this is the value Columbus uses when he sails across the Atlantic. Columbus believes in it until he dies but others put forward a different view. Finally, everybody acknowedges that a new continent has been found. Magellan's crew sails around the world which is a clincher. And astronauts hit the moon, and take some very convincing photos.
THE END show less
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2,400+ Works 292,919 Members
Isaac Asimov was born in Petrovichi, Russia, on January 2, 1920. His family emigrated to the United States in 1923 and settled in Brooklyn, New York, where they owned and operated a candy store. Asimov became a naturalized U.S. citizen at the age of eight. As a youngster he discovered his talent for writing, producing his first original fiction at show more the age of eleven. He went on to become one of the world's most prolific writers, publishing nearly 500 books in his lifetime. Asimov was not only a writer; he also was a biochemist and an educator. He studied chemistry at Columbia University, earning a B.S., M.A. and Ph.D. In 1951, Asimov accepted a position as an instructor of biochemistry at Boston University's School of Medicine even though he had no practical experience in the field. His exceptional intelligence enabled him to master new systems rapidly, and he soon became a successful and distinguished professor at Columbia and even co-authored a biochemistry textbook within a few years. Asimov won numerous awards and honors for his books and stories, and he is considered to be a leading writer of the Golden Age of science fiction. While he did not invent science fiction, he helped to legitimize it by adding the narrative structure that had been missing from the traditional science fiction books of the period. He also introduced several innovative concepts, including the thematic concern for technological progress and its impact on humanity. Asimov is probably best known for his Foundation series, which includes Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation. In 1966, this trilogy won the Hugo award for best all-time science fiction series. In 1983, Asimov wrote an additional Foundation novel, Foundation's Edge, which won the Hugo for best novel of that year. Asimov also wrote a series of robot books that included I, Robot, and eventually he tied the two series together. He won three additional Hugos, including one awarded posthumously for the best non-fiction book of 1995, I. Asimov. "Nightfall" was chosen the best science fiction story of all time by the Science Fiction Writers of America. In 1979, Asimov wrote his autobiography, In Memory Yet Green. He continued writing until just a few years before his death from heart and kidney failure on April 6, 1992. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- How Did We Find Out the Earth Is Round?
- People/Characters
- Anaximander; Philolaus; Eratosthenes; Ptolemy; Christopher Columbus; Ferdinand Magellan
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Statistics
- Members
- 32
- Popularity
- 879,727
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.67)
- Languages
- English, Greek
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 4
