The Story of Measurement

Description

Anyone interested in the role of science in everyday life will find in this marvellous book accessible, intelligent, visual and often entertaining answers to the questions we all ask about how we measure ourselves, or planet and the Universe. Part fascinating history, part cutting-edge science, it explores everything measurable, from temperature, earthquakes and radioactivity to music, blood and social attitudes, as well as the origins of the metric system in the French Revolution.

Andrew Robinson has written more than 25 books on the arts and sciences. They include Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts, India: A Short History and Earthshock, which won the Association of Earth Science Editors Outstanding Publication Award, plus Earth-Shattering Events . A regular contributor to such magazines as Current World Archaeology, History Today, The Lancet, Nature and Science, he has also been literary editor of The Times Higher Education Supplement and a visiting fellow at the University of Cambridge.

'Sumptuous, a sensual pleasure to look at and look into ... intelligently written and always rewarding to dip into' - Geomatics World 'Makes a good reference text but can easily be read cover to cover' - Physics World 'Covers not merely the obvious elements that we record, but also the more intriguing ... crammed with illustrations' - Financial Times Magazine