Exploring the Universe : Essays on Science and Technology

Description

This diverse selection of essays from the Royal Institution's Evening Discourses provides an accessible summary of current thinking in many areas of science and technology. Written by seven eminent contributors, the essays explore areas ranging from ancient aphrodisiacs to the latest pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, from safety's debt to Davy and Faraday to the role of alcohol in the development of civilization. - ;Much of our present knowledge of the Universe has come from observations made over the centuries with ever more powerful telescopes, operating from isolated mountain tops. But the Hubble Space Telescope, the first to be launched into space, is revolutionising our ability to picture and understand the universe. In Exploring the Universe, astronomer Alexander Boksenberg shows how a star is born and how the magnificent pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope will enableus to explore the universe in ever more depth. Together with other essays from experts in their field - from magic bullets derived from traditional folk medicines to the role science can play in understanding the work of Mondrian and other artists - this selection of essays from the Royal Institution's Evening Discourses provides an authoritative and accessible summary of current thinking in many areas of science and technology. -