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Einstein's war : how relativity triumphed amid the vicious nationalism of World War I / Matthew Stanley.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: [New York, New York] : Dutton, [2019]Copyright date: ©2019Description: vi, 390 pages : illustrations ; 23 cmContent type:
  • text
  • still image
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781524745417
  • 1524745413
Subject(s):
Contents:
The world of science before the war -- Science across nations -- The wars begin -- Increasing isolation -- The collapse of international science -- A vital victory -- To cross the trenches -- The borders of the universe -- The resistance to relativity -- Angels of the revolution -- The test -- The relativity circus -- Epilogue: The legacy of Einstein and Eddington.
Summary: "The birth of a world-changing idea, relativity, and how it was shaped by the social upheaval and bloody horror of the First World War"-- Provided by publisher.Summary: "The birth of a world-changing idea in the middle of a bloodbath. Einstein's War is a riveting exploration of both the beauty of scientific creativity and the enduring horrors of human nature. These two great forces battle in a story that culminates with a victory now a century old: the mind-bending theory of general relativity. Few recognize how the Great War, the industrialized slaughter that bled Europe from 1914 to 1918, shaped Einstein's life and work. While Einstein never held a rifle, he formulated general relativity while blockaded in Berlin, literally starving. He lost 50 pounds in three months, unable to communicate with his most important colleagues. Some of those colleagues fought against rabid nationalism; others were busy inventing chemical warfare--being a scientist trapped a person in the power plays of empire. Meanwhile, Einstein struggled to craft relativity and persuade the world that it was correct. This was, after all, the first complete revision of our conception of the universe since Isaac Newton's, and its victory was far from sure. Scientists seeking to confirm Einstein's ideas were arrested as spies. Technical journals were banned as enemy propaganda. Colleagues died in the trenches. Einstein was separated from his most crucial ally by barbed wire and U-boats. This ally was the Quaker astronomer and Cambridge don A.S. Eddington, who would go on to convince the world of the truth of relativity and the greatness of Einstein. In May 1919, when Europe was still in chaos from the war, Eddington led a globe-spanning expedition to catch a fleeting solar eclipse for a rare opportunity to confirm Einstein's bold prediction that light has weight. It was the result of this expedition--the proof of relativity, as many saw it--that put Einstein on front pages around the world. Matthew Stanley's epic tale is a celebration of how bigotry and nationalism can be defeated, and of what science can offer when they are."--Dust jacket.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 530.1109 S788 Available 33111009163409
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:


"Stanley is a storyteller par excellence."-- The Washington Post
Kirkus Review starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Booklist starred review

The birth of a world-changing idea in the middle of a bloodbath
Einstein's War is a riveting exploration of both the beauty of scientific creativity and enduring horrors of human nature. These two great forces battle in a story that culminates with a victory now a century old, the mind-bending theory of general relativity.

Few recognize how the Great War, the industrialized slaughter that bled Europe from 1914 to 1918, shaped Einstein's life and work. While Einstein never held a rifle, he formulated general relativity blockaded in Berlin, literally starving. He lost fifty pounds in three months, unable to communicate with his most important colleagues. Some of those colleagues fought against rabid nationalism; others were busy inventing chemical warfare--being a scientist trapped you in the power plays of empire. Meanwhile, Einstein struggled to craft relativity and persuade the world that it was correct. This was, after all, the first complete revision of our conception of the universe since Isaac Newton, and its victory was far from sure.

Scientists seeking to confirm Einstein's ideas were arrested as spies. Technical journals were banned as enemy propaganda. Colleagues died in the trenches. Einstein was separated from his most crucial ally by barbed wire and U-boats. This ally was the Quaker astronomer and Cambridge don A. S. Eddington, who would go on to convince the world of the truth of relativity and the greatness of Einstein.

In May of 1919, when Europe was still in chaos from the war, Eddington led a globe-spanning expedition to catch a fleeting solar eclipse for a rare opportunity to confirm Einstein's bold prediction that light has weight. It was the result of this expedition--the proof of relativity, as many saw it--that put Einstein on front pages around the world. Matthew Stanley's epic tale is a celebration of how bigotry and nationalism can be defeated and of what science can offer when they are.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [339]-379) and index.

The world of science before the war -- Science across nations -- The wars begin -- Increasing isolation -- The collapse of international science -- A vital victory -- To cross the trenches -- The borders of the universe -- The resistance to relativity -- Angels of the revolution -- The test -- The relativity circus -- Epilogue: The legacy of Einstein and Eddington.

"The birth of a world-changing idea, relativity, and how it was shaped by the social upheaval and bloody horror of the First World War"-- Provided by publisher.

"The birth of a world-changing idea in the middle of a bloodbath. Einstein's War is a riveting exploration of both the beauty of scientific creativity and the enduring horrors of human nature. These two great forces battle in a story that culminates with a victory now a century old: the mind-bending theory of general relativity. Few recognize how the Great War, the industrialized slaughter that bled Europe from 1914 to 1918, shaped Einstein's life and work. While Einstein never held a rifle, he formulated general relativity while blockaded in Berlin, literally starving. He lost 50 pounds in three months, unable to communicate with his most important colleagues. Some of those colleagues fought against rabid nationalism; others were busy inventing chemical warfare--being a scientist trapped a person in the power plays of empire. Meanwhile, Einstein struggled to craft relativity and persuade the world that it was correct. This was, after all, the first complete revision of our conception of the universe since Isaac Newton's, and its victory was far from sure. Scientists seeking to confirm Einstein's ideas were arrested as spies. Technical journals were banned as enemy propaganda. Colleagues died in the trenches. Einstein was separated from his most crucial ally by barbed wire and U-boats. This ally was the Quaker astronomer and Cambridge don A.S. Eddington, who would go on to convince the world of the truth of relativity and the greatness of Einstein. In May 1919, when Europe was still in chaos from the war, Eddington led a globe-spanning expedition to catch a fleeting solar eclipse for a rare opportunity to confirm Einstein's bold prediction that light has weight. It was the result of this expedition--the proof of relativity, as many saw it--that put Einstein on front pages around the world. Matthew Stanley's epic tale is a celebration of how bigotry and nationalism can be defeated, and of what science can offer when they are."--Dust jacket.

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