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How do you measure the size of the planet you're standing on?
"Circumference" is the story of what happened when one man asked himself that very question. Nicholas Nicastro brings to life one of history's greatest experiments when an ancient Greek named Eratosthenes first accurately determined the distance around the spherical earth. In this fascinating narrative history, Nicastro takes a look at a deceptively simple but stunning achievement made by one man, millennia ago, with only the simplest of materials at his disposal. How was he able to measure the land at a time when distance was more a matter of a shrug and a guess at the time spent on a donkey's back? How could he be so confident in the assumptions that underlay his calculations: that the earth was round and the sun so far away that its rays struck the ground in parallel lines? Was it luck or pure scientific genius? Nicastro brings readers on a trip into a long-vanished world that prefigured modernity in many ways, where neither Eratosthenes' reputation, nor the validity of his method, nor his leadership of the Great Library of Alexandria were enough to convince all his contemporaries about the dimensions of the earth. Eratosthenes' results were debated for centuries until he was ultimately vindicated almost 2000 years later, during the great voyages of exploration. "Circumference" is a compelling scientific detective story that transports readers back to a time when humans had no idea how big their world was--and the fate of a man who dared to measure the incomprehensible.
- Sales Rank: #693585 in Books
- Published on: 2015-03-10
- Released on: 2015-03-10
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.27" h x .62" w x 5.48" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 240 pages
Most helpful customer reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
A Scholarly Work
By George Poirier
Despite its title and subtitle, there is much more in this book than a description of Eratosthenes's attempt to measure the earth's circumference. Roughly the first half of the book contains information on the ancient world as it existed at about the time that Eratosthenes lived. Topics discussed include: the origin and evolution of the city of Alexandria, the people who lived and worked there, the Museum and Library, other landmarks, the politics, the local kings, the thinkers of the period, etc. In the second half of the book, more technical details are presented on Eratosthenes' measurement of the earth's circumference, e.g., his methods, his results as given in the ancient unit "stade", detective work in converting the stade into modern miles, etc. Also discussed are attempts, over the centuries since Eratosthenes's time, to explore and map the globe and even circumnavigate it. The writing style is scholarly, often witty and generally quite engaging - the second half, in my opinion, is particularly gripping.
Unfortunately, there is an error on page 140, near the bottom. Here it is stated that "... the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere is the day when the earth's axis is perpendicular to the plane of its solar orbit". This is incorrect; the earth's axis is never perpendicular to the plane of its solar orbit (the ecliptic); it is currently at about 23.5 degrees off from being perpendicular to the ecliptic and this angle varies somewhat (oscillates) over long periods of time. The first day of spring (vernal equinox), is the day when solar rays hit the earth's surface perpendicular at the equator at local noon, i.e., the sun is directly overhead, as correctly stated in the sentence following the above quote. Simply eliminating the sentence that includes the above quote would easily fix the problem.
Aside from this minor point, this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone; however, based on its scholarly bent and its subject matter, it will likely be most relished by the more serious ancient history/science buffs.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
Pleasant read
By Mitchell R. Alegre
"Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro is the story of how the ancient Greek scholar Eratosthenes was the first to accurately determine the earth's circumference. Nicastro admits in his preface that little is known about Eratosthenes, and that lack of knowledge is evident in the book. Most of the volume is a wide-ranging history of the Hellenistic period during which Eratosthenes lived. It is not until nearly halfway into the book that Nicastro begins a detailed exploration of Eratosthenes's efforts to determine the earth's girth. The author does have an accessible writing style. I found the last chapter the most interesting when Nicastro explains the consequences of Eratosthenes's work for Europe's sixteenth century explorers. "Circumference" is a quick and pleasant read that provides an easily understood history of ancient scholarship.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Historical Spinning
By Darwin8u
A nice exploration of the history of one of mathematics more elusive thinkers. IN the spirit of Sobel's 'Longitude,' etc., Nicastro adeptly explores the times, the problem, and the solutions that guided Eratosthenes.
Anyone who loves the history of science and math will enjoy this book.
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