Wonders of Physical Science

Wonders of Physical Science turns discovery into adventure, inviting young readers to see science as a living search for truth rather than a list of facts. It begins in ancient Syracuse with Archimedes, the great thinker who used levers, mechanics, and a flash of insight in the bath to solve the king's crown mystery and reveal the principle of displacement. From his brilliant defense of the city to his dramatic death at Roman hands, Archimedes stands as the book's first emblem of curiosity in action. The story then moves to Alexandria, where its lighthouse, library, and university nurtured minds like Aristarchus, who estimated the sun's distance, Eratosthenes, who measured the earth, and Heron, whose clocks, lamps, goblets, and surveying tools joined invention with practical proof. Arabia follows, with its desert strength, the rise of Islam, and the scientific work of Alhazen on the nature of light. Papin then carries the tale toward the steam age through pumps, pressure, diving-bells, and the piston-and-cylinder engine. Finally, the book opens the door to electricity with amber's mysterious power to attract straw and dust. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.