Thomas Levenson: The Hunt for Vulcan: . . . and How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe
Description
The captivating, all-but-forgotten story of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and the search for a planet that never existed
For more than fifty years, the world s top scientists searched for the missing planet Vulcan, whose existence was mandated by Isaac Newton s theories of gravity. Countless hours were spent on the hunt for the elusive orb, and some of the era s most skilled astronomers even claimed to have found it.
There was just one problem: It was never there.
In "The Hunt for Vulcan, " Thomas Levenson follows the visionary scientists who inhabit the story of the phantom planet, starting with Isaac Newton, who in 1687 provided an explanation for all matter in motion throughout the universe, leading to Urbain-Jean-Joseph Le Verrier, who almost two centuries later built on Newton s theories and discovered Neptune, becoming the most famous scientist in the world. Le Verrier attempted to surpass that triumph by predicting the existence of yet another planet in our solar system, Vulcan.
It took Albert Einstein to discern that the mystery of the missing planet was a problem not of measurements or math but of Newton s theory of gravity itself. Einstein s general theory of relativity proved that Vulcan did not and could not exist, and that the search for it had merely been a quirk of operating under the wrong set of assumptions about the universe. Levenson tells the previously untold tale of how the discovery of Vulcan in the nineteenth century set the stage for Einstein s monumental breakthrough, the greatest individual intellectual achievement of the twentieth century.
A dramatic human story of an epic quest, "The Hunt for Vulcan" offers insight into how science really advances (as opposed to the way we re taught about it in school) and how the best work of the greatest scientists reveals an artist s sensibility. Opening a new window onto our world, Levenson illuminates some of our most iconic ideas as he recounts one of the strangest episodes in the history of science.
Praise for "The Hunt for Vulcan"
Delightful . . . a charming tale about an all-but-forgotten episode in science history. "The Wall Street Journal"
Engaging . . . At heart, this is a story about how science advances, one insight at a time. But the immediacy, almost romance, of Levenson s writing makes it almost novelistic. "The Washington Post"
A short, beautifully produced book that tells a cautionary tale. . . . Levenson is a breezy writer who renders complex ideas in down-to-earth language. "The Boston Globe"
Looping through science history from Isaac Newton onwards, Levenson elegantly reveals the evolutionary nature of scientific thought. "Nature"
This delightful and enlightening drama tells the story of the hunt for a planet that did not exist and how Einstein resolved the mystery with the most beautiful theory in the history of science. Walter Isaacson
Equal to the best science writing I ve read anywhere, by any author. Beautifully composed, rich in historical context, deeply researched, it is, above all, great storytelling. Alan Lightman, author of "The Accidental Universe"
Levenson tells us where Vulcan came from, how it vanished, and why its spirit lurks today. Along the way, we learn more than a bit of just how science works when it succeeds as well as when it fails. Neil deGrasse Tyson
Science writing at its best. This book is not just learned, passionate, and witty it is profoundly wise. Junot Diaz"
THE SORCERER S RING has all the ingredients for an instant success: plots, counterplots, mystery, valiant knights, and blossoming relationships replete with broken hearts, deception and betrayal. It will keep you entertained for hours, and will satisfy all ages. Recommended for the permanent library of all fantasy readers. --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos The #1 Bestseller! From #1 Bestselling author Morgan Rice comes the debut of a dazzling new fantasy series. A QUEST OF HEROES (BOOK #1 IN THE SORCERER S RING) revolves around the epic coming of age story The Hunt for Vulcan: . . . and How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe download book of one special boy, a 14 year old from a small village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of the Ring. The youngest of four, the least favorite of his father, hated by his brothers, Thorgrin senses he is different from the others. He dreams of becoming a great warrior, of joining the King s men and protecting the Ring from the hordes of creatures on the other side of the Canyon. When he comes of age and is forbidden by his father to try out for the King s Legion, he refuses to take no for an answer: he journeys out on his own, determined to force his way into King s Court and be taken seriously. But King s Court is rife with its own family dramas, power struggles, ambitions, jealousy, violence and betrayal. King MacGil must choose an heir from amongst his children, and the ancient Dynasty Sword, the source of all their power, still sits untouched, waiting for the chosen one to arrive. Thorgrin arrives as an outsider and battles to be accepted, and to join the King s Legion. Thorgrin comes to learn he has mysterious powers he does not understand, that he has a special gift, and a special destiny. Against all odds he falls in love with the king s daughter, and as their forbidden relationship blossoms, he discovers he has powerful rivals. As he struggles to make sense of his powers, the king s sorcerer takes him under his wing and tells him of a mother he never knew, in a land far away, beyond the Canyon, beyond even the land of the Dragons. Before Thorgrin can venture out and become the warrior he yearns to be, he must complete his training. But this may be cut short, as he finds himself propelled into the center of royal plots and counterplots, ones that may threaten his love and bring him down and the entire kingdom with him. With its sophisticated world-building and characterization, A QUEST OF HEROES is an epic tale of friends and lovers, of rivals and suitors, of knights and dragons, of intrigues and political machinations, of coming of age, of broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is a tale of honor and courage, of fate and destiny, of sorcery. It is a fantasy that brings us into a world we will never forget, and which will appeal to all ages and genders. It is 82,000 words. Books #3--#17 in the series are now also available! [An] entertaining epic fantasy. Kirkus Reviews The beginnings of something remarkable are there. --San Francisco Book Review Action-packed . Rice's writing is solid and the premise intriguing. --Publishers Weekly A spirited fantasy .Only the beginning of what promises to be an epic young adult series. --Midwest Book Review"
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Author: Thomas Levenson
Number of Pages: 256 pages
Published Date: 03 Nov 2015
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE
Publication Country: United States
Language: English
ISBN: 9780812998986
Download Link: Click Here
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