Cambridge Scientific Minds

About this book

Provides a portrait of some of the most eminent scientists associated with Cambridge University over the past 400 years, including accounts of the work of three of the greatest figures in the entire history of science, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and James Clerk Maxwell. The chronological balance reflects the increasing importance of science in the recent history of the University. The book comprises personal memoirs and historical essays, including contributions by leading Cambridge scientists.

Contents

Introduction Peter Harman; 1. William Gilbert Stephen Pumfrey; 2. William Harvey Andrew Cunningham; 3. Isaac Newton Rupert Hall; 4. William Whewell Richard Yeo; 5. Adam Sedgwick David Oldroyd; 6. Charles Babbage Anthony Hyman; 7. Charles Darwin Peter Bowler; 8. Stokes and Kelvin David Wilson; 9. James Clerk Maxwell Simon Schaffer; 10. Russell and Whitehead Ivor Grattan-Guinness; 11. Thomson and Rutherford Brian Pippard; 12. Gowland Hopkins Harmke Kamminga; 13. Sherrington and Adrian Tilli Tansey; 14. Hardy and Littlewood Robin Wilson; 15. Arthur Eddington Malcolm Longair; 16. Paul Dirac Helge Kragh; 17. Alan Turing Andrew Hodges; 18. Crick and Watson Robert Olby; 19. Mary Cartwright Tom Korner; 20. Joseph Needham Gregory Blue; 21. Molecular biology Max Perutz; 22. Radioastronomy Antony Hewish; 23. Stephen Hawking Simon Mitton.

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Biography

Peter Harman is Professor of the History of Science at Lancaster University. At Cambridge he lectured in the history of science and was a Research Fellow of Clare Hall. He has written several books published by Cambridge University Press. Simon Mitton studied physics at the University of Oxford, following which he did a PhD in radio astronomy at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. He is the Senior Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge. This is his tenth book.