The Dawn of Science: Glimpses from History for the Curious Mind

Padmanabhan, T. and Padmanabhan, V.

Springer, Heidelberg (2019).

The book can be ordered from this site: Springer or from Amazon

The Preface, Chapter highlights and Contents are available here as a pdf file.

This lucid and captivating book takes the reader back to the early history of all the sciences, starting from antiquity and ending roughly at the time of Newton - covering the period which can legitimately be called the "dawn" of the sciences. Each of the 24 chapters focuses on a particular and significant development in the evolution of science, and is connected in a coherent way to the others to yield a smooth, continuous narrative. The at-a-glance diagrams showing the "When" and "Where" give a brief summary of what was happening at the time, thereby providing the broader context of the scientific events highlighted in that chapter. Embellished with colourful photographs and illustrations, and "boxed" highlights scattered throughout the text, this book is a must-read for everyone interested in the history of science, and how it shaped our world today.

• Presents an entertaining exposition of the early history of all branches of science intended for a lay person

• Ample illustrations enhance the narrative and supplement the text

• Authors stand out for both their scientific and pedagogical skills

• Useful "Where" and "When" illustrations help readers to gain insight into the "bigger picture"