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Childhood; interest in horology and in collecting scientific instruments, experience in cryptography; discussion of his publications; preserved documents of Thomas Jefferson and early methods for reproducing documents; research at The Vatican; work at The Smithsonian Institution: difficulties in acquisitions, discussion of various collections and exhibits, especially rare books, problems with replicas and fakes, museum management, the future of the Smithsonian Institution.
The eighteenth century has often been viewed as a period of relative decline in the field of microscopy, as interest in microscopes seemed to wane after an intense period of discovery in the seventeenth century. As such, developments in the field during the Enlightenment have been largely overlooked. This book therefore fills a considerable gap in the study of this life science, providing a thorough analysis of what the main concerns of the field were and how microscopists learned to communicate with each other in relevant ways in order to compare results and build a new discipline. Employing a substantial body of contemporary literature from across Europe, Marc J. Ratcliff is able to presen...
In a series of essays that examine Thomas Jefferson’s own writings, Holowchak investigates the always profound and often provocative ideas of this founding father. Dutiful Correspondent explores Thomas Jefferson as a philosopher in his own right. Holowchak expands our view of Jefferson by examining his own words on issues such as race, politics, ethics, education, and the intersection of philosophy and science.
Since 1981, the Scientific Instrument Commission has provided a forum for annual international discussion of topics close to the hearts of those caring for and researching historic scientific instruments. During these years, increasing professionalisation of curatorship and deepened engagement by historians have led to important changes in these roles. This volume is a cornucopia illustrating how instrument studies have changed and flourished over the past forty years. Four chapters review the work of the Scientific Instrument Commission by decade. The remaining chapters consider the historiography of instrument studies, the cataloguing of collections, historic instruments in exhibitions and...
Describes the life of the African American scientist who taught himself complex mathematics and astonomy, spoke out against slavery, and even corresponded with President Thomas Jefferson.
"A fascinating account" of the secret Virginia facility code-named PO Box 1142, where the US gathered intelligence and interrogated German prisoners ( Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International). About fifteen miles south of Washington, DC, Fort Hunt, Virginia is a green open space enjoyed by residents. But not so long ago, it was the site of one of the highest-level clandestine operations of World War II. Shortly after the US entered the war, the military realized it had to work on exploiting any advantages it might gain on the Axis Powers. One part of this endeavor was to establish a secret facility not too close to—but also not too far from—the Pentagon, which would...
Examines the court of Pope Leo X in sixteenth-century Rome, and discusses the popularity of the Pope's white elephant, Hanno, a gift from the king of Portugal.
Though we most often think of Jefferson as president and statesman, he is also recognized, in the words of the late Dumas Malone, "as an American pioneer in numerous branches of science, notably paleontology, ethnology, geography, and botany." In this fascinating book, Silvio Bedini, the acknowledged authority on Jefferson's "supreme delight" in the sciences, explores his wide-ranging mathematical and scientific pursuits. Taught surveying by his map-making father, Jefferson developed an interest in measurement and observation at an early age. He was captivated not only by the topography around him, but also by the stars and planets in the heavens above and by the minerals, fossils, artifacts, and plants in the soil below. Known internationally as a man of learning and as the long-serving president of the American Philosophical Society, Jefferson read widely, corresponded with other science enthusiasts worldwide, promoted scientific exploration--most notably, the Lewis and Clark expedition--and performed his own diverse experiments. Painting a broad picture of Jefferson as scientist, this book offers a captivating new look at one of America's great Renaissance men.