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The Pinball Effect: How Renaissance Water Gardens Made the Carburetor Possible—And Other Journeys Through Knowledge

The Pinball Effect: How Renaissance Water Gardens Made the Carburetor Possible—And Other Journeys Through Knowledge

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Follow the bouncing ball, James Burke-style: spice trading in the Middle Ages leads to the European tea-drinking craze, which helps instigate the development of the science of natural history, which in turns inspires the creation of the coal miner's safety lamp, which is somehow related to the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack. From there we go to North Carolina cotton industry, Thomas Edison's very first electric power station, air conditioning, glass manufacturing, and laser beams. The end result? The smart bombs used during the Gulf War. Burke, who wrote Connections (the book and the television show), revels--or better, wallows--in the accidental nature of the march of discovery. Despite a penchant for playing it loose and free with scientific and historical accuracy, Burke has compiled a fascinating look at the great matrix of change and transformation that humans have created for themselves.

Details of Book

ISBN13: 9780316116022
ISBN10: 0316116025
Language: English
Publication Year: 1996
Format: Hardcover

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A note on book covers: while we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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  • One Line Summary

    Explores how interconnected discoveries shape human progress.

  • Who is this book for?

    If you're curious about the tangled web of human innovation, this book is a delightful journey through unexpected connections. Burke's lively storytelling makes complex history both accessible and captivating, perfect for anyone fascinated by how one discovery leads to the next in surprising ways.

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