In his deft review of how the total solar eclipse in 1919 illuminated
Einstein's famous general theory of relativity Peter Coles helps make some
difficult but hugely important scientific ideas come to life and he shows
how those ideas and society itself interconnect. He starts with a brief
review of Newtonian physics and how Einstein's ideas shifted the
scientific paradigm of his day. He then cites some interesting
"Thought Experiments" that help the reader to figure the
conceptual leaps that Einstein made and built into his theories. Coles
goes on to show how the Cumbrian astronomer Arthur Eddington's work to
prove Einstein's theories helped to propel the famous scientist (who wrote
his early, arguably most important work, when he was still a patent clerk)
to iconic status. "Science does not deal with "rights" and
"wrongs"--It deals instead with descriptions of reality that are
either "useful" or "not useful". Science is not a
religion and should not pretend to be one." An excellent introduction
to an important figure.
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Einstein
& Total Eclipse
