Ideally, I'm looking at something similar to Russell's History of Philosophy but for science. I am studying the history of philosophy right now, and I'd like to complement the curriculum with some reading on the history of science.
You have to like his writing style but bill Bryson’s short history of everything. James burke’s day the universe changed is thought provoking and bronowski’s ascent of man is also good.<p>Timothy Ferris (not that one) and John gribbin have also trod this area.
For "serious" studies - for mathematics there are lot of really good books that go through the evolution of the methodologies over the centuries - I've read David Bressoud's "Calculus Reordered" and John Stillwell's "Mathematics and it's history" and can recommend both.<p>For physics the field is so wide it's hard to pinpoint where to start. On Quantum Physics Jim Baggot's "The meaning of Quantum Theory" is the best introductory text by any measure for "mediacore academics" like myself. It tries to hand hold the reader through the firs steps of the historical evolution of quantum theory and why quantum theory is so weird as it is - as a physics MSc I wish I had read this book two decades ago :)<p>For "light" approach the newer "Cosmos" series is pretty damn good in highlighting some of the key scientific work of past centuries. Don't let the cute animation fool you, this is deep, deep stuff and the producers should be regarded among the top science communicators. I've never seen a better "generalist" explanation for Faraday's and Maxwell's work, the discovery Cepheid variable stars and lots of other stuff.
<i>The Perfectionists</i> by Simon Winchester isn't so much a survey of fundamental scientific advancements, but precision engineering goes hand in hand with modern developments in physics, chemistry, microbiology, and medicine. Simply skimming the index of that book, or Starrett's catalogues, can provide some hints about things that might be overlooked in a general history of (modern) science. Scientific <i>ideas</i> come from the famous scientists, but scientific progress relies on experimental apparatus, which require tools. Actual products people can use also require tools to build. Those tools, and where and when they came from, are rarely emphasized in scientific histories.<p>There's also <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Inventors_Hall_of_Fame_inductees" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Inventors_Hal...</a>
For astronomy, I suggest The Universe, From Flat Earth to Quasar by Isaac Asimov [1]. Even though it was published in 1971 and may miss recent developments, it captures thehistory, the discoveries and controversies of the times, such as Olber's Paradox, very well.<p>[1]. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Universe/Eo5xpO83YpoC?hl=en" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Universe/Eo5xpO83Yp...</a><p>[2]. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olbers'_paradox" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olbers'_paradox</a>
Coming of age in the Milky Way by Timothy Ferris<p>I loved this one because it covers a lot of ground and includes a lot of fascinating detail around the human factors and personalities involved.
If you want to be really challenged, I'd highly recommend checking out <i>The Tyranny of Science</i> by Paul K. Feyerabend.[0] Whether you agree with the points made or not, you'll definitely learn a lot and realize a lot even from arguing against his points.<p>[0] <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Tyranny+of+Science-p-9780745651897" rel="nofollow">https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Tyranny+of+Science-p-9780745...</a>
The Middle ("Medieval") Ages had a lot going on:<p>* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God%27s_Philosophers" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God%27s_Philosophers</a><p>* <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2071784.God_s_Clockmaker" rel="nofollow">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2071784.God_s_Clockmaker</a><p><i>The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science</i> by Seb Faulk was recently (2020) published and won a few awards (lots of interview on YouTube):<p>* <a href="https://twitter.com/Seb_Falk" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/Seb_Falk</a><p><i>Intellectual Curiosity and the Scientific Revolution</i> and <i>The Rise of Early Modern Science</i> by Toby Huff:<p>* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toby_Huff" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toby_Huff</a><p>If you're doing philosophy and science, you may be curious about law: see <i>The Medieval Origins of the Legal Profession</i> by Brundage:<p>* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Brundage" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Brundage</a>
Not a book but a podcast from Stephen Wolfram. Leaving it here in case it is useful.<p>1. A Brief History of Science with Stephen Wolfram - <a href="https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram/sets/a-brief-history-of-science-with-stephen-wolframlive-from-the-wolfram-summer-school" rel="nofollow">https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram/sets/a-brief-history-o...</a><p>2. A Very Brief History of Mathematics - <a href="https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram/a-very-brief-history-of-mathematics" rel="nofollow">https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram/a-very-brief-history-o...</a><p>3. An Informal History of Physics - <a href="https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram/history-of-physics" rel="nofollow">https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram/history-of-physics</a><p>There maybe more here - <a href="https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram" rel="nofollow">https://soundcloud.com/stephenwolfram</a>
<i>The Ascent of Man</i> by Jacob Bronowski<p><i>A Short History of Nearly Everything</i> by Bill Bryson<p><i>Galileo’s Pendulum: From the Rhythm of Time to the Making of Matter</i> by Roger G Newton<p><i>From Clockwork to Crapshoot: A History of Physics</i> by Roger G Newton<p><i>Connections</i> by James Burke<p><i>The Day The Universe Changed</i> by James Burke<p>re Math:
<i>Everything and More A Compact History of Infinity</i> by David Foster Wallace
Koyre's From the Closed World to Infinite Universe<p>Koyre is basically the orginator of the history of science. This was his popularization.<p>Einstein & Infeld's Evolution of Physics<p>Picks up where Koyre leaves off.
Isaac Asimov wrote a lot of non-fiction books a lot of them are succinct descriptions of scientific discoveries: <a href="https://asimov.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Non-Fiction" rel="nofollow">https://asimov.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Non-Fiction</a>
The Faber Book of Science by John Carey<p>I’m a professional HN lurker but I can’t not contribute this one. The book all scientists should have read and would love, but haven’t heard about…<p>“The editor of the internationally acclaimed Eyewitness to History now charts the development of modern science. In this first anthology of its kind, Carey chooses accounts by scientists themselves--astronomers and physicists, biologists, chemists, psychologists--that are both arrestingly written and clear. Contributors include Carl Sagan, Charles Darwin, Stephen Jay Gould, Oliver Sacks, Lewis Thomas, Rachel Carson, Sigmund Freud, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and scores of others.”<p>Hope you enjoy!
The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood by James Gleick<p>This is specific to "Information, communication, and information theory." but it's still quite broad and a great read.
Try the Open Syllabus Project, a database of college syllabuses. You can find which books are most recommended by history of science professors to their classes. In some ways, it's the best source of information, objectively-measured consensus from domain experts.<p><a href="http://opensyllabusproject.org/" rel="nofollow">http://opensyllabusproject.org/</a><p>Caveat: I haven't used it in awhile and I don't remember how the search tools work.
I recommend the series of books by Morris Kline on mathematics and its connection with other spheres of activity. They're all good, but I especially liked _Mathematics in Western Culture_ and _Mathematics and the Physical World_. I know that math isn't science, but, since math underlies much of science and a lot of everything else, you gain a deeper understanding of the development of ideas in science by reading Kline's books.
I've read a couple dozen. Best by far is David Wootton's The Invention of Science. Wootton has the language skills to work through the primary materials, and shows how in 100 years we went from educated people believing in werewolves and possession to having a modern, materialist understanding of reality.<p><a href="https://www.inventionofscience.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.inventionofscience.com</a>
James Burke's "Connections" series also has books by the same name. <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections_(British_documentary)" rel="nofollow">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections_(British_documen...</a>
Noteworthy in that they show discovery and invention happen in context.
I’ll second “Making of the Atomic Bomb” as an excellent history of modern physics tied to a great narrative.<p>For Biology I really enjoyed “A Brief History of Creation”, high level overview of all of the advances to understand what we are made of.<p>“Eight Day of Creation” is supposed to be incredible but it’s the size of the text book so I keep reaching past it on my desk
Ivar Ekeland's <i>The Best of All Possible Worlds</i><p>> "Ivar Ekeland takes readers on a journey through scientific attempts to envision the best of all possible worlds. He begins with the French mathematician Maupertuis, whose least action principle [...] was a pivotal breakthrough in science, because it was the first expression of the concept of <i>optimization</i>, or the design of systems that are the most efficient or functional. [...] Tracing the profound impact of optimization and the unexpected ways in which it has influenced the study of mathematics, biology, economics, and even politics, Ekeland reveals throughout how the idea of optimization has driven some of our greatest intellectual breakthroughs..."<p>Very readable style, and a lot of historical context around the names of scientists I've only heard in passing.
Some few I liked a lot:<p>* Bill Bryson's A brief history of Everything<p>* Siddartha Mukherjee's The Gene: an intimate history and The Emperor of All Maladies (on Cancer)<p>* Carl Zimmer's Evolution, the triumph of an idea<p>* James Gleick's Information, A History, a Theory, a Flood<p>* Walter Isacson's Codebreaker about the creation of the CRISPR -CAS9 gene editing technology
- <i>The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution</i> by Walter Isaacson is a great book that taught me a lot. It covers the gradual discovery of computers from Babbage and comes to modern ages. I highly recommend it. This book is also very fun to read.<p>- <i>Seven Brief Lessons in Physics</i> by Carlo Rovelli is a brief, enjoyable, and great read. This book is good for both layperson and experts.<p>- <i>Albert Einstein</i> is Einstein's biography by Walter Isaacson. Really nice book.<p>- <i>The Life and Science of Richard Feynman</i> by James Gleick (author of Chaos and The Information) is another great biography. This biography shows the evolution of his science as well as evolution of his person and thoughts. Great book. Background in Physics will be very helpful if you want to read this one.<p>- <i>The Mathematical Experience</i> David, Hersh is a very succinct and pleasant book on the history of Maths. Will recommend.<p>- <i>Alan Turing: The Enigma</i> by Andrew Hodges is a good mathematician's biography. I have not finished it, but fully intend to.<p>- I have just read some of <i>The Man from the Future</i> by Ananyo Bhattyacharya is a biography of John von Neumann. It already seems very good and I plan to read through the end.<p>- <i>The Annotated Turing</i> deals a lot with history and is a read of a lifetime.<p>____<p>- I have not read <i>A Mind at Work</i> yet. It is a biography of Claude Shanon. I would recommend you to check it out.<p>- Sylvia Nasar's <i>A Beautiful Mind</i> is also recommended highly. I plan to read it.<p>____<p>I have recently watched a BBC Documentary that I thoroughly liked. One of its themes that had striken me was the change of science from fully deterministic to probabilistic. It's an extremely important paradigm shift for all of science.<p>The name is <i>Dangerous Knowledge</i> (2007).<p>The people covered are- Cantor, Boltzmann, Godel, and Turing.
Anything by P J Bowler is worth a look. He and Morus wrote the first "textbook" on history of science. "Making Modern Science: A Historical Survey" - disclaimer I was their student when they were writing this.<p>Full bibliography here: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Bowler" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Bowler</a><p>Iwan Rhys Morus also has some good books on Faraday/Tesla and his own illustrated history of science and way back to his "Bodies/Machines" from 2002.<p>They take a general view that is cynical of the "revoluions" fallacy in historigraphical approaches to the history of sciences.
I highly highly highly recommend The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn. It's where the term paradigm shift is from.<p>This book had the large effect on my way of thinking of any book I've read in at least the last decade.
"The Switch" [0]<p>This set of blog posts that turned into a book is a great history of the underlying technologies that ultimately led to the computer, from the discovery of electricity onward. It's not a complete history of science, as it focuses on just one area, but it really brings out the nature of the interaction of discovery and practical development within their social context. I found it fascinating and enlightening.<p>[0] <a href="https://technicshistory.com/the-switch/" rel="nofollow">https://technicshistory.com/the-switch/</a>
"The Eighth Day of Creation" is a second-hand account of the discovery of DNA and the molecular biotechnology revolution that followed. It's like watching da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa.
It's not quite what you're asking (more about engineering, and only post-war British projects, from Black Knight to the Beagle probe), but <i>Backroom Boys</i> by Francis Spufford is very interesting.<p>I especially liked the battle to sequence and publish the human genome before Celera could do the same and slap down a patent on it. The story of the development of <i>Elite</i> is also a fun insight into the challenges of programming in the 80s where every byte mattered.
I enjoyed "The Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors" by John Gribbin so much I've read it twice.
I recommend "What is this thing called Science?" by A. F. Chalmers. It describes how science came about and how scientific principles were established. I found it highly accessible.<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_This_Thing_Called_Science%3F" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_This_Thing_Called_Scie...</a>
I would very much suggest both biographical and idea focused sources.<p>For me, the absolute best written is Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes. It covers a large swatch of British Science from Newton to Maxwell.<p>Other good reads are<p>1. The Invention of Science by Wootton (which is very academic in style),<p>2. The Wizard and the Prophet by Mann<p>3. Galileo At Work by Drake<p>4. Newton by Gleik.
The Scientific Method: An Evolution of Thinking from Darwin to Dewey is excellent -> <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0674976193/" rel="nofollow">https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0674976193/</a>
Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life.<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_and_the_Air-Pump" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_and_the_Air-Pump</a>
I found The Mechanization of the World Picture <a href="https://g.co/kgs/nzDC5R" rel="nofollow">https://g.co/kgs/nzDC5R</a> by EJ Dijksterhuis to be simple and precise overview with tons of examples
Life is Simple <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56643989-life-is-simple" rel="nofollow">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56643989-life-is-simple</a>
The Grand Contraption by David Park. One of the most beautifully written non-fiction books I've ever read. Park was a professor of physics at Williams College. Published by Princeton University Press.