Marvels of Science

KENDALL HAVEN is a nationally recognized master storyteller and the author of numerous books, including Marvels of Math, Write Right!, and Close Encounters with Deadly Dangers. A former research scientist, he is based in Fulton, California.

• ContentsContentsContentsIntroduction xiiiHow to Use This Book xviiAlphabetical List of Stories by Scientist xixList of Stories by Date xxiPhysical SciencesPhysics—General 3Teetering at the Beginning of Knowledge A story of Archimedes's discovery of the lever principle in 259 B.C. 3Library Link 6Topics to Explore 6References for Further Reading 7The Fall of Galileo A story of Galileo Galilei's discovery in 1598 that all objects fall at the same rate 8Library Link 10Topics to Explore 10References for Further Reading 10A Weighty Matter A story of Evangelista Torricelli's discovery of air pressure in 1640–1642 11Library Link 13Topics to Explore 13References for Further Reading 14Apples, Moons, and Questions A story about Sir Isaac Newton's discovery of the principles of gravity in 1666 15Library Link 18Topics to Explore 18References for Further Reading 19Compressing the Truth A story of Robert Boyle's discovery in 1668 of the "compressibility" of air 20Library Link 23Topics to Explore 23References for Further Reading 23Boring in on the Flow of Heat A story of Count Rumford's discovery of frictional heat in 1790 24Library Link 27Topics to Explore 27References for Further Reading 27The Truth About Monsieur Le Blanc A story about Sophie Germain's struggle to enter the world of math and science in 1794 28Library Link 31Topics to Explore 31References for Further Reading 31Faster Than a Speeding Bullet A story of Albert Michelson's measurement of the speed of light in 1928 32Library Link 35Topics to Explore 35References for Further Reading 35A Beeline to Physics A story of Shirley Jackson's early attempts to study matter, energy, and motion in 1955 36Library Link 39Topics to Explore 39References for Further Reading 40Physics—Electricity 41A Spark of Genius A story of Benjamin Franklin's discovery in 1750 that lightning and static electricity are the same 41Library Link 43Topics to Explore 43References for Further Reading 44The Thread of Invention A story of Thomas Edison's invention of the light bulb in 1879 45Library Link 48Topics to Explore 48References for Further Reading 48A Ray of Insight A story of Wilhelm Roentgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895 49Library Link 52Topics to Explore 52References for Further Reading 52Physics—Electrical Communications 53The Code for Success A story of Samuel Morse's invention of the telegraph in 1852 53Library Link 57Topics to Explore 57References for Further Reading 57The Call of Greatness A story of Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1875 58Library Link 61Topics to Explore 61References for Further Reading 61A Signal to His Father A story of Guglielmo Marconi's invention of the radio in 1894 62Library Link 65Topics to Explore 65References for Further Reading 65Physics—Transportation 67All Steamed Up A story of James Watt's invention of the steam engine in 1778 67Library Link 70Topics to Explore 70References for Further Reading 70The Drive for Perfection The story of Berta and Karl Benz's invention of the motor car in 1886 71Library Link 74Topics to Explore 74References for Further Reading 74Launching a Scientist A story about Robert Goddard's first attempts at rocketry in 1887 75Library Link 78Topics to Explore 78References for Further Reading 78A Warped Idea A story of Orville and Wilbur Wright's invention of a motorized airplane in 1903–1905 79Library Link 82Topics to Explore 82References for Further Reading 82Chemistry 83An Explosive Idea A story of Roger Bacon's discovery of gunpowder in 1261 83Library Link 86Topics to Explore 86References for Further Reading 86The Measure of His Success A story of Antoine Lavoisier's discovery of the conservation of matter in 1771 87Library Link 90Topics to Explore 90References for Further Reading 90A Breath of Fresh Air A story of Joseph Priestley's discovery of oxygen in 1774 91Library Link 94Topics to Explore 94References for Further Reading 94A Liter of Mystery A story of Amedeo Avogadro's discovery of molecules in 1811 95Library Link 99Topics to Explore 99References for Further Reading 99The Smell of Success A story of Charles Goodyear's invention of vulcanized rubber in 1837–1839 100Library Link 104Topics to Explore 104References for Further Reading 104A Research Headache A story of Charles Gerhardt's discovery of aspirin in 1851 105Library Link 108Topics to Explore 108References for Further Reading 108Rod-Wax to Riches A story of Robert Chesebrough's discovery of petroleum jelly in 1859 109Library Link 111Topics to Explore 111References for Further Reading 111A Note of Inspiration A story of Dmitri Mendelyeev's creation of the periodic chart of elements in 1869 112Library Link 115Topics to Explore 115References for Further Reading 115A Glowing Discovery A story of Marie Curie's discovery of radium in 1897–1901 116Library Link 120Topics to Explore 120References for Further Reading 120A Crystal-Clear View of Science A story of Dorothy Hodgkin's discovery of the structure of a penicillin molecule in 1943 121Library Link 125Topics to Explore 125References for Further Reading 125Funny Rubber A story of James Wright's invention of Silly Putty® in 1944 126Library Link 129Topics to Explore 129References for Further Reading 129An Ounce of Correction A story about Bette Nesmith's invention of Liquid Paper® in 1952 130Library Link 133Topics to Explore 133References for Further Reading 133Sticking to Basics A story of Spencer Silver's invention of Post-it Notes® in 1970 134Library Link 136Topics to Explore 136References for Further Reading 136Life SciencesBiology—General 139The Evolution of a Voyage A story of Charles Darwin's discovery of the principles of species evolution in 1835 139Library Link 142Topics to Explore 142References for Further Reading 142Spontaneous War A story of Louis Pasteur's discovery of microbes in 1858 143Library Link 146Topics to Explore 146References for Further Reading 146The Dawn of Blood A story of Florence Sabin's discovery of the origin of blood in 1917 147Library Link 149Topics to Explore 149References for Further Reading 150Shark Bait A story of Eugenie Clark's discovery in 1956 of shark intelligence 151Library Link 154Topics to Explore 154References for Further Reading 154Biology—Heredity 155Green Pea, Yellow Pea A story of Gregor Mendel's discovery of dominant and recessive genes in 1865 155Library Link 158Topics to Explore 158References for Further Reading 158The Fly Room A story of T. H. Morgan's discoveries in the field of heredity in 1910 159Library Link 162Topics to Explore 162References for Further Reading 162What the Mold Told The story of George Beadle's discovery of the function of genes in 1934 163Library Link 167Topics to Explore 167References for Further Reading 167Jumping Genes A story of Barbara McClintock's discoveries about the function of genes in 1950 168Library Link 171Topics to Explore 171References for Further Reading 171Medical Research 173AB or Not AB A story of Karl Landsteiner's discovery of different human blood types in 1897 173Library Link 176Topics to Explore 176References for Further Reading 176The Sweet Juice of Success A story of Frederick Banting's discovery of insulin in 1920 177Library Link 181Topics to Explore 181References for Further Reading 181Miracle Mold A story of Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin 182Library Link 184Topics to Explore 184References for Further Reading 185Skin Deep Success A story of Jewell Cobb's discovery in 1982 of a link between skin pigment and resistance to cancer treatments 186Library Link 189Topics to Explore 189References for Further Reading 189Earth SciencesAstronomy 193Circles in the Sky A story of Nicolaus Copernicus' discovery in 1499 that the earth is not the center of the universe 193Library Link 197Topics to Explore 197References for Further Reading 197The Orbit of Truth A story of Galilei's discovery in 1619 that Copernicus was right 198Library Link 201Topics to Explore 201References for Further Reading 201A Gold Medal Speck of Light A story of Maria Mitchell's discovery of a comet in 1847 202Library Link 204Topics to Explore 204References for Further Reading 204Geology 205The Sands of Time A story of James Hutton's discovery in 1792 of the forces building up and tearing down the earth 205Library Link 208Topics to Explore 208References for Further Reading 208Putting the Truth on Ice A story of Jean Louis Agassiz's discovery in 1837 of the ice ages 209Library Link 212Topics to Explore 212References for Further Reading 212Other Earth Sciences 213Nutty Science A story of George Washington Carver's discovery in 1921 of more than 300 uses for the peanut 213Library Link 217Topics to Explore 217References for Further Reading 217Library Link Answers 219Index 235About the Author 238