Overview

Scotland's Science - Stories of pioneering science, engineering and medicine (1550-1900) is one of the most important popular science books published in recent years. In a series of entertaining and engaging essays, it describes how a small nation on the northwest fringe of Europe produced, over a period of three centuries, an outpouring of scientific genius. From John Napier to James Watt, James Young Simpson to Joseph Lister, Mary Somerville to Lord Kelvin and James Clerk Maxwell, the book tells the stories of the pioneering scientists, engineers and medical doctors who drove Scotland's scientific awakening and enlightenment. They made some of the most insightful discoveries and innovations that have shaped our modern world. Their stories beautifully fill an important and surprising gap in Scotland's historical literature - and in the general history of science.

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9781739202330

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Reviews

"""An outstanding history of Scottish ingenuity...a well-organised book and a brilliant read...as a fellow Scot I enjoyed it immensely. I like how the history of science was interspersed with other relevant parts of Scottish history. Well done."" Tom Boles, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society ""Curated to a calibre I haven't seen in other history books, and I truly admire the work that must have gone in to writing it. I would recommend this book to school and university libraries across Scotland (and the UK more widely...) I can say that this book will sit on my bookshelf proudly, and I would encourage others to do the same - whether you're a student, a teacher, or just someone like me who is fascinated by the great minds of our brilliant wee country."" Jordan Murray, theGIST (the Glasgow Insight into Science and Technology) ""Edifying and enjoyable... this is a welcome addition to anyone interested in modern Scottish history and details the biographies of Scottish individuals who fashioned the building blocks of modern science from the late 16th to the early 20th century. The definition of 'science' is elastic and includes engineering, medicine, geology and physics as well as the occasional drift into philosophy and economics - all good grist to understanding the broader cultural landscape of scientific progress. While there are the predictable big names covered - Napier, Watt, Telford, Stevenson, Lister, Kelvin etc - Dr Mellis has ferreted deep into the archives and turned up some lesser known figures whose contribution to science might otherwise have become overlooked...Scotland's Science is a fine piece of biographical research and long overdue given the extraordinary evolution of scientists from such a small country."" John R. Hunter OBE, FSAScot, Emeritus Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Birmingham, UK This marvellous book deserves to be on the shelves of every bookshop and library in Scotland, the UK and beyond! As a Scot, I was always proudly aware that Scotland had produced more than its fair share of inventors, explorers, entrepreneurs and social reformers. However, what this book does is to expand the historical record to document the outstanding contribution made by Scots in the fields of science, mathematics, engineering and medicine. The work covers the years from 1600-1900, and thus includes...the Scottish Enlightenment. Internationally renowned Scottish scientists such as James Clerk Maxwell and Lord Kelvin are given appropriate prominence in the book. However, the defining feature of this work is that the author provides a systematic and comprehensive historical record, bringing due recognition to less well-known achievers such as the pioneering surgeons William and John Hunter, trailblazing women scientists like Mary Somerville and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and many more!This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in Scottish history, both scientists and non-scientists. The scientific achievements are explained in a clear, accessible manner avoiding unnecessary technical detail while the author brings each character to life, describing their personal history, their influences and the historical context in which they lived and worked. The author has also included relevant sources and further reading for anyone who wants to delve deeper. John Robertson, BSc MSc, retired nuclear physicist"

An outstanding history of Scottish ingenuity...a well-organised book and a brilliant read...as a fellow Scot I enjoyed it immensely. I like how the history of science was interspersed with other relevant parts of Scottish history. Well done. Tom Boles, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society Curated to a calibre I haven't seen in other history books, and I truly admire the work that must have gone in to writing it. I would recommend this book to school and university libraries across Scotland (and the UK more widely...) I can say that this book will sit on my bookshelf proudly, and I would encourage others to do the same - whether you're a student, a teacher, or just someone like me who is fascinated by the great minds of our brilliant wee country. Jordan Murray, theGIST (the Glasgow Insight into Science and Technology) Edifying and enjoyable... this is a welcome addition to anyone interested in modern Scottish history and details the biographies of Scottish individuals who fashioned the building blocks of modern science from the late 16th to the early 20th century. The definition of 'science' is elastic and includes engineering, medicine, geology and physics as well as the occasional drift into philosophy and economics - all good grist to understanding the broader cultural landscape of scientific progress. While there are the predictable big names covered - Napier, Watt, Telford, Stevenson, Lister, Kelvin etc - Dr Mellis has ferreted deep into the archives and turned up some lesser known figures whose contribution to science might otherwise have become overlooked...Scotland's Science is a fine piece of biographical research and long overdue given the extraordinary evolution of scientists from such a small country. John R. Hunter OBE, FSAScot, Emeritus Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Birmingham, UK This marvellous book deserves to be on the shelves of every bookshop and library in Scotland, the UK and beyond! As a Scot, I was always proudly aware that Scotland had produced more than its fair share of inventors, explorers, entrepreneurs and social reformers. However, what this book does is to expand the historical record to document the outstanding contribution made by Scots in the fields of science, mathematics, engineering and medicine. The work covers the years from 1600-1900, and thus includes...the Scottish Enlightenment. Internationally renowned Scottish scientists such as James Clerk Maxwell and Lord Kelvin are given appropriate prominence in the book. However, the defining feature of this work is that the author provides a systematic and comprehensive historical record, bringing due recognition to less well-known achievers such as the pioneering surgeons William and John Hunter, trailblazing women scientists like Mary Somerville and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and many more!This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in Scottish history, both scientists and non-scientists. The scientific achievements are explained in a clear, accessible manner avoiding unnecessary technical detail while the author brings each character to life, describing their personal history, their influences and the historical context in which they lived and worked. The author has also included relevant sources and further reading for anyone who wants to delve deeper. John Robertson, BSc MSc, retired nuclear physicist

Author Information

John Mellis has authored many technical papers and some not-so-technical articles in various journals and periodicals. He was born in Glasgow, where he studied Applied Physics, Logic and Semantics, and the Philosophy of Science at the University of Strathclyde. He gained a Ph.D. from the University of St Andrews, for experimental and computational research on the physics of CO2 lasers. After a postdoctoral fellowship in high-power lasers funded by British Aerospace, he moved to England to work on optical signal processing at the Standard Telecommunication Laboratories (STL) in Essex. Most of his career has been with the BT Research Labs near Ipswich, working on optical communications networks and advanced software algorithms, on tech-based spinout ventures, and in global project management. For many years he was a Visiting Professor in the School of Computing and Technology at the University of Sunderland. He lives in Suffolk, UK.

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