Science, history of
How
Islam Kept Us Out of the 'Dark Ages'
It's time for the West to recognise its debt to the Islamic scientists of the
past who forged ahead while Europe stagnated.
The
Science of Secrecy
Traces the evolution of methods of encryption and reveals the dramatic effects
of codes on wars, nations and individual lives.
- Albert
Einstein: Unique scientist
The man who described the link between energy and matter and totally changed the way we view the universe. - Ancient Surgery
Surgery is not a modern phenomenon but has its roots in the ancient world. Developments in India, Egypt, Greece and Rome many centuries ago meant that operations that are common now were also performed then. - Arthur
C Clarke: Literary space man
Author of more than 80 books, Clarke accurately predicted the future so regularly that he won the respect of the scientific community. - Blitz: Bombing and total war
An examination of the huge influence that aerial bombing campaigns have had on the conduct and aims of modern warfare – from World War II to 'shock and awe' in Iraq. - Bodies
of Evidence
Investigation of forensic archaeology and the scientific methods of unravelling the mysteries of the past. Plus more than two dozen case studies, including mummies, left-handedness and Lenin's body. - A
Brief History of Environmentalism
It took 150 years for environmentalism to mature into the public movement we know today. - Britain's
Biological Weapons: The hidden history of Porton Down
The story of Porton Down from before the start of World War II to today. - British
Association for the Advancement of Science
The story of the organisation founded in 1831 that is now best known for its annual Festival of Science. - Dolly:
The heaven-sent sheep
The story of the sheep that was the first-ever clone of an adult mammal. - The Genius of Charles Darwin
Short biography of Darwin, extracts from his work and details of his relationship with Alfred Russel Wallace. - E=mc2
From Lavoisier and Faraday to Albert Einstein, find out about the great minds behind the equation. - Edward
Teller: Father of the hydrogen bomb
A major architect of the US nuclear arsenal and an unrelenting champion of American military dominance. - The Engines that Came in from the Cold
The story of how the Soviets designed rocket engines later used in US space launchers. - The
Firefighters
The history of firefighting – from bucket chains to foam blankets, from the horse-drawn pump to the high-pressure hose. - Francis
Galton: Father of eugenics
Galton founded eugenics, the science of controlled breeding to increase desirable inherited characteristics. - Galileo Galilei
A brief account of the Italian scientist who challenged the Catholic Church and lost. - Galileo's Daughter
An extract from Dava Sobel's book about the relationship between Galileo and Sister Marie Celeste, his illegitimate daughter. - Isaac
Asimov: Writing machine
A prolific writer and widely considered a genius, Asimov went on to write over 500 books, but is best known for his science fiction. - Krakatoa
The story of the volcanic eruption of 1883, the most violent in history, responsible for the deaths of 36,000 people, many from the 40-metre-high tsunamis created by the eruption. - Leonardo
da Vinci
Brief biography of the Italian genius, concentrating on his skills as architect and engineer. - Masters
of Darkness: John Dee
Queen Elizabeth's astrologer, Dee caused uproar in 16th-century Europe with his 'angelic conversations', and inspired the character of Prospero in Shakespeare's Tempest. - The
Meteorite that Vanished
The search by two British scientists for a giant meteorite in the Sahara, rumoured since 1916 when a French consular official claimed to have discovered a huge iron hill in Mauritania. - Pugwash:
Philanthropic members' club
A brief history of this affiliation of individuals devoted to encouraging the use science for the good of humanity. - The Real Stephen Hawking
The scientific genius who has fought profound disability. - Rocket
Science Timeline
An interactive timeline from 400 BC to the present, which covers all the milestones in the development of rockets. - The
Royal Institution
Brief history of the institution that was founded to foster public debate about science. - Science and technology
A concise overview of science, technology, medicine and more – part of A Guide to the 20th Century. - Space disasters and near misses
A chronology of the disasters (and some near misses) of the space programmes of the US and Soviet Union, plus those of such relative newcomers as the European Space Agency, China and Brazil. - The
Spell Binder
Discover the secrets of Elizabethan science and magic. - A
Tale of Science and Morals
The story of Joseph Rotblat, one of the boffins mobilised in the US campaign to build the atom bomb, and his endeavours to remain an ethical scientist. - UFOs: The secret evidence
The last 60 years of UFOs, close encounters and alien abductions. - Walking on the Moon
Timeline that takes you from the creation of the Moon, through the history of astronomical discovery, to the development of rocket science and the Apollo programme and the landing on the Moon itself.
