World eBook Library | Read eBooks online

A Science Exhibit

Examining the Universe

Vestiges of the Natural History of Creat... (by Chambers, Robert William)
A Civic Biology : Presented in Problems (by Hunter, George William)
Civic Biology; Textbook of Problems, Loc... (by Clifton Fremont Hodge)
The Foundations of the Origin of Species... (by Darwin, Charles)
The sea-beach at ebb-tide : a guide to t... (by Arnold, Augusta Foote)
A Dictionary of Scientific Terms : Pronu... (by Henderson, Isabella Ferguson)
The Life-Story of Insects, By Geo. H. Ca...
Biology in Human Affairs (by East, Edward Murray)
A Theory of Creation : A Review of Vesti... (by Francis Bowen)
Life, Its True Genesis (by Flaccus, Horatius, 1816-1885)
Laboratory Technique in Biology and Medi...
The variation of animals and plants unde... (by Darwin, Charles)
An Elementary Astronomy for Academies an... (by Hiram Mattison)
World Directory of Hydrobiological and F... (by Hiatt, Robert W)
More Letters of Charles Darwin Volume 1 (by Darwin, Charles)

Examining the Universe: A Science Exhibit

This exhibit celebrates man's perennial search for an understanding of his relationship to nature. "Examining the Universe: A Science Exhibit," features the most important scientific titles by the greatest minds in math, physics, philosophy, chemistry medicine and biology. The hundreds of volumes in these collections illustrate the systematic study of the mysterious thread that runs through the life.

Observation and Natural Laws

The storm gathers and a thunderbolt shakes the earth and eardrums, floods sweep and gigantic meteorites fall to earth and wipe out whole populations of people and animals. The sun goes completely black, turning daytime into night. Science and religion were borne out of the man’s compelling need to explain phenomena such as, thunderstorms, earthquakes, animal migrations and solar eclipses – unpredictable events and behaviors that defied explanation. As a result, man created stories and myths. As humankind’s experiences grew, religion and science developed. Science does not provide statements of absolute eternal truth – it only "provides theories” ("Fundamental Science," World Heritage Encyclopedia).

Our Exhibit, “Examining the Universe,” shares how scientific observations, thoughts and theories have evolved from myth to legend, and ultimately through theories backed by study and experiments and have influenced man’s understanding of the world and the universe (The Golden Bough, Sir James George Frazer). Naturalist Charles Darwin braved the harrowing voyage through the Tropic of Capricorn and around the Americas’ southern most point, Tierra del Fuego's Cape Horn, in order to study animal and plant life in the Galápagos Islands. The outcome of Darwin’s expeditions on The Beagle toward understanding the origins of man are his many journals are still referenced in scientific theories today. However, some early scientists were reluctant to publish their hypothesis and theories due to peer criticism: Sir Isaac Newton was one such writer (Newton's Principia, Isaac Newton). Luckily, he eventually did share his work, and the School eBook Library has digitally remastered and preserved many of his writings. Scientific examination and techniques are also applied to the study of animals and human behavior. Again, referencing Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, the inter-connectedness of life on land, in the oceans and in outer space, continues to guide mankind toward greater understanding of the purposes and functions of life and existence (On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin).

Charles Darwin spent his childhood years collecting and studying nature. In his book, The Autobiography of Charles Darwin, (excerpted as a volume from The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin,) he tells the story of the evolution as a naturalist – a discipline that he helped define for the current era (The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, Francis Darwin). Of Darwin’s comprehensive collection of writings, in More Letters of Charles Darwin, Charles Darwin documents his observations of the natural environment in the correspondences he sent to Joseph Hooker, a fellow botanist, explorer and close friend. As Darwin’s theories grew in fame (through prolific publication), he said that critics often said that he was a “good observer, but he has no power of reasoning!" ("More Letters of Charles Darwin, Volume," Charles Darwin). He countered the naysayers by saying that his book, On the Origin of Species, is actually one long argument about the nature of species evolution, for “species does not actually exist; [it is a human construct through language]." His practice of collecting natural forms from the environment and preserving them for meticulous study has informed the practice of “objectivity” in the scientific method (On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin).

However, there are many ways in which people group evidence from the natural environment to make conclusions on the processes of man and nature. For example, in Disappearing Trees, Disappearing Culture, Robert Weissman observed that the Penan People that they have studied and co-existed with life in forest environments through nomadic hunting, gathering and light agriculture. Their environmental research methods avoided collecting species groups of flora and faunal life in ways that would disrupt these systems' natural ecological contexts; supporting maximum abundance of the forests which would in turn provide plants and animals that support their health and well being. Unfortunately, forest logging has disrupted forest ecosystems, thereby affecting the Penans' livelihoods and knowledge systems (Disappearing Trees, Disappearing Culture, Robert Weissman).

Scientific Thought Revolutions

Principia by Sir Isaac Newton influenced the modern world’s understanding of physics through geometrically measuring the movement of spheres, such as the atom and planets. According to the University of Berkeley, the Principia Mathimatica “[…] revolutionized the methods of scientific investigation [for it] set forth the fundamental Three Laws of Motion and the Law of Universal Gravitation […]” For example, the Newtonian Principle of Universal Gravitation, explains his theory that “every particle of matter is attracted to every other particle of matter with a force inversely proportional to the squares of their distances….” This work helped develop the the sciences of physics and astronomy, and which was assisted Albert Einstein in his Theory of Relativity.

Newton’s discoveries increased acquiescence of the Nicolaus Copernican Principle system by modern scientists like Sir Hermann Bondi. In her book titled, The Gradual Acceptance of the Copernican Theory of the Universe by Dorothy Stimson, she describes how Copernicus’s argument that the earth’s revolution around the sun deftly challenged the (directly) opposing Heliocentric model. Therefore, Newton’s writings further shifted how scientists and lay-people viewed the universe and its organization - adding to new trajectories in scientific research.

Albert Einstein contributed to new scientific theories when he wrote Relativity: The Special and General Theory. In this book, Einstein found that Newton's own mechanics could no longer reconcile laws of classical mechanics with the laws of the electromagnetic field because of the problems between statistical mechanics and quantum theory. Einstein’s theory of relativity extended into the study of gravitational fields through the theories and motions of molecules.

The Science of Interconnected Life, A Modern Viewpoint

Award-winning oceanography expert Sylvia Earle applies the scientific theories established by Darwin, Newton and Einstein, to advocate for the conservation of the marine environment. In her TED Talk presentation, “My Wish: Protect Our Oceans,” Earle discusses how over-fishing, ocean chemistry transformation and pollution are creating imbalances in the ocean’s health and affects human and animal (organism) health. For example, increasing human production of carbon dioxide is acidifying the sea and is killing corals and sea organisms like Plankton who, it turn, feed larger sea creatures such as whales. Further examples of human impact on the physical cycles of the planet are: how plastics and “ghost nets” left by fishing trawlers strangle dolphins, sharks and masses of fish.

Sylvia Earle states that reapplication of satellite technologies, such as Google Earth does, can map out the topography of the ocean floor so that scientists may use submarines, to explore the (still yet) uncharted areas of our ocean floors. Perhaps through gathering visual images of the conditions of the ocean environment, will governments begin to care enough to take action.

Community-based Fisheries Management in Phang-Nga Bay, Thailand is another application of the Darwinian approach to Observation, but used for the purpose of addressing human and environmental relations. The Department of Fisheries of Thailand collaborated with fishers, village leaders, trawler companies, NGOs and universities, toward a partnership in management, so the organizations could set about to replenishing coastal fishery resources in Phang-Nga Bay. This type of science includes economic and social studies to implement coastal management plans that aim to restore balance between the environment and human needs.

Works Cited

"Albert Einstein." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org.  Web. 2014.

"Cape Horn." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org. Web. 2014.

"Copernican Principle." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org.  Web. 2014.

Darwin, Charles. (n.d.)  More Letters of Charles Darwin. Eds. Francis Darwin and A.C. Seward. Volume. 1. (n.p.)

Darwin, Charles. (n.d.)  On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Down, Bromley, Kent: 1859. Reproduced by the Project Gutenberg Consortia Center

Darwin, Francis. The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin. Ed. Francis Darwin. Cambridge, October 1887.

Earle, Sylvia. "My Wish: Protect Our Oceans." TEDTalks Conference, 2009. Video.

Einstein, Albert. Relativity: The Special and General Theory. New York: H. Holt & Company, 1921.

Frazer, James George, Sir. The Golden Bough. London: MacMillan and Company, 1890.

"Fundamental Science." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org. Web. 2014.

"Galápagos Islands." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org.  Web. 2014.

"Hermann Bondi." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org.  Web. 2014.

Newton, Isaac. Newton's Principia. Trans. Percival Frost. Volumes 1, 2 and 3. Cambridge. Macmillan and Company, 1854.

"Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org.  Web. 2014.

"Sir James George Frazer." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org. Web. 2014.

Stimson, Dorothy. The Gradual Acceptance of the Copernican Theory of the Universe. New York: The Baker & Taylor Company, 1917.

"The Voyage of the Beagle." World Heritage Encyclopedia. WorldLibrary.org. Web. 2015.

Weissman, Robert. Disappearing Trees, Disappearing Culture. Multinational Monitor. Vol XV, No. 4. April 1994

Science Collections

“Examining the Universe: A Science Exhibit” illustrates how scientific observation has been used to create general Laws to explain phenomena. As more evidence and new information is gathered, hypotheses of the past are replaced by new theories. As science is used to study our natural environment, we begin to see patterns on how we are transforming it as well. It is important to recognize the limits of what we know, to open our minds to new ideas, so we may welcome alternate pathways for thought and action.

[[cc105:cc108:cc52:cc61:cc88:cc36:137:132:62:63:3112:3173:3363:3369]]

Top books on Astronomy

Gravitation : An Elementary Explanation ... (by Airy, George Biddell, Sir)
Origin Of The Solar System (by Jastrow, Robert)
An Essay on the Origin and Development o... (by Ernest Rudolph G. Groth)
Physical Studies of Minor Planets (by Gehrels, Tom)
The Asteroids, Or Minor Planets between ... (by Kirkwood, Daniel)
The Story of the Solar System (by George Frederick Chambers)
An Elementary Astronomy for Academies an... (by Hiram Mattison)
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomica... (by Royal Astronomical Society)
Solar system studies with the IUE: 1982 ... (by Caldwell, J)
The Lost Solar System of the Ancients Di... (by Wilson, John)
Supplementary Catalogue of the Library o... (by Royal Astronomical Society Library)
The Lost Solar System of the Ancients Di... (by Wilson, John)
The ways of the planets (by Martin, Martha Evans)
The Phenomena and Order of the Solar Sys... (by Nichol, John Pringle)

Top 100 books on Physics

General Physics, An Elementary Textbook ... (by Crew, Henry)
Project Physics Handbook (by F. James Rutherford, Gerald Holton, and Fletcher G...)
A Theory of Natural Philosophy (by Boscovich, Ruggero Giuseppe)
Mathematical and Physical Papers (by Stokes, George Gabriel, Sir)
Problems and Questions in Physics (by Matthews, Charles Philo)
Physics Tells Why (by Overton Luhr)
A Handbook of Physics Measurements : Vol... Volume Vol 1 (by Ferry, Ervin Sidney)
Papers on mechanical and physical subjec... (by Reynolds, Osborne)
Water Waves The Mathematical Theory With... (by Stoker, J. J)
Introductory Nuclear Physics (by David Halliday)
Nuclear Fission And Atomic Energy (by Stephens, William E.)
The principle of relativity; original pa... (by Einstein, Albert)
The Theory and Use of a Physical Balance (by Walker, James)
On the sensations of tone as a physiolog... (by Helmholtz, Hermann von)
Theoretical Physics (by Kompaneyets, A. S)

Top 100 books on Mathematics

Investigation of the Laws of Thought (by Boole, George)
The Construction of the Wonderful Canon ... (by Napier, John)
Plane Geometry (by George Albert Wentworth)
The Elements of Euclid: The Errors by Wh... (by Euclid)
An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers... (by Ivan Niven)
Vorlesungen über Zahlentheorie (by Peter Gustav Lejeune-Dirichlet)
Essays in the Theory of Numbers, 1. Cont... (by Dedekind, Richard)
Alphabet of economic science (by Wicksteed, Philip Henry)
Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy (by Russell, Bertrand)
A History of Mathematics (by Florian Cajori)
The Earliest Arithmetics in English (by Alexander, De Villa Dei)
The Elements of the Theory of Algebraic ... (by Reid, Legh Wilber)
Flatland (by Abbott, Edwin A.)
The Evanston Colloquium: Delivered from ... (by Félix Klein)
Mecanique Analytique (by Lagrange, J. L. (Joseph Louis))

Top 100 books on Psychology

Self Mastery through Conscious Autosugge... (by Coue, Emile)
Supreme Personality (by Croft, Delmer Eugene)
The Secret Places of the Heart (by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George))
The Psychology of Nations, A Contributio... (by Partridge, G. E. (George Everett))
Psychology and Religion West and East (by C. G. Jung)
Beyond the Pleasure Principle (by Sigmund Freud)
An Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision (by Berkeley, George)
Animal Intelligence : Experimental Studi... (by Thorndike, Edward Lee)
Pavlov and His School the Theory of Cond... (by Professor Y. P. Frolov)
The Interpretation of Dreams (by Freud, Sigmund)
Adolescence Its Psychology Volume-Ii (by G. Stanley Hall)
Verbal Behavior (by B. F. Skinner)
Ethical Systems (by Wilhelm Wundt)
The Science of Human Nature; A Psycholog... (by Pyle, William Henry)
Behavior an Introduction to Comparative ... (by John B. Watson)

Top 100 books on Economics

Utopia (by More, Thomas, Sir, Saint)
The State and Revolution (by Lenin, V. I.)
The Evolution of Finance Capitalism (by Edwards, George W.)
Nature and Progress of Rent (by Malthus, Thomas)
Children of the Slaves (by Graham, Stephen)
Tableau Oeconomique (by François Quesnay)
Oeconomicus (by Xenophon, of Athens)
Communist Manifesto (by Marx, Karl)
The Social Contract, Or Principles of Po... (by Rousseau, Jean Jacques)
The Economics of Welfare (by Pigou, Arthur Cecil)
Cecil Rhodes; The Man and His Work (by Le Sueur, Gordon)
The Prince (by Machiavelli, Niccolò)
Minorities Versus Majorities (by Goldman, Emma)
Das Kapital (by Karl Marx)
Lombard Street : A Description of the Mo... (by Bagehot, Walter)

Top 100 books on Anthropology

Argonauts of the Western Pacific (by Malinowski, Bronislaw)
On the Functions of the Brain and of Eac... (by Gall, F. J., Franz Joséf)
The Dolmens of Ireland, Their Distributi... Volume 2 (by Borlase, William Copeland)
American Anthropologist (by The American Anthropological Association)
American Anthropologist (by The American Anthropological Association)
Animal Figures in the Maya Codices (by Tozzer, Alfred M. (Alfred Marston))
On the Functions of the Brain and of Eac... (by Gall, F. J., Franz Joséf)
The Dynamics of Culture Change : An Inqu... (by Malinowski, Bronislaw)
American Anthropologist : Vol. 06 Part 0... Volume Vol. 06 Part 04 (by American Anthropological Association)
The Witch Cult in Western Europe (by Murray, Margaret Alice)
The History of Mankind Volume: v.3 (by Ratzel, Friedrich, 1844-1904)
American Anthropologist (by The American Anthropological Association)
The American Indian: An Introduction to ... (by Clark Wissler)
Catalogue of Works on European Philology... (by Quarich, Bernard)
Modern Theories of Criminality (by Bernaldo De Quiros, Constancio)

NASA Publication Collection

DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT OF A PLASMA IN CRO... (by POPOV, I. L)
Summary of wind-tunnel investigations of... (by Brown, S. W.)
National Aeronautics and Space Administr... (by National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
Reduction of microbial dissemination, ge... (by NON)
Studies of nuclear light bulb start-up c... (by Bauer, H. E.)
Numerical methods and a computer program... (by Carlson, H. W.)
Static aerodynamic characteristics of a ... (by Fournier, R. H)
Steady-state and transient Zener paramet... (by Freed, A. D.)
Adjustable lossless image compression ba... (by Novik, Dmitry A.)
THE FOURTEEN FRENCH SATELLITES (by NON)
LIGHT REGIME OF A TWO-LAYER ATMOSPHERE-S... (by GUTSHABASH, S. D)
Subharmonic resonance in a mixing layer (by Mansour, N. N.)
The first lunar landing: As told by the ... (by NON)
CONTRIBUTION TO THE SELECTION OF THE PAR... (by ALBIN, M.)
A modified Newton-Raphson analysis of fl... (by Taylor, L. W., Jr.)

National Oceanographic Data Center

The American Society of Limnology and Oc... (by Jumars, Peter A.)
Physical Processes Affecting the Movemen... (by Overstreet, R.)
Minimizing Long-Term Wind Set-Up Errors ... (by Croley Ii, Thomas E.)
Marine Protected Areas Lesson Plan Prote...
Archaeological Resources Protection Act ...
150 Years of Tides on the Western Coast ... (by Theberge, Albert E.)
Dear Admiral Watkins and Members of the ... (by Sandifer, Paul A.)
Marine Aquaculture in the United States ... (by Devoe, M. Richard)
Management of Ocean and Coastal Environm... (by Poole, Richard)
United States Department of Commerce Was... (by Gran, Sandra J.)
Summary of Recommendations
Exchange File Format

Aerospace Power/Air & Space Power Journal Collection

Aerospace Power Journal : Fall 2001 Volume 15, Issue 3 (by Ash, Eric A.)
Aerospace Power Journal : Winter 2001 Volume 15, Issue 4 (by Ash, Eric A.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Fall 2006 Volume 20, Issue 3 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Fall 2010 Volume 24, Issue 3 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Fall 2005 Volume 19, Issue 3 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Spring 200... Volume 19, Issue 1 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Spring 200... Volume 22, Issue 1 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Summer 200... Volume 18, Issue 2 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Summer 200... Volume 21, Issue 2 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Summer 201... Volume 24, Issue 2 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Winter 200... Volume 18, Issue 4 (by Cain, Anthony C.)
Air and Space Power Journal : Winter 200... Volume 21, Issue 4 (by Cain, Anthony C.)

Los Alamos Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory Journal Collection

Los Alamos Science No. 1, Summer 1980 Volume 1, TOC (by Necia Grant Cooper)
Los Alamos Science No. 14, Fall 1986 Volume 14, Article 1 (by John C. Wheatley)
Los Alamos Science No. 17, 1989 Volume 17, Article 1 (by Paul C. White)
Los Alamos Science No. 20, 1992 Volume 20, Article 3 (by David Baltimore, David Botstein)
Los Alamos Science No. 21, 1993 Volume 21, Article 27 (by Alan R. Bishop)
Los Alamos Science No. 23, 1995 Volume 23, Article 7 (by Dana Christensen)
Los Alamos Science No. 26, 2000 Volume 26, Article 2 (by Siegfried S. Hecker)
Los Alamos Science No. 26, 2000 Volume 26, Article 42 (by Steven D. Conradson)
Los Alamos Science No. 27, 2002 Volume 27, Article 22 (by Marilyn E. Hawley)
Los Alamos Science No. 28, 2003 Volume 28, Article 36 (by Anthony Mancino, Charryl L. Berger)
Los Alamos Science No. 30, 2006 Volume 30, Article 9 (by James L. Smith)
Los Alamos Science No. 5, Summer 1982 Volume 5, TOC (by Necia Grant Cooper)