Book
The shape of wonder : how scientists think, work, and live / Alan Lightman and Martin Rees.
"A heartfelt, authoritative, and compelling endeavor to humanize scientists, to show how they think, work, and live, and to show the value of science--all in the service of addressing the distrust of scientists and their institutions now prevalent in the US and around the world"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780593702024 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: viii, 208 pages ; 22 cm
- Edition: First hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : Pantheon Books, 2025.
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Scientists. Scientists > Attitudes. Scientists > Conduct of life. Science > Social aspects. |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Tsuga Consortium.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookstown Branch | 501 Lig | 31681010432136 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
Offers an intimate look at the personal lives and motivations of scientists across time and place, aiming to restore public trust in science by revealing researchers as curious, thoughtful individuals navigating the same societal concerns and ethical questions as the rest of us. Illustrations. - Random House, Inc.
In this captivating, insightful book, acclaimed physicists Alan Lightman and Martin Rees illuminate the life and work of numerous scientists in order to demystify the scientific process and show that scientists are concerned citizens, just like the rest of us.
âRemarkable. . . . Illuminating with refreshing clarity the ordinary and sometimes extraordinary work of scientists. This book is essential reading." âJennifer Ackerman, bestselling author of What an Owl Knows
In an age of rapid scientific discovery and technological advancement, itâs understandable that many feel uneasy about the future. While we might have confidence in these new developments when we go to the hospital for a medical procedure, fly in an airplane, or take an elevator to the top floor of a building, the motivations and lives of scientists themselves feel shrouded from public view. There is a growing sense that scientists are not to be trustedâthat they may be guided by political or financial interests, or beholden to governments, or state institutions.
This growing mistrust of scientists is an urgent problem. With the onset of climate change, the imminent threats of pandemic or nuclear war, and rapid acceleration in the fields of artificial intelligence and DNA sequencing, innovations in science have the potential to change the world. Itâs crucial that we not only gain a better understanding of science as a field, but also reestablish trust with its practitioners.
The Shape of Wonder guides us through the fascinating lives and minds of scientists around the world and throughout time, from a young theoretical physicist who works as a research assistant professor at the University of Washington and rock climbs in their free time; to German physicist Werner Heisenberg in his early life, when he was a student of music and philosophy; to Govind Swarup, an Indian astronomer whose work on radio telescopes was profoundly important. We get an inside peek at what makes scientists tickâtheir daily lives, passions, and concerns about the societies they live in.
In this brilliant and elucidative work, Lightman and Rees pull back the curtain on the field of science, revealing that scientists are driven by the same sense of curiosity, wonder, and responsibility towards the future that shapes us all.
