The Net Advance of Physics RETRO:
WEBLOG:
2012 December

The Holiday Season in New Babbage, Second Life

• THIS MONTH'S BLOG ENTRIES:
  • 2012 Dec. 31: Mr. Haskins of Buffalo Denies that there is an Æther
  • 2012 Dec. 24: In Which Charles Babbage Says "Bah, Humbug."
  • 2012 Dec. 17: Strange Doings in the Sky, 1864
  • 2012 Dec. 10: In Which Wm. Wordsworth Quarrels with His Airship
  • 2012 Dec. 03: Greetings from 1827!

• INTERESTING ITEMS ELSEWHERE:
  • The Comets of Caroline Herschel (1750-1848), Sleuth of the Skies at Slough by Roberta J. M. Olson and Jay M. Pasachoff [2010/07]
  • Early Cosmic-Ray Work Published in German by Jörg R. Hörandel [2012/06] With photographs of V. F. Hess's grandchildren marking the 100th anniversary of his hydrogen-balloon voyage, and of the be-goggled Schrenk & Masuch in action, 1934.
  • A Brief History of the Energy-Momentum Tensor: 1900-1912 by Jean-Pierre Provost [2012/11]
  • Quanta: The Originality of Einstein's Approach to Relativity? by Christian Braccio [2012/11] The title should probably read "origin"; argues that Einstein's thinking about quanta influenced special relativity.
  • Harry Houdini's incredible book about home science experiments, free online! by Tim Barribeau [2012/11] Blog entry about -- well, actually not Houdini's, except in the sense that it was scanned from his personal copy, but indeed an incredible Nineteenth-Century book of home science experiments: Scientific Amusements by Gaston Tissandier [London: Ward & Lock, 1890]. Some similar works may be found in the New Additions below.

• NEW ADDITIONS: GENERAL:
  • Scientific Amusements by Gaston Tissandier [London: Ward & Lock, 1890]
  • Scientific Amusements for Young People by John Henry Pepper [London: Routledge, Warne, & Routledge, 1861]
  • The Magic of Science: A Book of Scientific Amusements Which Can Be Performed With Simple Apparatus by A. Frederick Collins [New York: Revell, 1917]
  • Scientific Amusements in Philosophy and Mathematics: Together with Amusing Secrets in Various Branches of Science, The Whole calculated to form an Agreeable and Improving Exercise for the Mind. by W. Enfield [London: Newman, 1821]

• NEW ADDITIONS: PHYSICS:
  • Einstein: Einblicke in seine Gedankenwelt by Alexander Moszkowski [Hamburg: Hoffmann & Campe, 1921] English translation: Einstein the Searcher [New York: Dutton, no date but clearly 1920s] One of the first popular expositions of relativity, based on conversations between the author (a then-famous Berlin literary figure) and Einstein himself. Quite different from most later works of a similar nature, especially in its otherworldly, poetic feel.
  • The Principle of Relativity by Ebenezer Cunningham [Cambridge, 1914] An advanced text of remarkable sophistication, especially for one of the first book-length accounts of special relativity in English. Cunningham is both a scientific conservative and a defender of Einstein. He points out that not every form of æther is ruled out by relativity but only the "unnecessarily restricted rigid" one of the later Victorians; he makes an early attempt at relativistic thermodynamics; he discusses the vexing question of defining probability in Minkowski's spacetime.
  • Relativity and the Electron Theory by Ebenezer Cunningham [London: Longmans, Green, 1915] Following up on his Principle of Relativity, Cunningham continues his attempt to describe special relativity as a theory of æther.
  • Relativity, the Electron Theory, and Gravitation by Ebenezer Cunningham [London: Longmans, Green, 1921] Includes general relativity. Much closer to the usual Twentieth-Century account of relativity than Cunningham's earlier works.
  • A Text-Book of Physics by J. H. Poynting and Sir J. J. Thomson Volume I: Properties of Matter --- Volume II: Sound --- Volume III: Heat --- Volume IVa: Electricity and Magnetism, Parts I and II [London: Griffin, 1906-1920]
  • The Pressure of Light by J. H. Poynting [London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1910]

• NEW ADDITIONS: ASTRONOMY:
  • Star-Names and Their Meanings by Richard Hinckley Allen [New York: Stechert, 1899] Better known by the title of the 1963 Dover reprint Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning. The edition linked here is Bill Thayer's beautiful hypertext version.
  • The Milky Way and the Theory of Gases by Henri Poincaré [Popular Astronomy 14, 475 (1906)]
  • Thunder and Lightning by Camille Flammarion [London: Chatto and Windus, 1905]
  • Relation d'un Voyage Scientifique en Ballon by Camille Flammarion and Ch. Boissay [Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1873] English translation in Travels in the Air edited by James Whitbread Lee Glaisher [London: Bentley, 1871]
  • Les Terres du Ciel: Voyage Astronomique sur les Autres Mondes by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Marpon & Flammarion, 1884]
  • Uranie by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Marpon & Flammarion, 1889] English translation: Urania [Boston: Estes and Lauriat, 1890]
  • Astronomie des Dames: Précis d'Astronomie Descriptive by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Flammarion, n.d.] English translation (note the changed title): Astronomy for Amateurs [New York: Appleton, 1915]
  • Les Étoiles et les Curiosités du Ciel: Description Compléte du Visible à l'Oeil Nu et de tous les Objets Célestes Faciles à Observer by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Marpon & Flammarion, 1882]
  • La Pluralité des Mondes Habités by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Didier, 1872]
  • Dans le Ciel et sur la Terre: Tableaux et Harmonies by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Marpon & Flammarion, 1886]
  • Les Mondes Imaginaires et les Mondes Réels: Voyage Astronomique Pittoresque dans le Ciel by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Didier, 1865]
  • Les Merveilles Célestes by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Hachette, 1867] English translation: The Wonders of the Heavens [New York: Scribner and Armstrong, 1874]
  • Histoire du Ciel by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Hetzel, 1872]
  • L'Atmosphére by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Hachette, 1872] Abridged English translation: The Atmosphere [New York: Harpers, 1873] Unfortunately, this is an early version, not containing the famous engraving from the edition of 1888:
    
  • La Planète Mars et ses Conditions d'Habitabilité by Camille Flammarion Volume I --- Volume II [Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1892-1909]
  • Catalogue des Étoiles Doubles et Multiples en Mouvement Relatif Certain by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1878]
  • Récits de l'Infini Three dialogues by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Didier, 1873] English translation: Stories of Infinity [Boston: Roberts, 1873]
  • Études et Lectures sur l'Astronomie by Camille Flammarion: Volume I: Astronomy in 1863 and '64, including a lecture about the Sun --- Volume II: Various topics --- Volume III: Latest Advances --- Volume V: Astronomy in 1871 and '72, including Meteorites, an Eclipse, and a Solar Explosion --- Volume VI: Stellar Astronomy --- Volume IX: Sun; Terrestrial Magnetism; Aurora --- [Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1867-75]
  • Popular Astronomy by Camille Flammarion [London: Chatto and Windus, 1907]
  • L'Astronomie Pratique et les Observatoires en Europe et en Amérique, Depuis le Milieu du XVIIe Siècle Jusqu'a Nos Jours by C. André and G. Rayet Parts I & II: British Empire --- Parts III & IV: the Americas --- Part V: Italy [Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1874-78] Descriptions of observatories around the world and their discoveries.
  • The Globes, Celestial and Terrestrial by Augustus De Morgan [London: Malby, 1845] "This work ... describes only the appearances of the heavens, without any reference to their producing causes: it is therefore independent of all systems , and might even be approved by believers in the stability of the earth, if there be any left."
  • An Explanation of the Gnomonic Projection of the Sphere; and of Such Points of Astronomy as are Most Necessary in the Use of Astronomical Maps by Augustus De Morgan [London: Baldwin & Craddock, 1836]
  • The Earth: Its Size, Shape, Weight and Spin by J. H. Poynting [Cambridge, 1913]
  • The Mean Density of the Earth: an Essay to Which the Adams Prize was Adjudged in 1893 in the University of Cambridge by J. H. Poynting [London: Chas. Griffin, 1894]
  • Über das farbige Licht der Doppelsterne und einiger anderer Gestirne des Himmels [1842] by Christian Doppler [Prague: KBGW, 1903]

• NEW ADDITIONS: MATHEMATICS:
  • A Budget of Paradoxes by Augustus De Morgan [London: Longmans, Green, 1872]
  • Induction by Augustus De Morgan (article in The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Vol. XIV, p. 465 (1838). A more readable modern typesetting may be found at The De Morgan Journal 1, 1 (2011). This was the first modern account of mathematical induction.)
  • The Quadrature of the Circle: Correspondence between an Eminent Mathematician [Augustus De Morgan] and James Smith, Esq. [London: Simpkin & Marshall, 1861] Smith evidently believed the value of pi to be exactly 3.125, and was astonished at the hostile reception which this idea received.
  • Seven-Figure Logarithms of Numbers from 1 to 108000, and of Sines, Cosines, Tangents, Cotangents to Every 10 Seconds of the Quadrant, with a Table of Proportional Parts by Ludwig Schrön [London: Williams and Norgate, 1865]
  • A Treatise on Problems of Maxima and Minima, Solved by Algebra by Ramchundra [Yesudas Ramachandra] [London: Wm. H. Allen, 1859]
  • Scientific Amusements; for the Old and the Young, the Grave and the Gay. Designed for Centre Table and Fire Side Recreation by C. C. C[hapman] [Philadelphia: Wyeth, 1844] Despite the extravagant title, this is just the instruction booklet for a tangram-puzzle set.

• NEW ADDITIONS: ENGINEERING:
  • Relation d'un Voyage Scientifique en Ballon by Camille Flammarion and Ch. Boissay [Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1873] English translation in Travels in the Air edited by James Whitbread Lee Glaisher [London: Bentley, 1871]
  • On the Conversion of Heat into Work by Wm. Anderson [London: Whittaker, 1893]
  • Notes and Examples on the Theory of Heat & Heat Engines by John Case [Cambridge: Heffer, 1922]
  • The Transmission of Heat through Cold-Storage Insulation by Charles P. Paulding [New York: Van Nostrand, 1905]
  • Practical Laws and Data on the Condensation of Steam in Covered and Bare Pipes by Charles P. Paulding [New York: Van Nostrand, 1904]
  • Thermodynamics of the Steam-Engine and Other Heat-Engines by Cecil H. Peabody [New York: John Wiley, 1907]
  • Steam-Boilers by Cecil H. Peabody and Edward F. Miller [New York: John Wiley, 1912]
  • Computations for Marine Engines by Cecil H. Peabody [New York: John Wiley, 1913]
  • Propellers by Cecil H. Peabody [New York: John Wiley, 1912]
  • Tables of the Properties of Steam and Other Vapors, and Temperature-Entropy Table by Cecil H. Peabody [New York: John Wiley, 1909]

• NEW ADDITIONS: MISC.:
  • Contemplations Scientifiques by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Hachette, 1887]
  • Récits de l'Infini Three dialogues by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Didier, 1873] English translation: Stories of Infinity [Boston: Roberts, 1873]
  • Dieu dans la Nature by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Didier, 1871]
  • Uranie by Camille Flammarion [Paris: Marpon & Flammarion, 1889] English translation: Urania [Boston: Estes and Lauriat, 1890]
  • Omega: the Last Days of the World by Camille Flammarion [New York: Cosmopolitan, 1894]