Scientific 100, The

School Science and Mathematics, Apr 1998 by Gabel, Dorothy

Author

John Simmons

A Citadel Press Book

Carol Publishing Group

120 Enterprise Avenue

Secaucus, New Jersey 07094

1996; 504 pages

Hardback $29.95

The Scientific 100 is a collection of 100 short biographies of the greatest scientists throughout the ages. The biographies are arranged in order from those of the most influential figures in the history of science, as rated by outstanding present-day scientists (and the author) to those who have made very significant but less far-reaching contributions. Because the focus is on persons involved in pure rather than applied science, and because the scientists are drawn from a variety of disciplines (physics, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, chemistry, biology, psychology, and anthropology), many notable scientists such as Edison, Boyle, and Cavendish have not been selected as one of the 100 to which an entire essay has been devoted. References to many other notable scientists are made in the book, however, because of their close association with the 100 who are included.

Isaac Newton is ranked number one, followed by Einstein, Bohr, Darwin, and Pasteur. Present-day scientists begin to be included in position 33 with Francis Crick. Scientists whose contributions were made before the Ist century A.D. include Euclid, Archimedes, and Lucretius. Also, included at the beginning of each profile is a photograph or sketch of the scientist.

The book is very well written, and although one might disagree with how the scientists are ordered within the text, each essay offers a brief and captivating sketch about the personal life of the scientist and his or her contribution to the field. It is a particularly useful resource for both secondary mathematics and science teachers endeavoring to incorporate the history of science into their courses, as recommended by the teaching standards produced by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Research Council. The book would also be an excellent library resource for high school students who want to know more about the contributions of scientists to the field of science.

The only limitation of the book is that only 100 profiles are included. However, the book contains an excellent bibliography with references to many other collections of biographical sketches of great scientists and to biographies of individual scientists. One of the strengths of this book is that it includes biographies of living scientists such as Lynn Margulis as well as those scientists of the past whose contributions continue to impact our understanding of the world today.

Reviewer

Dorothy Gabel

Indiana University

Bloomington, Indiana 47405