How we got to now : six innovations that made the modern world /
In this illustrated volume, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled wi...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
New York :
Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA),
2014.
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| Subjects: | |
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| Summary: | In this illustrated volume, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled with surprising stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakes -- from the French publisher who invented the phonograph before Edison but forgot to include playback, to the Hollywood movie star who helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi and Bluetooth -- How We Got to Now investigates the secret history behind the everyday objects of contemporary life. Johnson examines unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated fields: how the invention of air-conditioning enabled the largest migration of human beings in the history of the species to cities such as Dubai or Phoenix, which would otherwise be virtually uninhabitable; how pendulum clocks helped trigger the industrial revolution; and how clean water made it possible to manufacture computer chips. Accompanied by a major six-part television series on PBS, How We Got to Now is the story of collaborative networks building the modern world. |
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| Physical Description: | 293 pages : illustrations (some color), map ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-277) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781594632969 1594632960 9781594633577 (paperback : international edition) 1594633576 (paperback : international edition) |