Dava Sobel with Angela Saini: The Elements of Marie Curie

The book tells the story of both Galileo Galilei and his intelligent and devout daughter, Suor Maria Celeste. It uses the 124 surviving letters from Maria to her father to provide a new perspective on Galileo's life, particularly his trial before the Inquisition for advocating the Copernican system. The narrative delves into the social and psychological forces at play during Galileo's trial, including the political pressures of the Thirty Years' War and the impact of the plague on Italy. It also vividly portrays the harsh life of the 'Poor Clares' in the convent where Maria lived, highlighting her significant role in supporting her father despite her own challenging circumstances.

This book by Dava Sobel is more than a biography; it is a tribute to Marie Curie, the first scientist to win two Nobel Prizes. Sobel navigates Curie's remarkable discoveries and fame alongside the stories of the women who trained in her laboratory, including Ellen Gleditsch, Marguerite Perey, and her own daughter, Irene Joliot-Curie. The narrative explores Curie's ingenuity beyond the laboratory, her personal struggles, and her enduring influence on women in science. Sobel's writing style makes complex scientific concepts accessible while providing a nuanced portrait of Curie's life and legacy[1][3][5].

In 'Longitude', Dava Sobel narrates the epic scientific quest to determine longitude at sea, a problem that had plagued navigators for centuries. The story centers around John Harrison, a self-educated clockmaker from Yorkshire, who devoted forty years to developing a series of precise chronometers that could accurately measure time even on long and rough sea voyages. By comparing the chronometer's time to local sun time, navigators could precisely measure longitude, a breakthrough that significantly improved maritime navigation and saved countless lives. The book also delves into the historical context, including the establishment of the Board of Longitude and the scientific and political rivalries of the time, making it a compelling tale of human ambition, science, and innovation.