The story of enigmatic scientist-turned-priest, Nicholas Steno, who first proposed that the shell-shaped rocks commonly found on Italian mountainto...
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Feb 09, 2012
Eppursimuov3
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I picked up this book by Alan Cutler while browsing through the popular science section in a local bookstore, drawn to it mainly because of its nice cover! It turned out to be quite a gem, unlike anything I have ever read. It’s a short biography on the life of Nicolaus Steno, a 17th century anatomist who is also widely considered to be the pioneer of the geological sciences. The reader is transported into the 17th century; a world in which science and religion went hand in hand, both playing a h
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Nov 28, 2010
Kevin
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The Seashell on the Mountaintop is on the one hand, a biography of the scientist known in English as Nicolaus Steno, a fascinating man in his own right. But it's also a history of the foundation of the science of geology, and it's a window into the early days of scientific exploration.
Steno, a Dane, started as a brilliant anatomist, wandering Europe dissecting and teaching. He was the fist to propose the idea that muscular action comes from the contraction of muscle fibers not the ball More...
Steno, a Dane, started as a brilliant anatomist, wandering Europe dissecting and teaching. He was the fist to propose the idea that muscular action comes from the contraction of muscle fibers not the ball More...
Jan 29, 2012
Katelis
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I liked it. It is about the father of geology who became a saint of the Catholic Church. Nicolaus Steno was devoted to his scientific research. I wonder if ever his lost manuscript on the science of the earch, other than his De Solido, will be found. The book is well-written, as the author describes analyticaly, using the polemical model of narrative, all the controversies, mainly as regards the ideological, philosophical, scientific and religious currents of the seventeenth century.
But th More...
But th More...
Feb 22, 2009
Ray
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More than one man may lay claim to the title as the father of modern geology, and Nicholas Stano is one of the earliest. His work with fossils from the late 17th Century did not make a significant contribution to the understanding of the world around us during his time, but his work as later re-discovered was revolutionary. Anyone who read Simon Winchester's book "The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology" should like this book as much if not more.
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Feb 01, 2010
Nicole
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This book covers the 17th century science of fossils. This book gives a great simple introduction to Steno's life and a review of how he, a Dane, came to study the geology of Tuscany in an attempt to explain how seashells come to be found as fossils on mountaintops. It follows how he came to see fossils had an explainable organic origin. His study of Tuscan strata produced the three principles of forming sedimentary rock and how to analyze it after it has been disrupted by later geologic events.
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Nov 17, 2008
David
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The story of how Nicolas Steno, a 17th century Danish scientist, discovered fundamental principles of geology through his interest in fossilized shark teeth and seashells. To my thinking, the most important of his contributions is the idea that there is a chronology written in the strata of rocks and that it is possible to read that record of past events. This book, is less about how he came to make these discoveries, and more about the environment in which he made them and the reactions of hi
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Nov 28, 2010
Nick
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Alan Cutler does a fine job of providing us with an introduction to Father Niels Stensen's achivements, and he left my interest piqued. Cutler writes from the perspective of a paleontologist, and so the aspects of Stensen's life of most interest to me personally were not treated in much detail--though I might almost be grateful for this, given the way religious themes are often handled by those not familiar with them! Cutler is quite respectful, however, and manages to offer some rough sketchw
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Feb 05, 2009
Ryan
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Nicolas Steno, a Danish practitioner of medical autopsies, eventual convert to Catholocism, and eventual Saint, has his life recounted here in the context of Geology. The author considers Steno the founder of modern geology for his study of fossils, delineation of stratification, and more. He set out to answer the age old question of how fossils from the sea could be found in the rocks in the mountains. Previous theories—the biblical flood, spontaneous generation—hadn’t convinced Steno.
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Sep 06, 2009
Juliet
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This is the biography of the 17th century Danish scientist Nicolaus Steno, a celebrated anatomist, who was fascinated by rocks and the shells he found in the mountains of Italy. The book documents his explorations and theories about the earth and highlights the problems many scientists found with the church authorities. Steno is now recognised as the real founder of geology, though he abandoned science to become a Catholic Bishop and was made a saint after his death.
Oct 24, 2009
Tom
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This is a phenomenal book. I checked it out of the library, and read through it very fast, and then wished I had my own copy. A wonderful history of discoveries and thought in Geology. A great little intro into Geology, very accessible. Also such an interesting story of Nicolaus Steno - the gifted geologist who made so many amazing discoveries, and then gave it all up to become a Priest.
Jun 19, 2009
Maggie
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Fascinating story of the birth of a science...geology! The life and times of this brilliant 17th century anatomist, turned geologist, turned priest, then bishop and ultimately a saint, is an amazing read. If you are at all interested in geology and/or the development of science, you will love this book.
Sep 30, 2010
Dhartridge
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The history of science is full of interesting happenings and characters. This short book about a 17th century geologist touches on accommodations between science and religion, the egos of early discoverers, and the reasons that people believed what they did about the natural world.
Nov 02, 2009
I read this back-to-back with Simon Winchester's MAP THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, and together they not only detail the early history of geology as a science, but how the awareness of the rocks beneath your feet is the critical first step in recognizing evolution.
Sep 07, 2008
Stan
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Wow! This is the coolest overview of early geologic discovery and methodology. The realization that rocks are very ancient and the fossils embedded in those rocks are just as ancient as the rocks was unheard of until Nicolas Steno. Nicolas Steno was the first man in recorded history to link geologic layers with the time line of geologic history. Before he added his ideas to the pantheon of science, there were some pretty wacky ideas about how sea life fossils were embedded in the rock high on mo
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Jan 28, 2012
Amanda
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Extremely interesting. I was worried it would bore me since I have never read an actual biography before, but I loved it. I enjoyed learning about the scientific theories of the time (not just from Nicholaus Steno) and how they were influenced by the beliefs of the world around them.
Jan 13, 2011
Deborah
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One of the loveliest science history books I have ever read.
Gives a great account of the life and times of the 17th C Danish scientist Nicolaus Steno who should (if he is not) be hailed as one of the founders of the science of geology.
Loved it!
Gives a great account of the life and times of the 17th C Danish scientist Nicolaus Steno who should (if he is not) be hailed as one of the founders of the science of geology.
Loved it!
Oct 07, 2009
Dan
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Did the Noah's flood put the seashells on the tops of mountains? Nope! This book convinced me. That Shallow seas covered what was once those mountains is pretty clear to me thanks in part to this book.
Feb 25, 2010
Linconter
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A very readable story about the man who was the Father of Geology. Will certainly make you see Italy in a different way!
Feb 06, 2009
Cheryl
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I was a little disappointed, this is a biography of a man who started asking the first questions about how seashells got on the top of the Alps, which to me is pretty miraculous and I know how they got there. Imagine being in the time where no one knew! But the tone wasn't very engaging or interesting. I still can't believe that people in that day and age (1600's) thought mountains were hideous and offended God... but they did. I did like that Steno started as an anatomist so there are paralle
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Oct 04, 2011
Jan
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Berättelsen om Nicolaus Stenos liv är bitvis fascinerande och rejält underhållande. Nästan så att jag skulle vilja ha levat i slutet av 1600-talet, trots all misär; Vetenskapen sysslade med teorier om självalstring och andra tokigheter. Läkare ordinerade kräkning som någon slags universalbot. Och folk verkar allmänt ha varit lite galna.
Men de mustiga livsbeskrivningarna till trots torkar boken ut efterhand och när man lägger den ifrån sig känns den mer som ett av de fossil Steno fors More...
Men de mustiga livsbeskrivningarna till trots torkar boken ut efterhand och när man lägger den ifrån sig känns den mer som ett av de fossil Steno fors More...
Nov 11, 2008
Sandra D
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Biography of the father of stratigraphy, with a historical overview of human understanding as far as the natural and physical sciences and where it stood by the mid-1600s. It's interesting to see all the different lines of thought about how mountains and seashells in mountains and various other natural wonders came to be -- most of which sound pretty outlandish today, but seemed to make perfect sense at the time.
May 22, 2008
Lucas
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Most interesting are the old theories of spontaneous generation, where smaller animals and insects were believed to spring alive from dead matter under the right conditions. It seems equally plausible to intelligent design, and at least can be tested in the lab (though an experiment that would force the aliens or supernatural designers of ID to exercise their creative faculties deserves more consideration).
Mar 21, 2008
Amanda
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i had never heard of Nicholai Steno before picking up this book, and i didn't really care that he was the father of modern day geology. i was drawn to the story because he was a devoutly religious man and i find it interesting to think about how men of faith kowtow their scienctific discoveries to their religion. this book did not disappoint and i learned a lot about the history geology to boot.
Aug 26, 2008
WK
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A must for anyone interested in Geology. It is also interesting enough for the rest of us. Nicholas Steno's observations were advanced and outside generally accepted concepts 1st in Anatomy, then Geology. What I found most amazing were the observations from pre 17th Centry great minds, that turned out to be more accurate than most later scientists believed.
Oct 15, 2009
Whitaker
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Why "it was okay": It got the job done, wasn't boring to read, but didn't add any insights or say anything particularly interesting. Kind of like someone stretched out an article you'd find in The National Geographic but without the great colour photos.
Jul 23, 2008
Erin
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This is the type of history of science I love: to the point, interesting, and focused on what is at hand. My only regret is that there is no equivalent for Leibniz, who was one of the most fascinating side-figures in it.
Aug 30, 2008
Rae
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The life of Nicolaus Steno, who was a Danish anatomist and converted Catholic priest. He was instrumental in discovering the meaning behind sedimentary layers in rocks and is known as the father of geology.
Dec 16, 2009
Robin
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This biography flows nicely and introduces some of the basic principles of geology. Also great illustration of the fine line between science/religion and genius/insanity. Steno was one interesting Dane.
Mar 03, 2008
Dave
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A wonderful first book for lovers of popular science and history of science.
