Rob Wesson
Autor/a de Darwin's First Theory: Exploring Darwin's Quest for a Theory of Earth
Sobre l'autor
Rob Wesson received a BS in earth science from MIT as well as a MS and PhD in geophysics from Stanford University. His career in earthquake research with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) spans four decades, where he is currently a Scientist Emeritus.
Obres de Rob Wesson
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- Gènere
- male
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Darwin's First Theory: Exploring Darwin's Quest for… de Rob Wesson
Enjoyed the sections of the book describing Darwin's travels and development of his theories. Unfortunately, that only makes up about 15% of the book. Really need to tackle Darwin's works one of these days.
½How geology got its moxie
Darwin’s First Theory is really three books in one. It’s a blow by blow description of Darwin’s career in geology, focused on his global tour on the Beagle that changed and developed his understanding of geology. The second is Wesson’s own tour, largely replicating Darwin’s, albeit by commercial airlines. The third is travelog, as Wesson describes everything and everyone along the way, from what they wore to their hair, what he ate, and transportation follies. This is more than a little offputting, as what readers want and expect is not a Baedeker Guide, but history and science.
Wesson’s being a passionate geologist makes for interesting empathy. He often says Darwin must have thought this or felt that after some speech, or article, or encounter, or attack. Geologists were passionate and feisty in those days, arguing and slamming each other at their regular meetings and Darwin was right in the ring, slugging.
Darwin came to his geology and evolution unexpectedly. He began obsessed with beetles and icebergs, to the point of being a bore. He thought boulders were carried by icebergs and then somehow deposited on hillsides. He made a lot of educated guesses as to how the planet works, and it fueled geology for decades. Nonetheless, most of them were wrong, as Wesson clearly shows.
Darwin had been restless and undisciplined, failing at school, failing to follow his father’s direction, and basically lost. His emerging passion eventually narrowed to geology. The Beagle voyage was his salvation. He became a child in a candy store just wandering hills and seeing elevations. Out of this came his first real theory – of elevation. Darwin theorized that mountains and plains alike heaved upwards by underground forces beneath the thin (20 mile), fragile crust we live on. Where others saw the sea receding, Darwin correctly saw the land rising. On the other hand, he failed to see the obvious, never guessing that glaciers ever ruled the earth.
Wesson really brings Darwin to life, tracing his routes, and following up on the massive Chilean earthquake of 2010, exactly where Darwin witnessed the earthquake of 1835.
David Wineberg… (més)
Darwin’s First Theory is really three books in one. It’s a blow by blow description of Darwin’s career in geology, focused on his global tour on the Beagle that changed and developed his understanding of geology. The second is Wesson’s own tour, largely replicating Darwin’s, albeit by commercial airlines. The third is travelog, as Wesson describes everything and everyone along the way, from what they wore to their hair, what he ate, and transportation follies. This is more than a little offputting, as what readers want and expect is not a Baedeker Guide, but history and science.
Wesson’s being a passionate geologist makes for interesting empathy. He often says Darwin must have thought this or felt that after some speech, or article, or encounter, or attack. Geologists were passionate and feisty in those days, arguing and slamming each other at their regular meetings and Darwin was right in the ring, slugging.
Darwin came to his geology and evolution unexpectedly. He began obsessed with beetles and icebergs, to the point of being a bore. He thought boulders were carried by icebergs and then somehow deposited on hillsides. He made a lot of educated guesses as to how the planet works, and it fueled geology for decades. Nonetheless, most of them were wrong, as Wesson clearly shows.
Darwin had been restless and undisciplined, failing at school, failing to follow his father’s direction, and basically lost. His emerging passion eventually narrowed to geology. The Beagle voyage was his salvation. He became a child in a candy store just wandering hills and seeing elevations. Out of this came his first real theory – of elevation. Darwin theorized that mountains and plains alike heaved upwards by underground forces beneath the thin (20 mile), fragile crust we live on. Where others saw the sea receding, Darwin correctly saw the land rising. On the other hand, he failed to see the obvious, never guessing that glaciers ever ruled the earth.
Wesson really brings Darwin to life, tracing his routes, and following up on the massive Chilean earthquake of 2010, exactly where Darwin witnessed the earthquake of 1835.
David Wineberg… (més)
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Science (1)
Estadístiques
- Obres
- 1
- Membres
- 38
- Popularitat
- #383,442
- Valoració
- 4.2
- Ressenyes
- 2
- ISBN
- 3