A clear & captivating work of popular science that explains rotational force—a basic driver of the universe affecting everything from the cosmos to our own bodies—from the masterful author of The Age of Wood.
From the time women first used rotating bobbins to twist thread & men whirled slings around their heads to throw stones, people have found spin fascinating & baffling in equal measure. Now, Roland Ennos shows how rotational motion dominates the workings of the world around us. It has shaped the solar system, galaxies, & black holes. It controls our climate & weather—from the pattern of trade winds through to the local formation of hurricanes & tornadoes. Harnessing the power of spin helped launch civilization, from the first developments of the wheel to the systems that now power the industrial world—propellers, turbines, centrifugal pumps, & electric motors. Even our own bodies are complex systems of rotating joints & levers.
But scientists have a tendency to ignore the simple and straightforward. So, 17th-century scientists developed the science of mechanics to explain the phenomenon of the orbit of the planets rather than how machines work. And Newton’s laws have actually limited our understanding of spin because they focus on linear motion rather than on an intuitive grasp of rotation. As a result, few people realize how spin makes our planet habitable, or how it has been tamed by engineers to make our lives more comfortable.
In a lively & engaging style, Ennos presents a new approach to mechanics that not only helps us better understand the world, but also reveals unlikely links between tightrope walkers & tyrannosaurs, catapults & tennis players, stunt cars & long jumpers. By opening our minds, he shows how we can all learn to move about more gracefully, play sports more successfully & safely—& ensure that, like cats, we always land on our feet. A highly entertaining & informative read…
