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Longitude

the True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
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May 23, 2017ryner rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
While calculating latitude had historically come relatively easy to ancient scientists and navigators by measuring the height of the sun and stars, there was no comparatively straightforward way to determine longitude -- bad news for ship captains the world over. As recently as 1714, English Parliament offered a prize to anyone who could devise a method of calculating longitude to within a set degree of accuracy. Clockmaker John Harrison accepted the challenge and proceeded to devote the next four decades of his life to this achievement, despite obstacles placed in his path by England's astronomer royal and the Board of Longitude itself. This slim volume is an interesting history behind a scientific concept that we take for granted today.