Gravity's Arc: The Story of Gravity from Aristotle to Einstein and Beyond

"A beautifully written exposition of the still mysterious force that holds our universe together--and the even more mysterious dark twin that may blow it apart."--Joshua Gilder, coauthor of Heavenly Intrigue"A lucid book as up-to-date as the effect of gravity on the bones of astronauts."--Denis Brian, author of The Unexpected EinsteinHow did they do it?How did one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived stunt the study of gravity for 2,000 years? How did a gluttonous tyrant with a gold nose revolutionize our view of the solar system? How could an eccentric professor shake the foundations of an entire belief system by dropping two objects from a tower? How did a falling apple turn the thoughts of a reclusive genius toward the moon? And how could a simple patent clerk change our entire view of the universe by imagining himself riding on a beam of light?In Gravity's Arc, you'll discover how some of the most colorful, eccentric, and brilliant people in history first locked, then unlocked the door to understanding one of nature's most essential forces. You'll find out why Aristotle's misguided conclusions about gravity became an unassailable part of Christian dogma, how Galileo slowed down time to determine how fast objects fall, and why Isaac Newton erased every mention of one man's name from his magnum opus Principia. You'll also figure out what Einstein meant when he insisted that space is curved, whether there is really such a thing as antigravity, and why some scientists think that the best way to get to outer space is by taking an elevator.