The Measure Of All Things

The Measure of All Things tells the story of how science, revolutionary politics and the dream of a new economy converged to produce both the metric system and the first struggle over globalization.Amidst the scientific fervour of the Revolution two French scientists, Delambre and Mechain, were sent out on an expedition to measure the shape of the world and thereby establish the metre.As one scientist went north along the French meridian and the other south, they could not know the deadly obstacles that lay ahead. Delambre narrowly escaped the guillotine on the outskirts of Paris, while Mechain was trapped behind enemy lines in the way against Spain and imprisoned. It was to be seven years before they received a hero's welcome in Paris.

Softcover. English. Abacus. 2004. ISBN: 9780349115078. 480pp. Good condition in softcover. Book No: 49099