Science is wonderful. It tells us about the infinite expanses of space, about microscopic living organisms, the human body, and the history of our planet. It always aims to give meaning to the world and to harness its powers.

From the ancient Greek philosophers to Einstein, and from the discovery of the double helix of DNA by Watson and Crick to modern scientists—assisted by their computers—both men and women have wondered, examined, experimented, calculated, and sometimes made discoveries so astonishing that people began to understand the world—and themselves—in a totally new way.

This book tells a grand and thrilling story: the history of science. Through the invention of the telescope, it takes the reader to the stars, as the Sun displaces the Earth from the center of the Universe. It delves beneath the surface of the planet, charts the evolution of the periodic table of chemistry, and introduces us to the physics behind electricity, gravity, and the structure of atoms.

It recounts the scientific quest that led to the unveiling of the DNA molecule and opened unimaginable, novel, and unexplored horizons. By emphasizing remarkable personal stories of scientists, both famous and obscure, "A Little History of Science" sketches the march of science through the centuries. With delightful illustrations and vivid prose, it is a book that will be loved by readers of all ages.