Dava Sobel
Dava Sobel
Full Name and Common Aliases
Dava Sobel's full name is Dava Carol Sobel. She is also sometimes referred to by her pen name.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on December 15, 1947, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Unfortunately, we do not have information about her death date as she is still alive.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Dava Sobel is an American science writer, historian, and author known for her engaging and accessible writing style.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in a family that valued education, Dava Sobel developed a keen interest in mathematics and astronomy from an early age. Her father was an engineer, which might have influenced her affinity for scientific concepts. Sobel pursued her passion for science at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in 1968.
Major Accomplishments
Dava Sobel has made significant contributions to the world of science writing and history. Some of her notable achievements include:
_The Planets_: This book, co-authored with astronomer Thomas Paine, explores the study of planets and their formation.
_Longitude_: In this acclaimed work, Sobel delves into the history of navigation and the quest for determining longitude at sea. The book was a New York Times bestseller and won several awards.
* _Galileo's Daughter_: This biography focuses on Galileo Galilei's relationship with his daughter, Sister Maria Celeste.
Notable Works or Actions
Sobel's writing often emphasizes the human side of scientific endeavors, making complex concepts more accessible to a broad audience. Her works have been widely praised for their clarity and engaging storytelling style.
Impact and Legacy
Dava Sobel's contributions to science writing have inspired many readers to explore the world of science and history. Her unique approach to storytelling has helped bridge the gap between technical expertise and general knowledge, making complex ideas more relatable and interesting to a wide range of audiences.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Dava Sobel is widely quoted and remembered for her ability to communicate complex scientific concepts in an engaging and accessible manner. Her commitment to sharing the human side of scientific endeavors has made her a respected figure in the world of science writing and history.
Quotes by Dava Sobel
There was only one trial of Galileo, and yet it seems there were a thousand – the suppression of science by religion, the defense of individualism against authority, the clash between revolutionary and establishment, the challenge of radical new discoveries to ancient beliefs, the struggle against intolerance for freedom of thought and freedom of speech.
In 1616, a pope and a cardinal inquisitor reprimanded Galileo, warning him to curtail his forays into the supernal realms. The motions of the heavenly bodies, they said, having been touched upon in the Psalms, the Book of Joshua, and elsewhere in the Bible, were matters best left to the Holy Fathers of the Church.
And by this experience his knowledge was reduced to diffidence, so that when asked how sounds were created he used to answer tolerantly that although he knew a few ways, he was sure that many more existed which were not only unknown but unimaginable.
The zero-degree parallel of latitude is fixed by the laws of nature, while the zero-degree meridian of longitude shifts like the sands of time. This difference makes finding latitude child’s play, and turns the determination of longitude, especially at sea, into an adult dilemma – one that stumped the wisest minds of the world for the better part of human history.
Time is to clock as mind is to brain. The clock or watch somehow contains the time. And yet time refuses to be bottled up like a genie stuffed in a lamp. Whether it flows as sand or turns on wheels within wheels, time escapes irretrievably, while we watch.
He wrested the world’s whereabouts from the stars, and locked the secret in a pocket watch.
Even more than he regretted her opposition, he dreaded the drawing of battle lines between science and Scripture. Personally, he saw no conflict between the two.
Today, the latitude and longitude lines govern with more authority than I could have imagined forty-odd years ago, for they stay fixed as the world changes its configuration underneath them – with continents adrift across a widening sea, and national boundaries repeatedly redrawn by war or peace.
Time is to clock as mind is to brain. The clock or watch somehow contains the time. And yet time refuses to be bottled up like a genie stuffed in a lamp. Whether it flows as sand or turns on wheels within wheels, time escapes irretrievably, while we watch. Even when the bulbs of the hourglass shatter, when darkness withholds the shadow from the sundial, when the mainspring winds down so far that the clock hands hold still as death, time itself keeps on.