A narrative and interpretative history of the physical and mathematical sciences from the early nineteenth century to the close of the twentieth century. Drawing upon the most recent methods and results in historical studies of science, the authors of over thirty chapters employ strategies from intellectual history, social history, and cultural studies to provide unusually wide-ranging and comprehensive insights into developments in the public culture, disciplinary organization, and cognitive content of the physical and mathematical sciences. The sciences under study in the volume include physics, astronomy, chemistry and mathematics, as well as their extensions into geosciences and environmental sciences, computer science, and biomedical science. Scientific traditions and scientific changes are examined; the roles of instruments, languages, and images in everyday practice are analyzed; the theme of scientific 'revolution' is scrutinized; and the interactions of the sciences with literature, religion, and ideology are examined.

‘I have spent two months dipping into this book to find out about a wide range of subjects … I am happy to report that it let me down rarely: there was usually a helpful and adaquately reference passage to furnish at least the beginning of an answer to my questions … I warmly recommend this pricey book as good value, even for cash-strapped libraries.’

Graham Farmelo Source: The Times Higher Education Supplement

'… the Cambridge History will no doubt be an indispensable reference for researchers, educators, and general readers interested in the field.'

Source: Chemical Heritage

'… an impressive testament to the depth and breadth of current study of the history of the physical sciences. It will become the definitive reference work for the field. … a wide range of methodologies … The sheer number of topics addressed is … staggering … excellent contributions on the relationship of the physical sciences to society and culture. … The very best chapters offer generous primary and secondary bibliographies, provide enough of a survey to give a clear narrative to a newcomer, and make cleat the most important historiographic issues. … excellent and impressive volume with a wealth of information on a large number of topics … it fulfils a serious need. There is no comparable collection of essays and bibliographic information on the history of the physical sciences.'

Source: British Journal for the History of Science

'… the editor has done a very skilful job in commissioning and arranging 33 articles in the six parts of the volume. … an excellent overview of the state of scholarship in the history of the modern physical sciences.'

Source: Ambix