{"product_id":"longitude-the-true-story-of-a-lone-genius-who-solved-the-greatest-scientific-problem-of-his-time-by-dava-sobel-1997","title":"Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel (1997)","description":"\u003cp\u003ePaperback in Fine (FN) condition. Looks new, clean and straight. Appears unread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"freeText5004081738170669601\"\u003eDuring the great ages of exploration \"the longitude problem\" was the greatest of scientific challenges. Lacking the ability to determine their longitude, sailors were literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Ships ran aground on rocky shores; those traveling well-known routes were easy prey to pirates. In 1714, England's Parliament offered a huge reward to anyone whose method of measuring longitude could be proven successful. The scientific establishment—from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton—had mapped the heavens in its certainty of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution—a clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had been able to do on land. And the race was on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ex Libris Used Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43258259538147,"sku":"EXL623-CONL-9488","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0562\/5675\/7951\/products\/514983HZ5YL._SX277_BO1_204_203_200.jpg?v=1661175475","url":"https:\/\/www.exlibrismichigan.com\/products\/longitude-the-true-story-of-a-lone-genius-who-solved-the-greatest-scientific-problem-of-his-time-by-dava-sobel-1997","provider":"Ex Libris Used Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}