Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-235) and index.

Introduction: A sudden flash of light -- A breath of immoral air: Joseph Priestley and the discovery of oxygen -- Epiphany at Clapham Road: Friedrich Kekule and the discovery of the structure of carbon compounds -- A visionary from Siberia: Dmitry Mendeleyev and the invention of the periodic table -- The birth of amazing discoveries: Isaac Newton and the theory of gravity -- The happiest thought: Albert Einstein and the theory of gravity -- The forgotten inventor: Philo Farnsworth and the development of television -- A faint shadow of its former self: Alexander Fleming and the discovery of penicillin -- A flash of light in Franklin Park: Charles Townes and the invention of the laser -- The pioneer of Pangaea: Alfred Wegener and the theory of continental drift -- Solving the mystery of mysteries: Charles Darwin and the origin of species -- Unraveling the secret of life: James Watson and Francis Crick and the discovery of the double helix -- Broken teacups and infinite coastlines: Benoit Mandelbrot and the invention of fractal geometry.

Since the day Archimedes leapt from his bathtub and ran naked through the streets of ancient Syracuse shouting "Eureka!" the history of science has been punctuated by moments of true insight and discovery. Eureka!: Scientific Breakthroughs that Changed the World explores the events and thought processes that led twelve great minds to their "eureka moments." It also explains the profound impact of these discoveries on the way we live, think, and view the world around us. Most of the "instant" discoveries presented here were, in fact, the combined product of determined effort and exceptional feats of vision. You'll learn how, after years of highly focused study, Dmitri Mendeleyev had a vision of the structure of the periodic table form in his mind while playing a card game of his own devising. Alfred Wegener, on the other hand, amassed data from the varied fields of meteorology, seismology, paleontology, zoology, and geology to confirm his intuitive belief in his theory of continental drift-a theory that provoked a storm of outrage from geologists and was not proven until thirty years after his death. You'll also meet "lucky" scientists such as Joseph Priestley, who admitted that he did not know what he was doing when he stumbled upon the existence of oxygen, but realized immediately that he had made a stunningly important discovery. Likewise, Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin by recognizing the importance of a "failed" experiment and rescuing it from the trash bin in his lab. This fascinating and engaging collection of great moments in science is filled with clear explanations, vivid descriptions, and plenty of surprises. It is must reading for anyone interested in science, science history, and the implacable human urge to explore and understand the unknown.