Seeing Foucault's Pendulum
Between Science, Politics, and Art
$58.96
- Hardcover
320 pages
- Release Date
31 January 2026
Summary
In 1851, the physicist Leon Foucault performed an unforgettable experiment. By suspending a large pendulum inside the dome of Paris’ Pantheon, Foucault provided the first simple, direct empirical evidence of the Earth’s rotation—an undeniable demonstration of heliocentrism. This experiment, conducted long after the Copernican Revolution and using a laboratory apparatus rather than astronomical observation, visually confirmed what had previously been accepted as theory. The pendulum’s motion c…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781945861062 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1945861061 |
| Author: | Seeing the Earth Move Michael Hagner, Robert Savage, Michael Hagner |
| Publisher: | Zone Books |
| Imprint: | Zone Books |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 320 |
| Release Date: | 31 January 2026 |
| Weight: | 736g |
| Dimensions: | 32mm x 236mm x 161mm |
What They're Saying
Critics Review
“In revisiting the pendulum, Hagner offers more than the history of an experiment. He explores how knowledge travels — through demonstrations, lectures, and illustrations — and how it is always entangled with aesthetics, politics, and philosophy. The book reminds us that science is not merely about data but about persuasion, and about how truths are made visible.”—Urmila Chadayammuri, Nature Physics
About The Author
Seeing the Earth Move Michael Hagner
Michael Hagner is Professor Emeritus of Science Studies at ETH Zurich. His books include Geniale Gehirne: Zur Geschichte der Elitegehirnforschung and Der Hauslehrer: Die Geschichte eines Kriminalfalls.
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