Paperback. Cream cover with brown title.

We provide an in-depth photographic presentation of this item to stimulate your feeling and touch. More traditional book descriptions are immediately available

 A £2 reduction when collected from FBA shop  

Presents some of the unusual anecdotes, scientific findings, and commentary published in Nature magazine through the mid 1950s.

A very educational book. 

A Bedside Nature: Genius and Eccentricity in Science, 1869-1953 (1996), edited by Walter Gratzer and published by Macmillan, is a curated anthology of notable, curious, and foundational articles from the first 84 years of Nature magazine. It highlights scientific developments, eccentricities, and historical scientific disputes. 

BMJ +4

Key Aspects of the Book:

• Anthology of Science History: Covers major scientific breakthroughs from 1869 to 1953, featuring works from figures like Darwin, Huxley, and Watson & Crick.
• Genius and Eccentricity: Highlights both brilliant, lasting discoveries and “scientific debacles” or unusual articles published in the magazine’s past.
• Contextual Commentary: Walter Gratzer provides commentary, placing the papers within the historical, social, and political context of their time.
• Scope: Includes reports on scientific debates, biographies, and medical curiosities.
• Details: The book is approximately 280 pages long. This collection is noted for showcasing how scientific thought has progressed through both rigorous research and sometimes bizarre contributions. 

NOTE: This is an original  book from the library gathered by the famous Cambridge Don, computer scientist, food and wine connoisseur, Jack Arnold LANG. Note: Jack founded the Michelin Guide ‘Midsummer House’- Cambridge’s paramount restaurant. This dining experience is hidden amongst the grassy pastures and grazing cattle of Midsummer Common and perched on the banks of the River Cam. 

In 2008, Jack was one of the co-founders of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, alongside other members of the Department, and acted as the Foundation’s Chair. The project’s original goals were modest: to build and distribute low-cost computers for prospective applicants to our Computer Science degree. Initially the project was a “success disaster”, as Jack would say, as demand far outstripped the low-scale manufacturing plans. Ultimately the Raspberry Pi became the UK’s most successful computer with more than 60 million sold to date. Jack was drawn to the educational possibilities of the Raspberry Pi, its potential uses in emerging economies and the way it could support self-directed learning.