Sparkling water was invented by an English clergyman and chemist named Joseph Priestley. For that reason alone, it is worth reading this biography of the 18th century English scientist written by Steve Johnson: The invention of air.
Priestley discovered, among other things, oxygen.
Oxygen
The Priestley biography It is only the excuse to superficially touch on the fact that ideas do not flourish in geniuses, but in ecosystems, because Priestley exemplifies, as well as other scientists who revolutionized his time, that the idea of individual, excluded and special genius is a romantic idea that has little support. in the light of the history of ideas.
The invention of air: A discovery, a genius and his time (Noema)
Great advances have occurred thanks to epistolary communication, to cafeterias where groups of interdisciplinary intellectuals met, to institutions that forced their members to communicate with each other. And all of this has been multiplied by a million thanks to the best tool for connecting people and ideas: the Internet.
All in all, the excuse of Priestley's biography contains enough pages and interesting ideas to be worth reading on its own. The invention of air. How, in addition to this vital journey, We also find an outline of these revolutionary ideas about how cultural paradigm shifts work. (or mental), this work by Steven Johnson, once again, is brilliant no matter where you look at it (and it has several facets to look at, like good diamonds).
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The news
Books that inspire us: 'The Invention of Air' by Steven Johnson
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.