Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science--from the Babylonians to the Maya (Hardcover)

This book is really a digest about the "THE ANCIENT ROOTS OF MODERN SCIENCE" since it gives synopsis of events with timelines of some Europeans and non-Europeans. It is the first book I read that focuses and attempts to highlight that there was an 'earlier civilization' prior to these "Modern Times".

Overall, it was a challenging book to read and it reminded me of the first time I took up Physics in university...daunting, intriguing and an excellent substitute for caffeine. I really enjoy reading Mathematics, Astronomy and Technology sections of the book. I was disappointed with the attempt in correlating the 'Ancients' curiosity in the Physics and Chemistry sections, I did not get it and I will not since I will not revisit that section. I was totally lost with the whole GEOLOGY bit and it best left as it is. The Mathematics, Astronomy and Technology sections were fantastic. Some areas I will revisit again and definitely use as a reference.

My best section was "Mathematics: The Language of Science" since it was wonderful reading and working my way through-it. I was around my desk, dinning table and coffee table trying out the 'little tricks'; which made me smile in the wee hours of the morning. I recall my mother using some of these tricks when she "did her arithmetic in her head" and friends who dazzle co-workers and cashiers with multiplications/additions of large numbers quicker than one enter them in a calculator.

Moreover, it is unfortunate that in these modern times one is lost when one cannot use an icons on a cash register or computer for simple arithmetic...it is a pity we have progressed so far around this ring of civilization.

I good book...I enjoy it and have recommended it to my friends and peers.

So far, Teresi's book has not got as much flack...which is quite heartwarming.

This being the first book of its kind that I have read outside India, I have nothing to compare it with. There are any number of indian publications under the title "Vedic Mathematics", that illustrate the sophistication possible with non-mainstream mathematics. I remember reading a totally original vedic proof of "Pythagoras'" theorem that was elegant, complete and just 3 lines long!

However, the author covers so much ground, and attempts to pack tons of information in a moderately sized book (around 300 pages), that at times the facts come faster than the mind can process. And although he's taken the easy way out by classifying chapters with broad categories, that has lead to a lot of repetition of facts within the book. A more efficient categorization would be by actual elements of discussion - say 1) Algebra 2) Civic Amenities 3)Metallurgy . This way a discourse of the general aspects of a civilization could have been relegated to appendices, and the bok itself would have more of a "tabular" comparison approach. But that's just me.

Kudos to Teresi for the amount of research done for this book. The references list a staggering number of sources, and so much about my own culture (Indian) was revealed to me through this book. Sadly, the text books in India are lame reincarnations and faded copies of books instituted during the British rule. Consequestly, facts like the metallurgical supremacy of South India (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka ) in ancient times (iron-ore mined in Africa was converted to high grade steel in India and later forged into Damascus blades), and the invention of hand-made cotton textiles, do not appear in school texts.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone interested in assigning credit where it is due. And, to those who say "what does it matter?"...it DOES matter to those cultures who have been stripped of pride in their own accomplishments and heritage; I believe that the kind of awareness this book fosters, would reduce some of the short-sightedness that moves people to go out and destroy sites of world heritage.

So far, Teresi's book has not got as much flak...which is quite heartwarming.

This being the first book of its kind that I have read outside India, I have nothing to compare it with. There are any number of indian publications under the title "Vedic Mathematics", that illustrate the sophistication possible with non-mainstream mathematics. I remember reading a totally original vedic proof of "Pythagoras'" theorem that was elegant, complete and just 3 lines long!

However, the author covers so much ground, and attempts to pack tons of information in a moderately sized book (around 300 pages), that at times the facts come faster than the mind can process. And although he's taken the easy way out by classifying chapters with broad categories, that has lead to a lot of repetition of facts within the book. A more efficient categorization would be by actual elements of discussion - say 1) Algebra 2) Civic Amenities 3)Metallurgy . This way a discourse of the general aspects of a civilization could have been relegated to appendices, and the bok itself would have more of a "tabular" comparison approach. But that's just me.

Kudos to Teresi for the amount of research done for this book. The references list a staggering number of sources, and so much about my own culture (Indian) was revealed to me through this book. Sadly, the text books in India are lame reincarnations and faded copies of books instituted during the British rule. Consequestly, things like the metallurgical supremacy of South India (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka ) in ancient times (iron-ore mined in Africa was converted to high grade steel in India and later forged into Damascus blades). The fact that India was a pre-eminent power in cotton textiles and silk that were exported all over the ancient world. The british apparently tried, without success, to duplicate this quality , after they started the industrial revolution.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone interested in assigning credit where it is due. And, to those who say "what does it matter?"...it DOES matter to those cultures who have been stripped of pride in their own accomplishments and heritage; Subjugated to sanctions, arm-twisting, and wars that have little justification. Case in point - Baghdad, which was recently bombed, was in fact a medieval center of learning and the modern world owes it a great debt. The region was also host to the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations - Sumerian, Akkadian, etc. I believe that the kind of awareness this book fosters, would reduce some of the short-sightedness that moves people to go out and destroy sites of world heritage.