The Seashell on the Mountaintop: A Story of Science, Sainthood, and the Humble Genius who Discovered a New History of the Earth Audiobook

" This is an interesting subject but I found this particular discussion to be somewhat tedious. (I, like many others I'm sure, became curious about Steno after Google did a logo commemorating him a few weeks ago.) "

" I have read this three times. It is amazing. "

" The man and the history were fascinating, but the writing was very dull. "

" Wow! This is the coolest overview of early geologic discovery and methodology. The realization that rocks are very ancient and the fossils embedded in those rocks are just as ancient as the rocks was unheard of until Nicolas Steno. Nicolas Steno was the first man in recorded history to link geologic layers with the time line of geologic history. Before he added his ideas to the pantheon of science, there were some pretty wacky ideas about how sea life fossils were embedded in the rock high on mountain tops hundreds of miles form the nearest ocean. No one thought of the meaning of the striped sediment exposed on cliff faces and mountain sides until Mr. Steno. Very interesting in terms of modern geology/paleontology and science history. "

" I was a little disappointed, this is a biography of a man who started asking the first questions about how seashells got on the top of the Alps, which to me is pretty miraculous and I know how they got there. Imagine being in the time where no one knew! But the tone wasn't very engaging or interesting. I still can't believe that people in that day and age (1600's) thought mountains were hideous and offended God... but they did. I did like that Steno started as an anatomist so there are parallels to exploring the human body and exploring the earth that were cool. "

" Biography of the father of stratigraphy, with a historical overview of human understanding as far as the natural and physical sciences and where it stood by the mid-1600s. It's interesting to see all the different lines of thought about how mountains and seashells in mountains and various other natural wonders came to be -- most of which sound pretty outlandish today, but seemed to make perfect sense at the time. "

" A very readable story about the man who was the Father of Geology. Will certainly make you see Italy in a different way! "

" Did the Noah's flood put the seashells on the tops of mountains? Nope! This book convinced me. That Shallow seas covered what was once those mountains is pretty clear to me thanks in part to this book. "

" The life of Nicolaus Steno, who was a Danish anatomist and converted Catholic priest. He was instrumental in discovering the meaning behind sedimentary layers in rocks and is known as the father of geology. "

" A wonderful first book for lovers of popular science and history of science. "

" This biography flows nicely and introduces some of the basic principles of geology. Also great illustration of the fine line between science/religion and genius/insanity. Steno was one interesting Dane. "

" I enjoyed the book. I learned a lot about the interaction between science and the Christian religion. "

" Why "it was okay": It got the job done, wasn't boring to read, but didn't add any insights or say anything particularly interesting. Kind of like someone stretched out an article you'd find in The National Geographic but without the great colour photos. "

" This is the type of history of science I love: to the point, interesting, and focused on what is at hand. My only regret is that there is no equivalent for Leibniz, who was one of the most fascinating side-figures in it. "

" Extremely interesting. I was worried it would bore me since I have never read an actual biography before, but I loved it. I enjoyed learning about the scientific theories of the time (not just from Nicholaus Steno) and how they were influenced by the beliefs of the world around them. "

" An interesting story about the beginnings of geology. Most interesting is the discussion of the stupidity of trying to force fit scientific reality into the Laws of the church. "

" The history of science is full of interesting happenings and characters. This short book about a 17th century geologist touches on accommodations between science and religion, the egos of early discoverers, and the reasons that people believed what they did about the natural world. "

" One of the loveliest science history books I have ever read. <br/>Gives a great account of the life and times of the 17th C Danish scientist Nicolaus Steno who should (if he is not) be hailed as one of the founders of the science of geology. <br/>Loved it! "

" The history of science is full of interesting happenings and characters. This short book about a 17th century geologist touches on accommodations between science and religion, the egos of early discoverers, and the reasons that people believed what they did about the natural world. "

" A very readable story about the man who was the Father of Geology. Will certainly make you see Italy in a different way! "

" Did the Noah's flood put the seashells on the tops of mountains? Nope! This book convinced me. That Shallow seas covered what was once those mountains is pretty clear to me thanks in part to this book. "

" I have read this three times. It is amazing. "

" This is the type of history of science I love: to the point, interesting, and focused on what is at hand. My only regret is that there is no equivalent for Leibniz, who was one of the most fascinating side-figures in it. "