Harrison's clocks were revolutionary in their precision from "summary" of Longitude by Dava Sobel
John Harrison's clocks were a marvel of precision. While the concept of measuring time accurately at sea might seem simple enough to the casual observer, the reality was far more complex. Before the invention of Harrison's clocks, sailors had to rely on less accurate methods such as observing the position of celestial bodies or using hourglasses that were prone to inaccuracies. However, Harrison's clocks changed everything by providing a reliable and consistent way to measure time accurately. The revolutionary nature of Harrison's clocks lay in their ability to maintain accurate timekeeping even in the challenging conditions of a ship at sea. The problem of determining longitude was a pressing issue at the time, as navigational errors could lead to disastrous consequences for ships and their crews. Harrison's clocks offered a solution to this problem by providing a reliable method of determining longitude based on accurate ...
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