The pursuit of longitude tested the limits of human knowledge from "summary" of Longitude by Dava Sobel
The pursuit of longitude was not merely a search for a number, a coordinate on a map. It was a quest that tested the limits of human knowledge. The world's greatest minds were brought together to solve the seemingly insurmountable problem of determining a ship's east-west position at sea. The stakes were high, as countless lives and fortunes were lost to the treacherous seas due to the lack of accurate navigation. At the heart of the issue was the challenge of measuring time accurately. The key to solving the problem lay in understanding the relationship between time and space. Longitude was not just a mathematical calculation; it was a complex puzzle that required a deep understanding of astronomy, physics, and technology. The search for a solution pushed the boundaries of scientific knowledge and inspired innovation on a grand scale. The pursuit of lo...
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