Lasting impact on maritime history from "summary" of Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
The quest for an accurate method of determining longitude at sea was a problem that plagued sailors for centuries. Without a reliable way to pinpoint their location on the vast ocean, sailors were at the mercy of unpredictable weather and treacherous waters. Countless lives were lost, and valuable cargo went to waste due to the inability to accurately navigate the seas. The concept of determining longitude was not a new one, but previous attempts had fallen short of providing a practical solution. It was not until the lone genius, John Harrison, came along that a viable method was finally developed. Harrison's invention of the marine chronometer revolutionized navigation at sea and had a lasting impact on maritime history. By accurately measuring time at sea, sailors were able to calculate their longitude with unprecedented precision. This breakthrough allowed ships to navigate with confidence, significantly reducing the number of shipwrecks and improvin...
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