The Long Enlightenment:
Australian Science from its Beginning to the Mid-20th Century
The Royal Societies of Australia and Halstead Press present a new hard-cover book by Emeritus Professor Robert Clancy AM FRSN on the achievements of Australian scientists, both famous and forgotten, from the colonial period until the mid-20th century. It covers trailblazers in zoology, anthropology, chemistry, geology, physics, astronomy, engineering, agriculture and biomedical science in 184 well-illustrated pages.
Professor Clancy examines over 100 scientists and their work to discover what enabled the dramatic success of Australian research on both a global and domestic stage. This is no romantic celebration of an imagined golden age, but rather a study of the assets and obstacles that steered the course of scientific accomplishment in Australia that seeks to answer the crucial question of what we can learn from the scientific thinking and practice of the past.