A Preliminary Dissertation on the Mechanisms of the Heavens

Mary Somerville (1780-1872) was a Scottish science writer and polymath, today celebrated as a pioneering figure in the scientific community. Not only was she one of the first female scientists to gain recognition in the male-dominated field of the 19th century, but Somerville also played a crucial role in the popularization of science. Her seminal work, 'A Preliminary Dissertation on the Mechanism...