An Encyclopedia of the History of Technology

This one-of-a-kind encyclopedia presents the entire field of technology--from rudimentary agricultural tools to communication satellites--in this first-of-its-kind reference source. Following an introduction that discusses basic tools, devices, and mechanisms, the chapters are grouped into five parts that provide detailed information on materials, power and engineering, transportation, communication and calculation, and technology and society, revealing how different technologies have together evolved to produce enormous changes in the course of history. Each chapter summarizes the development of a particular technology emphasizing its relation to the social context of the time as well as its place in current scientific thought.