This book provides a compact history of gears, by summarizing the main stages of their development and the corresponding gradual acquisition of engineering expertise, from the antiquity to the Renaissance and the twentieth century. This brief history makes no claim to be exhaustive, since the topic is so extensive, complex and fascinating that it deserves an entire encyclopedia. Despite its brevity, the book debunks a number of popular misconceptions, such as the belief that the first literary description of a gear was supplied by Aristotle. It disproves not only this myth, but also other peremptory statements and/or axiomatic assumptions that have no basis in written documents, archaeological findings or other factual evidence. The book is chiefly intended for students and lecturers, historians of science and scientists, and all those who want to learn about the genesis and evolution of this topic.

Auteur
Vincenzo Vullo was professor at University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy, where he taught Mechanical Design. His main research areas include mechanical structures, analysis of rotors, plates and shells, advanced design in automotive and railway industry and finite element method of analysis. He is author of about 180 scientific papers and he is a member of a number of professional societies, including ASME and SAE.

Contenu
Introduction.- The first pre-scientific age: from the dawn of technological man to the birth of science.- The first scientific age and birth of the science: from the beginning of Hellenism to the diaspora of scientists of the museum of Alexandria.- The second pre-scientific age: from the diaspora of Alexandrian scientists to the Renaissance.- The second scientific age: grom Galileo to today.