The Seven Measures of the World

The Seven Measures of the World by Piero Martin uncovers the fascinating stories behind the essential seven units of measurement that allow us to understand the physical world.

From the beginning of history, measurement has been interwoven into the human experience, shaping our understanding of nature, personal relationships, and the supernatural. We measure the world to know our past, comprehend the present, and plan the future.

Renowned physicist Piero Martin explores how scientific knowledge is built around seven key pillars of measurement: the metre for length; the second for time; the kilogram for mass; the kelvin for temperature; the ampere for electricity; the mole for quantity of substance; and the candela for luminous intensity.

Martin examines the history and function of these units and illustrates their applications in rich vignettes on topics ranging from quarks and black holes to coffee and beer. He delves into not only the all-important numbers but also anecdotes that underline each unit’s special quality.

At the same time, he explains how each unit contributes to important aspects of science, from classical physics to quantum mechanics, relativity to chemistry, cosmology to elementary particle physics, and medicine to modern technology. Martin eloquently shows how the entire universe can be measured and understood using just a few units.