1.perpetual
adj. [usually before noun]continuing for a long period of time without interruption synonym continuous
the perpetual noise of traffic
We lived for years in a perpetual state of fear.(literary)mountain peaks covered with perpetual snows and ice
2.empirical
adj. based on experiments or experience rather than ideas or theories
empirical evidence/knowledge/research
an empirical study
3.comet
a mass of ice and dust that moves around the sun and looks like a bright star with a tail
4.orbit
n.[countable,uncountable]a curved path followed by a planet or an object as it moves around another planet, star, moon, etc.
the earth’s orbit around the suna space station
in orbit round the moonA new satellite has been
put into orbit around the earth.
5.compelling
that makes you pay attention to it because it is so interesting and exciting
Her latest book makes compelling reading.
6.phlogiston
n.a hypothetical substance once believed to be present in all combustible
materials and to be released during burning
7.aether
personification of the sky or upper air breathed by the Olympians; son of Erebus and night or of Chaos and darkness
a medium that was once supposed to fill all space and to support the propagation of electromagnetic waves
8.electron
a very small piece of matter(=a substance)with a negative electric charge, found in all atoms
9.cathode
th eelectrode in an electrical device where reduction occurs; the negative electrodein an electrolytic cell and the positive electrode in a battery
10.vacuum
a space that is completely empty of all substances, including all air or other gasa vacuum pump(=one that creates avacuum)vacuum-packed foods(=in a package from which most of the air has been removed)
11.eclipse
[countable]an occasion when the moon passes between the earth and the sun so that you cannot see all or part of the sun for a time; an occasion when the earth passes between the moon and the sun so that you cannot see all or part of the moon for a time an eclipse of the sun/moonatotal/partial eclipse
12.supenova
a star that suddenly becomes much brighter because it is exploding
13.caliphate
the era of Islam's ascendancy from the death of Mohammed until the 13th
century; some Moslems still maintain that the Moslem world must always have a
calif as head of the community
the territorial jurisdiction of a caliph
the office of a caliph
14.astrolabe
a device used in the past for measuring the distances of stars, planets etc. and for calculating the position of a ship
15.alchemy
a form of chemistry studied in the Middle Ages which involved trying to discover how to change ordinary metals into gold
(literary)a mysterious power or magic that can change things
16.monopoly
monopoly(in/of/on something)(business)the complete control of trade in particular goods or the supply of a particular service; a type of goods or a service that is controlled in this way
In the past central government had a monopoly on television broadcasting.
Electricity, gas and water were considered to be natural monopolies.
17.flea
a very small jumping insect without wings, that bites animals and humans and sucks their blood
The dog has fleas.
18.combustion
the process of burning Poisonous gases are produced during fossil fuel combustion.
(specialist)a chemical process in which substances combine with the oxygenin the air to produce heat and light
The ratio must be correct in order to achieve complete combustion.
19.strata
one of several parallel layers of material arranged one on top of another
(such as a layer of tissue or cells in an organism or a layer of sedimentary rock)
an abstract place usually conceived as having depth
20.daunting
making somebody feel nervous and less confident about doing something; likely to make somebody feel this way
synonym intimidating
She has the daunting task of cooking for 20 people every day.
Starting a new job can be adaunting prospect.
1.作者讲述的语气比较生动，经常会有对比，比如柏拉图那一段
2.逻辑结构不是简单的时间顺序，是以时间加事件的顺序交叉讲述，比较有趣味性，比单纯用一种方式生动。
3.作者讲述事情的时候是以发展性的角度来阐释的。
虽然很多单词看不懂，但总体而言挺好看的。至少了解了科学进步的大致方向。但是具体内容理解起来就比较吃力，缺乏相关的背景知识
