From the Earliest Cave Paintings to the Innovation of the iPod

 Disruption & Innovation

100 Diagrams That Changed the World by Maria Popova

via Brainpickings

A visual history of human sensemaking, from cave paintings to the world wide web.Since the dawn of recorded history, we’ve been using visual depictions to map the Earth, order the heavens, make sense of time, dissect the human body, organize the natural world, perform music, and even concretize abstract concepts like consciousness and love. 100 Diagrams That Changed the World (UK; public library) by investigative journalist and documentarian Scott Christianson chronicles the history of our evolving understanding of the world through humanity’s most groundbreaking sketches, illustrations, and drawings, ranging from cave paintings to The Rosetta Stone to Moses Harris’s color wheel to Tim Berners-Lee’s flowchart for a “mesh” information management system, the original blueprint for the world wide web. Full Article via Brainpickings.

100 Diagrams That Changed the World: From the Earliest Cave Paintings to the Innovation of the iPod Hardcover by Scott Christianson  (Author)

Recommended by The New York Times Book Review  ["This handsomely designed volume makes a case for the diagrams...provoking many 'aha moments.'"]

A collection of the most important ideas, theories, and concepts of all time

100 Diagrams That Changed the World is a fascinating collection of the most significant plans, sketches, drawings, and illustrations that have influenced and shaped the way we think about the world. From primitive cave paintings to Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man to the complicated DNA helix drawn by Crick and Watson to the innovation of the iPod, they chart dramatic breakthroughs in our understanding of the world and its history. Arranged chronologically, each diagram is accompanied by informative text that makes even the most scientific breakthrough accessible to all. 

Beautifully illustrated in full color, this book will not only inform but also entertain as it demonstrates how the power of a single drawing can enhance, change, or even revolutionize our understanding of the world. With its iconic images and powerful explanations, 100 Diagrams That Changed the World is perfect for readers of The History of the World in 100 Objects, and is the ideal gift for anyone interested in culture, history, science, or technology.