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Dear Librarian,
Sir Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientists who ever lived. He invented
calculus, figured out the composition of light, and determined the laws of
gravity and motion. His
rules about how objects move were so accurate that—more than 300 years later—they are still being used to launch rockets and understand space
travel.
But research is uncovering a Newton no one ever knew existed. The study of
Newton's own personal papers, many written in secret code, is bringing to light
an intense, private man for whom religion and science were inseparable.
Historians now know that Newton owned more than 30 Bibles, and that he used
alchemy as an avenue to study the nature of matter. On November 15, tune into
NOVA's "Newton's Dark Secrets" to discover a complete picture of this enigmatic
man—his science, his personal beliefs, and the times in which he
lived.
With generous support from the National Science Foundation, we've produced this
library resource kit to accompany the program. The kit, which has been reviewed
by a national board of public librarians, has been designed for libraries of
all sizes and visitors of all ages. Use the display sheets to illuminate
Newton's work in gravity, light, and alchemy; conduct the activities to provide
children with the sense of wonder Newton felt about the natural world; and
engage visitors with handouts that offer doorways into Newton's life and the
science that excited him.
We hope you will use this library kit to create science programming that helps
your community gain insight into who Newton really was and how his science
changed our view of the world. We would love to hear how this kit works for you; please
send your comments to NOVA_librarykits@wgbh.org. Your feedback will help
ensure that future projects like this one are interesting and useful to all
librarians.
Paula S. Apsell
NOVA Executive Producer
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