My Own Right Time by Philip Woodward (Oxford University Press, £24.99, ISBN 0 19 856522 4) is a story of an obsession. How accurately can a swinging pendulum be made to keep time? This problem led the author to construct several unique clocks, with astonishing results. The delicate and scrupulous operations necessary are illustrated by exquisite drawings.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Environment
June heatwave may have killed around 20,000 people in Europe
News
Physics
Random wobbles in time could finally solve gravity’s greatest mystery
News
Life
Synthetic biology may finally be ready to solve life's biggest mystery
Leader
Environment
Geoengineering could expose plane passengers to sulphuric acid
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
A type of fibre that stimulates GLP-1 release approved for use in food
2
What is 'SpudCell'? Arguably the greatest bioengineering feat yet
3
The 4 must-watch science-fiction films of the year so far
4
The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second
5
Babies are born with the neural foundations for maths
6
Random wobbles in time could finally solve gravity’s greatest mystery
7
The most detailed survey of the universe ever conducted starts now
8
The weirdness of neutrinos could completely rewrite particle physics
9
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
10
This physicist is hunting for the biggest black hole in the universe
