Water: a Brief Early History of its Science
by Martin Chaplin
Water has always fascinated us, as we need to live near freshwater to survive. Early civilizations knew the importance of rain and annual flooding to avoid life-threatening drought and hunger. Water had many uses, and there was a great deal of it. Early peoples made water an essential part of their religions. However, there has been surprisingly little enthusiasm to understand the unique properties of water until quite recently.
Picture of Henry Cavendish (1731 – 1810)