My Own Right Time

The pendulum is a constant source of interest to scientists. Great and well-known inventors such as Galileo, Huygens, and Kelvin all devised mechanisms to maintain its even oscillations. The solutions to the essential problem of maintaining a pendulum in motion without disturbing its natural rhythm are as diverse as the characters who devised them. By tracing the story of his own contributions to this subject, the author illuminates the human ingenuity employed in pursuit of an impossible goal of perfection, and highlights a fascinating corner of technology now overtaken by electronics.