In the15th century, mariners established their location using "dead reckoning,"
a technique that used superstition, experience, and some guesswork to
determine the position of a ship at sea. Ships, cargos, and lives by the
thousands were lost because of inadequate navigation techniques and
instruments. This study focuses on two pivotal, simultaneous revolutions in the
Age of Exploration. First, navigators had to move away from experience-only
to extensive scientific training. Second, navigation instruments were invented,
developed, and/or refined to provide accurate readings capable of...