The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another

Chapter 1 focuses on the development of accurate timekeeping devices and their impact on society. The chapter opens with the story of Ruth Belville, also known as the Greenwich Time Lady, who from 1892 to 1940 earned a living by helping people keep the time. Her highly accurate pocket watch, Arnold, was made of the highest quality metals and thus showed the most accurate time. Ramirez begins with a description of Belville’s physical appearance, which helps readers envision the scene and relate to her: “She wore a dark dress cinched with a broad waistband that offered a hint there was a slim shape underneath the thick fabric. Her ankle-length hem cast a wide shadow that obscured her shoes from sight. Her hair was gathered up neatly under her hat and on her arm hung a modest yet oversized handbag” (1).

Similarly, Ramirez includes personal details about Canadian scientist Warren Marrison, who first used quartz in timekeeping devices to improve their accuracy: “Marrison was a clever and quiet Canadian boy” who dreamed of “escaping his father’s bee farm [...] and worked hard in school to get to America to fulfill his vision for the future” (11). His vision materialized in 1939, when a store on Fulton Street in New York City installed a new clock.