A potted history of man’s understanding of light, this book is both entertaining and educational, taking us on a journey from the beginning of our history as modern man right up to the flights of fancy of today’s scientists.
Light Years is a testament to Brian Clegg’s power of clarity. He offers fantastic explanations of some of the more bizarre aspects of light, eschewing mathematics, relying on clear prose to convey appreciation of both the problem and, if we know the solution, the solution. He’s not above using a diagram or two, but only when strictly necessary.
The usual suspects are all covered here: Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, Einstein. The giants. And many esoteric suspects you’ve probably never heard of, but who made today’s world what it is: Muslim scientist Alhazen, Roger Bacon, aka Doctor Mirabilis, lens makers Hans and Zacharias Janssen, Anton van Leeuvenhoek, the father of microbiology, and those associated with the invention of the telescope Hans Lippershey, Leonard and Thomas Digges. The list goes on.
Finally. A book I didn’t like.
