"We owe Clerk Maxwell the precise formulation of the space-time laws of electromagnetic fields. Imagine his own feelings when the partial differential equations he formulated spread in the form of polarized waves with the speed of light! This change in the understanding of the structure of reality is the most profound and fruitful that has come to physics since Newton."--Albert Einstein

Intended for students in the visual arts and for others with an interest in art, but with no prior knowledge of physics, this book presents the science behind what and how we see. The approach emphasises phenomena rather than mathematical theories and the joy of discovery rather than the drudgery of derivations. The text includes numerous problems, and suggestions for simple experiments, and also considers such questions as why the sky is blue, how mirrors and prisms affect the colour of light, how compact disks work, and what visual illusions can tell us about the nature of perception. It goes on to discuss such topics as the optics of the eye and camera, the different sources of light, photography and holography, colour in printing and painting, as well as computer imaging and processing.

Isaac Newton is one of the greatest scientists in history, yet the spectrum of his interests was much broader than that of most contemporary scientists. In fact, Newton would have defined himself not as a scientist, but as a natural philosopher. He was deeply involved in alchemical, religious, and biblical studies, and in the later part of his life he played a prominent role in British politics, economics, and the promotion of scientific research. Newton’s pivotal work Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which sets out his laws of universal gravitation and motion, is regarded as one of the most important works in the history of science. Niccolò Guicciardini’s enlightening biography offers an accessible introduction both to Newton’s celebrated research in mathematics, optics, mechanics, and astronomy and to how Newton viewed these scientific fields in relation to his quest for the deepest secrets of the universe, matter theory and religion. Guicciardini sets Newton the natural philosopher in the troubled context of the religious and political debates ongoing during Newton’s life, a life spanning the English Civil Wars, the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, and the Hanoverian succession. Incorporating the latest Newtonian scholarship, this fast-paced biography broadens our perception of both this iconic figure and the great scientific revolution of the early modern period.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Opticks" (Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections, and Colours of Light) by Isaac Newton. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.