Humans have been trying to understand the physical universe since antiquity. Aristotle had one vision (the realm of the celestial spheres is perfect), and Einstein another (all motion is relativistic). More often than not, these different understandings begin with a simple drawing, a pre-mathematical picture of reality. Such drawings are a humble but effective tool of the physicist’s craft, part of the tradition of thinking, teaching, and learning passed down through the centuries.

Don Lemons’ book “Drawing Physics” uses drawings to help explain 51 key ideas of physics accessibly and engagingly, broken up into sections covering periods from antiquity to the 20th century and beyond. Lemons, a professor of physics, pairs short, elegantly written essays with simple drawings that together convey important concepts from the history of physical science. We’re pleased to share a few of those texts, shining a light on Aristotle’s celestial spheres, Röntgen’s accidental x-rays (and von Laue’s subsequent diffraction by crystals), and Leonardo’s “earthshine,” the ghostly glow visible between the horns of a crescent moon.

Η συνέχεια εδώ.