Author: Meggers, William F.

Source: Bulletin (Society for Applied Spectroscopy), Volume 3, Number 2, January 1948 , pp. 1-12(12)

Publisher: Society for Applied Spectroscopy

Abstract:

The history of science abounds with examples of men who observe natural phenomena but are unable to explain or apply them until a "genius" discovers a generalization, principle or law. Once clearly stated such natural laws seem more or less obvious, and the marvel is that they were not recognized earlier. For example, after a million years of accidents, wars, and bloodletting is it not strange that homo sapiens knew nothing about the circulation of his blood until William Harvey discovered it in 1614? Why did the laws of motion and of universal gravitation have to wait for Newton to formulate them during the latter half of the seventeenth century? The ancient Greeks made the first observations on electricity and magnetism, but it required 2 ½ millenium to produce Faraday, Henry, Maxwell, and Hertz who perfected the electromagnetic theory. After more than 2000 years of astronomical observation and speculation it remained for Copernicus and Kepler to announce the true laws of planetary motion.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 1948-01-01

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• Now published as Applied Spectroscopy

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