1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910686771803321

Autore

Naylor John <1838-1897, >

Titolo

The Riddle of the Rainbow : From Early Legends and Symbolism to the Secrets of Light and Colour / / by John Naylor

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Springer, , 2023

ISBN

9783031239083

9783031239076

Edizione

[1st ed. 2023.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (306 pages)

Collana

Copernicus Books, Sparking Curiosity and Explaining the World, , 2731-8990

Disciplina

929.605

Soggetti

Optics

Color

Vision

Physics - History

Atmospheric science

Anthropology

Social evolution

Optics and Photonics

Vision and Colour Science

History of Physics and Astronomy

Atmospheric Science

Cultural Evolution

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

1. Why Rainbows? -- 2 The Naming of Parts -- 3 Tales From the Haunted Air -- 4 From Myths to Mathematics -- 5 The Geometry of Light -- 6 The Celebrated Phenomenon of Colour -- 7 New Wine in Old Bottles -- 8 Unweaving the Rainbow -- 9 The Electric Rainbow -- 10 In the Eye of the Beholder.

Sommario/riassunto

Rainbows have been a source of fascination since time immemorial. They have been the subject of myth and superstition, an inspiration to poets, a challenge to painters, the object of intense scientific interest



and a touchstone for ideas about the nature of light and colour. Above all, the rainbow has been the embodiment of wonder from the earliest times to the present day. Beginning with the circumstances in which you are likely to see a rainbow and descriptions of its salient features, this book recounts and explains the myths and superstitions about rainbows, and describes how poets, painters and, above all, leading scientists in every age have sought to discover and understand the rainbow’s secrets. Readers with a love of nature and art and an interest in the history of science will enjoy this attractive and informative book.