Empire of light

Light surrounds us and determines our existence. Scientists have long struggled to comprehend its physical nature - an enigmatic mix of wave and quantum particle - as well as how it affects us biologically. It remains an enduring mystery - yet is also the stuff of artistic endeavor.

Inspired by Magritte's painting, Empire of Light offers the general reader a clear, non-technical interpretation of the story of light, from ancient discoveries (and colossal misconceptions) to the most modern theories of light's role in the universe; from the cosmic to the subatomic; from all of light's colorful mysteries to its promising scientific and industrial applications.

Professor Sidney Perkowitz, a devoted physicist and keen observer of painting and sculpture, begins with an animated discussion of how humans perceive light - how the eye receives a flood of data and the brain renders it intelligible. But since we also respond to light with emotion and aesthetic appreciation, the author goes on to describe how physiological responses are connected with our innate aesthetic sense.

Throughout the book he links scientific and artistic understandings of light, illuminating its meaning for the general reader. Along the way the ideas of great scientific investigators of light, such as Albert Einstein and Edwin Hubble, join forces with the artistic masterpieces of Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, and other artists to emphasize the vital connection between science and art.