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Note publique d'information : Light is all around us – even when we do not see it. Our eyes do not detect the higher
energy and shorter-than-visible-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, yet we know it is
there from the sunburn we receive in Arizona. We know that window glass can block
ultraviolet rays so we do not get a burn while driving with the windows rolled up.
Our eyes do not detect the low-energy, long-wavelength infrared (IR) radiation but
we know it exists from discussions of war applications and televised images of guided
weapons targets. We also know about radio waves from the little boxes that talk to
us and x-rays from the dentist's office. Patterns of Light, Chasing the Spectrum from
Aristotle to LEDs, written by Steve Beeson and Jim Mayer starts with the visible –
the straight path of light. It continues with chapters detailing reflection (mirrors,
storefront windows) and refraction (eyeglasses, binoculars). Color is then introduced
with the query "Why is the sky blue?" After answering that and other similar questions
("Why is snow white?"), the book goes beyond the visible to the infrared and ultraviolet.
Patterns of Light’s many colorful photos and figures further aid in the reader’s grasp
of the concepts discussed. Patterns of Light is a descriptive, rather than technical,
book with the mathematics behind light included in the appendices. The book is designed
for physics students of optics and engineering, but will certainly be enjoyed by all
readers interested in gaining a broader perspective on light and its history
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