Ten Days in Physics That Shook the World: How Physicists Transformed Everyday Life

Clegg (Essential Science) highlights in this solid primer 10 days that marked game-changing discoveries in the field of physics. The breakthroughs he covers include the publication of Isaac Newton’s Principia, the discovery of superconductivity by Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, and the connection of the first two nodes of the internet. Other days include paper publication dates (including studies by Marie Curie and Albert Einstein), and one step in the protracted creation of LEDs. Clegg is strongest in describing the background of each development and connecting theoretical understandings to practical applications: for instance, he works from James Clerk Maxwell’s formulation of the laws of electrodynamics to their fundamental importance in all electronic devices. Each chapter includes fast facts on the physicists and engineers profiled, though the inclusion of other significant happenings from the eras under consideration (the same year Rudolf Clausius published “On the Moving Force of Heat,” American Express was founded) often feels like filler. Those new to the field will find this a fine overview of touchstone moments. (Nov.)