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Our World of Light and Color

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Light Science

Abstract

Throughout history, the knowledge and culture of each civilization have been expressed through its science, its literature, and its arts. To fully appreciate the beauty of our natural world, we should appreciate and understand both the scientific and the artistic interpretations.

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Further Reading

  • Eckstut, J., & Eckstut, A. (2013). The Secret Language of Color. New York: Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, Inc.

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  • Falk, D. S., Brill, D. R., & Stork, D. G. (1986). Seeing the Light. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

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  • Finlay, V. (2014). The Brilliant History of Color in Art. Los Angeles: Getty Publications.

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  • Greenler, R. (1980). Rainbows, Halos, and Glories. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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  • Heidorn, K., & Whitelaw, I. (2010). The Field Guide to Natural Phenomena - The Secret World of Optical, Atmospheric and Celestial Wonders. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books, Inc.

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  • Lamb, T., & Bourriau, J. (1995). Colour: Art and Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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  • Lynch, D. K., & Livingston, W. (2001). Color and Light in Nature (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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  • Minnaert, M. (1993). Light and Color in the Outdoors. New York: Springer-Verlag.

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  • Overheim, R. D., & Wagner, D. L. (1982). Light and Color. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

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  • Smith, A. M. (2001). Alhacen’s Theory of Visual Perception (First Three Books of Alhacen’s de Aspectibus). Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society.

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  • Watson, B. (2016). Light: A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age. New York: Bloomsbury USA.

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Correspondence to Thomas D. Rossing .

Glossary of Terms

brightness

Sensation of overall light intensity, ranging from dark, through dim, to bright.

chlorophyll

The material in leaves that strongly reflects green light.

hue

Color name (e.g., red, yellow, green) that distinguishes one color from another.

photosynthesis

Chemical process by which plants produce sugar from water and carbon dioxide by using sunlight.

rainbow

Display of colors due to refraction in raindrops or other droplets of water .

Rayleigh scattering

Selective scattering of light by small particles; it makes the sky appear blue and the setting sun red.

saturation

Purity of a color (similar to “chroma” or “color intensity”) .

wavelength

Distance between two successive wave crests or troughs.

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Rossing, T.D., Chiaverina, C.J. (2019). Our World of Light and Color. In: Light Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27103-9_1

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