Category Archives: History of science

Einstein vs. Whittaker, with Born in the middle

Posted on July 15, 2008 by skullsinthestars

My former thesis advisor is the greatest! I recently helped him update an electronic compilation of his collected papers, but refused any payment for my services. He ignored me and sent me a copy of The Born-Einstein Letters, a compilation … Continue reading →

Posted in History of science, Physics, Relativity | 9 Comments

What a drag: Arago’s Experiment (1810)

Posted on July 5, 2008 by skullsinthestars

Note: This post is my contribution to the first-ever edition of The Giant’s Shoulders, a new blog event compiling posts concerning classic science papers. I’ve been meaning to get back to my series of posts on relativity, but things have … Continue reading →

Posted in History of science, Optics, Physics, Relativity | 20 Comments

The gallery of failed atomic models, 1903-1913

Posted on May 27, 2008 by skullsinthestars

It is often said that history is “written by the victors”. While this statement is usually referring to the winners of a military or political conflict, a similar effect occurs in the history of science. Physics textbooks, for instance, often … Continue reading →

Posted in History of science, Physics | 46 Comments

Classic Science Paper: Otto Wiener’s experiment (1890)

Posted on May 4, 2008 by skullsinthestars

Update: In my haste to finish this “monster” post, I neglected to include an introduction to standing waves, an explanation which is crucial to understanding the experiment.  That oversight has been corrected. A couple of weeks ago I issued a … Continue reading →

Posted in History of science, Optics, Physics | 19 Comments