History: January 15 (#4)

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January 15, 1818 A paper by David Brewster is read to the Royal Society, belatedly announcing his discovery of what we now call the biaxial class of doubly-refracting crystals. On the same day, Augustin-Jean Fresnel signs a "supplement" (submitted four days later) on reflection of polarized light.

Commentary

On January 15, in the year 1818: A paper by David Brewster is read to the Royal Society, belatedly announcing his discovery of what we now call the biaxial class of doubly-refracting crystals. On the same day, Augustin-Jean Fresnel signs a "supplement" (submitted four days later) on reflecti on of polarized light. Polarization, or polarisation, is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. Why January 15, 1818 matters: A paper by David Brewster is read to the Royal Society, belatedly announcing his discovery of what we now call the biaxial class of doubly-refracting crystals. On the same day, Augustin-Jean Fresnel signs a "supplement" (submitted four days later) on reflection of polarized light. What began on this day left a lasting mark on history. The effects were felt immediately and continued to shape events, ideas, and lives long afterwards. Historical context: January 15, 1818 The 19th century transformed daily life through industrial tools, transport, urban infrastructure, and expanding education. The event on this day: A paper by David Brewster is read to the Royal Society, belatedly announcing his discovery of what we now call the biaxial class of doubly-refracting crystals. On the same day, Augustin-Jean Fresnel signs a "supplement" (submitted four days later) on reflection of polarized light. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_(waves) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)