January 1, 2016
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmBook Review: Light
Recommendations from Scientific American
By Clara Moskowitz
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Light: The Visible Spectrum and Beyond
by Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2015 (($29.99))
Light is all around us in more ways than we think, present not just in visible rays but in the microwaves that often transmit wireless Internet and the x-rays that expose the health of our teeth and bones. This large-format book provides a visual introduction to the entire electromagnetic spectrum, illustrating each wavelength band with captivating photographs taken through telescopes, microscopes and cameras sensitive to all ranges of light. The book also illuminates fascinating quirks of light—such as the fact that reindeer can see in the ultraviolet range and that gamma rays kill cancer cells—that illustrate how central it is to life.
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