An image of wildfires in California reveals active areas (bright red) and burn scars (darker red) in infrared and visible light. Credit: NASA/ASTER SATELLITE
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.
This article was originally published with the title "Book Review: Light" in Scientific American 314, 1, 74 (January 2016)
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0116-74a
ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)
Clara Moskowitzis Scientific American's senior editor covering space and physics. She has a bachelor's degree in astronomy and physics from Wesleyan University and a graduate degree in science journalism from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Follow Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz Credit: Nick Higgins
