James Clerk Maxwell published his first scientific paper at 14. He took Faraday's idea of invisible lines of force and turned it into a set of equations showing that electricity, magnetism and light are all the same thing. His work predicted radio waves before anyone had made one, and paved the way for radio, television, mobile phones and Einstein's relativity. He also explained how we see colour, and in 1861 helped produce the first colour photograph.
James Clerk Maxwell
Electromagnetism Pioneer
EXTRA-ORDINARY TRAIT
PRECISION
JFDI PILLAR
J — JUDGMENT
COUNTRY & REGION
Scotland (UK & Ireland)
LIFESPAN
1831 – 1879
GENDER
Man
EDITION
No.010
✦ DEFINING MOMENT
Projecting the first colour photograph, a tartan ribbon, at the Royal Institution, 1861.
✦ ARCHIVAL DOSSIER
The Story
✦ DID YOU KNOW?
Einstein kept a picture of Maxwell on his study wall, alongside Faraday and Newton.
✦ YOUR TURN
Where are you getting the detail right that others skip?
COLLECTIBLE EDITIONS
Wear this Mind
Official wearable and archival editions are currently in preparation. Register for dispatch announcements.
REGISTER FOR DISPATCH UPDATES →