Essential to all plant and animal life on Earth light has always been a source of wonder and mystery. This intriguing book brings to life our exploration of this fundamental energy source.Once early humans had learned to harness fire they could have light and heat whenever they wanted - some of the oldest oil lamps that have been discovered were made out of rocks and shells about 15 000 years ago. Today we can collect sunlight through solar panels to make electricity to light and warm our houses. Experimenting with a prism in 1665 Isaac Newton found that daylight contains a spectrum of rainbow colours. Today fibre optics lasers and holograms are familiar items in our hi-tech world.With historical scientific apparatus and stunning demonstrations of key experiments and ideas Light is an exciting introduction to the discoveries that have shaped and revolutionised our way of life.