Early Days of X-ray Crystallography
Published on 29. October 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
464 pages
978-0-19-875405-3 (ISBN)
Description
The year 2012 marked the centenary of one of the most significant discoveries of the early twentieth century, the discovery of X-ray diffraction (March 1912, by Laue, Friedrich and Knipping) and of Bragg's law (November 1912). The discovery of X-ray diffraction confirmed the wave nature of X-rays and the space-lattice hypothesis. It had two major consequences: the analysis of the structure of atoms, and the determination of the atomic structure of materials. This had a momentous impact in chemistry, physics, mineralogy, material science, biology and X-ray spectroscopy.
The book relates the discovery itself, the early days of X-ray crystallography, and the way the news of the discovery spread round the world. It explains how the first crystal structures were determined by William Bragg and his son Lawrence, and recounts which were the early applications of X-ray crystallography in chemistry, mineralogy, materials science, physics, biological sciences and X-ray spectroscopy. It also tells how the concept of space lattice developed since ancient times up to the nineteenth century, and how our conception of the nature of light has changed over time. The contributions of the main actors of the story, prior to the discovery, at the time of the discovery and immediately afterwards, are described through their writings and are put into the context of the time, accompanied by brief biographical details.
This thoroughly researched account on the multiple faces of a scientific specialty, X-ray crystallography, is aimed both at the scientists, who rarely subject the historical material of past discoveries in their field to particular scrutiny with regard to the historical details and at the historians of science who often lack the required expert knowledge to scrutinize the involved technical content in sufficient depth (M. Eckert - Metascience).
The book relates the discovery itself, the early days of X-ray crystallography, and the way the news of the discovery spread round the world. It explains how the first crystal structures were determined by William Bragg and his son Lawrence, and recounts which were the early applications of X-ray crystallography in chemistry, mineralogy, materials science, physics, biological sciences and X-ray spectroscopy. It also tells how the concept of space lattice developed since ancient times up to the nineteenth century, and how our conception of the nature of light has changed over time. The contributions of the main actors of the story, prior to the discovery, at the time of the discovery and immediately afterwards, are described through their writings and are put into the context of the time, accompanied by brief biographical details.
This thoroughly researched account on the multiple faces of a scientific specialty, X-ray crystallography, is aimed both at the scientists, who rarely subject the historical material of past discoveries in their field to particular scrutiny with regard to the historical details and at the historians of science who often lack the required expert knowledge to scrutinize the involved technical content in sufficient depth (M. Eckert - Metascience).
Reviews / Votes
Readers of the Early Days of X-ray Crystallography from both camps will be rewarded by a thoroughly researched account on the multiple faces of a scientific specialty. Historians of science will find here a rich source for further study. Crystallographers will appreciate the lesson that the historical roots of their discipline are more ramified than it may appear from a mere rational reconstruction of ideas and concepts. * Michael Eckert, Metascience * I consider Authier's book as, at the present time and for a long time to come, the most complete History of Crystallography and the topics connected with it. It will be an indispensable tool for further research and a treasure trove for everybody interested in the history of scientific ideas * Dieter Schwarzenbach, Crystallography Reviews * Andre has created an historical tour de force: every page contains precious nuggets of much interest...This fluently written, scholarly treatise, covers not only the early days of X-ray crystallography but also it sets the historical context in the centuries leading up to the discovery of X-ray diffraction, and what followed therefrom. Historians of science will enjoy reading it, as will students and researchers in crystallography, chemistry, biochemistry, solid-state physics, materials science, and mineralogy. * Moreton Moore, Crystallography News * While maintaining its main goal of describing the historical and scientific context in which X-ray crystallography originated, the book is a well conceived excursion through the history of science in the 20th century. [] Brilliant and appropriate quotations, as subtitles of the chapters, and many figures, pictures, and short biographies of the main characters embellish the text. Interrelations among scientists, their collaborations and controversies over the proper interpretation of X-ray diffraction by crystals are presented in a fetching way: most famous and less famous scientists come in and out of the story at the appropriate moment and their contribution is clearly explained. * Chemistry International * To sum up, one of the leading players in the modern era of X-ray crystallography, Andre Authier, has produced with this book a work of true devotion and incomparable detail. I Found the book to be a captivating read. It should be studied by all with an interest in where we came from in our field of crystallographic science, and is a guide to where we are going. * John Helliwell, Acta Crystallographica * Professor Authier has exquisitely brought those Early Days to life, with a very human and entertaining account of the science, rigorously described, spiced with many little known personal and biographical details resulting in a story revealing how it really happened. The newcomers to the field will be exposed to a proud scientific enterprise and tradition that will be appreciated and treasured by the growing community of practitioners of the discipline that has produced a record number of Nobel prizes. * Joel Bernstein, New York University, Abu Dhabi * This is the definitive account of the discovery that truly changed our world. This thorough study, with its wealth of historical detail, should be required reading for everyone seriously interested in crystals. * Marjorie Senechal, Smith College, Northampton, MA * The title of the volume underestimates the richness of its content, which is much larger. This clear, rigorous and well balanced review of the early developments of crystallography and X-ray diffraction will be indispensable for all students and scientists interested in the field. * Francesco Abbona, Universita degli Studi di Torino * A comprehensive and enthralling opus of encyclopedic and historical character! * Helmut Klapper, Universitaet Bonn * This fluently written, scholarly treatise, covers not only the early days of X-ray crystallography but also it sets the historical context in the centuries leading up to the discovery of X-ray diffraction, and what followed therefrom. Historians of science will enjoy reading it, as will students and researchers in crystallography, chemistry, biochemistry, solid-state physics, materials science, and mineralogy. * Moreton Moore, Crystallography News, March 2014 * This marvellously eclectic book provides and almost encyclopaedic source of how we know what we know about the structures and properties of crystals, and Andre Authier tells it with an intellectually and scientifically rigorous and constantly entertaining way. [] Since I received the book, it has provided many hours of delightful reading, browsing, and reminiscing, and has already served me well as a sourcebook for writing and lecturing. It documents a rich history and tradition of which all crystallographers should be proud, and it should enjoy a cherished place on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in science, history, and the human role in creating the two. * Joel Bernstein, IUCr Newsletter 2014 * It is very clear that Authier has labored long and hard and as a result has done a good job presenting a history of crystallography * Joe Ferrara, ACA NetfleXions * ...a highly valuable source for a future history of these important developments in twentieth-century science. * Shaul Katzir, Isis * [...]Early Days of X-ray Crystallography is a remarkable scholarly book, good to know and consult for historical facts [...] * Jens Als-Nielsen, American Journal of Physics *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
203 b/w illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 169 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
858 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-875405-3 (9780198754053)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Andre Authier
Early Days of X-ray Crystallography
Book
08/2013
Oxford University Press
€110.80
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Andre Authier is Professor Emeritus at the Institut de Mineralogie, de Physique des Materiaux et de Cosmochimie, Universite P. et M. Curie in Paris. He was Full Professor at Paris University and former president of the International Union of Crystallography.
Content
1. Significance of the discovery of X-ray diffraction ; 2. The various approaches to the concept of space lattice ; 3. The dual nature of light ; 4. Rontgen and the discovery of X-rays ; 5. The nature of X-rays: waves or corpuscles? ; 6. The discovery of X-ray diffraction and the birth of X-ray analysis ; 7. The first steps ; 8. The route to crystal structure determination ; 9. X-rays as a branch of optics ; 10. Early applications of X-ray crystallography ; 11. Unravelling the mystery of crystals - the forerunners ; 12. The birth and rise of the space-lattice concept