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Wood, Robert Williams, 1868-1955We have 3 books for this author.Robert Williams Wood (May 2, 1868 – August 11, 1955) was an American physicist. He was a careful experimenter who made particular contributions to optics. He is probably best known for his work discrediting the purported phenomenon of N rays.[1] LifeBorn in Concord, Massachusetts, Wood was professor of experimental physics at Johns Hopkins University from 1901.[2] His fields of interest included Raman spectroscopy, field emission, optics, and the manufacture of diffraction gratings. The optical effect belonging to diffraction grating known as Wood's anomaly is named after him.[2] He discovered that the darkest area of the Moon in ultraviolet light is the Aristarchus Plateau.[citation needed] In 1909, Wood constructed the first practical liquid mirror astronomical telescope, formed by spinning mercury so that it forms a paraboloidal shape, and investigated its benefits and limitations.[3] Wood has been described as the "father of both infrared and ultraviolet photography". Though the discovery of electromagnetic radiation beyond the visible spectrum and the development of photographic emulsions capable of recording them pre-date Wood, he was the first intentionally to produce photographs with both infrared and ultraviolet radiation.[4] He developed a filter, Wood's glass, that was opaque to visible light but was transparent to ultraviolet. He used it for ultraviolet photography but also suggested its use for secret communication.[5] He was also the first person to photograph ultraviolet fluorescence.[4][5] He also developed a lamp, Wood's lamp, that radiated only ultraviolet.[citation needed] The slightly surreal glowing appearance of deciduous trees in infrared photographs is called the Wood effect.[6] in 1915, Wood co-authored a science fiction novel, The Man Who Rocked the Earth, with Arthur Train.[7] Wood died in Amityville, New York.[2] Honours
Pg 286: “In April, 1931, Friedrich W. von Prittwitz, the German Ambassador at Washington, on behalf of Berlin University, and at a large reception given in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Wood at the Embassy, presented Wood with an honorary Ph.D.” Pg. 287 Footnote: In addition to his medals and awards, Wood has the degree of LL.D. from Clark University, University of Birmingham, England, and Edinburgh University; Ph.D., University of Berlin; is foreign member Royal Society, London; honorary member London Optical Society; corresponding member Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschatten zu Gottingen; foreign member Accademia dei Lincei, Rome; Russian Academy of Science, Leningrad; member American National Academy of Science, Academy of Arts and Sciences, Philosophical Society, Physical Society; honorary member Royal Institutions, London; honorary fellow London Physical Society; foreign member Royal Swedish Academy, Stockholm; foreign member Indian Association for Science, Calcutta. Pg. 292 Footnote: "Among the notable medals for outstanding scientific achievement of which Dr. Wood is the recipient are the following: 1899: medal awarded by the Royal Society of Arts for his diffraction process in color photography; 1907: the Franklin Institute John Scott medal, awarded by the City of Philadelphia for further progress in diffraction color photos; 1909:gold and silver Rumford medals awarded by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for research on the optical properties of metallic vapors; 1910: the J. Traill Taylor medal, awarded for photography by invisible rays; 1918: gold medal, awarded by the Societa’ Italiana della Scienze, for general outstanding scientific achievement; 1933: the Frederick Ives medal, awarded by the Optical Society of America for distinguished work in physical optics; 1938: the gold and silver Rumford medals, awarded by the Royal Society, London, for his daring and genius in experimentation; 1940: the draper gold medal, awarded by the National Academy of Science, Washington, for contributions to astrophysics and spectroscopy. Pg. 293 Footnote: “…Americans and the Royal Society from 1783 to 1937,” “…Only six American physicists have ever been elected to foreign membership in the society…” Pg 284 1934 Wood elected vice-president of the American Physical Society… Pg 288 1935 Wood elected president of the American Physical Society… References
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This biographical information was gathered from the Robert_Williams_Wood page, courtesy of the Wikipedia project. BooksHow to Tell the Birds from the Flowers (Audio Book, human-read)How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers The Man Who Rocked the Earth |
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