John Naylor
@johncnaylor.bsky.social
Interested in the physics of sights and sounds in nature.
Author of “Out of the Blue, A 24-hour Skywatcher’s Guide”, “Now Hear This, A Book About Sound” & "The Riddle of the Rainbow"
Author of “Out of the Blue, A 24-hour Skywatcher’s Guide”, “Now Hear This, A Book About Sound” & "The Riddle of the Rainbow"
Is anyone's? The extent of the "known world" according to 15th C Europeans is as much evidence of their inquisitiveness as it is of their desire to enrich themselves through trade. I believe that the Mesoamericans were unaware of the islands of the Caribbean.
November 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Is anyone's? The extent of the "known world" according to 15th C Europeans is as much evidence of their inquisitiveness as it is of their desire to enrich themselves through trade. I believe that the Mesoamericans were unaware of the islands of the Caribbean.
In his correspondence he emerges as a remarkably likable and well balanced man. Described as “in his person he was of a middle stature, inclining to tallness, of a thin habit of body, and a fair complexion, and always spoke as well as acted with an uncommon degree of sprightliness and vivacity.”
November 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
In his correspondence he emerges as a remarkably likable and well balanced man. Described as “in his person he was of a middle stature, inclining to tallness, of a thin habit of body, and a fair complexion, and always spoke as well as acted with an uncommon degree of sprightliness and vivacity.”
But did they know about one another. As far as I know, they did not even through they shared landmass. Make of that what you will
November 8, 2025 at 2:22 PM
But did they know about one another. As far as I know, they did not even through they shared landmass. Make of that what you will
Initiated by Faraday in 1825
November 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Initiated by Faraday in 1825
A close friend noted that “…his mind could never bear to pass up any phenomenon without satisfying itself at least of its general nature and causes.” Among those was that of colour vision. Independently of Helmholtz, he proved there are 3 types of cone cells and measured their relative sensitivity.
November 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM
A close friend noted that “…his mind could never bear to pass up any phenomenon without satisfying itself at least of its general nature and causes.” Among those was that of colour vision. Independently of Helmholtz, he proved there are 3 types of cone cells and measured their relative sensitivity.
Helmholtz was indirectly responsible for obtaining proof of Maxwell's em waves by inspiring Hertz's experiment that created radio waves. Curiously, M. never sought such proof, though as head of the Cavendish lab, he had the means to do so.
November 5, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Helmholtz was indirectly responsible for obtaining proof of Maxwell's em waves by inspiring Hertz's experiment that created radio waves. Curiously, M. never sought such proof, though as head of the Cavendish lab, he had the means to do so.
Thomas Young who got the ball rolling with his double slit expt, & Faraday with his 1846 suggestion that light might be an electromagnetic wave both deserve a place in the this pantheon.
November 5, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Thomas Young who got the ball rolling with his double slit expt, & Faraday with his 1846 suggestion that light might be an electromagnetic wave both deserve a place in the this pantheon.
Keats famously-and mistakenly-accused science of consigning the rainbow to the “dull catalogue of common things” and of stripping it of wonder. He had Newton in mind, I suspect. Ruskin was of the same mind: “For most men, an ignorant enjoyment is better than an informed one…" Mod Paints v3
October 31, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Keats famously-and mistakenly-accused science of consigning the rainbow to the “dull catalogue of common things” and of stripping it of wonder. He had Newton in mind, I suspect. Ruskin was of the same mind: “For most men, an ignorant enjoyment is better than an informed one…" Mod Paints v3
Discovery favors the prepared mind and you knew they were worth a second look!
October 28, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Discovery favors the prepared mind and you knew they were worth a second look!
It’s not just cars at night. I was left with an after image that lasted a couple of minutes when I inadvertently glanced at the bright led bike light of an electric bike mid morning on a sunny day.
October 28, 2025 at 4:04 PM
It’s not just cars at night. I was left with an after image that lasted a couple of minutes when I inadvertently glanced at the bright led bike light of an electric bike mid morning on a sunny day.
Together with the eye catching sun dog images you posted, what a great start to your day. Only wisps of cirrus here in Wimbledon this am
October 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Together with the eye catching sun dog images you posted, what a great start to your day. Only wisps of cirrus here in Wimbledon this am
Austria scrawny eagle looks as if has been through a hedge backwards
October 27, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Austria scrawny eagle looks as if has been through a hedge backwards
He is restating Democritus who held “that the air is broken into bodies of similar shapes and rolls about with the
fragments of the sound.”
fragments of the sound.”
October 25, 2025 at 10:44 AM
He is restating Democritus who held “that the air is broken into bodies of similar shapes and rolls about with the
fragments of the sound.”
fragments of the sound.”
His view the nature of sound bears repeating:
“Soun is noght but air y-broken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air y-broke.”
“Soun is noght but air y-broken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air y-broke.”
October 25, 2025 at 10:29 AM
His view the nature of sound bears repeating:
“Soun is noght but air y-broken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air y-broke.”
“Soun is noght but air y-broken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air y-broke.”
C'est ce qui m'a tout de suite frappé. Non seulement illégal, mais aussi extrêmement dangereux.
October 23, 2025 at 10:28 AM
C'est ce qui m'a tout de suite frappé. Non seulement illégal, mais aussi extrêmement dangereux.
Cowley’s site is atopic.org.uk I don’t know who hosts it.
atopic.org.uk
October 22, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Cowley’s site is atopic.org.uk I don’t know who hosts it.
Les Cowley’s has been ill for some time. He told me he doesn’t have the energy to work on an updated site. The other site is a poor substitute: atopic.co.uk
atopic.co
October 22, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Les Cowley’s has been ill for some time. He told me he doesn’t have the energy to work on an updated site. The other site is a poor substitute: atopic.co.uk
Should have paid more attention! As you maybe know, Les long ago stopped updating his site, more’s the pity.
October 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Should have paid more attention! As you maybe know, Les long ago stopped updating his site, more’s the pity.
also worth consulting Les Cowley's Atmospheric Optics site: www.atoptics.org.uk/atoptics/gf1...
Green flash
www.atoptics.org.uk
October 22, 2025 at 9:05 AM
also worth consulting Les Cowley's Atmospheric Optics site: www.atoptics.org.uk/atoptics/gf1...
And, of course, as expected, it's "upside down"
October 20, 2025 at 10:15 AM
And, of course, as expected, it's "upside down"
I had the good fortune to meet him and chat about the sort of everyday phenomena that he calls the "arcane in the mundane", eg rainbows, at a meeting on "light & color in nature" at the Lorenz Centre in Leiden last year. He was unassuming & happy to engage with whatever was being discussed.
October 16, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I had the good fortune to meet him and chat about the sort of everyday phenomena that he calls the "arcane in the mundane", eg rainbows, at a meeting on "light & color in nature" at the Lorenz Centre in Leiden last year. He was unassuming & happy to engage with whatever was being discussed.
Iridescence due to diffraction of sunlight by cloud drops, would be my take on this
October 11, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Iridescence due to diffraction of sunlight by cloud drops, would be my take on this
Hence the solution to Olber’s paradox?
October 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Hence the solution to Olber’s paradox?
You say that Maxwell established the difference between mixing pigments and mixing light. I believe that Helmholtz can claim priority having done so in 1852 (Maxwell in 1855)
September 30, 2025 at 10:17 PM
You say that Maxwell established the difference between mixing pigments and mixing light. I believe that Helmholtz can claim priority having done so in 1852 (Maxwell in 1855)