The Electron: a biography
In 34 brisk, brilliantly crafted chapters, he sweeps through centuries of discovery: essential reading for our electrified age.
Brian Clegg
As a fundamental particle, the electron is central to our understanding of both electricity and matter.
All of chemistry is dependent on the interactions of electrons on the outside of atoms. But the electron has also become increasingly central to our lives, first through the deployment of electricity, then as the essential driving force of electronics, with all its quantum subtlety.
We spend our entire lives now bathed in the electron's output, whether we are simply turning on a light, looking at a phone of working on a computer. And with the move away from fossil fuels, the electron becomes ever more our most important servant.
In this fascinating book, Brian Clegg reveals a remarkable story of scientific wonder and innovation, and paints a compelling picture of one of the most essential components of life itself.
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Reviews
No particle has done more for humanity than the electron. In this dazzling biography, Brian Clegg traces the extraordinary story of the infinitesimal particle that underpins all matter, all chemistry, and every nerve impulse, heartbeat, and thought. In 34 brisk, brilliantly crafted chapters, he sweeps through centuries of discovery — from Newton's obscure electrical musings and Galvani's twitching frog legs, through to the quantum age. Today we live our entire lives in the electron's glow. As humanity turns away from fossil fuels, that dependence will only deepen. Essential reading for our electrified age, this biography of a particle is a biography of all of us. Roger Highfield: Science Director, The Science Museum
Brian Clegg traces the story of the electron from its prehistory in early electrostatics to the heights of quantum electrodynamics with impressive clarity and sweep. This is a richly informative, non‑mathematical exploration—replete with character sketches and anecdotes of key figures—that makes an extraordinary scientific journey both accessible and illuminating. Dame Mary Archer: Chancellor, University of Buckingham
Electrifying. The world is run by electrons and Brian Clegg expertly takes us on a fascinating journey of the physics and people who pioneered our understanding of a particle that is so crucial to everyday life. Michael Banks: Institute of Physics
A treasure trove of fascinating facts about the world's most versatile fundamental building block. Marcus Chown, Science Writer
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