Isaac Newton in his book Optics published 1704 wrote it in English so that like regular people could could read it... at the end of his book he has a section called queries.
Neil deGrasse Tyson · StarTalk Radio · Mar 2025 Listen at 19:48 The best things said about it
In fact the second volume of newton's of the notes really on the great book that he published the optics which he published in 1704.
Why people recommend it
Opticks by Isaac Newton is a foundational scientific treatise published in 1704 that details the author's groundbreaking investigations into the nature of light, refraction, reflection, and the color spectrum. The book remains a landmark in the history of science and the development of the empirical method. On an episode of StarTalk Radio in 2025, Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed the historical significance of the work, noting that Newton deliberately published the book in English rather than Latin so that regular people could read and understand it, and highlighting the famous 'queries' section found at the very end of the text. Furthermore, during an episode of the Lex Fridman Podcast in 2021, guest Jed Buchwald discussed Newton's broader philosophical contributions and specifically referenced the great book on optics that was published in 1704. Across these podcasts, the book is cited to illustrate both Newton's scientific genius and his efforts to make complex natural philosophy accessible to the broader public, cementing its status as an enduring pillar of early modern scientific literature.
Every mention
Jed Buchwald in fact the second volume of newton's of the notes really on the great book that he published the optics wh… 1
“in fact the second volume of newton's of the notes really on the great book that he published the optics which he published in 1704”
Neil deGrasse Tyson Isaac Newton in his book Optics published 1704 wrote it in English so that like regular people could could… 1
“Isaac Newton in his book Optics published 1704 wrote it in English so that like regular people could could read it... at the end of his book he has a section called queries”
