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James Clerk Maxwell |
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The year 2006 marks the 175th anniversary of the birth of James Clerk Maxwell, a Scot whose ideas increasingly electrify, magnetize and change the world today.
 “Maxwell's importance in the history of scientific thought is comparable to Einstein’s (whom he inspired) and to Newton’s (whose influence he curtailed)”
Ivan Tolstoy, biographer of Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell himself (in 1864) said: “We have strong reason to conclude that light itself - including radiant heat and other radiation, if any - is an electromagnetic disturbance in the form of waves propagated through the electro-magnetic field according to electro-magnetic laws.”
On which Professor RV Jones commented: “This paper is the first pointer to the existence of radiation other than light and heat, and ranks as one of the greatest leaps ever achieved in human thought.”
A consortium of civic, university, learned society and educational bodies have planned a series of events during the year to bring the little known achievements of James Clerk Maxwell before young people and a wider general public.
These events, in the form of lectures and dynamic demonstrations, will extend from April to December 2006 in city venues open to the public and in schools as well as other places with which he was associated. Details will be added to the events page as they become available, so please check back here often!
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LATEST: Updated 1st December 2006
- James Clerk Maxwell was placed 4th by the public vote in ‘Scotland's History - The Top Ten’, a BBC Scotland TV series, which took stock of Scotland's past to define the top 10 events that have shaped our nation. James Clerk Maxwell, nominated by Bruce Borthwick, featured in the first programme. The results were broadcast on Thursday 30th November (BBC2 Scotland). Visit the programme website, where you can view the programmes on line..
-"What's the Go o' That?" - Celebrating the Life and Work of James Clerk Maxwell. The University of Paisley will hold a seminar on 16th December. Invited speakers will include Malcolm Longair, Basil Mahon, Keith Moffat and Paul Murdin. See Events for further information.
-The James Clerk Maxwell Science Centre at Edinburgh Academy was officially opened on November 3rd by Lord Falconer of Thoroton, QC. Lord Falconer is Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs in the UK Government. See press article and pictures of the event.
-'The Scottish Science Hall of Fame' JCM has been voted into No 1 position in a poll to determine the “10 scientists from the past whose achievements stand out from the rest”. This project is organised by the National Library of Scotland (Further information in Press Coverage)
-’In Search of Maxwell’ - Microwave Journal has published an interesting article by James Rautio about his JCM Pilgrimage to Scotland in 2005.
-Maxwell's Rainbow: The development of this exciting 3D MultiMedia Presentation of Maxwell’s key scientific discoveries by the Digital Learning Foundation in collaboration with the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation is nearing completion. In connection with this DLF has announced a competition for groups of S1/S2 pupils, for further details.see: "What James Clerk Maxwell has done for us!"
Previous updates:
-Pictures from Maxwell 150 Years On - The impact of his science (meeting at the University of Aberdeen) have been added, see photos.
-World-class Award for E-Pioneers: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), Wolfson Microelectronics plc and The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) have teamed-up to create the ‘James Clerk Maxwell Award’ to encourage and reward transforming developments in electronics and electrical engineering or related fields which are profoundly improving people’s lives.
See Press Coverage for more information
-Maxwell 150 Years On - the impact of his science, in Aberdeen, see events.
-Maxwell’s Birthplace and Exhibition open for public viewing, see events.
- On 28th June the Scottish Parliament debated Alex Fergusson’s motion (see below) on James Clerk Maxwell. Contributions to the debate were of a very high standard and the the official written report may be viewed online on the Scottish Parliament website.
-On Maxwell’s 175th birthday - 13th June 2006 - great celebrations were held near his home in Galloway, Scotland, and around the world including San Francisco, Hawaii and Melbourne Australia. See photos and press coverage
-The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a grant of Ł43,300 to Maxwell Year 2006, which is chiefly being used to fund the development of the 3D multimedia presentation. The presentation was made by Mark Lazarowicz MP, see photo
-Maxwell Year 2006 acknowledged in the UK Parliament - see below.
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Mark Lazarowicz, Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith,
has tabled Early Day Motion 2048 in the UK Parliament as follows:
ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTH OF JAMES CLERK MAXWELL
That this House notes the 175th anniversary of the birth in Edinburgh on 13th June 1831 of the great Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell; notes that by discovering the nature of electromagnetic waves he paved the way for radio, television, radar and the mobile telephone; acknowledges the tributes paid to him by Max Planck who described his theory as `one of the greatest triumphs of human intellectual endeavour' and Einstein who said `One scientific epoch ended and another began with James Clerk Maxwell'; congratulates the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation on preserving his birthplace in Edinburgh and promoting the study of science by young people; further notes the programme of events to honour Maxwell in this anniversary year; and encourages all who wish to learn more to visit the website at www.maxwellyear2006.org
Click here for a list of the 108 MPs who support this motion.
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Alex Fergusson, Member of Scottish Parliament for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, has
tabled Motion S2M-4337#, debated in The Scottish Parliament on June 28th, as follows:
BIRTH OF JAMES CLERK MAXWELL
That the Parliament acknowledges the 175th anniversary of the birth of James Clerk Maxwell on 13 June 2006; recognises his great achievement in discovering the nature of electromagnetic waves which opened the way to the invention of television, radio, radar and the mobile phone; applauds his work on colour perception which enabled the successful development of colour television and colour photography, and believes that he is worthy of greater recognition throughout Scotland, given the acknowledgement of Albert Einstein, who said that “the special theory of relativity owes its origins to Maxwell’s equations of the electromagnetic field”, and of Ivan Tolstoy, who wrote “Maxwell’s importance in the history of scientific thought is comparable to Einstein’s (whom he inspired) and to Newton’s (whose influence he curtailed)”.
Read Official Report
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The tallest mountain on Venus is named Maxwell Montes, in honour of James Clerk Maxwell.
It is 12,000 metres (39,370ft) above the planet's average surface and is the only feature on Venus named after a male (the rest are named after real or mythological females).
It is very fitting that the European Space Agency’s Venus Express satellite should enter into orbit in this Maxwell anniversary year.
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