Professor Maxwell’s Duplicitous Demon: The Life and Science of James Clerk Maxwell

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Brian Clegg

Professor Maxwell’s Duplicitous Demon

The Life and Science of James Clerk Maxwell

Brian Clegg

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English

Icon Books
04 February 2020

Mathematics & Sciences; Physics; Electricity, electromagnetism & magnetism

The great conundrum that has taxed the finest minds in physics.

Asked to name a great physicist, most people would mention Newton or Einstein, Feynman or Hawking. But ask a physicist and there's no doubt that James Clerk Maxwell will be near the top of the list.

Maxwell, an unassuming Victorian Scotsman, explained how we perceive colour. He uncovered the way gases behave. And, most significantly, he transformed the way physics was undertaken in his explanation of the interaction of electricity and magnetism, revealing the nature of light and laying the groundwork for everything from Einstein's special relativity to modern electronics.

Along the way, he set up one of the most enduring challenges in physics, one that has taxed the best minds ever since. 'Maxwell's demon' is a tiny but thoroughly disruptive thought experiment that suggests the second law of thermodynamics, the law that governs the flow of time itself, can be broken. This is the story of a groundbreaking scientist, a great contributor to our understanding of the way the world works, and his duplicitous demon.

AUTHOR: Brian Clegg's most recent books are The Reality Frame (Icon, 2017) and Enigma (Icon, 2018). His Dice World and A Brief History of Infinity were both longlisted for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books. He has written for Nature, BBC Focus, Physics World, The Times and The Observer.

By: Brian Clegg
Imprint: Icon Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 322g
ISBN: 9781785785702
ISBN 10: 1785785702
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 04 February 2020
Audience: General/trade , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: No Longer Our Product

Brian Clegg's most recent books are The Reality Frame (Icon, 2017) and Enigma (Icon, 2018). His Dice World and A Brief History of Infinity were both longlisted for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books. He has written for Nature, BBC Focus, Physics World, The Times and The Observer.

Reviews for Professor Maxwell’s Duplicitous Demon: The Life and Science of James Clerk Maxwell

'Clegg's accessible presentation offers insight into everything from Aristotelian science to black holes and string theory as it reveals the complexities ... of a familiar force.'--Publishers Weekly on Gravity 'Clegg doesn't make science delightful. He delights in science.'--Spectator