Evolution of Physics

Evolution of Physics

The Ancient Philosophers3500 BC to 350 BC

During the Bronze Age, the first civilizations grew up in The Middle East. Later, in the Iron Age, The Persians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans spread this culture through conquests and trade. Meanwhile, the Chinese were observing the heavens and starting their own culture and science.

The Arabian and Chinese Age100 AD to 1100 AD

During what was known as The Dark Ages in Europe, the Roman Empire collapsed and disease, chivalry and superstition took over in Europe. However, Chinese thought continued to develop and Islamic culture (beginning c.600) flourished, nurturing the philosophy and mathematics of the Greeks.

The Renaissance 1400 to 1680

The Renaissance - or rebirth - began in Italy and saw the ideas of The Greeks returning to Europe. The message spread northwards and explorers spread west to cover the globe. Within 300 years through religious and civil conflicts, natural philosophers had rewritten the Ancient foundations and tools of philosophy.

The Electrical Enlightenment 1700 to 1840

During this time, revolutions in America and France affected the cultural outlook of these (and other) nations. Invention and experimentation became respectable and natural philosophy was quickly developing into physics in the wake of its first heroes from The Renaissance

The Industrial Revolution 1840 to 1890

This was the age of steam ships, trains and machinery. International trade increased and there was an incentive to understand and improve the technologies of the age. Scientists (as they were now called) felt that they would soon be able to understand all of nature.

The Atom Age 1890 to 1920

The optimism of a new century spread into science. Many believed that all that was needed was to tidy up loose ends and refine measurements. This confidence was shattered by the discovery of radioactivity, the publication of Relativity and the First World War in Europe.

The Standard Model 1922 to 2000

The Physics revolutions of the beginning of the century laid the foundations for the age of information and communication technology. However, even now, the two big theories of Quantum Mechanics (for the very small) and Relativity (for the enormous) remain un-reconciled. Physics is still moving on.