James Clerk Maxwell Biography: History of Maxwell's Equations

What are Maxwell's equations, why are they important and why were they created in the first place? Meet a charming Scotsman, his scientist wife and their important interactions with a young Lord Kelvin and an aging Michael Faraday.

The music was created by the lovely Kim Nalley.

[DavidMcKay]

I have always felt that tying these developmental ideas together historically is the best way to teach them. It gives human context, then the detail, however correct, is more readily understandable and can be appreciated more clearly. Great work Kathy.

[kentmulter]

"I suppose I can stay up that late" made me laugh out loud; I'm quite a night owl myself. Kathy, this series is just great! Very clear and informative, and fun too.

[douglasstrother]

"Faraday, Maxwell & the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics" by Nancy Forbes & Basil Mahon is a great read. The collaboration between Faraday and Maxwell is sorely under-appreciated, both great men and great friends.

[rexmyers]

I am completely hypnotized by Kathy as I am now binge watching this series

[NishanthSalahudeen]

This series is so amazing, I have no words for it! I cant imagine how tough it is to really understand the history of so many decades and so many people, across so many conceptual topics.... and summarize into concise bite sized content which still retains the crux of the matter and the essential links across people and events. Amazed! I wish PBS or someone made a video documentary (they made many) with this content specifically.

[otiebrown]

The first time I got the complete story!
Thanks Kathy!

[stevemetcalf]

Brilliant work kathy, you've pitched it at exactly the right level for an amateur physics fan like me. I could listen to you for hours, you make it entertaining and informative, with lots of history and the human element thrown in too. Many thanks from Yorkshire, England.

[Stelios.Posantzis]

These videos are an absolute gem! It's for sure one of the best ways to get someone intrigued by science that I have come across.

[TheEulerID]

I'm glad to see Oliver Heaviside getting some credit, and there's a lot more to him than being a pioneer in vector calculus. He was instrumental in what was to the founding of telecommunication theory. However, he was also very strange and eccentric and was never part of the science establishment. He was also, coincidentally, a nephew of Sir Charles Wheatstone, but only by the latter's marriage to his aunt. In his way, he was a more important figure than Tesla and certainly a much better mathematician.

[MrSwanley]

A few notes on Maxwell's time in Aberdeen from an Aberdonian! First, locals pronounce Marischal College as "Marshall College", i.e. it's just an older spelling of the same word. The name comes from the college being founded in the 1500s by an "Earl Marischal of Scotland" (think military governor, not a policeman!). Maxwell had the chair of Natural Philosphy there between 1856-1860. In 1860 Marischal College merged with Kings College to create the University of Aberdeen, which now had one physics professor too many. Kings had a well connected prof that nobody now remembers, while Marischal College had the gifted but very young Maxwell... so they got rid of Maxwell! It was while in Aberdeen that Maxwell proved that Saturn's rings must be formed from lots of little rocks, rather than a solid band, because the latter's orbit would be unstable. It's a pity that famed SF writer Larry Niven didn't know this when he wrote his novel _Ringworld_, because he then had to write a sequel explaining that the Ringworld needed rocket motors to keep it in orbit!

[jameskirk]

Excellent presentation. Years ago I read the book 'The Maxwellians'. Great book to read on long flights.

[bigmack]

I love the way all these famous scientists are linked and BIG thank you for bringing them back to life. 😘

[agustinmontoro]

Hi Kathy: I am an electrical engineer (5 year degree) and I enjoy so much your videos. Of course I love, enjoy and very often use Maxwells equations and of course I can repeat them by heart. I want to tell you a professional secret: Maxwells equations are, really only three because, given the two curl equations and adopting as true the conservation of the charge (Div J=-d rho/dt) you get the two divergence ecuations. Continue your great videos

[CharlesCarlsonC]

It so great to get all the bibliographical information with each of these stories of discovery! The scientists themselves become so much more human.

[otiebrown]

What an excellent report!
Heavyside, with a High School education, created Maxwell's equations.
A true math genius also.

[dewiz]

One of the delightful things that I’ve noticed with Kathy’s excellent presentations is that she presents a picture of her subjects, as they would have appeared at the time under discussion. Which really adds a lo5 of context!

[kahzhoylow]

I love the history lesson. But i would also love if Kathy would explain more on the physics and maths! Thanks for your video!!

[cellovid]

Faraday is one of my heroes; thank you so much for this clarification of his accomplishments and place in history! Really your’s is one of the very best physics channels on YouTube! 😊

[donsample]

"I suppose I could stay up that late."
My own preferred method of making early morning appointments.

[rander]

Another triumph, Kathy! This video is a great tribute to James Maxwell. Thanks!