Ernest Rutherford and the Birth of Modern Physics

Albert Einstein called Ernest Rutherford a ‘second Newton’ …

In just a few dramatic decades from the late nineteenth century, scientists upended what we thought we knew about the world around us, opening up a universe of waves, particles and forces that enabled radical new inventions from radio to TV, X-ray machines to smoke detectors.

A key mover of this new wave of science was Ernest Rutherford, a no-nonsense New Zealander who became known as the ‘father of the atom’. A driven personality who created teams of influential physicists wherever he worked, Rutherford made astounding discoveries that helped shape much of the way we understand physics today.

Taking Rutherford’s life and work as a vehicle to steer the journey, this book reveals why this science seized the public imagination, and why Rutherford’s contribution was integral to the technical revolution of the twentieth century. And it explains how that science works, with detailed explanations and diagrams.

Author Biography

Matthew Wright is the author of over 60 books on topics ranging from history to science and engineering, for all ages. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His books include Living on Shaky Ground, explaining the science behind earthquakes; the Bateman Illustrated History of New Zealand; Freyberg, a Life’s Journey, the biography of Bernard Freyberg; and the popular introductory book The New Zealand Wars. Matthew lives in Wellington, New Zealand (see matthewwright.net).