Isaac Newton
Opticks : $b or, A treatise of the reflections, refractions, inflections and colours of light
"Opticks: or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light" by Isaac Newton is a scientific treatise published in 1704. Through carefully documented experiments with prisms, lenses, and glass sheets, Newton overturns ancient beliefs about light and color. He demonstrates that white light contains a spectrum of hues, and that color arises from light's physical properties rather than mixture with darkness. This landmark work reveals how observation and experimental testing can unlock nature's fundamental secrets.