Young: wave interference in the theory of light and colours

What changed

Interference became a unifying explanatory principle for light and colours.

Scientific scope

The 1801 Bakerian Lecture published in 1802; not the first modern double-slit experiment claim or Fresnel's later theory.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The exact work is the 1802 paper. It is not described as the first modern double-slit experiment, a historically disputed shorthand, and later Fresnel developments remain separate.

Contributors

• Thomas Young · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Young, The Bakerian Lecture: On the Theory of Light and Colours

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

Full scientific record · Browse contribution grades · Request a correction