1861: James Clerk Maxwell’s greatest year

James Clerk Maxwell (1831-79) was one of the world's greatest physicists, and 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of two of his most important achievements, both accomplished while he was Professor of Natural Philosophy at King's from 1860 to 1865. 1861 saw not only the publication of his first paper on electromagnetic theory, but also the first photograph produced according to Maxwell's three-colour method, taken by photographic pioneer Thomas Sutton of King's. Born and brought up in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland, Maxwell was educated at Edinburgh and Cambridge universities and then held the Chair of Natural Philosophy at Marischal College, Aberdeen, from 1856. His was one of a series of daring and inspired appointments of young scientists by King's in the 19th century, also including Charles Lyell in geology, John Frederic Daniell in chemistry, Charles Wheatstone in physics and Joseph Lister in medicine. Stimulated by his contact with London scientific and intellectual life, Maxwell's five years at King's represent the most productive period of his career. Equations. Through his four-part paper, beginning with 'On Physical Lines of Force', published in the Philosophical Magazine in 1861, Maxwell demonstrated that magnetism, electricity and light were different manifestations of the same fundamental laws.