James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) was a Scottish physicist often referred to as “The Father of Electromagnetic Radiation.” Born in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, Maxwell was raised with considerable wealth. His family moved to a country estate when he was young and his mother ensured he had a proper education. Before the age of ten, Maxwell could recite Bible verses and long passages of English poetry, demonstrating his knack for understanding and a thirst for learning. Maxwell began attending the University of Edinburgh at the age of 16. Having been homeschooled for much of his young life, the young scholar had trouble fitting in with his peers. Perhaps this is what kept Maxwell in the laboratories and libraries of Victorian Scotland. In fact, Maxwell found his curriculum less than demanding and often returned to his family’s estate to study and experiment on his own. All of this culminated in his publishing of two scientific papers by age 18. After an extremely distinguished career at the University of Edinburgh, he went on to study at the prestigious University of Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he was accepted into a notable honors society which helped fuel his love of mathematics and science. Already an accomplished scholar while in university, Maxwell left Cambridge and immediately began teaching at Marischal College, Aberdeen in northern Scotland. The Father of Electromagnetic Radiation While Maxwell’s contribution to modern science and mathematics span a wide plane of subjects and theories, it is his work with electromagnetism that has earned him the most fame (and a feature on our blog). After moving on to teach at King’s College London, Maxwell began his research that would culminate in his most influential publication, “A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field.” In this paper, Maxwell posits that electricity and magnetism travel as waves, similar to the way light does. In fact, the electrical and magnetic field waves move at the speed of light. He further asserted that light, electricity, and magnetism all behave in a similar fashion. Maxwell’s discoveries about the properties of magnetic fields led the way for other scientists and the eventual discovery of radio waves. His work in physics also earned the moniker the Father of Electromagnetic Radiation. And if all that wasn’t enough, Maxwell is also credited with producing one of the first lasting color photographs. Not a bad career. James Clerk Maxwell was instrumental in furthering the studies of magnetism, but there are many more scientists who staked their claim to the magnetic field (no pun intended). Make sure to check back with us for more entries into our Magnetic Personalities series. Can’t wait? Check out the rest of our blog!