Capital students to wave in Maxwell's Rainbow . . in 3D

Published on Friday 6 April 2007 11:38

LOVE them or hate them, for most of us they are an essential part of daily life.

But without an invention two centuries ago by Edinburgh scientist James Clerk Maxwell, the mobile phone would not exist today.

Now a celebration of his life and work - including the crucial theory of electromagnetic waves - is to be held at Maxwell's birthplace in the New Town.

"Maxwell's Rainbow", a short 3D film featuring a combination of animation, acting and narrative, will be shown at 14 India Street over the next two weekends.

The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation, which owns the building, commissioned the show with a grant from the Heritage Memorial Fund last year - the 175th anniversary of his birth.

Maxwell's work was known to have inspired Einstein and his equations are still used by scientists today. He developed his most famous theory - which includes a colour spectrum known as Maxwell's Rainbow - between 1856 and 1873. Electromagnetism is now central to modern technology from mobile phones to X-ray machines.

Visitors will be given special glasses to watch the 3D performance.

Professor David Ritchie, the foundation's senior trustee, said the 40-minute show is aimed at children in the first two years of high school.

He said: "It is a novel idea. I hope that it catches on and we will be able to show it to a lot more schoolchildren in the future. It isn't an easy subject to put across as it is a 3D phenomenon."

Prof Ritchie said he hopes it will capture and encourage children's interest in science, adding: "It is desperately important that we get more children doing science."

The show was created by the Digital Learning Foundation (DLF), an educational charity which specialises in 3D animation.

It uses a brand-new 3D technique which is shortly to be installed in mainstream cinemas.

The system projects 144 frames a second, with one half passing through the left lens of the polarised glasses and the other half through the right.

The show begins with scenes based on watercolours created by Maxwell's cousin, Jemima Blackburn, a Victorian artist.

Evening performances will be accompanied by music composed by Paul J Moore entitled "Maxwell's Equations", performed by Mr Moore himself and supported by the Edinburgh Quartet.

He told the Evening News he was inspired by Maxwell's work and character. He said: "Maxwell spoke of 'shapes in the air' and I wanted to interpret these shapes and the spatial relationships of electromagnetism in music.

"These recitals with the Edinburgh Quartet are hopefully just a wee toe in the water."

• Performances take place at 5.30pm and 7.30pm today, and 2pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and Sunday, as well as on April 14 and 15. Entrance is free.

The facts

James Clerk Maxwell was born on June 13, 1831, at 14 India Street in the New Town. The family moved to Glenlair near Dumfries, but he returned to attend Edinburgh Academy.

Maxwell studied at Edinburgh and Cambridge, before becoming Professor of Physics at Marischal College, Aberdeen, when he was just 25. In 1871 he became the first Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge and directed the Cavendish Laboratory.

His greatest achievement was formulating a set of equations to explain electromagnetic waves, now known as Maxwell's equations, which scientists still use today.

He died on November 5, 1879.