Aristotle (384-322 BCE), who lived over 2 thousand years ago, reflected on many natural phenomena involving light. Many view his thinking as providing the groundwork leading to modern science. He wrote about familiar phenomena such as lightning, the rainbow and vision. He also wrote about less familiar phenomena today such as aurora borealis (northern lights), less familiar now because outdoor light pollution often prevents their appreciation. Another such example is the cold light phenomena of luminescence, such as the light emitted by fireflies. Similarly, he wrote about the light emitted by dead fish and certain fungi. He knew that light traveled very fast, and reasoned that the speed was infinite. Hats off to Aristotle, and the ancients who preceded him, for starting the discussion on so many of these topics.
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