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A stage in the separation of radium from pitchblende using sodium carbonate, c1900. A scene in the laboratory of the Nobel Prize winning physicists Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris
Title page of Oeuvres de Pierre Curie, 1908. French chemist Curie (1859-1906) was awarded the Nobel prize for Physics in 1903, jointly with his wife, Marie, and Henri Becquerel
Spectrum analysis, 1873. A magic lantern being used to project slides during a lecture on spectrum analysis at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London
Spectroscope, 1882. A spectroscope of the type used by Gustave Robert Kirchhoff (1824-1887) and Robert Wilhelm Bunsen (1811-1899) in studying the emission spectra of heated chemical elements
Hans Christian Oersted, Danish physicist, 1851. Oersted (1777-1851) discovered that electric current has an effect on a magnetic needle
Hans Christian Oersted, Danish physicist, [c1870]. Oersted (1777-1851) discovered that electric current has an effect on a magnetic needle
Camera Obscura, 1671. From Ars Magna by Athanasius Kircher. (Amsterdam, 1671)
Portable tent type of camera obscura, 1764. The device is placed on a table so that it could be used to draw the landscape projected down onto a sheet of white paper on the table
Magnetism, 1600. A terrella or globe-shaped magnet with lumps of iron to represent mountains and showing the north-seeking property of a magnetic needle. From De Magnete by William Gilbert
A magnetized needle pushed through a ball of cork, floating submerged in a goblet of water, 1600. The needle shows the dip and the direction of the magnetic pole. From De Magnete by William Gilbert
Children watching an outdoor scene through a camera obscura, 1887. From Natural Philosophy by A Ganot. (London, 1887)
Illustration of the principle of the camera obscura, 1671. Showing how the image of the lighted face on the left appears inverted on the wall of the darkened chamber on the right
James Hutton, Scottish geologist, 1787 (1877). Hutton (1726-1797) working at a rock face with a geological hammer. In 1794 he published his Theory of the Earth
Camera obscura, 1561. Projecting a solar eclipse into a darkened room through a small hole, showing how the image is inverted. From Problematum Astronomicorum by Daniele Santbech. (Basel, 1561)
Examining a patients thorax using an X-ray tube and fluorescent screen, 1903. The X-ray tube (on tripod) is set at the required height and the patient stands directly in front of it
Montigny mitrailleuse, 1870. Introduced by the French during the Franco-Prussian War, this rapid-fire gun had 37 barrels. Operated by 5 men, it could deliver 482 rounds per minute
Facsimile or copying telegraph system by Amstutz of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, 1896
Alexander Glens facsimile telegraph system, 1886. From a paper read to the United Service Institution, England, 15 Janaury 1886
Casellis pantelegraph, 1874. This device, invented by the Italian abbot and inventor Giovanni Caselli (1815-1891) was effectively an early fax machine
Rear view of Charles Wheatstones electric (railway) telegraph, 1850. Showing its connection OT lines running beside the railway track. From Illustrations of Natural Philosophyby John Reynolds
Carbon microphone, 1882. Device invented in 1878 by David Edward Hughes (1831-1900), English inventor. From Physics in Pictures by Theodore Eckardt. (London, 1882)
Barthelemy Thimonnier, 19th century French inventor, [1907]. Thimmonier (1793-1857) patented the first sewing machine to be put into practical use, in Paris in 1830
Communicating by speaking tube, 1882Speaking tube, 1882. A cross-section of a ship, showing how communication between the bridge (top) and the rest of the vessel took place
Berthold Schwart, 14th century German Franciscan monk and alchemist, 1901. Schwart (fl 1320) is supposed to be the first European to discover gunpowder. Illustration from Le Petit Journal, Paris, 1901
Cook and Wheatstones 5-needle telegraph, 1837 (1915). The 5-needle telegraph was the first successful electric telecommunication device and was patented by Charles Wheatstone and William Cooke
X-ray apparatus, 1915. Apparatus powered by a Ruhmkorff coil being used to take an X-ray of a hand. Cigarette card
X-raying the hand, 1924. An X-ray tube and an X-ray photograph of a hand, with the bones and a wristwatch and ring clearly visible. Cigarette card
Gas lighting, 1814. Fig. 1: Samuel Cleggs (1781-1861) gas apparatus (1808). Fig. 7: B Cooks gas apparatus. Figs 8&9: Furnace for producing tar as a gas by-product. From Encyclopaedia Londinensis
Ader telephone system, 1881. The man on the left is making a call which passes through the operator at the exchange, centre, to the recipient on the right
Various substances fluorescing in vacuum tubes of different shapes, 1903
Movement of solids, c1850. Illustrating mechanisms including gears, the escapement, governor, parallel motion, reciprocating to rotative motion, the eccentric, and the crank
Equilibrium of solids, c1850. Physical principles including the lever, pulley, and inclined plane. Educational plate published in Wurtemberg, Germany, c1850
General properties of bodies, c1851. Physical principles including inertia, centre of gravity, centrifugal force, parallelogram of forces
Divers salvaging guns from the seabed, c1855. The diving suits appear to be of the type designed by German-born engineer Augustus Siebe (1778-1872)
Equilibrium of Liquids, c1850. Hydrostatics and its applications, including a siphon (17), bellows (paradoxical instrument) (8), Bramahs hydraulic press (19), an intermittent spring
Light, c1850. Educational plate showing reflection and refraction, light travelling in straight lines, a burning mirror (13) and Newtons prism experiment (27). (Wurtemberg, Germany c1850)
Electricity, c1850. Various aspects of electricity and electrical apparatus, including attraction and repulsion (1, 2), Leyden jar and condenser (6, 7)
Communication by speaking tube, c1850. A waiter serving clients in a restaurant, speaking to chefs at work in the kitchen on the floor below, using a speaking tube
Magnetism, c1850. Educational plate showing various aspects of magnetism and electromagnetism including a dip needle, compass, the lifting power of an electromagnet (12), Wheatstone telegraph (13)
John Augustus Roebling, American civil engineer, 1874. Roebling (1806-1869) designed the Brooklyn Suspension Bridge as well as the Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Niagara Falls Bridges
Washington Augustus Roebling, American civil engineer, 1883. Roebling (1837-1926) built the Brooklyn Suspension Bridge which had been designed by his father John Augustus Roebling (1806-1869)
Hans Lippershey, Dutch optician credited with the discovery of the telescope, 1655. Lippershey (c1570-1619) applied for a patent for his telescope in 1608, and word of his invention reached Galileo
Discovery of the principle of the telescope, 17th century (1863). Artists impression of the supposed chance discovery of the principle of the telescope by children playing in the workshop of
Construction of the Brooklyn Suspension Bridge, New York, USA, 1880. Top: laying cable - view of saddle and yoke at the top of one of the towers. Bottom: the bridge during construction
Sanctorius clinical thermometer, 1612. Santorio Santorio (1561-1636). Italian physician known as Sanctorius invented his air thermoscope or clinical thermometer in 1612
Early thermometers, 1691. Various kinds of 17th century thermometers and a rain gauge (right). From Saggi di naturali esperienze fatte nell Accademia del Cimento (Florence 1691)
Davys electric egg, 1883. Invented in 1809, it produced intense light from a voltaic arc between the points of two carbon rods
Joseph Whitworth, British engineer and inventor, c1880. Whitworth (1803-1887) produced the standard screw thread which bears his name and invented numerous machine tools
