Visions of the Invisible
Have you ever seen an atom? Neither have I, or anyone for that matter. So how did we come to understand them?
Everything we know about atoms is the result of decades of research.
Looking back, there is a handful of scientists whose brilliant theories revolutionised the atomic model during the 20th century. Among them Niels Bohr, Erwin Schrödinger and Ernest Rutherford.
My illustrations aim to explain each scientists’ understanding of the atom and what practical or theoretical observations led them to their conclusions.
In a model of each scientist’s laboratory this question is answered. Like time travel, you are transported into three of the most significant moments in science history.
The content can be divided into three different levels: Firstly, the atomic structure and significant experience that led to it are displayed in the room. Secondly, the connection between the two is explained on the board and lastly, the desk offers a glimpse into the scientists’ personal life and the time period his discovery took place.
The search for the atomic structure is a fascinating story which shows that research is not a linear, and most definitely not a boring process.
Our knowledge today is based on the successes and failures of generations of brilliant scientists who were brave enough to challenge the existing theories. To put it in the words of Erwin Schrödinger, “The task is not to see what has never been seen before, but to think what has never been thought about what you see everyday.”