The physical tourist. Physics in Glasgow: a heritage tour

Abstract

I trace the history of the physical and applied sciences, and particularly physics, in Glasgow. Among the notable individuals I discuss are Joseph Black (1728-1799), James Watt (1736-1819), William John Macquorn Rankine (1820-1872), William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), John Kerr (1824-1907), Frederick Soddy (1877-1956), John Logie Baird (1888-1946), and Ian Donald (1910-1987), as well as physics-related businesses. The locations, centering on the city center and University of Glasgow, include sights both recognizable today and transformed from past usage, as well as museums and archives related to the history and interpretation of physics