⏰ when
When was the first recorded rainbow explained scientifically?
WeatherScience history
Quick Answer
A scientific explanation of rainbows was given in the 13th century by scholars such as Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi and Kamal al-Din al-Farisi.
The Full Story
By the 13th century, scholars in the Islamic Golden Age had developed a scientific explanation of rainbows using optics. Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi and Kamal al-Din al-Farisi described how sunlight is refracted, reflected and dispersed in water droplets. Their work was a major advance over purely philosophical explanations of atmospheric phenomena. The rainbow became one of the classic examples in the history of light science.
Key Facts
1.13th century: scientific rainbow explanation developed
2.Key scholars included al-Shirazi and al-Farisi
3.Used refraction, reflection and dispersion
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The medieval scientists who cracked the rainbow"